Showing posts with label 20 best country songs. Show all posts
Showing posts with label 20 best country songs. Show all posts

Friday, October 27, 2017

The Trouble With Naming Your Ten...or Twenty Best Songs






...is that, once you name them, you're automatically sick of them.

That's the thing with music. It's fickle.

I once, on a dare from my husband, came up with my "best" list. I stand by it (although I actually don't remember it in its entirety).  I know there was a Merle song, a George song, a Randy song, and some others. A Patsy song.

Coming up with a list like that is a solemn task. I couldn't do it with rock. I'm mired in a certain era of rock music, because I gave up on it sometime in the late sixties. And there was so much more music yet to come. And because rock music is so vast. Country is different, because classics are classics. They don't change. Country music ceased to exist sometime around 2001.

I hear songs on Sirius and think, "I love that song!" And yet it's not on my list. How could I love it if it's not on my list? Because a list is endless. And lists are rather sterile. Lists don't take "heart" into account. And let's face it: lists are comprised to impress other people.

Why this post?

Because I heard a song tonight that I don't know is on my list, but it ought'a be.


I haven't heard this song in years. And I love it. 

Don't bother even asking me why.

I just do. 

Thank you for letting me share.






Friday, January 11, 2008

20 Best Country Songs Of All Time - Continued

This is, I think, number four in a continuing series of (in my opinion) the twenty best country songs of all time.

This song was (allegedly) written by Buck Owens, and was recorded by Buck Owens and the Buckaroos on Capitol Records in 1964. This song was actually the "B" side of "My Heart Skips A Beat". "Together Again" went to number one on June 6, 1964. The song has been recorded approximately 2,532,159 times (okay, I don't know how many times, but it's a lot).

I like this video, because it shows the Buckaroos, who were an integral part of Buck's popularity. Don Rich (naturally), Tom Brumley, Doyle Holly.





This seems like the appropriate time to note the passing of Ken Nelson, Capitol Records producer, who launched the career of Buck Owens, and who also discovered Merle Haggard.

Ken also produced "The Wild Side Of Life" for Hank Thompson in 1952. He recorded hits for Wynn Stewart, Ferlin Husky, Jean Shepard, among many others.

I remember the album, "Live At Carnegie Hall" by Buck & The Buckaroos (you should buy this one; trust me). Buck gives a shout out to Ken Nelson on the recording.

Ken Nelson was 96 years old, so he lived a long and, thankfully for country fans, a very productive life.

Here is the link to the LA Times article about Ken Nelson:

Ken Nelson