Greatest Country Song Ever [Archive] - Wildcat Nation Forums

KY Native in IN

08-26-2006, 10:38 PM

"workin' man blues" merle haggard
"so afraid of losing you again" charlie pride
"georgia on a fast train" billy joe shaver
"act naturally" buck owens
"the old, old house" george jones (bill monroe did a great version too)
"wichita lineman" glen campbell (one of my personal faves)
"whiskey lullaby" brad paisley
"i'm so lonesome i could cry" hank sr.
"folsom prison blues" or "one piece at a time" johnny cash
"the whiskey ain't workin' anymore" travis tritt/marty stuart
"how are things in clay, kentucky?" statler brothers
"one more last chance" vince gill
"cold hard facts of life" porter wagoner

more than one obviously, just some of my favorites....this list does not include bluegrass however....if you ever get the chance check out the record "colors" by the oak ridge boys, listen to the song "the home stretch"...that song would bring a tear to a glass eye....

WildcatRick

08-26-2006, 10:45 PM

Too close to call, gotta be one of these.....

You Never Even Called Me By My Name

Unwound

Friends In Low Places

Some Memories Just Won't Die

Somewhere Between Right And Wrong

I'm No Stranger To The Rain

I'm Over You

Don't Close Your Eyes

When You Say Nothing At All

The Chair

The Fireman

Dance

What She's Doing Now

Help Me Hold On

Chiseled In Stone

Set 'Em Up Joe

Fourteen Carat Mind

Rose Colored Glasses

BOURBON TOWN CAT FAN

08-26-2006, 10:49 PM

Go Rest High on the Mountain - Vince Gill

KY Native in IN

08-26-2006, 10:50 PM

WildcatRick wrote:
Too close to call, gotta be one of these.....

You Never Even Called Me By My Name

When You Say Nothing At All
Â*

FYI, the great john prine wrote you never even call me by my name and when you say nothing at all is a great song! late kentuckian keith whitley:thumbup his version is best...

WildcatRick

08-26-2006, 11:03 PM

Terry L. Wildcat

08-26-2006, 11:11 PM

:cool:Return of the Grievous Angel...Gram Parsons and Emmylou Harris

largebluej

08-26-2006, 11:33 PM

KY Native in IN wrote: WildcatRick wrote:
Too close to call, gotta be one of these.....

You Never Even Called Me By My Name

When You Say Nothing At All

FYI, the great john prine wrote you never even call me by my name and when you say nothing at all is a great song! late kentuckian keith whitley:thumbup his version is best...

John Prine is indeed great, and I'm a fan of his as well, but the late (and also great) Steve Goodman wrote "You Never Even Called Me By Name". Prine did write a country/folk classic about our great state that could easily be listed in this thread, "Paradise". (That's the one a lot of people think the chorus is the title, Daddy won't take me back to Muhlenburg County.). Among Goodman's other notable songs is "The City of New Orleans",recorded by Arlo Guthrie and Willie Nelson,and "Banana Republic", recorded by Jimmy Buffett.

WildcatRick

08-26-2006, 11:39 PM

largebluej wrote: KY Native in IN wrote: WildcatRick wrote:
Too close to call, gotta be one of these.....

You Never Even Called Me By My Name

When You Say Nothing At All

FYI, the great john prine wrote you never even call me by my name and when you say nothing at all is a great song! late kentuckian keith whitley:thumbup his version is best...

John Prine is indeed great, and I'm a fan of his as well, but the late (and also great) Steve Goodman wrote "You Never Even Called Me By Name". Prine did write a country/folk classic about our great state that could easily be listed in this thread, "Paradise". (That's the one a lot of people think the chorus is the title, Daddy won't take me back to Muhlenburg County.). Among Goodman's other notable songs is "The City of New Orleans",recorded by Arlo Guthrie and Willie Nelson,and "Banana Republic", recorded by Jimmy Buffett.

:thumbup:thumbup:thumbup:thumbup:thumbup:thumbup
Good catch, cant believe I missed that!! Heck, its even in the song.......

