The 20th anniversary of Alan Jackson‘s hit ballad “Remember When” — which came out in October of 2003 — is about more than just the celebration of a major career plot point. It’s also a chance for Jackson to look back at the love story that inspired the song: His marriage of four-plus decades to his wife, Denise.
With lyrics like the song-opening “Remember when I was young and so were you” ring true for the couple, who’ve known each other since childhood. Over the course of its verses, “Remember When” traces the ups and downs of lasting love, from world-stopping first kisses to the birth of children to navigating tragedy and betrayal together.
In a reflection on the 20th anniversary of the song posted to his social media, Jackson acknowledges the impact his own love story had on “Remember When.”
“Denise and I met as kids, and all that’s true,” he says, alongside a black-and-white photo of the couple’s younger selves sitting in a car. “And most of that is just reflections of our life, and some of it looking ahead.”
But the song, which Jackson wrote solo, isn’t solely a message to his wife. It’s also a masterful reflection on the impact a long relationship has over the course of two lives. “Remember when 30 seemed so old? / Now lookin’ back, it’s just a steppin’ stone / To where we are where we’ve been / Said we’d do it all again,” he sings toward the end of the song.
“I’ve had so many comments saying, ‘That’s one of my favorite songs,’ or ‘That’s our song,'” Jackson continues. “I have so many couples come up and say, ‘That’s our song.’…It connected with a certain audience, I guess.”