3 Country Songs From the 1970s That Make Bad Decisions Sound Like a Good Time

Country music has a way of getting us into trouble. Some songs in this genre are so raucous and fun-loving that we can’t help but have one more drink, dance one more song, or call that person we know we shouldn’t. These 1970s country hits are prime examples of songs with that power.

“When You’re Hot, You’re Hot” by Jerry Reed

“When you’re hot, you’re hot / And when you’re not, you’re not / Put all the money in and let’s roll ’em again / When you’re hot, you’re hot,” Jerry Reed sings in “When You’re Hot, You’re Hot”. This song begs us to keep the good times rolling, whether it’s against our better judgment or not.

In the context of the song, Reed is on a winning streak in poker, but its sentiment could apply to a myriad of situations. “My luck was so good, I could do no wrong / I just kept on rollin’ and controllin’ them bones,” he sings elsewhere in this track. We’ve all been guilty of reveling a little too much when things go right. This song gives us license to do just that.

“Family Tradition” by Hank Williams Jr.

“Hank, why do you drink? / Hank, why do you roll smoke / Why must you live out the songs that you wrote / Over and over / Everybody makes my prediction / So if I get stoned, I’m just carrying on / An old family tradition,” the lyrics to Hank Williams Jr.’s iconic “Family Tradition” read. This song makes drinking and other debauchery sound like a really good idea. Williams Jr. playfully nods to his father’s indiscretions while reveling in his own party habits. It also gives us the go-ahead to let loose.

“Stop and think it over / Put yourself in my position / If I get stoned and sing all night long / It’s a family tradition,” the lyrics continue. Most of his listeners don’t share Williams Jr.’s lineage, but any excuse to have a good time works.

“Good Hearted Woman” by Waylon Jennings, Willie Nelson

This track makes the wrong man look like a good choice. “A long time forgotten the dreams that just fell by the way / The good life he promised, ain’t what she’s living today / But she never complains of the bad times / Or the bad things he’s done / She just talks about the good times they’ve had / And all the good times to come,” the lyrics read.

This song is about throwing your cares away for love. That can be a destructive ideal, but this song makes it seem like the only viable option.

Photo by Clayton Call/Redferns