country songs by largely non-country artists?

Message Bookmarked

Bookmark Removed

After stumbling across the wonderful "Drivin' on 9" by the Breeders, I'm looking for similarly heart-wrenching country in the most unexpected places. "DOn't Go back to Rockville" and a song from Bob Mould about complete my knowledge in this area, but I think I'm becoming rapidly addicted.

― baboon, Tuesday, 28 May 2002 00:00 (twenty-three years ago)

i *think* it's "drivin' on 9" that's a cover of a song by a fantastic little band called ed's redeeming qualities who appear in a film called "ed's next move" - might be wrong though...

― commonswings, Tuesday, 28 May 2002 00:00 (twenty-three years ago)

Okay then. If so, then the compliment seems also to have been paid by Calexico. WHich would make sense.

― , Tuesday, 28 May 2002 00:00 (twenty-three years ago)

The Stones own this category.

― J Blount, Tuesday, 28 May 2002 00:00 (twenty-three years ago)

"Drivin' on 9" is indeed an Ed's Redeeming Qualities song.

I think your first stop here has to be Ray Charles, although on the other hand I'm not sure how non-country he is, given that there's a 4- CD box of his country recordings...

There's also an amazing box set called _From Where I Stand: The Black Experience in Country Music_, which has quite a few soul and R&B artists doing country songs (as well as straight-up black country artists from DeFord Bailey through Charley Pride and onward).

And, of course, the Magnetic Fields--"Plant White Roses," "Papa Was a Rodeo," etc.

― Douglas, Tuesday, 28 May 2002 00:00 (twenty-three years ago)

FZ gave us "Lonesome Cowboy Burt" and "Harder than Your Husband." Both are country, but neither are "heart-wrenching" country. Neither would sound out of place on a David Allan Coe album, tho'.

Rumor also has it that GG Allin (of all people) cut a country album.

― Tadeusz Suchodolski, Tuesday, 28 May 2002 00:00 (twenty-three years ago)

Ray Charles country recordings are probably the most groundshaking by a non-country artist (I don't care about the past 40 years; he'll always be r&b). The Stones and Elvis' country songs are fantastic but not that radical a shift from their norm. Magnetic Fields' country songs are great when not too corny (then they're merely good). Strange too think Stephen Merritt's country songs are "too country" to be recorded by a mainstream country artist.

― J Blount, Tuesday, 28 May 2002 00:00 (twenty-three years ago)

"What am i Doin' Hanging Around?" - The Monkees

― Joe, Tuesday, 28 May 2002 00:00 (twenty-three years ago)

'canada' by the field mice 'though i still want to fall in her arms' trembling blue stars

― keith, Tuesday, 28 May 2002 00:00 (twenty-three years ago)

Talking Heads - "Creatures of Love"

It's neither a country song nor exactly heart-wrenching, but the twangy slide guitar parts in "Captain Easychord" were such a startling departure for Stereolab that it almost had the effect you're looking for.

― Curt, Tuesday, 28 May 2002 00:00 (twenty-three years ago)

"Range Life" by Pavement springs to mind.

― o. nate, Wednesday, 29 May 2002 00:00 (twenty-three years ago)

Yeah, the Stones came to mind first - Dead Flowers is a great country song. And 'Blind Love' by Tom Waits.

― Martin Skidmore, Wednesday, 29 May 2002 00:00 (twenty-three years ago)

"House of Love" by X

I'm finding Tad's Zappa-love oddly comforting

― Tracer Hand, Wednesday, 29 May 2002 00:00 (twenty-three years ago)

"Range Life" is a Jimmy Buffett song. Jimmy Buffett isn't country.

― J Blount, Wednesday, 29 May 2002 00:00 (twenty-three years ago)

"Father to a Sister of Thought" on the other hand...

― J Blount, Wednesday, 29 May 2002 00:00 (twenty-three years ago)

Carol Van Dyk (of Bettie Serveert) made a country record under the name Chitlin'Fooks.

― cuba libre (nathalie), Wednesday, 29 May 2002 00:00 (twenty-three years ago)

Tone Burst (country) by Stereolab

― electric sound of jim, Wednesday, 29 May 2002 00:00 (twenty-three years ago)

Jimmy Buffet is a Stone Temple Pilots hater who toured with Smashing Pumpkins?

― Curt, Wednesday, 29 May 2002 00:00 (twenty-three years ago)

Royal Trux

― Tracer Hand, Thursday, 30 May 2002 00:00 (twenty-three years ago)

yup, second stage '94 Lollapalooza. He talked shit about Stereolab too. That's where Malkmus got the end of "Half a Canyon" from.

― J Blount, Thursday, 30 May 2002 00:00 (twenty-three years ago)

"Wi-i-i-i-ld horses/Couldn't drag me away..."

― LaGomera, Friday, 31 May 2002 00:00 (twenty-three years ago)

three years pass...

How 'bout "Burning House of Love" by X?
"Oh Love" by Voice of the Beehive?

― SCR, Wednesday, 19 April 2006 05:51 (nineteen years ago)

Georgia Satellites - Sweet Blue Midnight

― ban daird, Wednesday, 19 April 2006 06:11 (nineteen years ago)

You must be logged in to post. Please either login here, or if you are not registered, you may register here.