Some of the best success stories are the unexpected ones. The 80s were quite a time for country music, with artists toeing the line between pop and more traditional sounds. However, this led to some incredible crossover moments. Here are some country songs from the 80s that did better than expected.
“Always On My Mind” by Willie Nelson (1982)
Willie Nelson’s “Always On My Mind” was actually recorded by three other artists before it ended up giving Nelson his eighth No. 1. The first version of the song was recorded by both Brenda Lee and Gwen McCrae in 1972. However, Lee’s version only peaked at No. 45, and McCrae’s failed to chart. That year, even Elvis Presley released a version of the song. It wasn’t until Nelson released the track that it became a classic.
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“Islands In The Stream” by Kenny Rogers and Dolly Parton (1983)
“Islands In The Stream” took on several lives of its own before Rogers and Parton released a version that took the world by storm. Originally, the song was actually written by the Bee Gees, who intended that it be for Marvin Gaye because of its distinct R&B flavor. Dolly Parton just happened to be in the studio when Kenny Rogers was trying to figure out how to make the song work. After going over it so many times, Rogers even said, “Barry, I don’t even like this song anymore.” The solution seemed obvious: make it a duet! Their taking a risk resulted in the song reaching No. 1 on not one but three charts.
“He Stopped Loving Her Today” by George Jones (1980)
At a time when most country music fans thought George Jones’ career was done for, he delivered this track, which not only earned him a Grammy and a CMA but also stayed at No. 1 for 18 weeks. When recording the song, he told his producer, “It’s too damn sad. Nobody’s going to buy that morbid son of a bitch,” according to his autobiography, I Lived to Tell It All. As it turns out, Jones couldn’t have been more wrong.
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