3 Country Songs That Still Give Us Chills, Decades After They Were First Released

Country songs can evoke many emotions in listeners. From heartbreak to happy times, country music has a unique ability to convey feeling. Some songs are so visceral to hear that they don’t just appeal to us sonically but make us feel their power in our bones. The three iconic country songs below are all chill-inducing, even decades after they’ve been released.

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[RELATED: 3 of the Saddest Songs Ever Released in Country Music Came Out in 1985]

“The Ride” — David Allen Coe

David Allen Coe’s “The Ride” was inspired by songwriter Gary Gentry’s proposed encounter with the ghost of Hank Williams. Many fans claim to have seen the country legend over the years, which has added to his mystique in the genre. Gentry attempted to contact Williams’ ghost to help him write this haunting country tale.

“I was living at Country Place Apartments,” Gentry once said. He added, “I lit candles in the living room, and I wanted Hank to show himself, I wanted to write a masterpiece about Hank… I said, ‘Hank! Why were you so big? Just because you died young? Show yourself! Help me write this song.’”

The story follows a similar plot line. A man comes across Williams’ ghost and takes inspiration from his artistry. “He said, ‘Drifter, can you make folks cry when you play and sing? / Have you paid your dues, can you moan the blues?’” Coe sings in this song.

“God Bless The Broken Road” — Rascal Flatts

Rascal Flatts’ “God Bless The Broken Road” is a classic because of how emotional it makes an audience. Though it’s usually happy tears, this song is guaranteed to make the listener well up. Every time this song comes on, no matter how many times we’ve heard it, it gives us chills.

This song has become a staple in everything from weddings and movies to covers. The appeal of this song is endless, connecting with anyone who plays it.

“Highwayman” — The Highwaymen

The Highwaymen’s “Highwayman” has a scale that few other country artists and groups have been able to achieve. The supergroup tells an epic story of different kinds of wayfaring men, furthering their own legends.

“I went aloft and furled the mainsail in a blow / And when the yards broke off they said that I got killed / But I am living still,” one of the verses reads. This song is chill-inducing, to say the least. It’s impossibly cinematic for a song, with no shortage of perfect lines and visceral imagery.

(Photo by David Redfern/Redferns)