3 Country Songs That Still Hurt No Matter How Many Times You Hear Them

Country music knows how to be sad. It’s a genre that’s not afraid of leaning into the somber sides of life. Narrative-driven songs lend themselves well to tragic stories, as evidenced by the countless country classics that are certified tear-jerkers. Below, there are three country hits that don’t stop being sad no matter how many times you listen to them. These songs never get stale, and the listener can never trust their emotions around them.

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“Dirt Cheap” (Cody Johnson)

Cody Johnson’s “Dirt Cheap” is the kind of song that feels like a knife to the gut every time you hear it. This touching ode to home being worth more than the property value is universal, even if you didn’t grow up on a farm somewhere down south like Johnson’s titular character.

Over there is where I got down on one knee / You can’t buy that kind of dirt cheap, the lyrics in this Johnson hit read. This song might play into country conventions, but it does so in a beautiful way. Even the staunchest of country haters would struggle to keep a dry eye.

“She’s Got You” (Patsy Cline)

The tinge of love lost in a feeling many people know all too well. And those kinds of familiar feelings are where country thrives. This genre, more so than any other, knows how to tell a particular story while still making it endlessly applicable. Take Pasty Cline’s “She’s Got You” for example.

This country song might be the tale of one woman’s heartbreak, but the listener widens the scope to their own. It’s impossible to listen to this country classic without applying it to your own life.

“Concrete Angel” (Martina McBride)

Martina McBride knows how to tug at heartstrings. She has many songs tailor-made to devastate the listener. If there’s one McBride song that is impossible to become numb to, it’s “Concrete Angel.”

This song about childhood abuse is an impossible tear-jerker. It’s best not to try to stay immune to the effects of this song. You will fail, and tears will fall. This song has a message worth hearing, and it’s not shy about laying on the emotions thick.

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