WELL, A FRIEND OF MINE NAMED STEVE GOODMAN WROTE THAT SONG AND
HE TOLD ME IT WAS THE PERFECT COUNTRY & WESTERN SONG. I WROTE
HIM BACK A LETTER AND I TOLD HIM IT WAS NOT THE PERFECT COUNTRY
& WESTERN SONG BECAUSE HE HADN'T SAID ANYTHING AT ALL ABOUT MAMA,
OR TRAINS, OR TRUCKS, OR PRISON, OR GETTIN' DRUNK. WELL HE SAT
DOWN AND WROTE ANOTHER VERSE TO THE SONG AND HE SENT IT TO ME,
AND AFTER READING IT, I REALIZED THAT MY FRIEND HAD WRITTEN THE
PERFECT COUNTRY & WESTERN SONG. AND I FELT OBLIGED TO INCLUDE IT
ON THIS ALBUM. THE LAST VERSE GOES LIKE THIS HERE:

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 RUNNED OVER BY A DAMNED OLD TRAIN

Back in the late 80's when I first moved to Nashville I was friends with Ricky Van Shelton. I used to go to the Long Branch by the Opry and listen to him sing with Jeanie Shepards band. He did a great version of this song as well as "Unwound". I even got on stage with them afew times to sing it with him. Man, I miss those days.

Littlemeyer

08-26-2006, 11:39 PM

Brad Paisley/Allison Krauss -- "Whiskey Lullabye"

Willie Nelson -- "Angel Flyin' Too Close to the Ground"

George Jones -- "He Stopped Lovin' Her Today"

KY Native in IN

08-26-2006, 11:44 PM

largebluej wrote:
KY Native in IN wrote: WildcatRick wrote:
Too close to call, gotta be one of these.....

You Never Even Called Me By My Name

When You Say Nothing At All
Â*

FYI, the great john prine wrote you never even call me by my name and when you say nothing at all is a great song! late kentuckian keith whitley:thumbup his version is best...

John Prine is indeed great, and I'm a fan of his as well, but the late (and also great) Steve Goodman wrote "You Never Even Called Me By Name".Â* Prine did write a country/folk classic about our great state that could easily be listed in this thread, "Paradise".Â* (That's the one a lot of people think the chorus is the title, Daddy won't take me back to Muhlenburg County.).Â* Among Goodman's other notable songs is "The City of New Orleans",Â*recorded by Arlo Guthrie and Willie Nelson,Â*and "Banana Republic", recorded by Jimmy Buffett.

yeah, goodman's a good writer.....did they write "you don't even..." together maybe? ...i thought i read where prine was in on that one.....:? ...maybe i read it wrong....it's a good tune nonetheless...prine's one of my favorites...

KY Native in IN

08-26-2006, 11:47 PM

i don't think this qualifies as a legitmate country song, maybe, maybe not...and i'm not really much of a fan of his, but "come monday" by buffet is a good song.. it's more country than the crap that's out now....

Buddah

08-27-2006, 12:33 AM

WildcatRick wrote:
largebluej wrote: KY Native in IN wrote: WildcatRick wrote:
Too close to call, gotta be one of these.....

You Never Even Called Me By My Name

When You Say Nothing At All
Â*

FYI, the great john prine wrote you never even call me by my name and when you say nothing at all is a great song! late kentuckian keith whitley:thumbup his version is best...

John Prine is indeed great, and I'm a fan of his as well, but the late (and also great) Steve Goodman wrote "You Never Even Called Me By Name".Â* Prine did write a country/folk classic about our great state that could easily be listed in this thread, "Paradise".Â* (That's the one a lot of people think the chorus is the title, Daddy won't take me back to Muhlenburg County.).Â* Among Goodman's other notable songs is "The City of New Orleans",Â*recorded by Arlo Guthrie and Willie Nelson,Â*and "Banana Republic", recorded by Jimmy Buffett.

Back in the late 80's when I first moved to Nashville I was friends with Ricky Van Shelton. I used to go to the Long Branch by the Opry and listen to him sing with Jeanie Shepards band. He did a great version of this song as well as "Unwound". I even got on stage with them aÂ*few times to sing it with him. Man, I miss those days.

what ? lmao.. you never told me about this one.. this will have to be a discussion topic over a drink or something. i'd like to hear about it. ricky van shelton had the world by a string, what happened ?

