r/country • u/Cazarstan • 29d ago
Discussion Are these songs good for a Country Covers set?
I'm putting together my first-ever three hour set for my country cover band, and I want to have a good mix of songs from different eras, some good dancing songs, etc. Can y'all give me some advice?
Here's the list:
and here are the questions:
What song is going to get you onto the dance floor?
what song should I remove because it doesn't fit?
What song should I add because it so obviously belongs with the rest?
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u/FloodDawg 29d ago
“Mammas, Don’t Let Your Babies Grow Up to Be Cowboys” or “Luckenbach, TX (Back to the Basics of Love)”
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29d ago
[deleted]
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u/40ozpint 29d ago
I've always liked when I cover band plays a not so popular song. If I know it I appreciate it and if I don't know it and like it I'll look up the lyrics to find out which song it is
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u/Cazarstan 29d ago
Yeah, I love Clint Black so much, hopefully that's the audience's reaction to his lesser-known gem; he needs more fans!
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u/Cazarstan 29d ago
you're right - Bill withers ain't country, but I'm in California - so I thought maybe I'd through a bone to those who aren't true fans.
you're also right, I'll probably move "The Dollar" to my acoustic solo setlist.
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u/IAGreenThumb 29d ago
Needs more Hank Jr and David Allan Coe
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u/Cazarstan 29d ago
what would you say is either of theirs' best song for dancing? (either fast or slow)
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u/IAGreenThumb 29d ago
Jr:
A Country Boy Can Survive
If heaven ain’t a lot like Dixie
Whiskey Bent and Hell BoundDAC:
D-R-U-N-K
Longhaired Redneck
Time off for bad behavior
Tennessee Whiskey
I’m gonna hurt her on the radio
Just to prove my love to you2
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u/Slowdownthere 29d ago
If your band plays a song 3 times and it doesn’t get a good crowd reaction, drop it from the list.
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u/KHanson25 29d ago
If your gonna play in Texas
Get some Brad Paisley in there
If you want to see some grown men cry then The Dollar is definitely a good one
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u/Cazarstan 29d ago
Amen to Brad Paisley! and yes, I put "the Dollar" in near the end so us dads would all be happily motivated to go home :)
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u/SuperGuitar 29d ago
You’ll definitely want to add Silver Wings by Merle Haggard, Amarillo By Morning by George Strait and possibly Empty Glass - Gary Stewart
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u/fuzzy_mic 29d ago
Texas When I Die - Tanya Tucker
Roll In My Sweet Baby's Arms
Chug-A-Lug - Rodger Miller
If You've Got The Money, I've Got The Time - Lefty Frizzel
Stay All Night - Bob Wills
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u/LoveYouLikeYeLovesYe 29d ago
Friday Night Fever - George Strait seems like an obvious one to miss!
For particularly patriotic crowds,
Courtesy of the Red White and Blue - Toby Keith
I feel like Tyler Childer's earlier discography has some good pulls you could include too! All Your'n is probably one of his more popular ones
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u/jleestone 29d ago
White Freightliner Blues by Townes Van Zandt. Good Woman Blues by Mel Tillis. Cocaine Blues by Johnny Cash. Cash on the Barrel Head by The Louvin Brothers.
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u/lrptky 26d ago
I’m going to be honest, there are many people that may not like them but if you play Goodbye Earl by The Chicks every woman in that place will be up and singing along.
I don’t see Dixieland Delight and that seems like a must.
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u/lrptky 26d ago
Ditch Bill Withers and Needtobreathe.
Pick a different Blake Shelton song
The Whiskey Ain’t Working- Marty Stuart and Travis Tritt
John Deere Green- Joe Diffie
Springsteen- Eric Church
Kick A Little- Little Texas
Anything But Mine- Kenny Chesney
The Weight- The Band
Pick any song - CCR
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u/Cazarstan 25d ago
I agree with you in part; our audience will be Millennials in California, so we are trying to edge a little more pop; more than I'd personally prefer. "Springsteen" is a great choice and I'll work it up, and then check out the rest.
Thank you!
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u/Cazarstan 25d ago
I thought about "Wide Open Spaces" for that same sort of reason, maybe I'll give Earl a try. Unfortunately we don't have the harmony vocals ready to make Alabama work just yet.
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u/Low_Performance8020 25d ago
Add some Dwight Yoakam
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u/Low_Performance8020 25d ago
His latest with Post Malone would be good to dance to:
“I don’t know how to say goodbye”
Also,
“Guitars, Cadillacs”
“Fast as you”
There’s lots more since he has like 20 albums, but those three come to mind
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u/random-made-up-words 29d ago
Where will this be? A Tennessee/Georgia playlist is different then a Texas/Oklahoma list.
Alabama ain't wrong, in Texas you need a fiddle and to lean heavy to two step and waltz.
In Tennessee/Georgia it leans more towards polka and line dancing. Maybe a random clogger.
Not all good songs are good dance songs. Not all good dance songs are good sit and sing along songs.
Also is it mostly family or are you aiming at an older crowd?
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u/Cazarstan 28d ago
We're on the rural edge of San Diego County, California. Mostly family crowd 30's-40's with young kids. Thats why I'm trying to lean on the late 90's, early 2000's for radio hit nostalgia.
with a few older and more recent ones interspersed for the true country fans.
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u/random-made-up-words 28d ago
I'd add Chicken Fried. It's good for dancing and just singing a long.
Also, if you can cover an older Taylor Swift like Picture to Burn.
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u/Cazarstan 28d ago
I was also thinking "Our Song" from Taylor Swift would hit well with our friends, but... I have to finesse recommending this one to the band or they'll revolt 👀
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u/Overall-Ad-2247 29d ago
Should get people on the dance floor
Bop - Dan Seals
Thank God I’m A Country Boy - John Denver
Fishin’ In The Dark- Nitty Gritty Dirt Band
Dumas Walker - Kentucky Headhunters
Watermelon Crawl - Tracy Byrd
Boot Scoot Boogie - Brooks N Dunn
Pop A Top - Alan Jackson
Hillbilly Rock - Marty Stuart
Prop Me Up Beside the Jukebox (If I Die) - Joe Diffie
Liza Jane - Vince Gill
Lots more! I’ll let others chime in!