Cody Johnson Releases Music Video For His Sentimental Single, “Dirt Cheap”
Country fans first got the chance to hear Cody Johnson’s “Dirt Cheap” when he released his latest album, Leather, in November 2023. The Texas native eventually released the song as the album’s second single, following the #1 hit, “The Painter.”
Josh Phillips was the sole songwriter behind “Dirt Cheap.” As the narrator of the sentimental song, Johnson sings about an old cotton crop farmer who’s approached by some men who want to build a subdivision on his land. They promise to offer him “top dollar” and tell him he can leave town “a rich man.”
But the farmer turns them down, saying his land is far more valuable to him than any amount of money. He explains it’s the place where his daughter grew up and still thinks fondly of even after moving away. That line hits hard for Johnson, since he has two daughters of his own.
Johnson performed the emotional track during the ACM Awards in May, and it was a highlight of the night. There surely wasn’t a dry eye in the crowd after he finished singing.
Watch The New Music Video For “Dirt Cheap” Below
Johnson started releasing teasers for the “Dirt Cheap” music video on Wednesday (June 26). In the caption of one teaser, he wrote, “Good luck not tearing up on this one.”
Johnson’s frequent collaborator, Dustin Haney, directed the music video. It premiered on YouTube on Friday (June 28) at 10 AM CT and aired every hour throughout the day on all of CMT’s platforms.
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Much like the song itself, the “Dirt Cheap” music video tugs at the heartstrings. The video follows the story as it unfolds in the lyrics, opening with a scene of two men approaching the old farmer’s house to ask if they can buy his land.
The farmer (played by famed Texas actor and musician Red Steagall) thinks back to all of the fond memories he and his family have made there. His memories are interrupted by his daughter and granddaughter, who appear by his side on the porch. The daughter is the one who ends up telling the city men that her dad’s land is not for sale, and never will be.
These clips are woven with footage of Johnson performing in a beautiful, open field beside a red barn. His passionate performance enhances the video’s already heightened emotions.
Watch the music video for “Dirt Cheap” below. Like Johnson said, best of luck getting through this one without tearing up…