I Studied the Best Opening Lines in Country Music—These 4 Still Give Me Chills

Country music is known for its lyrical content. Many songs in this genre use a simple acoustic guitar so that the songwriter’s lyricism can shine through. This approach has produced endless hits with a strong narrative form. The four country songs below are near perfect throughout, but it’s their opening lines that hit the hardest.

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“Folsom Prison Blues” by Johnny Cash

Johnny Cash’s “Folsom Prison Blues” is one of the most beloved country songs of all time. It has become as much of an icon as the man who sang it. The opening line to this song reads, “I hear the train a-comin’, it’s rolling ’round the bend / And I ain’t seen the sunshine since I don’t know when.” It perfectly sets the scene for Cash to play an outlaw. It’s haunting and dangerous, everything you want out of a song from The Man in Black.

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“The Story” by Brandi Carlile

Brandi Carlile has many affecting lyrics that make the listener sit up a little. She has that kind of sobering effect right from the start of her songs, as evidenced by the opening line of “The Story.” “All of these lines across my face / Tell you the story of who I am,” she sings. It’s a unique point of view to call out ageing in an industry where youth is so highly valued. As such, this song affects anyone who listens to it, but speaking from experience, it only becomes richer as you grow up alongside it.

“Whiskey Lullaby” by Brad Paisley and Alison Krauss

“Whiskey Lullaby” is one of the most heartbreaking country songs of all time. Brad Paisley and Alison Krauss set that tone from the opening line: “She put him out / Like the burning end of a midnight cigarette.” It explains the source of the main characters’ sadness. This line leads them to a heartbreaking reality, which the rest of the song explains. This song is a stab to the heart, with the opening line making the first cut.

“Always On My Mind” by Willie Nelson

Though Willie Nelson didn’t write “Always On My Mind,” he helped make it famous. This ballad is one of the most tender and poignant love songs around. “Maybe I didn’t love you quite as often as I should have,” he sings in the opening line, teeing up the rest of this iconic country track.

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