These songs are a little bit (actually a lot a bit) country. Welcome to MsMojo, and today we’re counting down our picks for the cream of the country music crop!
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00:00 "I find it very, very easy to be true"
00:04 Welcome to Miss Mojo, and today we're counting down our picks for the cream of the country
00:09 music crop.
00:10 "But you don't know what it means to be Mojo"
00:17 Number 30.
00:18 Tennessee Whiskey - Chris Stapleton One of the first things that leap out at the
00:23 listener from this version of Tennessee Whiskey from Chris Stapleton is the production.
00:27 "Used to spend my nights out in Fawbron"
00:33 The song sounds crisply modern yet simultaneously vintage, possessing a nice separation of instruments
00:40 to go along with Stapleton's vocals.
00:42 And the production highlights his soulful, almost bluesy delivery.
00:46 "I've looked for love in all the same old places"
00:51 Chris Stapleton clearly possesses a love for this song, an appreciation that seems to date
00:56 back to its famous 1981 recording from David Allen Coe.
01:00 As a result, his Tennessee Whiskey manages to transcend generations to find a whole new
01:06 audience.
01:07 "It's Tennessee Whiskey"
01:14 Number 29.
01:15 Harper Valley PTA - Jeanne C. Reilly Every musical genre possesses its idea of
01:22 a novelty song.
01:23 This takes nothing away from the quality at play of course, with Jeanne C. Reilly's
01:28 Harper Valley PTA existing as one of the best.
01:32 "Well her daughter came home one afternoon and didn't even stop to play"
01:38 Reilly made history with the song's meteoric chart success, becoming the first woman to
01:43 top both the Billboard Top 100 and US Hot Country Singles charts with Harper Valley
01:48 PTA.
01:49 Songwriter extraordinaire Tom T. Hall crafted an absolutely scathing critique of small town
01:54 life while Reilly lends the song her own charisma, flair, and sass.
01:59 "And they were sure surprised when Mrs. Johnson wore her mini skirt into the room"
02:05 This was a star-making turn for Reilly, whose natural beauty imbued single, LP, and compilation
02:11 album artwork in record racks across the country.
02:14 The song was even adapted into a 1978 movie starring Barbara Eden.
02:21 "Day my mama socked it to the Harper Valley PTA"
02:25 28.
02:26 Knoxville Girl - The Leuven Brothers The subject matter of a murder ballad can
02:31 often be, well, depressing and downright murderous.
02:35 "I met a little girl in Knoxville, a town we all know well"
02:43 Knoxville Girl is one of the most grim and shocking examples of this genre, and perhaps
02:48 nowhere has it been better performed than with this version by The Leuven Brothers.
02:52 These siblings were masters of close harmony singing, and the effects of their combined
02:57 efforts are chilling yet also hypnotic.
02:59 "I took her by her golden curls and I took her round and round"
03:08 The Leuven Brothers had a bevy of amazing tunes to their credit, from "I Don't Believe
03:12 You've Met My Baby" to the infamous "Satan Is Real".
03:15 But Knoxville Girl serves as a great place for newcomers to discover the pair's enviable
03:20 talents.
03:21 "The girl I love so well"
03:28 27.
03:30 Man I Feel Like A Woman - Shania Twain Robert John "Mutt" Lang is no stranger to
03:35 collaborating on hit records.
03:38 "I'm going out tonight, I'm feeling alright" The now legendary producer gained fame in
03:44 the heavy metal community after working with bands like Def Leppard, and he adapted his
03:48 approach for his success with former wife Shania Twain.
03:52 "The best thing about being a woman is the variety to have a little fun in"
03:59 The results were on Twain's "Come On Over" album, and this international smash single,
04:04 "Man I Feel Like A Woman".
04:06 The song from top to bottom feels unapologetically pop and practically shimmers with studio finesse.
04:12 Twain's massive charisma and confident vocals sell the song, and accompanying video, for
04:18 all it's worth, retaining country twang while also boldly going for crossover chart
04:23 success.
04:24 "Man I feel like a woman"
04:28 26.
