There’s one surefire way to get attention if you’re running a struggling magazine. Just make a list of the 25, or 50, or 100 Best Songs, TV Shows, Cars, or anything you can name. You want attention, you’ll get it. Leave off somebody’s favorite, and they’ll let you know. Recently Rolling Stone, never known to be a source of country music information, stirred the pot by naming “The 25 Greatest Country Songs of All Time.”
I knew that I would disagree with some of their selections, but I read it anyway. There isn’t a bad song on the list:
- I Walk the Line – Johnny Cash (1956)
- Crazy – Patsy Cline (1961)
- I’m So Lonesome I Could Cry – Hank Williams (1949)
- He Stopped Loving Her Today – George Jones (1980)
- Standing on the Corner (Blue Yodel No. 9) – Jimmie Rodgers (1930)
- Stand By Your Man – Tammy Wynette (1968)
- You Don’t Know Me – Ray Charles (1962)
- Mama Tried – Merle Haggard (1968)
- Jolene – Dolly Parton (1973)
- Mammas, Don’t Let Your Babies Grow Up to Be Cowboys – Waylon Jennings and Willie Nelson (1978)
- Man of Constant Sorrow – Stanley Brothers (1951)
- I’ve Got a Tiger By the Tail – Buck Owens and the Buckaroos (1964)
- Blue Moon of Kentucky – Bill Monroe and the Blue Grass Boys (1947)
- Settin’ the Woods on Fire – Hank Williams (1952)
- It Wasn’t God Who Made Honky Tonk Angels by Kitty Wells (1952)
- Wichita Lineman – Glen Campbell (1968)
- New San Antonio Rose – Bob Wills & His Texas Playboys (1940)
- All My Ex’s Live in Texas – George Strait (1987)
- Don’t Come Home A’ Drinkin’ (With Lovin’ On Your Mind) – Loretta Lynn (1966)
- The Gambler – Kenny Rogers (1978)
- Can the Circle Be Unbroken – Carter Family (1935)
- Walking the Floor Over You – Ernest Tubb (1941)
- If You’ve Got the Money, I’ve Got the Time – Lefty Frizzell (1950)
- Mean – Taylor Swift (2010)
- Take This Job and Shove It – Johnny Paycheck (1977)
Yes, this is a great list of songs. But if you’re going to boldly select the 25 greatest country songs ever, how do you leave out: “Hello Darlin'” by Conway Twitty? Nothing says “country” like Conway.
Conway not only failed to make the top 25, Rolling Stone didn’t include any of his songs in its expanded top 100 list either! And he’s not the only one who didn’t dent the top 100 list. Believe it or not, neither did:
“Flowers on The Wall” by the Statler Brothers
I could have chosen any number of Statlers songs, but this was their first hit, and it’s just a masterpiece. They don’t deserve to be overlooked.
You may have noticed that there’s a huge gap in the Rolling Stone Top 25 list. There’s nothing between 1987 (George Strait’s “All My Ex’s”) and 2010 (Taylor Swift’s “Mean”). So in their opinion, Taylor Swift is the only artist who achieved greatness in country music during the past 26 years? Um, hello Rolling Stone? Ever heard of a guy named Alan Jackson? He didn’t crack the top 100 either.
1992’s “Chattahoochee” was one in a long string of hits for Jackson, who has dominated the past quarter-century along with Garth Brooks, Clint Black, Randy Travis, Brad Paisley, Vince Gill, Shania Twain, Don Williams, Alabama, Emmylou Harris, Brooks & Dunn, Keith Whitley and many others who got little or no mention on the Rolling Stone Top 100, much less the top 25. Yet somehow, they included “Goodbye Earl” by the Dixie Chicks, “Convoy” by C. W. McCall, “Redneck Woman” by Gretchen Wilson and “The Happiest Girl in the Whole USA” by Donna Fargo. Yes, they were all big hits, but should they be among the 100 Greatest of All Time? While totally leaving out Hank Williams Jr? “Family Tradition” was released in 1979, a few years after two near-death experiences: a suicide attempt and a mountain-climbing accident. If anyone has led a country music life, it’s “Bocephus,” but he gets little respect from Rolling Stone, or the music industry, which has kept him out of the Country Music Hall of Fame.
Most unbelievably, one of the greatest country songwriters of the 20th century was totally snubbed by Rolling Stone: Kris Kristofferson. Any, or all of these songs could have been included: “Why Me, Lord?” “For the Good Times.” “Me and Bobby McGee.” “Sunday Morning Coming Down.” My personal favorite is “Help Me Make It Through the Night,” recorded by Sammi Smith in 1971:
You had me at “Take the ribbon from my hair…” This is one of those rare recordings in which every single element is spot-on perfect. The strings, the voice, the lyrics, the mood. Kristofferson originally wrote it from a male point of view, but it took Sammi Smith to bring it home. “I don’t want to be alone…it’s so sad to be alone…” You can hear the yearning, the despair. How this incredible piece of music got past Rolling Stone is a mystery to me.
