David Simmons “Jack the Lumberjack” (SINGLE/VIDEO)

On his latest single “Jack the Lumberjack,” from the upcoming album Disruptor Chronicles, David Simmons delivers a delightfully cheeky, acoustic-powered anthem that fuses whimsy with a quiet undercurrent of ecological reckoning. Clocking in at just under three minutes, the track plays like a fairy tale retold by someone with a guitar in one hand and a protest sign in the other. And it works—in spades.

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The narrative centers on the titular Jack Magee, a mythical woodsman who could level forests with the swing of an axe. Simmons crafts the tale in a lyrical style reminiscent of a modern-day nursery rhyme—tight rhyming couplets, bouncy rhythms, and a storyteller’s cadence that makes it irresistibly singable. Jack’s journey from destructive folk hero to globe-trotting guitar-slinger and ecological icon is both ridiculous and redemptive. He’s cursed by a forest fairy to trade in his axe for a guitar, but it turns out to be a blessing in disguise. He becomes a hitmaker, a protest songwriter, and—charmingly—an unlikely ladies’ man.

Musically, “Jack the Lumberjack” is rooted in upbeat pop-rock, but its instrumentation leans into a kind of rustic Americana-folk—complete with acoustic strums, foot-stomping rhythms, and a few well-placed hand claps that evoke front-porch jam sessions. It’s playful without being gimmicky, and the production keeps things raw enough to feel authentic while still polished enough for radio. Simmons doesn’t oversell the joke, and that’s part of the magic. This is a track that knows it’s a story—and lets you enjoy the ride.

But underneath the fable and flirtation is a surprisingly potent critique. Simmons laces Jack’s evolution with pointed commentary on environmental damage (“Whole forests fell, world climate got sick”) and the redemptive power of art (“Guitar his axe he’d attack / The world’s biggest problems”). By flipping Jack from destroyer to defender, Simmons builds a microcosm of redemption that feels especially timely in an age of climate anxiety and mass disillusionment. And unlike many protest songs that wear their outrage on their sleeves, “Jack the Lumberjack” is effective precisely because it doesn’t sermonize—it charms you into caring.

Simmons’ vocals are warm and unpretentious, drawing you into the story with a wink and a nudge. He sells the rhyme-heavy lyrics with the ease of someone who knows how to toe the line between sincerity and satire. Think Randy Newman meets early Ben Folds—if they spent a weekend in the woods with an acoustic guitar and a sense of moral purpose.

The song’s companion video short, now up on Simmons’ YouTube page, only enhances the experience. It’s an animated vignette that brings the tale to life with paper-cutout style visuals and an ironic sense of humor, giving the song a storybook-meets-rock-doc flair.

With “Jack the Lumberjack,” David Simmons proves you can still write a protest song that’s fun, funny, and leaves a mark. It’s an anthem for the eco-conscious, the folk-pop lovers, and anyone who believes even a lumberjack can change his tune.

Mark Druery