Country Music, Y'all!

[UYI]

There's only one more after this, guys. It's almost over.

#20: Hank Williams--“Your Cheatin’ Heart”

#19: Tim McGraw--“Live Like You Were Dying”

#18: Johnny Cash--“Ring of Fire”

#17: Alan Jackson--“Livin’ On Love”

#16: Tammy Wynette--“Stand By Your Man”

#15: Kenny Chesney--“How Forever Feels”

#14: Alabama--“Mountain Music”

#13: Willie Nelson--“On the Road Again”

#12: Garth Brooks--“The Dance”

#11: Patsy Cline--“I Fall to Pieces”

http://www.countryuniverse.net/2021/09/05/a-country-music-conversation-sirius-top-1000-country-songs-of-all-time-20-11/

[Bastet]

1 hour ago, UYI said:

#15: Kenny Chesney--“How Forever Feels”

What the hell?

I think "Your Cheatin' Heart" is too low and several others are too high, but if it was not for this baffling entry, I would say this batch of ten is reasonable.

[Dandesun]

Back in the day, my Mom had an 8-track (!!!) that was basically Tammy and Loretta's greatest hits. Lord, if ever there was a peak way of showing their voices off. There's Tammy singing 'Stand By Your Man' and 'D-I-V-O-R-C-E' while Loretta is all 'Don't Come Home a-Drinkin' with Lovin' on Your Mind' and 'Fist City.'

And then I think of the commentary in the Country Music documentary where Tammy was always singing about standin' by her man and Loretta was telling them where they could get off but Tammy was constantly in and out of marriages and Loretta was married to the same man forever and maybe they ought to have switch songs.

I'm thinking Loretta telling her man where he could go with his bullshit was probably the reason she stayed married to the same one. Not that he was all great shakes but she sure as fuck didn't roll over for anyone. Tammy just seemed a broken soul who sought out other broken souls thinking love would fix it all and it never did.

At any rate, Tammy's not been my favorite singer in country and 'Stand By Your Man' well... I will say this. I fucking love that scene in 'The Blues Brothers' so there's that.

[Bastet]

Someone posted months ago what number one on the Sirius list is, but I doubt the CU writers are as ticked off by that as I am*, so I'll be curious to see when the top ten are revealed what one of them is referring to when he says (in being about as impressed with the "How Forever Feels" entry as I was):

Quote

With just 14 entries remaining above this one, you might think this would be the last time I’d give myself a migraine from clenching my jaw over the utter dumbfuckery of this list. Sadly, you’d be wrong.

*And even though I do not remotely agree that fucking song is the top country song of all time, given its impact on the genre I do grudgingly think it should be ranked fairly high.  But not THAT high.

[Dandesun]

49 minutes ago, Bastet said:

Someone posted months ago what number one on the Sirius list is, but I doubt the CU writers are as ticked off by that as I am*, so I'll be curious to see when the top ten are revealed what one of them is referring to when he says (in being about as impressed with the "How Forever Feels" entry as I was):

*And even though I do not remotely agree that fucking song is the top country song of all time, given its impact on the genre I do grudgingly think it should be ranked fairly high.  But not THAT high.

My thoughts exactly.

Seriously. I even call it 'that fucking song' and have since it came out. And yeah, I'm the one who posted what it was.

In a way, it's fitting. Given the absolute fuckery showcased by this list that fucking song being at the top is actually perfect. 

You know, in a screaming into my pillow kind of way.

[Bastet]

20 hours ago, Dandesun said:

In a way, it's fitting. Given the absolute fuckery showcased by this list that fucking song being at the top is actually perfect. 

Yep, now having seen most of this list unfold, it makes perfect sense - what other song would the Sirius dudebros have possibly picked?

I'm sure number one was accepted as a given, then they discussed where to slot in all their favorite Jason Aldean, Billy Currington, Chris Young, Florida Georgia Line, and Luke Bryan songs, and then Googled "old country songs" and "do chicks sing country music?" to fill in the rest of the list.

Edited September 8, 2021 by Bastet

[proserpina65]

"With all of the wack-ass entries we’ve gone through, we certainly do know how forever feels, Mr. Chesney."

This is pure brilliance.  The song sucks, or more accurately, is just a middle-of-the-road meh song, but it's almost worth its placement for this comment.  Okay, not really, but a great comment nonetheless.

I'm with Jonathan Keefe, my favorite Patsy Cline song is whatever I listened to last, so as long as she's in the Top Ten, I'm okay with I Fall To Pieces being at #11.  (Narrator: "She knows Patsy's in the Top Ten".) 

And Your Cheatin' Heart would be fine at #20 if there was some Hank Williams in the Top Ten, preferably Cold, Cold Heart or So Lonesome I Could Cry, but there's not, so it's stupid. 

Most of this list is stupid.  Dudebro music is stupid and so is all the dudebro crap on this list.  Yes, stupid is my word of the day.  I'll miss being able to spend time dissing this stupid list, though.

[UYI]

On 9/7/2021 at 7:59 PM, Bastet said:

Yep, now having seen most of this list unfold, it makes perfect sense - what other song would the Sirius dudebros have possibly picked?

I'm sure number one was accepted as a given, then they discussed where to slot in all their favorite Jason Aldean, Billy Currington, Chris Young, Florida Georgia Line, and Luke Bryan songs, and then Googled "old country songs" and "do chicks sing country music?" to fill in the rest of the list.

For what it's worth, Chris Young actually really isn't a bro at all. He's not as good as he was in the very beginning of his career, but I don't think he's ever reached the level of a bro, even if he dabbled in it slightly around 2013 (hell, I'll be generous and mostly say the same about Billy Currington, too; hell, even Jason Aldean's early years as an artist started off strong, I'll admit it--and I may or may not find some of his more infamous songs to be total jams--but I digress).

I actually DO know the rage-inducing song in the top ten. I could give some clues in preparation, but that might not be good for y'all's blood pressure, so...

In the meantime, though, here's another country number one, the final in a string of consecutive chart toppers for Travis Tritt.

106. Travis Tritt--"Nothing Short of Dying"

#1 on Radio & Records the week of May 15th, 1992.

http://www.countryuniverse.net/2021/09/07/every-1-country-single-of-the-nineties-travis-tritt-nothing-short-of-dying/

 

[UYI]

The final number one for a leading late 80's/early 90's neo-traditionalist, and the one exception--and it's a big one--to the lack of pop-country crossover smashes between "Islands in the Stream" and the emergence of Shania Twain. You know what it is, whether you want to or not. ;)

107. Ricky Van Shelton--"Backroads"

#1 on Radio & Records the week of May 22nd, 1992.

http://www.countryuniverse.net/2021/09/09/every-1-country-single-of-the-nineties-ricky-van-shelton-backroads/

108. Billy Ray Cyrus--"Achy Breaky Heart"

#1 on Billboard for five weeks from May 30th, 1992-June 27th, 1992.

#1 on Radio & Records the week of May 29th, 1992.

http://www.countryuniverse.net/2021/09/09/every-1-country-single-of-the-nineties-billy-ray-cyrus-achy-breaky-heart/

 

 

[Bastet]

2 hours ago, UYI said:

the one exception--and it's a big one--to the lack of pop-country crossover smashes between "Islands in the Stream" and the emergence of Shania Twain. You know what it is, whether you want to or not. ;)

I love the commentary on "Achy Breaky Heart" in the "When Country Goes Pop" episode of This is Pop (documentary series on Netflix) about how, at the time, this song was one of the several "this is the death of country music!" moments, and then decades later Billy Ray Cyrus's participation with Lil Nas X was an endorsement that "Old Town Road" is country music.

