The 80s saw the rise of country stars like George Strait, Reba McEntire, and The Judds. It also saw the first country music videos, as people became more obsessed with pop culture than ever before. Here are three songs that went No. 1 in 1984 to celebrate this unique era.
Videos by American Songwriter
“Don’t Cheat In Our Hometown” by Ricky Skaggs
In this tune, as you can probably imagine, Skaggs sings to a lover of his who cheats on him with his best friend. As a warning, he tells her, “But if you’re gonna cheat on me / Don’t cheat in our hometown.” Cheating would probably be unwise, for in their town, “there are no secrets” and “everyone knows everyone.” This one topped the charts in February of 1984, earning Skaggs his sixth No. 1. Since then, there’s also been a duet done with Keith Whitley and a live version by Zach Top and Billy Strings.
“You Look So Good In Love” by George Strait
Strait released this song off his album Right or Wrong, which also features popular Strait songs like “Right or Wrong” and “Let’s Fall To Pieces Together”. “You Look So Good In Love” was the country singer’s third ever No. 1, of what would eventually be a whopping 60. Fun fact: the music video for this song was actually George Strait’s first-ever video, and he wasn’t the biggest fan of the whole thing. Apparently, the King of Country disliked that first video so much that he refused to do any more for a couple of years.
“Tennessee Homesick Blues” by Dolly Parton
Parton has long been open about her upbringing, singing songs like “Coat Of Many Colors” and sharing memories from her childhood in East Tennessee. Parton spent quite a bit of time in New York in the 80s and even bought a penthouse apartment on 5th Avenue during this era. However, in this particular tune, Parton sounds a little sad as she sings about a country girl trying to find her way in the Big Apple.
“Life ain’t as simple as it used to be / Since the big apple took a bite out of me / And lord, I’m so Tennessee homesick that I could die.”
Photo by: Paul Natkin/WireImage
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