3 Country Hits That Weren’t Meant To Be Country

Country songs are usually very distinctive. They often couldn’t work in any other genre, due to the familiar calling cards that most country artists lean on. However, there are a few songs so universal that really anyone could try them on for size. That was the case for the three songs below. Revisit these three country hits that weren’t meant to be country.

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“Life is a Highway” (Rascal Flatts)

First up on our list of country hits that weren’t meant to be country, we have this 2006 anthem. Despite Tom Cochrane originally releasing “Life is a Highway,” Rascal Flatts undoubtedly made it famous. The country trio covered this rock track for the Pixar animated film, Cars. The pitch-perfect cover earned Rascal Flatts ownership of this track despite not originating it. The band turned every rock element of “Life is a Highway” into driving country musicality.

We won’t hesitate
To break down the garden gate
There’s not much time left today, yeah

Life is a highway
I wanna ride it all night long
If you’re goin’ my way
Well, I wanna drive it all night long

“Home” (Blake Shelton)

Few singers can measure up to Michael Bublé, but Blake Shelton made a strong play with his rendition of “Home.” Shelton’s deep vocals work well with this meandering melody. He managed to make it a hit in the country space, despite it originally being an easy-listening ballad. If nothing else, Shelton’s cover speaks to the universal message of homesickness found in the lyrics.

Another summer day
Has come and gone away
In Paris and Rome
But I wanna go home, mmm

May be surrounded by
A million people I
Still feel all alone
I wanna go home
Oh, I miss you, you know

“Can’t You See” (Waylon Jennings)

Though The Marshall Tucker Band’s original version of “Can’t You See” will always be the definitive, Waylon Jennings’ cover is equally as enticing. Jennings adds in a driving instrumentation to this country hit that gives it a toe-tapping rhythm. It is certainly different from the original, but that’s likely what made it stand out as its own piece of country magic.

I’m gonna take a freight train
Down at the station, Lord
I don’t care where it goes
Gonna climb a mountain
The highest mountain
I’ll jump off, nobody gonna know

Can’t you see, whoa, can’t you see
What that woman, Lord, she been doin’ to me?
Can’t you see, can’t you see
What that woman, she’s been doin’ to me?

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