Songs That Could Be Country?

[Chris D]

Just now I was listening to "Bust Your Windows" by Jazmine Sullivan, an R&B song from her debut album Fearless that came out this week. This song is the same premise of "Before He Cheats" by Carrie Underwood, but the song reflects on the reasons why the singer did it, rather than Carrie's blind rage at her man that is cheating. (Song here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H3PH5yhCUac)

You see can't just play with people's feelings
Tell them you love them and don't mean it
You'll probably say that it was juvenile
But I think that I deserve to smile

I bust the windows out ya car
You know I did it cause I left my mark
Wrote my initials with the crowbar
And then I drove off into the dark

...

Even though all that you did to me was much worse
I had to do something to make you hurt yeah
Oh but why am I still cryin'?
Why am I the one whose still cryin'?

Now, I love "Before He Cheats", but this song is so much deeper. The narrator describes how the damage didn't really helped her, and how her guy should feel lucky she didn't do more. It's not as one dimensional as Carrie's song was.

I could see this song as a good country song, with a different singer and instruments. So which songs that aren't country do you guys think could actually be good country songs?

[Stormy]

As I mentioned earlier, Nikka Costa's Hope It Felt Good would be a good Leeann Womack song. And/or her Nothing:

Lyrics to Nothing :
It's late in the evening
And you're breathing with someone else
You come home to call me
And I ask you what you've been doing with yourself
And you say nothing at all
You say nothing at all

You flight is longer that usual
And you conscience ain't no company
I'm there smiling and warm i missed you so
And can't wait to show you how i feel
But you feel nothing at all
You feel nothing at all

There we were
Never strangers before
There was a light that shined on us
But now there's nothing at all

You should've taken a look around
Before you laid that woman down
You better get a hold of yourself
Cause there's a woman here
Who's willing to try

Weeks go by
And you mind seems preoccupied
I feel a piece missing here
But when I ask you about what's going on
You say it's all me my dear
So I thought nothing at all
I thought nothing at all

You should've taken a look around
Before you laid that woman down
You better get a hold of yourself
Cause there's a man in you
About to die
With nothing
With nothing

[indulgedcountrymusic]

"Someday (I Will Understand)" by Britney Spears:

Nothing seems to be the way it used to
Everything seems shallow
God give me truth
In me and tell me
Somebody's watching over me
And that is all I'm praying
Is that...

Someday I will understand
In gods whole plan
And what he's done to me
Oh but maybe
Someday I will breathe
And I'll finally see
See it all in my baby

Don't you run too fast my dear
Why don't you stop?
Stop and listen to your tears
They're all you got
Its in you
You see somebody's watching over you
And all that I'm praying
Is that.....

Someday you will understand
In gods whole plan
And what he's done to you
Oh but maybe
Someday you will breathe
And you'll finally see
See it all in your baby
See it all in your baby

No moment will be more true
Then the moment I look at you

It's in you
You see somebody is watching
Over you
And that is all I'm praying
Is that.......

Someday you will understand
In gods whole plan
And what he's done to you
Oh but maybe
Someday you will breathe
And you'll finally see
See it all in your baby
See it all in your baby

See it all in my baby
See it all in my baby........

[Clemson Brad]

Great topic.

I always thought Sister Hazel's "All For You" would be a killer Pat Green song. I would love it if he recorded it and released as a single.

I also thought "She Will Be Loved" by Maroon 5 would be a great track. I can see someone like Keith Urban singing it.

[Stormy]

Tracy Chapman's Fast Car almost already is country.

[Jordan Stacey]

The Wilkinsons did a cover of Fast Car on their last record.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_9C-Qskqa9E

[Chris D]

Great topic.

I always thought Sister Hazel's "All For You" would be a killer Pat Green song. I would love it if he recorded it and released as a single.

I also thought "She Will Be Loved" by Maroon 5 would be a great track. I can see someone like Keith Urban singing it.

"She Would Be Loved" would be perfect!

Another that comes to mind is "Warwick Avenue" by Duffy, as well as Duffy's "Rockferry". Both songs are about leaving a bad lover, and the lyrics seem very country, and good emotion.

