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Good country songs


The_KrA-Z-8

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wow - I went thru this post (as I do many of them) backwards. I was kinda floored when I saw the threadline - but I can relate. I was brought up being force fed country (Tom T Hall, Don Williams, Waylon & Willie, Merle Haggard etc) by my Dad. As I've gotten older I find myself seeking out with much appreciation the music I loathed as a kid. I have also discovered (public radio is a wonderful thing!) many singer-songwriters who play "country" music that you will never hear on the stations that play Faith Hill and Garth and the like. Check out Iris Dement, Robert Earl Keen, Steve Earle, Barry Mittendorf - just to name a few. This is the country equivalent of punk music. They play from the soul with no regard to commercial appeal, and for me, this is one of the things that I look for when I am adding music to my collection. There is music in nearly every genre that is worthy of your attention, if you can find it.

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Oh my. I feel an interlude coming on...

My daddy left home when I was three

And he didn't leave much to ma and me

Just this old guitar and an empty bottle of booze.

Now, I don't blame him cause he run and hid

But the meanest thing that he ever did

Was before he left, he went and named me "Sue."

Well, he must o' thought that is quite a joke

And it got a lot of laughs from a' lots of folk,

It seems I had to fight my whole life through.

Some gal would giggle and I'd get red

And some guy'd laugh and I'd bust his head,

I tell ya, life ain't easy for a boy named "Sue."

Well, I grew up quick and I grew up mean,

My fist got hard and my wits got keen,

I'd roam from town to town to hide my shame.

But I made a vow to the moon and stars

That I'd search the honky-tonks and bars

And kill that man who gave me that awful name.

Well, it was Gatlinburg in mid-July

And I just hit town and my throat was dry,

I thought I'd stop and have myself a brew.

At an old saloon on a street of mud,

There at a table, dealing stud,

Sat the dirty, mangy dog that named me "Sue."

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Well, a hulk of a man with a beer in his hand

Looked like a drunk old fool..

And I knew if I hit him right

Why I could knock him off-a that stool

But ever'body they said "Watch out,

Hey, that's Tiger Man McCool"

He's had a whole lot of fights

And he's always come out a WINNER

Yea!, he's A WINNER.

But I'd had myself about five too many

And I walked up tall and proud

I faced his back and I faced the fact

That he had never stooped or bowed

I said, "Tiger Man, you're a pussycat"

And a hush fell on the crowd

I said "let's you and me, go outside and see

Who's A WINNER."

Well, he gripped the bar with one big hairy hand

And he braced against the wall

He slowly looked up from his beer

And, my God, that man was tall

He said "boy, I see you're a scrapper

So just before you fall

I'm gonna tell you just a little

'Bout what it means to be A WINNER."

He said "Now you see these bright white smiling teeth?

You know they ain't my own

Mine rolled away like chicklets

Down some street in San Antone

But I left that person, cursin'

Nursin' seven broken bones

And he, uh, only broke, uh, three of mine

That makes me THE WINNER."

He said "Now behind this grin, I got a steel pin

That holds my jaw in place

A trophy of my most successful

Mo-to-cycle race

And each morning when I wake and touch

This scar across my face

It reminds me of all I got

by being A WINNER."

"Now this broken back was a dying act

Of a handsome, Harry Clay

That sticky Cin-ci-nnati night

I stole his wife away

But that woman she gets uglier,

And she gets meaner, every day

But I got her, boy

that's what makes me A WINNER?

He said "You gotta speak loud when you challenge me son

'Cause it's hard for me to hear

With this twisted neck and these migrane pains

And this big old cauliflower ear

And if it wasn't for this glass eye of mine

Why, I'd shed a happy tear

To think of all you're gonna get

By being A WINNER."

I got ar-th-rit-ic elbows, son

I got dislocated knees

From pickin' fights with thunderstorms

And chargin' into trees

And my nose's been broke so often

I might lose it if I sneeze

And son, you say you

still wanna be A WINNER."

