Saving Country Music’s Best Songs of 2013 So Far
I’m not sure if how light the selection is for potential Song of the Year candidates at the halfway marker says how anemic 2013 has been so far for top flight songs, or how fortunate we were in 2012 to have such a strong field. I could only find five true candidates, and two of those candidates qualified for being 2013 songs on technicalities. But despite the lack of quantity, quality is certainly represented in these five songs, and 2013 promises to come on strong in the latter half with some excellent songwriters releasing new albums.
When we say “best songs,” we’re not just looking for those catchy tunes you can’t take off of repeat, we’re looking for songs that changes your life. Any thoughts on additions, omissions, and your own individual lists are encouraged below in the comments section.
Holly Williams – “Drinkin'” – from The Highway
This is one of those songs every other songwriter beats themselves up for not writing. Beautifully complex in its simplicity, both enigmatically deep and pleasantly colloquial, Holly Williams proves the Williams’ bloodline is still virile with an unconventional tune with universal impact on the weary soul yearning for respite. Where has Holly Williams been? She may have taken the roundabout way to finding herself, but she’s here now, and our ears couldn’t be happier.
Sturgill Simpson – “Life Ain’t Fair and the World Is Mean”
from High Top Mountain
Due to a technicality in Saving Country Music’s vast and complex bylaws, even though this song was considered for Song of the Year in 2012, since it isn’t being officially released on an album until this year, it qualifies to be considered again.
“The magic of “Life Ain’t Fair” is the way it trivializes all the issues it raises by simply pointing out the obvious: that life’s unfairness is inherent, and complaining about it or using it as an excuse to not pursue your dreams is foolish. It’s cynical and inspirational all at the same time, and that feat of acrobatics can’t be performed without some acute dexterity and prowess with the pen.” (read full review)
Josh Abbott Band – “I’ll Sing About Mine”
from Small Town Family Dream
Written by Adam Hood and Brian Keane, “I’ll Sing About Mine” appears on 2012’s Small Town Family Dream, but was released as a single with a new video in early 2013.
“The great thing about “I’ll Sing About Mine” is the non-judgmental, even-keeled manner with which it delivers its message. It takes a lot of patience and a lot of heart to say what this song says without flying off the handle or flipping birds. It makes its point with as few pointed words as possible… It understands that really, few words need to be said, because deep down every human knows what’s real and what isn’t. They just have to be reminded, and then the momentum of the truth will do the rest.” (read full review)
Caitlin Rose – “I Was Cruel” – from The Stand-In
Picking a best song off of The Stand-In is like asking a rainbow its favorite color. The intelligent and enjoyable “Only A Clown” could just as well be slotted here, but being more of a rock selection, we’re instead going to tip the hat to the pedal-steel drenched “I Was Cruel.” To have a great song, it must deliver a moment. And “I Was Cruel” delivers the mother of all moments at the very end. How are Caitlin Rose tunes not spread all over the radio?
The Dinosaur Truckers – “Leave Everything Behind”
from The Dinosaur Truckers
The Dinosaur Truckers have been Germany’s best kept country music secret for too long, and their 2013 self-titled release is the perfect excuse for American ears to get acquainted with this band that can do country and bluegrass better than many outfits stateside. “Leave Everything Behind” doesn’t lurch out at you as some immediately-recognizable standout composition, but after a few listens, you find the song has the ability to burrow deep into the memories you purposely stow away and try to not dwell on, mining the true emotion there and reminding you that sometimes you’d rather feel pain than feel nothing.
June 10, 2013 @ 8:14 am
Adam Hood’s version on “The Shape of Things” is good too. Josh Abbotts sounds a little pop-ier but maybe that was the point.
June 10, 2013 @ 8:16 am
“Disappear On Down The Line” by J.B. Beverley…idk if youve heard it yet (i know it was released a while ago on the compilation put out by the chick from American Pickers), but J.B. sent me the version thats coming out on his new solo album “Stripped To The Root”, and its amazing. Not sure if it qualifies, but thats my pick. Oh yeah, this is SO FAR in 2013, isnt it? Im a moron lol…regardless, thats my pick.
June 10, 2013 @ 8:44 am
That Danielle Colby compilation actually came out in 2011. “Disappear On Down The Line” is a good song though.
June 10, 2013 @ 9:09 am
“Six Shiny Strings” from Chris Wall’s El Western Motel record is my pick. It tells such a great story about giving everything to music and the price that is sometimes paid.
