# Does anyone rule more than Townes Van Zandt? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [February 9, 2008, 2:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anyone-rule-more-than-townes-van-zandt/436883 "2008-02-09T02:19:35Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 10\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![tnetennba](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/7993a0/32.png) [@tnetennba](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tnetennba)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2008, 2:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anyone-rule-more-than-townes-van-zandt/436883/1 "2008-02-09T02:19:35Z")
Serious question. Post your answer and justification here. ---
**Author:** ![Dag\_Otto](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/439d5e/32.png) [@Dag\_Otto](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dag_Otto)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2008, 3:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anyone-rule-more-than-townes-van-zandt/436883/2 "2008-02-09T03:24:35Z")
No. I first heard of Townes a few months after he died from Butch Hancock when Butch played a local show here. (Butch spoke quite a bit about Townes that night). Butch amazed me with his music, but I had to learn more about Townes after that. It was one of those times when you are introduced to a totally new world and are just amazed at what you’ve missed. Justification? Townes was authentic. If he sang about being down and out, you just know that he knew exactly what it was like being down and out. ---
**Author:** ![MikeG](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mikeg/32/4329_2.png) [@MikeG](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MikeG)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2008, 3:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anyone-rule-more-than-townes-van-zandt/436883/3 "2008-02-09T03:38:16Z")
My friends’ band does a couple Townes songs, Lungs, Waitin’ Around to Die, and St. John the Gambler. He was an incredible songwriter. ---
**Author:** ![mamboman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ecb155/32.png) [@mamboman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mamboman)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2008, 6:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anyone-rule-more-than-townes-van-zandt/436883/4 "2008-02-09T06:44:30Z")
Has has peers, but few betters. All I am listening to right now is Townes Van Zandt, John Prine and Lucinda Williams. “Flyin’ Shoes” breaks my heart everytime. ---
**Author:** ![garius](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e19b73/32.png) [@garius](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/garius)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2008, 9:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anyone-rule-more-than-townes-van-zandt/436883/5 "2008-02-09T09:56:58Z")
As **mamboman** said - peers but few better. I’d consider Steve Earle his equal. [Together at the Bluebird Cafe](http://www.cduniverse.com/search/xx/music/pid/6714213/a/Together+At+The+Bluebird+Cafe.htm) (Featuring Townes, Steve and Guy Clark) is never off my iPod. ---
**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:** [February 9, 2008, 7:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anyone-rule-more-than-townes-van-zandt/436883/6 "2008-02-09T19:17:38Z")
There’s something about him that’s hard to describe. A lot of people don’t get him (or don’t take the time to try). Was introduced to his songs via a Jimme Dale Gilmore/Mudhoney [collaboration](http://www.amazon.com/Mudhoney-Jimmie-Dale-Gilmore/dp/B0000035GG) on SubPop a while ago, and it’s taken a few years for me to begin to understand where he’s coming from. Got a lot of good listening ahead… I’ve got “In Pain” on my iPod. ---
**Author:** ![want2know](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/50afbb/32.png) [@want2know](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/want2know)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2008, 8:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anyone-rule-more-than-townes-van-zandt/436883/7 "2008-02-09T20:46:46Z")
Many years ago, I played the lead in an original one-act play–the character’s favorite song was “To Live is To Fly”; we used it at the beginning and end of the play. The director/author was a big fan; for my part, it was a bit too “folky” for me. Sorry to hear he passed away, though. ---
**Author:** ![tnetennba](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/7993a0/32.png) [@tnetennba](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tnetennba)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2008, 8:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anyone-rule-more-than-townes-van-zandt/436883/8 "2008-02-09T20:49:46Z")
[QUOTE=garius] As **mamboman** said - peers but few better. I’d consider Steve Earle his equal. [Together at the Bluebird Cafe](http://www.cduniverse.com/search/xx/music/pid/6714213/a/Together+At+The+Bluebird+Cafe.htm) (Featuring Townes, Steve and Guy Clark) is never off my iPod. [/QUOTE] I do have the CD (I bought it AT the Bluebird cafe). The story Townes tells about the pulled tooth kills me every time. It’s a brilliant set for all of them. Oh, and I’m going to finally see Steve Earle in concert next month. ---
**Author:** ![Hugh\_Jass](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/4da419/32.png) [@Hugh\_Jass](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hugh_Jass)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2008, 5:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anyone-rule-more-than-townes-van-zandt/436883/9 "2008-02-10T05:50:25Z")
Best CD is “Live at the Old Quarter” Has many of his best songs. And worst jokes. There are two types of music: The Blues and Zip a Dee Doo Dah. ---
**Author:** ![garius](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e19b73/32.png) [@garius](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/garius)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2008, 1:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anyone-rule-more-than-townes-van-zandt/436883/10 "2008-02-11T13:55:45Z")
[QUOTE=cricetus] I do have the CD (I bought it AT the Bluebird cafe). […] It’s a brilliant set for all of them. [/QUOTE] Several of the songs on that album are, to my mind, worthy of being regarded as their “definitive” versions - _Tom Ames’ Prayer_, and Townes’ version of _Dublin Blues_ spring to mind (Townes himself even says “Might be the best i’ve ever played it” at the end). > [@](#): > > The story Townes tells about the pulled tooth kills me every time. Its the way he tells it in his wonderful lazy drawl as well. > [@](#): > > Oh, and I’m going to finally see Steve Earle in concert next month. Lucky bastard. Being a Country/Americana fan in the UK sucks. 😃