Recitation song

A recitation song or "recitation" as it is more commonly called, is a spoken narrative to music, generally with a sentimental (or at times, religious) theme. Such numbers were quite popular in country music from the 1930's into the 1960's although few in number. While they almost disappeared in the 1970's that decade saw several of the biggest recitation songs of alltime, Red Sovine's sentimental ode to an ill child "Teddy Bear" and C. W. McCall's truck-driving saga "Convoy", both songs hitting number one on the country charts and even crossing over into the pop market. McCall, who did not sing, became a popular country star in the 1970's with a string of recitations, most of them comic, although his last hit, 1977's "Roses for Mama" was a sentimental tale in the best Sovine tradition.

Notable Recitation songs

* "The Americans" by Bryon McGregor
* "Deck of Cards" by Wink Martindale
* "Giddy up Go" by Red Sovine
* "Golden Guitar" by Bill Anderson
* "Hello Fool" by Ralph Emery
* "I.O.U." by Jimmy Dean
* "If Jesus Came to Your House" by Porter Wagoner
* "That Was Yesterday" by Donna Fargo
* "The Shirt" by Norma Jean (singer)
* "Old Rivers" by Walter Brennan
* "Open Letter to my Teenage Son" by Victor Lundberg
* "The Devil Went Down to Georgia" by The Charlie Daniels Band

emi-Recitation Songs

Semi-recitation songs were also very popular during this period. Usually, the verses of these songs were spoken and the choruses were sung.

Hits of this nature:
* "Big Bad John" by Jimmy Dean
* "Honey Come Back" by Glen Campbell
* "I Dreamed of a Hillbilly Heaven" by Tex Ritter
* "I Gave My Wedding Dress Away" by Kitty Wells
* "Still" by Bill Anderson

* "A Boy Named Sue" by Shel Silverstein, performed by Johnny Cash
* "Uneasy Rider" by The Charlie Daniels Band