[Stormy]

The Wilkinsons did a cover of Fast Car on their last record.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_9C-Qskqa9E

Tracy's sounds more country:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O6475u0wEG0

[JR Journey]

Okay, I am probably alone in my thinking here (I usually am these days) ... But I've always thought Cher's 'Just Like Jesse James' would have made for a great country release. No need to re-tool it with new instrumentation or hand it to some Nashville diva for a southern girl's interpretation. This one is ready to go.

[TenPoundHammer]

A lot of releases by Trout Fishing in America would be good. They're not explicitly country, but they do use steel guitar a lot. Mainly their music is kind of folksy and sometimes children's music, but they have definite country sensibilities that might make for good music if they were on a major label.

[Sam G]

The Decemberists have released a few songs that would make good country songs (Red Right Ankle, Sons And Daughters, Yankee Bayonets), but they're probably too literate for today's country radio.

The Crash Test Dummies have some great country songs, but the Brad Roberts' voice is way too weird and deep to be accepted by a country audience. Still, some producer should scan through their first couple of CDs for song choices some day.

[TenPoundHammer]

If Rodney Crowell's cover of "Operator (That's Not the Way It Feels)" is any indication, Jim Croce might have done well in country as well.

[Matt B]

I've long felt that many of Elton John's songs could be country, mainly due to the lyrics being written by Bernie Taupin. The song "I Want Love" could be done quite well. If I were to choose a vocalist, it'd have to be someone like Sugarland. His "This Train Don't Stop There Anymore" also has the ability to be a country song in the right band's hands. With their treatment of Ray LaMontagne's "Jolene" being pretty good, I'm inclined to give Zac Brown Band a shot at it.

Also, I selected some songs on this topic back in march when I was still blogging at the Lost Highway. http://thelosthighway.wordpress.com/200 ... try-songs/

[TenPoundHammer]

I've long felt that many of Elton John's songs could be country, mainly due to the lyrics being written by Bernie Taupin. The song "I Want Love" could be done quite well. If I were to choose a vocalist, it'd have to be someone like Sugarland. His "This Train Don't Stop There Anymore" also has the ability to be a country song in the right band's hands.

Actually, we have had one Bernie Taupin song (the superb Willie/Lee Ann duet "Mendocino County Line") on the charts, and Elton himself even charted for a few weeks alongside Catherine Britt on "Where We Both Say Goodbye".

[Matt B]

I've long felt that many of Elton John's songs could be country, mainly due to the lyrics being written by Bernie Taupin. The song "I Want Love" could be done quite well. If I were to choose a vocalist, it'd have to be someone like Sugarland. His "This Train Don't Stop There Anymore" also has the ability to be a country song in the right band's hands.

Actually, we have had one Bernie Taupin song (the superb Willie/Lee Ann duet "Mendocino County Line") on the charts, and Elton himself even charted for a few weeks alongside Catherine Britt on "Where We Both Say Goodbye".

Yes,

I know. Keith Urban also covered "Country Comfort" and of course Tim McGraw covered "Tiny Dancer" but I think there are so many other tracks.

[Occasional Hope]

Skip Ewing, best known as a songwriter himslef, had a lovely version of Elton John's Sorry Seems To Be The Hardest Word on his 1993 album Homegrown Love.

[Matt B]

Skip Ewing, best known as a songwriter himslef, had a lovely version of Elton John's Sorry Seems To Be The Hardest Word on his 1993 album Homegrown Love.

Yeah, I have that.

I actually think that of the pop legends yet to be 'tribute'-d by country artists that Elton John should have one.

[Stormy]

Skip Ewing, best known as a songwriter himslef, had a lovely version of Elton John's Sorry Seems To Be The Hardest Word on his 1993 album Homegrown Love.

Yeah, I have that.

I actually think that of the pop legends yet to be 'tribute'-d by country artists that Elton John should have one.

Elton John can pull off a better country vocal than most mainstream country singers these days.

[JR Journey]

Elton John can pull off a better country vocal than most mainstream country singers these days.

Agreed. Case in point ...