Pickup Man
Encyclopedia
"Pickup Man" is the title of a song recorded by American
country music
artist Joe Diffie
. Released in October 1994, the song was his longest-lasting Number One hit, having spent four weeks at Number One on the Billboard
Hot Country Singles & Tracks (now Hot Country Songs
) charts between December 1994 and January 1995.
. At one point, he is able to secure a ride for a high school homecoming queen.
"Pickup man", in this sense, has a double meaning — i.e., he is not only driving a pickup truck, but he is also "picking up" women in it.
in Lewisburg, Tennessee
.
, to promote their "Carside To Go" service.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
country music
Country music
Country music is a popular American musical style that began in the rural Southern United States in the 1920s. It takes its roots from Western cowboy and folk music...
artist Joe Diffie
Joe Diffie
Joe Logan Diffie is an American country music singer known for his ballads and novelty songs. Between 1990 and 2004, Diffie charted 35 cuts on the Billboard Hot Country Songs chart, including five number one singles: his debut release "Home", "If the Devil Danced ", "Third Rock from the Sun",...
. Released in October 1994, the song was his longest-lasting Number One hit, having spent four weeks at Number One on the Billboard
Billboard (magazine)
Billboard is a weekly American magazine devoted to the music industry, and is one of the oldest trade magazines in the world. It maintains several internationally recognized music charts that track the most popular songs and albums in various categories on a weekly basis...
Hot Country Singles & Tracks (now Hot Country Songs
Hot Country Songs
Hot Country Songs is a chart published weekly by Billboard magazine in the United States.This 60-position chart lists the most popular country music songs, calculated weekly mostly by airplay and occasionally commercial sales...
) charts between December 1994 and January 1995.
Content
The song, a moderate up-tempo, is about a man who reasons he can meet the woman of his dreams by driving a pickup truckPickup truck
A pickup truck is a light motor vehicle with an open-top rear cargo area .-Definition:...
. At one point, he is able to secure a ride for a high school homecoming queen.
"Pickup man", in this sense, has a double meaning — i.e., he is not only driving a pickup truck, but he is also "picking up" women in it.
Music video
The music video was directed by Deaton Flanigan. The majority of the music video for this song was filmed on location at a drive-in theaterDrive-in theater
A drive-in theater is a form of cinema structure consisting of a large outdoor screen, a projection booth, a concession stand and a large parking area for automobiles. Within this enclosed area, customers can view movies from the privacy and comfort of their cars.The screen can be as simple as a...
in Lewisburg, Tennessee
Lewisburg, Tennessee
Lewisburg is a city in Marshall County, Tennessee, United States. The population was 10,413 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Marshall County...
.
In popular culture
In 2005, a rewritten version of "Pickup Man" was used in television commercials for the restaurant chain Applebee'sApplebee's
Applebee’s International, Inc., is an American company which develops, franchises, and operates the Applebee's Neighborhood Grill and Bar restaurant chain. As of September 2011, there were 2,010 restaurants operating system-wide in the United States, one U.S. territory and 14 other countries...
, to promote their "Carside To Go" service.
Chart positions
"Pickup Man" debuted at number 56 on the U.S. Billboard Hot Country Singles & Tracks for the week of October 22, 1994.| Chart (1994-1995) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| U.S. Billboard Hot Country Singles & Tracks | 1 |
| U.S. Billboard Hot 100 | 60 |
| Canadian RPM Country Tracks | 9 |