KY Native in IN

08-27-2006, 01:04 AM

Buddah wrote:
WildcatRick wrote:
largebluej wrote: KY Native in IN wrote: WildcatRick wrote:
Too close to call, gotta be one of these.....

You Never Even Called Me By My Name

When You Say Nothing At All
Â*

FYI, the great john prine wrote you never even call me by my name and when you say nothing at all is a great song! late kentuckian keith whitley:thumbup his version is best...

John Prine is indeed great, and I'm a fan of his as well, but the late (and also great) Steve Goodman wrote "You Never Even Called Me By Name".Â* Prine did write a country/folk classic about our great state that could easily be listed in this thread, "Paradise".Â* (That's the one a lot of people think the chorus is the title, Daddy won't take me back to Muhlenburg County.).Â* Among Goodman's other notable songs is "The City of New Orleans",Â*recorded by Arlo Guthrie and Willie Nelson,Â*and "Banana Republic", recorded by Jimmy Buffett.

Back in the late 80's when I first moved to Nashville I was friends with Ricky Van Shelton. I used to go to the Long Branch by the Opry and listen to him sing with Jeanie Shepards band. He did a great version of this song as well as "Unwound". I even got on stage with them aÂ*few times to sing it with him. Man, I miss those days.

what ? lmao.. you never told me about this one.. this will have to be a discussion topic over a drink or something. i'd like to hear about it. ricky van shelton had the world by a string, what happened ?

time!:shrug:

WildcatRick

08-27-2006, 03:20 AM

Buddah wrote: what ? lmao.. you never told me about this one.. this will have to be a discussion topic over a drink or something. i'd like to hear about it. ricky van shelton had the world by a string, what happened ?
All of his hits were in a span of 4 years. Then he had some very serious alcohol problems and while he was away Garth hit it big. By the time he got another studio album out he was history. That break while he was red hot killed him. Yeah dude, we'll talk about that sometime.

ukfanman

08-27-2006, 03:28 AM

I'm So Lonesome I could Cry- Hank Williams

Sweet Dreams- Patsy Cline

Stucat

08-27-2006, 04:49 AM

Some of my favorite country songs come from the era of 1950's, 1960's, 1970's and 1980's. I used to love Marty Robbins' songs such as El Paso, Devil Woman, etc. I liked George Jones especially "He stopped loving her today." I liked Tammy Wynette's "Stand by Your Man." I also liked Bobby Bare's "Detroit City." I liked Willie Nelson's "Blue Eyes Crying in the rain." I liked Glen Campbell's "Rhinestone Cowboy." Patsy Cline was great but she just died too soon. I liked "Sweet Dreams" and also "I fall to pieces." Johnny Cash and June Carter had some great duets especially "Jackson" but one of my very favorite Johnny Cash songs was "Sunday Morning Coming down." Probably one of my favorite songs was sung by Johnny Lee in 1980 "Looking for Love." It was the theme song of Urban Cowboy which came out the same year.

Spanish Moss

08-27-2006, 05:12 AM

There is no way I can answer this question. My favorite changes by the mood I am in.

When I am down and lonesome, I throw on Hank, Sr. or Patsy Cline's "Sweet Dreams". (written by Don Gibson) Sweet Dreams was popular when I was in the Army and I saw many a big old boy who could bust somebody in half draw a tear in their eye when that one was played. Nothing like a Dear John letter to a soldier boy to screw up his life and bring him to his knees. I'm So Lonesome I Could Cry will break your heart if you are thinking about that certain woman.

When I am in a fightin' mood I grab George Jones or Johnny Cash. (early JC is my favorite, the Sun years and Columbia Records) I can relate to Folsom Prison Blues but I take out my frustrations with my .38 and an old fence post out back. It keeps me out of jail.

A man who could sing a country song with soul was Ray Charles. He could take a Hank Williams or Don Gibson song to another level.You Don't Know Me is a tear jerker that was played regularly in every honky tonk on the Florida Gulf Coast in the early 60's. It caused many a boy to lose their front teeth after a beer bottle found it's mark. Rest In Peace Brother Ray. Your music caused a lot of bumps and bruises down in these parts.

Just reading some of these posts makes me want to grab another cup of coffee and go out back and give the neighborhood a Rebel Yell. Yes sir, that is what I am about to do. I am in that kind of mood this morning.

