What a loaded question asking someone what the best country song of all-time is.
If you answer, you’ll leave out a ton of great choices and if you don’t it’s hard to take your opinion seriously, or at least it brings a raised eyebrow. In this moment, I think the best country song of all-time is “Red Headed Stranger” but to be honest my opinion on such matters changes quite frequently.
Back in 1991, The Highwaymen, consisting of Willie Nelson, Johnny Cash, Waylon Jennings, and Kris Kristofferson, sat down for an interview with New Zealand host Paul Holmes that wound up containing all sorts of soundbites.
At the start, Holmes alleged that the four country music icons were only teaming up because their individual careers had fallen off:
“Why they’re teaming up together? At least one critic, probably more critics, have suggested it’s because none of you can now fill the halls anymore on your own, that it takes four of you.
How do you answer a critic like that?”
Throwing aside the obvious reaction of “What kind of an aggressive question was that?” the four laughed it off as Johnny Cash responded:
“There’s not a one in this group that can’t fill any hall he plays on his own. That’s not a true statement that you made there.
I haven’t had a show this year, for myself with my wife and the Carter family that hasn’t been a sellout, and I know Willie sells out every place he plays. So does Waylon, so does Kris. It’s not true that we can’t make it on our own.
As a matter of fact, we have trouble working into our schedule, the shows for The Highwaymen… We have to do it a year in advance. We’ve taken a year of planning to make this tour happen.”
Well, I should have said that most of them laughed it off because Waylon then chimed in with a now iconic line:
“I tell ya, one more point too, that if you ask another question like that we’ll burn your home.”
It was meant as a joke, but if you’re aware of the (alleged) venue explosion tied to Waylon, you may well take it a bit more seriously.
But the interview marched on and right before they closed out, Holmes threw out a final question for the group:
“Just to finish this, the best country song you think was ever written.”
Naturally, the guys had some answers ready.
Willie Nelson said Hank Williams’ “I’m So Lonesome I Could Cry,” Waylon Jennings said “Dreaming My Dreams” (a song he’d recorded a version of but was written by Allen Reynolds), and Johnny Cash said “I Love You Because” (a song written and originally released by Leon Payne but made famous by Jim Reeves).
But before all of that, Kris Kristofferson gave his answer.
Now, I’m not saying the other’s opinions shouldn’t be taken seriously, that’s not the case at all, but Kris Kristofferson has such a breadth of life experience and an incredible catalog of songs that he’s written himself that it’s hard not to give just a little more value to his answer.
For his choice Kris went with “Big River,” which just so happened to be written and recorded by a man sitting to his right.
“Maybe “Big River.” I’ve often thought that that may be the best song, country or otherwise.”
Johnny Cash released “Big River” on his 1958 album Johnny Cash Sings the Songs That Made Him Famous. While it never reached number one like so many classic Cash songs, it did crack the Top 5 and land at number four. Of course, that doesn’t come close to telling the story of this song and how it became an undeniable piece of the country music canon, but Kris giving it the nod sure goes a long way.
Cash responded in his typically coy manner:
“Well, I’m overwhelmed because I wrote that song…”
It sure is hard to argue against. Maybe I’m wrong and “Big River” is the best country song of all-time…
Here’s Johnny playing it at the Grand Ole Opry in 1962.