3 Alternative Country Songs That Resist Clear Interpretation 

If one isn’t familiar with country and maybe quick to judge it, then they probably believe that all country music consists of tis rucks, beer, and backroads. That isn’t the case in the slightest. Some of the best-written songs of all time are country songs. However, we don’t need to remind you what songs those are and who wrote them, but all in all, there are some fine pieces of poetry in the country music canon.

Videos by American Songwriter

As with all art using the written word, some pieces come across as confusing. Now, in music, some songwriters do this purposefully, and others simply layer the meaning of the song so much that one has to rack their brain to find it. That being said, here are three alternative country songs that resist clear interpretation.

“Lungs” by Townes Van Zandt

Townes Van Zandt is a songwriter’s songwriter. His poetry matches the greats, and it shows in his 1969 single “Lungs”. As with any great piece of poetry, there is a multiplicity of meanings that one can derive from the lyrics of this song. However, the question at hand: What in the world is Townes talking about in this alternative country song?

At its base, Van Zandt’s lyrics lean seemingly on one crucial factor: Ambiguity. Folks have speculated that the lyrics might tie into his manic depressive disorder and the insulin shock theory he experienced due to it. However, he never confirmed, so there is no way to truly know. Ultimately, Townes seemingly tackles the broad idea of metaphysical existence itself in this song and the difference between truth and reality. Though again, who is to truly say?

“Turtles All The Way Down” by Sturgill Simpson

In his 2014 NPR Tiny Desk Concert, Sturgill Simpson humorously said regarding the meaning of this song, “It’s actually all about drugs, and some other stuff. Mostly drugs.” If one reads merely the surface of this song, then that’s what it is about, as part of the lyrics is just a litany of drugs. However, that is not the only thing transpiring in this song. No, no, not in the slightest.

If you are familiar with the philosophical idea of the same name, then you might know that Sturgill Simpson is chiming in on something far greater than a mere drug high. To us, he is seemingly saying that no matter what one does to answer the world’s mystery, there is truly never an answer. Because that answer demands a question, and the answer to that demands yet another question, and so on and so forth infinitely. We could be wrong, but regardless, analyzing this song in its entirety is not something one can seemingly do in one go.

“Caravan Of Fools” by John Prine

Like Townes Van Zandt, John Prine is also a songwriter’s songwriter. His wit his unmatched, and it remained that way up until his later years, and his 2018 alternative country single “Caravan Of Fools” is a testament to that. Without context, the lyrics of the song set the setting of an apocalyptic speculative fiction novel. Well, to an extent, that’s what it is.

The lyrics are stark and poignant, yet fairly general enough to apply to a good deal of things. However, Prine did disclose that this song was, in fact, a critique of the administration of the time. A critique of skepticism and a critique he saw as a foreshadowing.

Photo Rett Rogers / Sacks & Co.