Spoken word in a country isn’t as commonplace as it has been in the genre’s history, but that doesn’t mean it isn’t still enticing to listen to. Fans often return to country songs from past eras that feature spoken word. Revisit three country songs, from the genre’s past and present, that make use of this classic practice.
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“I Will Always Love You” (Dolly Parton)
Dolly Parton’s “I Will Always Love You” is one of the most widely loved country songs of all time. While that’s due in part to Whitney Houston’s iconic rendition, the song’s magic was there from the beginning.
Parton penned this country classic as a bittersweet goodbye to the man who gave her a shot in the limelight, Porter Wagoner. In the bridge of this ballad, Parton stops singing for a moment to allow for a spoken-word moment. I wish you joy and happiness / But above all of this, I wish you love, she says to Wagoner directly. This bridge is undoubtedly one of the most iconic bits of spoken word in country history. It’s poignant, earnest, and honest. Three things every great country song exhibits.
“To Beat the Devil” (Kris Kristofferson)
Kris Kristofferson relies heavily on spoken word in “To Beat the Devil.” Using Johnny Cash as inspiration, Kristofferson sings about a man down on his luck. Instead of adding a melody to his narrative, Kristofferson talks-sings his way through the verses of “To Beat the Devil,” only to finally use the full scope of his voice in the chorus.
The gravity of this story is best told in this way. A melody might have cheapened the experience. Kristofferson routinely displayed strong songwriting intuition. The spoken word section in this country song is just one of those times.
“you look like you love me” (Ella Langley and Riley Green)
Though it’s newer than the other songs on this list, Ella Langley and Riley Green’s “you look like you love me” has proven to be an instantly iconic song. Spoken word in country music has all but been left behind. These two modern country singers decided to dust off the practice for this 2024 hit.
Like the country singers who came before her, Langley wrote this song as a narrative-driven track. While the chorus’ melody is infectious, it’s the talking verses that push the story along. It was a gamble to release a song like this nowadays, but that gamble paid off big time.
(Photo by Jason Kempin/Getty Images)
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