Pop country cliches vs. Outlaw Country reality (cost, best, property)

[Badfish740]

I had to laugh when I read the thread about whether or not pop country adequately portrays rural small town life. I suggest the OP turn off the radio, switch off CMT/GAC, and listen to the other side of country music-the sometimes gritty, sometimes irreverent, sometimes hellraising, and always authentic and heartfelt side. I submit my list of some of the best Outlaw Country songs:

Country Boy Can Survive - Hank Williams, Jr.

Choctaw Bingo - James McMurtry

Longhaired Redneck - David Allen Coe

Copperhead Road - Steve Earle

Conversation With the Devil - Ray Wylie Hubbard

We Can't Make It Here Anymore - James McMurtry

The Road Goes on Forever (And the Party Never Ends) - Robert Earl Keen

God's Gonna Cut You Down - Johnny Cash

The High Cost of Livin - Jamey Johnson

Up Against the Wall Redneck Mother - Ray Wylie Hubbard

Don't You Think This Outlaw Bit's Done Got Out of Hand - Waylon Jennings

Cocaine Blues - (Most famously covered by) Johnny Cash

Whiskey, Weed, and Women - Hank III

Whiskey Bent and Hell Bound - Hank Williams, Jr.

Long Haired Country Boy - Charlie Daniels Band

Family Tradition - Hank Williams, Jr.

Gunpowder and Lead - Miranda Lambert

Folsom Prison Blues - Johnny Cash

Sunday Morning Comin Down - Kris Kristofferson

Caleb Meyer - Gillian Welch

Mama Tried - Merle Haggard

The Boys From Oklahoma - (Most famously covered by) Cross Canadian Ragweed

The Ballad of Uneasy Rider - Charlie Daniels Band

[SD4020]

Well I have been a fan of the grittier country. But I enjoy all sorts of music. But I really don't go for pop sounding country. And I rarely watch CMT. GAC more than the other. They both used to run an outlaw music programs late at night.

[20yrsinBranson]

Originally Posted by Badfish740

I had to laugh when I read the thread about whether or not pop country adequately portrays rural small town life. I suggest the OP turn off the radio, switch off CMT/GAC, and listen to the other side of country music-the sometimes gritty, sometimes irreverent, sometimes hellraising, and always authentic and heartfelt side. I submit my list of some of the best Outlaw Country songs:

Country Boy Can Survive - Hank Williams, Jr.

Choctaw Bingo - James McMurtry

Longhaired Redneck - David Allen Coe

Copperhead Road - Steve Earle

Conversation With the Devil - Ray Wylie Hubbard

We Can't Make It Here Anymore - James McMurtry

The Road Goes on Forever (And the Party Never Ends) - Robert Earl Keen

God's Gonna Cut You Down - Johnny Cash

The High Cost of Livin - Jamey Johnson

Up Against the Wall Redneck Mother - Ray Wylie Hubbard

Don't You Think This Outlaw Bit's Done Got Out of Hand - Waylon Jennings

Cocaine Blues - (Most famously covered by) Johnny Cash

Whiskey, Weed, and Women - Hank III

Whiskey Bent and Hell Bound - Hank Williams, Jr.

Long Haired Country Boy - Charlie Daniels Band

Family Tradition - Hank Williams, Jr.

Gunpowder and Lead - Miranda Lambert

Folsom Prison Blues - Johnny Cash

Sunday Morning Comin Down - Kris Kristofferson

Caleb Meyer - Gillian Welch

Mama Tried - Merle Haggard

The Boys From Oklahoma - (Most famously covered by) Cross Canadian Ragweed

The Ballad of Uneasy Rider - Charlie Daniels Band

Pop Country?????? Oh you mean CROCK.... Country/ROCK... LOL

If it doesn't have a steel guitar - it ISN'T COUNTRY.

20yrsinBranson

[Dayton Sux]

Caleb Meyer and Copperhead Road are great songs.

Another one, more of a bluegrass tune maybe, is "Sorry County Blues".

Another one, written by Daryl Scott, is 'Youll Never Leave Harlan Alive". Great lyrics in the chorus.

[SD4020]

Don't need you - Cross Canadian Ragweed

[LOnRainjer]

I really enjoy Hank III on his country side. He really has an "old" country sound. When he switches to his screaming rockabilly side I have to turn him off.

[skinem]

While I like a lot of the songs listed by Badfish740, that outlaw country "reality" is real for about as many people as is the pop country "reality" is.

Not everyone in the sticks is a long-haired dope-growin' meth-makin' unemployed alcoholic 4-times divorced ex-con messed-up vet setting booby-traps on his property nor is a long-walkin' cool-talkin' long-legged daddy runnin' around on his wife while being unfairly taken advantage of by big-corporations redneck living in a dying small town.

But, yeah, country life does tend to get idealized.

(Did I get most of the outlaw country stereotypes?)

[CelticViking]

Im an outlaw fan as well...dont really care for the new stuff at all...i dont mind toby keith and maybe mongt. gentry...hey david coe says toby keith is his favorite...

[SOON2BNSURPRISE]

I am a big time Randy Travis fan myself. Then again I also like Phil Vasser.

[michigan83]

Originally Posted by Badfish740

I had to laugh when I read the thread about whether or not pop country adequately portrays rural small town life. I suggest the OP turn off the radio, switch off CMT/GAC, and listen to the other side of country music-the sometimes gritty, sometimes irreverent, sometimes hellraising, and always authentic and heartfelt side. I submit my list of some of the best Outlaw Country songs:

Some great tunes on that list!

I am also a fan of the outlaw/Texas country. But I try not to completely ignore country radio, because there are a few bright spots. Jason Aldean, Dierks Bentley, Eric Church and some others still put out some good music.

Here are a few of my favorite outlaw songs/artists!