"Now you remind me a lot of my younger days

With your knuckles a-clenchin' white

But boy, I'm gonna sit right here

And sip this beer all night

And if there's somethin' that you gotta gain or prove

by winnin' some silly fight

Well, OK, I quit, I lose

You're THE WINNER."

Oh, I stumbled from that barroom

Not so tall and not so proud

And behind me I still hear

the hoots and laughter of the crowd

But my eyes still see and my nose still works

And my teeth are still in my mouth

And you know, I guess that

Makes me THE WINNER.

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I hate to sound cliche, but I love the song A Boy Named Sue.

Interesting note: that song was written by Shel Silverstein who wrote for Playboy.

For those who want an easy transition from counter-culture to country, the self titled album by the band Flying Burrito Brothers is great.

First country songs to ever get my attention were "I'm Only In It For The Love" by John Conley and "Third Rate Romance" don't recall the group.

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Interesting note: that song was written by Shel Silverstein who wrote for Playboy.

For those who want an easy transition from counter-culture to country, the self titled album by the band Flying Burrito Brothers is great.

Another interesting note: Shel Silverstein not only wrote that song but many many others, from country, to some of my favorites recorded by Captain Beefheart and his Majic Band and Zappa.

He also writes children's poetry some you may remember reading or if you have children now, they would enjoy. silly stuff, my favorite book being Where The Sidewalk Ends, which includes my kids and now grandsons favorite peom "Sara Cynthia Sylvia Stout..would not take the garbage out" these books aren't bad for adults, they are very funny! I have to read from this one to my grandson whenever he is here!

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On the more pop-side of country I adore Dolly Parton and Linda Ronstadt.

I love Lynn Anderson, but I guess she´s more pop than country. Have you heard the Dolly Parton-Kenny Rogers-Barry Gibb album "Eyes that see in the dark"? I love it... it´s very much pop than country but I really love it...

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I love Lynn Anderson, but I guess she´s more pop than country. Have you heard the Dolly Parton-Kenny Rogers-Barry Gibb album "Eyes that see in the dark"? I love it... it´s very much pop than country but I really love it...

Edna, no, I haven't eve heard of it. I don't know if it was released here, I suppose it must have been. I love Dolly Parton's voice, and the two guys are not to be sneered at. I'll try to download it. Thanks for the tip.

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This is my favorite...

YOU NEVER EVEN CALLED ME BY MY NAME

(Steve Goodman)

David Allan Coe - 1975

WELL, IT WAS ALL THAT I COULD DO TO KEEP FROM CRYIN'

SOMETIMES IT SEEMED SO USELESS TO REMAIN

BUT YOU DON'T HAVE TO CALL ME DARLIN', DARLIN'

YOU NEVER EVEN CALL ME BY MY NAME

YOU DON'T HAVE TO CALL ME WAYLON JENNINGS

AND YOU DON'T HAVE TO CALL ME CHARLIE PRIDE

AND YOU DON'T HAVE TO CALL ME MERLE HAGGARD ANYMORE

EVEN THOUGH YOU'RE ON MY FIGHTIN' SIDE

AND I'LL HANG AROUND AS LONG AS YOU WILL LET ME

AND I NEVER MINDED STANDIN' IN THE RAIN

BUT YOU DON'T HAVE TO CALL ME DARLIN', DARLIN'

YOU NEVER EVEN CALLED ME BY MY NAME

WELL, I'VE HEARD MY NAME A FEW TIMES IN YOUR PHONE BOOK (Hello, Hello)

AND I'VE SEEN IT ON SIGNS WHERE I'VE PLAYED

BUT THE ONLY TIME I KNOW I'LL HEAR "DAVID ALLAN COE"

IS WHEN JESUS HAS HIS FINAL JUDGMENT DAY

SO I'LL HANG AROUND AS LONG AS YOU WILL LET ME

AND I NEVER MINDED STANDIN' IN THE RAIN

BUT YOU DON'T HAVE TO CALL ME DARLIN', DARLIN'

YOU NEVER EVEN CALLED ME BY MY NAME

SPOKEN:

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

AND I'LL HANG AROUND AS LONG AS YOU WILL LET ME

AND I NEVER MINDED STANDIN' IN THE RAIN

NO, A' YOU DON'T HAVE TO CALL ME DARLIN', DARLIN'

YOU NEVER EVEN CALL ME

WELL I WONDER WHY YOU DON'T CALL ME

WHY DON'T YOU EVER CALL ME BY MY NAME

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Patsy Cline is a cornerstone of country music.

