Released: 2008
Jamey Johnson’s ‘In Color’ is a heartfelt country ballad that uses old photographs as a vehicle to tell a story of resilience, love, and the passage of time. The song is a conversation between a grandson and his grandpa, with the grandpa recounting key moments of his life through black and white pictures.
The first verse sets the scene, with the grandpa showing a picture from 1935, during the Great Depression. The term ‘cotton farm’ refers to the agricultural work many folks had to do to make ends meet during this tough economic period. The line ‘you should’ve seen it in color’ emphasizes the depth and intensity of the experiences that can’t be fully captured in a black and white photo.
In the second verse, the grandpa shares a photo from his time as a soldier in 1943, during World War II. The ‘tail gunner’ is a military term for the crew member responsible for defending the aircraft from attacks. ‘Johnny Magee’, the tail gunner, was a high school teacher, highlighting the fact that ordinary people were called to extraordinary duties during the war.
The third verse shifts to a more personal memory, showing a picture from the grandpa’s wedding day. The ‘rose was red and her eyes were blue’ is a classic country way of expressing love and admiration. The phrase ‘it was hot that June’ is a colloquial way of saying it was a particularly warm summer.
The chorus ‘A picture’s worth a thousand words, but you can’t see what those shades of gray keep covered’ underscores the song’s theme that life’s full vibrancy and emotion can’t be truly captured in a photograph. The repeated line ‘you should’ve seen it in color’ serves as a poignant reminder of the richness of personal experiences that are lost in the black and white images.
