Another Crappy Top 100?

[Fritz]

http://www.cmt.com/cmt/shows/100grea...ked.list.jhtml


My comments in red. I actually think the top 10 is pretty good, but I don;t know much "new country" that drops in a little later on the list.


1. "Stand by Your Man" by Tammy Wynette
Would not have been my pick, but I can't argue much. Still, something tells me Hank should be here

2. "He Stopped Loving Her Today" by George Jones
Not a George Jones fan, but I can buy this one

3. "Crazy" by Patsy Cline, Willie Nelson
One of the best sung songs of all times (Cline).

4. "Ring of Fire" by Johnny Cash
Not the Cash I would have picked

5. "Your Cheatin' Heart" by Hank Williams
My number one

6. "Friends in Low Places" by Garth Brooks
I suppose if you are going to have newer song in the top 10, this is it.

7. "I Fall to Pieces" by Patsy Cline
Country music LOVES Patsy Cline in the typical died too young sort of way.

8. "Galveston" by Glen Campbell

9. "Behind Closed Doors" by Charlie Rich

10. "Mommas Don't Let Your Babies Grow Up to Be Cowboys" by Waylon Jennings, Willie Nelson
A top 50 list of Willie Nelson songs could kick the shit out of most of this list

11. "Blue Moon of Kentucky" by Bill Monroe
The king of Bluegrass deserves to be up one slot

12. "Amarillo by Morning" by George Strait

13. "Coal Miner's Daughter" by Loretta Lynn
I can see this

14. "The Dance" by Garth Brooks
Two Brooks in the top 20? Somebody on the list must be a starfucker

15. "Forever and Ever, Amen" by Randy Travis
A good song, but not ahead of the next 4

16. "I Will Always Love You" by Dolly Parton

17. "Hello Darlin' " by Conway Twitty
It has been a loooooong time. Great song

18. "Country Roads" by John Denver
Denver was always a rock/country/folk tweener. Not sure I would put him here

19. "Hey Good Lookin"' by Hank Williams
The second best Hank song? No.

20. "I Am a Man of Constant Sorrow" by Soggy Bottom Boys
A case of pure moviegoer asskissing

21. "Okie from Muskogee" by Merle Haggard
Everyone knew this tune at one time

22. "Wide Open Spaces" by Dixie Chicks
Should the Dixie Chicks have a song in the Top 25? Not close.

23. "Blue Eyes Crying in the Rain" by Willie Nelson
I would not rank this in the top 5 Nelson songs, but a good tune.

24. "The Chair" by George Strait

25. "Folsom Prison Blues" by Johnny Cash
A top 5er on my list

26. "The Gambler" by Kenny Rogers
I guess you have to put this up there. At least it wasnt Coward of the County

27. "Fancy" by Reba McEntire
same as above

28. "Where Were You (When the World Stopped Turning)" by Alan Jackson
pffffft

29. "I'm So Lonesome I Could Cry" by Hank Williams Sr.
Top 10 tune

30. "I Hope You Dance" by Lee Ann Womack

31. "I Walk the Line" by Johnny Cash
I am a Cash Fanboy

32. "Rhinestone Cowboy" by Glen Campbell
A crossover type song everybody knew. Ask AnhryBucc

33. "Always on My Mind" by Willie Nelson
Better than Blue Eys

34. "Harper Valley PTA" by Jeannie C. Riley
WHY DO COUNTRY PEOPLE LOVE THIS SONG?

35. "D-I-V-O-R-C-E" by Tammy Wynette
I would put this a little higher

36. "Will the Circle be Unbroken" by Carter Family, Nitty Gritty Dirt Band
A good place for this tune

37. "King of the Road" by Roger Miller
My personal anthem.

38. "Breathe" by Faith Hill
Ranked too high to satisfy modern listners

39. "Make the World Go Away" by Eddy Arnold

40. "Hello Walls" by Faron Young
A Wille song

41. "Sweet Dreams" by Patsy Cline
See what I mean about cline?

