There are hit's. And then there are big hit's. Even better is a huge hit record. But there's one thing that top's them all.

A signature song.

So is there a definition of exactly what a 'signature song' is?

Not really. I mean, what is Johnny Cash's signature song? 'Ring of Fire'? 'Folsum Prison Blues'? What about 'A Boy Named Sue'? Can anyone else sing 'A Boy Named Sue' without you immediately thinking 'That's A Johnny Cash song'? No. So I suppose some artist's have, not a signature song, but signature song's. George Strait, Garth Brooks...multiple signature song's.

And perhaps that's part of the definition of signature song. It doesn't matter who sing's 'He Stopped Loving Her Today' (and Alan Jackson did an amazing version), it's still a George Jones song.

Maybe the best example is the one above, Tammy Wynette and 'Stand By Your Man'.

From the time Tammy released that song in 1968 until her untimely death in 1998, I trust there wasn't one show that Tammy did where she didn't sing 'Stand By Your Man'. And it was probably the last song she sang of the night, the encore. Signature song's generally have a place at the end of a show. And it doesn't matter who sang (or sings) 'Stand By Your Man', that is definitely a Tammy song!

So in the end, I suppose a signature song is one that, no matter who's singing it, brings you back to that one....and only one...artist.

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