June 10, 2013 @ 9:19 am
So far, the song that has had the strongest impact on me is the deceptively named “Happy” by Holly Williams.
June 10, 2013 @ 9:59 am
I do love the Sturgill song, but its a damn shame that’s not the version that appears on the album. My vote would have to go to You can have the crown.
June 10, 2013 @ 10:17 am
I agree I prefer “You Can Have the Crown” but they are all great. I would add Eric Strickland, Boland, and Ashley Monroe to this list.
June 10, 2013 @ 10:55 am
“You Can Have The Crown” is a great song, but I would label it more “fun” and “cunning” than “deep.”
This isn’t a list of artists, it is a list of songs. I certainly thought about songs from Ashley Monroe, Eric Strickland, Jason Boland, and many others as candidates, but I didn’t hear the specific song that rose to the company represented above. That doesn’t mean they are bad songs or bad artists, but putting a name on a list of songs just so a particular artist is represented seems to go against the spirit of a song list. A song must stand out to be here.
Fan: “I’m surprised there’s no Jason Bland songs on here.”
Me: “Okay, which song would you add?”
Fan: “Any of them.”
And that’s why none of them made this list.
June 10, 2013 @ 12:58 pm
The Boland song I would add is the Title track from Dark and Dirty Mile
June 10, 2013 @ 10:38 am
……………….and Eric Strickland’s “Angel Like You”
June 10, 2013 @ 12:19 pm
great tune no doubt, but I prefer “Brandy On My Mind” for best song on that album, just my opinion though.
June 10, 2013 @ 11:19 am
No “Crooked Smile”? Hmmm. I know Jayke’s been playing it for a few years, but it just got released in 2013, right?
June 10, 2013 @ 12:28 pm
Thank you for once again introducing me to good music that I didn’t know before.
June 10, 2013 @ 2:37 pm
Kellie Pickler – Someone Somewhere Tonight
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oonl6jbBgQQ
June 10, 2013 @ 3:00 pm
best song:
water in a well – Sturgill Simpson
runner up:
one more yard – Good luck Thrift store outfit.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=okFL33to3w8
June 10, 2013 @ 5:21 pm
There are a handful of songs from “Old Excuses” that would have made it on this list if it had been released in 2013. ONe of the best albums of 2012 that went woefully under the radar.
June 10, 2013 @ 3:01 pm
Tomorrow looks like a great day – new releases from Jason Isbell, Sturgiss Simpson and Aoife O’Donovan. Alas I have to work. Thanks for this list. Hopefully some entries for today’s list are on theses discs.
June 10, 2013 @ 3:38 pm
God damn Sturgill is heaven on the ears. I like him even more live than I do on his album. Maybe he’ll make a presence in the Carolinas here soon. Fingers crossed.
June 10, 2013 @ 4:31 pm
I predict an Isbell song will be on this list at the end of the year.
June 10, 2013 @ 5:24 pm
I’m only a few listens through the album, though It’s my priority tonight. He’s not represented here because I’m just not familiar enough with the material to make a solid judgement on it yet. Isbell songs have received much love here over the years.
June 10, 2013 @ 5:00 pm
The music fog version of “life ain’t fair” blows the album version out of the water. I thought if I listened enough it would wear on me but it didn’t. I’ve listened to it since the download release and just got the vinyl this weekend. The album version just sounds hokey as hell and the lyric changes are awful. Which is a shame because the rest of the album is Fantastic. I would have picked “Old King Coal” or “I’d have to be Crazy” over either version. How about Fifth on the Floor’s “Angels in the snow” or “what for” ? Deadstring Brothers “It’s morning Irene” or Lucille’s Honky Tonk” ? Jayke Orvis “Slow Down”??? That’s just my picks and my 2 cents.
June 10, 2013 @ 5:26 pm
When I interviewed Sturgill a while back, I asked him about this very thing.
https://savingcountrymusic.com/sturgill-simpson-talks-high-top-mountain
Is that why you changed the lyrics [to “Life Ain’t Fair & the World Is Mean”] a little bit?
