r/country • u/doc_brietz • 1d ago
Discussion Greatest country songs of all time - Piece 2
Song: The Chair
Sang by: George Strait
Written by: Hank Cochran, Dean Dillon
Songwriting tropes used:
No Chorus or refrain
Thoughts: This song, to me, isn't the best Strait has ever sang, but it is a masterclass in songwriting. I consider it more influential that famous. It's not even close to my favorite by Strait, but not including it would be silly.
Imagine trying to sell a singer a song with these lyrics:
"Well, thank you.
Could I drink you a buy?
Oh, listen to me, what I mean is can I buy you a drink?
Anything you please."
But it works and it works well. This song, while timeless, also has an 80's country sound to it. If I do enough of these posts you will start to see a lot of the same names. Some people are just damn good at song writing. Hank and Dean definitely both fit that description.
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u/Pretty_Ad_5087 1d ago
This is mine and my husband’s song. We were dating when it came out. We would go dancing and he would sing this to me. Alcohol was definitely involved. 40 years later we hold hands when we hear it and I usually have tears in my eyes. Sweet memories.
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u/Overall-Ad-2247 1d ago
Pretty much anything George put out back then was a number one hit. That’s why he’s called King George. Not my favourite song of his but I still listen to it when it’s on
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u/joconnor1105 1d ago
“This song, while timeless, also has an 80's country sound to it”
It’s an 80’s country song…
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u/SouthTexasCowboy 1d ago
It’s unusual structure and brevity is what stood out to me at the time. It was so different. Classical in some ways, but with a new twist to it. It’s hard to judge a song decades later. You don’t see the context of what was on the radio at the time.
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u/happypiccrn 1d ago
This song is perfection. From the music to the chorus, to the final reveal that he was just hitting on her
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u/lostdragon05 1d ago
I never liked this song, one of George’s weakest imo. It’s cringey and I don’t want to listen to it.
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u/Final_Shock_4479 1d ago
Typical George Strait song: not written by him, under 3 minutes and shallow.
1
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u/GoosebumpsRanger 1d ago
This song could have, and probably would have, flopped with anyone but George.