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Gram Parsons’ 20 best songs

The country-rock pioneer's greatest tracks…

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4 HOT BURRITO #1
The Gilded Palace Of Sin, 1969

Perhaps his greatest ever vocal (wobbly but devastating), married to a supple melody and lyrics that tread a convincingly torturous path between bravado, bitterness and naked need. Parsons’ organ and “Sneaky” Pete Kleinow’s pedal steel, meanwhile, fleetingly recall the grandeur of Procol Harum’s “A Whiter Shade Of Pale”. This lacerating account of emotional surrender was retitled “I’m Your Toy” in Elvis Costello’s 1981 version.

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5 SHE
GP, 1973

Written with Chris Ethridge, the jazzy, laidback and somewhat hesitant structure is lifted by a honky-tonkin’ middle eight anchored by Ric Grech’s thudding bass. An evocative, impressionistic story of an unconventional, possibly inter-racial love affair down in the Delta, it’s a sweet love letter to a woman who, over and above all her other talents and woes, “sure could sing”.

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6 WILD HORSES
Burrito Deluxe, 1970

Debate rumbles on regarding the extent of Parsons’ contribution to Jagger & Richards’ country ballad. Mick recalls that “we sat around originally doing this with Gram”, while his brother Chris reckons, “it’s basically Gram’s composition, not that he got any credit for it.” Although already recorded by the Stones, the Burritos were allowed to release their faithful, fragile version first. Leon Russell contributes a barnstorming piano solo.

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