Top Ten Songs by Alison Krauss and Union Station
10. Heaven’s Bright Shore- This song appears on Two Highways, which AKUS released in 1989. Alison Krauss was just seventeen years old at the time, but you’d never know it to listen to her luminous treatment of this beautiful gospel song. Accompanied by an early incarnation of her band, Union Station, Alison Krauss sings in the bright, confident, girlish vocals that are the hallmark of her sound in the 1980s. Jeff White, who was a member of Union Station in 1989, is also notable on the acoustic guitar.
9. The Boy Who Wouldn’t Hoe Corn- I have to admit this song, which is included on 2001’s New Favorite, took awhile to grow on me. My husband, on the other hand, loved this song the first time he heard it. Current Union Station member, Dan Tyminski, who served as George Clooney’s singing voice on O Brother Where Art Thou?, sings lead on this haunting song about a lazy farmer who wouldn’t hoe his corn. The lyrics are certainly very cool, but what’s even better about “The Boy Who Wouldn’t Hoe Corn” is the way Union Station jams. When I listen to this song, I’m left with no doubt that even though this band plays bluegrass, it can still rock with the best of ’em.
8. Looking In The Eyes of Love- This song is the tenth track on the 1997 album, So Long, So Wrong. Like “The Boy Who Wouldn’t Hoe Corn”, I took my time learning to love this song. What I love about this song is that it’s a heartfelt love song that expresses so well the way I feel about my husband. The album So Long, So Wrong is a good one, but the songs on it are mostly melancholy. “Looking In The Eyes of Love” stands out because it’s one of the few songs on the CD that isn’t about losing at love. And again, Alison Krauss’s vocals are extremely impressive.
7. Daylight- I think of this song, which was included on 2001’s New Favorite, as a bit of a sleeper. Written by Bob Lucas, “Daylight” has a buoyant energy to it that makes me think of carefree summer days. Alison Krauss sings lead, her voice warmer and more womanly than it was on many of her earlier songs. Legendary dobro player, Jerry Douglas, is also strongly featured on this song.
6. Lord Don’t Forsake Me- This is another song from 1989’s Two Highways, featuring Jeff White on vocals. Though White no longer plays with Union Station, he contributed a real gem with this unique song, which showcases his talents on lead vocals. Alison Krauss sings harmony and plays lusty interludes on the fiddle. This song is very spiritual, but it also has a soulful, almost R&B feel to it. I like it because it’s not like any other spiritual song AKUS has done. Current AKUS member Ron Block has written a number of beautiful, delicate spiritual songs for AKUS and I’ve liked them all, though they tend to sound very similar. “Lord Don’t Forsake Me” represents AKUS before RonBlock came along.
5. Cluck Old Hen- This is a very cool instrumental jam that appears on 1992’s Every Time You Say Goodbye. The thing I love most about AKUS’s instrumentals is that they allow everyone in the band to show off their talents. Everyone gets a solo and everyone sounds like they’re having a great time just jamming together. I have to admit also being somewhat turned on by the name of this instrumental piece. I like just about all AKUS instrumentals, but this one sticks out in my mind as being among the very best.
4. The Lucky One- This song, written by Robert Castleman, appears on the 2001 album, New Favorite. The first time I heard this song, I knew it would be one of my new favorites. With its acoustic sound, almost reggae rhythm, and bitter lyrics, it’s a real winner. It’s also a challenge to sing. I know that for a fact because I’ve tried it. Even Alison Krauss herself cheats a bit on the live version, which is included on the 2004 album Alison Krauss and Union Station: Live. Anyway, I think this song speaks to women who have been disappointed by their charismatic but ultimately unfaithful lovers. It’s just a great tune!
3. Baby, Now That I’ve Found You- I truly love this cover version of the classic pop song, “Baby, Now That I’ve Found You”. Alison Krauss and Union Station admit to doing a lot of cover songs, but the cool thing about AKUS is that they always make their cover versions their own. This song was originally a 1967 hit by The Foundations. Alison Krauss and Union Station completely reworked it into a beautiful plaintive bluegrass song in 1995 and included it on their fantastic album, Now That I’ve Found You: A Collection. AKUS has also remade other hit songs, like Dolly Parton’s “But You Know I Love You” and The Allman Brothers’ “Midnight Rider”. Every time they cover a song, they make it their own version. That, to me, is the mark of a great band.
2. A Living Prayer- “A Living Prayer”, which appears as the last track on 2004’s Lonely Runs Both Ways, is a fine example of one of Ron Block’s spiritual songs. I’ve noticed that Ron Block writes and sings two kinds of songs. I’ve heard him do indignant songs toward wayward lovers who have done him wrong and I’ve heard him do ethereal songs that offer praises to God. Block usually sings the angry songs himself, but he tends to leave the spiritual songs to his colleague, Alison Krauss, and her magnificent voice. “A Living Prayer” is a quiet, contemplative song until it’s time for the chorus. Then, it’s time to prepare to hear Alison Krauss’s lilting soprano soar with emotion as she offers her life as as a living prayer to God. Most of Ron Block’s spiritual songs, especially “A Living Prayer”, “There Is A Reason”, and “In The Palm of Your Hand”, tend to sound very similar to each other. I happen to love them all, but to me, “A Living Prayer” represents the best.
1. Oh Atlanta- “Oh Atlanta” is, for today, anyway, my favorite song by Alison Krauss and Union Station. This song is yet another cover of a song that was made popular by other bands. It was originally a song by Little Feat, but it was also recorded by Bad Company before Alison Krauss and Union Station overhauled the rollicking ode to Atlanta and turned it into a whole new song. This song is a hell of a lot of fun to listen to, but it’s even more fun to sing! Everyone in the band gets to shine and Alison Krauss gets to cut loose with her rangy voice. “Oh Atlanta” may not be an AKUS original, but it gets top honors from me.
This top ten list only represents my favorite songs by Alison Krauss and Union Station. I didn’t take into account the wonderful work Alison Krauss has done as a solo artist or in conjunction with artists like The Cox Family, The Chieftans, James Taylor, Brad Paisley, or even her brother, Viktor Krauss, nor did I consider the solo efforts by members of Union Station. I’m sure it’s obvious that I really admire this band, but I also comment that this top ten list really could change on any given day, depending on the mood I happen to be in at the time. It’s true that I love the music I’ve heard by Alison Krauss and Union Station, but what I love more is the fact that I’ve discovered the magic of bluegrass thanks to this band and its hybrid sounds which transcend the bluegrass genre. It’s always exciting to learn about new things and I feel that I’ve gotten that as an unexpected gift just because I discovered Alison Krauss and Union Station. Bluegrass music doesn’t appeal to everyone, but Alison Krauss and Union Station can sure make it much harder to dislike.
