The topic that never goes away

[Leslie Ehrlich]

The state of mainstream country music - the stuff that gets played on commercial radio and music videos on TV.

But seriously, if you think the older music was better, can you list some hit songs that exemplify what you think is 'good' country music?

I'll start with mine. I put together a list of songs that I enjoy listening to (some have steel guitar, some don't). The 1950s and 1960s were my favourite decades for country music.


Songs with vocals
I’m Movin’ On – Hank Snow (1950)
Kaw-Liga – Hank Williams (1953)
A Satisfied Mind – Red Foley (1955)
Waiting For A Train – Jim Reeves (1957)
Gonna Find Me A Blue Bird – Marvin Rainwater (1957)
Fraulein – Bobby Helms (1957)
The Auctioneer – Leroy Van Dyke (1957)
If You Got The Money – Lefty Frizzell (1958 version)
Waterloo – Stonewall Jackson (1959)
Battle Of New Orleans – Johnny Horton (1959)
The Same Old Me – Johnny Paycheck (1960)
Big Iron – Marty Robbins (1960)
I Fall To Pieces – Patsy Cline (1961)
Louisiana Man – Rusty and Doug Kershaw (1961)
Six Days On The Road – Dave Dudley (1963)
Ring Of Fire – Johnny Cash (1963)
Love’s Gonna Live Here – Buck Owens (1963)
Dang Me – Roger Miller (1964)
The Race Is On – George Jones (1964)
Once A Day – Connie Smith (1964)
Girl On The Billboard – Del Reeves (1965)
Just Between You And Me – Charley Pride (1966)
Flowers On The Wall – Statler Brothers (1966)
It’s Such A Pretty World Today – Wynn Stewart (1967)
Branded Man – Merle Haggard (1967)
Pop A Top Again – Jim Ed Brown (1967)
Skip A Rope – Henson Cargill (1968)
Cajun Baby – Hank Williams Jr. (1969)


Instrumentals
Pike Country Breakdown – Flatt and Scruggs (1952)
Wildwood Flower – Chet Atkins (1954)
Maple Sugar – Ward Allen (1957)
Last Date – Floyd Cramer (1960)
Wheels – The Stringalongs (1961)
Buckaroo – Buck Owens and the Buckaroos, featuring Don Rich on guitar (1965)

[Joachim Kettner]

"Why I'm Walking"- Wanda Jackson
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l4PR-CeuO9c
I like Ricky Scaggs' version too
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fule4XmYaZ4

[Will Houston]

Never heard Wanda's version before (she was hot) I also like Stonewall Jacksons version.

[Glenn Suchan]

... But seriously, if you think the older music was better, can you list some hit songs that exemplify what you think is 'good' country music ...

Not all of my examples were hits, but I don't think that's necessary for indicating what I think is good country music. Historically, many great songs were never hits.

My list isn't as long as I could make it, but I've decided to select just a few and add YouTube links so you can hear them for yourselves:

"Just Look, Don't Touch", Charlene Arthur (1955)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qQexFqgbyys

"Bury The Bottle With Me", Dick Curless (1968)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S_X3ycDr7Ps

"Forget The Past", Faron Young (1960)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xotVyR4C2Uo

"The Box It Came In", Wanda Jackson (1966)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jacIVSuA0Ys

"What A Fool I Was", Skeets McDonald (1964)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_a7GkpZhjyI

"The Way I Lose My Mind", Carl Smith (1975)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MmgZOWl2J1A

"Building A Coffin For Two", Jimmie Heap and the Melody Masters (1950)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uFZ5DoxYEZA

"Darlin' I'm Sorry", Donna Darlene (1979) with Shot Jackson (Donna's husband) and the Big E
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MyvCyw46gfE

Keep on picking'!
Glenn

[Eddie Cunningham]

These are the songs I think have a real story in them !! Roy Acuffs "Don't make me go to bed and I'll be good" ; Ernest Tubbs - " Heading down the wrong highway" ; Hank Williams Sr. - "I'm sorry for you my friend" ; Red Foley - "Old Shep' ; Tex Ritter - "Blood on the saddle" ; Hank Williams - "I'm so lonesome I could cry" : Montana Slim - "Put my little shoes away" and maybe a few others I can't remember today !! olde geeze - AKA Eddie "C"