:bow:

She is indeed, and what a glorious voice! Some other country artists you may want to check out are:

Mary Chapin Carpenter(one of the best songwriters in any genre)

Emmy Lou Harris (mentioned several times already)

Ricky Skaggs(more bluegrass than country)

Sweethearts Of The Rodeo

The Kentucky Headhunters

Emmylou Harris (mentioned several times already) :thumbsup: :thumbsup: :thumbsup:

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  • 2 weeks later...

Submitted for your judgement, Solomon K. Bright's "Hawaiian Cowboy," composed in 1933, when enticed to yodel by a woman tossing $20 bills his way.

He wahi lio Lehua kou inoa la (You are a fine steed, Lehua is your name)

Kilakila wale 'oe o Hawai'i la (Majestic one of Hawai'i)

E like kou holo 'ana me ka 'o'io la (Your ride is smooth like the 'o'io fish)

E kolo, ke kuli, ke ku'i kolo iho 'oe (You crouch, work the knees, and you post)

'Auhea wale 'oe te wahine holo lio (Where are you oh horsewoman)

Pua nani a'o Hawai'i la aloha i ka Hawaiian cowboy ((Beautiful blossom of Hawai'i who loves the Hawaiian cowboy)

Ku'u lei, 'o lei lehua, lei lehua, 'o lei lehua (My garland, lei of lehua, garland of lehua)

Lei lehua, 'o lei lehua, 'o na lei, lei u'i e (Garland of lehua, lei of lehua, the garlands, beautiful leis)

He wahi lio Roselani kou inoa la (You are a fine steed, Roselani is your name)

Kilakila wale 'oe a Maui la (Majestic one of Maui)

E like kou holo 'ana me ka 'o'io la (Your ride is smooth like the 'o'io fish)

Ke kolo, ke kuli, ke ku'i kolo iho 'oe (You crouch, work the knees, and you post)

'Auhea wale 'oe te wahine holo lio (Where are you oh horsewoman)

Pua nani a'o Hawai'i la aloha i ka Hawaiian cowboy (Beautiful blossom of Hawai'i who loves the Hawaiian cowboy)

Ku'u lei, 'o Roselani, Roselani, 'o Roselani (My garland, lei of Roselani, garland of Roselani, lei of Roselani)

Roselani, 'o Roselani, 'o na lei, lei u'i e (Roselani, oh Roselani, Roselani, oh Roselani, the garlands, beautiful leis)

The short choruses are yodeled and the tempo goes from walking to galloping, to racing without dropping a single note or phrase. Sol K. Bright could easily outpace "The Orange Blossom Special," unless he was playing it. Yes, Hawai'i has cowboys, and their range is "mountains to the sea" vast, and this is one of their Paniolo songs.

:guitar:

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  • 3 months later...

Jerry Jeff Walker - the guy's put out over 30 albums since 1967. He wrote and recorded a certifiable American standard, "Mr. Bojangles" in '68 (which, by the way, is a true story). "Redneck Mother" and "Vince Triple-O Martin" are two of my other faves of his. I saw Jerry Jeff in concert last Friday, opening for Dickie Betts and Great Southern. :coolio:

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  • 3 weeks later...

heyy! 2 me all country is good, well not all but prty much. *i luv it* i am always listening to rock and punk music, but sumtimes rap and country. (i kno strange) but i luv kenny chesney and craig morgan and gretchen wilson and toby keith..their all good! u jst gotta get used to it! :rockon:

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