3 Country Songs From the 80s That Make You Feel Nostalgic

The 1980s were an interesting time, and they remain so today. They’re just far enough in the past to feel like the past, but they also somehow don’t feel as prehistoric as the 1950s, 1960s, or even the 1970s. The 80s exist in this intermediate space. But when you listen to certain songs from the era, you can’t help but be transported to some other place in your mind.

Videos by American Songwriter

That’s what we wanted to dive into below. We wanted to take a look at three country songs from the hallowed decade of the 1980s to remember them and remember how nostalgic they make us feel. Indeed, these are three 80s country songs that can definitely make you feel nostalgic.

“Guitar Town” by Steve Earle from ‘Guitar Town’ (1986)

A country song dedicated to being on the road, this tune from Steve Earle was a huge hit upon its release in the mid-1980s. And the track boasts that rugged sensibility of the era. A certain unknowing strength—caught between the earlier decades of the 20th century and the digital future. But Earle sings of dusty roads and music cities and his origins coming from a guitar town. For any musician who’s been on the road, the song is scripture.

“Seven Year Ache” by Rosanne Cash from ‘Seven Year Ache’ (1981)

This song from Rosanne Cash (daughter of country icon Johnny Cash) is all about the hardships of love. Can love last? What happens to a person when it’s fading? These are the questions Cash poses and attempts to answer through keen details and sharp storytelling. This song is also very much of the time, with production sounds and styles that recall the early 80s. But it’s a lasting offering and one that hit No. 22 on the Billboard Hot 100 upon its release.

“9 To 5” by Dolly Parton from ‘9 To 5 And Odd Jobs’ (1980)

Not only does hearing Dolly Parton’s singing voice and songwriting style take you back, but this song specifically has an era-specific feeling to it. It’s very 1980s. The music video is, too, from the fashion to the hairdos. Singing about the doldrums of the workaday life and the problems your boss gives you from every angle, Parton earned a No. 1 song on the Billboard for this one. And it’s a track we still all remember fondly today.

Photo by Berliner Studio/BEI/Shutterstock