Song of the Day 9/23: David Allen Coe, “You Never Even Called Me By My Name”

Ken Burns’ multi-part documentary on country music, still airing on PBS stations, hasn’t reached the end of the ’60s yet, so I don’t know if it’s going to address what by its own account is the greatest country and western song ever written. Steve Goodman and John Prine wrote it in 1971, and Goodman included it on his first solo album that year, but most people know the version David Allan Coe recorded in 1975. It reached No. 8 on the country charts and is a sing-along favorite in every bar that has it on its jukebox.

Goodman’s original did lack the final verse, but it did contain a couplet only he and Prine included. In concert, Goodman played the tune for laughs, dropping the verse name-checking Waylon Jennings, Merle Haggard and Charlie Pride, while showing off his imitations of C&W vocal mannerisms and instrumentation.

John Prine, who declined a co-writing credit on the song, explains its genesis in this concert clip. As you might expect, alcohol was involved.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TxKgj7w3tBU

The song has since become a concert standard for various country artists. In the ’90s Doug Supernaw put the cherry on top of the song by inviting the singers Coe name-checked to record it with him, making it the perfect version of the perfect country and western song.