3 Country Songs From the 70s That Make You Feel Nostalgic

When your genre of music is rooted in “three chords and the truth”, it’s bound to get you feeling a certain type of way. It’s as if the sounds are forged simply to get you to pine for something pure. Oftentimes, that means thinking about the past. And when it comes to country music from the golden age of the 1970s, well, those songswere crafted to get you longing for another time.

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That’s what we wanted to look into below. To dive into three country songs from the 1970s that make you feel that certain type of way. A trio of lovely, thoughtful tunes that get your gears turning. Indeed, these are three 70s country songs that can make you feel nostalgic.

“Jolene” by Dolly Parton from ‘Jolene’ (1973)

Every time we hear country music’s most important icon sing about that hussy who tried to take her man, we get our haunches up and ready to fight, too. Dolly Parton’s story about a would-be home-wrecker is a classic. It not only takes you back to an earlier time in Parton’s life and career, but it takes you back to when you heard it first. It may also take you back to one of the many great covers of the song, including one by the White Stripes. Either way, it creates nostalgia.

“Coal Miner’s Daughter” by Loretta Lynn from ‘Coal Miner’s Daughter’ (1970)

This classic tune was released right when the 1970s kicked off, but it sure did help set the tone for the decade. It tells the story of her life, her family, and the struggles they had to endure. Poor but loving, the family was close through it all. In a way, the track is the Platonic Ideal of what a country song is supposed to sound like. Tight-knit, hard-working, God-fearing. What else do you need from a country offering? Nothing, that’s what.

“The Gambler” by Kenny Rogers from ‘The Gambler’ (1978)

Perhaps the most important advice ever uttered in a country song was done so by Kenny Rogers when he said: “You got to know when to hold ’em / Know when to fold ’em / Know when to walk away / And know when to run.” They’re lyrics you can hear him singing in your own head right now, his low voice and his confident assurance. Rogers boasted an illustrious career in country music, but it was all because he knew when to follow his own advice.

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