Country music is one of the most popular genres of music in the United States, and old country songs are appreciated by fans of all ages. No list of the top country songs of all time would be complete without the classic country music of legendary artists like Johnny Cash and Patsy Cline.
Sometimes called country western, or country and western music, classic country songs are steeped in Americana and tell the story of ordinary, loving, hard working, often hard drinking, and sometimes long-suffering people, just like many of us. Sometimes the best country songs are deceptively simple sounding in their portraits of American life, but that's what makes classic country so endearing - and so relatable.Â
Out of all the classic country western singers, Johnny Cash had some of the biggest crossover success. The singer/songwriter eventually tapped into rock, gospel, folk, and other genres, but is best remembered for classic country songs like "Ring of Fire," "Folsom Prison Blues," and "I Walk the Line." He and wife June Carter Cash - classic country music royalty in her own right - were together best known for their duet of "Jackson," a No. 2 hit on the Country Music charts in 1967.Â
Patsy Cline may now be remembered as one of the women in classic country, but she fought her for it, particularly in era that didn't accord female country western singers the same advantages of their male counterparts. Though she didn't live to fully appreciate her legacy (Cline was killed in a plane crash at age 30), her old country songs like "Crazy" and "I Fall to Pieces" are counted along with the best country songs of all time.
Hank Williams, considered by some to be the godfather of 20th century country music, performed popular country songs of his era that still influence musicians to this day. "Your Cheatin' Heart" and "Hey, Good Lookin'" are but two examples. Those old radio hits are as ingrained into American culture as apple pie.Â
What are your favorite country music songs that are considered classics? Vote up good country songs from the best of old country music, or add one that makes you cherish the best classic country songs. If you like both older and newer country music, vote on the best country artists of all time.Â
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1Waylon Jennings & Willie NelsonThe name is pretty self-explanatory on this one.
2I'm So Lonesome I Could Cry
Hank WilliamsThis sad sack Hank Williams song was made even more famous when Elvis re-recorded it.
3George StraitGeorge Straight sings about the understated woes of a rodeo cowboy.
4Your Cheatin' Heart
Hank WilliamsThis sad Hank Williams song is one to which your can drown your sorrows in a tall glass of wine or beer.
5Mama Tried
Merle HaggardAs Merle Haggard says, "mamma tried" to raise her boy right, but it just didn't work out that way.
6He Stopped Loving Her Today
George JonesClassic and heartbreaking song by George Jones
7Johnny CashJohnny Cash's signature song with the famous line, "I shot a ran in Reno, just to watch him die."
8Patsy ClineThis heart-breaking and flagellating song by Patsy Cline has always been a country classic.
9Patsy ClineNobody quite does self pity like Cline, another classic and cry-worthy tune from her makes the list.
10Willie NelsonThis WIllie Nelson song about eternal love is so classic its practically been covered to death.
11Good-Hearted Woman
Waylon JenningsA 1969 Waylon Jennings hit that was reportedly inspired by Ike and Tina Turner
12Waylon Jennings
13Jolene
Dolly PartonAnother Dolly Parton hit to make the list, this song is about the pleas on one woman to Jolene to stop cheating with her husband.
14John DenverJohn Denver's ode to the Blue Ridge Mountains and Shenandoah River.
15Hey Good Lookin
Hank WilliamsThis Hank Williams tune was inducted tot he Grammy Hall of Fame
16Marty RobbinsBeuatiful song that's an ode to the city which includes a the wonderful music of a Spanish guitar. Song won a grammy in 1961
17On the Road Again
Willie Nelson
18Willie Nelson
19Randy Travis
20Coal Miner's Daughter
Loretta LynnAnother ode to the occupations of the south and the lives lived by the hard-driving coal workers and their family. This Loretta Lynn song is a classic.
21I Will Always Love You (Original)
Dolly PartonThis Dolly Parton love song is a country classic that was made a mainstream hit when it was re-recorded by Whitney Houston
22Kiss an Angel Good Mornin
Charley Pride
23The Charlie Daniels Band
24Tammy WynetteThis wailing tune from Tammy Wynette is an ode to being faithful that is quintessentially country.
25King of the Road
Roger Miller
26Hello Darlin
Conway TwittyAn ode to a lost love that Conway Twitty done wrong.
27Kenny RogersA veteran gambler teaches a young man when to hold 'em and when to fold 'em.
28Hey Good Lookin
29Hank Williams
30June Carter Cash, Johnny Cash
31Hank Williams, Jr.- 32
Delta Dawn
Tanya TuckerTanya Tucker
33Sunday Morning Comin' Down
Johnny CashAnother country song about hard drikning and that tough Sundway morning hangover.
34You Aint Woman Enough
Loretta LynnLoretta lynn
35Gentle on My Mind
Glen Campbell- 36Garth Brooks
37The Battle of New Orleans
Johnny HortonSong about the 1815 Battle of New Orleans as written from the perspective of an aAmerican soldier.