SamKat

08-27-2006, 06:42 AM

Wow!

WildcatRick on stage!

Some great songs here, but Patsy Cline was my lady singer of all time. Melodious and smooth. I take "Crazy", "Sweet Dreams", "Walkin' after Midnight", "I've got your Picture", and almost any Patsy recording. Far too young to die.

But WildcatRick on stage would probably be hard to beat.

sCATback

08-27-2006, 07:58 AM

this is one of my favorite country songs. I only heard it about a month or so ago but it has quickly become one of my favorites.

http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-4524480461230679832

WildcatRick

08-27-2006, 09:20 AM

sCATback wrote: this is one of my favorite country songs. I only heard it about a month or so ago but it has quickly become one of my favorites.

http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-4524480461230679832

Rodney Carrington!! You gotta see him live sometime. Hilarious!!

surveyor

08-27-2006, 09:34 AM

I Can't Get Over You (Til You're Out From Under Him)

TrueblueCATfan

08-27-2006, 10:20 AM

CRAZY..........by Miss Patsy Cline:D

Will Lavender

08-27-2006, 10:32 AM

"He Stopped Loving Her Today."

My aunt has a summer home on Lake Cumberland. She owns a vintage jukebox, and "He Stopped Loving Her" is one of the songs on it. Grew up with that song. A flat-out masterpiece.

bigsky

08-27-2006, 02:28 PM

Okay, so I'm going with "Cumberland Blues" ha ha

and "Wayward Wind"

Night Rider's Lament combines both kinds of music, Country and Western.

Blue Eyes Cryin in the Rain

Sing Me Back Home ..."there's a song my momma sang"

Sixteen Tons (come on you sons of coal miners!)

RP_McMurphy

08-27-2006, 04:30 PM

He Stopped Loving Her Today

You aint much fun since I quit drinkin

Private Malone

Your Cheatin Heart

Mr Peabody

Just a few I like

surveyor

08-28-2006, 03:08 PM

I'll echo Merle's "Sing Me Back Home". Otherwise I can't think of any country song since the early 70's that would get serious consideration other than "He Stopped Loving Her Today" and Loretta Lynn's "Coal Miner's Daughter" and maybe Haggard's "Roots of My Raisin'"

Today I Started Loving You Again - Merle Haggard

A little trivia I read recently about Merle's song. It's reportedly the most recorded country song ever.

Other notables would be:

The Door - George Jones

The Grand Tour - George Jones

If You Got The Money, I've Got The Time - Lefty Frizzel

Your Cheatin' Heart - Hank Williams

You Win Again - Hank Williams

It Wasn't God Who Made Honky Tonk Angels - Kitty Wells

Walkin' The Floor Over You - Ernest Tubb

Wildwood Flower - The Carter Family

CatFanInTheBathtub

08-28-2006, 08:25 PM

some greats:

goin down the road feeling bad - woodie guthrie

lost highway - hank

one piece at a time - cash

and too many others to mention, but for best ever, meaning my favorite ever:

Uneasy Rider - Charlie Daniels

Arkansas Cat Fan

08-29-2006, 12:40 PM

"Put your sweet lips a little closer to the phone

And let's pretend that we're together, all alone.

I'll tell the man to turn the juke box way down low

and you can tell your friend there with you he'll have to go."

great song . . . . Jim Reeves

CATHYnKY

08-29-2006, 03:33 PM

Faith Hill - Breathe
Patsy Cline - Crazy

surveyor

08-29-2006, 03:37 PM

Jeez, I can't believe I left out this one:

Falling In And Out Of Love - Pure Prairie League

About as country as country could get in the early 70's. Certainly more country than honky-tonk.

NC Cat

08-29-2006, 03:48 PM

The Carter Family's "Can the Circle be Unbroken"tops my list. That song started it all...the roots of country music.

Others faves includePatsy Cline's version of "Crazy"and "I Fall to Pieces," Ronstadt's"Silver Thread and Golden Needles," and Orbison's "Crying."

UK78ALUM

08-29-2006, 04:28 PM

I can't believe no one has mentioned Gary Stewart "She's Acting Single (I'm Drinking Doubles)" or Dickie Lee "9,999,999 Tears".

