Sep 11 2025
5
We used to make music in this country.
This is a Random Album Generator.
One album a day.
From the book 1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die.
Once Upon a Rhyme
David Allan Coe
1975
Album Summary
Note: This album has been submitted by a user and is not included in any edition of the book.
Once Upon a Rhyme is the fourth studio album by American country singer David Allan Coe. It was released in 1975 on Columbia. Once Upon a Rhyme contains one of Coe’s biggest hits, “You Never Even Called Me by My Name,” and one of his most famous compositions, “Would You Lay with Me (In a Field of Stone)”. The former was written by Steve Goodman and John Prine and first appeared on Goodman’s 1971 debut. Coe’s version became his first country Top 10 hit single, peaking at #8 in 1975, and includes a spoken epilogue where Coe relates a correspondence he had with songwriter Steve Goodman, who stated the song he had written was the "perfect country and western song." Coe wrote back stating that no song could fit that description without mentioning a laundry list of clichés: "Mama, or trains, or trucks, or prison, or getting drunk". Goodman's equally facetious response was an additional verse that incorporated all five of Coe's requirements, and upon receiving it, Coe acknowledged that the finished product was indeed the "perfect country and western song" and included the last verse on the record: I was drunk the day Mama got out of prison And I went to pick 'er up in the rain But before I could get to the station in my pickup truck She got runned over by a damned ol' train
Reviews
Like a review? Give it a thumb up to help us display relevant reviews!
Sort by:
Top
Date
Sep 19 2025
5
Very nice choice 5
Sep 10 2025
4
Rating: 7/10 Best songs: Jody like a melody, Sweet vibrations
Sep 11 2025
4
Hell yeah
Sep 09 2025
2
This is the kind of mainstream country that I don't particularly enjoy. The songs and lyrics are ok, but never very interesting. It's a collection of sentimental songs that sound outdated and predictable in every way. It's background music in this genre.
Sep 13 2025
4
Some of the best background vocals ever by the Nashville Edition. Just pure sonic comfort. This should have been in the book. 4.5/5. Rounding down only because there are some 4 star albums I like more than this but it’s a solid album.
Sep 26 2025
4
Classic 70's country music
Sep 12 2025
2
Goddamn that’s some cheesy country music. This stuff all sounds so same-ish, artist to artist, album to album, song to song.
Sep 09 2025
3
Even before it goes full meta before the final verse of the final song, this is leaning just a little too hard on its self-aware clichés for my tastes, starting with that absolute clunker of a title. It's good old country obviously and I'm not against it. But I detect more than a little cynicism peeking out of that sleeve its heart is dangling from.
Sep 12 2025
3
Things I knew about David Allan Coe: -He wrote "Take This Job and Shove It" Things I know now: -He has other good songs I guess HL: "Would You Lay With Me", "Would You Be My Lady", "Wood and Steel", "You Never Even Called Me By My Name" September 15, 2025 7 outta 10
Sep 12 2025
3
A classic simple country album from Coe. It’s nothing glamorous but it’s music for an easy listen. Never knew the guy who wrote Go Cubs Go originally wrote You Never Even Called Me By My Name. Coes version is better even with the facetious last verse of cliches. This is a good edition to the classic country list. 6.8/10
Sep 12 2025
3
Decent country music
Sep 12 2025
3
Casual country music
Sep 16 2025
3
Country, Outlaw country. Ni fu ni fa.
Sep 16 2025
3
This is the less-annoying end of country, so that's nice. But it's still country. 3/5.
Sep 18 2025
3
Not offesnsive
Sep 19 2025
3
Not the most revolutionary LP in the world, but there’s just something about hearing an older guy with a twangy voice sing about how much he loves his guitar.
Sep 19 2025
3
Veers a bit too far into traditional country for my tastes, but still pretty good. 3 stars.
Sep 25 2025
3
Country är så oförarglig musik. Sällan dåligt men lika sällan jättebra. Piece of wood and steel är bästa låten.
Sep 28 2025
3
That’s country alright. Good country.
Oct 04 2025
2
Sorry heard enough country in the original list.
Sep 17 2025
1
Nope