Some of the best country music came out in the mid-1960s. Among the many great hits from that time period are these three Top 40 country songs from 1965. They are all so good, it’s almost certain that every 60s kid alive still knows them by heart today.
“Love Bug” by George Jones
George Jones’ “Love Bug” is part of his New Country Hits album. “Love Bug” was written by Wayne Kemp and Curtis Wayne.
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An uptempo tune about falling in love, “Love Bug” says in part, “It all started with a little bitty kiss and a hug / It’s a little bitty teeny weeny thing they call the love bug.”
In 1994, George Strait had a Top 10 hit with his cover of this song. Interestingly, after New Country Hits, Jones released Old Brush Arbors. That record was followed by an album called Love Bug, which includes this song again. However, most of Love Bug was covers of other songs, including “King Of The Road” and “Blue Side Of Lonesome”, among others.
“The Home You’re Tearin’ Down” by Loretta Lynn
Loretta Lynn includes “The Home You’re Tearin’ Down” on her Like ‘Em Country album. Betty Sue Perry is the sole writer of “The Home You’re Tearin’ Down”.
A bold song addressing a husband’s mistress, “The Home You’re Tearin’ Down” says, “There’s shattered parts of broken hearts just scattered all around / Come over anytime and see the home you’re tearin’ down.”
Although Lynn wrote a lot of her own music, she only wrote one song, “Dear Uncle Sam”, on Like ‘Em Country. Perry also wrote “Before I’m Over You”, “The Other Woman”, and “Wine, Women And Song”, all recorded by Lynn as well.
“Stop The World (And Let Me Off)” by Waylon Jennings
Waylon Jennings includes “Stop The World (And Let Me Off)” on his sophomore Folk-Country record. Belew and W.S. Stevenson are the song’s two writers. Belew first released “Stop The World (And Let Me Off)” in 1957.
“Stop The World (And Let Me Off)” says, “Stop the world and let me off / I’m tired of going round and round / I’ve played the game of love and lost / So stop the world and let me off.”
Numerous other artists also recorded “Stop The World (And Let Me Off)”, including Patsy Cline, Merle Haggard, and Susan Raye, among others. This is Jennings’ first big hit at country radio.
Photo by Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images
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