04:29 Sunday Morning Coming Down - Kris Kristofferson There are a number of great versions of Sunday
04:35 Morning Coming Down to enjoy, from Ray Stevens to one from the immortal Johnny Cash.
04:40 However, we also gotta recommend the version that was cut by the song's actual songwriter,
04:46 Kris Kristofferson.
04:47 "Well I woke up Sunday morning with no way to hold my head, didn't hurt"
04:55 This take from Kristofferson's 1970 debut album is absolutely steeped in the warm, analog
05:01 production style of that decade.
05:03 Kristofferson's vocals on Sunday Morning Coming Down are drenched with echo and reverb,
05:08 while the electric piano and drum accompaniment lend the song a folk rock backbeat.
05:13 "Well there's something in a Sunday"
05:18 The end results speak for themselves, really.
05:20 A melancholic ode to those bittersweet mornings where capturing an optimistic mood feels like
05:26 a challenge.
05:27 "Sunday morning coming down"
05:31 25.
05:32 Kiss An Angel Good Morning - Charlie Pryde There are any number of songs that well represent
05:40 just how much of a legend Charlie Pryde is within the world of country music.
05:44 "Never I'd chance to meet some old friends on the street"
05:50 Kiss An Angel Good Morning is one of those classically composed tunes that could have
05:55 probably been sung by any country star.
05:57 But it's Pryde that makes the song truly his own, and something special.
06:02 His rich and textured voice lends the otherwise straightforward material layers of realism
06:08 and depth that help it transcend its to-the-point composition.
06:13 "You've got to kiss an angel good morning"
06:18 Country music hasn't historically been a place in which African American artists have
06:22 flourished, but it's artists like Charlie Pryde and songs like Kiss An Angel Good Morning
06:27 that help pave the way.
06:32 "And love her like the devil when you get back home"
06:35 24.
06:36 Before He Cheats - Carrie Underwood There's absolutely no doubt that Carrie Underwood
06:41 is one of the true success stories to spawn from American Idol.
06:45 "Right now he's probably slow dancing with a bleach blonde tramp and she's probably
06:49 getting thirsty"
06:51 That said, her musical success wasn't necessarily a foregone conclusion, particularly given
06:56 that show's track record.
06:58 It was with Before He Cheats where Carrie Underwood's stature within the world of country
07:02 music became assured, because the success of this song struck like a bolt of lightning.
07:07 "Dug my keen to the side of this pretty little souped up four-wheel drive"
07:14 It's the lyrical content that hammers home Underwood's credibility as a storyteller,
07:18 bringing to life the words of songwriters Josh Keer and Chris Tompkins.
07:23 Before He Cheats is well produced, but not too slick, and retains enough honky-tonk soul
07:28 and swagger to make it a full-blown modern country classic.
07:34 "Maybe next time I'll think before he's seen me"
07:40 23.
07:41 Wagon Wheel - Old Crow Medicine Show This song certainly possesses a strange and
07:46 piecemeal history.
07:47 "I'm headed down south to the land of the pines, I'm thumbing my way to North Carolina"
07:54 Folk rock icon Bob Dylan actually composed the chorus way back in 1973, but the song
07:59 was left unfinished until Nashville's Old Crow Medicine Show added verses and completed
08:05 the work.
08:06 "So rock me mama like a wagon wheel, rock me mama any way you feel"
08:12 The final version of Wagon Wheel melts together bluegrass, country, and folk-tinged Americana
08:18 to create pure musical magic.
08:20 The spirit of Dylan's original version can be heard within an intentionally nasal approach
08:24 to the vocals, while internal melodies stir the show in a manner that feels wistful and
08:30 nostalgic.
08:31 Wagon Wheel would also get recorded by Darius Rucker, but it's the Old Crow Medicine Show
08:35 version that stands alone as something truly awesome.
08:40 "Hey mama, rock me"
08:44 Number 22.
08:45 Should Have Been A Cowboy - Toby Keith We admit, courtesy of the Red, White, and
08:50 Blue, the "Angry American" would have been a more predictable choice for a Toby Keith
08:55 song.
08:56 However, we ultimately chose to go with this comparative upbeat and optimistic cut from
09:00 the late Keith's debut album.
