Bob Wills Songs Ranked
James Robert Wills (March 6, 1905 – May 13, 1975) was an American Western swing musician, songwriter, and bandleader. Considered by music authorities as the founder of Western swing, he was known widely as the King of Western Swing (although Spade Cooley self-promoted the moniker “King of Western Swing” from 1942 to 1969). The Country Music Hall of Fame inducted Wills in 1968 and the Texas State Legislature honored him for his contribution to American music. In 1972, Wills accepted a citation from the American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers in Nashville. He recorded an album with fan Merle Haggard in 1973. Wills suffered two strokes that left him partially paralyzed, and unable to communicate. He was comatose the last two months of his life, and died in a Fort Worth nursing home in 1975. The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inducted Wills and the Texas Playboys in 1999. Here are all of Bob Wills songs ranked.
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5. New Spanish Two Step (New Spanish Two Step, 1946)
“This instrumental exemplifies Wills and his multi-piece band’s blend of country and western sounds with jazz, Big Band music and the blues. Plus, its title acknowledges Texas country’s South of the Border influence.
4. Smoke on the Water (San Antonio Rose, 1997)
“Any discussion of a musician popular in the ‘40s should address topical songs straight from World War II headlines. This composition by cowboy music legend Zeke Clements became a country hit, first for Red Foley in 1944 and a year later for Wills and his Texas Playboys.”
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3. Ida Red Likes the Boogie (In Concert, 1976)
“This follow-up to Wills’ interpretation of the fiddle tune “Ida Red” encourages something less old-fashioned than buck dancing with its hip-shaking bass line and its proto-rock themes. It’s a good example of why Wills and his Texas Playboys reside in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as early influencers.”
2. Faded Love (Faded Love, 1950)
“Those massive Texas dancehalls hosted slow dances whenever Wills led the band through this gorgeous slice of country music sentimentality. It sounds as powerful in Wills’ catalog as it did later as a Top 10 single for another jazz-influenced country legend, Patsy Cline.”
1. New San Antonio Rose (New San Antonio Rose, 1938)
“New San Antonio Rose” reached far beyond the western swing scene. It was covered by everyone from Bing Crosby to Clint Eastwood, and even got broadcast during the Apollo 12 mission in 1969 by the third man to walk on the moon, Pete Conrad.”