3 Country Music Songs of 1967 That Sound Even Better Today

Some of the greatest songs in country music history were released or rose to popularity in 1967. While plenty of tracks from the late 1960s have stood the test of time, these did more than that. These are songs that aged so well that they sound even better to modern ears.

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The songs listed below were dominating the country charts and radio waves in 1967. Not all of them were released in that year. However, they were all No. 1 hits between January and December of the year. More than that, they’re still solid gold more than five decades after their initial release.

1. “Don’t Come Home a-Drinkin’ (With Lovin’ on Your Mind)” by Loretta Lynn

Loretta Lynn wrote “Don’t Come Home a-Drinkin’ (With Lovin’ on Your Mind)” and released it in November 1966. It topped the Billboard Hot Country Songs chart in February 1967. It was the first of Lynn’s 16 No. 1 singles on the chart. Historical importance aside, it’s just a great country song.

Lynn pulled inspiration for many of her songs from her life, and this one was no different. Her husband, Doolittle, regularly spent hours out drinking and coming home hoping to woo his wife into bed. This song was her public declaration that he’d need to find his intimacy elsewhere. More than anything, this song stands as one of many examples of the Coal Miner’s Daughter standing up for herself and inspiring countless other women to do the same.

2. “I’m a Lonesome Fugitive” by Merle Haggard

Country legend Merle Haggard released this song in December 1966, and it became his first No. 1 in March 1967. The song knocked his mentor, Buck Owens, out of the top spot. He achieved the chart milestone just two weeks after Loretta Lynn found her first No. 1. Written by Liz and Casey Anderson, the parents of Lynn Anderson, “I’m a Lonesome Fugitive” fit perfectly with Haggard’s rough-around-the-edges image.

The future country icon was not far removed from serving a prison sentence for burglary. As a result, he was able to empathize with the song’s protagonist–a criminal on the run. At the same time, the themes of loneliness and constant travel would later match his lifestyle of constant touring. Decades later, with the benefit of hindsight, this remains one of the best songs Hag recorded in his long and legendary career.

3. “Sam’s Place” by Buck Owens

It would be nearly impossible to discuss great country songs from 1967 without mentioning Buck Owens. He was at No. 1 on the country charts four times with three songs during the year. “Where Does the Good Times Go” topped the chart twice–once in February and once in March, reclaiming the top spot from “I’m a Lonesome Fugitive.” “Your Tender Loving Care” topped the chart in December. “Sam’s Place” hit No. 1 in May and stayed there for three weeks. It was the 13^th in a string of 14 consecutive chart-toppers.

“Sam’s Place” is a reminder that great country music doesn’t need to be deep and meaningful. Owens understood that songs could be fun. This is just a toe-tapping tune about a country bar, something that he and the band knew all about.

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