Looking to craft a country song to sing to all your friends? Or are you attending a country concert in the near future and scared you won’t know the words to half the songs? Have no fear, this do-it-yourself song guide will have you singing or mouthing words that will be sure to have some relevance…you’re welcome.
Key Components:
Dirt Roads: To build a prime country song start with adding at least 3 references to dirt roads. Or, if you want to get real country, small-town dirt roads. Roads and dirt in general are essential to the credibility of your song. Broken roads, back roads, speeding down the highway to get back to the hometown dirt road are all key to a good country song.
Boots & Trucks: Be it wearing new boots in your old truck, or riding your new truck in your old boots, these country essentials should definitely be included in your country song. Cars are super important to cowboys, and an extra down home points if you add how many miles this truck has on it, country boys go wild for that.
Getting Boozy: If you haven’t noticed already, country folk like to have a good time, and they also like to talk about it frequently. To catch their attention and get some drunken cheers to your new jam, and mention their fave boys: Jack (Daniels), Jim (Beam), and James(on). Cold beers in red cups are also a country essential that people will for sure relate to when they listen to your song.
Location, Location, Location:
A Bar: A place for country folk to eat, drink, dance, and meet future inspirations for country songs, a bar is a great setting for your country song.
A Truck: Another fab time to reference that truck, sitting in said truck with the windows rolled down, or driving down a dirt road, trucks are a classic country location.
A Small Town: Because country towns are usually small, the copious amounts of small town references in country music means people like them. Don’t be the one to s/o the suburb life because, let's be real, that just isn’t very “down home” of you.
Set The Mood:
Allure the Girls: Seeing as half of your audience is women, referencing girls’ eyes, hair, and smile is key. However, do so without actually going into detail, so it’s relatable to as many cowgirls as possible.
Looking to make your song a little flirtier? Add some provocative dance move visuals by talking about “shakin’ it” and “swingin’ it”.
Looking to be cutesy? Talk about how the boy doesn’t usually dance but will dance for this one bae, how adorable. :’)
Add To Taste:
Bodies of Water: Lake/beach life is the country genre favorite pass time, so adding this to your song would be sure to get a few cheers.
Calling Out City People: Because they just don’t fit in ‘round here, these folk should get called out and slightly shamed for living in a place where there are more buildings than grass.
Country Music Stations: These are the type of people who don’t mess with aux cords; they wait for their songs to come on the radio to have a song that fits in with the crowd. Put your Spotify away and give a s/o to your FM radio in that old truck.
Patriotism: Whether it be soaring eagles or bringing the troops home, country music reps it all and then some, so you should too. *insert American flag here*
The words “this old guitar”: These words are always welcome if you are ever at a loss.
By picking and choosing from this vast list of locations, themes, and references, anyone can make their own country song! If you don’t care to do that, feel free to use this article as a “what to reference if you don’t know the words to that country song” guide.
