“Where Were You?”

1. “Where Were You?” By Alan Jackson

2. Lyrics • Where were you when the world stopped turning that September dayOut in the yard with your wife and childrenWorking on some stage in LADid you stand there in shock at the site ofThat black smoke rising against that blue skyDid you shout out in angerIn fear for your neighborOr did you just sit down and cry • Did you weep for the childrenWho lost their dear loved onesAnd pray for the ones who don't knowDid you rejoice for the people who walked from the rubbleAnd sob for the ones left below

3. Lyrics Cont’d • Did you burst out in prideFor the red white and blueThe heroes who died just doing what they doDid you look up to heaven for some kind of answerAnd look at yourself to what really matters • I'm just a singer of simple songsI'm not a real political manI watch CNN but I'm not sure I can tell youThe difference in Iraq and IranBut I know Jesus and I talk to GodAnd I remember this from when I was youngFaith hope and love are some good things he gave usAnd the greatest is love

4. Lyrics Cont’d • Where were you when the world stopped turning that September dayTeaching a class full of innocent childrenDriving down some cold interstateDid you feel guilty cause you're a survivorIn a crowded room did you feel aloneDid you call up your mother and tell her you love herDid you dust off that bible at home • Did you open your eyes and hope it never happenedClose your eyes and not go to sleep Did you notice the sunset the first time in agesSpeak with some stranger on the streetDid you lay down at night and think of tomorrowGo out and buy you a gun

5. Lyrics Cont’d • Did you turn off that violent old movie you're watchingAnd turn on "I Love Lucy" rerunsDid you go to a church and hold hands with some stranger Stand in line and give your own bloodDid you just stay home and cling tight to your familyThank God you had somebody to love • I'm just a singer of simple songsI'm not a real political manI watch CNN but I'm not sure I can tell youThe difference in Iraq and IranBut I know Jesus and I talk to GodAnd I remember this from when I was youngFaith, hope, and love are some good things he gave usAnd the greatest is love

6. Lyrics Cont’d • I'm just a singer of simple songsI'm not a real political manI watch CNN but I'm not sure I can tell youThe difference in Iraq and IranBut I know Jesus and I talk to GodAnd I remember this from when I was youngFaith hope and love are some good things he gave usAnd the greatest is love • The greatest is loveThe greatest is love • Where were you when the world stopped turning that September day

7. WORKS CITED

8. Alan Jackson • Alan Jackson was born in Georgia in 1985. Jackson met his wife, Denise, in high school, and had three kids: Mattie, Alexandra, and Dani. Wanting to try and recreate the traditional country music which had grown so unpopular, Alan Jackson began to write country songs for Glen Campbell Enterprises. Jackson released his first album in 1990, and by 1992 he had released an additional three. Early on in his career, Alan Jackson’s music had already topped the charts, and in 1992 he won five awards, including Song of the Year and Album of the Year, as well as CMA’s Music Video of the Year, adding to the other six awards he had won in previous years. Since then, Jackson has released a total of fifteen albums, each containing many hit songs, including the September 11th song, “Where Were You When the World Stopped Turning”. Although Jackson hit a rough patch in his marriage midway through his career, he remains married to Denise and is one of the best known singers of the country genre. BACK

9. Black Smoke • After the terrorist attacks on September 11th and the collapse of the World Trade Center, an enormous cloud of dust covered all of Washington D.C., which had lasting effects. Over a year later, people exposed to the dust and debris, such as firefighters, began to notice health issues originating from the dust, including severe coughs. Many firefighters and others died on September 11th simply due to the amount of dust. BACK

10. Dear Loved Ones • During the terrorist attacks on September 11th, over 2,800 innocent people were killed. People who died include firefighters, policemen, and civilians. Many people also died afterwards, either due to injury or health conditions caused by the attack. BACK

11. Allusion • An allusion is a literary term which is used in literature as a way of making a reference to an idea, theme, character, etc. from another literary work. Writers often use allusions to prove a point or express a theme. For example, in this song, Alan Jackson alludes to the Bible, in the line “I know Jesus and I talk to God”. BACK

12. Heroes Who Died • During the attacks on September 11th, several brave men and women, including firefighters, police, and paramedics, lost their lives. Many died during the initial attacks, but others died trying to save people who were trapped in the debris. Those men and women serve as symbols of courage and hope for the United States. BACK

13. Survivors • Most of the victims of the September 11th attacks died either immediately or later on, due to trauma or health issues due to the attacks. Many people, though were and are still survivors, though still suffering from the consequences. BACK

14. Repetition • Repetition is a literary device used to express similar feelings by either the character or the author, and includes repeating the same word or phrase over and over again in the literature. In this song, Alan Jackson uses repetition by repeating the phrase “did you”. In a way, Jackson uses repetition to question listeners, and relay information to them at the same time. BACK

15. Iraq and Iran • Iraq and Iran are two countries in the middle east, and are a few of the countries most associated with the terrorist group which hijacked the two planes which crashed into the World Trade Center on September 11th. BACK

16. Listing • In many literary works, writers often use listing to describe an object or a group of objects to the reader. For instance when an author wants to describe an object, they may write a few adjectives separated by commas. For example: The boy was funny, smart, and athletic. Listing is a good way to quickly describe things in a story. BACK

17. Rhyme Scheme • In literary works such as poems or songs, writers often use a rhyme scheme. A rhyme scheme is a pattern of words, in which the last words of certain lines rhyme. In this song, Alan Jackson uses many rhyme schemes, such as the words “man” and “Iran”. BACK

18. Figure of Speech • A figure of speech is a literary term in which a writer will words which are not meant to be taken literally, but rather figuratively. For instance, when Alan Jackson says “when the world stopped turning”, he does not mean that the world actually stopped turning. What he really means is that a big event has taken place. BACK

19. September Day • On September 11th, 2001, terrorists hijacked two airplanes in midflight, and crashed them into the World Trade Center in Washington D.C., along with the Pentagon. These terrorist attacks killed many people, and both of the World Trade Center’s towers were destroyed. The aftermath of September 11th shocked and devastated the world, and led to new security measures taken by the United States. BACK