Once Upon a Rhyme

Very nice choice 5

We used to make music in this country.

Rating: 7/10 Best songs: Jody like a melody, Sweet vibrations

Hell yeah

My dad was a big fan of David Allan Coe and when I was around him would occasionally hear one of his songs. But unlike some of his other favorites like Waylon Jennings, Willie Nelson, and Kris Kristofferson, I never delved into David Allan Coe’s catalog. Coe does some pretty great things on this album. Classic 70s country sound with some really interesting songwork. The second track “Jody Like A Melody” has a really interesting ending that transitions into “Loneliness in Ruby’s Eyes” - really got my attention. The finale “You Never Even Called Me By My Name” is the song I definitely remember - as I kid I really loved the added verse about mama getting runned over by a damned ol’ train. How great to hear that again! I’ll add that I’m a sucker for classic country backup harmonies and they are exquisite on this album. Glad to find myself at a place in life where I can really appreciate this. I’m already digging into the catalog to find some more David Allan Coe to listen to. Thanks for this suggestion, you’ve opened a door for me that I should have a long time ago.

This was a gem. I hadn't even heard of David Allan Coe, but this is another example of some of the many amazing country artists that weren't recognized in this project. Now, I'd have run at top speed from this as a youth, but I have grown to appreciate these voices and steel guitars.

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.

Classic 70's country music

Yet another 4th studio album? The Chicken always played DAC. I can still semi-recall maybe singing along to "You Never Even Called Me by My Name"... you don't have to call me darling, darling... old times... this song deserves a 5.

I get really irritated at what modern country has become, given the incredible foundation that it's built on. I'm usually not excited when I get assigned a country album on this list, but I usually end up really enjoying it all the same. I know that all modern music has become meaningless pap in some sense, but goddamnit I hate modern country. Anyway, this album is great. Great voice, solid lyrics, great music. Fuck yeah, old country 4/5

Country with some serious groove!

David Allan Coe's album before his famous Longhaired Redneck image became legacy. He has always been inline with the outlaw country sound consistent with the likes of Waylon Jennings and Willie Nelson, but Coe's penchant for Nashville-style songwriting still shines here. Obviously there's lots of great songs on here, but none hit as hard as the closer You Never Even Call Me by My Name which intentionally fuses as many country/western cliches as possible. Inspired! CONTENDER FOR THE LIST: Can I be mean for a moment? I think the list can survive without the likes of David Allan Coe. Don't get me wrong, I appreciate his take on outlaw country, but there's a number of other classic country artists (Patsy Cline, Kris Kristofferson, Hank Williams) that are perhaps more deserving than Coe.

Incredible outlaw country record. I've been on a bit of an outlaw country kick lately, so this coming up was very appropriate. Loved it.

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.

Goddamn that’s some cheesy country music. This stuff all sounds so same-ish, artist to artist, album to album, song to song.

Country music normally gets one star from me but this made me chuckle a couple of times so an extra star for that.

This is really foreign to my ears- I can't find anything here to listen to. I get that it's just my personal opinion and in fact there's nothing wrong with it. It's just not for me.

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.

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

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

Decent country music

Casual country music

Country, Outlaw country. Ni fu ni fa.

This is the less-annoying end of country, so that's nice. But it's still country. 3/5.

Certainly sounds of its era. Old timey country that is a bit story oriented. Everything is decent, but isn't quite clever or catchy enough to stand out as anything but an ok 70's country album.

Not offesnsive

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.

Veers a bit too far into traditional country for my tastes, but still pretty good. 3 stars.

Country är så oförarglig musik. Sällan dåligt men lika sällan jättebra. Piece of wood and steel är bästa låten.

That’s country alright. Good country.

Could just as easily be from 1875, in a good way

"Once Upon a Rhyme" sounds like a 90s gangsta rap album title. Will grandpa spit? My relationship with County music is so strange, because this felt substantially better than most other Country albums on the list, but I can't tell you anything it does differently. I think my ears just throw a dice to decide whether I enjoy one or not. 3/5.

