The 201 Greatest Singles of the Decade, Part 9: #40-#21

The 201 Greatest Singles of the Decade, Part 9: #40-#21

#40
“This Is Me You’re Talking To”
Trisha Yearwood
2008
Peak: #25

Flawless. Proof positive that the nineties formula at its best is better than anything on naughties radio. Perhaps they can’t play it too much for that reason. It’s not good for business to park a new Lexus in a used car lot of Ford Pintos. – Kevin Coyne

#39
“Famous in a Small Town”
Miranda Lambert
2007
Peak: #14

This is one of those slice-of-life songs that anyone from a small town can easily relate to. What sets it above the pack of songs of that ilk is the witty nugget of truth that “everybody dies famous in a small town.” The Springsteen-esque vibe of the production is pretty cool, too. – Leeann Ward

#38
“Simple Love”
Alison Krauss
2007
Peak: Did not chart

A sweet homage to the purest form of love – the kind that always gives and never asks back – sung by one of the purest voices in country music. The combination is magic. – Tara Seetharam

#37
“Songs About Rain”
Gary Allan
2003
Peak: #12

A somewhat corny song about a man seeking musical escape is raised to the classic country rafters by Allan’s miserable snarl of a vocal. – Dan Milliken

#36
“Jesus, Take the Wheel”
Carrie Underwood
2005
Peak: #1

On the surface, it’s a story of a woman who finds herself at a personal crossroad and looks to Jesus to take control. But at its core, “Jesus, Take the Wheel” is a sweeping plea for salvation that’s accessible to anyone who subscribes to this belief, in any situation. And that’s the beauty of the song: it trades self-righteousness for compassion, largely due to Underwood’s fervent yet humble performance. – TS

#35
“What You Give Away”
Vince Gill with Sheryl Crow
2007
Peak: #43

In this anthem of giving, Vince Gill sings, “The measure of a man is one who lends a hand.” He clearly believes the platitude to be true, as thoroughly demonstrated by his own various charitable endeavors. With a swelling gospel choir and soulful harmony contribution by Sheryl Crow, Gill inspires us to think of others, because it’s all in “what we give away.” – LW

#34
“Remember When”
Alan Jackson
2003
Peak: #1

This is a beautifully simplistic song that serves as a lyrical photo album of memories for the Jacksons. It richly chronicles the various stages of their relationship and lets us all in on the memories in the process. – LW

#33
“Travelin’ Thru”
Dolly Parton
2006
Peak: Did not chart

The 2005 film Transamerica digs into the heart of a transsexual woman’s identity struggle as she nears her final operation. Parton’s Oscar-nominated contribution to the film digs into the heart of the identity struggles within us all, recognizing that we are all fundamentally trying to “figure out where all [our] pieces fit” in some way or another. A country-folk classic. – DM

#32
“Monday Morning Church”
Alan Jackson
2004
Peak: #5

The woman who holds the keys to his salvation is buried in the cold, hard ground. One suspects that his heart would feel just as empty in a Sunday morning church, so deep is his grief. – KC

#31
“Born to Fly”
Sara Evans
2000
Peak: #1

This isn’t so much a tale of a restless soul as it is an encapsulation of every emotion a restless soul feels. Evans is buoyantly impatient from start to finish, and it’s just one of those rare performances where the spirit of the character transcends the song. – TS

#30
“Rattlin’ Bones”
Kasey Chambers & Shane Nicholson
2008
Peak: #55 (Australia)

The husband-wife duo showcases their easy harmony in this swampy song of hopelessness. While its mood is decidedly dark, it’s still a sonic treat. – LW

#29
“Gunpowder & Lead”
Miranda Lambert
2008
Peak: #7

Lambert follows in the footsteps of “Goodbye Earl” and “Independence Day” with this vengeful anthem of female liberation, but it’s far from derivative. With palpable ferocity, the song focuses on a single moment of raw determination, building from an eerily collected verse to an explosive chorus that surges with sheer, rocking energy. – TS

#28
“Bless the Broken Road”
Rascal Flatts
2005
Peak: #1

A gorgeous expression of a grand, yet powerfully simplistic view on love – that God designs the journey of two soul mates. I can’t find many words that speak to the innate personal connection I’ve formed with this song, but perhaps my favorite line sums up its lyrical poignancy:  “now I’m just rolling home into my lover’s arms” is as best a description of the ease of true love as I’ve ever heard. – TS

#27
“Stealing Kisses”
Faith Hill
2006
Peak: #36

Desperate housewife indeed. The walls are closing in on this one, as she’s isolated from the rest of society in her suburban prison. No wonder she winds up in front of her high school twenty years after graduation, whispering to all of the girls with their future still ahead of them: “Run. Run. Run.” – KC

#26
“Somebody Like You”
Keith Urban
2002
Peak: #1

Over the last decade, Urban has been arguably the best source of complication in any broad-strokes argument decrying the artistic quality of country-pop. This star-making signature hit introduced a sound so infectious – with singing so passionate, riffs so face-melting – that even the most rigid traditionalists could be heard muttering concessions that Nashville had a superlative talent on its hands. – DM

#25
“Wagon Wheel”
Old Crow Medicine Show
2004
Peak: Did not chart

Old Crow Medicine Show’s first album is full of melodically memorable hooks, but none more so than their signature song, “Wagon Wheel”, which was originally started by Bob Dylan and later filled in by OCMS’s lead singer, Ketch Secor. – LW

#24
“Moments”
Emerson Drive
2006
Peak: #1

A chance encounter with a homeless man turns into a stirring, pivotal reflection on the events that truly define our lives. Few third-person narratives this decade have drawn characters of such tangible spirit. – DM

#23
“I Don’t Paint Myself into Corners”
Trisha Yearwood
2002
Peak: #47

“In the light of truth, it wasn’t you. It was me.” So goes this reclaiming of one’s own identity, which shifts the responsibility of happiness from the other who always disappoints to the self who finds freedom in letting the other go. Yearwood’s masterful performance parallels this journey of personal growth, with the first declaration barely a whisper and the final a full-throated wail. – KC

#22
“You’ll Think of Me”
Keith Urban
2004
Peak: #1

Urban nurses a broken heart by reveling in the idea that his ex will eventually regret letting him go. He nails the sharp mix of emotions that accompanies this mindset, with a performance that’s both peaceful and biting, dejected and vindictive. – TS

#21
“Godspeed (Sweet Dreams)”
Dixie Chicks
2003
Peak: #48

The story behind the song is heart-wrenching. Radney Foster penned it for his young son who moved to Paris with his ex-wife, and recorded it on a tape that his son played every night before he went to bed. Yet it works just as well as a maternal tuck-in from far away, which Natalie Maines is able to credibly emote despite the fact that she and her fellow Chicks took their kids on the road with them. – KC

– – –

• The 201 Greatest Singles of the Decade, Part 1: #201-#181
• The 201 Greatest Singles of the Decade, Part 2: #180-#161
• The 201 Greatest Singles of the Decade, Part 3: #160-#141
• The 201 Greatest Singles of the Decade, Part 4: #140-#121
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• The 201 Greatest Singles of the Decade, Part 6: #100-#81
• The 201 Greatest Singles of the Decade, Part 9: #40-#21