I came across this this Dallas Observer list of the 100 Best Texas Songs, and as I can’t resist a good list I figured I ought to be able to get a random ten out of it.
1. She’s No Lady, She’s My Wife – Lyle Lovett, #95
2. Pride And Joy – Stevie Ray Vaughan, #92
3. Me and Bobby McGee – Janis Joplin (#77, orig. Kris Krittofferson)
4. Paradise By The Dashboard Light – Meat Loaf, #72
5. London Homesick Blues – Flying Fish Sailors (#62, orig. Gary P. Nunn)
6. La Grange – ZZ Top, #41
7. That’ll Be The Day – Buddy Holly, #15
8. In Dreams – Roy Orbison, #11
9. Crazy – Patsy Cline (#5, orig. Willie Nelson)
10. Tighten Up – Archie Bell and The Drells, #1
Not a bad list overall, with a fair amount of punk and hip-hop on it, as you’d expect from a list put together by the staff of an alt-weekly. I believe they missed out on what I consider to be an iconic Texas tune, the Austin Lounge Lizards’ “Stupid Texas Song”, which captures the essence of our beloved home in a way no other ditty ever has. Still, a good sampling, with a few songs I’m going to need to check out. There’s always room to argue about the songs that should have been included, but I’ll leave that to the comments. What do you think?
Maybe I clicked through the list too fast, but I didn’t see any Michelle Shocked. “V.F.D.” is a fine East Texas song.
No Michelle Shocked on the list. “Memories of East Texas” is also a fine song.