[UYI]

A vocal group gets its only number one hit (and no, they're not related to Martina, lol), and a buddig country superstar gets her second number one hit.

109. McBride & the Ride--"Sacred Ground"

#1 on Radio & Records the week of June 5th, 1992.

http://www.countryuniverse.net/2021/09/13/every-1-country-single-of-the-nineties-mcbride-the-ride-sacred-ground/

110. Trisha Yearwood--"The Woman Before Me"

#1 on Radio & Records the week of June 5th, 1992.

http://www.countryuniverse.net/2021/09/13/every-1-country-single-of-the-nineties-trisha-yearwood-the-woman-before-me/

[UYI]

One of the biggest country bands of the era gets another number one, as does Wynonna (and no, hers is NOT a cover of the Hank Williams song).

111. Diamond Rio--"Norma Jean Riley"

#1 on Radio & Records the week of June 19th, 1992.

http://www.countryuniverse.net/2021/09/14/every-1-country-single-of-the-nineties-diamond-rio-norma-jean-riley/

112. Wynonna--"I Saw the Light"

#1 on Billboard for three weeks from July 4th, 1992-July 18th, 1992.

#1 on Radio & Records the week of June 26th, 1992.

http://www.countryuniverse.net/2021/09/14/every-1-country-single-of-the-nineties-wynonna-i-saw-the-light/

[UYI]

You've seen all three of these artists at the top before.

113. Joe Diffie--"Ships That Don't Come In"

#1 on Radio & Records the week of July 3rd, 1992.

http://www.countryuniverse.net/2021/09/19/every-1-country-single-of-the-nineties-joe-diffie-ships-that-dont-come-in/

114. Garth Brooks--"The River"

#1 on Billboard the week of July 25th, 1992.

#1 on Radio & Records for two weeks from July 10th, 1992-July 17th, 1992.

http://www.countryuniverse.net/2021/09/19/every-1-country-single-of-the-nineties-garth-brooks-the-river/

115. Billy Dean--"Billy the Kid"

#1 on Radio & Records the week of July 24th, 1992.

http://www.countryuniverse.net/2021/09/19/every-1-country-single-of-the-nineties-billy-dean-billy-the-kid/

 

[UYI]

So I'm a few days late due to work on this, but we have three more country number ones from the nineties to talk about, all by artists we have seen here before.

116. Brooks & Dunn--"Boot Scootin' Boogie"

#1 on Billboard for four weeks from August 1st, 1992-August 22nd, 1992.

#1 on Radio & Records the week of July 32st, 1992.

http://www.countryuniverse.net/2021/09/22/every-1-country-single-of-the-nineties-brooks-dunn-boot-scootin-boogie/

117. Clint Black--"We Tell Ourselves"

#1 on Radio & Records the week of August 7th, 1992.

http://www.countryuniverse.net/2021/09/22/every-1-country-single-of-the-nineties-clint-black-we-tell-ourselves/

118. Mark Chesnutt--"I'll Think of Something"

#1 on Billboard the week of August 29th, 1992.

#1 on Radio & Records the week of August 14th, 1992.

http://www.countryuniverse.net/2021/09/22/every-1-country-single-of-the-nineties-mark-chesnutt-ill-think-of-something/

 

 

[UYI]

And speaking of being a few days late:

Guys, we've finally made it to the top ten. This took two years for everyone at Country Universe to commentate on--over two years, really--and roughly the same amount of time for me to share with y'all here. It has been quite the shit show at times--and, spoiler alert, there's still a bit of that to come even now--but it has been a pleasure to share this insane ride with every last one of you. Thank you, so, SO much (and a special thank you to CU's Jonathan, who is a poster here, too!).

My work schedule right now will probably keep me from keeping up with the nineties number one list at this point, but I'll see how I feel about that as time goes on.

And now, without any further ado, let's finish this off:

#10: Marty Robbins--“El Paso”

#9: Jason Aldean--“Dirt Road Anthem”

#8: Roger Miller--“King of the Road”

#7: Charlie Daniels Band--“The Devil Went Down to Georgia”

#6: George Jones--“He Stopped Loving Her Today”

#5: Eric Church--“Springsteen”

#4: Dolly Parton--“I Will Always Love You”

#3: Johnny Cash--“Folsom Prison Blues”

#2: Patsy Cline--“Crazy”

#1: Garth Brooks--“Friends in Low Places”

http://www.countryuniverse.net/2021/09/22/a-country-music-conversation-sirius-top-1000-country-songs-of-all-time-10-1/

...That's all, folks. :) 

[Bastet]

The only thing keeping me from stroking out over number nine was knowing that I could click on the CU link and read some fantastically withering commentary on this ludicrous selection that makes the ridiculous pick at number five genius by comparison.  Indeed, those fine folks did not disappoint; I loved every word, but especially this:

Quote

It seems appropriate that Aldean was awarded Artist of the Decade, the full realization of the deluded idea that he’d been the leader of a winning era for the genre.  It was the equivalent of lionizing Robert E. Lee after he was humiliatingly defeated while fighting for a morally abhorrent cause.  Have they built a Jason Aldean monument on Music Row yet?

Whew.  It's over.  That fucking song being number one is among the least crazy entries, and I'm now fairly convinced my cat possesses a better understanding of the genre than the bros at Sirius paid to compile this list.

But, hey, we had fun here.  Thanks, @UYI, for going the distance.

[bankerchick]

Thanks, Uyi.  I was late coming to this but really enjoyed it and while I was shocked that so many of the artists I like were underrepresented or not represented at all, I was also led to some new artists and great songs by artists I maybe hadn't followed before.

I don't know Dirt Road Anthem (and sounds like I'm not missing much) but am no fan of Jason Aldean or his bro-country friends, who were definitely overrepresented, but I guess since it's a Sirius list they're going to list what they play and that is definitely what they play anytime I ever check out a Sirius country station.

[proserpina65]

On 9/24/2021 at 10:44 PM, Bastet said:

Whew.  It's over.  That fucking song being number one is among the least crazy entries, and I'm now fairly convinced my cat possesses a better understanding of the genre than the bros at Sirius paid to compile this list.

Yeah, I hate that song, but I at least get why it's here, unlike so, so, so many others on the list.

Ftr - I hate Whitney Houston's version of I Will Always Love You precisely because she and Foster absolutely did NOT understand the emotions in the song at all.  Her version was bombastic and overblown, and lacked any subtlety whatsoever.  I know Dolly likes that version, but hey, even a goddess can be wrong once in awhile.

Other than Aldean and Church, it's a decent Top Ten.  Even with that song at #1.

[Dandesun]

"And so, the end is near and now I face the final curtain..."

Well, this has indeed been a long strange trip. How many more musical references can I make that have nothing to do with country?

I would say that the majority of the top ten make sense. They may not be to my personal preference but they make sense... number one does make sense even if I hate it with the tormented passion of 1000 lakes of fire. I get it, though. However... Jason Aldean and Eric Church? What?!

Bruce Springsteen has songs that would fit on this list more than "Springsteen" fits into the top ten. (Seriously, 'Sad Eyes' would fit into this list better than some that made it. Or the entirety of 'Western Stars' and I don't say that just because of the name or the horse on the cover.) Hell, country artists have covered a lot of Springsteen songs, y'know? But they're not wrong in that it's weird that Church got in the top ten for a song about a full on legit ROCK legend.

"El Paso" "King of the Road" "Folsom Prison Blues" "Crazy" -- yes to all of those. God, "Crazy" is just so good. The singing... the writing... fuck. 

