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by Nathan Kanuch, Zackary Kephart & Julian Spivey When I heard that famed documentarian Ken Burns was putting together a definitive history of country music for an eight-part series on PBS I knew The Word had to compile a list of the 100 Greatest Country Songs of All-Time. I also knew that I wanted to collaborate on such a list with Zackary Kephart of The Musical Divide and Nathan Kanuch of Shore2Shore Country, whom I’ve worked with a few times on other collaborations. JS  Methodology: When coming up with the idea to collaborate on a list of the 100 Greatest Country Songs of All-Time I asked Zackary Kephart of The Musical Divide and Nathan Kanuch of Shore2Shore Country to make up their own personal list of what they considered to be the 100 greatest country music songs of all-time. I had done the same. To get our definitive list I took songs that all three of us included on our lists and averaged those together. If a song was on all three lists, it automatically went to the top. So, if all three of us had a song ranked in the nineties on our list it could theoretically come out higher on the definitive list than a song that appeared very high on two lists but was left completely off the third (this did happen). Zack, Nathan and I were unanimous when it came to 32 songs. This is where the methodology is a bit imperfect, but it’s the closest I could figure to get a definitive list of the greatest country songs of all-time. If a song appeared on two out of the three lists, it would be averaged and slot in behind the 32 songs we all agreed should be in the top 100. There were 41 such songs. The remainder of the list (27 songs) features songs that only appeared on one of the three lists and to get the most accurate ranking for the definitive list it was a “highest remaining song comes first” system. 100. "Fancy" by Bobbie Gentry (1970) & Reba McEntire (1990)There’s a lot that could be said for how much creative juice was flowing in country music from the mid-‘80s to the early ‘90s, and some of that was happening behind the scenes. Producer Jimmy Bowen never felt Reba McEntire should record Bobbie Gentry’s “Fancy” because he felt too many people would associate it with her. When McEntire turned to Tony Brown for her 1990 Rumor Has It album, the song finally had another version that could go toe-to-toe with the original. In essence, “Fancy” was always a country song, draped in a story of real life that touches on a taboo subject with grace and dignity. And while the song has its quieter moments, it’s that thunderous chorus that gives this song its everlasting appeal. ZK 99. "Always on My Mind" by Willie Nelson (1982)“Always on My Mind” had a lot of life in it before Willie Nelson released it on his album of the same name in 1982. Written by Wayne Carson, Johnny Christopher and Mark James it was originally recorded by B.J. Thomas in 1970. Brenda Lee had a crossover hit with it in 1972. Elvis Presley released it as the B-side to his ’72 single “Separate Ways.” It’s Nelson’s version I consider to be the definitive release. Nelson’s performance would garner three Grammy Awards, including the coveted Song of the Year for its writers and somehow due to wonky rules of the time it would win Song of the Year in back-to-back years (1982 & 1983) at the Country Music Association (CMA) Awards. Nelson’s beautiful piano ballad version with his trademark nasally vocals just makes the hurt of his apology to an inadequately adored lover hit you in the feels. JS 98. "Hickory Wind" by The Byrds (1968)In his short lifetime, Gram Parsons lived as the misunderstood kid wearing Nudie suits in Nashville. An unfortunate sign of the times, Parsons’ long hair and hippie attitude wasn’t quite ready to be accepted just yet, and “Hickory Wind” is a loose representation of that. For one, it’s the lone song on the Byrds’ landmark Sweetheart of the Rodeo album where he sang lead, and to hear him sing of such a lonely, desolate childhood pines with an ache that rivals any other country song. ZK 97. "Good Hearted Woman" by Waylon Jennings & Willie Nelson (1975)There was never a better collaborative duo in the history of country music than good friends Waylon Jennings and Willie Nelson. One of their most memorable recordings together was their co-write “Good Hearted Woman,” originally recorded and released solo by Jennings in 1971, before the duet version was released on the iconic 1975 album Wanted: The Outlaws!. Reportedly inspired by a concert advertisement promoting Ike and Tina Turner with the line, “a good hearted woman loving two-timing men.” The rest was history and the song became an anthem for country music outlaws who left their good hearted women at home while out on the road. JS 96. "I've Been Everywhere" by Hank Snow (1962)Hank Snow delivered the essential version of this Geoff Mack-penned song. Listing off the names of the cities the narrator has visited, “I’ve Been Everywhere” could be classified as a novelty song without resorting to over-the-top humor or typical road-weary tropes. I’m still amazed at artists who are able to perform the song live and remember each town. NK 95. "Honky Tonk Heroes" by Waylon Jennings (1973)A lot of critics (especially those overtly hostile to newer “Outlaw” artists who care about the genre’s roots) will often try to argue that Outlaw country music of the ‘70s had no distinct sound. They’re wrong. And if someone wants to find that landmark Outlaw sound, he or she has no better place to start than Waylon Jennings’ 1973 album Honky Tonk Heroes, and more specifically, the title track, written by Billy Joe Shaver. It’s rockabilly, but it’s not. It’s Hank Sr. influenced Country & Western, but it’s not entirely. Much like Alt-Country acts of the ‘90s found influence from both punk rock and folk and bluegrass, “Honky Tonk Heroes” and Outlaw country music draw from Rolling Stones-esque rock and roll and the traditional country of the Deep South. A driving backbeat. An outlaw attitude. Road-weary and defiant. More often than not, that’s the Outlaw sound. NK 94. "If We Make It Through December" by Merle Haggard (1973)Merle Haggard’s “If We Make It Through December” is the greatest non-traditional Christmas song of all-time. It also shows that not all great holiday classics have to be all fun and cheer because the holidays aren’t always happy for everybody. Being the poet of the working man, Haggard set down with the idea of writing a Christmas song about a laid off blue collar worker out of work during the holiday season and the despair of not being able to provide Christmas cheer for his little girl. It’s heartbreaking, but it’s absolutely real. JS 93. "Man in Black" by Johnny Cash (1971)“Man in Black” was essentially Johnny Cash’s theme song. It represented what he stood for and told the story of why his wardrobe was the way it was. It became one of the greatest, if not the absolute greatest, protest songs in country music history – taking on topics such as the treatment of poor folks, mass incarceration, the Vietnam War and more. “Man in Black” is just a reminder that Cash was a man of the people – all the people – and he was never going to back down from what he believed. JS 92. "Would You Lay with Me (In a Field of Stone)" by Tanya Tucker (1973)Tanya Tucker took this David Allan Coe-penned song and had a massive hit with it - cementing the song as a country standard. Much like a lot of her earlier material, ‘Would You Lay with Me’ was a song expected to be heard from a much more mature artist. But Tucker’s voice transcended age. ‘Would You Lay with Me’ rose above a simple song and truly asked questions about love that goes on forever and through the hardest of times. NK 91. "The Window Up Above" by George Jones (1960)There’s so much to unpack here. The reminder that George Jones not only is the greatest singer the music world has ever heard but that he can also write a hell of a song. The progression of the Possum’s distinct phrasing and ability to hold on to such a wide variety of notes. The heartbreaking story that brings a listener right to the bedside of the narrator to witness the events play out. The brooding anger and sorrow Jones brings right to the listener’s ears. Jones himself called “The Window Up Above” his favorite recording, and though I may put two or three others above it, who am I to argue with George Jones? NK
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