Friday Five: Sisters

There are a whole lot of sister songs out there, from Reba’s “My Sister” to Eddy Arnold’s “Little Kid Sister of Mine” (that one’s actually about a dead kid, so I can’t make fun of it). But here are five for your listening enjoyment. When you’re done, go give your sister a call just to chat–or at least to apologize for all those times you borrowed her clothes without asking (that goes double for you, dudes).

• 5. “Sister” – Cross Canadian Ragweed
  Older siblings are a great source of cool music, as Cross Canadian Ragweed knows. Who hasn’t gotten stoned on his or her sister’s record collection? Figuratively speaking anyway. But if you’ve done so literally, we won’t judge.
• 4. “Pretty Little Miss” – Patty Loveless
  Puppy love sure is sweet…at least until the inevitable crushing rejection. Here, the object of Pretty Little Miss’ affections runs off with her older sister, leaving her a “sad and lonely maiden.” Cheer up, Miss: you’ll be a child bride before you know it.
• 3. “Little Sister” – Dwight Yoakam
  A nice cover, yes, but do the lyrics—”I used to pull down on your pigtails and pinch your turned up nose/Oh but baby you’ve been growing/Lately it’s been showing, Honey/From your head right down to your toes”—gross anyone else out? Maybe we can consider this a sequel to “Pretty Little Miss.”
• 2. “I Gave My Wedding Dress Away” – Kitty Wells
  The narrator of this song surrenders both dress and groom to her younger sister. That’s quite the selfless gesture, but I’m guessing it’ll make next Thanksgiving just a little bit awkward as she’s forced to stare at that homewrecking tramp over the candied yams.
• 1. “The Night The Lights Went Out In Georgia” – Vicki Lawrence
  Andy’s adulterous wife “never left town/That’s one body that’ll never be found/You see, little sister don’t miss when she aims her gun.” We should all have someone so loyal. Too bad Andy’s too dead to appreciate it.