With Some Country Songs, It’s Love at First Listen
If there’s such a thing as love at first sight, then I’m pretty sure it’s possible to fall in love with a song the first time you hear it. It doesn’t happen often, but a handful of tunes out there have stopped me in my tracks about 20 seconds in. Gretchen Wilson’s “Redneck Woman” was such a song. As was “Long Black Train” and “Hicktown.” And “Chicken Fried” and “Takin’ Off This Pain.” But it’s not always the debut singles that get me. The first time I heard Keith Urban’s “You Look Good in My Shirt,” I was out the door to buy the CD before the song was even over. That happened years ago with the Dixie Chicks‘ “Without You,” and more recently with Brooks & Dunn’s “Cowgirls Don’t Cry.”
This is not to say that my love is any less strong for songs that grew on me over time. I did not love Emerson Drive’s “Moments” in the beginning. I was unimpressed with yet another pretty ballad by yet another pretty boy band, until I realized what it was about. Homelessness? Suicide? It was some country music territory that hadn’t been covered, and I was smitten. Same thing with “Stay” by Sugarland. Just another begging-him-to-stay story, I thought. But after about the 10th time, when I listened all the way through, I finally heard what Jennifer Nettles was ultimately telling this man: stay with your wife, you bastard, I am done waiting for you. She was empowering homewreckers everywhere. And that Kid Rock song? Hated it. “All Summer Long” was like nails on a chalkboard the first time I heard it. But I eventually came around and fell hard in that tumultuous love/hate kind of way.
What about you? What songs did you fall in love with at first listen?
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Wayno says:
The best ALL-TIME hooker was Don William’s Tulsa Time.
Stosh says:
Sugarland’s Babygirl was my first love from country music.
TheCarrieExpress says:
Jesus Take the Wheel by American Idol queen Carrie Underwood.
Pickin’ Pickler at First Listen says:
I Wonder, Wild Ponies, Best Days of Your Life, One Last Time, Somebody to Love Me, Rocks Instead of Rice, Don’t Close Your Eyes, Happy, and Santa Baby, all by Kellie Pickler.
CJ says:
I have been a fan of country music 50 years now. I loved anything Country back then. Ray Price had a song called “City Lights” I just loved that song. I grew up on the triditional country so sometimes now I have a hard time calling some songs country…. But I still have my favorites.
TxAgg says:
“Last Call” and “Mendocino County Line” (with Willie) by Lee Ann Womack
“New Strings” and “More Like Her” by Miranda Lambert.
“Winner at a Losing Game” by Rascal Flatts.
“Everybody” and “Somebody Like You” by Keith Urban.
These are only a precious few I can list off the top of my head . . .
Jayne S. says:
That happens to me to, that I know i will love a song and it will be a hit before I really get used to it! The one and only time I remember it happening fast was with Brooks & Dunn on Play Somethin’ Country. Its also happened fast for me on other songs by Toby Keith.
Diana says:
I Just Got Started Loving You, Jesus Take the Wheel, Different World, Already Gone, Small Town Southern Man are just a few recent ones.
K says:
Before He Cheats By Carrie Underwood. I got “Some Hearts” the Christmas the album came out, and this song was ALL I listened to for days…It took me about three days before I even listened to the rest of the album because I was so hooked on the song.
That also happened with Keith/Brad’s “Start A Band,” I thought it was so catchy, cute, and infectious the second I heard it!
Taylor Swift’s “Hey Stephen” also comes to mind. I don’t own Fearless, but someone had the album playing, I heard this song, and I love it!
Rascal Flatts, “These Days” was also a big one for me. I saw them in 03 when they opened for Toby Keith, and I fell in love with the song and bought the album. To this day, it is still one of my favorite songs and videos, and looking back at the concert, that song is the only memory that sticks out in my mind from the show.
Carrie Underwood’s “Just A Dream” was also another one. Again, I bought the album, heard the song, and it was all I listened to for days. I loved the picture it painted, and Carrie’s vocal stirred up major emotions for me the first time I heard it.
Gail says:
The whole album “Golden Road” by Keith Urban! Never had I loved every song on an album before. Was not that big of a fan of previously overexposed Carrie until “Just A Dream”! Fell in love with this song and now I’m a fan. Also after her People’s Choice performance!
peppersprout says:
First/Last/Never Get Old Listen Loves:
“Whiskey Lullaby” - Brad Paisley/Alison Krauss; Melonie Cannon
“Coat of Many Colors” - Dolly Parton
“Old Dogs, Children and Watermelon Wine” - Tom T. Hall
“Go Rest High On That Mountain” - Vince Gill
“Marie Laveaux” - Bobby Bare
“Help Me Make It Through The Night” - Sammi Smith
“Sunday Mornin’ Comin’ Down” - Johnny Cash
“Ring of Fire” - Johnny Cash
“A Soft Place To Fall” - Alison Moorer
“For The Good Times” - Ray Price
“Only Make Believe” - Conway Twitty
“Baby Don’t Get Hooked On Me” - Mac Davis
“Hill Country Love Song” - Billy Joe Shaver
…. just to name a few … :)
TxAgg says:
“Everyday America” by Sugarland.