09:07 The production is surprisingly bright sounding and "Should Have Been A Cowboy" actually
09:11 wouldn't sound out of place on a rock record, minus the country instrumentation.
09:16 This is a testament to Keith's ability to combine the old with the new, adding a fresh
09:20 coat of paint to that reliable fence.
09:30 The major chord phrasings and Keith's unapologetically bold vocals make "Should Have Been A Cowboy"
09:36 sound large and in charge, an anthemic crowd pleaser.
09:45 Number 21.
09:46 I Hope You Dance - Leigh-Anne Womack Featuring Sons Of The Desert
09:50 The late 90s and early millennium were halcyon periods for country music crossover success,
09:56 particularly when it came to female artists.
10:04 Leigh-Anne Womack is a wonderful singer whose career followed in the paths of artists like
10:09 Faith Hill, Shania Twain, and The Chicks.
10:13 This wasn't a new phenomenon of course, and the pop instrumentation and arrangements of
10:17 I Hope You Dance weren't born in a vacuum.
10:26 Instead Womack's bold career choice echoes the bravery of Dolly Parton before her, since
10:30 I Hope You Dance never goes half measures with a former's voice.
10:35 The song is, honestly, just beautiful.
10:37 An emotional tune that balances melancholy and hope in a manner that truly deserves all
10:43 the flowers.
10:48 Number 20.
10:49 El Paso - Marty Robbins This one's for the old schoolers.
10:56 This is Cantina, music would play and footy nude world.
11:01 Marty Robbins' Gunfighter Ballads and Trail Songs LP from 1959 is a classic from the country
11:07 music genre.
11:09 Featuring an iconic cover shot that immediately jumps out from the racks of vinyl on a shelf,
11:13 the Spanish guitar instantly puts you in a time and place.
11:17 An old west cantina south of the border, where danger lurks around every corner.
11:22 Bobby Sykes and Jim Glazer sing the song with amazing skill, harmonizing beautifully as
11:27 they tell a tale of love, death, yearning, and loss.
11:38 The protagonist's story in El Paso predictably ends in tragedy, but let's be honest, would
11:45 we really want it any other way?
11:55 Number 19.
11:56 Goodbye Earl - The Chicks Songwriting is a key component to a great country
12:01 music song, with many compositions being performed by multiple singers, sometimes charting in
12:07 completely different decades.
12:16 The Chicks didn't write Goodbye Earl, but their version from 1999 was released a number
12:21 of years after its original songwriter, Dennis Lind, had his version recorded by a different
12:26 band.
12:27 Goodbye Earl deals with the controversial subject of domestic violence, both lyrically
12:32 and with its accompanying music video.
12:42 Despite this, the song was a hit for the Chicks, with a lot of money and attention raised to
12:46 benefit battered women's shelters in the wake of its success.
12:55 Number 18.
12:57 Hello Darling - Conway Twitty Some songs are just born for the live arena.
13:02 In this case, Conway Twitty's Hello Darling was one of the legend's go-to openers, a
13:07 bittersweet ballad full of the sort of love and loss so often found in some of the best
13:12 country songs.
13:17 Twitty's voice almost sounds at the point of breaking when he sings the line "gotta
13:21 go now".
13:22 And it's this believability that lends Hello Darling such an emotional resonance.
13:28 There's a pathos to Twitty's performance that lifts the song's arrangements from
13:36 good to great, all the while making Hello Darling one of country music's most recognizable
13:42 standards.
13:49 Number 17.
13:50 Take Me Home - Country Roads - John Denver There's a certain wistfulness and innocence
13:56 to John Denver's smash hit, Take Me Home - Country Roads.
14:05 The song's melodic nature is evocative, painting a picture of long drives, or perhaps
14:11 hitchhiking, 1970s style.
14:14 And thoughtful contemplation, Denver's vocals are clear as a crystal stream, untouched by
14:19 grit yet possessing a likability that's uniquely John and John's alone.
14:30 The backing vocals accompany Denver beautifully, while acoustic and steel guitar interplay
14:34 make Country Roads a song we can spin over and over again with no worries whatsoever.
