These 3 Honky-Tonk Classics Should Be Among the First Songs You Teach Your Kids About

These three honky-tonk classics should be among the first songs you sit down with your kids and listen to. If you want to give them a strong lesson in country fandom, these songs will certainly turn their heads. It might be a while until they fully understand the heartbreak within them, but they will certainly lay the groundwork for lifelong country listenership.

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“It Wasn’t God Who Made Honky Tonk Angels” — Kitty Wells

Starting in the 1950s, we have Kitty Wells’ hit “It Wasn’t God Who Made Honky Tonk Angels”. This track was written in response to Hank Thompson’s “The Wild Side Of Life”. In that latter song, Thompson sings about a woman leaving him for the bar scene. Wells puts her two cents in, correcting that all the blame placed on women obscures the real culprits: cheating men.

“It wasn’t God who made honky tonk angels / As you said in the words of your song / There’s many times married men think they’re still single / That has caused many a good girl to go wrong,” the lyrics read. This song is a classic honky tonk track that is basically required listening for country 101.

“Honky Tonk Blues” — Hank Williams

Of course, we have to give Hank Williams his flowers here. He played a major role in shaping honky-tonk. This song is one of his most influential. “And get the honky tonk blues / Yeah, the honky tonk blues / Well Lord, I got ’em / I got the honky tonk blues,” the lyrics read. It’s certainly a simple song, but it gets the point across perfectly.

Many subsequent artists tried to follow what Williams laid the groundwork for here. He helped bring emotion to the barroom, creating a niche that still resounds in country today. This song’s legacy is too vast to comprehend.

“Act Naturally” — Buck Owens

The Beatles gave this song a leg up when they recorded a famous cover, but the original credit goes to Buck Owens. This honky-tonk classic takes heartbreak to the next level, cleverly explaining the end of a relationship with some humor.

“They’re gonna put me in the movies / They’re gonna make a big star out of me / We’ll make the film about a man that’s sad and lonely / And all I gotta do is act naturally,” he sings in this classic track. Few songs pair better with a barroom than this one. It’s got enough energy not to make it a complete bummer, but it’s got a sting that acknowledges heartbreak, too.

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