"He Stopped Loving Her Today" is one of those that some people just don't get. This, along with "The Chair," is a song my mother's friend never got. "He's DEAD, Susan! That's the point!" (It goes hand in hand with 'It was a pick up line, Susan!!')

"I Will Always Love You" is a tricky one. I think the first time I really was exposed to it with any kind of understanding was in 'The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas' and I feel that it perfectly encapsulated the bitter-sweetness of the song. Whitney's version is bombastic and it's powerful as fuck and I swing back and forth between which version I prefer if I'm being honest. All that being said... Dolly's top should be 'Coat of Many Colors.'

That being said, I'm going to get salty about John Denver again. Remember that video 'Country Forever' with all the big big stars and they did a medley and CGI'd everyone into wheat fields and porches and downtown Nashville and virtual country roads? What was that medley made up of? "Take Me Home, Country Roads" "I Will Always Love You" and "On the Road Again."

Two of those songs are represented on this list and the other one ISN'T.

Salty forever.

Edited September 28, 2021 by Dandesun

[Bastet]

39 minutes ago, Dandesun said:

"I Will Always Love You" is a tricky one. I think the first time I really was exposed to it with any kind of understanding was in 'The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas' and I feel that it perfectly encapsulated the bitter-sweetness of the song. Whitney's version is bombastic and it's powerful as fuck and I swing back and forth between which version I prefer if I'm being honest.

I've seen The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas so many times I can recite - and sing - along verbatim.  So that's my favorite version of the song, and the performance that I think best - even more than Dolly's original recording - captures the bittersweet mood in which it was written, as you said.

But, yeah, Whitney's recording is just fucking epic.  And I love how much Dolly loves it.  I mean, she's open about how much she enjoys the truckloads of money it added to her bank account, and I love that about her, too, but she's also said she'll never have a greater thrill as a songwriter than hearing something she wrote turned into such an important piece of music.  When the song's own writer initially just thinks "hm, that's familiar" but can't even place her own song because someone has done something so different with it, and then has to pull off the road to listen to the rest of the song once it kicks in because she's so overwhelmed, that's a testament to how special a record is.

I also love the business sense and fortitude she had to, despite her excitement at Elvis Presley loving and wanting to record the song, turn him down because Col. Parker called her the day before Elvis was set to go into the studio and said, oh, BTW, Elvis gets half the publishing rights.  She was heartbroken, but never wavered.

I like Linda Ronstadt's cover of it, too (and that's the one Kevin Costner knew, and gave to David Foster and Whitney when they had to come up with a different song to do for The Bodyguard).

[RealHousewife]

On 9/27/2021 at 7:10 PM, Dandesun said:

"I Will Always Love You" is a tricky one. I think the first time I really was exposed to it with any kind of understanding was in 'The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas' and I feel that it perfectly encapsulated the bitter-sweetness of the song. Whitney's version is bombastic and it's powerful as fuck and I swing back and forth between which version I prefer if I'm being honest. All that being said... Dolly's top should be 'Coat of Many Colors.'

I love both versions too, but I prefer Whitney's.

It might because I love theatre and the craft of acting, but I give the edge to Whitney due to her voice and the journey she takes you with her version, which yes is more of a production. I know Dolly's is more soft, sweet and simple, but I thought Whitney still did a beautiful job as far as emotion. My fave Dolly song is Jolene. :)

[bankerchick]

On 9/27/2021 at 8:10 PM, Dandesun said:

"He Stopped Loving Her Today" is one of those that some people just don't get. This, along with "The Chair," is a song my mother's friend never got. "He's DEAD, Susan! That's the point!" (It goes hand in hand with 'It was a pick up line, Susan!!')

As someone named Susan, can I just say that I love both of these songs, and I get both of them!  😉

[proserpina65]

On 10/1/2021 at 3:58 AM, RealHousewife said:

and the journey she takes you with her version,

My opinion is that Whitney doesn't take me on a journey.  Her version starts on one point (11) and stays there for the whole song.  Dolly's original, on the other hand, takes me on a journey and has actual emotion rather than bombast.  But I get that different people have different views.

Fwiw, my favorite Dolly song is It's All Wrong, But It's Alright.

[Bastet]

2 hours ago, proserpina65 said:

Fwiw, my favorite Dolly song is It's All Wrong, But It's Alright.

I just love that there was a female country artist singing a booty call song in 1977.

[Bastet]

Reba McEntire has a boxed set out, Revived Remixed Revisited:

Quote

The three-part box set is a reimagined collection of some of Reba’s most iconic songs. REVIVED includes some of Reba’s biggest hits as they’ve evolved over the years in her live show and features all new arrangements of fan favorites like “Is There Life Out There” and “Can’t Even Get The Blues” recorded with Reba’s touring band. REMIXED puts a whole new spin on songs including “Little Rock” and “I’m A Survivor” and on REVISITED, Reba works with Grammy Award-winning producer Dave Cobb to strip back and recut songs like “Somebody Should Leave” and “Consider Me Gone,” and it features the long-awaited pairing of Reba and Dolly Parton on the classic duet “Does He Love You.”

Here's the new "Does He Love You".  I like the original a good deal better, and didn't like this one at all at first, but it picked up as it went on.

I do love Dolly referring to the original video by asking "Don't I get to blow something up?"

[RealHousewife]

Can someone tell me what "country dawn" is? I listen to an awful lot of it according to Spotify. When I listen to country, it's Dolly Parton 90% of the time. 

[Frost]

Naomi Judd is dead.  Wynnona and Ashley released a statement:   "Today we sisters experienced a tragedy. We lost our beautiful mother to the disease of mental illness. We are shattered," Does that mean suicide?  The Judds were being inducted int he Country Music Hall of Fame tomorrow.  

[WendyCR72]

1 hour ago, Frost said:

Naomi Judd is dead.  Wynnona and Ashley released a statement:   "Today we sisters experienced a tragedy. We lost our beautiful mother to the disease of mental illness. We are shattered," Does that mean suicide?  The Judds were being inducted int he Country Music Hall of Fame tomorrow.  

No idea, but it seems to be the consensus online. Naomi Judd has been open about her struggles with depression, though. Either way, it's so sad. I hope Naomi has finally found peace.

[Black Knight]

It could mean that she mixed medications and maybe other things together, not necessarily with the intent of taking her own life, and the mixture killed her. It would be fair to attribute that at least in part to "the disease of mental illness" since some of her medications would have been for treatment of that. If she left no note, and it was an overdose, they will need the results of the toxicology report to have a better idea of whether it was intentional or accidental. (And unlike on TV, in real life toxicology results take weeks.)

Or it could be a scenario where because of her depression she took something or drank something that made her woozy and she fell into a pool or down the stairs or something. At 76 it doesn't take a lot to have balance issues.

I have no idea what happened, but point being that there are possibilities where one can reasonably attribute her death to the disease of mental illness, but without it being a suicide.

Regardless, it's very sad.

[UYI]

From last night:

The Judds' Country Music Hall of Fame induction, in full. Rest well, Naomi.

 

[UYI]

On 4/30/2022 at 6:10 PM, Frost said:

Wynonna and Ashley released a statement:   "Today we sisters experienced a tragedy. We lost our beautiful mother to the disease of mental illness. We are shattered," Does that mean suicide?  

It hasn't been confirmed (and they certainly don't have any obligation to do so either way), but the implication is definitely there (and having read both Wynonna and Ashley's books, they have also dealt with similar mental health issues as well).

My guess is that they were trying, at least on some level, to protect the privacy of their stepfather/Naomi's widower, Larry Strickland, for the time being, until they have had more time to process their mother's passing and feel comfortable sharing more about it, if that's what they plan on doing.

