With four hungry children and a crop in the field

[Lateralthinking1]

Thanks John. Very interesting and new to me. It's going in. I am going to add "Brass Buttons" (clip one). Plus "Speed of the Sound of Loneliness" which you will recall was covered by Nanci Griffith. I'm going for the John Prine original. A bit shocked at how he has aged in the new clip but it is a good performance - and a lovely duet from 21 years ago (clips two and three).

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sLGdvFtkso4

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ICckDOtkVRY

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c2e9wWFg-pI&feature=related

Porter Wagoner - The Cold Hard Facts of Life
Hank Williams - Honky Tonk Blues
Hank Thompson - Six Pack To Go
Bobbie Gentry - Ode To Billie Joe
Jimmie Rodgers - Blue Yodel No 1
Leon Payne/Jim Reeves - I Love You Because
George Jones - Where Grass Won't Grow
Johnny Cash - ?
Tammy Wynette - D.I.V.O.R.C.E
Kenny Rogers and the First Edition - Ruby Don't Take Your Love To Town
Jimmy Dean - Big Bad John
Hank Wangford - ?
Dolly Parton - Jolene
Terry Allen - New Delhi Freight Train
The Carter Family - Engine 143
Guy Clark - Desperados Waiting For a Train
Gram Parsons - Brass Buttons
John Prine - Speed of the Sound of Loneliness

[Paul Sherratt]

Well my nephew James is pasing through at the moment and we've been watching that recent Merle Haggard documentary.
But where to begin with the great man ?

[Lateralthinking1]

Well, I hope you will offer something there Paul, because I'm a bit clueless on country as I said early on. I note that no one yet has mentioned Willie Nelson. I saw him live at Glasto but I wouldn't be able to say what is his best. I do think we need the bread and butter, so to speak, before I start bringing in the Steve Earles and the Corb Lunds and even start some sort of dialogue about Ryan Adams or kd Lang. I've also got the Roches on my tentative list - I'm not sure quite how widely we are all going with this. Lat.

[Lateralthinking1]

....and then someone might say Lefty Frizell and another Buck Owens. Am I allowed this fantastic song or is it too folky? -

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3hBeykKAXaw

If not, this one, or is it too commercial? -

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A7l8lz4Urn4

[Globaltruth]

The Handsome Family need to be on that list and so does Ms Gauthier.

[Paul Sherratt]

They do Global and both are around and about this happy, celebrating island now or soon.
And that list will end up being a long 'un.
Very long.




I Drink

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qw8aXfObEIg

So Much Wine

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tNz-EiO3BRY&feature=fvwrel

[Lateralthinking1]

Porter Wagoner - The Cold Hard Facts of Life
Hank Williams - Honky Tonk Blues
Hank Thompson - Six Pack To Go
Bobbie Gentry - Ode To Billie Joe
Jimmie Rodgers - Blue Yodel No 1
Leon Payne/Jim Reeves - I Love You Because
George Jones - Where Grass Won't Grow
Johnny Cash - ?
Tammy Wynette - D.I.V.O.R.C.E
Kenny Rogers and the First Edition - Ruby Don't Take Your Love To Town
Jimmy Dean - Big Bad John
Hank Wangford - ?
Dolly Parton - Jolene
Terry Allen - New Delhi Freight Train
The Carter Family - Engine 143
Guy Clark - Desperados Waiting For a Train
Gram Parsons - Brass Buttons
John Prine - Speed of the Sound of Loneliness
Mary Chapin Carpenter - I Am A Town
Mary Gauthier - I Drink
The Handsome Family - So Much Wine
Emmylou Harris - ?
Lefty Frizzell -?
Buck Owens - ?
Willie Nelson - ?
The Louvin Brothers - ?

Janis Joplin - Me And Bobby McGee
Judy Collins - The City of New Orleans
Marty Robbins - El Paso
Glen Campbell - Wichita Lineman
The Eagles - ?
The Everly Brothers - ?
Nanci Griffith - ?
Corb Lund - ?
Steve Earle - ?
kd Lang - ?
Ryan Adams - ?

[johncorrigan]

I really love Emmylou's take on Springsteen's My Father's house - haunting. Can't find it on Youtube - here it is from spot-u-love.

http://open.spotify.com/track/5FaWKobmtf99vgNR4W7jPY

You mentioned Crystal Gayle, Lat and she's a crackin' singer - not sure she's country - I love the thing she did from One from the Heart with Tom Waits - I used to have this unbacked theory that it was supposed to be him and Rickie lee but they fell out.
I have a similar thing with Patsy Cline - I love 'I fall to pieces' and she has a country voice, and the instruments fit in, yet it never feels like a country song to me - nor does Crazy or Walkin' after midnight.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iuZTk1hdpMs

You could choose a bundle of Johnny cash but I'd go obvious - 'Walk the Line'!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KHF9itPLUo4

...and what about Bob - I'm not saying this, but it's great and it feels countryish.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vxfW8lKIYa0

[johncorrigan]

......or maybe I should plump for two for the price of one, Lat!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JWYR5i0tMuA

[Paul Sherratt]

One for the price of a dozen !
Merle Haggard.
Get ready to sing along, John ...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E4ujMvABhkE

[johncorrigan]

One for the price of a dozen !
Merle Haggard.
Get ready to sing along, John ...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E4ujMvABhkE

....or this one Paul.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uAPKkUrSN5I&feature=related

Country music probably has the best drink related songs, doncha just think? hic!

[Lateralthinking1]

Excellent stuff. The Emmylou/Springsteen track sounds a little gospel tinged to me. The "interface" - horrible corporate word - between country and gospel anyone? We will take it though and the track by Patsy Cline too.

Crystal Gayle - I realise that I should be over this kind of thing by now, it is more who and what you like etc, but I do have an interest in any consensus about what is good and what is bad country. It is a bearings thing. I could learn more there.

While I believe that Crystal was related to Loretta Lynn, I instinctively feel that there is a credibility issue, maybe the crossover hits etc. Still, having said all that, she has always stood out for me, cut through it all, and I do agree that her work with Tom Waits was sublime. I don't think we can include this in the list but it has to be one of my favourite tracks of all time.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uWczuzNjTeo

I will take the first Merle Haggard track. The second will go into the Part 2 list "for consideration later". I will put the Rubber Room in there too.

[Lateralthinking1]

....The Bob Dylan tracks were brilliant. I haven't seen those clips before. The first was really unusual. I have always loved Girl From The North Country. It is, of course, essentially Scarborough Fair and, in that way, it leans quite heavily towards folk. The second, One Too Many Mornings, is his Nashville Skyline voice and appears to emanate from those sessions when he also rerecorded GFTNC with Johnny Cash. Many thanks especially for those. I will certainly add the Dylan and Cash collaboration.

[Paul Sherratt]

Dust

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UqdA_ezOih4

Still not heard it on a radio.

[Lateralthinking1]

Nice. Quote: "This song was the first one from a B-western to be nominated for an Oscar". This begs the question "what was the second?".