In the five-county Times News area, after Allentown and Bethlehem with populations of about 126,000 and 75,000, respectively, most of the other communities are considered small towns.

Boroughs such as Coaldale in Schuylkill County (pop. 2,430), Parryville in Carbon County (pop. 415), Walnutport in Northampton County (pop. 2,000), Slatington in Lehigh County (pop. 4,200) and Delaware Water Gap in Monroe County (pop. 675) fit the designation nicely.

Small-town living is certainly a selling point to those of us born in them or those who willingly to move there from “the city.” In these close-knit communities, time seems to slow down, allowing for personal connections to be made and fostering a sense of belonging.

Life appears to be simpler, and, for the most part, much more peaceful. It’s as if these communities offer a refuge from the chaotic “outside” world that seems to be getting even more-so by the day.

Against this backdrop comes country megastar Jason Aldean’s latest hit, “Try That in A Small Town,” which as of this writing was #1 on iTunes. The song has become another one of those culture issues that has been pounced on by the so-called “woke” crowd, which contends it is loaded with racist overtones, while those who don’t see it that way contend that way too much is being read into the lyrics. Here are some of the controversial lyrics:

Sucker punch somebody on a sidewalk

Carjack an old lady at a red light

Pull a gun on the owner of a liquor store

Ya think it’s cool, well, act a fool if ya like

Cuss out a cop, spit in his face

Stomp on the flag and light it up

Yeah, ya think you’re tough

Well, try that in a small town

See how far ya make it down the road

Around here, we take care of our own

You cross that line, it won’t take long

For you to find out, I recommend you don’t

Try that in a small town

Although the song was released in May, it was not until the accompanying video started getting distribution that the controversy heated up. The music video had 17 million views on YouTube in just 11 days after the headlines about the controversy started punctuating the news.

The video features actual news footage of police taking on demonstrators, brutality, street violence and robberies. Those condemning the video and the lyrics of the song also are critical of Aldean being shown singing in front of the Maury County Courthouse in Columbia, Tennessee, site of a race riot in 1946 and the lynching of an 18-year-old black youth in 1927.

Aldean defended the video, saying that there are no race references or anything that points to it. “While I can try and respect others to have their own interpretation, this one goes too far.” Aldean said of his critics.

Aldean’s intent with the song, he said, is a desire to get back to normalcy in our country where “we go at least a day without a headline that keeps us up at night.”

Aldean, 46, who was born and raised in Macon, Georgia, and spent some summers in Homestead, Florida, said that his song reflects the feeling in a community that he had growing up where “we took care of our neighbors, and that was above any differences.” He also said that there are “bad things happening on a daily basis that feel unfamiliar to a lot of us. This song sheds some light on this.” (I want to point out, however, that Macon with a population of about 155,000 is not my idea of a small town.)

Watching and listening to this controversy unfold reminded me of a much different description of a small town, “Way Back Home,” a Bing Crosby song from the 1940s in which the central figure laments having moved away from a small town to the city. The lyrics include:

The roads are the dustiest

The winds are the gustiest

The gates are the rustiest

The pies are the crustiest

The songs, the songs the lustiest

The friends, the friends the trustiest

Way back home.

Small-town living is not only a place to reside but a sanctuary that reminds us that life’s truest joys often lie in the simple pleasures of genuine interactions with our family, friends and neighbors.

By BRUCE FRASSINELLI| tneditor@tnonline.com

The foregoing opinions do not necessarily reflect the views of the Editorial Board or Times News LLC.