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.)
Originally by the first Lonzo and Oscar. I had a Guy Lombardo album with it on it.
“I made her the queen of my doublewide trailer”
For an actual bizarre country song I’ll vote Crispy Critters by CW McCall.
“Kiss My Baby with My Fist” - Ramblin’ Outlaws
Bobby Bare’s “Drop Kick Me Jesus Through the Goal Posts of Life”. Also Johnny Cash did one about flushing from the toilet or your heart, or something like that.
Honorable Mention to Toby Keiths “I Ain’t Drunk, I’m Just Pukin”
From Jimmy Buffett, “why don’t we get drunk....” (remainder of title omitted for family friendly website. :)
The Royal Canadians were my dad’s favorites...
Dirty Old Egg Sucking Dog - Johnny Cash
Flushed From the Bathroom of Your Heart - Johny Cash
Boy Named Sue - Johnny Cash
You Can Have Your Kate and Edith, Too - Statler Brothers
porter Waggoner has some other weird songs too, he is weird
That's a novelty song, not "country". Jack Blanchard and Misty Morgan's "Tennessee Bird Walk" falls into the same category - sounds kinda like a country tune, but really more folk/novelty.
Obviously, “The Perfect Country Western Song” ....
And so he sent me a third verse,
And it went like this,
Well, I was drunk ...
The day my mamma got out of prison,
And I went to pick her up in the rain,
But before I could get to station in my pickup .... truck,
She got ran over by a dang ole traaaain!
“Here I am in Dallas, Where the Hell Are you?”
Momma, Don’t Let Your Cowboys Grow Up To Be Babies
Just about any tune from Unknown Gibson would fill the bill.
LOL, c’mon, you win. NOTHING in country music is more strange and bizarre than “The Rubber Room.” Never heard it before and I’ve been listening to country a long time. Weeeeeeeeeid.
I meant weeeeeeird.
Hinson, not Gibson. F’n spell checker.
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