Plenty of country music fans aren’t on board with the music coming out of Nashville today. The same was true for fans in the 1970s. Interestingly, many of those fans from today turn to the same place as those in the ’70s to find their toe-tapping tunes: outlaw country. Back then, it was something new and exciting that was going against the grain. Today, it sounds like what we’d call solid country gold.
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The songs below are examples of why outlaw country has remained popular for five decades. Some of them are deep cuts, but longtime fans of the subgenre will likely know them by heart.
[RELATED: I Spent 48 Hours Listening Only to 1970s Outlaw Country—Here’s What I Rediscovered]
“Don’t You Think This Outlaw Bit’s Done Got Out of Hand” – Waylon Jennings
Waylon Jennings is hailed as one of the creators of the outlaw country movement. However, he just wanted to make the kind of music he wanted to hear and eventually became disillusioned with the title. This song, from his 1978 album I’ve Always Been Crazy, is an example of that.
The song tells the story of the time federal agents busted into the studio in search of a large bag of Peruvian marching powder. However, before they could find it, Richie Albright, Jennings’ right-hand man and drummer, flushed the booger sugar. As a result, they were unable to charge Jennings. That’s only half of it, though. It also gives listeners a look at his thoughts on the “outlaw” moniker.
“Shotgun Willie” – Willie Nelson
Before Willie Nelson released the definitive outlaw country album Red Headed Stranger, he cleared his throat with Shotgun Willie. This 1973 release is considered one of the first outlaw albums. It was the first of two releases on Atlantic Records and the beginning of Nelson’s recording with some amount of creative control.
“Shotgun Willie” isn’t on this list because it’s the title track of a landmark album, though. It’s here because Nelson wrote it after having a shootout with his daughter’s abusive husband.
“Stoned at the Jukebox” – Hank Williams Jr.
Early in his career, Hank Williams Jr. did his best to copy his late father’s style. He found some success while he was furthering the family tradition of moanin’ the blues. Then, he almost died when he fell off a mountain in Montana. His next album, Hank Williams Jr. and Friends, introduced a new rock-infused style that fit perfectly with the outlaw country movement.
Any of the songs from this landmark album would fit on this list. “Stoned at the Jukebox,” though, showcases a transition between Williams’ old-school country sound and his new rocking style.
“Up Against the Wall, Redneck Mother” – Jerry Jeff Walker
One of the great things about outlaw country was that it brought hippies and cowboys together. For instance, Willie Nelson’s annual concerts in Dripping Springs, Texas, brought the two groups together for weekends of great music. However, not everyone got the memo.
Written by Ray Wylie Hubbard and popularized by Jerry Jeff Walker on his legendary live album, Viva Terlingua, this song is a satirical take on those “rednecks” who were happy to assault anyone with long hair.
“I’m Just an Old Chunk of Coal” – Billy Joe Shaver
Billy Joe Shaver is one of the unsung heroes of outlaw country. For instance, he wrote most of Waylon Jennings’ 1973 landmark album Honky Tonk Heroes. Other artists also recorded his songs, including John Anderson, who made this track a top 10 hit.
The truth is, any fan of outlaw country should dig into Shaver’s catalog. “I’m Just an Old Chunk of Coal,” an anthem of self-improvement, might be the best place to start.
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