3 Country Songs That Prove Simplicity Beats Virtuosity

We are all impressed by musicians who can pull off complicated compositions, flashy instrumentations, and high-flying vocals. But being able to do all of that doesn’t always produce the best songs. Sometimes the most beloved tracks are the simplest. The three country songs below are all very simple—both lyrically and compositionally—but that’s what makes them so enticing. Revisit these songs that prove simplicity can sometimes beat virtuosity.

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“Follow Your Arrow” — Kacey Musgraves

There is a casualness to Kacey Musgraves’ “Follow Your Arrow.” Though the message in the song was quite a risk for a country artist to say at the time it was released, it was delivered in a way that made it feel lighter. Musgraves is completely earnest here, allowing this song to be much simpler than it is on paper.

There is a simplicity to this song, both thematically and compositionally. The melody is repetitive, and the instrumentation isn’t anything out of the box. But that sparseness puts further emphasis on the lyrics, which are the main onus of this song.

“Gentle On My Mind” — Glen Campbell

Very little changes in the melody to Glen Campbell’s “Gentle On My Mind.” This song is one of the most repetitive in country music history, and yet it’s nearly impossible to notice. The simple, repeating guitar riff acts as the backbone to this love song. It’s easy to digest, timeless, and the listener knows the formula after the first listen. All of these things helped this song to become the hit it is.

Though the guitar riff is simple to listen to, it certainly required some virtuosity from Campbell. Not just any budding guitarist could play this song. But the skill required to play this country hit makes its perceived simplicity all the more impressive.

“Girl Crush” — Little Big Town

Little Big Town’s “Girl Crush” is a simple ballad, but it has a massive impact. The simple instrumentation highlights the group’s incomparable harmonies. This song is tender, touching, and intimate—three things that couldn’t be accomplished with a heavy-handed composition.

The lyrics are straightforward, making this song endlessly relatable to all listeners. Sometimes the best songs are the ones that don’t require too much from the listener. This is one of those kinds of country songs. Listening to and falling in love with this song is as easy as breathing.

(Photo by Jasper Dailey/ Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images)