Outlaw country’s strong point was always its songwriting and lyricism. What better way to capture the hearts and minds of country fans who were sick of the same-old same-old from Nashville’s polished labels? The following four outlaw country songs, in particular, boast incredible opening lines that can, on their own, enrapture listeners. Let’s take a look, shall we?
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“Blue Eyes Crying In The Rain” by Willie Nelson (1975)
“In the twilight glow I see them / Blue eyes crying in the rain.”
I’ve written about this line before, and I’ll keep writing about it. It’s so simple, so uncomplicated. And yet, it evokes the feeling one gets when they try to recall an old memory clearly. This song is about a man on the run from the law after killing his own wife, haunted by the memory of her. But that memory is fading with time, which creates its own kind of hell for the narrator. The original songwriter, Fred Rose, really knew what he was doing with this one. It translated perfectly as an outlaw country song with Nelson’s help, decades after the original first dropped in the late 1940s.
“Folsom Prison Blues” by Johnny Cash (1968)
“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.”
This one’s an outlaw country classic, one that has stood the test of time and made fans of Johnny Cash decades after it first dropped. And that opening line in “Folsom Prison Blues” puts you in the shoes of the prisoner, the outlaw, the narrator who longs for freedom but recognizes his life choices.
“Take This Job And Shove It” by Johnny Paycheck (1977)
“Take this job and shove it / I ain’t workin’ here no more.”
This song might just be the ultimate stiff middle finger to dead-end jobs. This song still riles up the freshly pink-slipped or resigned folk out there who are reveling in their newfound freedom. Which says a lot, considering it came out decades ago in 1977. “Take This Job And Shove It” has stood the test of time and remains one of Johnny Paycheck’s finest pieces.
“Whiskey River” by Willie Nelson (1973)
“Whiskey River take my mind / Don’t let her memory torture me.”
A second Nelson tune makes it to this list, this time with a tune from Paul Stroud and Johnny Bush. “Whiskey River” is admittedly one of my favorite Nelson tunes, but I’m sure many outlaw country fans out there would agree that it boasts one of the best opening lines of all time.
Photo by Michael Putland/Getty Images
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