For those who missed it, they performed at the CMT Music Awards three weeks ago, as a way to celebrate their Hall of Fame induction, and what was supposed to be their final tour this fall. It is now, of course, the last performance of The Judds as a group, and of Naomi Judd's lifetime.

Their final song?

What else: "Love Can Build a Bridge." <3

 

Edited May 2, 2022 by UYI

[UYI]

This article by country music journalist/radio host Hunter Kelly is wonderful.

It's worth pointing out that May is Mental Health Awareness Month, too.

Carrie Underwood headlined Stagecoach (essentially the country fried version of Coachella) on Saturday night, and mentioned Naomi before performing her song "See You Again."

 

Edited May 2, 2022 by UYI

[UYI]

 

[UYI]

 

 

[SunnyBeBe]

I’m a long time fan of the Judds and can still barely believe Naomi is gone.  A lot of contemporaries had positive things to say about Naomi.  I watched them perform on the CMT Awards and to me, Naomi seemed a little out if it.  Was she medicated?  She didn’t seem like I recall her normally  being on stage.  She certainly didn’t appear to be ready for a tour.  
 

Which takes me to me next question.  She knew they were a couple of days away from being inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame….so, was this a diss against her daughter?  The country music industry?  Was she sending a message or was this just unintentional?  I read they are conducting an autopsy and that will take weeks.  I have read about so many suicides in my community, including an 11 year old boy!  He sounded so delightful in the obit, but it also said he had endured bullying. Just heartbreaking.  

[UYI]

Well, this is what I get for posting a video before actually watching it. The above video from the HOF induction included Ricky Skaggs' speech and the unveiling of the Judds' plaque, but NOT Ashley and Wynonna's speech (which I FINALLY got around to watching). That's in this video here.

Naomi's memorial service at the Ryman was broadcast commercial-free on CMT today; I'm going to watch it soon. I'm especially looking forward to seeing Emmylou Harris' performance.

And for those who haven't seen it: Ashley Judd reveals how her mother actually died. Heartbreaking.

 

 

[UYI]

Some of the performances from last night's memorial service for Naomi Judd, which aired live on CMT.

 

[UYI]

To be honest, I can't be mad at this.

Jerry Lee Lewis is one of the last living rockabilly/country adjacent legends of his era who is still alive and wasn't yet in the Hall, Keith Whitley's influence in country music has been equal to or longer than his years on Earth were, and as the longtime President of RCA Nashville/RCA Records in general, Joe Galante signed SO many successful/influential country artists to that label's roster that will kind of make your head spin (with two of them being among my favorite country women, Martina McBride and Sara Evans).

So while there are some people--like Dwight Yoakam and Tanya Tucker--who are STILL long overdue to get in, I'm good with this.

By my God, they are going to have to deal with their backlog and make their list of inductees longer in the future; the 90's alone are going to be a bloodbath in terms of future members. 

Edited May 17, 2022 by UYI

[Bastet]

7 hours ago, UYI said:

So while there are some people--like Dwight Yoakam and Tanya Tucker--who are STILL long overdue to get in, I'm good with this.

I could not be more bitter about Tanya Tucker not being in the HoF if she was my mother.

They waited so damn long to induct The Judds, Naomi couldn't even hang on long enough to experience it.  Tanya still waiting her turn is inexcusable.

They need to get Patty Loveless, Shania Twain, Trisha Yearwood, Martina McBride, and a whole bunch of others in there in the Modern Era Artist category.  But the Tanya thing is ridiculous; they waited so damn long on her she became eligible for the Veteran Artist category instead, and she's still not in it.  I understand why they went with Jerry Lee Lewis for that category this year, but if it's not her next year I'm going to pitch a fit.

They need to do another catch-up year like they did in 2001 and let in a good dozen, and that's only going to make a dent in their backlog, so even after that they ought to do five a year -- two each in the regular categories, and then the rotating category.

[UYI]

The Judds' final tour will go on as planned, this time as a tribute to Naomi's life and legacy, and a bunch of other women in country music accompanying Wynonna (including Martina McBride, who had already been set to go on the tour prior to Naomi's passing). There is even an extra show now: the final show, which was originally to be in Nashville (and is now the second-to-last show--and to the shock of no one, it is already sold out), will now be in Lexington, Kentucky, not all that far from the Judds' hometown of Ashland, Kentucky.

 

[pinkandsparkly13]

Any opinions on Carrie Underwood's new album Denim and Rhinestones? I heard the first two songs that they put on YouTube: Ghost Story and She Don't Know. I like She Don't Know, but Ghost Story didn't do anything for me. Now I've been listening to more songs on the album and I think a lot of them sound pretty similar. I went to go look at some reviews and they don't sound like 90s throwbacks to me at all. I think the production overwhelms her voice again. And it sounds like she's gone to the Ariana Grande school of diction. Lol. If you know you know. 

[UYI]

On 6/16/2022 at 11:30 PM, pinkandsparkly13 said:

Any opinions on Carrie Underwood's new album Denim and Rhinestones? I heard the first two songs that they put on YouTube: Ghost Story and She Don't Know. I like She Don't Know, but Ghost Story didn't do anything for me. Now I've been listening to more songs on the album and I think a lot of them sound pretty similar. I went to go look at some reviews and they don't sound like 90s throwbacks to me at all. I think the production overwhelms her voice again. And it sounds like she's gone to the Ariana Grande school of diction. Lol. If you know you know. 

I've only listened to it twice, but I honestly really like it overall. From what she's said in interviews, she was largely going more for 80's throwbacks, not 90's throwbacks--"Poor Everybody Else", in particular, is what a Guns N' Roses song would sound like if Axl Rose was replaced by a woman as the lead singer.

She has said she wanted to make a fun album this time around--Cry Pretty was a result of her suffering three miscarriages in a year, so a lot of the songs were a lot more serious/ballads--and D&R is definitely a LOT lighter. And I don't think there's any filler on this album, either. 

There actually haven't been a lot of reviews of this album in major publications, which surprised me at first, but I see this album as largely critic-proof--she's clearly not concerned about winning any awards with these songs, and that's fine. 

"She Don't Know" is probably my favorite song on the album--just a fun little country song about cheating, lol. 

[UYI]

RIP to the Coal Miner's Daughter, Loretta Lynn. In a world of pop country crossover queens (many of whom I love, don't get me wrong), she became a legend by being her Eastern Kentucky country self.

Between her and Naomi Judd earlier this year, I sincerely hopr the CMA Awards honor them both well with their tributes next month.

Crystal Gayle's tribute to her older sister:

And one of my favorite memories of Loretta: Her appearance on Roseanne!

(Well, the tag scene, anyway.)

Edited October 6, 2022 by UYI

[UYI]

I'm going to have to eventually go back and read all the entries that I've missed, but the Every #1 Country Single of the Nineties feature on Country Universe is now complete! I'm putting the full list under the spoiler tag, because if I counted correctly, the entire list is 441 songs long!

Here's the link with the write-ups on each song:

http://www.countryuniverse.net/history-every-1-country-single-of-the-nineties/

If there's a 2000's list at some point, I'll share that, too!

