Greatest Country Songs

Crockett

Crockett

5,000+ Posts
Great Country songs tell a story and convey a mood.

Here are five songs that engage my emotions

1. Amarillo by Morning -- George Strait
2. Folsom Prison Blues -- Johnny Cash
3. Streets of Bakersfield -- Dwight Yoakam and Buck Owens
4. Blue Eyes Crying in the Rain -- Willie Nelson
5. You're the Reason God Made Oklahoma -- David Frizzell and Shelly West
 
I would replace Strait and Frizzell/West with the aforementioned Jones and Don Williams' Good Old Boys Like Me.
 
A while back I saw some "official" ranking listing the best country song of all time as "He Stopped Loving Her Today" and coming in second was Garth Brooks' "The Dance".

I have other favorites but those are hard to argue with.
 
I've always enjoyed and recognized "Crazy" by Willie or Patsy as a great song, although both those artists have other songs that I personally like more.

However, "He Stopped Loving Her Today" has got to be the best answer.

George's delivery of the poignant lyric is so, so good.

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"Stand By Your Man" by Tammy is up there too.

And, as I mentioned on a recent thread, I think Highway 101's "Somewhere Tonight," as sung by Paulette Carlson, is a great country recording.

It was written by Rodney Crowell and Harlan Howard.

Another great country song and performance in modern times, IMHO, is "Put Yourself In My Shoes" by Clint Black.

His singing and chromatic harmonica playing are both noteworthy, as good as Stevie Wonder.

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He Stopped Loving Her Today

Gentle on My Mind

Amarillo by Morning

Somebody Lied

Folsom Prison Blues

Stand by Your Man

I'm So Lonesome I Could Cry
 
I'll rank my top 5:

1. He Stopped Loving Her Today, George Jones

2. It's Only Make-Believe, Conway Twittys

3. Good Old Boys Like Me, Don Williams

4. I'd Have To Be Crazy, Willie Nelson

5. Cattle Call, Eddy Arnold
 
Conway Twitty? Sheesh.

1. He Stopped Loving her Today - Jones
2. Amarillo By Morning - Strait
3. El Paso - Robbins
4. Blue Eyes Crying in the Rain - Nelson
5. Mama Tried tied with Silver Wings - Haggard
 
In defense of Twitty and Texanne, did you give "It's only Make believe" a fresh listen? It's deftly-written and emotion-packed. Young Conway had a tremendous vocal range and the song was a crossover No 1 hit for him.
 
faded love----patsy cline's version

honky tonk angels

he stopped loving her today

friends in low places-----I know, it's garth brooks but it is also totally country lowbrow drinking unrequited love perfect

misery and gin------------haggard

one Waylon Jennings tune
 
Thanks for the contributions on this thread guys. I don't listen to country music every day, but the songs color my memories.

I know I submitted 5 songs to start this thread, but I've encountered three others unmentioned on this thread that pack potent emotion;

"I will always love you" by Dolly Parton
'Ruby, don't take your love to town" by Kenny Rogers and the fifth edition a
"Country Roads, take me home' by John Denver. My father is from the wild hollers of rural West Virginia, and that song tapped into a real setiment from folks who fled that unique landscape and culture to make a living without breathing coal dust in a black pit.
 
Possible add: "Sunday Morning Coming Down" written by Kris Kristofferson, sung by Johnny Cash. Beautiful.
 
Nelson does a haunting and beautiful rendition of Crazy, maybe the best song he ever wrote. But you're right Clean, Patsy Cline did it better. Oh my gosh, that voice delivering those notes and lyrics was simply amazing.
 
Clean couldn't be more right. Cline had the perfect voice for C&W, And oh do I have stories about that David Allen Coe song! I can't share them because my father reads this board...
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