What is traditional country music without the classic storytelling tune? Country music story songs are at the very heart of the genre, and there are more songs that tell an enthralling tale in country music than I can count. However, the following five examples of country story songs are the best of the best. And if you don’t agree with our ranking, I understand. There’s a lot to love about each of these songs. Let’s dive in, shall we?
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5. “Ode To Billie Joe” by Bobbie Gentry
You can’t beat this classic. It’s haunting, a bit dark, and also happens to be one of the most picked-apart stories in country music history. People are still trying to figure out the true story behind “Ode To Billie Joe” by Bobbie Gentry today, decades after it was released.
4. “Pancho And Lefty” by Townes Van Zandt
While many country music fans know the Willie Nelson and Merle Haggard version of this song from 1983, Townes Van Zandt penned this tune and recorded his original version in 1972. It’s a classic country-folk ballad about bandits on the run. What’s not to love?
3. “He Stopped Loving Her Today” by George Jones
This entry on our list of country story songs has been historically ranked as the saddest country song of all time, and I’m inclined to agree with that notion. Written by Bobby Braddock and Curly Putman and recorded by George Jones, this song is about a brokenhearted man who continues to love a woman who left him years prior, and continues to love her until the day he dies. It’s a pretty emotional piece of work, to say the least.
2. “The Devil Went Down To Georgia” by The Charlie Daniels Band
Even non-country fans know all about this tune, and for good reason. “The Devil Went Down To Georgia” by The Charlie Daniels Band is a wild, high-energy tale from start to finish. This 1979 classic tells the story of a young man who bests the Devil in a fiddle-playing competition in Georgia.
1. “A Boy Named Sue” by Johnny Cash
Maybe I’m biased here. But I do know for a fact that a lot of people, even non-country and non-Johnny Cash fans, adore this hilarious and well-written tune. And, believe it or not, it wasn’t actually written by Cash. The top spot on our list of the greatest country story songs goes to “A Boy Named Sue” by Johnny Cash, which was written by children’s author Shel Silverstein. This song tells the story of a man named Sue, who pursues his deadbeat father and seeks revenge for giving him a girl’s name. I don’t want to spoil the ending, though. If you’ve never heard this classic tune, give it a listen now!
Photo by David Redfern/Redferns
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