42. "El Paso" by Marty Robbins

43. "Delta Dawn" by Tanya Tucker
TNT before AC/DC came around. A crossover tune

44. "When I Call Your Name" by Vince Gill

45. "Guitars, Cadillacs" by Dwight Yoakam

46. "Desperado" by the Eagles
Ahhh, make the sound stop.

47. "Don't Come Home A Drinkin' (With Lovin' on Your Mind)" by Loretta Lynn

48. "Boot Scootin' Boogie" by Brooks & Dunn
What would a list be without a crappy linedance tune?

49. "I Can't Stop Loving You" by Ray Charles

50. "Independence Day" by Martina McBride
Not top 100

51. "It Wasn't God Who Made Honky Tonk Angels" by Kitty Wells

52. "On the Other Hand" by Randy Travis

53. "Walking the Floor Over You" by Ernest Tubb

54. "Coat of Many Colors" by Dolly Parton

55. "Act Naturally" by Buck Owens

56. "Mama He's Crazy" by the Judds
Note to Judds: Cowbiy Junkies "Misguided Angle" does the same thing, but much better

57. "If You've Got the Money, I've Got the Time" by Lefty Frizzell
Should be much higher

58. "Kiss an Angel Good Morning" by Charlie Pride

59. "Family Tradition" by Hank Williams Jr.
one of the few Jr. songs that deserves consideration

60. "Go Rest High on That Mountain" by Vince Gill

61. "Lovesick Blues" by Hank Williams
HANK HANK HANK!

62. "Don't Rock the Jukebox" by Alan Jackson
Too High

63. "Tennessee Waltz" by Patti Page
Too low!

64. "When You Say Nothing at All" by Alison Krauss

65. "God Bless the USA" by Lee Greenwood
I figured this would be higher with typical country patriotism. The song makes me ball like a baby.

66. "Green, Green Grass of Home" by Porter Wagoner
Here we start to see old songs being discounted because people are forgetting them

67. "It's Your Love" by Tim McGraw with Faith Hill
Too high

68. "There Stands the Glass" by Webb Pierce

69. "Devil Went Down to Georgia" by Charlie Daniels
I am of two minds here. Everybody knows the song, but there are many better ones

70. "Chiseled in Stone" by Vern Gosdin

71. "Don't Toss Us Away" by Patty Loveless

72. "A Boy Named Sue" by Johnny Cash
Love the song, but could you find other Cash tunes that are better? You betcha

73. "You Are My Sunshine" by Gov. Jimmy Davis

74. "Flowers on the Wall" by Statler Brothers

75. "Strawberry Wine" by Deana Carter

76. "Good Hearted Woman" by Waylon Jennings

77. "You're Still the One" by Shania Twain

78. "My Home's in Alabama" by Alabama

79. "Is There Life Out There" by Reba McEntire

80. "She's in Love With the Boy" by Trisha Yearwood

81. "Smoky Mountain Rain" by Ronnie Milsap

82. "Should've Been a Cowboy" by Toby Keith

83. "Rose Garden" by Lynn Anderson

84. "Please Remember Me" by Tim McGraw

85. "Blue" by LeAnn Rimes

86. "Before the Next Teardrop Falls" by Freddie Fender

87. "Passionate Kisses" by Mary Chapin Carpenter
Have you heard the original Lucinda WIlliam version? Do yourself a favor and go find a copy

88. "Have I Told You Lately That I Love You" by Gene Autry
88? Gene was robbed!

89. "Here's a Quarter" by Travis Tritt

90. "He'll Have to Go" by Jim Reeves

91. "Seven Year Ache" by Rosanne Cash

92. "Sunday Morning Coming Down" by Johnny Cash, Kris Kristofferson

93. "Take this Job and Shove It" by Johnny PayCheck
he aint working here anymore. Should be higher, even for a novelty type

94. "Something in Red" by Lorrie Morgan

95. "Foggy Mountain Breakdown" by Flatt & Scruggs

96. "I'd Be Better Off in a Pine Box" by Doug Stone

97. "Amazed" by Lonestar

98. "Faded Love" by Bob Wills
I would love to hear softcell and Wills switch songs...

