Signature Song

[.indulgecountry]

Most established artists have a signature song they're always associated with. Share what you think the signature song is for your faves. Try to limit it to just one or *maybe* two for an artist, because ideally you should decide which one track is the one from a perhaps smaller group of candidates. ;)

Here's some of mine:

Sara Evans - Born to Fly
* This was her monumental breakthrough single and has an iconic music video that garnered Evans her only CMA Award to date

George Strait - Check Yes or No
Martina McBride - Independence Day
Dixie Chicks - Goodbye Earl
Gretchen Wilson - Redneck Woman
Lee Ann Womack - I Hope You Dance
Miranda Lambert - The House That Built Me
Carrie Underwood - Before He Cheats
Josh Turner - Long Black Train*
Joe Nichols - Tequila Makes Her Clothes Fall Off
Chris Young - Gettin' You Home (The Black Dress Song)
LeAnn Rimes - Blue
Kellie Pickler - Red High Heels
Dolly Parton - Jolene**
Jo Dee Messina - Bye, Bye
Craig Morgan - That's What I Love About Sunday

* I could see "Your Man" coming close because of the iconic opening line of Baby lock the doors and turn the lights down low, but as a whole, I think LBT is more synonymous with him
** Dolly has several viable options -- "9 to 5" and "Here You Come Again" i.e. -- but I think "Jolene" is a smidge more iconic and probably her most covered song by other artists today when they want to sing "a Dolly Parton song"

[sabre14]

This was harder than I thought. Some were easy but others such as Darryl, Flatts, Carrie, and Gary were coin flips between other songs that you can certainly argue for. But I did the best I could.

George Strait - Amarillo By Morning
Brad Paisley - Mud On The Tires (toss up between this and "He Didn't Have To Be")
Sara Evans - Born To Fly
Darryl Worley - Awful Beautiful Life 
Miranda Lambert - The House That Built Me
Big & Rich - Save A Horse (Ride A Cowboy)
Sugarland - Baby Girl
Craig Morgan - That's What I Love About Sunday (I purposely put Sugarland 1 spot above Craig ;))
Faith Hill - Breathe (I wish this wasn't to be honest)
Rascal Flatts - What Hurts The Most
Little Big Town - Boondocks
Martina McBride - Independence Day
Tim McGraw - Live Like You Were Dying (I wouldn't argue against "Don't Take The Girl" either, even though I'm not particular fond of that song)
Keith Urban - Somebody Like You
Shania Twain - Man, I Feel Like A Woman
Eli Young Band - Crazy Girl
Reba McEntire - Fancy
Lady Antebellum - Need You Now
Alan Jackson - Chattahoochee (though "Where Were You" was obviously huge for him and the genre)
Mark Wills - 19 Somethin'
Eric Church - Springsteen 
Jake Owen - Barefoot Blue Jean Night
Carrie Underwood - Before He Cheats ("Jesus Take The Wheel" is deserving as well)
Blake Shelton - Austin
Gary Allan - Right Where I Need To Be
Gretchen Wilson - Redneck Woman
Joe Nichols - Tequila Makes Her Clothes Fall Off (the only reason I went with this over "Brokenheartsville" is that I still hear "Tequila" on a semi-regular basis)
Dierks Bentley - What Was I Thinkin'

[sabre14]

May 11, 2014 13:57:27 GMT -5 @brian said:

I think "Have You Forgotten" is Darryl's signature song, but I agree with most of the rest of your list.

You might be right but I decided to leave those September 11th songs in a category of their own.

[Andy]

Merle Haggard - Mama Tried
George Jones - He Stopped Loving Her Today
Hank Williams - Your Cheatin' Heart
Tammy Wynette - Stand By Your Man
Loretta Lynn - Coal Miner's Daughter
Ray Price - Crazy Arms or For the Good Times
Kris Kristofferson - Sunday Morning Coming Down
Johnny Cash - Folsom Prison Blues
Waylon Jennings - Are You Sure Hank Done It This Way

Maybe it's the contrarian in me, but it seems that an artist's signature song is rarely my favorite of theirs. All great songs, though.

[Andy]

May 11, 2014 16:43:41 GMT -5 @brian said:

May 11, 2014 15:21:57 GMT -5 Andy said:

Johnny Cash - Folsom Prison Blues

Good list, but I disagree with this one. I think "Ring of Fire" is Johnny Cash's signature song with maybe "I Walk the Line" a close second.

Hmmm, I don't know. I hear references to "Folsom Prison Blues" constantly, especially the "I shot a man in Reno, just to watch him die" line. In my view, any of those three songs could work. You could even throw in "Hurt" and maybe even "A Boy Named Sue", both of which are extremely well-known, even to non-country audiences. I really don't think Cash has just one signature song.

