10 Underrated William Clark Green Songs Every Country Fan Needs To Hear

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William Clark Green

William Clark Green has one of the deepest, most underappreciated collections of songs in country music. Born in Flint, Texas and raised in College Station, Green has released five albums, two live albums, and a few other singles, beginning with his debut album Dangerous Man in 2008.

Raised on country classics and influenced by Texas greats like Jerry Jeff Walker and Robert Earl Keen, Green has been a staple on the Texas/Red Dirt scene for years. Attending college at Texas Tech University, Green is one of numerous artists to have gotten their start at the Blue Light, a legendary venue and hot bed for great music in Lubbock.

Green’s earlier releases have influenced some of the younger stars on the Texas scene, and his newer releases have shown growth as a songwriter and musician. Nevertheless, Green does not receive enough credit for all of the incredible music he has released, and is without a doubt one of the most underappreciated artists in country music.

If you aren’t too familiar with Green’s music, I highly recommend giving him a listen. One of the best in the business, here are my top 10 in a long list of great William Clark Green songs.

10. “She Loves Horses” – Hebert Island (2018)

9. “Ringling Road” – Ringling Road (2015)

An iconic WCG song inspired by an unverified but interesting Ringling Bros. Circus tale. As the story goes, Ringling Bros. bought a property in Eastland, Texas, and when the circus would travel by train, they would stop there to let the elephants and animals out get water from a lake on Ringling Road.

8. “Poor” – Hebert Island (2018)

“I know we ain’t got much
But we’re so rich in love
And it feels pretty good being poor.”

7. “Outcast” – Dangerous Man (2008)

Included on Green’s debut album Dangerous Man, “Outcast” is about a struggling man on the edge of society. The song was also recently covered on Koe Wetzel’s November 2020 album Sellout. Wetzel has said he used to listen to the song a lot growing up with one of his buddies who subsequently passed away a few years ago, so he decided to cut a cover of it on his album.

6. “Goner” – Hebert Island (2018)

5. “Creek Don’t Rise” – Ringling Road (2015)

4. “Still Think About You” – Ringling Road (2015)

3. “Drunk Again” – Hebert Island (2018)

“I remember it was just a game
Back in our younger days
We held on to a hurricane
And then I drowned
If you’re water, I’m gasoline
Mixed in a way I never seen
I never thought I could be so mean
As I am now.”

2. “She Likes the Beatles” – Rose Queen (2013)

The most streamed WCG song for a reason, “She Likes the Beatles” is a cool concept and super catchy.

Green wrote the song after his drummer broke up with his girlfriend at the time, and told the band they would never get along because she liked the Beatles and he liked the Rolling Stones.

1. “The One I Was Then” (2019)

“The One I Was Then” was released as a single in 2019 and included on The Next Waltz Vol. 2, a collection of songs produced by Bruce Robison’s recording label The Next Waltz. The introspective, extremely well written tune speaks to the wear and tear life on the road can have on relationships, and includes a narrator who is recalling wrongs he has committed and attempting to improve as a person.

“And I have been thinking and changing along the way
And I wish that you could just see who I am today
I know I’m a damn good man
I know you did the best you can
With the one I was then”

There are legitimately 20 other WCG songs that could have been included in this list, too. His catalog goes that deep.

Green also teamed up with Texas musicians Josh Abbott, John Baumann, and Cleto Cordero (of Flatland Cavalry) this year to form the West Texas country music supergroup The Panhandlers. Together they released a self-titled debut album The Panhandlers back in March 2020, which includes a number of instant classics and West Texas anthems.

This incredible album just adds to the extensive list of great music William Clark Green has been a part of.

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