Have you been trying to find some music that mentions Montana? We’re going to tell you about the 20 best songs about Montana: The Treasure State below, so keep reading to find out what tracks made our list!
1. Montana Song – Hank Williams Jr.
First on our list is Montana Song by Hank Williams Jr., which is all about him trying to figure out whether or not he should try to get back with an ex-girlfriend of his or not. He is using the state as the place to get away and think, so in the track, he expresses his desire to be with her but at the same time isn’t sure whether it’s the right move.
He is singing about how Montana is the place to go to try to help his broken heart, even though it’s very cold and snowy at the time he’s there. This isn’t a happy song, but it’s a somber track where he’s using the state as a place of solace and reflection.
2. Montana – Daya
Next is Daya with Montana, which was released in 2021 on the album The Difference. The song is all about how she wishes she could just leave Los Angeles and go somewhere else for a while. The lyrics have her wishing to be in Montana because there is a lot of beauty in the state. and it’s full of plants and wonders of Mother Nature. If you’ve been in Los Angeles, then you can see why someone would wish to leave and go where there are fewer people and more natural beauty.
3. Montana – Justin Timberlake
Justin Timberlake is next on our list with Montana, which comes from his 2018 album Man Of The Woods. He and his wife, Jessica Biel, were engaged in Montana and that’s where the inspiration for this song comes from. This is a very personal track for him as he details the proposal and just how much the state means to him.
4. Montana – Frank Zappa
In 1973, Frank Zappa released the song Montana on his album Over-nite Sensation. This track is often part of his live shows, and there are so many instruments in this tune it’s fun to see live. You can hear a xylophone, sax, guitar, and more as the song details living in Montana after moving there from California and trying to make it as a businessman.
It’s one of those tracks that if you were an adult in the 1970s, you’d understand since moving out of California and to the isolated parts of Montana and elsewhere was very commonplace back then.
5. Montana Sky – WhiteHeart
WhiteHeart makes the list with Montana Sky, which comes from their 1987 album Emergency Broadcast. The song is about the famous sky in the state, and it goes into detail about how happiness, love, joy, and peace can all be found underneath the neverending sky there. There is a religious element to the track since they are a Christian band, so the lyrics talk about God being why the state is so beautiful and giving thanks to Him.
6. Meet Me In Montana – Marie Osmond And Dan Seals
Released in 1985 on the album There’s No Stopping Your Heart is Marie Osmond and Dan Seals with the track Meet Me In Montana. This is a song about two people who are lovers but leave one another for their own thing, with the female going to Hollywood to pursue acting and the man going away in hopes of being a country singer.
They both end up failing at their dreams and then decide that the best thing to do is to get back together and move to Montana where they can live happily ever after. This track was such a hit that it reached number one on the Billboard Hot Country Songs chart.
7. Montana On My Mind – Shane Clouse
Next on the list is Montana On My Mind by Shane Clouse, which is from his 2003 album of the same name. This song is all about how we often think about being somewhere else while we are slaving away at our jobs trying to make ends meet.
In this track, the narrator only wants to be in Montana and he talks about how much he loves the state and feels a connection to the people, places, and things within it. If you live or grew up in this state then you can relate to those feelings of pride in Montana and the fact it’ll always be home and there’s nowhere else you’d rather be.
8. Big City – Merle Haggard
Merle Haggard makes the list with Big City, which comes from his 1981 album of the same name. This song takes its inspiration from the bus driver and friend of his, Dean Holloway.
One time when he asked him while on tour how he was doing, he replied how much he was tired of that place and the dirty old city, which is what inspired him to write this track because Halloway said he’d rather be in the middle of Montana, so that was included as a lyric. There was no rehearsal when recording this song either, which is pretty cool since he got this track recorded in just one take!
9. Rox in the Box – The Decemberists
The Decemberists released The King Is Dead in 2011, and on that album is the song Rox In The Box, which is a track that was released from the concept of writing a musical about the miners in Butte, Montana.
This song details the history of the 1917 Butte, Montana fire, which killed 168 miners. They were trapped underground and when the copper mine caught fire, there was no way out. To this day, this tragedy is thought of as one of the worst in the mining field, and this track highlights the importance and sadness of it all.
10. Wild Montana Skies – John Denver
Country icon John Denver had a hit with Wild Montana Skies, which comes from his 1983 album It’s About Time. Emmylou Harris is also featured in this song, which talks about the West and Montana. As far as tracks go, this is thought to be one of the best songs about the West and goes into detail about the beautiful and sometimes unforgiving nature of the area and its landscape.
11. Montana Rodeo – Chris LeDoux
In 1983, Chris LeDoux released the song Montana Rodeo from his album Thirty Dollar Cowboy. The track is all about a rodeo making its way to Montana, so it’s a perfect country tune to sum up life in the state for many. In the song, he sings about all of the people who are going to this rodeo, including people from states nearby and college kinds.
