Brooks & Dunn Country Hits: The Top 9

With longtime country music superduo Brooks & Dunn set to ride off into the sunset together for the last time later this year, it's fun to look back at their 20-year career and remember some of the songs that made them great. Here's a glance at nine of the duo's standout classic hits. Some are fun and some are heartbreaking, but all are alive with distinctive Brooks & Dunn flair.

Brooks & Dunn Hit #1: Boot Scootin' Boogie (1992). Forget scootin', kick off those boots and get ready to shake your moneymaker to the tune of a truly iconic down-home, southern-style dance track. The duo's debut single is to this day a line dance staple and always a hollerin' party to a good time.

Brooks & Dunn Hit #2: My Maria (1996). It may be a cover of a 1973 B.W. Stevenson song, but Kix and Ronnie's version of My Maria took on a life of its own. Their light, upbeat offering in praise of Maria won not only the notice of country music fans, but a Grammy Award as well.

Brooks & Dunn Hit #3: Red Dirt Road (2003). You can't move forward without occasionally looking back, and Red Dirt Road reminds us that looking back isn't always a painful task. After all, experiences make us who we are, and memories keep days of old alive in our hearts.

Brooks & Dunn Hit #4: Brand New Man (1991). New love is like a religious experience? I don't know that I'd take it quite that far, but Brand New Man is by far one of the duo's most upbeat, energetic and overwhelmingly positive songs. Ever.

Brooks & Dunn Hit #5: She's Not the Cheatin' Kind (1994). Take notice, guys: Never underestimate the willpower of a woman scored. Just because she's never cheated before doesn't mean she won't snap and strike out on her own on day. So shape up! It's a salient bit of girl-power from two guys' guys, but hey, we'll take it.

Brooks & Dunn Hit #6: That Ain't No Way To Go (1994). This one proves that heartbreak isn't reserved for just the ladies; guys can feel it just as acutely. But that doesn't mean she'll ever tell you why she left.

Brooks & Dunn Hit #7: Neon Moon (1992). It may be a sad drinking song, but it's a sad drinking song that packs a lot of punch in the form of some powerful vocals. And in this case, it's not on my list because of great lyrics, because I find Neon Moon's words, well, overly whiny and depressing. It's just snazzy, catchy music, bar none.

Brooks & Dunn Hit #8: You're Gonna Miss Me When I'm Gone (1995). Okay, so this is another 'woe is me, my woman doesn't care' song, but there's a glimmer of hope: He won't put up with her indifference forever. Atta boy.

Brooks & Dunn Hit #9: Proud of the House We Built (2007). When all is said and done, what matters most in this life is family. This one's a powerful anthem in praise of the work and sacrifice it takes to make love last over time.

So there you have my top nine Brooks & Dunn hits. What track should hold the number 10 slot?

Sources

Brooks & Dunn Discography, Wikipedia