10 Great Americana / Alt. Country songs

There are so MANY great songs to choose from… here are 10 great that´s on my mind today.

Hank Williams – Lost Highway

I’m a rollin’ stone all alone and lost
For a life of sin I have paid the cost
When I pass by all the people say
Just another guy on the lost highway

Drive-by Truckers – Goddamn Lonely Love

I got green and I got blues
And everyday there’s a little less difference between the two
I belly-up and disappear
Well I ain’t really drowning ’cause I see the beach from here

Bruce Springsteen – Reason To Believe

Seen a man standin’ over a dead dog lyin’ by the highway in a ditch
He’s lookin’ down kinda puzzled pokin’ that dog with a stick
Got his car door flung open he’s standin’ out on highway 31
Like if he stood there long enough that dog’d get up and run
Struck me kinda funny seem kinda funny sir to me
Still at the end of every hard day people find some reason to believe

November 16 1990 at The Shrine, Los Angeles, California:

Steve Earle – Valentine’s Day

I come to you with empty hands
I guess I just forgot again
I only got my love to send
On Valentine’s Day
I ain’t got a card to sign
Roses have been hard to find
I only hope that you’ll be mine
On Valentine’s Day
I know that I swore that I wouldn’t forget
I wrote it all down: I lost it I guess
There’s so much I want to say
But all the words just slip away

The way you love me every day
Is Valentine’s Day

Lucinda Williams – Drunken Angel

Sun came up it was another day
And the sun went down you were blown away
Why’d you let go of your guitar
Why’d you ever let it go that far
Drunken Angel

Austin City Limits, December 5, 1998:

James McMurtry – We can’t make it here

There’s a Vietnam Vet with a cardboard sign
Sitting there by the left turn line
The flag on his wheelchair flapping in the breeze
One leg missing and both hands free

Live acoustic performance at KFOG:

Gillian Welch – Time (The Revelator)

Darling remember when you come to me
I’m a pretender; I’m not what I’m suppose to be
But who could know if I’m a traitor?
Time’s the revelator, the revelator

Ryan Adams – Peaceful Valley

Lord take me home
To the peaceful valley
Down the winding river
To your city your soul
I’ve grown so tired
And my hearts grown heavy
To walk any longer
To your cities of gold
All my life I’ve loved for forgiveness
But I can never seem to get enough
All my life I’ve been rocked into the darkness
With a gun to my head

Newport Folk 2014 (song starts 1 min into the video):

Jason Isbell – Cover Me Up

A heart on the run keeps a hand on the gun
You can’t trust anyone
I was so sure what I needed was more
Tried to shoot out the sun
Days when we raged, we flew off the page
Such damage was done
But I made it through, ’cause somebody knew
I was meant for someone

Austin City Limits

Son Volt – Windfall

Now and then it keeps you running
It never seems to die
The trail’s spent with fear
Not enough living on the outside
Never seem to get far enough
Staying in between the lines
Hold on to what you can
Waiting for the end
Not knowing when

Austin City Limits, 1996:

-Egil