If you’ve ever hung around a dive bar or a country music festival, you’ve probably heard "You Never Even Called Me by My Name." It’s a classic. David Allan Coe is often hailed as the ultimate outlaw, a guy who spent time in prison and wrote hits like "Take This Job and Shove It." But there’s a massive, dark asterisk next to his name. We need to talk about the racist david allan coe songs that exist on the fringes of his discography.
It isn't just a few off-color jokes.
We are talking about two specific albums released in the late 70s and early 80s: Nothing Sacred and Underground Album. These weren't mainstream releases. You couldn't find them at your local record shop next to Willie Nelson or Waylon Jennings. Instead, they were sold via mail-order through the back pages of Easyriders magazine.
The Gritty Reality of the X-Rated Albums
David Allan Coe has always been a provocateur. He likes the "Outlaw" image. However, these albums went way beyond the typical rebellion against Nashville. They are filled with some of the most vile, explicitly racist language ever recorded by a major artist. It's honestly jarring to listen to if you’re only used to his radio hits.
The songs use the N-word constantly. Not just in a "storytelling" way, but in a way that feels designed to shock or appeal to the absolute worst instincts of a specific subculture. Titles like "N***** F*****" and "If That Ain't Country" (the original version) aren't metaphors. They are direct, aggressive, and deeply offensive.
Coe has spent decades defending these records. He often claims they were meant as a joke or a satire of the times. He’s even pointed to the fact that his touring band at the time included Black musicians, like his longtime drummer Jimmy Brown. But for most people, that defense doesn't hold much water. When you listen to the lyrics, the "joke" is hard to find. It just sounds like hate set to a honky-tonk beat.
The Industry’s Complicated Relationship with Coe
Nashville has a weird way of dealing with its past. For a long time, the racist david allan coe songs were treated like a dirty little secret. Most industry insiders knew they existed, but as long as Coe was making money or writing hits for others, they looked the other way.
Then the internet happened.
Suddenly, those mail-order-only records were available for everyone to hear on YouTube and file-sharing sites. The "secret" was out. This led to a massive re-evaluation of his legacy. In the mid-2000s, Coe faced significant backlash. Shows were canceled. Promoters started getting cold feet. He wasn't just an "outlaw" anymore; he was a liability.
It’s interesting to look at the numbers. While his mainstream hits still get millions of streams, the underground stuff remains a stain that prevents him from being fully embraced by the Hall of Fame types. You can’t celebrate the songwriter of "The Ride" without acknowledging the guy who recorded Nothing Sacred. It’s all the same person.
Why Do People Still Listen?
You might wonder why anyone still bothers with him. It’s a complex mess. Some fans are "separating the art from the artist." They love the songwriting but ignore the underground albums. Others—and let’s be real here—actually like the underground stuff. There is a specific, often quiet corner of the country and biker scene that views these songs as the ultimate middle finger to "political correctness."
But that’s a dangerous path.
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Calling these songs "anti-PC" is a massive understatement. They aren't just "edgy." They are foundational documents for a certain type of white supremacy that existed in the post-civil rights era South. By packaging racism as "outlaw country," Coe gave people a soundtrack for their prejudices.
The Legal and Social Fallout
David Allan Coe has lived a life that sounds like a movie script. Born in 1939, he spent much of his youth in reform schools and prisons. He claims he met Charles Manson in prison. He lived in a cave for a while. This "tough guy" persona is what sold his music. But that same persona is what made him think he was untouchable when recording those underground tracks.
In 1982, independent label owner Shelby Singleton released Underground Album on his D.A.C. Records label. Singleton was a legend in the business, the guy who bought Sun Records from Sam Phillips. The fact that an industry veteran was willing to put his name on racist david allan coe songs tells you a lot about the culture of the time. It was a niche market, but it was a profitable one.
Later in life, Coe tried to distance himself from the more extreme elements. In interviews, he’s been known to get defensive or shut down entirely when the albums are brought up. He once told a reporter that he wasn't a racist and that the songs were "written for a laugh." But he also didn't stop selling them for a long time.
A Legacy Forever Tarnished
When we look back at the history of country music, Coe is a polarizing figure. On one hand, he’s a genius songwriter. He understands the "three chords and the truth" philosophy better than almost anyone. On the other hand, he used his platform to promote some of the most regressive and harmful stereotypes imaginable.
You can't just delete these songs from history. They exist. They influenced people. They hurt people.
Today, streaming platforms have a difficult time managing his catalog. Most major services like Spotify or Apple Music don’t host the full Nothing Sacred or Underground Album tracks because they violate hate speech policies. However, the songs still circulate on "gray market" sites and forums. They’ve become a sort of dark talisman for the alt-right and other fringe groups.
What We Can Learn From the Controversy
The story of the racist david allan coe songs isn't just about one man’s bad decisions. It’s about the vulnerability of subcultures. The outlaw country movement was supposed to be about freedom and rebellion against the "man." But in Coe’s case, that rebellion took a turn into bigotry.
It shows how easily the "outsider" narrative can be co-opted. When you define yourself by being against "the system," you can end up being "for" some pretty terrible things just to prove how much of a rebel you are. Coe took the outlaw trope to its logical, and most offensive, extreme.
If you are a fan of country music history, you have to look at the whole picture. Ignoring the underground albums is a form of revisionist history. We have to acknowledge that one of the most talented writers in the genre also produced some of its most hateful content. It’s a messy, uncomfortable truth that Nashville still hasn't fully reconciled with.
Moving Forward with the Information
If you encounter this music or are researching David Allan Coe’s career, here is how to handle it with a clear head:
- Contextualize the "Outlaw" Label: Understand that Coe’s brand of outlaw country was intentionally extreme. He wasn't just breaking Nashville's rules; he was actively trying to offend as many people as possible to maintain his "dangerous" image.
- Acknowledge the Harm: These songs aren't "harmless jokes." They contributed to a culture of exclusion and hostility in the country music scene that many artists of color are still fighting against today.
- Support Modern Outlaws: If you like the sound of gritty, independent country, there are hundreds of modern artists who capture that spirit without the baggage of racism. Look into artists who are reclaiming the "outlaw" title for inclusivity and genuine rebellion.
- Be a Critical Consumer: It is okay to appreciate a song like "The Ride" while simultaneously condemning the albums Nothing Sacred and Underground Album. You don't have to "cancel" the good music, but you shouldn't give the hateful music a pass.
David Allan Coe remains a giant of the genre, but he is a giant with feet of clay. His story serves as a reminder that talent doesn't excuse bigotry, and that the "good old days" of outlaw country had a very dark side that we are only now fully starting to address.