99. "Back in the Saddle Again" by Gene Autry
Another fuckover for the cowboy

100. "Killin' Time" by Clint Black

[Fritz]

Do you see Lyle anywhere? He was robbed!

[albionmoonlight]

I find it amazing how much I like good, classic bluegrass and country (3 years in North Carolina will do that to you) and how much I HATE the new pop-country music.

[Fritz]

Originally posted by albionmoonlight
I find it amazing how much I like good, classic bluegrass and country (3 years in North Carolina will do that to you) and how much I HATE the new pop-country music.

I think my comments (or lack of comments) show that I share your opinion.

[Calis]

Bah, I want some Keith Whitley on that list! Although I see one of his songs is on there, just not the version sang by him.

Would've liked to see Marty Robbins or Johnny Horton also.

[Craptacular]

Please cease and desist the association of my good name with country music, or Spike's lawyer and I will sue your a$$!!

[Fritz]

Originally posted by Craptacular
Please cease and desist the association of my good name with country music, or Spike's lawyer and I will sue your a$$!!

If I can say fuck you can spell Ass without the '4' key. Pussy

[EagleFan]

The new stuff is much better than that old "I slept with my cousin/sister/dog/fill in the blank family member and now I'm singing about my pickup truck" crap. Sorry about the name association, now Spike's lawyers are going to be coming after me.


Garth was robbed, he could easily have 5 songs on that list, or more: Thunder Rolls, The Dance, Friends in Low Places, AHBA, That Summer, If Tommorrow Never Comes, Aint Goin' Down Till the Sun Comes Up... The Dance could easily be number 1.

[Anrhydeddu]

Garth is not country, he's rock with a twang.

[Anrhydeddu]

dola

Personally, I would replace "Country Roads" with "Back Home Again" which won CMA Song of the Year in 1976.

[Anrhydeddu]

triple dola (my first ever)

I am far more partial to Western music (as part of County/Western). Of this list, Marty Robbins "El Paso" is clearly my favorite and wish there were more Western-style songs on this list.

[Scarecrow]

Originally posted by Fritz

....37. "King of the Road" by Roger Miller
My personal anthem.

And I thought it was just me.

Note sig for the past 6 months

Originally posted by Fritz

...46. "Desperado" by the Eagles
Ahhh, make the sound stop.

Didn't Linda Ronstadt release this song around the same time as a country song?


And if they wanted to put a Dixie Chick song on the list, why not Earl? (not that I think there should be a Dixie Chick song in the top 100 C/W songs of all time).

[scooper]

Originally posted by Fritz
http://www.cmt.com/cmt/shows/100grea...ked.list.jhtml




61. "Lovesick Blues" by Hank Williams
HANK HANK HANK!

About 3-4 times a year I bring down the house at parties with a stunning, drunken, acapella rendition of this song.

[KWhit]

Originally posted by Anrhydeddu
Garth is not country, he's rock with a twang.

That explains why I can listen to his music without throwing up.

[Fritz]

Originally posted by Anrhydeddu
dola

Personally, I would replace "Country Roads" with "Back Home Again" which won CMA Song of the Year in 1976.

I think I may have picked Rocky Top if you had to include Denver. "Thank god I'm a country boy" would have been OK as well.

[Fritz]

Originally posted by scooper
About 3-4 times a year I bring down the house at parties with a stunning, drunken, acapella rendition of this song.

doesn't that kill the mood at the orgies?

[Ben E Lou]

If there are any modern country artists true to the roots, Alan Jackson would be amongst 'em. I'd have picked "Between The Devil And Me", "She's Right On The Money" and/or "Who's Cheatin' Who?" before the two they put up there though.

