By TEDDY ALLEN/Designated Writers
One of the DW co-founders took a physical knee Monday when he heard the news of Charlie Daniels’ passing from a stroke at 83. The other co-founder is not a Southern rocker, which is why we didn’t found Designated Southern Rockers.
I liked his music but never had a Charlie Daniels Band cassette or album or CD. I liked him because he worked so hard at what he did. He’s said often that he didn’t have a lot of what he felt was natural musical talent, so he had to work harder to learn how to play everything and then keep practicing religiously. Obviously he was a stud on fiddle and electric bass because if you’re a studio musician in Nashville—and he was when he started out—you’re the best of the best.
He threw in mandolin, banjo, and guitar too.
Plus wrote songs.
Plus I’ve heard a few stories from friends who’ve been around him and they all end the same way, with Charlie Daniels (doesn’t feel right to just call him Daniels, right?) being nice, thoughtful, considerate, giving of his time. He sang for the troops in Iraq and was proud of and hopeful for his country.
He was quick to smile and worked hard onstage and might have liked a biscuit and a fried pie or two.
Plus he was in Urban Cowboy! (Debra Winger: “FINE! FERGIT IT!”)
So quickly, The Top 10 Charlie Daniels Songs According To Me.
Honorable Mention is CDB’s cover of Sharp Dressed Man, which is not as good as ZZ Top’s original but I’m proud he tried. And I love the song.
Carolina, I Remember You: Sentimental.
The Legend of Wooley Swamp: NOT sentimental. “If you ever go down to the Wooley Swamp, well you better not go at night…”
Still in Saigon: “Thirteen months and fifteen days, the last ones were the worst.
One minute I kneel down and pray, And the next I stand and curse.”
Simple Man: “I’m a simple man, that’s what I am, call me a redneck, I guess that I am…”
Long-Haired Country Boy: CDB’s ode (sort of) to Greta Garbo, who famously said, “I want to be let alone.”
The South’s Gonna Do It Again: NO!, not THAT. It’s about Southern rockers, the Marshall Tucker Bands and ZZ Tops and Lynyrd Skynrds of the world, those guys.
In America: Or, in ’Murica! True story: I put my hand on a Pittsburgh Steeler fan once, just to see and … didn’t turn out well.
The Devil Went Down To Georgia: This is the song Charlie is singing in Urban Cowboy live at Billy Bob’s. Generally, if somebody doesn’t know any other CDB songs, they know this one.
Drinking My Baby Goodbye: “I couldn’t make her stay, well doggone her anyway…”
Trudy: “I was raking in chips like Grant took Richmond, ’till Big John Lee come-a strollin’ in…” Love Trudy. Could listen to it over and over again. And have.
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