well they only four things in life that
make it worth living throw on your jeans
shine up your boots and grab yourself a
cold one
welcome to watchmojo.com and today we're
counting down our picks for the top 10
country songs of all time
number 10 friends in low places Garth
Brooks
dukey's first recorded as a demo friends
and low places launched Garth Brooks
into the country stratosphere when it
was re-recorded for a sophomore effort
in the early 1990s
with the Billboard Country chart topper
Brooks soon became the face of country
music while the rock is tune is already
a rowdy beer filled number the singer
typically adds a more angst driven third
verse during live performances
you were always on my number nine always
on my mind
Willie Nelson
though it was previously recorded by
artists like Brenda Lee and Elvis
Presley Willie and his battered guitar
trigger proved the oldie was still a
goodie
a decade later I guess I never told you
I'm so happy that you're the redheaded
stranger didn't only net three Grammys
for his cover but also earned a top five
spot on the Billboard Hot 100 and
eclipsed his top 20 1980 single on the
road again
all in all not bad for a song that took
original songwriter Wayne Carson a mere
10 minutes to write you were always
number 8 the gambler Kenny Rogers
he said son I've made a life by the way
the hill they're full of standard
country music motifs like trains and
hard livin this tune is also home to one
of the most well known country courses
undoubtedly Kenny Rogers most famous
song the gambler earned the roaster a
Grammy in 1980 it also led its title to
a series of TV movies starring the
singer and is a favorite of both king of
the hills Hank Hill the hell knows when
to fold um he knows when to hold him and
the Royal Canadian Sea Cadets figured
that one out
when the deal
number seven Amarillo by morning George
Strait saddle tone although originally
written and recorded by Terry Stafford
in 1973 Amarillo by morning wasn't
really a huge hit
a decade later it was dusted off by
George Strait for his second album
straight from the heart
they took for sadder than used
this fresh recording went to number four
in the American country charts and set
the stage for straight to become the
king of country
number six your cheatin heart Hank
Williams
dipping into the same well of despair as
he did on I'm so lonesome I could cry on
solo
this song was put to tape during Hank
Williams last recording session it
became a posthumous hit following his
death on New Year's Day of 1953 released
as a b-side the country standard was
written about Williams first wife and
mother to his son Hank Williams jr.
number five stand by your man Tammy
Wynette sometimes it's
written in just 15 minutes by Wynette
and co-writer Billy Sherrill
this song became the first lady of
country music's signature tune not
surprisingly it also became one of the
most covered songs in all of country
music
but not everyone was happy about that
since it was released amid the feminist
movement the singer often had to defend
the song as an anthem of understanding
rather than a call to servitude
number four mama tried Merle Haggard
country music may have its share of
prison songs but none ring as true as
this one
no one gets teary right mama
the self-penned tune is a
semi-autobiographical take on Merle
Haggard's troubled upbringing including
jail time
following an escape attempt the hag was
transferred to San Quentin and kept
living the thug life until witnessing
Johnny Cash's infamous performance at
the facility in 1958
number three crazy patsy cline
penned by future superstar Willie Nelson
this was Klein's follow-up to her
crossover hit I fall to pieces
crazy helped the singer maintain her
newfound popularity on the pop charts
and saw her hit the number-two spot on
the country charts owing to its
gender-neutral lyrics the song has since
been covered by both male and female
singers
crazy for feeling so
including Nelson himself for his 1962
debut album crazy I want to see number
two he stopped loving her today George
Jones
she
by 1980 the opossum was much more a
has-been
than a legend
first time I'd seen you smile here that
all changed with this heartbreaker
they push through
getting George Jones to record this
ballad was no easy task as the singer
openly hated the song initially
Plus Jones heavy drinking and slurred
speaking voice made recording the spoken
portion of the song nearly impossible
only through careful editing was
producer Billy Sherrill able to create a
vocal track and rebuild the singers
legacy you stop
before we unveil our top pick here are a
few honorable mentions
while in complicated
while it's the West Texas way
number one ring a fire Johnny Cash
love is a burning thing written by Merle
Kilgore and the man in blacks future
bride June Carter Ring of Fire documents
June's take on the love affair between
her and Johnny Cash
first recorded by her sister Anita
Carter the country rock and roller
eventually earned him his first country
number one in four years Cash's edition
of mariachi horns saw him break new
ground and also add new flavor to
country music that was light-years
beyond his previous material like Folsom
Prison Blues
you agree with our list what's your
favorite country song
for more hard-working top 10s published
Bailey be sure to subscribe to
watchmojo.com