[scooper]

Originally posted by Fritz
doesn't that kill the mood at the orgies?

Not really. The twang and the influctions such as in bluuuUUUUUUUuuuuessss kind of blends right in with the usual screams.

[Fritz]

I will say that it is a miracle that Achy Breaky Heart was left off.

One can only guess how "There's a Tear in My Beer" didn't make the cut.

[Ben E Lou]

Ummm....

Another true-to-the-roots newer artist would be Confederate Railroad. "Queen Of Memphis" or "She Never Cried"

She never cried when Old Yeller died.
She wasn't washed in the blood of the Lamb.
She never stood up for the Star-Spangled Banner
And she wasn't a John Wayne fan.
Here baby-blue eyes were a thin disguise
That the woman was bad to the bone.
She never cried when Old Yeller died
And I won't cry now that she's gone.

[Ben E Lou]

Originally posted by Fritz
I will say that it is a miracle that Achy Breaky Heart was left off.

LOL!

[Ben E Lou]

Ack!!! No "She Thinks I Still Care!" by George Jones

[scooper]

And where's Kid Rock and Sheryl Crow?

[Fritz]

Hank songs that deserve to be on the list:

Honky Tonkin'
Move It on Over
I Saw the Light
Honky Tonk Blues
Hey, Good Lookin'
Jambalaya

and plenty more.

[Fritz]

If they were going to have tweeners on there then
City of New Orleans and Illegal Smile should have been included.

[Calis]

Originally posted by Anrhydeddu
I am far more partial to Western music (as part of County/Western). Of this list, Marty Robbins "El Paso" is clearly my favorite and wish there were more Western-style songs on this list.

Doh I completely missed El Paso in the list, kind of negates one of my complaints earlier. Yeah, I would agree with you here though, this is probably my #1 and I'm a huge Western fan, I just love the old Ballads.

[Aylmar]

One Conway Twitty song in the top 100? The guy has more number one hits than anyone in music history (55) and he only gets one song? Where's "It's Only Make Believe" (I guess you could make an argument that it was a rock release)? "Last Date"? "Don't Take It Away"?

SkyDog...if you want to talk about "Who's Cheatin' Who?", you should talk about Charley McLain (the Jackson remake pales in comparison, if you ask me).

[QuikSand]

Fritz, I'm pretty well in lock-step agreement with most of your comments. I, too, would put "Your Cheatin' Heart" #1 without much thought to anything else for that spot. I'd also put about ten Hank songs on the list, were it solely up to me.

I also support Johnny Cash, though part of it is separatin the quality of the song iteslef versus the delivery. I'd put two of his into the top ten, comfortably. I know that it's not prototype country per se, but I definitely support "A Boy Named Sue" for this list, too (authored by Shel Silverstein, by the way).


I also agree with SkyDog - how can you leave off "She Thinks I Still Care." I'm not much of a country buff, but to me that's the biggest omission, other than the stuff I happen to like.

[Fritz]

More missing tunes

Frankie Laine's Rawhide
Roy Rogers' Happy Trails
Fess Parker's Ballad of Davy Crockett

[Samdari]

Originally posted by Fritz
If they were going to have tweeners on there then
City of New Orleans and Illegal Smile should have been included.

I think these days you mostly see these two classified as "folk".

[Chief Rum]

Nice to see country fans here, including some I didn't expect.

Fritz, I am afraid I'm more of a modern country singer, and I tend to like the slower songs (romantic at heart, I guess) than the faster songs. I have been meaning for some time to get into Hank, Cash, Waylon, Merle, and other of the older greats, but I have just plum run out of money for CDs of late, and I don't buy them often anymore. And, of course, you rarely hear anything but the new stuff nowadays.

