Most music fans know that just because a song hits the top of the chart doesn’t mean it’s a good song. As the old saying goes, if sales were a sign of quality, McDonald’s would be a five-star restaurant. The same can be said about singles and album cuts. There are some album cuts from 1970s country albums that far outshine the singles, even if those singles were great.
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In the 1970s, country fans would have to buy albums based on singles and hope there was more gold to be found on the tracklist. The selections below would have made any of these LPs worth the purchase.
[RELATED: 4 Overlooked 1970s Country Albums from Legendary Artists]
“Today I Started Loving You Again” from The Fightin’ Side of Me by Merle Haggard
Merle Haggard released his second live album, The Fightin’ Side of Me, in the summer of 1970. Its title track was the sole single. While it was a hit and became one of Haggard’s best-known songs, it is far from the best cut on the album. “Today I Started Loving You Again” is among the tracks that far outshine the single.
This song is emblematic of what made the 1970s one of the best decades for country music. Haggard uses a single verse and repeated chorus to create a tale of heartache that countless listeners could relate to.
“Time of the Preacher” from Red Headed Stranger by Willie Nelson
I don’t want to take away from “Blue Eyes Crying in the Rain” or “Remember Me” at all. They’re both perfect examples of why Willie Nelson became one of the most successful country artists of the 1970s. However, “Time of the Preacher” outshines both of the LP’s singles.
“Time of the Preacher” is one of only a handful of songs on the album that Nelson wrote. Moreover, it brings the listener into the story that he explores throughout the rest of the album. The Preacher is the Red Headed Stranger, a man abandoned by his lover who sets out to find himself and his revenge. Between Nelson’s songwriting and guitar playing, this song is hard to beat.
“Ain’t No God in Mexico” from Honky Tonk Heroes by Waylon Jennings
Waylon Jennings released several albums that helped define outlaw country in the 1970s. However, none of them had the same impact as Honky Tonk Heroes, an album made up mostly of songs penned by Billy Joe Shaver. Jennings released two singles from the album. The first was “We Had It All,” the only track on the album not written by Shaver. The second was “You Ask Me To,” a song co-written by Jennings and Shaver.
In my opinion, “We Had It All” is the weakest track on the album, and it completely throws off the vibe. Its only saving grace is that it comes at the end of the tracklist and is, therefore, easy to skip. “You Ask Me To,” on the other hand, is a great love song. A handful of tracks on the album outshine both of them, though. “Ain’t No God in Mexico” is chief among them.
Everything about the arrangement, lyrics, and Jennings’ delivery screams “outlaw country.” He and his band laid down a sonic blueprint for the rock-infused honky tonk that would dominate the rest of the decade with this song.
“Nine-Pound Hammer” from Will the Circle Be Unbroken by Nitty Gritty Dirt Band
The Nitty Gritty Dirt Band introduced a whole new generation of listeners to a collection of living old-time, bluegrass, and honky tonk legends with their 1972 album Will the Circle Be Unbroken. The collection featured collaborations with the likes of Doc Watson, the Carter Family, Roy Acuff, and Merle Travis.
They dug deep into the American songbook for the album’s singles. “Honky Tonkin,” “Tennessee Stud (with Doc Watson),” and “Grand Ole Opry Song (with Jimmy Martin)” are classics. However, some moments outshine those singles, if just barely.
One of those superior tunes is “Nine Pound Hammer,” featuring guitar great Merle Travis on guitar and vocals. For fans of old-time or bluegrass music, it doesn’t get much better than this.
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