“In Color” by Jamey Johnson.
Emily says:
Carrie Underwood’s “The More Boy’s I meet”, Rascal Flatts’s “love you out loud” and “Skin”, Keith Urban’s “Used To The Pain”, Brad Paisley’s “We Danced”, Tim McGraw’s “Don’t Take The Girl.”
solongsowrong says:
First listen fall in love songs:
“So Long, So Wrong” AKUS
“The Mountain” - Ronnie Bowman
“Follow You Home” - Kasey Chambers
“Jacob’s Dream” - Alison Krauss
“Time” - The Greencards
Most recent:
“Black Cat” - The Waybacks
“Cactus In A Coffee Can” - Melonie Cannon
lolhorse6375 says:
I fav song is She Thinks My Tractor Sexy by Kenny Chesney. My fav singer is Kenny Chesney.
Carol says:
Whiskey Lullaby…Brad Paisley
Three Cords And The Truth…Sara Evans
baylor mom says:
I Love anything by Brooks & Dunn most recently cowgirls dont cry,the fact that Reba is featured makes it even better.
MiaT says:
Indian Outlaw….I didn’t know who it was singing it at first but I just fell in love with that voice….Happy to say that I am still head over heels for that “voice”.
Kevin says:
For me, “In Color” was definitely love at first listen. Also, “No Place That Far” by Sara Evans, “When I Get Where Im Going” by Brad Paisley. Also, Miranda Lamberts entire Kerosene album was love at first listen for me.
Big AJ fan says:
Remember When by Alan Jackson, it took my breath away.
Spike says:
I fell in love with the Taylor Swift song Tim McGraw. I heard it on CMT and I just had to know who sang this beautiful song. I have been a Taylor Swift fan ever since.
countryiscool says:
Anything by Jeff Bates. Too many others to list.
patrick says:
“Where I’m From” - Jason Michael Carrol
it’s very new, hardly even played on the radio yet.
RedMaZ says:
I Met Jesus in a Bar - Jim Lauderdale
California Stars - Wilco
Going to New Orleans - Buck Jones(RIP)
Downtown - Stoney LaRue
Country my @$$ - Dale Watson
Mary says:
Randy Houser’s Anything Goes, Keith Urban’s Making Memories of Us and one that brought tears(not country) is Josh Groban’s You Raise Me Up.
Corbin says:
“Everything that Glitters (Is Not Gold)” By Dan Seals got me right away.
More recently, Cowgirls Don’t Cry was something I knew was an instant B&D classic. And of course, anything except “River of Love” by George Strait.
Corbin says:
And I’m going to second “Anything Goes” by Randy Houser. A true country song, great the first and every time through.
Ms. Feathers says:
“You’ll Think of Me” by Keith Urban. Like his more recent song, “Stupid Boy” (and both songs are Grammy-winners for him, too), it’s not so much a song as a “sensation” - you FEEL it more than simply hear it. And there’s something about YTOM that was both wistful and bitter, holding on and letting go, introspective and gentlemanly. I didn’t know who Keith was when I first heard the song, but his delivery turned a simple break-up song into an bundle of emotion that wormed its way into my psyche. I couldn’t get enough of it and had to buy the CD just to figure it out. Like Gail (above), I loved every song on that CD from the very first chord.
There are a ton of other songs that would fall into the “love at first listen” category, not all of them country, but a few (relatively) recent country stand-outs for me would be “Kerosene” (Miranda), “Anything But Mine” (K. Chesney), and “Novocaine” (LBT).
countryiscool says:
Galveston, By the Time I Get to Phoenix, and Witchita Lineman, all older ones by Glen Campbell are some of my faves too.
Readingmom7 says:
Most recently: Joey & Rory’s “Cheater Cheater” I fell in love with the song and them as a couple. Gretchen Wilson’s Redneck Woman grabbed me. Martina McBride’s “God’s Will” and “Independence Day” got me also. There have been a bunch in the past.
countryman says:
I have to agree “Chicken Fried” and “In Color were great songs that went to a persons heart after 20 Seconds. They are well written country songs
Damien says:
Really, Countryman? “Chicken Fried” went straight to your heart just after 20 seconds of the song? Wow..
You know I’m a chicken fryer
Cold beer on a friday night
A pair of jeans that fit just right?
Paula says:
COWGIRLS DON’T CRY and BELIEVE both by Brooks & Dunn. Cried my eyes out on both… still do everytime I hear them.
Nikole says:
For me, it was Sugarland’s “Baby Girl”, I absolutely love Jennifer’s accent!