Now, I agree that Garth Brooks is more of a tweener between rock and country, but there are plenty others there who are like that, too. I don't think it's so wrong to include a few of his songs, even highly. I think I would have switched "Friends in Low Places" with "The Dance"-- the later is far more deserving of being in the Top 10 then the former, but I don't think 17 or 18 (where "The Dance" was) is such a bad place for it.

I am a huge George Strait fan, although I become increasingly worried that in the past few years he has fallen far too much on formula, and that he's no longer singing the level of music he once did (needs to pick better songs, IMO). I loved "The Chair" being on the list and agree about "Amarillo By Morning". But there were plenty of others I wouldn't have minded being on that list, like "Ocean Front Property" and "All My Exes Live In Texas", among many others. "The Chair" is my favorite song by Strait, though, so they did me all right there.

I can't comment on how Hank should be hirer, since I'm only generally familiar with his songs by name, and none of them by strong memory, but considering his importance to the country-music worls (and to music period), I agree with you that some of his hits should have been higher.

I'm not sure if you're supporting and going against the choice of an Eagles' song on the list, but I think just about any of their early hits (pre-Hotel California) can qualify as being almost pure country. As such, I would have liked to see "Desperado", one of my favorite songs, a bit higher. I also think not having "Take It Easy" on the list was a shameful slight, and I wouldn't have blinked twice if I saw "Lyin' Eyes" there either.

I was very disappointed in some of the choices they used from the more modern artists. Like you, I probably would have picked "Earl" for the Dixie Chicks (and that's only if they had to be on the list, which I'm not sure they do). I don't think I would have had Faith Hill anywhere on this list. Don't get me wrong--I actually enjoy Faith Hill's music. But she just doesn't sing many things with bite, usually just okay slow songs and formular country for her faster stuff.

I don't think "Boot Scootin' Boogie" should be on there, but they left off "Neon Moon", which I think is a wonderful song by Brooks & Dunn.

They really shafted Reba McEntire, IMO, who has some pretty good songs. They chose a couple of her worst ones, IMO, for this list. Instead of "Fancy", it should have been "Whoever's In New England", and instead of "Is There Life Out There", it should have been "The Greatest Man I Never Knew".

I would have liked to see more Trish Yearwood, different choices for Martina McBride, no Mary Chapin Carpenter, and a lot more Wynonna, even though I think she's horrid to look at. In particular I would have liked to have seen "A Bad Goodbye" with her and Clint Black, which I think is one of the saddest and most beautiful songs I have ever heard. More Clint Black and Vince Gill would have been good, too.

And I am disappointed that "18 Wheels and A Dozen Roses" by Allison Kraus didn't make it. Oh well...

Chief Rum

[Silver Owl]

Fritz, you are right on the money with with most of your comments. Can't think of anyone I would pick over Johnny Cash as far as country.

BTW have you seen him lately, he doesn't look good .

[vtbub]

No Alabama?
Oak Ridge Boys?
Statler Brothers?

[ISiddiqui]

Well shucks... a list that someone disagrees with? I'm shocked! Shocked I tell you!

That said, among the moderns, I like Brooks being up there (though he could have had a few more songs), and Alan Jackson probably should have had one more up there.

[Sharpieman]

Ya I agree...country music sucks.

[Esquared1]

How about they launch the Eagles, and replace it with "Lay, Lady, Lay" by Bob Dylan. If they are going to put in rock/folk sounding songs, I believe it deserves mention. . .

[Fritz]

I was going to mention Lay Lady Lay. Is is from one of Dylan's "country" albums.

[Esquared1]

It's from Nashville Skyline, and yes, there are three other "country/rock/folk" songs on the disk. I especially like Tonight I'll Be Staying Here With You."

You might like the duet with Cash "Girl from the North Country" which also appears on the album. I will second your call for more Johnny Cash on the list. I never really liked the music until I saw him in concert in '95. I'm not a country fan at all, but I believe his music has a timeless quality to it.

