Released: 2000
Travis Tritt’s ‘It’s A Great Day To Be Alive’ is a celebration of the simple pleasures in life. It’s about appreciating the good times, acknowledging the hard times, and finding contentment in everyday routines.
The song kicks off with Tritt cooking rice in the microwave, sporting a three-day beard, and feeling good without the aid of drink or drugs. These lines paint a picture of a man enjoying his solitude and the simple, mundane aspects of life.
The chorus, ‘And it’s a great day to be alive / I know the sun’s still shinin’ when I close my eyes / There’s some hard times in the neighborhood / But why can’t every day be just this good?’ is a testament to optimism. Despite acknowledging ‘hard times in the neighborhood’, Tritt maintains a positive outlook, wishing every day could be as good as this one.
In the verse ‘It’s been fifteen years since I left home / Said good luck to every seed I’d sown / Give it my best and then I left it alone / Oh, I hope they’re doin’ alright’, Tritt reflects on his past. He’s been away from home for a long time, and he’s left behind some things (or people) he cared about. He expresses hope that they’re doing well, showing a sense of nostalgia and longing.
The lines ‘Sometimes it’s lonely / Sometimes it’s only me / And the shadows that fill this room / Sometimes I’m fallin’ / Desperately callin’ / Howlin’ at the moon’ reveal a darker side. Despite his upbeat attitude, Tritt admits to feeling lonely and struggling at times. The ‘howlin’ at the moon’ metaphor is a nod to his wilder, untamed side.
In the end, Tritt considers getting a new tattoo or taking his Harley for a three-day cruise, suggesting that he’s not afraid to shake things up and live life on his own terms. The repeated chorus reinforces his message of optimism and appreciation for life’s simple pleasures.