14:48 Number 16.
14:49 It Wasn't God Who Made Honky Tonk Angels - Kitty Wells
14:54 The term "standard" comes up again and again within country music, those songs that
14:59 make up the great book of music covered again and again by different artists.
15:12 It Wasn't God Who Made Honky Tonk Angels is one of those standards, a tune that lives
15:16 forever, thanks to the magic present within its construction, and the performances of
15:21 those who try their musical hand.
15:23 Kitty Wells first made the song popular back in 1952, with words and music composed by
15:29 J.D. J. Miller.
15:38 Wells was the first female solo artist to hit the Billboard Country number one with
15:42 her version.
15:43 You know, to cheatin' men and the dance hall girls who, to paraphrase Hank Williams,
15:49 live on the wild side of life.
15:59 Number 15.
16:00 Mamas, Don't Let Your Babies Grow Up To Be Cowboys - Waylon Jennings & Willie Nelson
16:06 Mamas, Don't Let Your Babies Grow Up To Be Cowboys was a mild hit for songwriter Ed
16:11 Bruce when he included it on his 1976 solo album, but most country fans are probably
16:17 more familiar with the more famous cover version from 1978.
16:26 Waylon Jennings and Willie Nelson gave the tune an up-tempo spit shine with airtight
16:31 musical backing on their studio rendition.
16:38 The pair also dropped plenty of their own classic charisma onto the track, giving Mamas,
16:43 Don't Let Your Babies Grow Up To Be Cowboys a fresh lease on life for some new fans.
16:55 Number 14.
16:57 Where Were You When The World Stopped Turnin' - Alan Jackson
17:01 The world of country music, perhaps more than any other genre, delved deep into emotional
17:06 catharsis and reflection after the events of September 11th, 2001.
17:18 This owes largely to its uniquely American origins, as well as the patriotism that usually
17:24 comes part and parcel with country music as a whole.
17:27 Still, "Where Were You When The World Stopped Turnin'" is particularly poignant by anyone's
17:33 standard, thanks to Alan Jackson's legitimately focused delivery.
17:44 There isn't a lot of rah-rah jingoism or revenge speak here, but rather a moment of
17:49 connection with all of those who felt something on that day.
17:52 There's a sense of shared loss and reverence for the dead, and a memory that many of us
17:58 will never forget.
18:07 Number 13.
18:08 The Devil Went Down To Georgia - The Charlie Daniels Band
18:12 The Devil Went Down To Georgia is something of an outlier on this list, in that it absolutely
18:17 rocks.
18:25 Country music has always shined with its contemplative nature, but who said there was
18:30 anything wrong with letting loose once in a while?
18:32 Charlie Daniels' musical knowledge is set on full display with The Devil Went Down To
18:36 Georgia, taking his experience as a sideman and songwriter by utilizing both hard rock
18:41 and soul to tell his tale.
18:50 The fiddle between Old Scratch and Johnny tosses bluegrass, rock, and even some funk
18:55 into the mix, with the end result being one of the most gleeful and fun country hits to
19:00 ever cross over into mainstream radio.
19:09 Number 12.
19:10 Coal Miner's Daughter - Loretta Lynn It's difficult hedging out just one track
19:16 from Loretta Lynn's storied career in country music.
19:19 The pill was a controversial anthem of female empowerment, while Ones On The Way humorously
19:24 took a mirror image look into the life of a harried mother.
19:28 Coal Miner's Daughter might be among the most personal and well-known songs from Lynn,
19:33 and with good reason, because it's an all-time classic.
19:42 The song is an autobiographical tale of Loretta's childhood and upbringing, and boasts amazingly
19:47 rich production by the engineering legend Owen Bradley.
19:54 Meanwhile, Lynn's vocals are full of charisma and mesmerizing depth, capturing our imagination
20:03 every time we hear them, right to the present day.
20:18 Number 11.
20:19 Friends In Low Places - Garth Brooks Garth Brooks is unquestionably one of the
20:24 most well-known and popular names of modern day country music, and Friends In Low Places
20:29 is perhaps a fan favorite of his enviable musical repertoire.