Dave

Bluesong

08-29-2006, 04:56 PM

Wow, are there not any fans of the "High Priest of Country Music" out there?

Hello Darlin' - Conway Twitty

capcat

08-29-2006, 07:52 PM

San Antonio Rose -- Bob Wills
Maybe not the all time best, but a classic. Faded Love is another.

bigsky

08-29-2006, 11:14 PM

Okay, there's a banjo player I really think is an all timer, and he wrote, "Wait a Minute" and I'll throw that one in, too.

capcat

08-29-2006, 11:30 PM

Pop a Top --Jim Ed Brown
Always on My Mind -- Willie Nelson

samsdad

09-07-2006, 10:34 AM

Merle: Lonesome Fugitive.

Buddah

09-07-2006, 07:06 PM

UK78ALUM wrote:
I can't believe no one has mentioned Gary Stewart "She's Acting Single (I'm Drinking Doubles)"Â*

glad you brought this name up, it is SO sad that most or should say alot of people have never heard of gary stewart.. gary was born and still has family in letcher county.. he had such a unique voice, but he was huge alcholic, its sad, he is a stylist in rare air as far as i am concerned, not many people u can listen to and say that is so and so... he was definitely one of a kind :thumbup

WildcatRick

09-07-2006, 09:39 PM

Buddah wrote: UK78ALUM wrote:
I can't believe no one has mentioned Gary Stewart "She's Acting Single (I'm Drinking Doubles)"

glad you brought this name up, it is SO sad that most or should say alot of people have never heard of gary stewart.. gary was born and still has family in letcher county.. he had such a unique voice, but he was huge alcholic, its sad, he is a stylist in rare air as far as i am concerned, not many people u can listen to and say that is so and so... he was definitely one of a kind :thumbup
Gary has been working with Dean Dillon for acouple years now. They put out an album called "Brotherly Love"(a re-release from the early 80's)which was very good. Thats a showI would like to catch. Dean Dillon is a great performer as well as songwriter.

Buddah

09-07-2006, 09:53 PM

brotherly love, didn't keith whitely and earl thomas conely do a song like that... gary i think committed sucide about a year ago... i know he died, i think it was a self inflicted gun shot wound.

WildcatRick

09-07-2006, 10:17 PM

WOW!! Thats shows how long I've been away from country music. Dean Dillon was always a favorite of mine and the last news on him was he and Gary Stewart were touring together again after 20 years. Dean was about to be inducted into the songwriters HOF and had signed a new contract.

Brotherly Love from Keith and ETC was just a song, the one I was talking about was a re-released album. Here.....

http://www.amazon.com/Brotherly-Love-Those-Were-Days/dp/B000B5KRCA/sr=8-3/qid=1157685011/ref=pd_bbs_3/102-9664994-6112960?ie=UTF8&s=music

BigblueDrew

09-08-2006, 12:17 AM

My top 5 are 1. Swinging Doors- Merle Haggard, 2. Ring of Fire- Johhny Cash, 3. Streets of Laredo - Marty Robbins 4. King of the Road -Roger Miller 5. Anybody Going to San Antone - Charlie Pride Honorable mentions; Family Tradition- Hank Jr., Tonight the Bottle Let Me Down - Merle Haggard and You Ain't Woman Enough - Loretta Lynn.

delkfor3

09-08-2006, 08:05 AM

"Friends in low places" By Garth Brooks.:thumbup

surveyor

09-08-2006, 08:17 AM

Buddah wrote: brotherly love, didn't keith whitely and earl thomas conely do a song like that... gary i think committed sucide about a year ago... i know he died, i think it was a self inflicted gun shot wound.
Gary did indeed shoot himself. Self inflicted gunshot wound to the neck, a few weeks after his wife died.:(

Terry L. Wildcat

09-08-2006, 10:38 AM

:cool:Another of my favorites is "Dead Flowers" by the Rolling Stones..."send me dead flowers by the US mail"...it was my wedding song..."say it with dead flowers at my wedding and I won't forget to put roses on your grave".

bigsky

09-08-2006, 05:20 PM

Yeah, the Stones fell under Gram Parson's spell with Wild Horses, et al.

Of course, speaking of Gram Parsons, it would be hard not to think of Felix and Boudeleaux Bryant's songs that he and Emmy lou covered and not consider them classic, even, "greatest" country songs.

