could it be a faded rose from days gone byyyyyyyy?

[schmerica]

Saturday night all alone in the house, with the roommates both gone?

TIME TO CRANK UP THE TUNES AND SING ALONG FULL BLAST! WOOOT!

Man, you know, I am totally aware that most people didn't, in fact, grow up with their parents playing country music at every single possible moment, but it still feels so foreign to me! How did you guys survive? How are there people who can seriously say "I like all music but country"? (All music except mainstream or Nashville country, sure, but...)

Here, for your edification, is my offical list of The Top Ten Country Songs To Belt Out Full Strength. Ideally, these will be performed with the greatest amount of feeling you can muster, but what you lack in sincerity you can sometimes make up for in volume. And I'm not cheating by including any alt-country or recent stuff, either: this is all classic country or outlaw country.

Of course, you could also fill this list solely using Johnny Cash (people who don't like Johnny Cash: wtf, yo?), but the rules are only one song per person, with the exception for duets.

In alphabetical order:

Dolly Parton, "Jolene"
David Allan Coe, "You Never Even Called Me By My Name"
Hank Williams, Jr., "A Country Boy Can Survive"
Johnny Cash, "Ring of Fire"
Kenny Rogers, "The Gambler"
Merle Haggard, "Mama Tried"
Roger Miller, "Dang Me"
Tanya Tucker, "Delta Dawn"
Waylon Jennings and Willie Nelson, "Luckenbach, Texas (Back to the Basics of Love)"
Willie Nelson and Merle Haggard, "Pancho and Lefty"

(Honorable mention to Bobby Bare's "The Winner", because it's too hard to belt.)

Sadly, all but one or two of these songs I have on my computer off of iTunes, or I TOTALLY would share with you. Because if you don't hear "the greatest country and western song ever written" and immediately think "I was drunk the day my mom got out of prison", well. I don't know what to do with you! Everyone knows the only two things in life that make it worth living on a guitar that tunes good and firm-feeling women! SERIOUSLY PEOPLE.

Also, man, "Pancho and Lefty" is totally the buddy slash song of my heart. I cannot wait until the day that I figure out a fandom with the right amount of history + betrayal to allow me to vid that. Mmmmm.

Comments

[malnpudl.livejournal.com]

That is an awesome list.

I'm not a big country fan -- though I like it, it's never been my musical focus -- but I can belt out every word of almost half of those, and at least hum along competently to most of the rest.

And I have passionately loved "Pancho and Lefty" ever since it first came out. I was thrilled when my guitar teacher gave it to us in class. And yeah... slashy as hell, ain't it?

[pearl-o.livejournal.com]

Hee, country is not exactly my focus, either -- the majority of what I listen to is super indie rock -- but sometimes nothing else hits the spot! <3.

[isiscolo.livejournal.com]

You Never Even Call Me By My Name is the best country song ever. Of course.

And for some reason the idea of a LKBV of HCL to Pancho and Lefty makes me giggle uncontrollably.

[pearl-o.livejournal.com]

Heeeeee. The problem with HCL with that song is that all of the footage in the movie happens before Pancho dies!

[speshope.livejournal.com]

See, I love belting out bad country. Like Alan Jackson country. It's my weakness. All those pop country songs that were popular when I was in elementry school.

On a list of good country though, I would inevitably have several songs by Reba and at least one by Patsy. Because my dad was all about the female country singers when I was growing up.

[pearl-o.livejournal.com]

Bad country is also fun to belt out, but it's a different kind of fun. Hee.

[grey853.livejournal.com]

I was force fed country growing up and for the most part it leaves me cold. There are a few exceptions like Johnny Cash, Willie Nelson, and I love Hank Williams's "I'm So Lonesome I Could Die".

I like bluegrass sometimes, like with Allison Krauss.

Overall, though, there's something about country that just doesn't appeal to me compared to other musical forms.

[copracat]

You have to take up Blake's 7 just so you can vid "Pancho and Lefty". Although surely there's a Wiseguy vid already?

[pearl-o.livejournal.com]

Obviously all the appropriate fandoms are hiding from me!

[copracat]

It's appropriate to confess that I like singing out loud along with Charlie Pride, a big fave in my house when I was a munchkin.

[roguewords.livejournal.com]

Dude, I know!!!

*boggles at people who can't at least sing along with every song on that list*

*waves*
hi. found this on my f2 list. see you around alot.

*friends because of this post*
hee.

[cathybites.livejournal.com]

great. now I'm going to have "The Gambler" stuck in my head the REST OF THE NIGHT.

but, yes! My dad is a huge country music fan and we listened to it all the time when I was little. I did go through a rebellious phase of "OMG COUNTRY SUCKS", but I've come back around to loving it.

or, well. At least some of it. There are very few new country artists that I like. It's just all so *boring* compared to the old stuff.

you gotta know when to hold 'em! know when to fold 'em!

[pearl-o.livejournal.com]

Ugh, yeah, mainstream modern country is just gross. Stay away, radio stations!

[yahtzee63.livejournal.com]

You left out the GREATEST ONE OF ALL: "Oh, Lord, It's Hard to Be Humble" by Mac Davis.

to take you to his mansion in the SKYYYYY

[musesfool.livejournal.com]

You've got no PATSY CLINE on your list, bubeleh. What is THAT about?

And I'm going to be singing Delta Dawn all night now.

Also, if you burn your protected files to CD and reimport them, you can share them.

Re: to take you to his mansion in the SKYYYYY

[pearl-o.livejournal.com]

You can't really BELT OUT Patsy Cline, is the thing! Same with Hank Williams Sr. Obviously they are completely awesome, but a slightly different brand.

lso, if you burn your protected files to CD and reimport them, you can share them.

I did know that! Sadly, I have neither blank cds nor cash to buy them at the moment.

Re: to take you to his mansion in the SKYYYYY

[musesfool.livejournal.com]

You can't really BELT OUT Patsy Cline, is the thing! Same with Hank Williams Sr.

Okay, based on that, I retract my objection.

[akite.livejournal.com]

I can sing along with every song on that list, but my favorite Johnny Cash song to belt out is Jackson that he did with June Carter Cash.
We got married in a fever
Hotter than a pepper sprout
We've been talkin' about Jackson
Ever since the fire went out...
*g*

[pearl-o.livejournal.com]

That is indeed EXCELLENT to sing along with.

[rubynye.livejournal.com]

OK, you are officially adorable.

Although every time I try to comment in your journal, the baby screams. *posts ^ runs*

[pearl-o.livejournal.com]

*beams*

[hammaboo.livejournal.com]

Good list! I grew up on country too. There is so much of it that tags to a point in my childhood.

I'd add to your list:
Nitty Gritty Dirt Band Fishing in the Dark
The Oak Ridge Boys Elvira
George Strait Ocean Front Property
Alabama Roll On(Eighteen Wheeler) High Cotton
Dolly Parton and Kenny Rogers Islands in the Stream