Good Country Songs for Haters of Country Music
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Country Songs for Non-Hicks
I am a rocker, but sometimes I like to expand my horizons. I must admit, I like some country music; not the shit-kicking ho-down crap, but the good stuff. Here is a list of some of my favorite country songs.
The Devil Went Down to Georgia - Charlie Daniels
Neon Moon - Brooks & Dunn
Back Home Again - John Denver
You Were Always On My Mind - Willie Nelson
Forever and Ever, Amen - Randy Travis
Doesn't Have to Be This Way - Alison Krauss
Loving Arms - Dixie Chicks
All My Rowdy Friends - Hank Williams Jr.
Coward of the County - Kenny Rogers
I Will Always Love You - Dolly Parton
The Dance (9/11 Tribute) - Garth Brooks
When the Man Comes Around - Johnny Cash
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Johnny Cash is on here. It's the last vid. Just goes to show how much you pay attention to my hubs! ;-)
Great selection here dork! Specially the classics - Nelson, Cash, Denver. I too have expanded by musical taste in that direction to include Dixie Chicks, Carrie Underwood and Rascal Flatts - but I am where I am so you could just imagine how foreign-sounding country music is here. thanks for sharing! Hee-haw! :D
I respect your choices and give you props for expanding your music horizons. I suppose if I was tied up and forced to listen to country, I'd have to choose Johnny Cash...there's something about his voice that is attractive. I just heard a pop remake of his "Ring of Fire" song last night on the radio. Wasn't bad.
It's interesting to see a rocker's country picks. I'm more country than rock, guess it's a Texas 'thang'.
I got to see Charlie Daniels live with Alabama back in the 80s. "The Devil Went Down to Georgia" and "Drinking My Baby Goodbye" were awesome!
"The Dance" is such a beautiful song. You see a portion of the lyrics on a lot of tombstones here. "Our lives are better left to chance, I might have missed the pain, but I would have to have missed the dance".
Just as a matter of interest, the Dixie Chicks music was not played here. They were banned for comments they made regarding former President Bush. This was considered "Bush Country" with his home being here.
Cris mentioned Rascal Flatts. They are an awesome group and more of across over group in my mind. Some friends and I got to see them perform live a couple of years ago. They put on entire show doing their own stuff then came with an encore of cover tunes. It was awesome.
Great hub, Imadork!
Dork, if you listen closely, many songs labeled "rock" have roots in country. The same is true of most genres. Very little music is "pure" anything. A lot of the songs the group Kansas did were classical music recycled.
Some interesting choices here, dork! It's good to expand your musical horizons sometimes, isn't it? I personally like them all except the Dixie Chics, but that's just me. That's Dolly's best song, if you ask me.
And Cris is right--Rascal Flatts baby!!!
dork, for once, good taste
I am a fan most kinds of music- even country. You have some realy good picks here. I like THE DEVIL WENT DOWN TO GEORGIA, FOREVER AND EVER AMEN, YOU'RE ALWAY ON MY MIND, and I WILL ALWAYS LOVE YOU. I've never really heard any of the others, but I have always come to like other country artists like Shania Twain, Kenny Rogers, Faith Hill, and Alabama- among others. I am really a blues-loving kind of gal, but I find something I like in most genres.
Tootles!!!
Cris: just curious - what kind of music is popular in the Philippines?
KCC & LM: I dislike the loudmouth girls in the Dixie Chicks, but some of their songs are pretty good.
JamaGenee: I agree. Rock's origins were mainly blues influenced, but there is also a lot of country and classical influence too (depending of the type of rock music)
GT: I never thought of you as a country music fan.
Everyone: y'all failed to point out my favorite artist here - Alison Krauss! She is so talented!!!
I do like Alison Krauss' version of Keith Whitley's "When You Say Nothing at All", and the duet she did with Brad Paisley "Whiskey Lullaby". But, she's just kinda mousy sounding for my tastes.
Mousy sounding?!?! What do mean by that? Too soft and light?
dork, did you like the duet she did with Robert Plant?
Amazingly enough, I haven't listened. I guess I just haven't come across it yet. I hear it won a Grammy and that made Krauss the most Grammy-winningest female artist ever.
