# Country songs written by non-country artists **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [September 10, 2019, 12:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/country-songs-written-by-non-country-artists/839955 "2019-09-10T00:20:17Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![ftg](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ftg/32/2801_2.png) [@ftg](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ftg)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2019, 12:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/country-songs-written-by-non-country-artists/839955/22 "2019-09-10T12:58:15Z")
Johnny Cash in his later American Recordings years covered a variety of songs from different genres. The most famous country-fied one was Nine Inch Nails’ song _Hurt_. The NIN version was nominated for a Grammy and the Cash [version](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0kN5Zs9WxIc) got all sorts of [award](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hurt_(Nine_Inch_Nails_song)#Awards) recognition. And in turn, other country artists have covered the song Cash-style. ---
**Author:** ![Annie-Xmas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecc23a/32.png) [@Annie-Xmas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Annie-Xmas)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2019, 1:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/country-songs-written-by-non-country-artists/839955/23 "2019-09-10T13:21:14Z")
Children’s author Shel Silverstein is also a gifted lyricist who has written some [country songs](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shel_Silverstein#Songs) ---
**Author:** ![Gordon\_Urquhart](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/db5fbb/32.png) [@Gordon\_Urquhart](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gordon_Urquhart)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2019, 1:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/country-songs-written-by-non-country-artists/839955/24 "2019-09-10T13:36:18Z")
Thanks, OP – I’ve been wanting to start a thread like this for quite a number of years and never got around to it. Here’s another from Sting (and it was later covered by actual country singer and A-1 level redneck Toby Keith): [I’m So Happy I Can’t Stop Crying](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LI8khooPyJk) The Dandy Warhols, perhaps best known for _Bohemian Like You_ from the album _Thirteen Tales from Urban Bohemia_, included [Country Leaver](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ylF2d-WZf0Y) on the same album. Many of the others I can think of have already been mentioned, including some of the Rolling Stones’ countrified songs. As an aside, my wife and I were driving through Colorado Springs last Saturday and the Stones’ \*Gimme Shelter \*came on the radio. That song is not country-ish, but I started thinking about some of their other songs that are, including _Wild Horses_. There’s some debate about whether \*Wild Horses \*is a Richards/Jaggar song or if Gram Parsons wrote it; Parsons and The Flying Burrito Brothers released it on _Burrito Deluxe_ the year before _Sticky Fingers_ came out, but according to most accounts it was originally written by Richards and Jaggar. Anyway, just as I started thinking about _Wild Horses_, we passed a building in Colorado Springs belonging to Parsons, which is an engineering firm. Regardless of who wrote the song, I thought that was a nice little coincidence. ---
**Author:** ![wguy123](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wguy123/32/3161_2.png) [@wguy123](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wguy123)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2019, 2:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/country-songs-written-by-non-country-artists/839955/25 "2019-09-10T14:39:01Z")
Has anyone mentioned Blanco Brown’s The Git Up: :D ---
**Author:** ![AskNott](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/asknott/32/5790_2.png) [@AskNott](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AskNott)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2019, 3:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/country-songs-written-by-non-country-artists/839955/26 "2019-09-10T15:08:00Z")
I was chasing down links to the songs I suggested, and I discovered Elvis Costello **did not write** _Changing Partners._ Patti Page recorded it in 1953! I’m struggling to get used to a new vertical wireless mouse, and it tripped me up. It has Forward & Back thumb buttons, very close to my big, twitchy old thumb. In the SDMB software, when you Back out of a mostly-finished reply, it’s gone when you go Forward again. I’m trying not to scream at my computer (and my ignorance), so I need to take a break. I’ll get back to you later. ---
**Author:** ![AskNott](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/asknott/32/5790_2.png) [@AskNott](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AskNott)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2019, 3:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/country-songs-written-by-non-country-artists/839955/27 "2019-09-10T15:19:02Z")
Yeah, **wguy123** , _The Git Up_ is a solid fit here! ---
**Author:** ![The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/the_other_waldo_pepper/32/12370_2.png) [@The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Other_Waldo_Pepper)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2019, 3:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/country-songs-written-by-non-country-artists/839955/28 "2019-09-10T15:19:32Z")
> [@ftg](#): > > Johnny Cash in his later American Recordings years covered a variety of songs from different genres. The most famous country-fied one was Nine Inch Nails’ song _Hurt_. The NIN version was nominated for a Grammy and the Cash [version](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0kN5Zs9WxIc) got all sorts of [award](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hurt_(Nine_Inch_Nails_song)#Awards) recognition. At that, Garth Brooks got [his seventh Number One hit on the Billboard country charts](https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shameless_(Billy_Joel_song)) by listening to Billy Joel’s song “Shameless” and realizing, _hey, if you sing it with a twang, those lyrics and that tune are right in my wheelhouse…_ ---
**Author:** ![garygnu](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/garygnu/32/2924_2.png) [@garygnu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/garygnu)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2019, 3:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/country-songs-written-by-non-country-artists/839955/29 "2019-09-10T15:20:12Z")
The Beatles’ “I’ve Just Seen a Face” is a mandolin or banjo away from being pure bluegrass. The band Cake has more country in them than you’d realize. “Stickshifts and Safetybelts” jumped out to me when I first listened to the _Fashion Nugget_ album. ---
**Author:** ![Philliam](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/philliam/32/3011_2.png) [@Philliam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Philliam)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2019, 3:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/country-songs-written-by-non-country-artists/839955/30 "2019-09-10T15:48:18Z")
Velvet Underground - _Lonesome Cowboy Bill_. Alrighty then. ---
