10 Best Brooks & Dunn Songs
Though Brooks & Dunn are no longer an active duo (except onstage a few times each year), their music lives on through a plethora of classic, take-you-back hits.
Their sound spans nearly 20 years, so not only does that leave room for a lot of singles, it leaves the door wide open for a lot of '90s hairstyles, too. Together, Kix Brooks and Ronnie Dunn were truly the best of country music, so that's why Taste of Country decided to let them shine in a Top 10 Brooks & Dunn Songs list. Kick it old-school with us as we take you back with the best of Brooks & Dunn!
- 10
"That Ain't No Way to Go"
This Brooks & Dunn gem, the last single to drop from their 1993 Hard Workin' Man album, was the sixth No. 1 single for the pearl-snap pair. Though it charted for 20 weeks in all, it sat atop the U.S. Billboard Hot Country Songs chart for just a week, but it forever etched itself into our hearts -- and mouths. Depressing as the lyrics may be, we just can't stop singing this catchy tune! "That ain't no way to gooooo…"
- 9
"Rock My World (Little Country Girl)"
If "Rock My World (Little Country Girl)" doesn't sound like traditional Brooks & Dunn, that's because it was only the second song the duo released with Kix Brooks singing the lead. Maybe that's why it charted at just No. 2 on the U.S. Billboard Hot Country Songs chart back in 1993? Country fans certainly love them some Brooks & Dunn, but it's safe to say they love them best when Ronnie Dunn has the reins. Nevertheless, the song prompts country girls to dance, and that's the blueprint for a hit no matter who's belting it out.
- 8
"Play Something Country"
"Play Something Country" is a shoe-in -- err, steel-toed boot-in, for a list of great country songs, and we know you can guess why. Not only does the duo demand some honky tonk tunes in this one, they directly call out their country peers like Kenny Chesney and Patsy Cline. This 2005 stomper was the 20th and final No. 1 single for the star-studded duo, but dang if it wasn't a good way to go out. If anyone knows how to play something country, it's these guys!
- 7
"Red Dirt Road"
When it comes to Brooks & Dunn songs, "Red Dirt Road" definitely holds the duo's signature style. Country fans loved this one when it first made waves back in early 2003, because they could relate to it. Rural dirt roads? Check. Beer, family Sundays, and pretty girls picking roadside fruit? Oh yeah, triple check. Naturally, this one anchored at No. 1 on the charts, and quickly became a summer road trip anthem for years to come.
- 6
"She Used to Be Mine"
Lots of folks can relate to the idea of letting someone go before realizing how great they are, hence the popular saying, "You don't know what you've got until it's gone." Brooks & Dunn sing that same tune in "She Used to Be Mine," a sad, slow, lovesick song about a first love long-gone but not forgotten. "She Used to Be Mine" was another hit from the pair's 1993 Hard Workin' Man album, and yes, yet another No. 1.
- 5
"You Can't Take the Honky Tonk Out of the Girl"
It's true, you actually can't take the honky tonk out of the girl. This fun, singable top Brooks & Dunn song describes a woman who leaves her country roots behind for a ritzy Hollywood lifestyle, but when she returns back home for a wedding, they grab her tightly. No matter how expensive her clothes or how big-city she may seem, the girl still likes to be barefoot as the day she was born and is as honky tonky as they come.
- 4
"How Long Gone'"
Sure, "how long gone are you gonna be" isn't perfect grammar, but "How Long Gone" is absolutely a perfect country song. It's got all of the essentials: Emotion, fiddle, and of course, Brooks & Dunn! This one hails from the duo's fifth album, If You See Her, and became a quick No. 1 when it hit in the late '90s. We don't know if the girl the guys were searching for ever made it back home, but we do know that once B&D dropped this one, we were here to stay.
- 3
"My Maria"
As far as the top Brooks & Dunn songs go, "My Maria" is a staple. You'd be hard-pressed to find just about anyone who doesn't know the words to this hit, country or not, and that's because they did it more than a little justice. Surprisingly, this is actually a cover of B. W. Stevenson's original '70s Top 10, and it was a chart-topper for Brooks & Dunn, too. It's a great song, and it treated our country duo well -- it was the song of the year in 1996 and allowed the guys to pocket a second Grammy award.
- 2
"Neon Moon"
When we put together this list of the top Brooks & Dunn songs, we knew we couldn't leave out the classic slow dance invitation, "Neon Moon." It was released nearly 20 years ago, but describes a timeless scene: A man sitting all alone and feeling lonely at the bar. This one still makes its rounds at any dancehall where boots scuff the floor, and for that, we're more than thankful.
- 1
"Boot Scootin' Boogie"
You didn't think we'd forget this top Brooks and Dunn song, did ya? If this isn't one of the countriest country tunes of all time, we don't know what is. Get your boots on, 'cause "Boot Scootin' Boogie" makes us want to hit the local honky-tonk for some whiskey and shufflin'. Don't know how to do it? Put your heel to toe and dosey doe -- come on, Brooks & Dunn fans, let's go boot scootin'!