I've always like Charlie Daniels, but I remember when they used to say he was "Southern Rock". I must admit I like quite a bit of Johnny Cash's music. :)
I'm not a fan of country but I know the songs and plenty I can dig while sitting back and enjoying a beer but here's one of my favs
That's a good one GT. I like the Chipmunk version on the album "Urban Chipmunk". I used to have that record when I was a kid.
Here's another great track from that album:
I am a fan of country and rock music and the songs you have picked are great classics. I think country music today is a little more pop sounding than the classics you have listed here and it is attracting younger fans and artists like Taylor Swift who I think is great. She is so very talented, writing and singing her own music, not many people do that anymore. Here is a link to one you might like and one of my favorites.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GBGZrljOm-Y
and heres one with Taylor Swift
oh and thanks btw, you just gave me an idea for a new hub, and I need all the help I can get.
gwendymom: I didn't really like those two songs -- sorry.
I dislike the new pop-sounding country but that Taylor Swift is hot.
Glad to help on the new hub. Not sure what I did though.
Really, wow, I'm surprised. I figured you would like the first one because it has a more classic country sound and the other was just an example of the more pop sounding. I like them both because it's what I can relate to.
Just inspired me, I'll just call you muse now.
Of the ones you picked I particularly like "You Were Always On My Mind" and "Coward of the County." Plus, it's hard to go wrong with the Dixie Chicks. Personally, I'm partial to "Lucille" from Kenny Rodgers, "The Highwayman" from (appropriately enough) The Highwaymen, "The City of New Orleans" by Willie Nelson, and "God's Gonna Cut You Down" by Johnny Cash.
Imadork, yeah...mousy...kinda too sweetsie-cutsie-I'm-so-delicate sounding. It works with some songs. But, I prefer a gutsier singer.
anarchy: I was torn between Roger's "Lucille" and "Coward...". I love them both!
KCC: I guess I like "mousy" in my female country singers.
I like all kinds of music, but I go through a country stage sometimes. I do like the Dixie Chicks. I used to go see them when they were strictly bluegrass - like the sisters were 19 and 21 or something, and two other chicks, not Natilie Manes - so I feel like I have followed their career long before the albums and fame and stuff. They used to play at On Broadway over by the Lemp Mansion. You know it? Around the brewery but a little more south. I still like them. They always throw in a few bluegrass tunes and their harmonies are very complicated stuff.
Good hub!
Never been to On Broadway but I have toured the Lemp Mansion, so I know the general area. Are they from around here or did they just come to that club a lot?
Loving the Charlie Daniels. Johnny Cash and dare I say it Brooks and Dunn! Those are some good songs.....I don't like Dolly Parton or the Dixie chicks ....hey its a free country....good hub
No, they just always toured through here, but coincidentally, one of the other girls who was with them at the time was from Kirkwood.
Thanks for reading/listening jjrubio. Have you heard many Dolly Parton songs? She has got some really good songs! Try listening to Jolene and Coat of Many Colors.
I know those songs....I just never liked the sound of her voice. It sounds like an old cat to me...sorry! I like hearty voices...
Nice selection. I've not listened to country for a loooooong time and so I'd not heard Neon Moon, tis lovely. I need to be swooned, I can feel it!
I'm not quite in to country, but I do recognize some good ones you listed.
Oh honestly I love every single one of these. I almost want to put my cowgirl boots on and barn dance. I don't go for all the wall banging stuff either, it hurts my head far too much. Honestly you have my thumbs up for these songs I adore Garth Brooks he is by far the greatest country singers ever. I am going to do my daily dancing to these songs now, yahooo
Great list! Loretta Lynn's "Fist City", "Coal Miner's Daughter", or Ween's Country Album ("Up Shit's Creek with a Turd for a Paddle?) I know it's not real country (Ween) but hilarious all the same.
Piss Up a Rope by Ween is pretty funny.
Whenever I am having a bad day I will play that song and it makes me feel so much better!
That Randy Travis song you have is one of my favorites. I had a wierd upbringing. I was raised on Patsy Cline and Judas Priest. Nice combination, huh? I have love for all music thanks to the wide variety of music I was raised with.
