Exclusive Download: Chuck Ragan's 'You Get What You Give'

Chuck Ragan

Scott Toepfer

Click to listen to Chuck Ragan's 'You Get What You Give'

Singer-songwriter Chuck Ragan has racked up many miles touring five continents over the past two decades. His latest album, Covering Ground, is a collection of songs he wrote on the road or about the road. In explaining the inspiration behind his latest track, the Americana rocker "You Get What You Give," he says, "There is always a struggle finding balance doing what we love. Above all, holding true to that original passion rather than sinking into a self-absorbed world which is addicted to self-gratification, attention and spotlight." These beliefs helped him come up with the theme – and the title – of the track. "In the end, it comes down to a single choice of how we decide to treat people and ourselves. What goes around comes around; and sooner or later whether we like it or not, we will get what we give." Covering Ground will hit stores on September 13th, but you can download "You Get What You Give" for free here.

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Song Stories

“Baby Got Back”

Sir Mix-a-Lot | 1992

While watching a Budweiser commercial during the Super Bowl, Sir Mix-a-Lot thought the skinny female models in the ad didn’t represent reality. So he wrote this ode to ample bottoms, featuring its famous to-the-point lyric: “I like big butts and I cannot lie.” MTV banished the video, featuring shaking booties and sexually suggestive fruit, to 9 p.m. or later. “I thought my career was over,” he told Rolling Stone. “Then I called Rick Rubin, and I told him the video was banned, and he was like, 'Great!' We sold another 2 million records.”

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