the top 50 classic Texas songs

Post by **sgt.null** » Fri Jun 08, 2012 9:08 am

according to Texas Music

50) Gary P. Nunn - London Homesick Blues

the song

aka, the theme song for Austin City Limits since 1977.

oddly enough the song did not debut on a Nunn album, instead it debuted on a Jerry Jeff Walker album. (Terlingua)

and here are Nunn and Walker doing the song...

them doing the song

Post by **Cagliostro** » Fri Jun 08, 2012 12:24 pm

I have always loved that song. Heard it first at some small little bar in Colorado with my dad in the 80's at a time when I didn't like country music (my dad did), but we both dug that song. It was one of those bonding moments.

Post by **sgt.null** » Sat Jun 09, 2012 2:54 pm

49) Albert Collins - Frosty

enjoy this version

and then there is this...

Stevie Ray Vaughan, Albert Collins and Jimmie Vaughan - Frosty

Post by **sgt.null** » Sun Jun 10, 2012 2:54 pm

48] Dixie Chicks - Wide Open Spaces

a live version

my choice at #48

I would have picked Traveling Soldier instead. written by Texas native Bruce Robison, his brother Charlie was married to Emily of the Dixie Chicks at the time.

Post by **sgt.null** » Mon Jun 11, 2012 5:58 am

47] (the ever expanding) Delvert McClinton - Two More Bottles of Wine

actually Martina McBride with Delbert backing her up. but best version i coud find.

i prefer this emmylou harris version

Post by **sgt.null** » Tue Jun 12, 2012 11:00 am

46) Rodney Crowell - I Ain't Living Long Like This

his version

Waylon Jennings had a hit with it

Rodney was married to Roseanne Cash when they did this version of Seven Year Ache

I would have picked Rodney's Telephone Road about a road in Houston

Post by **sgt.null** » Thu Jun 14, 2012 5:32 am

45] Terry Allen - the Wolfman of Del Rio

sad to say I don't know any songs by Mr.Allen

Post by **sgt.null** » Thu Jun 21, 2012 5:36 pm

44) Caroline Herring - Mistress

voted one of the 100 greatest songs of the south by the Atlantic Journal-Constitution

the Brazos River she mentions runs through Angleton, the town I live in. General Santa Anna lost Texas about hour from where I sit right now.

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_San_Jacinto

Post by **Vader** » Wed Jul 11, 2012 6:02 pm

43 to go - where's the rest?

What about Waylons Luckenbach, Texas or DAC - Longhaired Redneckj? Maybe W.A.S.P. with Blind in Texas? ZZ Top?

Post by **sgt.null** » Thu Jul 12, 2012 4:38 am

43) billy joe shaver - i'm just an old chunk of coal

at my second favorite record store in texas

i'm going to live forever

our favorite billy joe song

honky tonk heroes

we have been fortunate to see Billy Joe live twice now, and to meet him after each show. i could easily post another dozen songs by him.

Post by **sgt.null** » Fri Jul 20, 2012 3:17 am

42) George Jones - Why Baby Why

the original version

much later at the Opry

the original was recorded in Beaumont, Texas.

now my favorite George song. and maybe the greatest country song ever.

He Stopped Loving Her Today

Post by **sgt.null** » Sat Jul 21, 2012 8:26 am

41) Leadbelly : Midnight Special

John and Alan Lomax, in their book, Best Loved American Folk Songs, told a credulous story identifying the Midnight Special as a train from Houston shining its light into a cell in the Sugar Land Prison. They also describe Ledbetter's version as "the Negro jailbird's ballad to match Hard Times Poor Boy. Like so many American folk songs, its hero is not a man but a train." The light of the train is seen as the light of salvation, the train which could take them away from the prison walls. It is highly reminiscent of the imagery of such gospel songs as Let the Light from your Lighthouse Shine on Me. Carl Sandburg had a different view. He believed the subject of the song would rather be run over by a train than spend more time in jail.

"if you ever go to Houston, boy, you better walk right."

Midnight Special - Leadbelly

Midnight Special - CCR

the prison that Leadbelly was in here in Texas is about an hour from where I sit right now. the Sugarland Prison was later named the Central Unit. it just recently shut down, the land having been sold to the airport.

I was only ever once there. never made it inside. Julie had a job interview onground outside the fence. (with utmb)

Post by **sgt.null** » Mon Jul 23, 2012 7:19 am

40) ZZ Top - La Grange

a song about a brothel outside of La Grange, Texas. the Best Little Whorehouse in Texas is based on the brothel. and you must learn about Marvin Zindler, the newsman who broke the story. an institution in Texas that man was.

the song in all it's glory

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marvin_Zindler

btw - just the second artist on th elist, so far, that I have seen live. Billy Joe Shaver being the other.

Post by **rdhopeca** » Mon Jul 23, 2012 7:26 am

ooooooo....I hope WASP's "Blind In Texas" makes this list...

www.youtube.com/watch?v=LVt9_l3b7WU

Post by **sgt.null** » Tue Aug 21, 2012 11:03 am

39) Johnny Bush - Whiskey River

better known as the song that Willie Nelson opens every show with. Johnny lost his voice due to a neurological disorder as the song was climbing the charts, setting his career back twenty years.

Johnny's version circa 1973

Willie's version

to be honest, i prefer Willie's version. having seen him live twice now.

Post by **sgt.null** » Fri Mar 22, 2013 3:57 am

38} Sam Baker - Odessa

never heard this song before today.

his sister singing Odessa with him

and now I am sorry I having been listening to Sam Baker before.

Post by **sgt.null** » Fri Mar 29, 2013 11:37 pm

37) Steve Earle - Guitar Town

from Austin City Limits the year I graduated

doing Fort Worth Blues in honor of Townes

doing Fort Worth Blues with Emmy Lou Harris

Post by **sgt.null** » Fri Mar 29, 2013 11:46 pm

36) Patty Griffin - Making Pies

Making Pies - the songs resonates with me more every passing year

my favorite Patty song - Top of the World

Dixie Chicks doing Top of the World

Dixie Chicks doing Patty's Truth #2

Post by **sgt.null** » Sat Mar 30, 2013 5:37 am

35) Blaze Foley - Clay Pigeons

another artist on the list I have never heard of.

Clay Pigeons

Townes Van Zandt and Blaze Foley from Austin Pickers 1984

Merle Haggard doing a Blaze Foley song, If I Could Only Fly

Post by **sgt.null** » Sat Mar 30, 2013 5:47 am

34) Ray Price - Heartaches by the Number

Ray doing the song at Live Aid in 2011

we say Ray Price live. at the rodeo the line up was Connie Smith, Marty Stuart (her husband), Buck Owens, Dwight Yoakum.

but Buck was ill so Ray Price filled in for him.

how Heartache sounded all those years ago

Crazy Arms

Night Life with Willie Nelson and friends

Kevin's Watch

Kevin's Watch

the top 50 classic Texas songs

the top 50 classic Texas songs