My favorite country albums part 2

5 more of my favorite country albums.

Album cover- This is one of the more boring album covers in my opinion but Marty’s outfit and the red background are still pretty iconic to true country fans. There is no missing this album with the bright red color popping out at you.

Favorite song- My favorite song on this album is Big Iron written by Marty Robbins. Like many of the songs on this alum this song tells a story that could be its own mini western movie. Marty’s writing really makes the story come to life. You connect with the characters and find yourself rooting for the Arizona ranger in just 4 minutes. The song also does a perfect job of leaving itself open for a part 2. The song ends with the ranger winning and therefore taking Texas Red’s spot as the man to beat in that town.

Best lyric-The song with the most interesting lyrics is El Paso written by Marty Robbins. There is nothing I enjoy in country music than a good story song and this story has you on the edge of your seat the whole time. “Blacker than night were the eyes of Feleena, Wicked and evil while casting her spell, My love was deep for this Mexican maiden, I was in love, but in vain, I could tell.” The main character falls in love with the dancer at the cantina but his love is not reciprocated. He ends up getting jealous and killing someone over her. At the end of the song the narrator is dying and Feleena finally seems to show some interest in him.

Coolest sound- Saddle tramp written by Marty Robbins has the best sound on the album. The sound is so catchy that I catch myself humming to it throughout the day. The way Mary plays with his vocals is also very unique. He goes up and down in all different spots playing with his range and making the song even more pleasing to the ear.

Fun facts- This album was recorded in a single eight-hour session on April 7, 1959. In total the album is 45 minutes long which means that Marty spent a good bit of time on each of the songs. This must have been an exhausting session for everyone and yet the quality of the songs was still wonderful. Everyone involved must have known that this album would go on to become one of the most well recognized album of western songs in history.

“All 12 songs for “Gunfighter Ballads and Trail Songs” were recorded in a single eight-hour
session on April 7, 1959. “Everybody was having such a good time that night,” recalled Bobby
Sykes, a musician in the Marty Robbins Band. “Of course, when the lights went on, we all got serious. But we joked in between takes. In just about any session with Marty, he would clown around so much he would put you at ease. But then, if you got too loose, he would snap you back into shape in a second, I guarantee you.”(Diane Diekman)

Album cover- This album is very simple much like Alan himself. Like he states in the song Where were you he is just a singer of simple songs and this cover shows that is just what you are getting, great, simple songs.

Favorite song- My favorite song on this album is the title track Here in the real world written by Alan Jackson and Mark Irwin. The song discusses the trope found in movies and especially westerns were the man gets the woman and they ride off into to the sunset. Alan and Mark take that trope and make it into a great classic country heartbreak song by saying that in the real world you don’t always get what you want. The songs lyrics are easy to understand but can be very relatable for everyone who wishes their life was as easy as it is for the characters in movies.

The music video is also worth watching because it takes parts of old western movies and makes it seem as though the video itself is one.

Best lyric- The best lyric on the album is found in the song Chasing that neon rainbow written by Alan Jackson and Jim McBride. “Well, I made it up to Music Row, and Lordy, don’t the wheels turn slow. Still I wouldn’t trade a minute and I wouldn’t have it any other way. Just show me to the stage” The song tells about the hard times of the music business that people do not often see. The narrator explains how even though it is hard it is still the only life for him. The song is a great anthem for anyone who is following their dreams.

Coolest sound- The song with the most interesting sound is Blue blooded woman written by Alan Jackson, Roger Murrah, and Keith Stegall. The instruments in this song are pure country. The steel guitar and fiddle work all throughout makes this song so catchy. It is impossible not to sing along to the chorus any time it comes on. The lyrics are also very goofy making it a fun song for parties.

Fun facts- This album was Alan’s debut into the country music world and he started it off right. 9 out of the 10 songs on the album Alan had a part in writing. This started him on his way of becoming one of the best known singer/songwriters in the business as he would continue to write himself more and more hits.

Album cover- This album cover is simple as well. With the three women all wearing white to look like angels and the clouds in the background to further add to the illusion. If they had added some sort of tribute to honky tonks I think that this cover would be perfect.