Spoiler

1.    Highway 101, “Who’s Lonely Now”

2.    Keith Whitley, “It Ain’t Nothin'”

3.    Clint Black, “Nobody’s Home”

4.    Tanya Tucker, “My Arms Stay Open All Night”

5.    Ricky Van Shelton “Statue of a Fool”

6.    Eddie Rabbitt, “On Second Thought”

7.    Alabama, “Southern Star”

8.    Oak Ridge Boys, “No Matter How High”

9.    Restless  Heart, “Fast Movin’ Train”

10.  Patty Loveless, “Chains”

11.  Paul Overstreet, “Seein’ My Father in Me”

12.  Randy Travis, “Hard Rock Bottom of Your Heart”

13.  Garth Brooks, “Not Counting You”

14.  Alan Jackson, “Here in the Real World”

15.  Ronnie Milsap, “Stranger Things Have Happened”

16.  Lorrie Morgan, “Five Minutes”

17.  Travis Tritt, “Help Me Hold On”

18.  Dan Seals, “Love On Arrival”

19.  Clint Black, “Walkin’ Away”

20.  Ricky Van Shelton, “I’ve Cried My Last Tear For You”

21.  Tanya Tucker, “Walking Shoes”

22.  Kathy Mattea, “She Came From Fort Worth”

23.  George Strait, “Love Without End, Amen”

24.  Garth Brooks, “The Dance”

25.  Randy Travis, “He Walked On Water”

26.  Dan Seals, “Good Times”

27.  Vince Gill, “When I Call Your Name”

28.  Travis Tritt, “I’m Gonna Be Somebody”

29.  Shenandoah, “Next to You, Next to Me”

30.  Alan Jackson, “Wanted”

31.  Clint Black, “Nothing’s News”

32.  Alabama, “Jukebox in My Mind”

33.  Garth Brooks, “Friends in Low Places”

34.  Reba McEntire, “You Lie”

35.  Joe Diffie, “Home”

36.  Holly Dunn, “You Really Had Me Going”

37.  Don Williams, “Back in My Younger Days”

38.  K.T. Oslin, “Come Next Monday”

39.  Alan Jackson, “Chasin’ That Neon Rainbow”

40.  George Strait, “I’ve Come to Expect it From You”

41.  Garth Brooks, “Unanswered Prayers”

42.  Alabama, “Forever’s as Far as I’ll Go”

43.  Paul Overstreet, “Daddy’s Come Around”

44.  Reba McEntire, “Rumor Has it”

45.  Mark Chesnutt, “Brother Jukebox”

46.  Mike Reid, “Walk On Faith”

47.  Joe Diffie, “If You Want Me To”

48.  Pam Tillis, “Don’t Tell Me What to Do”

49.  Alan Jackson, “I’d Love You All Over Again”

50.  Clint Black, “Loving Blind”

51.  Garth Brooks, “Two of a Kind, Workin’ On a Full House”

52.  Randy Travis, “Heroes and Friends”

53.  Alabama, “Down Home”

54.  Travis Tritt, “Drift Off to Dream”

55.  Dolly Parton with Ricky Van Shelton, ‘Rockin’ Years”

56.  George Strait, “If I Know Me”

57.  Doug Stone, “In a Different Light”

58.  Diamond Rio, “Meet in the Middle”

59.  Mark Chesnutt, “Blame it On Texas”

60.  Joe Diffie, “If the Devil Danced (in Empty Pockets)”

61.  Garth Brooks, “The Thunder Rolls”

62.  Alan Jackson, “Don’t Rock the Jukebox”

63.  Billy Dean, “Somewhere in My Broken Heart”

64.  Travis Tritt, “Here’s a Quarter (Call Someone Who Cares)”

65.  Trisha Yearwood, “She’s in Love With the Boy”

66.  Ricky Van Shelton, “I am a Simple Man”

67.  Alabama, “Here We Are”

68.  George Strait, “You Know Me Better Than That”

69.  Hal Ketchum, “Small Town Saturday Night”

70.  Brooks & Dunn, “Brand New Man”

71.  Tanya Tucker, “Down to My Last Teardrop”

72.  Mark Chesnutt, “Your Love is a Miracle”

73.  Clint Black, “Where are You Now”

74.  Doug Stone, “I Thought it Was You”

75.  Lionel Cartwright, “Leap of Faith”

76.  Garth Brooks, “Rodeo”

77.  Ricky Van Shelton, “Keep it Between the Lines”

78.  Joe Diffie, “New Way (to Light Up an Old Flame)”

79.  Travis Tritt, “Anymore”

80.  Alan Jackson, “Someday”

81.  Keith Whitley and Earl Thomas Conley, “Brotherly Love”

82.  Garth Brooks, “Shameless”

83.  Randy Travis, “Forever Together”

84.  Alabama, “Then Again”

85.  Reba McEntire, “For My Broken Heart”

86.  George Strait, “The Chill of an Early Fall”

87.  Brooks & Dunn, “My Next Broken Heart”

88.  Collin Raye, “Love, Me”

89.  Tracy Lawrence, “Sticks and Stones”

90.  Doug Stone, “A Jukebox With a Country Song”

91.  Sawyer Brown, “The Dirt Road”

92.  Travis Tritt and Marty Stuart, “The Whiskey Ain’t Workin'”

93.  Garth Brooks, “What She’s Doing Now”

94.  Randy Travis, “Better Class of Losers”

95.  John Anderson, “Straight Tequila Night”

96.  Alabama, “Born Country”

97.  Alan Jackson, “Dallas”

98.  Reba McEntire, “Is There Life Out There”

99.  Wynonna, “She is His Only Need”

100. Steve Wariner, “The Tips of My Fingers”

101. Vince Gill, “Take Your Memory With You”

102. Aaron Tippin, “There Ain’t Nothin’ Wrong With the Radio”

103. Tracy Lawrence, “Today’s Lonely Fool”

104. Brooks & Dunn, “Neon Moon”

105. Sawyer Brown, “Some Girls Do”

106. Travis Tritt, “Nothing Short of Dying”

107. Ricky Van Shelton, “Backroads”

108. Billy Ray Cyrus, “Achy Breaky Heart”

109. McBride & the Ride, “Sacred Ground”

110. Trisha Yearwood, “The Woman Before Me”

111. Diamond Rio, “Norma Jean Riley”

112. Wynonna, “I Saw the Light”

113. Joe Diffie, “Ships That Don’t Come In”

114. Garth Brooks, “The River”

115. Billy Dean, “Billy the Kid”

116. Brooks & Dunn, “Boot Scootin’ Boogie”

117. Clint Black, “We Tell Ourselves”

118. Mark Chesnutt, “I’ll Think of Something”

119. Tracy Lawrence, “Runnin’ Behind”

120. Vince Gill, “I Still Believe in You”

121. Alan Jackson, “Love’s Got a Hold On You”

122. Billy Ray Cyrus, “Could’ve Been Me”

123. George Strait, “So Much Like My Dad”

124. Collin Raye, “In This Life”

125. Randy Travis, “If I Didn’t Have You”

126. Reba McEntire, “The Greatest Man I Never Knew”

127. John Anderson, “Seminole Wind”

128. Wynonna, “No One Else On Earth”

129. Lorrie Morgan, “Watch Me”

130. Billy Dean, “If There Hadn’t Been You”

131. Alabama, “I’m in a Hurry (and Don’t Know Why)”

132. Tanya Tucker, “Two Sparrows in a Hurricane”

133. George Strait, “I Cross My Heart”

134. Alan Jackson, “She’s Got the Rhythm (and I Got the Blues)”

135. Vince Gill, “Don’t Let Our Love Start Slippin’ Away”

136. Garth Brooks, “Somewhere Other Than the Night”

137. Randy Travis, “Look Heart, No Hands”

138. Doug Stone, “Too Busy Being in Love”

139. Travis Tritt, “Can I Trust You With My Heart”

140. Wynonna, “My Strongest Weakness”

141. Sawyer Brown, “All These Years”

142. Lorrie Morgan, “What Part of No”

143. Alabama, “Once Upon a Lifetime”

144. Tanya Tucker, “It’s a Little Too Late”

145. George Strait, “Heartland”

146. Clint Black, “When My Ship Comes In”

147. Garth Brooks, “Learning to Live Again”

148. Reba McEntire & Vince Gill, “The Heart Won’t Lie”

149. Sammy Kershaw, “She Don’t Know She’s Beautiful”

150. Tracy Lawrence, “Alibis”

151. Alan Jackson, “Tonight I Climbed the Wall”

152. Lee Roy Parnell, “Tender Moment”

