4 Country Songs From 2001 That Every Party Playlist Needs

The year 2001 might be 24 years ago, but some of the country music released during that year is among country music’s best, and those songs are still considered classics today. While country music is known for songs for any occasion, we found four country songs from 2001 that every party playlist still needs today, 24 years later.

Videos by American Songwriter

“I Wanna Talk About Me” by Toby Keith

Toby Keith has a lengthy list of songs that would be perfect for any party, including “I Wanna Talk About Me”. Although it seems like something Keith would have written, “I Wanna Talk About Me” is actually written by Bobby Braddock. But Braddock actually wrote it for Blake Shelton, not Keith. But when Shelton passed on the song, Keith snatched it up.

“I Wanna Talk About Me” says, “I wanna talk about me / Wanna talk about I / Wanna talk about number one Oh my, me my / What I think, what I like, what I know, what I want, what I see / I like talking about you, you, you, you, usually, but occasionally / I wanna talk about me.“

“I thought it would be a natural for Toby because of the brashness of the lyric,” Braddock tells Songwriter Universe. “It seemed like something he could pull off. I thought [the song] had a chance of doing well. But I was just totally floored that it was No. 1 for five weeks.”

“When God-Fearin’ Women Get The Blues” by Martina McBride

“When God-Fearin’ Women Get The Blues” is on Martina McBride’s Greatest Hits album. It’s one of four new songs on the record. Written by Leslie Satcher, the song says, “When God fearin’ women get the blues / There ain’t no slap dab tellin’ what they’re gonna do / Run around yelling I’ve got a Mustang, it’ll do 80 / You don’t have to be my baby / I stirred my last batch of gravy.”

The song’s humorous video likely helped propel the song into the Top 10, although it did not become a No. 1 hit for McBride. Still, it remains a fan favorite.

“Only In America” by Brooks & Dunn

Brooks & Dunn’s “Only In America” came out at a pivotal time in the country. The song was released on June 18, 2001, as part of their Steers & Stripes record. The song sadly took on new life after the tragic events of September 11. Still, “Only In America” is a joyful anthem of celebration, worthy of any party playlist.

“Only In America” says, “Only in America / Dreamin’ in red, white, and blue / Only in America / Where we dream as big as we want to / We all get a chance / Everybody gets to dance / Only in America.”

“The Cowboy In Me” by Tim McGraw

Tim McGraw includes “The Cowboy In Me” on his Set This Circus Down record. The song is written by Jeffrey Steele, Al Anderson, and Craig Wiseman.

“The Cowboy In Me” says, “The urge to run, the restlessness / The heart of stone I sometimes get / The things I’ve done for foolish pride / The me that’s never satisfied The face that’s in the mirror when I don’t like what I see / I guess that’s just the cowboy in me.”

Interestingly, the song hit No. 1 in 2002. It took over the top spot, which was Jo Dee Messina’s “Bring On The Rain”, a song that featured McGraw.

Photo by Sylvain Gaboury/FilmMagic