It is the weirdest song in modern country music history. Seriously. If you’ve ever sat through the end of the Zac Brown Band’s 2008 debut album, The Foundation, you know exactly what I’m talking about. After the polished, radio-ready hits like "Chicken Fried" and "Toes," you hit this frantic, bluegrass-fueled explosion called Zac Brown Band Sic Em on a Chicken.
It’s messy. It’s loud. It’s basically a fever dream about a small dog named Pete and a rogue rooster that’s lived way past its expiration date.
Honestly, most mainstream bands wouldn't dare put a song about a dog drinking "Beam and water from a broken mason jar" on a multi-platinum record. But that’s the thing about the Zac Brown Band—they weren’t always the stadium-filling, genre-bending behemoth they are today. Back then, they were a group of Georgia boys who spent more time in bars and at "eat-and-greets" than in fancy studios.
The Wild Origin of Sic Em on a Chicken
You've gotta understand the context of where this band came from. Before they were winning Grammys, Zac Brown and his frequent songwriting partner Wyatt Durrette were grinding it out in Kennesaw, Georgia. They were playing at Sidelines Sports Bar and basically any place that would let them plug in.
Zac Brown Band Sic Em on a Chicken wasn't written to be a radio hit. It was written to be a party.
The song was co-written by Zac Brown and John Driskell Hopkins (the band's multi-instrumentalist who often handles the "low" vocals). It’s a "hidden" track—though not technically hidden on digital services anymore—that serves as a bridge between their Southern rock roots and the high-speed bluegrass that the band’s fiddle player, Jimmy De Martini, is so damn good at.
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The narrative is hilariously specific. You have:
- Pete the Dog: The "smallest dog of all the dogs in my yard."
- The Whiskey Habit: Pete drinks Jim Beam. Out of a broken jar.
- The Conflict: A chicken that has basically become a menace to the family.
Why the "Man vs. Poultry" Theme Worked
During a live show at The Woodlands back in 2011, Zac famously introduced the song by telling the crowd, "Sometimes you have to fight the chicken when you're a man." It sounds like a joke, but it actually taps into that weird, authentic Southern storytelling tradition where the mundane (like a mean rooster) becomes legendary through song.
In the lyrics, the chicken in question has lived "a couple of years" and nearly took out an eyeball from "Lon, his son." When the narrator is making fig preserves and sees a kid get kicked in the face by a bird, the verdict is in: the chicken has to go. It's time to bring out the "butter and the flour."
Music as Food: The Zac Brown Connection
If you know anything about Zac, you know he’s a chef at heart. Before the band blew up, he was running a restaurant/club called Zac's Place in Lake Oconee. He’s always viewed music and food as the same thing—fuel for the soul.
Zac Brown Band Sic Em on a Chicken is basically a recipe wrapped in a bluegrass song. It’s the chaotic cousin to "Chicken Fried." While "Chicken Fried" is the nostalgic, patriotic anthem that made them superstars, "Sic Em on a Chicken" is the gritty, "don't mess with my farm" reality of Southern living.
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The song’s structure is fascinating because it doesn't follow a standard pop format. It starts with a spoken-word intro—"Aha, you thought we were done, huh?"—and then launches into a frantic tempo. This isn't the Nashville "snap-track" country you hear on the radio today. This is Appalachian-style speed picking.
The Legendary Live Performances
You haven't really experienced this song until you’ve seen it live. Most fans remember the version from the Pass the Jar live album or the Austin City Limits performance.
When they play it live, the band usually extends the jam. Jimmy De Martini’s fiddle work becomes a blur. It’s one of those moments in a concert where the band proves they aren't just "country stars"—they are world-class musicians. They often segue into this song after a high-energy cover or a heavy Southern rock jam, and the crowd always knows the cue. The moment Zac screams "Sic em on a chicken and watch them feathers fly!" the energy in the room shifts from a concert to a back-porch riot.
Interestingly, the lyrics mention that you can "get another one for a dollar seventy-nine." That’s a very 2008 price point for a grocery store chicken, isn't it? It adds a layer of practical, blue-collar humor that keeps the song grounded despite its absurdity.
What Most People Get Wrong About This Song
A lot of casual listeners think Zac Brown Band Sic Em on a Chicken is just a "throwaway" joke track. They’re wrong.
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If you look at the credits, this song is a masterclass in collaboration. You have the core band—Zac, Hop, Jimmy—but the studio version also featured Brent Mason, one of the most legendary session guitarists in Nashville history. They took a silly story about a dog and a rooster and applied elite-level musicianship to it.
It’s also a bridge. It connects the band’s early days of "Home Grown" music to the polished production of Keith Stegall (the man who produced Alan Jackson and helped shape The Foundation). Without "Sic Em on a Chicken," the album would feel a bit too safe. This song adds the "dirt" that makes the band feel real.
Key Takeaways for Fans
- Check the Credits: Notice how John Driskell Hopkins’ influence is all over this. His deep, gravelly voice is the perfect counterpoint to Zac’s smoother lead.
- Listen for the "Hidden" Elements: There are background noises—clucking, laughing—that were kept in the final mix to preserve the "garage band" feel.
- The Pet Connection: Yes, Pete was a real dog. The band has always written from their actual lives, even the parts involving whiskey-drinking chihuahuas (or whatever breed Pete was).
Practical Next Steps for Your Playlist
If you’re building a Zac Brown Band deep-cuts playlist, don't just stop at "Sic Em on a Chicken." To get the full experience of that era, you need to pair it with "It’s Not OK"—another high-energy track from The Foundation that features similar spoken-word elements and a driving beat.
Then, go watch the 2009 Austin City Limits version on YouTube. Seeing the sweat on the band’s faces as they try to keep up with the tempo of the song explains more about their success than any biography ever could. They aren't just playing a song; they're trying to outrun it.
Actionable Insight: Next time you’re hosting a backyard BBQ, throw this song on right when people start to get sluggish after eating. It’s the ultimate "energy reset" button. If you really want to dive deep into the band's musicianship, look up "The Grohl Sessions, Vol. 1" to see how they transitioned from this bluegrass chaos into heavy, Dave Grohl-produced rock. It all started with the willingness to be a little bit weird on their first record.