153. John Michael Montgomery, “I Love the Way You Love Me”

154. Dwight Yoakam, “Ain’t That Lonely Yet”

155. Toby Keith, “Should’ve Been a Cowboy”

156. Alabama, “Hometown Honeymoon”

157. Patty Loveless, “Blame it On Your Heart”

158. Garth Brooks, “That Summer”

159. Vince Gill, “No Future in the Past”

160. Alan Jackson, “Chattahoochee”

161. John Anderson, “Money in the Bank”

162. Reba McEntire, “It’s Your Call”

163. Brooks & Dunn, “We’ll Burn That Bridge”

164. Mark Chesnutt, “It Sure is Monday”

165. Doug Stone, “Why Didn’t I Think of That”

166. Little Texas, “What Might Have Been”

167. Sawyer Brown, “Thank God For You”

168. Tracy Lawrence, “Can’t Break it to My Heart”

169. Dwight Yoakam, “A Thousand Miles From Nowhere”

170. Billy Ray Cyrus, “In the Heart of a Woman”

171. Garth Brooks, “Ain’t Goin’ Down (‘Til the Sun Comes Up)”

172. Wynonna, “Only Love”

173. Tracy Byrd, “Holdin’ Heaven”

174. Vince Gill, “One More Last Chance”

175. Clay Walker, “What’s it to You”

176. Clint Black, “No Time to Kill”

177. George Strait, “Easy Come, Easy Go”

178. Reba McEntire with Linda Davis, “Does He Love You”

179. Brooks & Dunn, “She Used to Be Mine”

180. Mark Chesnutt, “Almost Goodbye”

181. Alabama, “Reckless”

182. Garth Brooks, “American Honky-Tonk Bar Association”

183. Little Texas, “God Blessed Texas”

184. Trisha Yearwood, “The Song Remembers When”

185. Tracy Lawrence, “My Second Home”

186. Doug Supernaw, “I Don’t Call Him Daddy”

187. Faith Hill, “Wild One”

188. Doug Stone, “I Never Knew Love”

189. Shenandoah, “I Want to Be Loved Like That”

190. Clay Walker, “Live Until I Die”

191. John Michael Montgomery, “I Swear”

192. George Strait, “I’d Like to Have That One Back”

193. Mark Chesnutt, “I Just Wanted You to Know”

194. Vince Gill, “Tryin’ to Get Over You”

195. Neal McCoy, “No Doubt About It”

196. Mary Chapin Carpenter, “He Thinks He’ll Keep Her”

197. Alan Jackson, “(Who Says) You Can’t Have it All”

198. Little Texas, “My Love”

199. Lee Roy Parnell, “I’m Holding My Own”

200. Sammy Kershaw, “I Can’t Reach Her Anymore”

201. Tracy Lawrence, “If the Good Die Young”

202. Faith Hill, “Piece of My Heart”

203. Clint Black, “A Good Run of Bad Luck”

204. John Berry, “Your Love Amazes Me”

205. Shenandoah, “If Bubba Can Dance (I Can Too)”

206. Toby Keith, “Wish I Didn’t Know Now”

207. Tim McGraw, “Don’t Take the Girl”

208. Brooks & Dunn, “That Ain’t No Way to Go”

209. Vince Gill, ‘Whenever You Come Around”

210. Neal McCoy, “Wink”

211. Collin Raye, “Little Rock”

212. Mary Chapin Carpenter, “I Take My Chances”

213. Travis Tritt, “Foolish Pride”

214. BlackHawk, “Every Once in a While”

215. Alan Jackson, “Summertime Blues”

216. Sammy Kershaw, “National Working Woman’s Holiday”

217. John Michael Montgomery, “Be My Baby Tonight”

218. Diamond Rio, “Love a Little Stronger”

219. Clay Walker, “Dreaming With My Eyes Open”

220. Randy Travis, “Whisper My Name”

221. Rick Trevino, “She Can’t Say I Didn’t Cry”

222. Trisha Yearwood, “XXX’s and OOO’s (An American Girl)”

223. Vince Gill, “What the Cowgirls Do”

224. Joe Diffie, “Third Rock From the Sun”

225. Toby Keith, “Who’s That Man”

226. Brooks & Dunn, “She’s Not the Cheatin’ Kind”

227. Garth Brooks, “Callin’ Baton Rouge”

228. Pam Tillis, “When You Walk in the Room”

229. Alan Jackson, “Livin’ On Love”

230. Tracy Lawrence, “I See it Now”

231. Clay Walker, “If I Could Make a Living”

232. Mary Chapin Carpenter, “Shut Up and Kiss Me”

233. John Michael Montgomery, “If You’ve Got Love”

234. Vince Gill, “When Love Finds You”

235. George Strait, “The Big One”

236. Faith Hill, “Take Me As I Am”

237. Joe Diffie, “Pickup Man”

238. Tim McGraw, “Not a Moment Too Soon”

239. Alan Jackson, “Gone Country”

240. Reba McEntire, “Till You Love Me”

241. Pam Tillis, “Mi Vida Loca (My Crazy Life)”

242. Sawyer Brown, “This Time”

243. Patty Loveless, “Here I Am”

244. Wade Hayes, “Old Enough to Know Better”

245. Collin Raye, “My Kind of Girl”

246. George Strait, “You Can’t Make a Heart Love Somebody”

247. Tracy Lawrence, “As Any Fool Can See”

248. Clint Black, “Wherever You Go”

249. Clay Walker, “This Woman and This Man”

250. Trisha Yearwood, “Thinkin’ About You”

251. Joe Diffie, “So Help Me Girl”

252. Reba McEntire, “The Heart is a Lonely Hunter”

253. Alabama, “Give Me One More Shot”

254. Brooks & Dunn, “Little Miss Honky Tonk”

255. John Michael Montgomery, “I Can Love You Like That”

256. Tracy Byrd, “The Keeper of the Stars”

257. Mark Chesnutt, “Gonna Get a Life”

258. Ty Herndon, “What Mattered Most”

259. John Berry, “Standing On the Edge of Goodbye”

260. Clint Black, “Summer’s Comin'”

261. Wade Hayes, “I’m Still Dancin’ With You”

262. Patty Loveless, “You Don’t Even Know Who I Am”

263. Tracy Lawrence, “Texas Tornado”

264. John Michael Montgomery, “Sold (The Grundy County Auction Incident)”

265. Travis Tritt, “Tell Me I Was Dreaming”

266. Shania Twain, “Any Man of Mine”

267. Vince Gill, “You Better Think Twice”

268. Reba McEntire, “And Still”

269. Alan Jackson, “I Don’t Even Know Your Name”

270. Lee Roy Parnell, “A Little Bit of You”

271. Brooks & Dunn, “You’re Gonna Miss Me When I’m Gone”

272. Lorrie Morgan, “I Didn’t Know My Own Strength”

273. Jeff Carson, “Not On Your Love”

274. Alabama, “She Ain’t Your Ordinary Girl”

275. Clint Black, “One Emotion”

276. Tim McGraw, “I Like it, I Love it”

277. Bryan White, “Someone Else’s Star”

278. Collin Raye, “One Boy, One Girl”

279. Tracy Lawrence, “If the World Had a Front Porch”

280. Garth Brooks, “She’s Every Woman”

281. BlackHawk, “I’m Not Strong Enough to Say No”

282. David Lee Murphy, “Dust On the Bottle”

283. George Strait, “Check Yes or No”

284. Clay Walker, “Who Needs You Baby”

285. Alan Jackson, “Tall, Tall Trees”

286. Alabama, “In Pictures”

287. Aaron Tippin, “That’s as Close as I’ll Get to Loving You”

288. Tim McGraw, “Can’t Be Really Gone”

289. Bryan White, “Rebecca Lynn”

290. Faith Hill, “It Matters to Me”

291. Shania Twain, “(If You’re Not in it For Love) I’m Outta Here!”

292. Joe Diffie, “Bigger Than the Beatles”

293. Collin Raye, “Not That Different”

294. Alan Jackson, “I’ll Try”

295. Garth Brooks, “The Beaches of Cheyenne”

296. Martina McBride, “Wild Angels”

297. Patty Loveless, “You Can Feel Bad”

298. Wynonna, “To Be Loved By You”

299. Diamond Rio, “Walkin’ Away”

300. Clay Walker, “Hypnotize the Moon”

301. Neal McCoy, “You Gotta Love That”