Basically, I agree with all your opinions on Cash. For instance, "A Boy Named Sue" was not even his own words. . . I guess I place a higher premium on a performer writing their own stuff when you mention it on an elite list.

[Thomkal]

Yes another country fan here, though of the more modern stuff.

Some random comments:

-Anne Murray of all people was my favorite singer growing up. though now I listen to her stuff and ask why? You Needed Me by her should of made the list. It's a bit of a crossover song, but like Kenny Rogers during the same time period, her songs are what got me interested in country music.
-Alabama really got shafted. One song in the Top 100? ridiculous
-Kathy Mattea sang 18 Wheels and a Dozen Roses, not Allison Krauss (or at least Kathy did it first). That song or Where you Been? (not sure I have the right title there) should have made the list.
-How about The Night the Lights went out in Georgia?
-Alan Jackson's Midnight in Montgomery should probably be on the list if any Alan Jackson song should be on the list. A very haunting song even now.

-Reba did get shafted. She did a lot more for country music than many of the modern artists on the list. Whoever's in New England should definitely be there as should the duet with Vince Gill (who's name I've conveniently forgotten)

-Martina McBride's Independence Day should be in the Top 100, though probably at the bottom. Powerful singer and message.
-God Bless the USA should be higher, maybe even Top 10. The fact that the most recent American Idols did a version of it in what was a pop music competition is telling.
-Love Patty Loveless, but her song shouldn't be there. Ditto Mary Chapin Carpenter. Hate Deana Carter and Strawberry Wine shouldn't be anywhere near the Top 100.
-Amazed by LoneStar should be higher. Awesome group and song.

[Ben E Lou]

Originally posted by Chief Rum
Nice to see country fans here, including some I didn't expect.

Didn't expect the brutha man from the A-T-L to appreciate a steel-string, did ya, Chief?

[Ben E Lou]

Originally posted by Thomkal
-How about The Night the Lights went out in Georgia?
-Alan Jackson's Midnight in Montgomery should probably be on the list if any Alan Jackson song should be on the list. A very haunting song even now.

Excellent calls on both counts Thomkal.

I am personally am biased toward "Home" by Alan Jackson, although I don't think it should be Top 100. It brings a tear to my eyes just about every time he gets to this part:

My daddy skinned his knuckles on the cars that he repaired
He never had much money, but he gave us all he had
He never made the front page, but he did the best he could
And folks brought their cars from miles around to let him underneath the hood.

Family, hard work, non-flashiness and doing the job right....golden.

[Franklinnoble]

My thoughts, in no particular order:

1. The Dixie Chicks don't belong on this list. No explaination necessary.

2. Faith Hill is a sell out.

3. "God Bless The USA" really isn't much of a country song, and three years ago, it wouldn't be anywhere near this list. It should be removed along with any 9/11 ballad.

4. Any country artist currently under the age of 30 shouldn't qualify.

5. Any country song that's ever been re-mixed for pop stations or has been mentioned in the top ten by Casey Casem at some point should be immediately disqualified. (see item #2)

6. John Denver isn't really a country artist.

7. The Soggy Bottom Boys aren't even a real band. Why don't we nominate Chris Gaines while we're at it?

8. I agree with Fritz. #50 disgusts me.

9. I agree with Fritz. Gene Autry and Hank Williams got hosed.

[ISiddiqui]

Alabama really got shafted. One song in the Top 100? ridiculous

Totally agree. It's silly.

I am personally am biased toward "Home" by Alan Jackson, although I don't think it should be Top 100.

Speaking of Alan Jackson (which I like to do ), I think in oooh.. 10-20 years time another list like this will probably have 'Drive (for Daddy Gene)' on it.

--

One thing I can't understand is all the negative Dixie Chicks stuff. I mean, these days they are more popular (or notorious) than any other country star out there. They make good music and I definetly think that at least one song deserves to be on the Top 100. Though it probably should have been 'Cowboy Take Me Away' or 'You Were Mine'.