20:41 The song had been written and performed by a couple of other artists prior to Brooks
20:45 getting his mitts on it, but his version definitely seemed to resonate with an audience ready
20:50 to hear Garth deliver the goods.
20:58 The man's vocal is full of sass and attitude, while the arrangements swing low and slow
21:03 like a good barbecue.
21:04 It's a meat and potatoes tune that begs for fun, perhaps slightly inebriated sing-alongs,
21:10 and good times.
21:16 Number 10.
21:18 Always On My Mind - Willie Nelson There's just something magical about the
21:22 DNA of a truly great song, something that keeps bringing back, again and again, to singers
21:27 that can work their own unique magic to the melody.
21:31 Willie Nelson's "On The Road Again" is one, while "Always On My Mind" is another.
21:42 Having been recorded by legends such as Elvis Presley and Brenda Lee over the years, Nelson
21:47 lent his own unique stamp to the song in 1982, a decade after it was originally composed
21:52 by songwriters Wayne Carson, Mark James, and Johnny Christopher.
22:01 Willie's version had crossover success outside of the country music world, while retaining
22:05 its soft, balladeering structure.
22:07 It's just a tender and melancholic song that tugs at the heartstrings every time.
22:20 Number 9.
22:21 Amarillo By Morning - George Strait George Strait's version of "Amarillo By
22:26 Morning" was a hit for the Texas-born singer a decade after the tune was originally co-written
22:31 and recorded by Terry Stafford back in 1973.
22:41 The processed 80's production style doesn't hurt Strait's version in the slightest, with
22:45 the end result sounding somewhat similar to George's other big hit, "All My Exes Live
22:50 In Texas."
22:51 Here, both songs come across as smooth, but never soulless, and Strait's soulful vocal
23:04 carries both tunes to the places they need to go.
23:07 "Amarillo By Morning" may be a hard luck song about a rodeo rider, but George Strait
23:11 sells it in a way that brings us nothing but joy.
23:18 Number 8.
23:19 The Gambler - Kenny Rogers Some country music songs just seem destined
23:24 to cross over into the cultural zeitgeist.
23:27 The Gambler is one of those tunes, a defining song for Kenny Rogers from a career that spanned
23:32 many different kinds of music.
23:39 The Gambler is a little ways away from Rogers' beginnings as a psychedelic rock pioneer with
23:44 his old group, The First Edition, and was actually the fourth time the tune had been
23:48 recorded since being written by Don Schlitz in 1976.
23:58 Rogers' version feels like pop country before pop country was a thing, although this doesn't
24:03 diminish the work Rogers and producer Larry Butler brought to making The Gambler their
24:07 own.
24:08 This song just seemed like it was waiting for Kenny to take hold and take control.
24:18 Number 7.
24:20 Stand By Your Man - Tammy Wynette The world of country music has possessed so
24:25 many defining and devastatingly talented female performers.
24:29 Tammy Wynette however, may be among the very best, the first lady of country music if you
24:34 will.
24:42 Her career saw plenty of hits, but there's one song that stands above it all, the iconic
24:47 Stand By Your Man.
24:49 Wynette's insanely powerful vocals sell this somewhat controversial song from first
24:53 note to last, but particularly so during the finale, where she goes all out with her performance
25:00 of its high notes.
25:08 The creative relationship between Wynette and producer Billy Sherrill perhaps never
25:12 saw a more bountiful harvest than the glory that was Stand By Your Man.
25:25 Number 6.
25:26 You're Cheatin' Heart - Hank Williams with his Drifting Cowboys
25:30 Hank Williams is often considered, and rightfully so, to be a defining personality of country
25:36 music.
25:37 His songs served as bedrocks for the entire genre, inspiring generations of musicians
25:43 that stretch all the way to the modern day.
25:45 "I'm So Lonesome I Could Cry" is just one of Williams' classic killers, while
25:56 "You're Cheatin' Heart" may be among his best known songs.
25:59 It's a classic tale of heartbreak, a country standard highlighted by Williams' iconic
26:04 delivery and influential songwriting skill.