302. Lonestar, “No News”

303. Lee Roy Parnell, “Heart’s Desire”

304. Shania Twain, “You Win My Love”

305. John Michael Montgomery, “Long as I Live”

306. Brooks & Dunn, “My Maria”

307. George Strait, “Blue Clear Sky”

308. Bryan White, “I’m Not Supposed to Love You Anymore”

309. Toby Keith, “Does That Blue Moon Ever Shine On You”

310. Tracy Lawrence, “Time Marches On”

311. Alan Jackson, “Home”

312. Shania Twain, “No One Needs to Know”

313. Ricochet, “Daddy’s Money”

314. Sawyer Brown, “Treat Her Right”

315. George Strait, “Carried Away”

316. Rhett Akins, “Don’t Get Me Started”

317. Brooks & Dunn, “I am That Man”

318. Tim McGraw, “She Never Lets it Go to Her Heart”

319. James Bonamy, “I Don’t Think I Will”

320. Rick Trevino, “Learning as You Go”

321. Bryan White, “So Much For Pretending”

322. Mindy McCready, “Guys Do it All the Time”

323. Ty Herndon, “Living in a Moment”

324. Tracy Lawrence, “Stars Over Texas”

325. Trisha Yearwood, “Believe Me Baby (I Lied)”

326. Paul Brandt, “I Do”

327. Clint Black, “Like the Rain”

328. Travis Tritt, “More Than You’ll Ever Know”

329. Patty Loveless, “Lonely Too Long”

330. George Strait, “I Can Still Make Cheyenne”

331. Alan Jackson, “Little Bitty”

332. Deana Carter, “Strawberry Wine”

333. Reba McEntire, “The Fear of Being Alone”

334. LeAnn Rimes, “One Way Ticket (Because I Can)”

335. Garth Brooks, “That Ol’ Wind”

336. John Michael Montgomery, “Friends”

337. Kevin Sharp, “Nobody Knows”

338. Tracy Lawrence, “Is That a Tear”

339. Mark Chesnutt, “It’s a Little Too Late”

340. Brooks & Dunn, “A Man This Lonely”

341. Vince Gill, “Pretty Little Adriana”

342. Rick Trevino, “Running Out of Reasons to Run”

343. Toby Keith, “Me Too”

344. Deana Carter, “We Danced Anyway”

345. John Berry, “She’s Taken a Shine”

346. Reba McEntire, “How Was I to Know”

347. Trace Adkins, “(This Ain’t) No Thinkin’ Thing”

348. Clay Walker, “Rumor Has It”

349. Kenny Chesney, “When I Close My Eyes”

350. George Strait, “One Night at a Time”

351. Alabama, “Sad Lookin’ Moon”

352. John Michael Montgomery, “I Miss You a Little”

353. Bryan White, “Sittin’ On Go”

354. Alan Jackson, “Who’s Cheatin’ Who”

355. Tim McGraw with Faith Hill, “It’s Your Love”

356. George Strait, “Carrying Your Love With Me”

357. Trace Adkins, “I Left Something Turned On at Home”

358. Lonestar, “Come Cryin’ to Me”

359. Kenny Chesney, “She’s Got it All”

360. Toby Keith, “We Were in Love”

361. Alan Jackson, “There Goes”

362. John Michael Montgomery, “How Was I to Know”

363. Collin Raye, “What the Heart Wants”

364. Lee Ann Womack, “The Fool”

365. Diamond Rio, “How Your Love Makes Me Feel”

366. Deana Carter, “How Do I Get There”

367. Tim McGraw, “Everywhere”

368. Trisha Yearwood & Garth Brooks, “In Another’s Eyes”

369. Mark Chesnutt, “Thank God For Believers”

370. Shania Twain, “Love Gets Me Every Time”

371. Clint Black, “Something That We Do”

372. George Strait, “Today My World Slipped Away”

373. Michael Peterson, “From Here to Eternity”

374. Garth Brooks, “Longneck Bottle”

375. Martina McBride, “A Broken Wing”

376. Alan Jackson, “Between the Devil and Me”

377. Brooks & Dunn, “He’s Got You”

378. Tim McGraw, “Just to See You Smile”

379. Sammy Kershaw, “Love of My Life”

380. Anita Cochran with Steve Wariner, “What if I Said”

381. Garth Brooks, “She’s Gonna Make It”

382. George Strait, “Round About Way”

383. Clint Black, “Nothin’ But the Taillights”

384. Trisha Yearwood, “Perfect Love”

385. Jo Dee Messina, “Bye Bye”

386. Shania Twain, “You’re Still the One”

387. Garth Brooks, “Two Piña Coladas”

388. Randy Travis, “Out of My Bones”

389. Faith Hill, “This Kiss”

390. Steve Wariner, “Holes in the Floor of Heaven”

391. Tim McGraw, “One of These Days”

392. George Strait, “I Just Want to Dance With You”

393. Mark Wills, “I Do [Cherish You]”

394. Reba McEntire and Brooks & Dunn, “If You See Him/If You See Her”

395. Kenny Chesney, “That’s Why I’m Here”

396. Collin Raye, “I Can Still Feel You”

397. Clint Black, “The Shoes You’re Wearing”

398. Terri Clark, “Now That I Found You”

399. Shania Twain with Bryan White, “From This Moment On”

400. The Chicks, “There’s Your Trouble”

401. Garth Brooks, “To Make You Feel My Love”

402. Trisha Yearwood, “There Goes My Baby”

403. Faith Hill with Tim McGraw, “Just to Hear You Say That You Love Me”

404. Jo Dee Messina, “I’m Alright”

405. George Strait, “True”

406. Brooks & Dunn, “How Long Gone”

407. The Wilkinsons, “26 Cents”

408. Tim McGraw, “Where the Green Grass Grows”

409. Mark Wills, “Don’t Laugh at Me”

410. Lonestar, “Everything’s Changed”

411. Alabama, “How Do You Fall in Love”

412. Reba McEntire, “Forever Love”

413. Shania Twain, “Honey I’m Home”

414. The Chicks, “Wide Open Spaces”

415. Lee Ann Womack, “A Little Past Little Rock”

416. Faith Hill, “Let Me Let Go”

417. Ty Herndon, “It Must Be Love”

418. Brooks & Dunn, “Husbands and Wives”

419. Collin Raye, “Someone You Used to Know”

420. Terri Clark, “You’re Easy On the Eyes”

421. Martina McBride, “Wrong Again”

422. Randy Travis, “Spirit of a Boy, Wisdom of a Man”

423. Alan Jackson, “Right On the Money”

424. Jo Dee Messina, “Stand Beside Me”

425. Mark Chesnutt, “I Don’t Want to Miss a Thing”

426. The Chicks, “You Were Mine”

427. Sara Evans, “No Place That Far”

428. Kenny Chesney, “How Forever Feels”

429. Lee Ann Womack, “I’ll Think of a Reason Later”

430. Mark Wills, “Wish You Were Here”

431. Andy Griggs, “You Won’t Ever Be Lonely”

432. Tim McGraw, “Please Remember Me”

433. George Strait, “Write This Down”

434. Lonestar, “Amazed”

435. Kenny Chesney, “You Had Me From Hello”

436. Chely Wright, “Single White Female”

437. Tim McGraw, “Something Like That”

438. Martina McBride, “I Love You”

439. Clint Black with Lisa Hartman Black, “When I Said I Do”

440. Brad Paisley, “He Didn’t Have to Be”

441. Faith Hill, “Breathe”

[UYI]

I was wrong: The next series will tackle every number one hit of the eighties instead!

As I've said before, I find 80's country music to be criminally underrated, so I love this.

http://www.countryuniverse.net/history/every-1-country-single-of-the-eighties/

And the intro:

http://www.countryuniverse.net/2022/10/31/every-no-1-country-single-of-the-eighties-introduction/

[Bastet]

On 10/31/2022 at 9:16 PM, UYI said:

I was wrong: The next series will tackle every number one hit of the eighties instead!

