Help me find my cowboy wearing bad-ass self...

April 1, 2009 7:10 AM

MusicFilter: In search of kick ass, up to no good southern/country songs.

Since I left the south for cold and dreary New England, I have really been missing country music. I know this is not everyone's definition of country, but these are the songs I like rocking out to in my car esp. as the weather gets warmer.

To be more specific, I am in search of songs that everyone would know at a southern dive bar or would get women up dancing on the bar (think kind of Coyote Ugly style). Def. not looking for sad or slow songs. Some similar songs: Keep Your Hands to Yourself (Georgia Satellites) or Save a Horse, Ride a Cowboy (Big and Rich), or Best Days of Your Life (Kellie Pickler) or Gunpowder and Lead (Miranda Lambert). Individual songs are better but I'll take artists in general too. Classics are really great, as are current more pop-y songs, or your friends' local band.

Similar question but not enough answers/quite what I'm looking for. Although I love Jace Everett too.

posted by quodlibet to society & culture (33 comments total)

I hate typos. Cowboy-boot wearing!
posted by quodlibet at 7:27 AM on April 1

I'm currently enthralled by the Zac Brown Band. "Chicken Fried" might be just up your alley.

(Also, their cover of Devil Went Down to Georgia is sick)
posted by General Malaise at 7:30 AM on April 1

At my local, a huge favorite with the boot-wearin' set seems to be "You Never Even Called Me by My Name", written by Steve Goodman and recorded by David Allan Coe.
posted by muddgirl at 7:33 AM on April 1

I don't know if this is country enough for you, but the first thing that came to mind was early Old 97's: Doreen. Dixie Chicks might seem to qualify, too (Sin Wagon, White Trash Wedding). Gretchen Wilson, Here for the Party. Sugarland, Down in Mississippi (Up to No Good). I was thinking early Steve Earle, too, but everything I've got is midtempo at best.
posted by libraryhead at 7:36 AM on April 1

Manifesto No. 1 by Shooter Jennings.

SO LET YOUR HAIR DOWN, GET OUT OF THAT SKIRT~
BUT LEAVE THEM HIGH HEELS ON~
I'LL BE IN THE BACK OF MY BLACK CADILLAC~
WHEN JESUS FINALLY COMES TO CALL HIS CHILDREN HOME~
posted by exceptinsects at 7:39 AM on April 1

"Friends in Low Places" by Garth Brooks. Everyone knows the words to that song.

"Sweet Home Alabama" by Lynyrd Skynyrd isn't exactly country, but it sure is a crowd-pleaser back home.

"Rocky Top" by the Osborne Brothers gets everybody doing the Texas two-step.

"Mountain Music," "Song of the South," and "Dixieland Delight" (especially "Dixieland Delight") by Alabama.

"Be My Baby Tonight" by John Michael Montgomery. Couldja wouldja aintcha gonna, if I asked ya would you wanna?

"Boot Scootin Boogie" by Brooks & Dunn and "Whose Bed Have Your Boots Been Under" by Shania Twain may just have been popular for the very brief period I listened to Top 40 country from around 1994-1995, but everyone seemed to know them then.
posted by ocherdraco at 7:39 AM on April 1

Fighting side of me by merle haggard.

Good old boys by waylon jennings.
posted by tylerfulltilt at 7:44 AM on April 1

Ween - Japanese Cowboy
(really, anything from 12 Golden Country Greats.)
posted by schyler523 at 7:45 AM on April 1

Southern Culture on the Skids
posted by hellboundforcheddar at 7:51 AM on April 1

Hank III (NSFW)

David Allan Coe -Longhaired Redneck

Hayes Carll - Down The Road Tonight

Jerry Jeff Walker- Trashy Women

Junior Brown - Party Lights

Merle Haggard - Mama Tried

Nitty Gritty Dirt Band- Honky Tonkin'

Porter Wagoner -Highway Headin' South

Ray Wylie Hubbard - Screw You, We're from Texas

Terry Allen - What Ever Happened to Jesus (starts slow but give it a second)
posted by nola at 7:58 AM on April 1

Pardon Me, I've Got Someone to Kill

(Threw in the chord changes as a bonus)
posted by Danf at 8:03 AM on April 1

Some obscurities, some obvious ones, and some personal favorites:

I Shoulda Took That Train -- Bradley Walker
Honkiest Tonkiest Beer Joint -- Dale Watson
Thinkin' About Drinkin' -- The Meat Purveyors
The Buck Starts Here -- Robbie Fulks
Let's Kill Saturday Night -- Robbie Fulks
Honky Tonkin' -- Hank Williams
Misery Loves Company -- Porter Wagonner
Flat Land Boogie -- Wayne Hancock
I Gotta Get Drunk -- Willie Nelson*

best line: "Lotta doctors will tell me it's time I started slowin' it down, but there's more old drunks than there are old doctors so I guess we better have another round!"

If you're open to some stuff that's less country and more alt, then you might enjoy performers like:

Drive-By Truckers
Don Chambers & Goat
Scott H. Biram
Bobby Bare Jr.

