Because I love this band and making lists here is my picks for the ten best Truckers’ songs of the decade.

10. “Two Daughters and a Beautiful Wife”

Written by Patterson Hood, this song is about a terrible event, but tries to bring it to a positive light. It showcases the love of family which is really important these days. From the album Brighter Than Creation’s Dark, this is the first song on the album, and is one of the most haunting songs the Truckers have ever released.

9. “Space City”

Written by Mike Cooley, this is just a beautiful and amazing song. It’s written from the perspective of his grandfather after the death of his wife. His grandparents had been together for around 70 plus years, and the song details what its like for a relationship that long to end.

8. “Uncle Frank [Alternate Version]”

This is my all time favorite Truckers song. It originally appeared on Pizza Deliverance but was re-released in an alternate version on their b-sides album The Fine Print. The song is all about what the TVA did to the uneducated hillbillies of the areas that the TVA came into. The protagonist of this song ends up killing himself, but despite the downer ending this is one compelling song.

7. “Outfit”

Written by Jason Isbell, this tune is some fatherly advice he received when he was younger set to music. The Cooley solo on this is amazing and Patterson’s guitar harmonies cannot be beat.

6. “Angels and Fuselage”

The closer to Southern Rock Opera, this song is a recreation of the plane crash that killed members of Lynyrd Skynyrd. The slow haunting melody makes you feel like life is slowing down in one of those “life flashed before my eyes moments.” The smokey vocals amp this slow ballad up, while recounting this slow decent to the ground and seeing angels as well. This song was released around the time of 9/11 and gets to me every time I hear it.

5. “Marry Me”

This is one of the most fun Trucker’s songs and has one of the best lyrics I’ve ever heard: “Rock and Roll means well but it can’t help tellin’ young boys lies.” It’s all about looking around at what you’ve got and settling for nothing less. Awesome, Awesome Song.

4. “Tornadoes”

I’ve never been in a tornado and I sure as shit never do after hearing this song. Inspired by true events, the song details a tornado that ripped through town the night that Adam’s House Cat was set to do a big show. Patterson wrote the song back in 1988, but it didn’t make it to record until the Trucker’s fifth album The Dirty South. The Truckers have this ability to tap into a darkness and make it so intriguing and make it breed creativity. The most haunting line: “it sounded like a train.”

3. “Let There Be Rock”

Easily, the most recognizable DBT song next to “The Living Bubba.” This song is all about Patterson Hood’s exploits as a teenager and all the bands he saw. Funny thing is, it’s on an album loosely around Lynyrd Skynyrd, but he never got to see them live. Talk about irony.

2. “Daddy Needs a Drink”

Some may find this an odd choice, but the collaboration with Spooner Oldham on the Wurlitzer cannot be beat. The lyrics are simple, and the song has a vibe to rival the best country ballads.

1. “Ronnie & Neil”

This song is an introduction to Southern Rock Opera and the various topics it’s about. But the song kicks you right in the ass and introduces you to the “duality of the southern thing.” Ronnie and Neil refers to Ronnie VanZant and Neil Young and the friendship that they shared. Skynyrd fanatics will know the story. All in all, a great intro to the album.

It kills me to pick just ten, but these are my best ten…what are yours? Please leave a comments!