Looking back on his childhood, Jim Jacobs vividly remembers listening to the legends of country music: Conway Twitty, Merle Haggard, Loretta Lynn, Dolly Parton, and especially George Jones. Whether it was out in the barn, on the tractor, in the car, or in his home at Six Nations Ontario, Canada, Country music was always playing and was part of the inspiration for Jacobs to make the move to Nashville, Tennessee, to chase after his country music dreams, which is where he met his producer for his debut single, “Over For Good.” Unceasingly idolizing George Jones, Jacobs openly expresses how his drive for making music closely aligns with Jones’ quoted perspective. Jones once said, “Country music, to me, is heartfelt music that speaks to the common man. It is about real life stories with rather simple melodies that the average person can follow. Country music should speak directly and simply about the highs and lows of life. Something that anyone can relate to.” Rest assured, Jacobs’ “Over For Good” checks every one of these boxes, allowing him to maintain the traditional country sound but with his own life lessons and experiences to share.
He starts “Over For Good” with deep and detailed storytelling feeding off one of his past terminated relationships. A once perfectly-matched couple were living happily in harmony, and they later had a child together. It seemed everything was going according to plan – until she turned to the bottle. With their lack of communication and her dwindling presence in their family, they had to go their separate ways, yet the pain continues to linger for Jacobs, knowing they are “Over For Good.” The sad but true tale is one many people will connect with on a personal level. As alcoholism has dismantled copious romances before, Jacobs covers the happiness from the start of the relationship and the spiral that happens until the end.
With such wholesome, emotion-loaded harmonies conveying this heartstring-pulling turn of events in just over four minutes, Jacobs puts authentic art on clear display here. The visual simply depicts the mentally-illustrated imagery the lyrics already afford. The actors bring this story to life, showing the good and the bad that came with this fallout and eventual breakup. Jacobs’ facial expressions in the performance clips are telling on their own, making it unquestionable how real this song truly is to him. Ultimately, it drives Jacobs’ intended takeaway home by letting audiences see and hear him in such a vulnerable state. “Recognize signs early. Try and be more open when talking with your partner. If that doesn’t work, know when to pull away, what is best for each person, and whatever is going to make each person happier.”
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