Having started his career strictly as a songwriter, Rodney Crowell‘s catalog has no shortage of tracks performed by other artists. From mid-tempo crooners from Mary Kay Place to smoldering metaphors performed by Johnny Cash, here are some songs you didn’t know were penned by country icon Rodney Crowell.
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[RELATED: 3 Books Every Rodney Crowell Fan Should Read]
1. “Anybody’s Darlin’ (Anything but Mine)” (Mary Kay Place)
Written by Rodney Crowell
I treat him like a stallion
I treat him like a lamb
I treat him like a pot of gold
He treats me like a clown
He’ll be anybody’s darling
He’ll be anything but mine
Mary Kay Place was the first to release the Crowell-penned track “Anybody’s Darlin’ (Anything but Mine).” The despondent country track sees a woman throw her hands up at the unfairness of her one-sided relationship. I treat him like a pot of gold / He treats me like a clown, she sings. This track proves Crowell’s ability to step into other people’s shoes as a songwriter.
2. “Bull Rider” (Johnny Cash)
Written by Rodney Crowell
Well, first you gotta want to get off,
Bad enough to want to get on in the first place
And you better trust in your lady luck
Pray to God that she don’t give up on you right now
The 1979 release, “Bull Rider,” is a stunning character piece penned by Crowell. Johnny Cash was the lucky artist who got to perform this track. The song was similarly lucky to have fallen into Cash’s lap. No other country singer could have given this relatively simple song about hanging on tight to a bucking bull the gravitas the final recording has.
3. “I Don’t Have to Crawl” (Emmylou Harris)
Written by Rodney Crowell
When you look at me
Like you don’t know me
And you talk to me
Like you’ve never met me
I can leave you alone if I try
If I tried I could tell you goodbye
Emmylou Harris shines on this smoky ode to self-empowerment. Crowell works his magic in the lyrics, creating a message we all need to hear if we’re deciding to leave a bad situation. If I wanted to / I could be long gone / And I don’t have to crawl.
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