Hillbilly Holiday, 2005: Required Listening

April 24th, 2005 at 7:25 pm (East Tennessee and The South, Travel, Entertainment)

Six weeks and counting to Hillbilly Holiday, 2005, and as promised, I have compiled a list of songs constituting Required Listening consistent with the theme.The following songs best represent, in my opinion, all that is good about East Tennessee, Tennessee, the South, and the “country.” Because Bristol, Tennessee/Virginia is the Birthplace of Country Music, it just seems proper to focus on country music and its tendency toward healthy portions of self-deprecating humor, a love for family, simple pleasures, and the simple life, and an affinity for integrating God into casual, every day conversation. And that is as it should be.You’re going to need iTunes to make some of the following links work. If you don’t already have it, click on the graphic below and install the thing. It’s free.
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I. Signature Song
In East Tennessee any discussion of music both begins and ends with Rocky Top. The song originated with The Osborne Brothers, but it has become much more than just a bluegrass hit. It’s one of five official state songs, but it’s probably best known as the unofficial fight song of the University of Tennessee. During one telecast of a UT football game last year, the announcers said that the average number of times the song is played during a football game is something like 220. Consequently, it’s one of the most hated songs in the Southeastern Conference. And we like it that way.
Rocky Top The Osborne Brothers Lyrics
Rocky Top The Pride of the Southland Marching Band No Lyrics
II. Self-Deprecating Southern Pride and Other Humor
A. Country and Proud of It
These five songs capture the pride, charm, and self-deprecating humor of the South, where “everybody knows everybody” and where folks are proud of their coonskin cap wearing neighbors. Where a love triangle just might involve a pistol-packin farm girl who strays from her man and hooks up with a dude named Earl who rebuilds engines for a living — a “Charlie Daniels of the torque wrench” — only to be lured back to her man by the promise of onion rings and t.v. Where the family’s claim to fame is ownership of an Elvis t.v. tray and a penchant for going “hog wild over beans and barbecue.” Where the grease monkey who caught the record small mouth out on Kentucky lake is “one of the most famous people in the country.” And where A&P-workin’, baby blue AMC-drivin’, yard-mowin’, stamp-collectin’, canasta-playin’ Barney Jekyll metamorphasizes into a honky-tonkin’ Bubba Hyde.
I’m from the Country Tracy Byrd Lyrics
Queen of My Double Wide Trailer Sammy Kershaw Lyrics
Lifestyles of the Not so Rich and Famous Tracy Byrd Lyrics
Famous People Brad Paisley Lyrics
Bubba Hyde Diamond Rio Lyrics
B. Punchlines
The next seven songs are basically jokes put to music. I won’t ruin them by giving anything away. I will say, though, that Two Feet of Topsoil, in addition to being funny, also qualifies as a nice geology lesson. Now that’s low!
I’m Gonna Miss Her Brad Paisley Lyrics
All You Really Need is Love Brad Paisley Lyrics
Me Neither Brad Paisley Lyrics
Drink, Swear, Steal & Lie Michael Peterson Lyrics
Two Feet of Topsoil Brad Paisley Lyrics
She’s Got the Rhythm Alan Jackson Lyrics
Did I Shave My Legs for This? Deana Carter Lyrics
C. Just Plain Funny
The next five songs are not really jokes, just funny. It Never Woulda Worked Out Anyway is basically a guy telling the girl he likes not to fret about all of the lies he’s telling other guys about her because she’s not meant to be with any of them anyway. You can guess the theme of Mr. Mom. There’s a snippet of the video for the song on Lonestar’s site, if you want to check it out. Notice that the dog is sporting a band-aid.Is it Still Over is home to the best line in country music:
Is it still over?
Are we still through?
Since my phone still ain’t ringin’
I’ll assume it still ain’t you

Brad Paisley’s faith is tested by a long-winded preacher in Long Sermon. Lyle Lovett takes a more proactive approach to the same problem in Church.
It Never Woulda Worked Out Anyway Brad Paisley Lyrics
Mr. Mom Lonestar Lyrics
Is it Still Over? Randy Travis Lyrics
Long Sermon Brad Paisley Lyrics
Church Lyle Lovett Lyrics
III. Life, Love, Family, and Other Simple Pleasures
Life’s all about love, family, and other simple pleasures. It’s about mowing your lawn, eating eggs and biscuits, and watching kids enjoying being kids. It’s about the unconditional love of a parent or spouse. It’s about expressing your love for another in familiar terms, comparing it to the depth of a holler, the strength of a river, the height of a pine tree, or the song of a whippoorwill. It’s about proclaiming your love for another in front of the entire town (as Billy Bob does for Charlene in John Deere Green by vandalizing the local water tower). It’s about marrying the girl you’ve always loved. And it’s about going through life expecting to get a bit of dirt on you and deciding to enjoy the process anyway.
Ain’t Nothin’ Like Brad Paisley Lyrics
Love Without End, Amen George Strait Lyrics
Deeper Than the Holler Randy Travis Lyrics
Make a Mistake, Part I, Part II Brad Paisley Lyrics
Little Moments Brad Paisley Lyrics
Mud on the Tires Brad Paisley Lyrics
John Deere Green Joe Diffie Lyrics
Rebecca Lynn Bryan White Lyrics
IV. Just Plain Fun
These songs don’t really fit into another category. They’re just fun.
The Devil Went Down to Georgia The Charlie Daniels Band Lyrics
I Wanna Talk About Me Toby Keith Lyrics
Sold (The Grundy County Auction) John Michael Montgomery Lyrics
V. Faith
Religion is heavily integrated into Southern culture. We still pray at football games, mostly because we want to and largely because nobody objects. It sure is nice to live in a place where people don’t run to their lawyer whenever they hear the name of Jesus.The following songs are not found on religious albums — they are all included on mainstream, secular albums along with the radio hits. And, at least in country music, they don’t seem out of place.
The Old Rugged Cross Brad Paisley Lyrics
Farther Along Brad Paisley Lyrics
Go Rest High on that Mountain Vince Gill Lyrics
In the Garden Brad Paisley Lyrics
VI. Signature Song
As I said, in East Tennessee any discussion of music both begins and ends with Rocky Top. Okay, then.
Rocky Top The Osborne Brothers Lyrics
Rocky Top The Pride of the Southland Marching Band No Lyrics