Somewhere in distant history, someone decided that Friday the 13th is an unlucky day. The superstition falls in with breaking mirrors, black cats, and walking under ladders. However, some would say your luck is what you make it. The country artists and songwriters featured in the songs below prove that one can be lucky even on Friday the 13th.
Videos by American Songwriter
If you’re feeling unlucky today, take a moment, draw in a deep breath, toss some salt over your left shoulder, and crank up these tunes about good luck in life and love.
“Bad Luck” by Zach Top
Zach Top co-wrote “Bad Luck” with Carson Chamberlain and Mark Nesler for his 2024 album Cold Beer & Country Music. As far as country songs about being lucky in love go, this is the song for Friday the 13th.
This track sees Top singing about the long string of bad luck—and a serious gambling problem—he experienced. However, meeting “the one” turned his life and luck around. So long, bad luck.
“Superstitions” by Jackson Dean
If you feel like you should be packing iron nails, four-leaf clovers, or other good luck charms to balance out the bad juju of Friday the 13th you’re going to love this song from country up-and-comer Jackson Dean. He co-penned the track with Luke Dick and Dan Tyminski for his 2022 debut full-length Greenbroke.
“Superstition” sees Dean leaning on a laundry list of folk beliefs to keep the love of a good woman in his life. This one is full of enough good luck charms to make going to the casino today feel like a solid bet.
“A Good Run of Bad Luck” by Clint Black
While we’re on the subject of gambling, Clint Black’s “Good Run of Bad Luck” is the perfect country song to make you feel lucky on Friday the 13th. Black wrote the song and released it in 1994 as a single from No Time to Kill. He found some luck with the song, as it topped the Billboard Hot Country Songs chart.
“A Good Run of Bad Luck” sees Black singing about the risks of getting into a new relationship through the fitting lens of gambling metaphors. Sure, love’s a gamble but when you hit the jackpot, it’s hard to feel anything but lucky.
“5 Leaf Clover” by Luke Combs
Luke Combs has had massive success over the last few years. However, not all of his wins have been attached to his career. While he climbed to the top of the country music world, he found himself becoming a husband and father. More than that, his career has allowed him to live life on his terms. He is always openly grateful for everything he has and “5 Leaf Clover” is the perfect example of his gratitude.
Combs co-wrote the song with Chip Matthews and Jonathan Singleton for his 2023 album Gettin’ Old. It’s a celebration of all the good things life has brought him and how unbelievably lucky he feels to be where he is.
“Lucky Man” by Montgomery Gentry
Sometimes, it can feel like the whole world is conspiring against you. In those moments, it’s important to take a moment to look at the little things but meaningful things in life and remember how lucky we are. Country duo Montgomery Gentry delivered a perfect reminder of this in their 2007 hit country song “Lucky Man.”
Written by David Lee and Dave Turnbull, “Lucky Man” is a reminder that no matter how hard times get, there’s always something to be thankful for in life.
“I Feel Lucky” by Mary Chapin Carpenter
“I Feel Luck” feels like a country song that was written specifically for Friday the 13th. Mary Chapin Carpenter co-wrote it with Don Schlitz for her 1992 album Come On Come On. It was a top-five hit on the Billboard Hot Country Singles & Tracks chart and remains a fan favorite.
In the song, everything tells the narrator that her luck is going to be in the toilet all day. It begins with her horoscope telling her that the stars are stacked against her and goes downhill from there. By the end of the song, she’s a lottery winner who has to flip a coin to decide between a pair of country legends to take home from the bar.
“Lucky” by Cody Johnson
Cody Johnson has recorded a few songs about how lucky he is to have his wife. “Lucky” from his 2014 album Cowboy Like Me is a great example. This isn’t an overly sappy love song. Instead, it’s a song from the perspective of a rough-around-the-edges cowboy who feels lucky to be alive and in love with a beautiful woman.
Ben Hayslip wrote the song. However, Johnson sings it like he means every word. In the end, it’s hard to agree with the song’s sentiment. Being lucky sounds like the best possible outcome.
Featured Image by Beth Gwinn/Redferns
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