The year 1979 was an amazing year in country music, although it likely wasn’t as evident at the time. The year, a precursor to the iconic 80s, saw the release of some of country music’s best songs, songs that are still revered decades later. These are three of the best country songs that came out in 1979, songs that everyone needs to know today.
Videos by American Songwriter
“The Devil Went Down To Georgia” by the Charlie Daniels Band
In the 46 years since The Charlie Daniels Band released “The Devil Went Down To Georgia“, numerous artists of all genres have tried to perform “The Devil Went Down To Georgia”. But no one will ever match the magic of Charlie Daniels.
Written by Daniels, along with Tom Crain, “Taz” DiGregorio, Fred Edwards, Charles Hayward, and James W. Marshall, the song is on The Charlie Daniels Band’s Million Mile Reflections record.
“The Devil Went Down To Georgia” is a song about the devil bartering with a young man named Johnny for his soul. The song says, “The Devil bowed his head because he knew that he’d been beat / And he laid that golden fiddle on the ground at Johnny’s feet / Johnny said, ‘Devil, just come on back if you ever wanna try again / I done told you once, you son of a b–ch, I’m the best there’s ever been.’”
“The Devil Went Down to Georgia” earned The Charlie Daniels Band their only Grammy Award of their career. They won for Best Country Vocal Performance By A Duo Or Group.
“Happy Birthday Darlin’” by Conway Twitty
Among the many Conway Twitty classics is “Happy Birthday, Darlin’.” Written by Chuck Howard, the song is on Twitty’s Cross Winds album.
“Happy Birthday Darlin’” is about a man who gives his significant other the gift of confidence in their relationship. The song says, “Happy birthday darlin’ / I’ve no presents, no fancy cake / But I hope I’ll make you happy / With everything I take / I’d like to take away some of your lonely moments / By spending more of mine with you / And I’d like to take away some of those so-so kisses / And replace them with ones that really say ‘I love you.”
“Happy Birthday Darlin’” is a bit of an anomaly, since Twitty speaks some of the words in the song. Still, it stayed in the No. 1 spot on the charts for three weeks.
“It Must Be Love” by Don Williams
Bob McDill is the writer of “It Must Be Love”, a Don Williams true classic. The song, on Williams’ Expressions project, is about a man who suffers symptoms attributed to falling in love.
“It Must Be Love” begins with, “First, I get cold, then hot / Think I’m on fire, but I’m not / Oh, what a pain I’ve got, it must be love / There’s nothing I can do, all that I want is you / Look what I’m going through, it must be love / It must be love, it must be love / I fall like a sparrow, fly like a dove / You must be the dream I’ve been dreaming of / Oh, what a feeling, it must be love.”
About 21 years after Williams released the song, Alan Jackson also had a chart-topping single with “It Must Be Love”.
Photo by Ed Perlstein/Redferns/Getty Images
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