Country songs throughout the years have taken on a lot of different attitudes and appearances thanks to the musicians that have done their best to either preserve the traditions that created the genre or change them just enough to keep up with the times. What some might consider to be good or bad country is usually subject to their own personal tastes and in the 60s the idea of good and bad was really up for grabs since the music industry was changing along with just about everything else in the country as the world seemed to be on an unsteady axis at times that wobbled to and fro now and again. But country music, despite the changes that have come and the stability it’s endured, has still been the same entity that it’s always been, if only slightly different as the performers have done what they can to keep it fresh, new, and yet still easily recognized by the fans.
Here are some of the best country songs from the 60s.
5. Jeannie C. Riley – Harper Valley PTA
With the inclusion of new attitudes and new instruments throughout the years country music has changed just as much as anything, meaning that it’s something that may or may not have been recognized by the progenitors of the genre. With that in mind however it’s still important to remember that the dynamic of any creation is that it needs to change consistently while keeping its core, meaning that country music doesn’t need to change altogether, but it does need to conform to the times if only to make sure that it’s not left behind. In the 60s the genre did this just fine as it was given a makeover of sorts by the performers and made into something that people could relate to.
4. Roger Miller – King of the Road
This is one of those songs that you can still hear in TV shows, movies, and even during commercials since it’s quirky, fun, and able to fit into just about any situation you can really call for. That’s the beauty of some of these songs, they don’t really need to have a reason to show up all the time, they just need the right moment to pop into place and they’ll fit without any trouble. Some songs throughout history have shown that they need an exact situation to seem appropriate. But this is one of those that is so adaptable that it can be used over and over in a way that is just fun and not meant to be serious.
3. Tammy Wynette – Stand By Your Man
Perhaps one of the biggest questions in Tammy’s life was whether or not George Jones was really guilty of abusing her as she stated that he was. He denied the things she accused of him of, and back then unfortunately it was even harder for a woman to really overcome the hardship of trying to prove that she was in fact being abused. This song however kind of affirmed that she was still very much in support of having a man in her life, no matter what might come. If you can recall this song was even used in The Blues Brothers when they were attempting to calm down a rowdy bar full of patrons.
2. Johnny Cash – Ring of Fire
Like the other songs this is one that just seems to come up and is embraced right away for several reasons. One is that Johnny Cash, no matter his faults and the controversies that his life produced, was considered to be one of the greatest performers alive, and another is that it’s just a great song all around. Cash was among the many that made his name and his living off of being the kind of bad boy that got people noticed back then and still does now, but his legacy is that of a great singer that might have done some questionable things but still put on one insanely good show.
1. Patsy Cline – I Fall to Pieces
Thanks to the internet and those that still care about her music the sun isn’t going down yet on Patsy Cline’s name, but it’s becoming very well known that her legacy requires an internet search at the very least to look up and understand since the pace of the music industry hasn’t slowed a bit since her time. Many people these days wouldn’t know about Patsy Cline unless she continued to show up on lists like these and had her music played again and again in order to make people understand that those who came before the artists of today are the reason why we still have music and why it’s evolved into what it currently is.
Always be grateful for the artists that came before, because they laid the groundwork for what came later.
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