Sammy Kershaw – Vidalia

About The Song

“Vidalia” is a song written by Tim Nichols and Mark D. Sanders, recorded by American country music artist Sammy Kershaw, and released in July 1996 as the second single from his fourth studio album Politics, Religion and Her on Mercury Records. The song reached No. 10 on the Billboard Hot Country Singles & Tracks chart, following the success of Kershaw’s No. 1 hit “She Don’t Know She’s Beautiful” from 1993. It marked another entry in his string of Top 10 singles during the mid-1990s.

The recording took place in Nashville, produced by Keith Stegall, with a traditional country arrangement featuring steel guitar, fiddle, and Kershaw’s smooth vocal style. The session included musicians such as Brent Mason on electric guitar and John D. Willis on acoustic guitar, contributing to the song’s upbeat yet playful tone. The track runs 3:21 on the album, with the single version maintaining the same length for radio play. Politics, Religion and Her, released on June 18, 1996, peaked at No. 3 on the Billboard Top Country Albums chart and was certified platinum, selling over 1 million copies.

The lyrics tell the story of a man’s affection for a woman named Vidalia, using wordplay on the Vidalia onion, with lines like “Ain’t nothing so precious as a first born child / What to call their little angel they wanted for a while.” The narrative includes a humorous twist where Vidalia defends herself in Sunday school, “Till you laid the word of God upside of his head.” Deborah Evans Price of Billboard magazine reviewed the song favorably, calling it a “nice blend of cuteness and country boy wit rolled into a song of love and longing,” noting its left-of-center appeal suited Kershaw’s strengths.

The music video, directed by Michael Merriman, premiered in mid-1996, filmed during Kershaw’s 1996 tour and in Vidalia, Georgia. It features Kershaw performing to a large crowd and scenes of farmers harvesting Vidalia onions, tying into the song’s theme. The video was shot to support the single’s promotion. Kershaw, born Samuel Paul Kershaw on February 24, 1958, in Kaplan, Louisiana, drew from his country roots, with the song reflecting his ability to blend humor and romance, a hallmark of his mid-1990s output.

The track was released in multiple formats, including CD and cassette singles, with B-sides like “Fit to Be Tied Down” from the same album. It was performed live during Kershaw’s 1996 tour, showcasing his engaging stage presence. The song’s success contributed to the album’s overall performance, which also included the Top 10 hit “Meant to Be.”

Video

Lyric

Ain’t nothing so precious as a first born child
What to call their little angel they wanted for a while
Your dear mama Violet, your proud daddy Dale
I know when they named ya, they surely meant well

But Vidalia, Vidalia girl won’t you tell me why
Sweet Vidalia you always gotta make me cry

I never paid no attention to a girl before
Till the day I saw you standin’ in the Sunday school door
One boy sorta snickered when the roll was read
Till you laid the word of God upside of his head

But Vidalia, Vidalia girl won’t you tell me why
Sweet Vidalia you always gotta make me cry

When I try to get too close seems like we’ve always been almost
Just one step or two away from true love

Well I love the way you walk, I love the way you kiss
I love to get away with you alone like this
If I could just mention, just one little thing
Vidalia, would ya stop livin’ up to your name

But Vidalia, Vidalia girl won’t you tell me why
Sweet Vidalia you always gotta make me cry

Vidalia, Vidalia girl won’t you tell me why
Sweet Vidalia you always gotta make me cry
You always gotta make me cry
You always gotta make me cry
You always gotta make me cry