[Samdari]

Originally posted by Fritz
87. "Passionate Kisses" by Mary Chapin Carpenter
Have you heard the original Lucinda WIlliam version? Do yourself a favor and go find a copy

Actually, do yourself a favor and buy the album. Its one of the top 5 albums of all time in terms of songwriting. Don't be scared that this song was covered by a country artist, its not a country album (don't own any of those, excepting Desperado) its more of a folk/country/blues/pop/jazz kind of thing.

[ColtCrazy]

My favorite modern country song is the Auction song. Just catchy I guess, but probably not top 100 material.

It does seem a shame the Oak Ridge Boys were shut out and Alabama has one lone song. The old time country made it, but the new stuff sacrificed the stuff from Alabama's era I think.

[Chief Rum]

Wow, some more great examples.

SkyDog: Yeah, you were one of the ones I was surprised about, although my surprise extended to some others as well, including the thread starter, Fritz, who always seemed much more of a classic rock guy to me.

I have to admit, not too many brothers out here in SoCal listen to country music. But then not too many whites do either, at least not close to the beaches. You get inside the San Bernardino area, though, and the rest of California east of there is like a western desert version of the Ozarks.

Thomkal: Dead on on Mattea. It wouldn't surprise me if Krauss did a cover of that one as well, but it was Mattea who sang it. I get those bluegrass chicks confused sometimes.

Regardless, that song deserved to be there, IMO.

"The Night the Lights Went Out In Georgia" is another excellent Reba choice, and I definitely think it should have been there. And, man, I am kicking myself that I forgot "Midnight in Montgomery". That's just a wonderful song. I was going to expound on the virtues of Alan Jackson's worthiness in my post, but I felt it had gotten long enough as it is, and even if I had, I'm not sure I would have remembered that one. I was thinking a lot about SkyDog's fave, "Home", which is also one of my favorites. I completely agree that in 20 years a similar list mght contain many of Alan Jackson's hits.

Question: Was it Anne Murray or Alice Walker who sang "Can I Have This Dance (For The Rest of My Life)" (or at least I think that was its title). That was always one of my old time favorites. Just a beautiful song to eternal love, IMO (hey, I said I was a romantic, heh). I thought that could be in this list.

ESquared: Interesting take on "Lay Lady Lay". That's a tough call. I know Dylan started out doing pure folk, but were all of his early albums like that or were they groupings of many different stylings? That's a hard one. That is a fine song, but if he wasn't doing exclusively country-style works, I'm not sure I would include it. The Eagles, by comparison, did pretty much all country rock-style music (and country-style slow songs) before they brought in rocker Joe Walsh for Hotel. And I would call them a country band prior to that, but one that grew from its roots into something much more mainstream. Also, if we include Dylan, we might be forced to add southern rock stalwarts like CCR and the Allman Bros, too, and IMO, that just gets too far away from true country. All that said, "Lay Lady Lay" is about as country-sounding a song as I have ever heard.

Some others I thought might deserve mention was Strait's "It's A Love Without End Amen" (or was that a cover?) and Garth Brooks' "If Tomorrow Never Comes" and "Rodeo". That last one, especially--few songs get across the lonely cowboy image like that one does.

Chief Rum

[cartman]

How can this be considered a real country music list without a single song from David Allen Coe?

[cuervo72]

Originally posted by Chief Rum

"The Night the Lights Went Out In Georgia" is another excellent Reba choice, and I definitely think it should have been there.

Oh, I thought you guys were referring to the Vicki Lawrence version

[Thomkal]

Cuervo,

I was referring to that version. Though the Reba one is good too.

Chief Rum,

Anne Murray did Can I Have This Dance. Never heard of Alice Walker, unless its Alice Walker the author.

[ez]

"I think Hank Williams records have a lot more to do with the Sex Pistols than they have to do with Brooks & Dunn..."