Far too many amazing country songs released in the 1980s have been forgotten by modern-day audiences. The following three tunes, each of which did quite well on the charts at the time, fit that bill. Let’s revisit some forgotten classics that deserve to be remembered, shall we?
“Give Me Wings” by Michael Johnson from ‘Wings’ (1986)
The production of this song is seriously gorgeous, so I’m surprised that I haven’t heard it on classic country radio in a hot minute. And Michael Johnson’s smooth vocals? Positively dreamy.
Videos by American Songwriter
“Give Me Wings” by Michael Johnson was written by Kye Fleming and Don Schlitz. It was a pretty big hit on the charts, peaking at No. 1 on the Hot Country Songs chart and No. 3 on the Canadian country chart.
“Somewhere Tonight” by Highway 101 from ‘Highway 101’ (1987)
Atmospheric country music was a pretty big trend in the 1980s, and “Somewhere Tonight” by Highway 101 is a good example of that kind of tune. Honestly, this song still sounds quite modern, at least to me. Maybe you’ll agree after giving it a spin.
“Somewhere Tonight” by Highway 101 was written by Rodney Crowell and Harlan Howard. It was a smash hit, peaking at No. 1 on the Hot Country Songs chart in 1987. It stayed at the top of that chart for two weeks.
“I Don’t Know Why You Don’t Want Me” by Rosanne Cash from ‘Rhythm & Romance’ (1985)
Rosanne Cash, the similarly talented daughter of Johnny Cash, had quite a few songs that did well on the country charts back in the 1980s and 1990s. “I Don’t Know Why You Don’t Want Me” is one such song. It’s a sophisticated piece of work that unfortunately slipped through the cracks in recent years. And that’s crazy, because this very song was the one to earn Cash her first-ever Grammy Award.
This entry on our list of somewhat forgotten country songs from the 1980s was a co-written effort between Cash and Rodney Crowell, who also wrote “Somewhere Tonight” by Highway 101. The song peaked at No. 1 on the country charts in the US and Canada. It also reached No. 16 on the Adult Contemporary chart in the US, making it a bit of a crossover hit.
Photo by ABC Photo Archives/Disney General Entertainment Content via Getty Images
More The List
-
Singer Stevie Nicks shot in Los Angeles, California in 1982. (Photo by Aaron Rapoport/Corbis via Getty Images) -
R&B singer Jean Knight poses for a portrait circa 1971. (Photo by Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images) -
"British singer-songwriter Rod Stewart performing at Sanremo Music Festival. Sanremo, February 1993 (Photo by Rino PetrosinoMondadori via Getty Images)" -
OAKLAND, CA – CIRCA 1984: Steve Perry and Journey are performing at the Oakland Coliseum in Oakland, California on January 1, 1984. (Photo by Larry Hulst/Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images) -
Pop group The Byrds (l to r): Chris Hillman; Dave Crosby; Mike Clark; Jim McGuinn; and Gene Clark. (Photo by © Hulton-Deutsch Collection/CORBIS/Corbis via Getty Images) -
American musicians Richie Sambora (left) and Jon Bon Jovi of the rock band Bon Jovi perform at the Rosemont Horizon, Rosemont, Illinois, March 15, 1993. (Photo by Paul Natkin/Getty Images) -
ATLANTA – AUGUST 22: Bruce Springsteen performs with The E-Street Band at Alex Cooley's Electric Ballroom on August 22, 1975 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Tom Hill/WireImage)
