The Steel Guitar Forum

What is your favorite Honky Tonk Song?

You want just one? I don't think I can do that.

Heartaches by the Number, Streets of Baltimore, Six Days on the Road, Lost Highway, Your Cheatin' Heart, Together Again, Apartment #9, Old Violin, don't get me goin', I don't have that much time right now.

The topic title says "best" but the question is "favorite". Both impossible to answer; however, I'll throw one out for discussion - "Crazy Arms".

Lee, from South Texas

When Love Was Green, singer, George Jones,
writer, Dallas Frazier.

The later 'up-tempo' version of Lefty Frizell's 'If You Got the Money'. That version has piano, fiddle, and non-pedal steel in it, as it should be with all 'honky-tonk' music.

Leslie Ehrlich wrote:The later 'up-tempo' version of Lefty Frizell's 'If You Got the Money'. That version has piano, fiddle, and non-pedal steel in it, as it should be with all 'honky-tonk' music.

and it has to be the jukebox version, not the censored radio version.

The radio version says "dance to the music fine", but the original words are on the jukebox version, he sings "dance, drink beer, and wine".

Please Mr. DJ,by Dale Watson,in fact ANYTHING by Dale,don't you know.

I don't think I could pick a favorite song, as for favorite honkytonk singers I would pick Skeets Mcdonald, Charlie Walker, and Gary Stewart.

Green Snakes by the great Johnny Bush

Pass the Booze

Anything by Paycheck.

"Close Up The Honky Tonks"... circa 1964- Buck and Don Rich

Unfathomable that it never was released as a single.

Don't forget Web Pierce, and all the hits he had in the fifties.
He was pure honkytonk.

Jim Ed Brown's "Pop-A-Top" and "Tear drops Don't Lie" by Justin Trevino.Those are just a couple of my favorites from hundreds.

Rednecks, White Sox, and Blue Ribbon Beer

Dim Lights, Thick Smoke, and Loud, Loud Music.

I Didn't Know God Made Honky Tonk Angels

Any Hank Sr. song

Any Patsy Cline song

Any song by George, Tammy, Loretta, Conway or Merle or Charlie Pride or Buck Owens, etc.

Any Web Pierce song

Any Ray Price song before Night Life

There are so many to choose from, who could say which is ones favorite?

Cheatin Heart....
The ulitimate Honky Tonk Song

When it comes to pure honky-tonk, you just can't

beat anything by Gene Watson. ie: "Farewell Party"

Farewell Party seems to be everyone's favorite by him, but if I get a chance to do a cover of his I like to do 'Should I Go Home.'

"Pass Me By (If You're Only Passing Through)".

I guess when you look at all these great songs, and then I think of what is being recorded today I can't help but think........it is just not as good, not even close. In my opinion only.
And no....I am not real old, only 48, and I know that Carrie Underwood is good, but I can still listen to Merle Haggard sing over and over and over again 'The Bottle Let Me Down' but the second or third time with any of her songs was way too much for me.

In my opinion only.

The man asked for favorite- well I can't do just one... well here goes:

A-11- Paycheck's version / then Buck's

Just One More - Jones' / ET's

There Stands the Glass - Webb Pierce

Tonight the Bottle Let me Down- Merle/Mooney

Close Up The Honky-Tonks - Buck

Sittin' and Thinkin' - Charlie Rich/Ray Price

(We'll go) Honky Tonkin' - Hank

If I'm gonna Sink (I might as well go to the bottom) - Paycheck

I'll go down Swingin'- Porter

Who Will Buy The Wine - Charlie Walker

Honky Tonk-itis Carl Butler

The Lord Knows I'm Drinkin' - Cal Smith

Smokey the Bar - Hank Thompson

Six Pack to Go - Hank T



and so many many more

Dreams of a Dreamer- Darrell McCall
Blue and Green- Earl Thomas Conely
You lay a whole lotta love on me- Con Hunley
I'm not over you - Dottie Jack

ECT ECT ECT.......

Pick Me Up on Your Way Down , Dim Lights- Thick Smoke, No Reason Now for Goin HOme, 3rd Rate Romance, Should I Go Home...A-11 , Only Hell MY Momma Ever Raised..
There are just way too many I like to mention them all

Was there anything that was truely Honky Tonk without Del Wood (Polly Hazelwood) in the background?

I'm ashamed of you all.

Not even an honorable mention for GARY STEWART?

Ralph Emery introduced him as the King of Honky Tonk singers one night.