Today, many listeners are familiar with some of the biggest classic country hits. However, much like modern music, those who stop digging at the hits are missing out on a treasure trove of great country music. Some of the deep cuts from classic country artists are pure gold just waiting to be rediscovered.
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Today, we’re going to look back at some deep cuts from some of the biggest classic country artists. These songs weren’t released as singles and, as a result, were never hits. However, they more than rival some of the artists’ successful releases in quality.
[RELATED: 4 Classic Country Songs That Still Hit Hard Today]
1. “Born to Lose” by Porter Wagoner
Some country fans know Porter Wagoner as the man who helped Dolly Parton’s career take off. He gave her a role on his TV show, and the pair recorded several duets. Others might know him for hits like “A Satisfied Mind,” “Skid Row Joe,” and “Misery Loves Company.” Unsurprisingly, his deep cuts are also classic country gold.
Written by Frankie Brown, Wagoner recorded “Born to Lose” for his 1957 debut album Satisfied Mind. It’s a heartbreak song of the highest order, with the song’s narrator never seeing success. After a life of losing, his one win was the relationship he found with the woman who was walking out of his life.
If you’re looking for a great sad song to soundtrack a heartbreak, this is it.
2. “You’re the Only Good Thing” by Ernest Tubb
Ernest Tubb became one of the most influential artists in country music history with his 1941 single “Walking the Floor Over You.” In the following years, he released several timeless hits, including “Slippin’ Around,” “Letters Have No Arms,” and “Soldier’s Last Letter.” However, country fans who are looking for hard-hitting classic honky tonk should look to his deep cuts.
Written by Jack Toombs and Chuck Gregory, Tubb recorded “You’re the Only Good Thing” for his 1957 album The Daddy of ‘Em All. It’s an incredibly sweet love song from the perspective of a man who knows he’s not perfect. In the song, he assures his lover that he would never do anything to risk what they’ve built together because she’s the only good thing that has ever happened to him.
If you want to send a love song to someone that they haven’t heard hundreds of times, this is the perfect choice.
3. “Pick Me Up on Your Way Down” by Webb Pierce
Webb Pierce had a laundry list of hit singles in the 1950s and ’60s. Tracks like “That Heart Belongs to Me,” “There Stands the Glass,” “In the Jailhouse Now,” and many others made him one of the biggest stars of the era. However, this classic country crooner’s deep cuts are just as good as his hits.
Penned by the legendary songwriter Harlan Howard, Pierce recorded “Pick Me Up on Your Way Down” for his 1959 album Webb!. The song sees Webb singing from the perspective of a man watching his ex live her best life without him. However, he knows what goes up must come down. So, he asks her to come back to him when she finds herself alone and heartbroken.
Pierce wasn’t the first or last to record this song. Porter Wagoner, Ray Price, Keith Whitley, Martina McBride, and many others have put their spin on the classic track. Pierce, though, arguably recorded one of the best versions.
4. “Right or Wrong” by Kitty Wells
Kitty Wells is one of the most influential singers in country music history. Legends like Dolly Parton, Loretta Lynn, Patsy Cline, and countless other artists have looked to her for inspiration over the years. Wells made a name for herself with hits including “It Wasn’t God Who Made Honky Tonk Angels,” “Making Believe,” and “I Can’t Stop Loving You,” among others. However, with more than 30 albums to her name, Wells has plenty of timeless deep cuts for fans who are willing to listen.
Written by John Skye and Sonny James, Wells recorded “Right or Wrong” for her 1956 album Winner of Your Heart. Not to be confused with the “Right or Wrong” famously recorded by George Strait and Bob Wills and His Texas Playboys, this track is full of longing. Wells sings about the man she dreams of marrying, whether their union is right or wrong.
If you’re looking for a way to let a country icon tell that special someone how you feel, this steel guitar-soaked track is the perfect pick.
Featured Image by Christopher Berkey/EPA/Shutterstock
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