Greatest Country Song

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Virtus_Probi

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Apologies if this has been done before here, I did a quick search and didn't find anything...another recent thread on country music inspired this.
I will admit up front that I am for from the biggest fan of country on this board and pretty much hate country pop (and most pop in general).
My dad was a big fan and I heard lots of country while growing up, mostly on TV...Glen Campbell, Johnny Cash, Loretta Lynn, Buck Owens, that generation. Dad was a fan of Don Williams and Charlie McCoy in particular, neither was a favorite of mine. I was interested in Hank Williams at one time and tried to get into him, but he just wasn't for me.
I only have a smattering of country songs in my collection, although folk and bluegrass have a somewhat stronger presence. My favorite genres are blues and punk.

That said, a really great country song is just that, great...certain songs rom any genre just make me soar and I can listen to them over and over.

What do you think is the greatest country song?
My answer is "Amarillo By Morning"...a spare, elegant, sad song with just enough hope to be uplifting in the end ("I ain't got a dime but what I got is mine,
I ain't rich but Lord I'm free"). The original recording by Terry Stafford was just a big schmaltzy for me, but George Srait perfected it.

What say you??
 
One of my all time favorites would have to be Drive by Alan Jackson. That is a song that really hits home for me. Also if you want to see a bearded heavily tattooed 225 lb man tear up you could play Butterfly Kisses.
 
Originally Posted By: Kira
WARNING: Differing opinion looming.

I think mega hits like "Gentle on my Mind" or "Wichita Lineman" take the cake.

That's what makes a conversation vibrant!!
 
That's tough. Country has so many greats, you could name several and not be wrong.

But the obvious answer is David Allen Coe's "You Never Even Called Me By My Name" (written by Steve Goodman). I mean, it's the perfect country and western song... because the last verse talks about trains, momma, prison, and getting drunk. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vAOVRkSCWmg

Now, I rotate favorites quite a bit and although I'm on more of a rockabilly kick right now, my favorite country stuff is Ray Wylie Hubbard.

Monther Blues: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rIQVG0Bcu6w

Snake Farm: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=89VR_lZehw4

New Year's Eve at the Gates of He**: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-Bi2pkYU0gs

I'll also give a shoutout to The Hillbilly Moon Explosion who has a cover of "Jackson" and they feature Sparky from Demented Are Go. The way they both play off each other really reminds me of Johnny Cash and June Carter: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_HM_gPFsDpc
 
Last edited:
Ah Kira beat me to it; no song like Wichita Lineman. Just beautiful lyrics that you can feel.
 
Originally Posted By: Pike51
That's tough. Country has so many greats, you could name several and not be wrong.

But the obvious answer is David Allen Coe's "You Never Even Called Me By My Name" (written by Steve Goodman). I mean, it's the perfect country and western song... because the last verse talks about trains, momma, prison, and getting drunk. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vAOVRkSCWmg

Now, I rotate favorites quite a bit and although I'm on more of a rockabilly kick right now, my favorite country stuff is Ray Wylie Hubbard.

Monther Blues: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rIQVG0Bcu6w

Snake Farm: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=89VR_lZehw4

New Year's Eve at the Gates of He**: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-Bi2pkYU0gs

I'll also give a shoutout to The Hillbilly Moon Explosion who has a cover of "Jackson" and they feature Sparky from Demented Are Go. The way they both play off each other really reminds me of Johnny Cash and June Carter: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_HM_gPFsDpc



We can argue about "best" but, by definition, David Allen Coe's song is "perfect"

It has momma, trains, trucks, prison, and getting drunk...

If you've not heard the added verse, here it is:

"Well, I was drunk the day my mom got out of prison
And I went to pick her up in the rain
But before I could get to the station in my pickup truck
She got run over by a [censored] old train!"

There you go...perfect...
 
Not a country fan here, but I heard this while my daughters were at a swimming lesson blaring over the PA, and I had to look it up on youtube. It is my favorite country song:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MyOGVk_ypnM

Don't blame me if you don't like it--it ain't my fault.
smile.gif
 
"Wichita Lineman" has always been my favorite, with my second being Merle Haggard's "Are the good times really over."
 
Originally Posted By: Astro14
Originally Posted By: Pike51
That's tough. Country has so many greats, you could name several and not be wrong.

But the obvious answer is David Allen Coe's "You Never Even Called Me By My Name" (written by Steve Goodman). I mean, it's the perfect country and western song... because the last verse talks about trains, momma, prison, and getting drunk. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vAOVRkSCWmg

Now, I rotate favorites quite a bit and although I'm on more of a rockabilly kick right now, my favorite country stuff is Ray Wylie Hubbard.

Monther Blues: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rIQVG0Bcu6w

Snake Farm: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=89VR_lZehw4

New Year's Eve at the Gates of He**: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-Bi2pkYU0gs

I'll also give a shoutout to The Hillbilly Moon Explosion who has a cover of "Jackson" and they feature Sparky from Demented Are Go. The way they both play off each other really reminds me of Johnny Cash and June Carter: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_HM_gPFsDpc



We can argue about "best" but, by definition, David Allen Coe's song is "perfect"

It has momma, trains, trucks, prison, and getting drunk...

If you've not heard the added verse, here it is:

"Well, I was drunk the day my mom got out of prison
And I went to pick her up in the rain
But before I could get to the station in my pickup truck
She got run over by a [censored] old train!"

There you go...perfect...
absolutely agree it is the perfect and best country western song.
 
Amarillo by morning, You look so good in love, Love without end amen, - George Strait or the aforementioned, He stopped loving her today- George Jones.
 
Last edited:
Originally Posted By: Astro14
Originally Posted By: Pike51
That's tough. Country has so many greats, you could name several and not be wrong.

But the obvious answer is David Allen Coe's "You Never Even Called Me By My Name" (written by Steve Goodman). I mean, it's the perfect country and western song... because the last verse talks about trains, momma, prison, and getting drunk. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vAOVRkSCWmg

Now, I rotate favorites quite a bit and although I'm on more of a rockabilly kick right now, my favorite country stuff is Ray Wylie Hubbard.

Monther Blues: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rIQVG0Bcu6w

Snake Farm: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=89VR_lZehw4

New Year's Eve at the Gates of He**: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-Bi2pkYU0gs

I'll also give a shoutout to The Hillbilly Moon Explosion who has a cover of "Jackson" and they feature Sparky from Demented Are Go. The way they both play off each other really reminds me of Johnny Cash and June Carter: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_HM_gPFsDpc



We can argue about "best" but, by definition, David Allen Coe's song is "perfect"

It has momma, trains, trucks, prison, and getting drunk...

If you've not heard the added verse, here it is:

"Well, I was drunk the day my mom got out of prison
And I went to pick her up in the rain
But before I could get to the station in my pickup truck
She got run over by a [censored] old train!"

There you go...perfect...


Echo? LOL
 
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