3 Country Songs From the 1970s Everyone Pretends They Don’t Love

Culture gives songs bad raps from time to time. There’s nothing to be done about this—no way for an artist to combat it. All it takes is one bad association or one listener to say it’s overrated, and all bets are off. The three 1970s country songs below are all now considered guilty pleasures or overhyped hits. Nevertheless, their greatness far outweighs the negatives. Revisit these country hits to help you forget why you stopped listening to them in the first place.

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“The Gambler” — Kenny Rogers

Kenny Rogers’ “The Gambler” is a classic, but that doesn’t mean it doesn’t get old from time to time. There are many people who don’t listen to this 1970s country hit because it plays so often without anyone even trying to hear it. Certainly not because it’s a bad song, but this song can get a bad rap from time to time—largely because it suffers from popularity fatigue.

Even those who don’t claim this song as a favorite have to recognize its place in country history. This song helped grow Rogers’ star and established the direction country music would go in the 80s. You can’t truly hate this song, even if for how iconic it is.

“Don’t It Make My Brown Eyes Blue” — Crystal Gayle

Not everyone can get on board with schmaltzy ballads. Many country listeners can’t do too much sentiment in their music. If any country song from the 70s would send these types of listeners running, it’s Crystal Gayle’s “Don’t It Make My Brown Eyes Blue.”

Gayle’s soft vocals just about break your heart when you listen to this late 70s release. It’s perfect for anyone who wears their heart on their sleeve and is suffering heartbreak. But, even those who can’t get on board with this tender ballad must admit it’s a heartfelt effort matched with stunning vocals.

“Delta Dawn” — Tanya Tucker

Similar to Rogers’ track, Tanya Tucker’s “Delta Dawn” suffers from overplay fatigue. There are many listeners who perpetually hit the skip button when this one comes on, thinking they’ve heard it enough for one lifetime. Even so, when they sit down and actually revisit this song, they are reminded why it became so endlessly popular in the first place. Let go of your preconceived notions about this song and enjoy it for the ubiquitous classic it is.

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