While the 1970s were a golden age for country music, some of the songs from the era didn’t actually sound like anything else. They came from places untapped before and from songwriters who knew the value of standing out.
Here below, we wanted to highlight three songs from back in the day that both stood out and have since stood the test of time. Indeed, these are three country songs from the 1970s that sounded like nothing else on the radio.
Videos by American Songwriter
“Convoy” by C. W. McCall from ‘Black Bear Road’ (1975)
Well, when you perform a country song with the use of a CB Radio, chances are you’re going to sound completely different from anything else out there on the radio. And that’s just what happened for the songwriter and performer C. W. McCall. His 1975 tune “Convoy” was a smash sensation on country radio. Fans of the song loved it for the characters it created, the highway-themed plot, and the unusual performance style. In fact, the song was such a hit, Hollywood made a movie based on it in 1978 starring Kris Kristofferson.
“Tennessee Bird Walk” by Jack Blanchard & Misty Morgan from ‘Birds Of A Feather’ (1970)
This 1970 number is country at its roots, but it also offers some strange, almost psychedelic sounds to go with it. A duet by husband and wife duo Jack Blanchard & Misty Morgan, the novelty song also offers listeners something strange to imagine. Namely, Jack and Misty sing about removing the feathers, wings, singing abilities, and just about everything else from a bird (before putting them all back). It’s a weird one, but sometimes the weird ones make the biggest splashes!
“The Night The Lights Went Out In Georgia” by Vicki Lawrence from ‘The Night The Lights Went Out In Georgia’ (1972)
This rhythmic, jangly country song strangely boasts some of the softer, almost lounge-singer-like qualities of the 1970s. Even this track couldn’t escape the moods of the day. But more than the sound, this song tells a wild story. The murder ballad tells the tale of the fictional singer’s brother who was killed for a crime he didn’t commit (though it was one he planned on committing). Indeed, dive into the impressive narrative and enjoy the toe-tapping musicโthis tune is as unique as they come.
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