So, obviously, Rolling Stone has about as much business picking the best country songs ever as, well, I do. I have absolutely zero experience in the country music business. Although there was this:
In 1984, I had been on TV for about a year, and was convinced that leaving radio was a huge mistake. WDOD had a new general manager who wanted to change the morning show, to compete with the new US-101, which had quickly emerged as a strong competitor. So he hired me, and proceeded to put up thirty full-color “Carroll Country” billboards all over Chattanooga. I was fired up and ready to begin my country music career. I turned in my notice to the TV station, and started sizing up boots and cowboy hats. Then suddenly, the guy who hired me, got fired by the station owner. (Maybe he spent too much money on billboards?) I thought maybe, this career switch wasn’t such a great idea.
I told my sob story to my TV employers, who kindly let me stay. So, I never got to play a country song on the radio. But I’ve heard a few, which makes me as qualified as Rolling Stone to comment on the best ever. And besides, “Swingin” by John Anderson isn’t on their list. I rest my case.
AHHHHH what does Rolling Stone magazine know about anything anyway? ; ) In my opinion the best Hank Williams Jr song of all times is Mr. Weatherman.I actually got to go to a BBQ at John Anderson’s house in the 80’s I had met Billy Joe Royal thru a friend and was invitedI was almost to star struck to enjoy myself which is probably a good thing since roasted goat is not that appealing to me. The fact that Vern Godson was left of the RS list is ludacris https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sTrPJvEzmwQ
Right on, Lisa! Vern Gosdin’s “I Can Tell By The Way You Dance” is a favorite of mine. And how about “Farewell Party” by Gene Watson? Rolling Stone has probably never heard that one either.
I met Gene Watson, Keith Whitley about 2 weeks before he died, Steve Wariner,Con Hunley,T Graham Brown,Exile with JP Pennington,and a few more I’ll have to study on to remember (showing my age) all in the late 80’s because I worked for a bar owner I had a blast and I have a lot of good memories.I think we could both make Rolling Stone’s list a lot better.
Good post, David. I have never really been a country music fan. I grew up on WFLI and WGOW, then KZ106 and occasionally some of the stations d’jour for variety. I do how ever have an uncle, (by marriage), that has written country music songs for as long as I can remember. He has never had a song recorded, but it also has never silenced his passion.
The reason for my response is really more of a comment on Rolling Stone. Having been a rock music fan forever, I thought since “RS” had gone electronic it would be cool to have a subscription. Boy was I wrong. It is sad that something that could be so cool is really so full of junk and political spin. Just tell me about my favorite bands for crying out loud. I don’t care what they or the editors at “RS” think about political or social issues. I get news from my local station, (yes, Channel 3…ain’t I an incredible suck up), and FOX News. All I want from Rolling Stone is an escape and an idea or two on emerging artists, (let’s face it…most of the bands we grew up on aren’t what they were, if they even still exist).
Any way, good post. Thank you for helping to break up my week with your insights.
Mike Congdon
President & Owner
!Mpact MultiMedia, LLC
mike.congdon@mpactmultimedia.com
423.774.4077
http://www.ChooseRedBank.com
Thanks Mike…Rolling Stone really seems to be struggling with its identity these days, and this country music stuff has the smell of desperation. I’m sure they’re having a tough time remaining relevant.
I am a big fan of the old country music, Conway Twitty Loretta Lynn, Patsy Cline, The Statler’s Brothers and the list goes on. but I always like the only person Ever to combine Country, Gospel, Rhythm and blues, Rock and Roll, Hillbilly and ballads, and that person was Elvis. Nobody can ever replace the old country music and Elvis, I am sorry but I do not like today’s country, gospel and rock and roll.
Agree with EVERYONE you mentioned! And what about “The Judds” Hello! And oh so many more!
Taylor Swift? Really? She doesn’t deserve to be included in that prestigious group of entertainers.
BTW….where’s the Oak Ridge Boys?
For me the number 1 is “Whiskey Lullaby” by Brad Paisley and Allison Krauss. My new best country song of all time.
How about David Allan Coe’s “You Never Even Called Me By My Name”? After all, Steve Goodman wrote it and the famous last verse the he described as “the perfect Country & Western song”! When I was on Guam at Country Night (Every Saturday night) at the NCO club, the night was NOT complete if that song wasn’t played.
Great post David. Chiseled in stone by Vern Gosdin is one of my favorites. Farewell party by Gene Watson is a good one. Country boy can survive by hank Jr, hello darlin, the chair, friends in low places, forever and ever amen, killing time, country club, here in the real world, the gambler just a few other good ones .
Enjoyed your post, David. I agree, Taylor Swift does not belong on this list. Those you and others mention that were omitted were better than many that made Rolling Stone’s list. Happy Father’s Day, David.
Enjoyed your writing as always David. As I was the night jock for Jones then Dial Global Classic Hit Country, I did get to play all those and so much more after my WFLI, WGOW, and KZ-106 beginnings. Never set great store by some of the setups of the “greatest” lists put out by the so called experts. Same type of folks who said “Seinfeld” was the best TV show ever produced. Remember that TV Guide show that counted them down years ago? Still have laughs over that one.
Wow! I can’t believe Don Williams – the finest singer of our time in my humble opinion – missed the list – along with so many other great ones. I would have been a great fan if you had made it to country music in the morning. You would have been super in boots and a cowboy hat – but you have been super in every aspect of your career.