**Author:** ![jaycat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jaycat/32/3015_2.png) [@jaycat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jaycat)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2019, 3:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/country-songs-written-by-non-country-artists/839955/31 "2019-09-10T15:51:35Z")
> [@garygnu](#): > > The Beatles’ “I’ve Just Seen a Face” is a mandolin or banjo away from being pure bluegrass. [Boy howdy.](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fJPZeXZw0j8) ---
**Author:** ![uncle\_squeegee](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/b5e925/32.png) [@uncle\_squeegee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/uncle_squeegee)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2019, 4:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/country-songs-written-by-non-country-artists/839955/32 "2019-09-10T16:30:05Z")
> [@Dinsdale](#): > > Radio Sweetheart was the EC tune that immediately came to my mind. That’s a fine song. I also suggest his song “Different Finger.” ---
**Author:** ![AHunter3](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ahunter3/32/368_2.png) [@AHunter3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AHunter3)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2019, 4:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/country-songs-written-by-non-country-artists/839955/33 "2019-09-10T16:36:44Z")
A significant chunk of the oeuvre of Dr. Hook and the Medicine Show could be reconceptualized as country. [This one, for instance](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oG1ABybWzUs). But they’re generally regarded as rockers. ---
**Author:** ![gytalf2000](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/ac91a4/32.png) [@gytalf2000](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gytalf2000)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2019, 5:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/country-songs-written-by-non-country-artists/839955/34 "2019-09-10T17:01:29Z")
The Bee Gees wrote “Islands in the Stream”. They also wrote “Come On Over”. Both are great country tunes! ---
**Author:** ![EinsteinsHund](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/einsteinshund/32/8400_2.png) [@EinsteinsHund](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EinsteinsHund)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2019, 5:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/country-songs-written-by-non-country-artists/839955/35 "2019-09-10T17:23:31Z")
Bob Dylan wrote many, including the whole “Nashville Skyline” album. Another not so well known example I always liked is his country waltz “[Wallflower](https://vimeo.com/83139584)”. It was first released on an album by [Dylan’s pal Doug Sahm](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ks3jsxmXRx4), with “background” vocals by Dylan that in fact were so prominently mixed to the front that it almost can count as a Dylan recording. Patti Smith also likes the song. She once said that she saw herself as the “wallflower” when she first listened to the song. ---
**Author:** ![Dinsdale](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/97f17d/32.png) [@Dinsdale](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dinsdale)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2019, 5:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/country-songs-written-by-non-country-artists/839955/36 "2019-09-10T17:28:44Z")
> [@garygnu](#): > > The Beatles’ “I’ve Just Seen a Face” is a mandolin or banjo away from being pure bluegrass. … That’s an interesting observation - tho I imaging not really what the OP was asking. I play in a lot of BG jams, and people bring all manner of songs - including Beatles tunes. When WE play them - w/ fiddle/banjo/mando, and no drums - they sound bluegrassy. Recently I had Stuck in the Middle w/ You going through my head. I wondered how it would work as BG. Delved into YouTube and found a TON of examples of people doing just that. I worked up the words and chords, found a key I could sing it in, and tried to do it w/ my group, but it wasn’t anything we wanted to work up. Same more recently w/ Tom Waits’ Come On Up to the House. Sarah Jarosz does a wonderful version on mando - but I wouldn’t call it a BG tune. How bout Nashville Cates - by John Sebastian/Lovin Spoonful? Del McCoury does a wonderful version. ---
**Author:** ![EinsteinsHund](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/einsteinshund/32/8400_2.png) [@EinsteinsHund](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EinsteinsHund)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2019, 5:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/country-songs-written-by-non-country-artists/839955/37 "2019-09-10T17:30:40Z")
Sorry, too late to edit: Maybe Dylan’s most famous country song, in which he even rhymes moon with spoon(!), “[I’ll Be Your Baby Tonight](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1N8SRE97NrM)”. ---
**Author:** ![EinsteinsHund](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/einsteinshund/32/8400_2.png) [@EinsteinsHund](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EinsteinsHund)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2019, 6:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/country-songs-written-by-non-country-artists/839955/38 "2019-09-10T18:02:04Z")
The Kinks also had a few, e. g. [Muswell Hillbilly](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TWcsvaHABsc). ---
**Author:** ![Crafter\_Man](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/crafter_man/32/458_2.png) [@Crafter\_Man](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Crafter_Man)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2019, 6:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/country-songs-written-by-non-country-artists/839955/39 "2019-09-10T18:25:20Z")
Not really a country song, per say. But lead guitar riff in _St. Vitus Dance_ by **Black Sabbath** definitely has a country “twang” to it. ---
**Author:** ![AskNott](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/asknott/32/5790_2.png) [@AskNott](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AskNott)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2019, 8:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/country-songs-written-by-non-country-artists/839955/40 "2019-09-10T20:25:49Z")
[Joy - YouTube](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R--3fsnA6F4) Nilsson’s _Joy_ has Nicky Hopkins doing his best Floyd Cramer on piano, Ray Rhodes on pedal steel guitar, and Peter Frampton (!) on electric guitar. ---
**Author:** ![AskNott](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/asknott/32/5790_2.png) [@AskNott](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AskNott)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2019, 8:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/country-songs-written-by-non-country-artists/839955/41 "2019-09-10T20:37:07Z")
> [@AHunter3](#): > > A significant chunk of the oeuvre of Dr. Hook and the Medicine Show could be reconceptualized as country. > > [This one, for instance](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oG1ABybWzUs). > > But they’re generally regarded as rockers. I with you there, and that one, _If I’d Only Come And Gone,_ has brilliant lyrics, one of the hallmarks of country music [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/country-songs-written-by-non-country-artists/839955.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/country-songs-written-by-non-country-artists/839955.md?page=3)