Top 5 Country Music Tunes for Country Music Haters (Part 2)

(Previously posted on THC zine v01 by : Unkle F777 a few years ago)

Part 2 of our ongoing country music playlist is out again featuring an old piece from the long lost first version of THC zine done by old duder columnist Unkle F777!

Hank Williams’ most popular classic tells of his alcoholic dilemma of not being able to drink because of another, well less serious problem of a holed up bucket. One of the catchiest drinking songs ever, it is a prime example of early country from the 40s to 50s era.

Hank lived till his 29th amidst health problems, drugs, and alcoholism, but he is one of the most influential country musicians of all time. Willie Nelson, Dwight Yoakam and other big country artists have covered this drinking tune classic, making sure it lives on in some sing along karaoke or a drunk’d up dude’s singalong melody.

Hank III provides us with an excellent track from his real solo debut album, Lovesick, Broke and Driftin’ from 2002. We’ve already covered the three generations of Hank, and with III, we have not only country, but also punk, metal, rock n’ roll, and blues, at least with his live shows where he plays 2 sets. He plays a country set first, followed by his punk/metal set for a killer good time.

This track showcases III’s own style, which separates him from his Dad and Grandpa. He owns it with slower drinking sad songs which are more chill and stoned than them, boosted more with his distinctive outlaw country rock voice. This triumvirate of triple W’s of life in country are both a good time and can also lead to slow sad introspection. Take some shots and listen to this.

Many consider Simpson’s sound as alternative country, but he likes to use other modern influences into his music, such as rock, stoner rock, blues, funk, bluegrass, and alternative. While this allows him to fully explore and expand his sound, he still uses country as a base for this jump-off exploration. Many of his tracks combine the old and new, as this tune shows: the slick modern production and oldschool tinged track sounds fresh but chill and heavy.

Sturgill Simpson’s Sea Stories comes from A Sailor’s Guide to Earth, his Grammy winning 3rd album. With a majestic cover art of traversing the deep waters and his dedication of the album to his family, it became country album of the year. The album is also notable for his cover tune of Nirvana’s “In Bloom”. He transforms it into a very chill and minimal country track that sounds like his own.

The Little Willies is a country band that features Norah Jones on vocals. Many people haven’t even heard or checked them out, which is bad because their stuff is really good. Jones shines with her own style here, which is more upbeat and traditional, yet carrying her unmistakable style and voice.

Formed as a oldschool country cover band, the band featured Lee Alexander on bass and Dan Rieser on drums from Norah’s fulltime band, plus multi instrumentalist artist Richard Julian and New York guitar legend Jim Capilongo.

Norah’s albums already have many country influences, but here she can fully immerse in the country sound but with added modern influences. Some of the jazz roots of the band also creep in just a little, what with Norah and Lee Alexander on bass from her band also jamming in the lineup.

The Marshall Tucker Band wasn’t a pure country band when they released their s/t debut album here. But in 1973, they were one of the leading new generation of rock bands that effortlessly jammed country, southern rock, gospel, jazz, and blues.

Lead guitarist and other lead singer (on this song) Toy Caldwell considered themselves as a prog country rock band, with the musicality and improv jam qualities of jazz. He formed the band as he lay injured from his Vietnam War stint.

“Can’t You See” was their first ever single, and introduced them to the USA and the world. It had all these cool musical elements in the right amounts with some bluesy lead solos. It still retained the classic themes of sad country music about being heartbroken and escaping out to relieve the pain. The triple part singing melodies add to the anthemic broken hearted but strong will resolve feels of this hit tune.