Twelve years ago today (Sept. 2, 2009), Jason Aldean undoubtedly toasted to his own success. It was on that date that his single "Big Green Tractor" went gold, signifying sales in excess of 500,000 units.

"Big Green Tractor" was the second single from Aldean's third album, Wide Open, which debuted at No. 2. Hit writers Jim Collins, who also wrote "She Thinks My Tractor's Sexy," and David Lee Murphy co-wrote the tune.

"I walked into his office, and I said, 'Hey, man, do you feel like writing another tractor song?'" Murphy recalls to The Boot. "He just busted out laughing and said, 'It’s been about eight years since "She Thinks My Tractor’s Sexy" … I think I’m through!' We sat down and wrote that song.

"When you write songs, sometimes you just have a feeling that 'this is going to be a hit song,'" Murphy notes. "When we wrote "Big Green Tractor," it just felt like, 'Man, this song feels really great. It’s special, and it’s different.'"

"Big Green Tractor" soared to the top of the charts, becoming Aldean's third No. 1 hit and what he describes as the song that shifted his career to a new level of success.

“We found the right song,” Aldean tells The Boot. “... It kind of took everything to the next level.”

Aldean included "Big Green Tractor" on both his Wide Open Live & More DVD and his Night Train to Georgia DVD.

This story was originally written by Gayle Thompson, and revised by Annie Zaleski. 

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