...but I try to avoid Nashville country like Ebola, so these may not be helpful suggestions...
posted by BitterOldPunk at 8:05 AM on April 1 [2 favorites]

I have a soft spot for goofy, poppy country.. these may work for you, or not

Neal McCoy - Billy's Got His Beer Goggles On
Dierks Bentley - What Was I Thinkin'
Alan Jackson - Chattahoochee
Toby Keith - Who's Your Daddy
Kenny Chesney - Keg In The Closet
Chris Cagle - Chicks Dig It
Billy Shelton- Playboys of the Southwestern World
posted by knile at 8:06 AM on April 1

This might be a little off, but Neil Young's "powderfinger" always gives me the swell.

And in my circles (alt-country), White Freightliner - any version - always gets people dancing. COme to think of it, Townes Van Zandt's "Loretta" is *about* a barroom girl and has a pretty good stomp.
posted by notsnot at 8:07 AM on April 1

Blue Yodel #1 (T For Texas, T For Tennessee)
Has always been one of my favorites. Originally by Jimmy Rodgers, it's since been covered by just about everyone. Waylon Jennings and Lynyrd Skynyrd both did particularly good covers as did Tompall Glaser, IIRC.
posted by buggzzee23 at 8:22 AM on April 1

Seconding:
Hank III
Drive-By Truckers (especially the songs written by Mike Cooley)
Bobby Bare, Jr.
posted by yerfatma at 8:23 AM on April 1

A blast from the past: The Mavericks, All You Ever Do is Bring Me Down. It might not be kick ass enough, but it's good.

Tim McGraw's silly but appealing Indian Outlaw.

Kawliga by Charley Pride.

Shel Silverstein wrote Put Another Log on the Fire.

You probably remember Swingin' by John Anderson.

Guitar Town by Steve Earle.

T-R-O-U-B-L-E by Travis Tritt.
posted by Fairchild at 8:24 AM on April 1

ahem, you might want to see some of the responses in this thread.
posted by Midnight Rambler at 8:35 AM on April 1

Vince Gill! bonus old-timey sounds sometimes!
posted by Lipstick Thespian at 8:48 AM on April 1

Also a band you might like but not from the South - The Sadies. They're Canadian but do great alt-country type stuff.
posted by Lipstick Thespian at 8:49 AM on April 1

Lynyrd Skynyrd - Gimme three steps
posted by raisingsand at 9:30 AM on April 1

Mainstream Pop-Country guaranteed to get college coeds shouting along:

Life is a Highway - Rascal Flatts

Long Neck Bottle - Garth Brooks

Gone Country - Alan Jackson

She Thinks My Tractor's Sexy - Kenny Chesney

Redneck Woman - Gretchen Wilson

Down at the Twist N Shout - Mary Chapin Carpenter - interesting note: a southern sensation, she was born in Princeton NJ and went to Brown!
posted by keasby at 9:34 AM on April 1

It's more Texas Playboys than Southern Fried but Robbie Fulks, "Fuck This Town" is a toe-tapper.
posted by bonobothegreat at 9:47 AM on April 1

Oh, and also "Beer For My Horses" by Toby Keith (I know, he's an asshole) and Willie Nelson (yay!).
posted by exceptinsects at 10:00 AM on April 1

I've been on this country kick lately, revisiting my love of new country from the 90s, and jumping from YouTube video to YouTube video often gets me to good stuff. A few things here:

Patty Loveless - I Try to Think About Elvis and I'm That Kind of Girl

Mary Chapin Carpenter - Down at the Twist and Shout and I Feel Lucky
posted by pised at 11:06 AM on April 1

Eagles: Life In The Fast Lane, Take It Easy
Lynyrd Skynyrd: Gimme Three Steps, Sweet Home Alabama, Call Me The Breeze
Junior Brown: Highway Patrol
Stevie Ray Vaughan: Love Struck Baby, Mary Had A Little Lamb, Tightrope, Crossfire, The House Is Rockin'
ZZ Top: La Grange, Beer Drinkers & Hell Raisers, Legs, Sharp Dressed Man
posted by _Skull_ at 11:24 AM on April 1

Oh god, I'm ashamed to know this, but here, take it and run:

Trace Adkins - Honky Tonk Badonkadonk
posted by rachaelfaith at 11:25 AM on April 1

I've seen the dad and son mentioned; please don't ignore Hank Williams, Jr.
posted by wg at 11:27 AM on April 1

Whiskey River - Willie Nelson
Good-Hearted Woman - Willie Nelson & Waylon Jennings
posted by scody at 12:12 PM on April 1

Such good suggestions of songs - my itunes account thanks you! Now if it would only get warm so I could blare these in my car with the windows rolled down..
posted by quodlibet at 12:47 PM on April 1

Copper Head Road by Earle Steve (i think).

"Well the D.E.A.'s got a chopper in the air
I wake up screaming like I'm back over there
I learned a thing or two from ol' Charlie don't you know
You better stay away from Copperhead Road"
posted by thetenthstory at 12:58 PM on April 1

Steve Earle's Copper Head Road will TOTALLY get me dancing on the bar.
posted by kidsleepy at 1:23 PM on April 1

Another song written by Ray Wylie Hubbard and made famous by Jerry Jeff Walker as well as a great sing-along: Up Against the Wall Redneck Mother

posted by ourroute at 7:51 PM on April 1 [1 favorite]