3 Country Songs From 1974 That Deserved To Hit No. 1

There’s something about the 1970s era of country music that always seems to hit just right. A lot of fantastic country music came out during that decade, particularly in the mid-1970s. And while the following country songs from 1974, specifically, did quite well on the charts, that coveted No. 1 spot alluded them. Personally, I think these songs should have made it to the top. Let’s revisit some classics, shall we?

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“Sally G” by Paul McCartney and Wings

If you’re surprised to see Paul McCartney on this list of country songs from 1974, imagine the shock the masses got that year when the former Beatle started to chart on the Hot Country Singles chart with “Sally G”. Each of The Beatles had a bit of a love affair with American country music, and McCartney’s interest in the genre really shone with this country single. In fact, I think this tune is good enough to have made it higher on the country charts. “Sally G” didn’t hit No. 1 anywhere, but it did do fairly well on the Billboard Hot 100, where it peaked at No. 17.

“Rock On Baby” by Brenda Lee

I was not alive during the 1970s. However, in the 1990s, I heard this song on repeat via country music radio. It’s a classic beloved by many still today. And yet, “Rock On Baby” by Brenda Lee didn’t actually top the charts back in the day. This beloved tune, which helped solidify Lee’s status as a country crooner, peaked at No. 6 on the Hot Country Songs chart and No. 17 on the Canada Country Tracks chart. Chart placement truly does not reflect talent; this one should have made it all the way to the top.

“That Song Is Driving Me Crazy” by Tom T. Hall

Ask anyone who was alive and listened to country music in 1974, and they’ll tell you this Tom T. Hall song was one of the most popular country songs of the year. A fine lead single from the country crooner’s album Country Is, “That Song Is Driving Me Crazy” just narrowly missed the top spot on several charts, including the Canadian RPM Country Tracks chart and the Hot Country Singles chart in the US. Since this one was so popular, I’m struggling to understand why it didn’t hit No. 1.

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