Best song about Texas?

[jobycom]

Just a sampling. I left off ZZTop, cause they bore me to tears.

[Maddy McCall]

1. So many good ones....

I voted for Kinky. But I could have voted for three others.

And "San Antonio Rose" because I was born in San An.

[jobycom]

5. So many other city songs I could have included...

Two were better than the "Texas" songs I chose by the same artists: Amarillo by Morning, George Straigh; Is Anybody Going to San Antone?" Doug Sahm.

Also wanted to include China Grove, but since the song had nothing to do with the actual town, it just didn't seem right.

[RedCloud]

2. Yellow Rose of Texas!

[Gato Moteado]

3. i wrote a song about texas a while back....

....actually, it was a song about how there are already too many songs about texas. it was a country song (or a satire of a country song) called "oh no, not another song about texas" but the bridge was sung to the tune of "california girls" and it went like this:

the dallas girls are hip
i really dig that great big hair
and the houston girls with the way they shop
they keep their boyfriends broke down there

the coeds down in austin
really make me feel alright
with their cheap tattoos and their nipple rings
and their hair done up in spikes

i wish they all could be state of texas
wish they all could be state of teaxs
i wish they all could be state of texas girls.....

[MemphisTiger]

4. I vote for George Straight

His songs make me feel calm. Good stuff.

[henslee]

6. Yeah but it alays bothers me that he is not a singer/songwriter...

or at least he never wrote any of his hits.

[MemphisTiger]

8. True, but why do we hold singers to this standard...

and not actors who often don't write their own movies. Elvis never wrote any of his hit's but is still considered to be one of the most influential singers in the world. I'm sure professional songwriters appreciate those that don't write thier own music.

[henslee]

16. There is just a special place for the singer/songwriter and the

whole notion of writing from experience has a special place, at least for me. I dig Strait. He is super. But I would never compare him to someone like... the Hag. And its hard to compare Elvis to anyone -- he's an icon that really defies categorization. And acting is really all about interpreting, rarely does anyone expect someone to write his part... though in many ways, actors do write their parts by creating their characters and intrepreting a script.

[MemphisTiger]

19. Good points

[henslee]

20. That said, I admit, I often hear THE COWBOY RIDES AWAY

in my head, especially the chorus.... what song.....

And my heart is sinking like the setting sun,
Setting all the things I wish I'd done.
It's time to say goodbye to yesterday,
This is where the cowboy rides away.

[jobycom]

13. Frank, Tony, Elvis, Barbara--I'll bet that's a long list of great singers

you'd be excluding with that criteria. Ought to start a poll on best singer/songwriters...

[leftofthedial]

7. This Old Porch--Lyle Lovett and Robert Earl Keen

and you're right. Doug Sahm belongs in the R&R Hall of Fame for sure.

And the country Hall of Fame.

[no name no slogan]

9. "Prairie Rose" by Roxy Music

track #10 of Country Life


Texas That's where I
Belong
It seems to me
Texas Lonesome star
Shine on
The big country
Texas With open skies
And you
For company
Texas Oh prairie rose
How happy
I should be
Hey hey You can take it from me
Hey hey I'll be coming, you'll see
Hey hey Oh what a state to be in
Hey hey You're tantalising me
Texas I will compose
In fancy rhyme
Or just plain prose
Texas A song of praise
to you
Prairie rose
Texas Though I'm not sure
I can explain
Your strange allure
Texas Prairie rose -
A crown of thorns
A scented flower
Hey hey I'd better leave right away
Hey hey I can hear you calling me
Prairie rose

[henslee]

10. LONDON HOME SICK BLUES by Kinky Friedman* sung by J.J Walker....

Well, when you're down on your luck,
and you ain't got a buck,
in London you're a goner.
Even London Bridge has fallen down,
and moved to Arizona,
now I know why.
And I'll substantiate the rumor that the English sense of humor
is drier than than the Texas sand.
You can put up your dukes, and you can bet your boots
that I'm leavin' just as fast as I can.

Chorus
I wanna go home with the arma dillo
Good country music from Ama rillo and Abi lene
The friendliest people and the prettiest women you've ever
seen.

Well, it's cold over here, and I swear
I wish they'd turn the heat on.
And where in the world is that English girl
I promised I would meet on the third floor.
And of the whole damn lot, the only friend I've got
is a smoke and a cheap guitar.
My mind keeps roamin', my heart keeps longin'
to be home in a Texas bar.
Chorus
3rd Verse
Well, I decided that I'd get my cowboy hat
and go down to Marble Art Station.
'Cause when a Texan fancies, he'll take his chances.
Chances will be taken, that's for sure.
And them Limey eyes, they were eyein' the prize
that some people call manly footwear.
And they said you're from down South,
and when you open your mouth,
you always seem to put your foot there.
Repeat chorus 'til the cows come home

[henslee]

11. "I wanna go home with the arma-dillo, Good country music from Amarillo &

Abi-lene,The friendliest people and the prettiest women you've ever
seen.

[Bridget Burke]

14. The song was actually written by Gary P Nunn.

He was in the Lost Gonzo Band, which backed Jerry Jeff. And they backed Michael Murphy before he became "Handsome Blond Cowboy Artiste Michael Martin Murphy."

[henslee]

17. Ooops, my bad.

[Bridget Burke]

12. Texas Monthly published a list of the best "Texas Songs"

Not specifically songs about Texas, but songs by (mostly) Texas artists. Texas Monthly requires registration, but NPR did a segment on the list:

www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=1847358

#1? "She's About a Mover" by the Sir Douglas Quintet (!)

My favorite song "about" Texas might be "At the Crossroads"--a Sahm tune covered by Mott the Hoople. Perhaps you remember "you just can't live in Texas if you don't have a lotta soul"? Or maybe "Texas Me"--also by Sir Douglas.

The Austin Chronicle made several lists. How could I have forgotten "T for Texas" (Jimmie Rodgers) & Ernest Tubb's "Waltz Across Texas"?

http://www.austinchronicle.com/issues/dispatch/2003-11-28/music_string4.html

[jobycom]

15. Could do a lot of lists

Best song from Texas, best male singer, best female singer, best group, best singer/songwriter, best guitarist... And no matter who I put on each list, I'd commit endless travesties by leaving off someone.

Thanks for the links!

[Jade Fox]

18. "Galveston" written by Jimmy Webb....

Listen again to those lyrics. They sound mighty anti-war to me, and the
song was written at the height of the Viet Nam War.