It Started As Country…

So, anyone of a certain age <ahem> will know the massive hit that Ronan Keating had with “When You Say Nothing At All”. If you’re not based in the UK, you might not know a lot about Ronan himself (sorry Ronan) but you’ll know the song, especially if you saw the movie Notting Hill the first time around. 

The other day I was driving in my car, and I hear this old country song on the radio and I’m like “where do I know that song from??” Now forgive my ignorance but I had no idea that the legend that is Keith Whitley had a number one with the original version of this very song.

And listening to it, it makes total sense. Ronan might be pop but the song screams country. It was written by Paul Overstreet and Don Schlitz, who collectively, have written massive hits for Randy Travis, Blake Shelton, and Kenny Rogers to name but a few. It is a simple, three cords and the truth, country love song.

So, it got me thinking how many other songs are out there that started out as country songs and then became a hit in another genre…

The obvious one (to some) is “I Will Always Love You”. Fans of the movie The Bodyguard will know how Whitney absolutely knocked this song out of the metaphorical ballpark. But did you know that it was written by Dolly herself and was a number one hit twice for her – once when it was first released in 1974 and then again when it was re-released on the soundtrack to Dolly’s movie The Best Little Whorehouse In Texas. Originally Elvis had wanted to record a version, but Dolly held out as she didn’t want to sign over the publishing rights (as was the norm for Elvis’s songs back then). She is quoted as saying that when Whitney’s version came out it made her enough money to buy Graceland so I think we can all agree she made the right decision at the time.

Another surprising one is Adele’s massive hit “Make You Feel My Love”. Originally written and released by Bob Dylan, Garth and Trisha actually recorded a version nine years before Adele released hers for the soundtrack for the Sandra Bullock movie Hope Floats (I’m sensing a pattern here… soundtracks love a country cover!).

Others to note are the White Stripes covering Loretta Lynn’s “Rated X”, Al Green’s version of Willie Nelson’s song “Funny How Time Slips Away” and the rock band Cake covering hits by Willie and Kenny Rogers. Also, notable mention is EDM star KSHMR covering Country Roads Take Me Home… I did not see that one coming.

Country songs are known for telling stories so it makes sense that a good country song could easily cross over into the pop genre. The melodies are pretty simple and the lyrics lend themselves to both genres. But the obvious next question is… what country artists have done it the other way round? Who took a hot song from a different genre and made it country?

We had Johnny Cash cover Nine Inch Nails Hurt (and what a great job he did with it) and, of course, Luke Combs with Fast Car by Tracey Chapman. But I feel like there’s room for so many more.

I’m just waiting for Miranda to cover a Megadeath song… I’d buy it.