I've ventured far from the roots, however, and will stray even farther with "Polk Salad Annie" Tony Joe White is still going strong.

Buddah

09-08-2006, 07:42 PM

i am glad you brought up about gram parsons, flying buritto brothers, emmylou, and even to a larger extend clearence white era byrds, sweet hearts of the rodeo etc... that really was a great era in music.. i think in retrospect, alot of country puruist shunned that era and those artists, but i thought they were great.. also chris hillman was in all those groups and many many years later came back with a band that i think is still one of the most under rated bands of all time, The Desert Rose Band.. amazing band.. much like the bellamy brothers, just good music.

Terry L. Wildcat

09-08-2006, 07:54 PM

bigsky wrote: Yeah, the Stones fell under Gram Parson's spell with Wild Horses, et al.

Of course, speaking of Gram Parsons, it would be hard not to think of Felix and Boudeleaux Bryant's songs that he and Emmy lou covered and not consider them classic, even, "greatest" country songs.

I've ventured far from the roots, however, and will stray even farther with "Polk Salad Annie" Tony Joe White is still going strong.

:cool:"Wild Horses" was Nancy's song..."Love Hurts"...How could I have forgotten this gem?

RxRusty

09-12-2006, 03:16 PM

It's already been mentioned but Keith Whitley's version of "When You Say Nothing At All" is just downright haunting.

George Jones with "He Stopped Loving Her Today" would be a close 2nd.

For me, you'd have to find a spot on the list for George Strait so I'll give #3 to "The Chair"

Honorable Mention: "King of the Road" by Roger Miller:thumbup

cumberlandredskin

09-22-2006, 08:34 AM

SamKat wrote: Wow!

WildcatRick on stage!

Some great songs here, but Patsy Cline was my lady singer of all time. Melodious and smooth. I take "Crazy", "Sweet Dreams", "Walkin' after Midnight", "I've got your Picture", and almost any Patsy recording. Far too young to die.

But WildcatRick on stage would probably be hard to beat.

I agree with you. I'm not a big country music fan but about anything by Patsy Cline was really good. Crazy is my favorite of hers.

Arkansas Cat Fan

09-22-2006, 08:45 AM

cumberlandredskin wrote: SamKat wrote: Wow!

WildcatRick on stage!

Some great songs here, but Patsy Cline was my lady singer of all time. Melodious and smooth. I take "Crazy", "Sweet Dreams", "Walkin' after Midnight", "I've got your Picture", and almost any Patsy recording. Far too young to die.

But WildcatRick on stage would probably be hard to beat.

I agree with you. I'm not a big country music fan but about anything by Patsy Cline was really good. Crazy is my favorite of hers.
The man that wrote those great songs for Patsy had another written for her that she had not yet sung. He held on to that song after her death for years waiting for the right voice. When he heard LeAnn Rimes sing, he contacted her and gave her the song. It was "Blue". A great song that started LeAnn Rimes's career. But I wish I could have heard Patsy sing it too. It would have been great.

Littlemeyer

09-22-2006, 10:25 AM

Arkansas Cat Fan wrote: cumberlandredskin wrote: SamKat wrote: Wow!

WildcatRick on stage!

Some great songs here, but Patsy Cline was my lady singer of all time. Melodious and smooth. I take "Crazy", "Sweet Dreams", "Walkin' after Midnight", "I've got your Picture", and almost any Patsy recording. Far too young to die.

But WildcatRick on stage would probably be hard to beat.

I agree with you. I'm not a big country music fan but about anything by Patsy Cline was really good. Crazy is my favorite of hers.
The man that wrote those great songs for Patsy had another written for her that she had not yet sung. He held on to that song after her death for years waiting for the right voice. When he heard LeAnn Rimes sing, he contacted her and gave her the song. It was "Blue". A great song that started LeAnn Rimes's career. But I wish I could have heard Patsy sing it too. It would have been great.

That is correct, but don't forget that "Crazy" was not written by that same man, but rather by Willie Nelson.

It's all been bad news for Willie recently, what with the drug bust and all. I felt like now is a good time to remind everyone that he wrote what is considered by many to be the greatest country song of all time. :)