38Don't It Make My Brown Eyes Blue
- 39
Big Bad John
The Charlie Daniels BandJimmy Dean
40East Bound and Down
Jerry Reed
41A Boy Named Sue
Johnny Cash
42Take This Job an' Shove It
Johnny Paycheck
43Jambalaya
Hank WilliamsAn ode to the cajun roots of the south, this Hank WIlliams hit sapwned number covers.
44Sixteen Tons
A classic folksy tune about the life and sorrows of a coal miner.
45Dolly PartonAn homage song to Parton's childhood in a poor family, the song tells the tale about a patchwork coat made from whatever mama could find.
46Harper Valley P.t.a.
Jeannie C Riley
47The Statler Brothers
48White Lightning
George JonesThis song is an ode to the white lightening aka moonshine that George Jones' father used to bootleg
49Dwight Yoakam
50Bobbie Gentry
51Pancho & Lefty
Townes Van Zandt
52My Heroes Have Always Been Cowboys
53Charlie Rich
54I Hope You Dance
55Lynn Anderson
56I Can't Stop Loving You
Hank WilliamsA popular Don Gibson country song that was made even more famous when Ray Charles re-released it
57Oh, Lonesome Me
Don GibsonTop 1958 country hit for Don Gibson
58Walking the Floor Over You
Ernest TubbOroginally released just with Tubb on guitar he later rerecorded the song with his Texas Troubadours
59Tom Jones
60Make the World Go Away
Ray PriceA popular country song for Eddy Arnold and Ray Price tha would later be recorded by countless others.
61The Most Beautiful Girl
Charlie Rich
62Today I Started Loving You Again
This Merle Haggard
63Amy Grant, Anne Murray
64Theme from The Dukes of Hazzard (Good Ol' Boys)
Waylon Jennings
65Hello Walls
Willie NelsonFaron Young
66For the Good Times
Ray PriceA country cover of the Kirs Kirstofferson song, this was a country hit for Ray Price.
67Before the Next Teardrop Falls
Freddy Fender
68Mama He's Crazy
The Judds
69I Think I'll Just Stay Here and Drink
Merle HaggardClassic country wouldn't be classic without those sad drikning songs. This Merle Haggard classic is another one that makes the list.
70Willie Nelson
71Are You Sure Hank Done It This Way
Waylon Jennings
72Reba McEntire
73I'm No Stranger to the Rain
Keith Whitley
74Elvis PresleySong by Mark James whose recording of it failed until Elvis Preseley re-released the song.
75Wabash Cannonball
An old folk tune about a fictional train. THe song dates to the late 1800s
76Keith Whitley
77Eddie Rabbitt
78He'll Have to Go
This Jim Reeves tune which became a massive hit was simply a re-recording of a failed Billy Brown tune.
79Let Your Love Flow
80Bill Monroe- 81
Baby Got Her Blue Jeans On
Mel McDaniel
82Here in the Real World
Alan Jackson
83The Ride
David Allan Coe
84Three Wooden Crosses
85Sleeping Single in a Double Bed
Barbara Mandrell
86Johnny Cash
87Willie Nelson
88Lovesick Blues
Another sad drinking song from Hank Williams hit the list. A great tune to commiserate with.
89Good Ole Boys Like Me
Don Williams
90Johnny Cash
91Workin' Man Blues
Merle HaggardFrom Merle Haggard, another song about the trials of working in the south and trudging along.
92Diamond Rio
93George Jones, Tammy Wynette
94George Jones
95Rocky Mountain Music
Eddie Rabbitt
96Alabama
97Your Good Girl's Gonna Go Bad
Tammy Wynette
98San Antonio Rose
An instrumental from Bob Wills and his Texas Playboys that quickly became their signature tune.
99Vince Gill
100Hank Williams, Jr.
101Talkin' in Your Sleep
Crystal Gayle
102White Lightnin'
Hank Williams, Jr.
103Tanya Tucker
104Amanda
Green Day- 105Johnny Cash
Mother Maybelle and the Carter Sisters
106The Happiest Girl in the Whole USA
107If I said you had a beautiful body
The Bellamy BrothersBellamy Brothers
108Long Black Train
109Rainy Day Woman
A 1975 release from Waylon Jennings that hit #2 on the country charts
110Tumbling Tumbleweeds
This famous tune from Sons of Pioneers was actualy written in Los Angeles but became a country hit.
111David Lee Murphy
112Crazy Arms
113The Cattle Call
A song about herding cattle that became a sginature song for Eddy Arlond- 114
tennesee whiskey
115Coal MinOld Dogs, Children, and Watermelon Wineer's
This number one hit of r Hall tells the true story of his time at the 1972 democratic National Convention
116Yesterday When I Was Young
117Swinging Doors
118Phantom 309
Crossroads
119Whisky River
120Faded Love
A classic tune from Bob Wills the song's melody came from an old bluegrass song. Faded Love was later recorded by Patry Cline and others becoming a bigger hit.