26:12 It's an easy entry for fans new to classic country music, while also one of the best
26:20 examples of the genre at its most pure and undiluted.
26:31 Number 5.
26:33 Jolene - Dali Parton The words "legend" and "talent" get
26:38 tossed around a lot, but they take on a whole new meaning when referencing the wonderful,
26:43 inimitable Dali Parton.
26:50 Want proof?
26:51 How about the fact that the 9to5 singer told The Bobby Bones Show in 2018 that she apparently
26:56 wrote not one, but two of country music's all-time classics on the same day.
27:01 Yep, both "I Will Always Love You" and our next pick, "Jolene" were apparently
27:06 composed by Dali within a 24-hour period.
27:09 And we're just flabbergasted at the genius of it all.
27:20 Chip Young's hooky guitar work is the glue that holds Jolene together, as Dali sings
27:25 her heart out about a woman she feels has designs on her man.
27:29 It's a short and not-so-sweet slice of crossover country perfection.
27:40 Number 4.
27:41 Mama Tried - Merle Haggard & The Strangers The world of outlaw country has many classic
27:48 heroes, including Waylon Jennings, David Allen Coe, and Johnny Paycheck.
27:52 Merle Haggard also deserves mention in that distinguished company, thanks to his genre-defining
27:57 work on songs like "Okie" from Muscogee, and our next entry, "Mama Tried".
28:06 There's a sense of futility to the song of a life destined for danger, despite the
28:12 best intentions of the narrator's parents.
28:14 The evocative beauty of "Mama Tried" and its acoustic bass is undercut by the stabs
28:19 of lead guitar of The Strangers' Roy Nichols.
28:27 While the ride cymbal accompaniment of drummer Eddie Burris lends the chorus of "Mama Tried"
28:32 a jauntiness that makes it all the more memorable.
28:41 Number 3.
28:42 Crazy - Patsy Cline In the world of country music, there's sadness,
28:48 and then there's the near inescapable melancholy that is "Crazy" by Patsy Cline.
29:02 Patsy Cline takes the Willie Nelson pen tune and makes it irrevocably her own, and we challenge
29:07 anyone to take a listen without feeling those teardrops fall.
29:11 Patsy's voice is smoky, bluesy, and mournful, backed by a choral and piano accompaniment
29:16 that makes "Crazy" the kind of song that works in many different settings.
29:27 It works in a dimly lit bar, perhaps while drowning one's sorrow or personal demons.
29:32 But it also works perhaps as a coping mechanism for grief.
29:36 Best listened to on headphones in the dark, allowing Cline to sing us the blues in her
29:41 own inimitable fashion.
29:44 Number 2.
29:45 He Stopped Loving Her Today - George Jones The role of producer Billy Sherrill cannot
29:50 be overstated when it comes to how it helped make the careers of some incredibly talented
29:55 people.
30:00 George Jones was one of those people, a voice of his generation that helped lay the groundwork
30:04 for all of country music throughout his work in the 50s, 60s, and 70s.
30:10 It was Sherrill, however, that convinced Jones to take on "I Stopped Loving Her Today"
30:15 in 1980.
30:16 Just as the singer's career was in the midst of a slump, Jones'
30:33 dead-eye performance and Sherrill's giant, cavernous production style helped the song
30:37 shoot off like a rocket, becoming, in the minds of many, the best country song ever
30:43 recorded.
31:06 Number 1.
31:07 I Walk The Line - Johnny Cash For many, the voice of Johnny Cash is the
31:13 voice of country music, and it's difficult to challenge that argument.
31:16 This becomes particularly true when listening to the man's classic discography, featuring
31:21 such hits as "Ring of Fire" and our number one pick, "I Walk The Line."
31:29 It took three tries for "I Walk The Line" to become Cash's first number one Billboard
31:33 hit, but the end results display how much the song has entered the cultural zeitgeist
31:38 when music fans tend to think of old-school country music.
31:46 Maybe it's the Man in Black's deadpan delivery, or those iconic lyrics, but "I Walk The Line"
31:51 never fails to lift our spirits every time we hear it.
31:59 What other songs could have made this list?
32:01 Let us know in the comments!
32:19 [music]