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Insane Carrie Fan
Best Songs of the 2000's
A great country song can inspire you, make you laugh or make you cry. It may even enliven you to do crazy things like jump out of an airplane, dance like no one is watching ... or do a little damage to a cheater's beloved truck. The past decade has seen all of the above, as the genre has flourished, opening its doors to a more eclectic sound while keeping its tradition of thought-provoking lyrics. The Boot counts down our best songs of the 2000s. These aren't just the tunes we heard most on the radio or that won the most awards, these were the country music news makers.
10. 'Before He Cheats,' Carrie Underwood (2006)
The same 'American Idol' winner who let Jesus take the wheel showed her sassier side by taking a bat to a pair of taillights. This crossover hit has wandering eyes seeing straight with its clever tale of a jilted girlfriend who gets sweet revenge.
9. 'Stay,' Sugarland (2007)
Only Sugarland can make you root for the "other woman." This CMA, ACM and Grammy winning song gets live audiences cheering when its lonely heroine who aches for a married man finally throws him to the curb in the last verse.
8. 'Redneck Woman,' Gretchen Wilson (2004)
Not since Willie Nelson and Johnny Cash has a country singer been nicknamed the title of one of their songs. Gretchen shot to superstardom with this unapologetic tune that embraces the eccentricities of being a "redneck," from walking around barefoot to keeping Christmas lights up year round.
7. 'Courtesy of the Red, White and Blue (The Angry American),' Toby Keith (2002)
The events of September 11 combined with his and his late father's unwaivering patriotism led Toby to pen this song, which he originally never planned to release but only performed it live during his many concerts entertaining American troops. Promising terrorists to "put a boot up your ass," the song proved both motivational and controversial.
6. 'Not Ready to Make Nice,' Dixie Chicks (2006)
The talented trio swept the 2007 Grammy Awards, winning all five categories in which they were nominated, on the strength of this defiant, wildly personal song. Airing their frustrations over what was perhaps the biggest backlash in country music history, the Chicks refuse to apologize for denouncing President George W. Bush, even if it means losing fans and even fielding death threats.
5. 'Bless the Broken Road,' Rascal Flatts (2005)
This poignant ballad celebrates lost love that ultimately leads down the path to true love. The song stayed at No. 1 on the country charts for five straight weeks and will stay on wedding playlists for years to come.
4. 'Whiskey Lullaby,' Brad Paisley and Alison Krauss (2003)
This tearjerking tune, co-written by country legends Jon Randall and 'Whisperin'' Bill Anderson, tells the devastating tale of a man who goes to war and comes back to find his wife with another man. Stricken with grief, he drinks himself to death. Stricken with guilt, she does the same.
3. 'Live Like You Were Dying,' Tim McGraw (2005)
Tim dedicated this inspiring song to his late father, baseball great Tug McGraw, who passed away a year before its release. With their message of living life to the fullest, the lyrics include several adventures that might be on one's 'bucket list,' like skydiving and bull riding.
2. 'I Hope You Dance,' Lee Ann Womack (2000)
This uplifting, crossover smash is about way more than just cutting a rug -- it's about "taking chances," giving "faith a fighting chance" and never losing "your sense of wonder." In short, Lee Ann's career-defining song defines what country music is all about.
1. 'Where Were You When the World Stopped Turning,' Alan Jackson (2001)
The event that devastated our decade inspired our No. 1 pick for the hit of the decade. The "singer of simple songs" wrote it just a few weeks after the September 11 terrorist attacks, voicing the fears of a grief-stricken nation and giving an anything-but-simple message of hope and love in a time of devastation.
Best Songs of the 2000's - The Boot
Carrie Guru
BHC...yay!!!
Thank you for my set Court! Saw And Met The Cast Of Wicked On 10/07/06 And 11/26/06!I Met Carrie On March 22nd!!!! Saw Carrie At Her Fan Club Party In Nashville On 6/03/08! Met Carrie AGAIN October 6th!
Obsessed Carrie Fan
awesome!!!!
i think JTTW should be on the list too...
Insane Carrie Fan
exciting news. i just think jttw should be on it.
"you smile that beautiful smile & all the girls in the front row scream your name"
Junior Carrie Follower
That's great!!! Before He Cheats is an awesome song!!!
Carrie Guru
I think BHC is way better than a ton of the songs before it! And JTTW def shouldve made the list! But yay BHC anyways
Play On Tour : April 28, 2010 : Charleston, WV
Insane Carrie Fan
Awesome! Yes. JTTW should have been on the list too. BUT WAY TO GO BHC! THANKS FOR POSTING
2x ACM Entertainer of the Year 2009 & 2010
Signature: Danielle
Insane Carrie Fan
Woot BHC!
I was expecting JTTW somewhere down that list, but it never made an appearance?
RIP. Never forgotten. Dio.<3my eyes are bleedingand my heart is leaving here. . .[10 july 1942-16 may 2010]
Carrie's Fan
very solid choices throughout the list
May you always have
enough happiness to keep you sweet;
enough trials to keep you strong;
enough success to keep you eager;
enough faith to give you courage;
and enough determination to make each day a good day!"
CONGRATS CARRIE AND MIKE!!!
Insane Carrie Fan
My congrats to Carrie!!!!