[Deleted]

George Strait-Check Yes Or No
Johnny Cash- Ring Of Fire
Alan Jackson-Little Bitty
Sara Evans- Born To Fly
Rascal Flatts- What Hurts The Most
Reba- Fancy
Dolly- Jolene
Lady A- Need You Now

[Kentucky25]

May 11, 2014 15:21:57 GMT -5 Andy said:

Waylon Jennings - Are You Sure Hank Done It This Way

I am torn on what would be Waylon's signature song, because of the Dukes of Hazzard I'm not entirely sure it wouldn't be "Just a Good Ol' Boys", because he had so much to do with that show.  It's basically 50/50 when I think of which Waylon songs come to mind first between these two.

[Andy]

May 11, 2014 17:43:22 GMT -5 @brian said:

May 11, 2014 17:13:00 GMT -5 Andy said:

Hmmm, I don't know. I hear references to "Folsom Prison Blues" constantly, especially the "I shot a man in Reno, just to watch him die" line. In my view, any of those three songs could work. You could even throw in "Hurt" and maybe even "A Boy Named Sue", both of which are extremely well-known, even to non-country audiences. I really don't think Cash has just one signature song.

I was going to mention "Hurt" but I figured it was too new to be a "signature song" for Johnny Cash.

Would you put in "Ragged Old Flag" too?

I'm actually not familiar with that one. Therefore, I wouldn't personally, but I could be wrong.

[jferstler]

May 11, 2014 15:21:57 GMT -5 Andy said:

Hank Williams - Your Cheatin' Heart

I would have to say I Saw The Light is his signature song.

[gonecountry]

1. George Strait – Check Yes or No
2. Gary Allan – Tough Little Boys
3. Josh Turner – agree with .indulgecountry, its either Long Black Train or Your Man (in concert, the crowds go crazy for LBT)
4. Shania Twain – Man, I Feel Like a Woman!
5. Billy Currington – Good Directions
6. Luke Bryan – Drunk on You
7. Dierks Bentley – What Was I Thinkin’
8. Eric Church – Drink in My Hand (Springsteen is a close second)
9. Alan Jackson – Little Bitty or Where Were You (When the World Sopped Turning)
10. Brad Paisley – Mud on the Tires
11. Carrie Underwood – Before He Cheats
12. Kenny Chesney - Beer in Mexico
13. Chris Young – Getting You Home (Black Dress Song)
14. Blake Shelton – Kiss My Country Ass (at least in concert, on the radio – Home is probably his calling card)
15. Randy Travis – Forever and Always, Amen
16. Kenny Rogers – Coward of the County
17. Darryl Worley – Have You Forgotten
18. Taylor Swift – You Belong with Me
19. Tim McGraw – Something Like That
20. Rascal Flatts – What Hurts the Most
21. Jason Aldean – She’s Country
22. Joe Nichols – Tequila Makes Her Clothes Fall Off
23. Toby Keith – Should’ve Been a Cowboy
24. Montgomery Gentry – Hell Yeah
25. Craig Morgan – Redneck Yacht Club
26. Big & Rich – Save a Horse, Ride a Cowboy
27. Garth Brooks – The Thunder Rolls
28. Dolly Parton – Nine to Five
29. Miranda Lambert – The House That Built Me

[.indulgecountry]

Since it's been discussed up above, I'd cast my vote for "Ring of Fire" as Johnny Cash's signature song. It's always the first that comes to my mind, personally.

Some others I didn't do in my first post:

Deana Carter - Strawberry Wine
Shania Twain - Any Man of Mine
Gary Allan - Nothin' on 'but the Radio
Blake Shelton - Ol' Red
Taylor Swift - Love Story
Trisha Yearwood - She's in Love with the Boy
The Band Perry - If I Die Young
Rascal Flatts - What Hurts the Most
Billy Ray Cyrus - Achy Breaky Heart
Justin Moore - Small Town USA

[Andy]

May 11, 2014 19:44:11 GMT -5 jferstler said:

May 11, 2014 15:21:57 GMT -5 Andy said:

Hank Williams - Your Cheatin' Heart

I would have to say I Saw The Light is his signature song.

I don't agree - "I Saw the Light" is up there, but I've seen/heard "Your Cheatin' Heart" referenced way more in other songs and in mainstream popular culture than "I Saw the Light." That's just my experience, though.

This thread poses a pretty subjective question, I guess. I admit that all of the artists I listed are country legends with vast discographies and countless iconic songs - so different people are naturally going to have different takes on it. For many artists there's probably more than one right answer.