The Top 10 Country Folk Music Songs

This list of the top 10 country folk songs captures the spirit of a genre that often gets overshadowed by its more popular cousin, country music.

Introduction

Music has been a large part of human culture since its inception. Folk music, in particular, has been passed down through the generations and has shaped the music we listen to today.

Country folk music is a genre that combines elements of folk and country music. It is often characterized by its simple melodies and lyrics, as well as its focus on rural life.

There are many great country folk songs, but these ten are some of the best.

“I Will Always Love You” by Whitney Houston

“I Will Always Love You” by Whitney Houston is a song from the movie The Bodyguard. The song was written by Dolly Parton, and was originally released as a single in 1974. The song was a huge hit, and won several awards, including the Grammy Award for Record of the Year.

“Stand by Me” by Ben E. King

“Stand by Me” is a song originally performed by American singer-songwriter Ben E. King and written by King, Jerry Leiber, and Mike Stoller. The song was released in 1961 as a single from the album Don’t Play That Song!. “Stand by Me” reached number one on the Hot R&B Sides chart and number four on the Billboard Hot 100. The song has been covered by many artists including John Lennon, Mickey Gilley, Barbra Streisand, and Whitney Houston.

“Unchained Melody” by The Righteous Brothers

The Righteous Brothers had a huge hit with this song in 1965, and it has been played in countless movies and television shows since then. The song is about a man who is in prison and thinking about his lost love.

“You’ve Lost That Lovin’ Feelin'” by The Righteous Brothers

This song was released in 1964 and was written by Barry Mann, Cynthia Weil, and Phil Spector. The song is about lost love and has been covered by many artists over the years. It is one of the most popular country folk songs of all time.

“You’ve Lost That Lovin’ Feelin'” by The Righteous Brothers is a song about lost love that has been covered by many artists over the years. The song was released in 1964 and was written by Barry Mann, Cynthia Weil, and Phil Spector. It is one of the most popular country folk songs of all time.

“I Can’t Help Falling in Love with You” by Elvis Presley

“I Can’t Help Falling in Love with You” is a 1961 rock and roll song recorded by Elvis Presley and published by Gladys Music, Elvis Presley’s publishing company. The song was written by Hugo Peretti, Luigi Creatore, and George David Weiss and released as a single in the U.S. on October 1, 1961. It spent seven weeks at the top of the Billboard Hot 100 and was certified platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America.

The song is about falling in love and not being able to help it. The sound of the ukulele makes it sound like a Hawaiian love song, even though it’s not. The lyrics were inspired by a poem called “Plaisir d’amour”, written in 1784 by Jean-Pierre Claris de Florian.

Elvis Presley recorded “I Can’t Help Falling in Love with You” at Radio Recorders in Hollywood on March 23, 1961. The single became available for purchase on October 1, 1961. It debuted on the Billboard Hot 100 chart on October 28, 1961, at number 53 and reached number one on December 4, 1961, where it stayed for seven weeks.

“I Can’t Help Falling in Love with You” became one of Presley’s signature songs and one of his best-known songs. It was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame in 1998 and ranked number two on Billboard’s list of the top 60 20th century songs.

“Crazy” by Patsy Cline

“Crazy” is a song composed by Willie Nelson and first recorded by Patsy Cline in 1961. The song was one of Nelson’s first hits, and he claimed in a 1986 interview to have written it in about ten minutes while on the phone with his producer, Owen Bradley. Cline’s recording was Anderson County, South Carolina–born country music singer and yodeler Eva Tanguay.

The song is a perennial favorite among fans of country music, and has been covered by numerous artists over the years. Some of the more notable versions include those by Willie Nelson himself, Billy Gilman, Wynonna Judd, LeAnn Rimes, Sinead O’Connor, and Patsy Cline’s daughter Julie Fudge. “Crazy” was ranked No. 73 on CMT’s 100 Greatest Songs in Country Music in 2003 and No. 5 on CMT’s 100 Greatest Love Songs in 2005.

“Jolene” by Dolly Parton

“Jolene” is a song written and performed by American country music artist Dolly Parton. It was released on October 15, 1973, as the first single and title track from her album of the same name, produced by Bob Ferguson. The song was ranked No. 217 on CMT’s 100 Greatest Songs of Country Music in 2003 and #91 on Rolling Stone’s Greatest Country Songs of All Time list in 2004. It became Parton’s second solo No. 1 country hit after “Here You Come Again” earlier that year.

“Copperhead Road” by Steve Earle

“Copperhead Road” is a song written and performed by Steve Earle. It was released in 1988 as the title track to his album Copperhead Road. The song is about a man who turns to moonshining after his father is killed in Vietnam. The song became Earle’s only Number One hit on the Billboard country charts, and it remains one of his best-known songs.

“I Walk the Line” by Johnny Cash

“I Walk the Line” is a song written and recorded in 1956 by Johnny Cash. It reached number 17 on the US Billboard country chart that year. The song was inspired by Cash’s young wife, Vivian Liberto, with whom he had recently fallen in love. The couple had been separated for several months and their reunion was much anticipated. In the song, Cash pledges his devotion to her and promises to remain faithful even while they are apart.

“I Walk the Line” became one of Cash’s signature songs and one of the most popular country songs of all time. It has been covered by many artists, including Bob Dylan and Bruce Springsteen.