Huge Carrie Follower
Personally, I think JTTW is quite overrated but I'm glad that Before He Cheats made the list.
Carrie's Fan
maybe.Originally Posted by Avira
i think no matter what you think of the song, most can agree it made country radio and listeners (those not necessarily her fans) realize she is a legitimate country artist. most were skeptical of her coming off idol. its the song that launched her career, and i don't think any other song as a first single (BHC included) would have made her the star she is today. JTTW launched her career, and BHC took it to another level.
May you always have
enough happiness to keep you sweet;
enough trials to keep you strong;
enough success to keep you eager;
enough faith to give you courage;
and enough determination to make each day a good day!"
CONGRATS CARRIE AND MIKE!!!
Ultimate Carrie Fan
I've NEVER listened to "Red Neck Woman" and the songs # 1, # 3, # 7 --sorry about my ignorance of country songs . I love "I Hope You Dance".
Obsessed Carrie Fan
I agree Jeff, these are very solid choices. You can make arguments for other songs that should be included in the list, but on the other hand, it's really hard to think of what song to pull out from the list. IMO, BHC for Carrie, Stay for Sugarland, RW for Gretchen and IHYD for Lee Ann are all career-defining songs for those artists, and made such a huge impact not only for the artists but for country radio as well, and in BHC and IHYD's cases, on other formats too. It's hard to argue against those. And Stay didn't even make it to #1. How awesome is that?
I could probably argue for Brad's When I Get Where I'm Going, but Whiskey Lullaby is no pushover either. And BTBR may probably be the sweetest love song of the decade.
Since the decade is ending, there will be a lot more "Best of....Singles" lists that will come out. And I expect BHC to be on most, if not, all of the lists. Most of the staff at Country Universe already has the song at their unofficial best singles of the decades list.
Carrie's Fan
you must listen to #1: Where Were You When the World Stopped Turning. Alan Jackson wrote it in the aftermath of 9/11, and debuted the song at the 2001 CMA awards. It's still one of the most poignant moments ever in CMA history.
i think even if you don't like country, anyone can appreciate this work by Alan Jackson. you're missing out on some really good stuff
[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fvj6zdWLUuk"]YouTube- Alan Jackson-Where Were You When the World Stopped Turning[/ame]
May you always have
enough happiness to keep you sweet;
enough trials to keep you strong;
enough success to keep you eager;
enough faith to give you courage;
and enough determination to make each day a good day!"
CONGRATS CARRIE AND MIKE!!!
Huge Carrie Follower
JTTW should have definitely been on the list as well. And BHC should have been higher.
Insane Carrie Fan
this wasn't as breathtaking as i'd expected. however it was still REALLY breathtaking! danggg that boy has so much EMOTION!you must listen to #1: Where Were You When the World Stopped Turning. Alan Jackson wrote it in the aftermath of 9/11, and debuted the song at the 2001 CMA awards. It's still one of the most poignant moments ever in CMA history.
i think even if you don't like country, anyone can appreciate this work by Alan Jackson. you're missing out on some really good stuff
YouTube- Alan Jackson-Where Were You When the World Stopped Turning
RIP. Never forgotten. Dio.<3my eyes are bleedingand my heart is leaving here. . .[10 july 1942-16 may 2010]
Junior Carrie Follower
Woot for "Before He Cheats". I'd agree with making it one of the top ten of the decade - its blend of Nashville and Southern Rock gave Country radio a well deserved boost, and its feisty lyric gave Carrie a wonderful opportunity to show the world that she was a stage performer with a genuinely wide ranging personality,
I understand the disappointment at not including "Jesus, Take the Wheel" - but this is a fan community, and from the writer's point of view it would probably make the list look unbalanced to include two songs out of ten from the same artist in a decade-wide survey.
Looking at the rest of the list, I'd agree with "Stay" and "Whiskey Lullaby". - and (at a pinch) "Bl;ess the Broken Road" (I'm not sure it should really belong to the 2000s, but as Jeff Hanna said, it's a song whose time has finally come!)
The others probably show me how far away much of my taste is from the Mainstream. They're good songs - but I wouldn't put them in a top listing.
I've followed the Dixie Chicks for years (I wrote the fan page for one of their very early members), and I don't even think NRTMN is the best song on that album, let alone their best offering of this decade. For example, this achingly sad song on regrets after an abortion seems more memorable to me on almost all counts:
[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oIJxuS0TDv0"]YouTube- Dixie Chicks - Voice Inside My Head (Acoustic)[/ame]
As for the momentous public events of the 2000s, which tinspired so many fine songs in the Roots Country community, it's hard to pick a winner. But I'm going for R.B. Morris's "Empire" (also covered by John Prine). That an East Tennessee poet had the vision to write this out of a climate of questioning despair is one of the things that makes me proud of Country Music
[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p42iLRzogX8"]YouTube- RB Morris sings Empire[/ame]
Obsessed Carrie Fan
Woohoo Carrie and BHC! JTTW would have fit better with most of the other songs listed, but BHC is a great song!
Junior Carrie Follower
I am glad Carrie is not the only one that i love on that list.
I love the Dixie Chicks too (agree in the fact they have better songs) and Sugarland (they have better songs than Stay too).
BHC is amazing
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