I stalled out on the '90s list at some point, irritated by the reminder so many of my favorite country songs from that decade never reached number one, so I'll have to revisit it at some point, but I got in a mood and thought I'd start in on the '80s.

I read the entries for the songs I remember from 1980, and the contrast between the writer's utter disgust at T.G. Sheppard and keen appreciation for Conway Twitty is fantastic:

Quote

We’re going to have some records coming up from Conway Twitty that should come with a Parental Warning label, and they’re some of the best records of the decade.  “I’ll Be Coming Back For More” throws down a very different gauntlet only two entries into this series.  Is this the worst record of the decade, or can the bar truly go lower than this?

I don't hate Sheppard as much overall as the writer does, but he has quite a repertoire of sleazy songs, with that one particularly revolting, so I enjoy the hatred for it (and "Do You Wanna Go to Heaven" for the same reasons).

I was going to set fire to something if Dolly Parton's "Starting Over Again" didn't get an A, so, thankfully, it did.  Whenever I listen to it, I rewind the bridge - “Facing fifty years old. Breaking up a happy home. And this far down the road, you find yourself alone. Two fools” - over and over.

Opening the review for "Trying to Love Two Women" by writing "It's hard out there for a pimp" made me laugh so hard I disturbed my cat.  I also liked:

Quote

Now seems as good a time as any to praise the Oak Ridge Boys for the way they can use their church-borrowed harmonies to get away with some recreational activities that would make the devil smile.  It reminds me a bit of how the Golden Girls was able to be the filthiest show on television in the eighties because the lines came out of classy middle aged ladies.

I started in on 1981, and the writer misquotes "9 to 5".  Twice:

Quote

“It’s a rich man’s game, no matter what they call it, and you spend your life putting money in his pocket.”

It's wallet, not pocket. 

Quote

“Tumble out of bed and I stumble to the kitchen. Pour myself a cup of ambition. Yawn and stretch and try to come alive.”

To life, not alive. 

Sheesh.

(Take it from someone who's watched the film so many times she can recite the whole script, never mind the theme song, verbatim.)

I decided to go ahead and do all of 1981 (well, the songs I remember), and oh, dear, I startled the cat again, upon reading this about T.G. Sheppard's "I Loved 'em Every One":

Quote

That being said, the fact that he’s owning his playboy nature here and that there isn’t an moment where he sounds like he belongs on a registry somewhere already makes this several cuts above his earlier eighties hits in the same vein.

I'm disappointed the entry on Ronnie McDowell's "Older Women" fails to note the song defines older women as those 26 and up.  TWENTY SIX.  ("Everybody seems to love those younger women/From eighteen on up to twenty-five")

When it comes to "I Was Country When Country Wasn't Cool" I agree with the writer it "works more as a time capsule and an event record than it does as a song and performance on its own merits" but I still listen to it fairly frequently.  And I unabashedly enjoy "You're the Reason God Made Oklahoma", while he decidedly does not.  I think we both could listen to Rosanne Cash sing "Seven Year Ache" daily for the rest of our lives and never tire of it, though.

The last number one hit for the year was George Jones's "Still Doin' Time", so now that is in my head.  I am not complaining; that is some seriously classic country.  "The ocean of liquor I drank to forget her is gonna kill me, but I'll drink 'til then."  Off to cue it up ...

[UYI]

The 2023 Country Music Hall of Fame inductees have been announced:

Modern Era: PATTY LOVELESS! 

Songwriter: Bob McDill (Absolute legend)

Veteran Era: It's finally happened...

TANYA TUCKER! 🙂

Also: I wanted to post this from the CMT Music Awards last night. Let's just say that, in light of current events, it says so little, yet so much, at the exact same time.

 

Edited April 3, 2023 by UYI

[Bastet]

1 hour ago, UYI said:

Veteran Era: It's finally happened...

TANYA TUCKER! 🙂

Oh good, I don't have to have a stroke.  Absolutely shameful they waited so long on her she moved to the veteran category, and then they still waited (had to get that creep Jerry Lee Lewis in before he croaked), but at least it's finally happening.

Patty Loveless doesn't even make a dent in their backlog of female artists who need to get in for Modern Era; they really need to start doing two per year, at least.  But, again, at least she's getting in.

[JTMacc99]

On 4/3/2023 at 11:42 AM, UYI said:

Modern Era: PATTY LOVELESS! 

My dad's all time favorite!

 

Just stopping by here to tell a quick country music related story.  A couple weeks ago I had to make an hour and forty minute drive. It was in a different direction than I usually go, so I wanted Waze to navigate for me, and I set Tidal to play some music for me. One of the 8 mixes "just for me" was country themed. 

I don't listen to a lot of country music, but there are a few songs that I cherry pick here and there and several songs that are country-tangent in my playlists. (So Tidal knows I like Zac Brown, The Chicks, a Kenny Chesney here, a Beer for My Horses there...)

This mix was fun! By my estimates, at least 30% of the songs were about drinking, so I should probably check my privacy settings to see if I've allowed Tidal to see what I'm spending my money on.

Brad Paisley's "No I in Beer" (2020) was a new one to me, so you can see I'm a little behind on my country music. What a silly, fun song that is. 

[Bastet]

I watched the Tanya Tucker documentary on Netflix last night.

It was great, especially watching the evolution of her and Brandi Carlile's relationship. 

Brandi's face when Tanya casually reveals Loretta Lynn always calls her to ask if she needs any money was fantastic.  And I loved Brandi recounting her conversation with Miranda Lambert (complete with imitating Miranda stirring her cocktail as she talks), where Miranda told a worried Brandi she was going to have to learn that "Tanya Tucker is fucking crazy and you can’t control what she says and that’s what we all love about her."

Watching Tanya struggle at each step of the project with insecurity that this was going to be an embarrassing flop was very touching.

And it was fascinating to watch how "Bring My Flowers Now" came to be.