Country clásico sin muchos miramientos. Voz muy típica del estilo de música. Canciones agradables y con el estilo propio del movimiento. Se deja escuchar. Evocador

Hmm.. it's what I think of when people say country music. My personal rating: 3/5 My rating relative to the list: 3/5 Should this have been included on the original list? No

Okay, I just don't understand country music. I don't know why people like it. I don't know what makes it good or bad, almost all of it sounds the same to me. I genuinely don't know how to rate this and at this point, I don't really care anymore. I hope there are few country albums left.

Some good old fashioned country. Nice to listen but wouldn't repeat.

Above replacement country music. I actually grabbed a couple songs off here for the highlights playlist, I don't normally do that for the country entries

This is the album that has the greatest country western song of all time.

Not bad

Coe is the epitome of "outlaw country" and a fascinating character that seems almost mythical in stature. While not my style of music, this was an enjoyable album.

I do like me a bit of country but I think I preferred the songs generated after this album finished to the actual album.

Solid 70s country.

Yeah, I know the opener through Johnny Cash's cover version on *American III: The Man Comes Around*. It's a good song. But I think I like Cash's barebones version better (as it happens quite often when the man in black stole someone else's work). The orchestral yet understated finale of "Judy Like A Melody" hit a mark, I admit it. As for "Piece of Wood and Steel", it is a real gem -- stern, a bit dry, but lively and driven as well. Finally, closer "You Never Even Called Me By My Name" wears its derivative (and cliché) heart on its sleeve, so I understand why it could be seen as iconic in that music style. And the story behind its last added verse is hilarious for sure. Apart from that, the rest is generally too saccharine or predictable, in spite of excellent or lush instrumentation. David Allan Coe dives into all the pitfalls of the genre in the lesser tracks of this record. Besides, his vocal performance is sometimes too "shouty", or it feels a little forced. Hard to let that pass for a music style where performance and affects are so pivotal to transcend the formula. Revisited Guy Clark's *Old No. 1* -- which was a C&W suggestion I absolutely fell in love with in the users list -- right after listening to *Once Upon A Rhyme*. I wanted to understand why there are some country albums I love and others I don't care for. The answer was very clear for me -- even if I will spare you the tiniest details of my comparative assessment. Let's just say that the songs on *Old No.1* -- whether the slow cuts or the livelier ones -- are way more subtle, way more interesting in terms of harmonies, chord sequences, arrangements and overall dynamics, and that Guy Clark's performance is elegant as hell. All things I can't really find in a short majority of the songs offered in *Once Upon A Rhyme*. Verdict: this album by David Allan Coe has four great tracks, but it's too short a number to make it to my own "essential" list. The rest is a bit of a snorefest, very harshly put. That being said, one of the good things of using this generator for four years is that I know my way around the genre now -- at least a little. So keep on suggesting C&W / Country / Honky Tonk records. Another Guy Clark is probably hiding in a corner somewhere... 2.5/5 for the purposes of this list dedicated to essential albums, rounded up to 3 7.5/10 for more general purposes (5 + 2.5) ---- Number of albums from the original list I find relevant enough to be mandatory listens: 465 Albums from the original list I *might* include in mine later on: 288 Albums from the original list I won't include in mine: 336 ---- Number of albums from the users list I find relevant enough to be mandatory listens: 79 Albums from the users list I *might* select for mine later on: 99 Albums from the users list I won't select for mine: 203 (including this one) ---- Émile, tu trouveras ma dernière réponse sous le *Inside* de Bo Burnham

Sorry heard enough country in the original list.

Yes, that's a country album

It might be classic 70s country. It's also bland cheesy inane mush.

While I do agree classic country has some holes in the original list, this is not what is missing.

Even though I was really tired of country, I should say I almost enjoyed this one. The guitar work is quite impressive. Overall, the album delivers what is promised from the cover to the final song, but given my exposure to so many country albums over the last 4 years in this project, it's not one of the worst.

i do not like country

Nope