Favorite song- My favorite song on this album is Silver threads and golden needles written by Jack Rhodes and Dick Reynolds. One Youtube user Laura Jean said,”These women know real life and real sorrow. The melodies may be perky and happy but the lyrics tell the story of suffering. Love these trailblazers.” This could not be more true. For the average music listener who neglects the lyrics this sounds like a fun upbeat song. For those of us how dig more deeply we realize that the song is discussing the broken hearts of these women who have been hurt to many times.

Best lyric- The best lyric on the album is from Put it off until tomorrow written by Dolly Parton and Bill Owens. “Put it off until tomorrow, Whoa, whoa, You’ve hurt me enough today” The woman in the song is begging not to be hurt anymore in one day. She needs to recover from the bad news of today before taking on the news of tomorrow.

Coolest sound- The song with the coolest sound is Lovesick blues written by Cliff Friend and Irving Mills. This song has the coolest harmonies with the honky tonk angels singing with a recording of Patsy Cline. Hearing Patsy do a duet with women she didn’t get to during her short career is really unique.

Fun facts- Dolly came up with the idea for this album as a way to celebrate these women who got started in 60s looking back on songs they love and show off their talent. The three women on their own have unique and beautiful voices but together the harmonies are amazing.

Album cover- This cover has a lonesome feel to it and is a great picture of Josh. The color and lonesomeness fit the album especially the title track very well. They give the songs an eerie feel if you are listening while looking at the cover. I like to imagine this album was created in the middle of nowhere with just Josh and his guitar.

Favorite song- My favorite song on this album is Unburn all our bridges written by Jamie O’Hara. Josh’s voice at the perfect place that makes him sound wonderful. The lyrics feel real and depending on what experiences you have had in life the words can be very relatable. Almost everyone has made a mistake with someone they care about and wished they could go back and fix it.

Best lyric- The best lyrics on the album are from the song She’ll go on you written by Mark Narmore. “She’ll go on you Before you turn can around And it’s so lonely watching that Fast train leaving town
Better cherish her every second of your life Cause this precious little thing that we call time She’ll go on you.” She’ll go on you is a sweet song from a man’s point of view about not taking the women in your life for granted. Even though the song is very simple it makes some good points while using great figures of speech to make the song interesting to listen to. I also love how the writer uses time as another woman in the narrator’s life that is slipping away that he needs to hold on to and appreciate.

Coolest sound- The song with the coolest sound is Long black train written by Josh Turner. Even though this song was off of his first album and there have been many more songs after it, it continues to be one of his biggest hits of his entire career.

Fun facts- For Josh’s debut album the number of hits is impressive. Out of the eleven songs on the album three of them made it onto the charts. The three that charted were Long Black Train, What it Ain’t, and She’ll go on you.

Album cover- The image in front of the jukebox is perfect for this album. The jukebox represents the songs in her life and the mountains in the background really make it pop. Listening to the album while looking at this cover helps to really immerse the listener in the full experience of it.

Favorite song- My favorite song on this album is I’ll be the sad song written by Brandy Clark, Jessie Jo Dillon, and Chase McGill. The songs concept is one of my favorites of all time. The songwriters compare the people and experiences in your life to different songs on a record. Not all of the songs on a good album are going to be positive just like not all will be negative. Experiences and people in your life will be varied like this as well. For someone who is as into music as me this analogy really sums up my life.

Best lyric- While all the songs on this album have amazing lyrics my favorites are from Long walk written by Brandy Clark, Jesse Frasure, and Jessie Jo Dillon. “So take a long walk off a real short pier Take a cinder block with you as a souvenir” “If I was Jesus, I’d turn the other cheek If I was Eastwood, my cool is what I’d keep If I was raised Southern Baptist, I’d say, “bless your heart” If I was privileged and practiced, grace would be my art Sometimes, I wish my tolerance was taller But after all, I’m my mother’s daughter” This song is both funny and truthful. Brandy says some of the things that people wish to say to others that judge them. In some of the lyrics she explains that if she were a different person she may not do things this way but she is who she is and she feels how she feels.

Coolest sound- The song with the coolest sound is Pawn shop written by Troy Verges and Brandy Clark. Pawn shops are very mysterious places where you never know what you are going to find and the sound of this song fits that perfectly. The way Brandy plays with her voice also makes the song stand out when it comes to the sound on this album.

Fun facts- Brandy had a hand in writing all of the songs on the album. Brandy is one of my favorite songwriters because of her ability to make simple subjects that you may have heard a thousand times interesting and new. She uses humor and wordplay to make all of her albums and especially this one works of art.