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The Ten Best Country Songs Ever (Not Sung By Johnny Cash)

Now I'm going to preface this with saying that I don't consider most of the new stuff country music, so my list will not have anything by Toby Keith.  Kris Kristofferson said it best when he said "Toby Keith did for country music what pantyhose did for finger fucking."  You also won't hear stuff like Rascal Flatts or Lady Antebellum, because to me, one is crap and the other is pop.  I'm also not going to include stuff like Johnny Cash, because I honestly believe that most of Johnny Cash's songs transcend a genre and to be honest, I'd probably end up having ten Johnny Cash songs on my list.  No this is going to be real country.  Dolly, Kenny and Willie.  That kinda country!

So I started with a list. My list had a lot of classics, some new stuff and some duets.  For the most part I tried to get stuff out that really isn't country.  I don't consider Ray Charles or Elvis country.  I don't consider Emmy Lou Harris country.  I also don't know some of the original artists who made famous songs, such as Lefty Frizell who wrote Long Black Veil (One of Cash's masterpiece covers).  So I dwindled my list of twenty-one down to ten.

In no particular order, here are the one's that didn't make the cut: 16 Tons - Tennessee Ernie Ford, Friends In Low Places - Garth Brooks, Lady - Kenny Rogers, I Wouldn't Have Missed It For The World - Ronnie Milsap, Falling - Lee Ann Womack, Sunday Morning Coming Down - Kris Kristofferson (#11), Ruby - Kenny Rogers, Fancy - Reba, Tonight The Heartache's On Me - Dixie Chicks, Breathe - Faith Hill and Always On My Mind - Willie Nelson, Lousiana Woman, Mississipppi Man - Loretta Lynn & Conway Twitty .  Hard to believe it, but no Willie in my top ten.  Well he did write on of the songs.

10.  I'm Gonna Miss Her (The Fishing Song) - Brad Paisley.  Hilarious song about a guy who's girl tells him if he leaves to go fishing she won't be there when he gets back.  Well, you know what he did. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WwRrKaq0IyY&ob=av3e

9.  Crazy - Patsy Cline.  Written by Willie Nelson, this might be the quintessential female country song.  Cline's shrill voice hammers this song home.  Cline has tons of songs that would be in my top 50, but this is a top ten.  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zzq5X-p2C0Y

8.  I Love A Rainy Night - Eddie Rabbitt.  Now a lot of people might not think of this as a country song due to it's appearance on tons of K-Tel records, but Rabbitt was a country singer, so it's on my list.  Plus this song is amazing.  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VJ1GQFtHGxU

7.  Devil Went Down To Georgia - Charlie Daniels Band.  Granted I've heard this so many times, I definitely need some liquor to enjoy it, I still have to give it props for being a great bar song and one of the better country songs.  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tnepPZChA5U

6. Islands In The Stream - Dolly Parton and Kenny Rogers.  The second greatest country duet in my opinion (most consider it #1).  I love it and for the record, I think Dolly is pretty damn hot.  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lixDK_tMEhE

5.  I Will Always Love You - Dolly Parton.  If you watch any one of the clips, watch this one.  Dolly had written the song about her breakup to the guy who's show this is.  Amazing! And Sorry Whitney, you can scream, but you can't show the emotion Dolly does. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gS-F4rfU4ns

4.  Are You Sure Hank Would Have Done It This Way - Waylon Jennings.  Jennings had so many great song, but this one always does it for me.  Probably the country song I look for first on the jukebox when I'm out.   http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZKV7vt1kHnk

3. Til I Can Get You Off My Mind - Tammy Wynette.  If there is a sadder breakup song ever made, I don't know one.  It makes I Will Always Love You Seem happy at times.  Absolutely amazing how it builds and grows sadder and sadder.  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uHycUpawWh0

2.  Portland, Oregon - Jack White & Loretta Lynn.  OK So I broke my rule.  A Country singer and a crossover star, but I couldn't keep Loretta Lynn out of the top ten.  Here it is.  My favorite "country" duet.  Feature one of the queens. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VuC_l3ymXhM

1. Jolene - Dolly Parton.  I posted this the other night on Facebook, because it's just one of those songs.  One of the saddest songs ever.  About a woman, whose man is everything to her and she knows that Jolene could have him or any man she wants.  All she asks is that she not take her just because she can.  So sad, so poignant.  One of the greatest songs of all time.  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1plvBR02wDs

Now I'm sure you could argue.  I've left some classics off the list.  There is no Johnny Cash and others.  The reason I kept Cash off is because he'd probably have eight of the top ten if I'd of included him and what would be the fun of that.  OK, this took way too long.  I started this over an hour ago.  Time for bed.

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