Music makes the world go ‘round. Where would we be without it. And some of the most amazing places have inspired some of the best songs. Like ‚Amarillo By Morning‚‚ ‚Tupelo Hone‚y‚ and ‚New York‚ New York‚. But unfortunately‚ songs have a way of not caring where you are at when inspiration strikes. As a matter of fact‚ it can happen at the most inopportune times.  I thought it would be fun to explore the interesting places and ways a song was initially written. There are some doozies here that’s for sure.but in the end‚ the song was written and all was well with the world once again‚ sigh.. Friends in Low Places is one of the most iconic and successful songs in country music history. Earl Bud Lee‚ and Dewayne Blackwell were playing hooky from church‚ lol‚ and sipping champagne at a local eatery having brunch when Earl wrote down the iconic lines ‚Blame It All On My Roots‚ I Showed Up In Boots‚ and Ruined Your Black Tie Affair‚ on the back of a napkin. Dewayne wrote the next line‚ and they kept trading off lines. The iconic title‚ and last line did not come until Dewayne told Earl he had left his wallet home when it was time to pay the champagne brunch tab.. Earl responded‚ don’t worry I have friends in low places‚ and the rest is country music history.  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0e_HtjZS8SQThe bathroom seems to be a pretty popular way of writing a song. I guess the solitude of your thoughts in a somewhat vulnerable position can open the gates of inspiration. The classic Kingsman ‚Louie Louie‚ and Kenny Rogers ‚Lady. Not to mention that Ed Sheeran‚ Post Malone‚ and Taylor Swift have also admitted to writing in the bathroom. I just don’t know which songs exactly.. Possibly the most recognizable living country music legend is Dolly Parton. The trajectory of her career‚ and her staying power are rivaled only by her humanitarian efforts‚ and love for people. One of Dolly’s most memorable songs was written on a tour bus when she was still performing with her then duet partner Porter Wagoner. The song was about growing up poor‚ but her momma made her a coat of many colors to wear to school. Dolly later ‚shared that the coat was the only top she had‚ and the bullies in school tore the buttons off of it by tugging at it‚ and locked her in a closet. She said the memory was horrific‚ and made the song painful to sing early on. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c1zJzr-kWsIIncredibly enough‚Coat Of Many Colors was written on the back of one of Porter’s sales receipts for a Nudie suit he bought. He was so proud of Dolly’s composition that he recorded it first‚ and framed the receipt. You can see it at  Dollywood.  Jail is another odd place that has inspired artists to write about their woes. The late great Lefty Frizzell‚ one of the progenitors of Honky Tonk music along with Hank Williams is a great example. He was the only artist that rivaled Hank’s popularity in 1951. At barely 19 years of age‚ Lefty was cooling his heels in a Roswell‚ New Mexico jail cell‚ when he wrote one of his biggest hits “I Love You a Thousand Ways..”   https://youtu.be/MJoWuVCYF0s?si=UsFu6lw7q37mH93cPossibly‚ one of the most stirring songs written from a jail cell came from The Hag. The song was written when he was in San Quentin at the same time that Caryl Chessman was. Merle observed all the preps taking place for Caryl’s execution. The chilling experience inspired one of my all-time faves from the Mighty Merle ‚Sing Me Back Home.‚ The details concerning the background and success of the song can be found in one of my previous blog posts. Check back next week for a new installment on ‚Back Stories: The Story Behind The Song. https://youtu.be/ngBM-mAuMGA?si=P9fyM6Wf2UntDomPAnd by the way‚ the oldest full musical composition known is the Seiklos Epitaph. It was written on a tombstone‚ and still standing. The translated song says: While you live‚ shine have no grief at all life exists only for a short while and Time demands his due..Don't forget to follow the blogger on ‚Twitter: Listen to more good country music ‚here  Check out our interviews on ‚Pandora