King of Country: The essential George Strait playlist

An actual cowboy with a passion for roping, George Strait makes this cowboy's lament feel especially authentic. It's all about the hardships that the rodeo life can place on a relationship, and it's a real heartbreaker. 

Released on Strait’s breakout 1982 album “Strait From The Heart,” “Amarillo By Morning” is one of King George’s defining tracks. Written in 1973 by Paul Fraser and Terry Stafford, the song was a top-five hit for Strait in ‘83, more than a decade later. 

In 1995, George Strait debuted his iconic “Strait Out Of The Box” box set with “Check Yes Or No” as its lead single. It’s a classic Strait story song, telling the story of a decades-long romance that got its start in a third grade classroom. A #1 hit, the song has since sold more than 2 million copies, earning it two Platinum certifications from the Recording Industry Academy of America. 

Anyone who’s ever told a tall tale can appreciate the clever wordplay in “Ocean Front Property,” a #1 hit for Strait in 1986. Written by Dean Dillon, Royce Porter, and Hank Cochran, the song tells the story of a brokenhearted lover who’s telling his old flame that he’ll never take her back, and if she believes that, he’s got some oceanfront property in the desert state of Arizona to sell her. 

Both Mickey Gilley and George Strait released their versions of “You Look So Good In Love” in 1983, but Strait’s take has been decidedly more enduring. It marked his third #1 hit, and remains a favorite among fans, especially during Strait’s legendary live shows. 

Despite its upbeat tempo and defiant tone, “Give It Away” is actually a pretty heartbreaking tune. It tells the story of a lover so scorned she doesn’t even want her “half of everything,” telling the narrator to trash all the mementos of their love gone wrong. Written by Jamey Johnson, Bill Anderson, and Buddy Cannon, the neo-traditional tune was a big hit for Strait in 2006, and helped him set the record for the most #1 singles in the history of the Billboard Hot Country Songs chart. 

Marking Strait’s 35th #1 hit, “Write This Down” appeared on his 1999 album “Always Never The Same.” It was the only #1 from the album, but marked an important crossover success for Strait when it hit #27 on the all-genre Billboard Hot 100.  

This classic heartbreak tune earned George Strait his very first #1 single in 1982, appearing on the album “Strait From The Heart.” It’s also one of his most compelling vocal performances, as evidenced on his 2015 live album “The Cowboy Rides Away: Live from AT&T Stadium,” on which he performs “Fool Hearted Memory” alongside fellow superstar Jason Aldean. 

George Strait loves a good story song, and there’s few better in country music than “The Chair.” Written by the powerhouse duo of Dean Dillon and Hank Cochran, both frequent Strait collaborators, the song lacks a chorus but makes up for it with one heck of a catchy refrain and an iconic meet cute. 

Arguably Strait’s most recognizable tune, “All My Ex’s Live in Texas” was released in 1987 on his album “Ocean Front Property.” It’s a perfect showcase of Strait’s swaggering showmanship, and especially fun to watch in live performances throughout the decades. 

A 1988 hit for Strait, “Baby Blue” is thought by many to be about his late daughter Jennifer, who died as a child in a car accident. Even if you take it at face value, it’s still a pretty heartbreaking tune about someone who just can’t seem to get over their baby-blue-eyed ex. 

A #1 hit for Strait in 1991 and the first single from his album “Chill of an Early Fall,” “If I Know Me” is yet another example of King George’s incredible proficiency with a heartbreak tune. “Sometimes I lose my head, say things to break your heart,” he croons. “Forgettin' if I lost your love, it would tear my world apart.” 

Many George Strait fans were fully converted after hearing him sing “I Cross My Heart” in “Pure Country,” the 1992 film starring Strait as a country singer-songwriter who’s trying to keep it traditional. The film was a bit of a box office bust, but it was a total boon for Strait, who has since sold more than six million copies of “Pure Country,” the album that soundtracked the film. 

The title track from Strait’s chart-topping 1996 album “Blue Clear Sky,” this tune is the definition of catchy. It also exemplifies Strait’s commitment to keeping his sound in line with classic country greats like George Jones and Merle Haggard as the genre was influenced more and more heavily by pop in the ‘90s. 

Legendary crooner Vern Gosdin wrote and recorded the first version of “Today My World Slipped Away,” and George Strait made it his own in 1997. Strait’s version hit #3 on the Billboard Hot Country Songs chart more than 15 years after its original release, making it both a commercial and critical success. 

Arguably one of the cheekier songs in Strait’s repertoire, “The Fireman” is absolutely not about being an actual fireman. In fact, it’s about a charming cowboy who’s “running around all over town puttin’ out old flames,” or generally being a bit of a rapscallion. 

Even though he’s from Texas, Strait paid homage to the romantic shores of Marina Del Rey, California on this love-drenched tune about a short-term affair. The second single from his second album “Strait From The Heart,” it remains a fan favorite. 

In 2014, George Strait told the world that he would retire from constant touring, and “The Cowboy Rides Away” is the final song he played on the final night of his tour, also called “The Cowboy Rides Away” tour. Of course, Strait has still continued to perform and record new music, but there’s no denying the appeal of the metaphor in this classic heartbreak tune. 

The title track of Strait’s seventeenth full-length album, “Carrying Your Love With Me” is a ‘90s country classic. Released in 1997, the album has since sold more than 3 million copies, earning it a 3-times Platinum certification from the Recording Industry Academy of America. 

“Ace In The Hole” is a name that’s closely associated with George Strait, largely because this 1989 #1 hit inspired the name of his touring band. Referring to a clutch card during a game of poker, the song doles out some seriously solid life advice: “When life deals out a surprise, have a few surprises of your own,” Strait sings. “No matter what you do, no matter where you go, you've got to have an ace in the hole.” 

The breeziest breakup tune in a heartbreak-drenched catalog, “Easy Come, Easy Go” was a crossover success for Strait, and a #1 country hit, following its release in 1993.