Country music in the early 1960s might be among the most timeless sounds of any genre of music. Especially in 1961, some of the greatest country songs of all time were released, including these three. They are all so memorable, it’s almost a guarantee that every 60s kid can sing them by heart today.
“Tender Years” by George Jones
On George Jones’s George Jones Sings From The Heart album is “Tender Years”. The only single Jones released that year, “Tender Years” was written by Jones and Darrell Edwards.
Videos by American Songwriter
“Tender Years” is about someone committing to wait for someone, even if they are in love with someone else. The song says in part, “And you’ll know that I love you / With a love that’s sincere / ‘Cause I’ll wait ’til you’re thru living / In your tender years.”
“Tender Years” is Jones’s second No. 1 single. In 1959, Jones reached the top of the charts for the first time with “White Lightning”.
“Sea Of Heartbreak” by Don Gibson
Don Gibson had a Top 5 single with “Sea Of Heartbreak”. Written by Paul Hampton and Hal David, the song later appears on his compilation The Best Of Don Gibson record, out in 1965.
“Sea Of Heartbreak” says, “Yeah, the sea of heartbreak / Lost love and loneliness / Memories of your caress so divine / How I wish you were mine.”
After “Sea Of Heartbreak”, it was another ten years until Gibson had another Top 5 single, which he did in 1971 with “Country Green”. In 1972, Gibson had his final No. 1 single, with “Woman (Sensuous Woman)”.
In 1996, Johnny Cash included a cover of this song for his Unchained record.
“The Blizzard” by Jim Reeves
Jim Reeves’ “The Blizzard” is actually a sad song, which only adds to its longevity. Written by Harlan Howard, “The Blizzard is on Reeves’ Tall Tales And Short Tempers album. “The Blizzard” is about a man who unsuccessfully tries to get to Mary Ann, the woman he loves, in the middle of a snowstorm, riding his horse, Dan.
The song ends with, “Late that night the storm was gone / They found him there at dawn / He’d have made it, but he just couldn’t leave old Dan / Yes, they found him there on the plains, his hands froze to the reins / He was just a hundred yards from Mary Ann.”
Although Reeves had plenty of hits in the early 1960s, “The Blizzard” is his only hit single from Tall Tales And Short Tempers.
Photo by LMPC via Getty Images
More The List
-
(Original Caption) The Beatles are shown at a press conference at the Warwick Hotel. Standing left to right are: Ringo Starr, (wearing polka dot shirt), Paul McCartney, John Lennon, and George Harrison. -
Singer Bryan Adams in November 1984 in Dortmund – Germany. (Photo by Fryderyk Gabowicz/picture alliance via Getty Images) -
AUSTIN, TX – FEBRUARY 28: <> at ACL Live on February 28, 2018 in Austin, Texas. (Photo by Gary Miller/Getty Images) -
Vaartkapoen ( VK ) – Brussel – Belgium – 19/02/1994 The Verve, Richard Ashcroft, Nick McCabe, Peter Salisbury, Simon Jones Photo gie Knaeps -
NEW YORK – 1977: David Byrne and Tina Weymouth of The Talking Heads perform live at GBGB in 1977 in New York City, New York. (Photo by Stephanie Chernikowski/Michael Ochs Archive/Getty Images) -
Canadian musician Neil Young of Crosby, Stills, Nash And Young performs on stage at Wembley Stadium, London on September 14th 1974. (Photo by Michael Putland/Getty Images) -
Members of American R&B and Pop group Earth Wind & Fire perform onstage, 1970s. (Photo by Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images) -
NETHERLANDS – JANUARY 01: NETHERLANDS Photo of Liam GALLAGHER and Noel GALLAGHER and OASIS, L-R:Tony McCarroll, Paul 'Bonehead' Arthurs, Noel Gallagher, Liam Gallagher, Paul 'Guigsy' McGuigan – posed, group shot (Photo by Michel Linssen/Redferns) NETHERLANDS – JANUARY 01: NETHERLANDS Photo of Liam GALLAGHER and Noel GALLAGHER and OASIS, L-R:Tony McCarroll, Paul 'Bonehead' Arthurs, Noel Gallagher, Liam Gallagher, Paul 'Guigsy' McGuigan – posed, group shot (Photo by Michel Linssen/Redferns)