AMB: I had a similar upbringing. From my parents I got to know the classic country and rock oldies; from my older siblings I got to know the hard rock.
to answer your question, it's the usual TOP 40, mainstream, popular music here. which means lots of R&B/hip hop, rock, and pop. And alternative too, :D
I love almost every single one of these songs. I'm also a fan of every type of music. As long as the song itself appeals to me, it doesn't matter what genre it is.
I'm glad you pointed out some goodies for the country-haters though. great job!
Thanks Jamie!
I an; stand the Devil Went Down to Georgia for the one line in it that say "Chicek in the breadpan pickin out dough." Wa the fuck does that mean...honestly?
Anyway, I like the occasional country tunes such as:
Gretchen Wlson - Politically Uncorrect
Carrie Underwood - Last Name (Actually really rocks!)
Reba McEntire - Fancy
Dixie Chicsk - Sin Wagon
Brad Paisley - I'll Take You Back Cool guiotar riff)
Some pretty good selections here. In Oregon, the rockers all play country music for a living because it's a steadier gig than rock. So, for as long as I can remember, all the local working country bands have always had really good rock musicians in them.
That's where this rock musician cut his teeth!
Wasn't Kenny Rogers on Yee-Haw? I remember watching that show all the time. Always cracked me up. I'd dance away and sing along to everything. One thing about country music, it's easy to sing to . But I really have to tell you, I cannot stand Neon Moon. Really can't, sorry. I kind of grit my teeth at most Randy Travis, including this one. The rest are great. That Dolly song is actually my favorite of all and I still sing my heart out to it. She is something else.
Wanted to let you know that this video is no longer available due to a copyright claim made by Pearl Records, Inc. on the Garth Brooks song. =(.
Great hub Imadork.
Ey,
I listen to A LOT of country, and the only Real good one I liked on your list was The Devil Went Down To Georgia.
You forgot a bunch of good ones likes
Tim McGraw, Big & Rich , a lot of Brooks N' Dunn ,
Dean Brody , Alan Jackson, Gord Bamford, Jason Aldean , Aaron Prittchet
&&& A lot more .
Toby Keith , Tracy Byrd , Lynyrd Skynard , Kid Rock (All summer long , Cocky, So Hott), Joe Walsh - In the City,
Jake Owens , Dierks Bentley , Darius Rucker , Conway Twitty - Baby's Got her BLue Jeans on , Corb Lund Band - The Truck got stuck
Yeah..... Lol.
Listen to some, you might like it.
If you wanna know a certain song, just ask...Like a song By one of those artists i mentioned. Just ask and I can list a couple good ones,.
Hello - quite a good collection of my favs too. I love Dolly, Kenny, Willie, John Denver. Isn't that first picture of Hank Williams? Love his Cold, Cold Heart. Wasn't that redone by Nora Jones? I loved both versions.
Thanks for bringing these great songs to Hub.
Check out alt country/rock band Cross Canadian Ragweed sometime.
All my favorites too. Another one is Charlie Pride- Green, green grass of home. I Will Always Love You always makes me cry. I love Rock music and Rick Springfield is my man but I am a Redneck at heart.
If you are a rocker considering country-Then you might want to youtube Hank Williams 111- He is awesome- he does an act with a former member of Pantera!
Dolly Parton has a nifty one that she did on Arsenio years ago called, "Why'd you come in here looking like that"; Last Ten Years by Kenny Rogers, "Honey Won't you open that door" by Ricky Skaggs ... I'm mostly partial to 80s/90s Country. But there is a lot of good stuff out now. Great hub.
Coward of the County? I would not have thought of that one. Who are people who hate country music? I could never figure that out. When I talk to people who don't know the music they always seem to know Willie's "You were always on my Mind" and Patsy Kline's "Crazy". If they only knew what we know.
Mighty Mom 3 years ago
I'm with ya -- rock rules, but every so often as I'm scanning through channels on the car radio I have to stop and listen to a country song. Very few capture attention -- but you've picked some great ones here! Surprised not to see any Johnny Cash. Maybe he's so cool that he's above the genre:-).
Another one I like a lot is "Redneck Woman" by Gretchen Wilson. It's the quintessential anthem for country gals. Hell yeah!