Posted on 06/04/2013 6:14:10 AM PDT by Zionist Conspirator
There are a lot of strange songs out there. But how many strange country songs are there? (By "country" I include "hillbilly," "western," "western swing," and "bluegrass," but not "folk" simply because there are oodles and oodles of bizarre folk songs). For the most part country is the sane, genre, the level-headed genre, the "plain folks" genre. But I've found a country song that is disturbing and bizarre, and I'm sure some of you have found others as well.
Many years ago on the old Porter Wagoner TV show I saw Porter perform a song he had written but wished he hadn't. He apologized for the strange song then introduced Speck Rhodes for his comedy segment, and Speck teased him unmercifully. It was a hoot.
Anyway, this Porter Wagoner song was The Rubber Room, and Porter (if I remember correctly) said he realized that the song could be disturbing to people who had loved ones who were institutionalized. That was the first and, until recently, the only time I had ever heard the song.
The other day I did a search for this song and found the original record on YouTube.
But apparently in later years he changed his mind about the song because I also found this video of Porter the year he died performing it live. He's almost 80 years old, and it's just him singing accompanied by nothing but two acoustic guitars (his and Marty Stuart's). This time (unlike the record) there are no electronic sound effects to augment the performance. It's so sparse I think it's more emotionally stirring than the original recording.
And oddly enough, I've found that there are several covers of the song by younger artists who weren't even around when I heard Porter sing the song on his TV show. Apparently it's considered shocking and "edgy."
Well . . . this is my candidate for weirdest/most bizarre country song. Does anyone else have one? (Again, folk songs don't count simply because so many of them are bizarre.)
They ain’t making Jews like Jesus anymore... country song.
My wife left with my best friend and I miss him.
Well, Shooter Jennings has a song called Put The “O” Back in Country
“The Bluebird of Happiness’ by Little jimmy Dickens...
Dead Skunk in the Middle of the Road
Kinky Friedman . . . right?
That one where you play it backwards and get your dog back, your truck back, your house back, and your wife back.
The Horseflies are a bluegrass band who do some off-the-wall songs. Here they are live playing Roadkill.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r7PDW9JoYQc
Almost a standard: ‘I am My Own Grandpa’
Just about anything by Jerry Reed - (Amos Moses, When You’re Hot You’re Hot....)
Lol!
Wrong title...”May the Bird of Paradise Fly Up Your Nose.”
I don’t know if this would be “Country” but ANYTHING Ray Stephens is HALARIOUS!
(Don't blame me if I'm slingin' Bambi, I'm just a man tryin' to feed my family....)
"Put Another Log on the Fire" - Tompall Glaser (bizarre, satirical feminist rant by Shel Silverstein)
Sorry, forgot, the Gourds do an outlaw country version of Snoop Dogg’s “Gin and Juice”
That’s such an uplifting song. I had never heard it before.
I think its bizarre that Taylor Swift is considered country. note I like many of her songs but I don’T think she belongs in the country genre’.
Drop Kick Me, Jesus, Through the Goal Post of Life - Bobby Bare
Get your Tongue outa my mouth, I’m kissing you goodbye - Ray Stevens
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