I changed the lyrics because I thought they needed to be a little more applicable to my life. I know people say, “I like the original version.” But the Music Fog version is different from the original version. I like the original version better. The original version is the version I wrote when I sang it in my house the first time. [Music Fog] was a week later. The album was recorded 6 months later. People can always go back and listen to that version if they like it more. Personally I can”™t listen to it ”™cause it drags and the tempo is all over the place, and my vocals aren”™t controlled. Now the version we played tonight is better than the one on the record. You”™re not going to make everyone happy. I”™m just trying to make me happy. People that like Sunday Valley are going to hear this record, and the first time they hear it, they”™re going to want to hate it because it”™s not going to be what they know. And change is a really scary thing to a lot of people. But I”™m not interested in those people. I want to make country music for people who think they hate country music because they”™ve never heard country music.
June 10, 2013 @ 6:07 pm
Kudos to stu for releasing the version HE liked the best. I guess if he went by what everyone else thought, He’d just be a Tool. The music fog version just happens to be my favorite. Still a good song either way.
June 10, 2013 @ 5:20 pm
Trigger – It has been a light year.
I totally agree with Holly Williams and Sturgill Simpson. A quick search in my itunes library and I can only add “Bread for the Body” Kristofferson (depends on when you set the release date) and Patty Griffin’s “Ohio” (I know she’s more “americana,” but you have Caitlin Rose on your list).
I’m going to try and find and give a listen to Dinosaur Truckers tonight.
June 10, 2013 @ 8:07 pm
Of these, the winner is Holly Williams and it ain’t even close. If only the arrangement was a little better…
Josh Abbot Band claims that distant second. At first I thought they were sucking up to the Trigger man with that subject choice, but nope–that’s a damn fine song!. And well clear of third place, too.
Sturgill and Caitlin both are able to pull a great performance out of those songs, but this is about the song, not the performance. These songs are just meh.
Dinosaur Truckers don’t really reach me at any level.
June 10, 2013 @ 8:29 pm
“When we say “best songs,” we”™re not just looking for those catchy tunes you can”™t take off of repeat, we”™re looking for songs that changes your life.”
I didn’t take that into account with my take on the songs. I tend to differ with that opinion. I think ‘best’ should actually take popularity into account. And a year is a good time frame to pick the best. A song that changes one’s life is a different animal. That takes more time. I would call a song like that a ‘great’ song, and it may not even be the best song the year it came out.
My standard for that is Night Moves by Bob Seger. One of the greatest songs of all time, but not a number one song the year it came out. It only managed no. 4, if you can believe it.
Instead of trying to project greatness onto a brand new song, why not see how good it is first? Just sayin’.
June 10, 2013 @ 11:05 pm
I nominate “Born to Be Blue” by the Mavericks. I can’t get enough of that song lately. Reminds me a lot of Dwight Yoakam, has a total Bakersfield sound.
June 11, 2013 @ 1:56 pm
Holly Williams “Waitin’ on June” is a just a beautifully written song and she’s the perfect performer for it.
June 11, 2013 @ 11:17 pm
chicken pie by Carolina still, no Contest
or if u want a Moore serious pick, homeless by Ray Lawrence jr
June 12, 2013 @ 1:38 pm
I vote for “Come Unto Me” by the Mavericks. When have the Mavericks ever recorded a song that sucked?
June 12, 2013 @ 9:09 pm
you should have went with dinosaur truckers “wolves in the street”
my favorite song by far by this band
THANK YOU for introducing me to this band
June 14, 2013 @ 10:50 am
I love that whole Album but Wolves in the streets in definitely my favorite.
June 14, 2013 @ 1:18 pm
Yvette/ Jason Isbell
June 14, 2013 @ 7:58 pm
Lead me Astray – Jayke Orvis and Pistol Packin’ Rebel – Carolina Still are the ones I’ve been really stoked on this year. Also, I don’t care what everyone else is saying… Outlaw Ways is borderline EPIC
June 16, 2013 @ 8:19 am
I agree with holly williams 100%, but the song I’ve been listening to non stop is waiting on June, just an awesome song and great story telling by her
June 28, 2013 @ 9:30 pm
My favorite song of the first six months is “Still Fighting the War” by Slaid Cleaves. For those who haven’t heard it, it’s about a veteran who struggles adapting to civilian life. Powerful stuff, and the title track of an excellent album.
some other favorites:
Leaving Everything Behind – Dinosaur Truckers (good call, Triggerman)
Do They Dream of Hell in Heaven – Terry Allen
Your Spell – John Moreman
Traveling Alone – Jason Isbell
Follow Your Arrow – Kacey Musgraves
American Ride – Willie Nile (not country but a great song)
October 31, 2013 @ 7:21 am
Wolves in the Streets – The Dinosaur Truckers
Hands down the best song of 2013.