What’s perfect about this track is that it goes into detail about how big of an event the rodeo is in the state and how so many people, even those outside of Montana, look forward to going to the rodeo and dressing up in their best cowboy outfits to attend.
12. Montana – Dave Stamey
Next is Dave Stamey with Montana, which comes from his 1997 album Buckaroo Man. This is a very sweet song that talks about growing up in rural parts of the state. The track begins with a small boy who is just learning how to feed the cows, and then it continues as the boy grows up into an adult and looks at all of the life lessons that his father showed and taught him. This song is more about how Montana is a state of mind and a spirit as opposed to just a state on the map.
13. Montana Lullaby – Ken Overcast
In 2000, Ken Overcast released the album Montana Cowboy, and on that album is the song Montana Lullaby. This track has been labeled the official state lullaby, and it’s one of the most recognizable songs about Montana. There is a very sweet and romantic aspect to this track and it really captures the heart and soul of the state, including a story about a cowboy.
The story is that he has a woman named Jenny who is at home waiting for him to return. It’s just one of those songs where you can tell these two are in love and just are trying to live and enjoy life together.
14. I’ll Wait For You – Joe Nichols
Next up on our list is Joe Nichols with the 2003 hit I’ll Wait For You from the album III. The track made it to number seven on the Billboard Hot Country Songs chart and 71 on the Billboard Hot 100. In this track, a guy is trying to see his wife but a snowstorm in Montana has left him stranded, so he’s calling her to tell her about it. She says she will wait as long as it takes for him, but then you learn she’s actually dying and at the hospital on her deathbed.
It’s such a sad song because he doesn’t make it there in time, and she dies before he arrives. However, she had left him a note that said she would still wait for him in heaven. We can guarantee that this is one of the most somber and cry-worthy tracks you’ll ever hear.
15. Livingston Saturday Night – Jimmy Buffett
The next artist doesn’t need an introduction because it’s Jimmy Buffett, who released Livingston Saturday Night in 1978 from the album Son Of A Son Of A Sailor. This song was initially released in 1975 as part of the movie soundtrack for Rancho Deluxe for which he wrote several tracks, including this one. In the movie, two cowboys from Montana steal cattle to make a living, and this song is specifically about getting ready for Saturday night and having fun, and it’s featured in a scene at a bar.
16. Say Goodbye To Montana – Don Edwards
Don Edwards released Say Goodbye To Montana on his album Goin’ Back to Texas. The song is a tribute to all of the cowboys out there who have experienced everything from grief to love to hard and long days working. The lyrics talk about a cowboy who is on his way from Texas to Montana herding cows, and he is thinking about a love that he lost and never really got anywhere. It’s a track where this man is just reflecting on his life and past, and the hope he will make it back while still breathing.
17. Showdown at Big Sky – Robbie Robertson
In 1987, Robbie Robertson released the track Showdown At Big Sky from his self-titled album. The song hit number 21 on the Billboard Mainstream Rock Tracks chart, and it went to 48 on the Canadian chart. This song is one of the tunes that appears on his first solo album, and it’s nothing short of amazing. He talks about the West and the Mohicans because he is of Mohican ancestry, so this track is sung from that perspective.
18. Montana – James Taylor
James Taylor is up next with his 2015 hit Montana from the album Before This World. In this song, he talks about the landscape you’ll find in the state, and the beauty that surrounds it, including the mountains and rivers. The lyrics in the track are very poetic, and it’ll remind you of how much Mother Nature had to do with creating the lovely scenery that Montana provides.
19. Butte America – Tim Montana
In 2008. Tim Montana released Butte America from his album Iron Horse, and this song is about having pride and patriotism. It’s also a tribute to all of those miners who were responsible for building Montana and making the small towns what they were. The miners gave a lot and sacrificed, and he didn’t want people to forget about them. He goes into the legacy and history of the state and how much pride and joy he feels when he thinks about Montana.
20. Goodnight Montana – David Walburn
Last up on the list is David Walburn with Goodnight Montana, which is from his 2003 album Montana: Life Under The Big Sky. This song talks about the state in a positive way and lists all of the things it has to offer, including the rivers and the beautiful sky. He wrote this track so that he could use it as his closer when he performed in Montana at Glacier National Park. It talks about how even when you leave the state, your heart is always there, and there is always something that’ll pull you back into coming home.
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From the time she was little, Florence loved listening to music and quickly learned how music can make you happy and feel fulfilled. One of her favorite memories is being in the garage with her dad working on classic cars with the local rock station blaring in the background. Ever since Florence was 3, she loved grunge music and spent hours listening to bands such as Alice in Chains, Mad Season, Soul Asylum, and Soundgarden.
She also enjoys classic rock, modern rock, nu metal, alternative rock, and old 90’s R&B. Her love of music grew as she got older, and used music to help her get through tough times in her life. More often than not, you’ll see Florence with earbuds in while she’s writing, cooking, cleaning, and doing other tasks. She also loves to debate music with her friends such as which lead singer is the best vocalist, the most iconic guitar solos in music, and what songs are really the best of the decade.