4 Classic Sad Country Songs from the 1970s

Country music covers a wide range of topics with lyrics that speak to the best of times and the hardest of times. While there are plenty of songs about love, drinking, dancing, and living life to the fullest, sad songs make up a large portion of country music. Whether the songs are about death, heartbreak, or economic issues, these songs resonate with listeners because they cut to the heart of the issue.

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Today, we’re going to roll back the clock to the 1970s and look at some sad songs from some of the biggest artists in the genre. Some of these songs were hits and remain popular today. However, some listeners might be hearing at least one of these tunes for the first time.

1. “Sam Stone” by John Prine (1971)

Legendary country/folk singer/songwriter John Prine included this sad song about a Vietnam veteran on his 1971 self-titled debut album. It’s a stunning example of Prine’s ability to paint a vivid image of the human condition and cut to the bone with his lyrics.

The song tells the story of a man who comes home from serving in the Vietnam War “with a Purple Heart and a monkey on his back.” Throughout the song, the protagonist’s addiction grows stronger, taking over more and more of his life. A combination of PTSD and pain from an injury fanned the flames of that addiction. In the end, Sam Stone dies of an overdose.

2. “If We Make It Through December” by Merle Haggard (1973)

Merle Haggard wrote this song and released it as the lead single from Merle Haggard’s Christmas Present in 1973. It was also the title track from his 1974 album. Some fans believe that this is a sad country Christmas song because it mentions the holiday and was originally released on a holiday album. However, Haggard only mentions Christmas in passing. It’s not the focus of the song. Instead, economic hardship and the hope that the next year will bring better times sit at the heart of the lyrics.

The song likely resonated with countless listeners because it told a common story. Between 1973 and 1975, the United States and much of the rest of the Western world were experiencing a severe economic recession. Inflation and unemployment were both high at the time and there was an oil crisis sparked by the OAPEC oil embargo. Those and other major factors led to a stock market crash in late 1973. So, many people were hoping the next year would see the economy stabilize at the time.

3. “The Grand Tour” by George Jones (1974)

Country legend George Jones was the master of sad songs. His golden voice brought us such classics as “He Stopped Loving Her Today,” “A Good Year for the Roses,” and this tear-jerking classic “The Grand Tour.” Written by Norro Wilson, Carmol Taylor, and George Richey, Jones released it in 1974 as the second single from the album of the same name. It topped the Hot Country Songs chart, giving Jones his fifth solo No. 1.

This country classic is one of Jones’ finest recordings and a perfect example of why he’s the go-to artist for sad songs. “The Grand Tour” can be interpreted in two ways, with one being a little more heartbreaking than the other. On one hand, it could be about a man whose wife left him and took their child. On the other hand, it could be about a widower mourning the loss of his wife and child. The former is a little more obvious, but the latter comes to light with a closer look at the lyrics.

First, the final line of the opening verse promises a story that will “chill you to the bone.” Breakups are sad, but they’re rarely bone-chilling. Later in the song, he mentions that she left all of her belongings behind when she “tore [his] world apart.” Then, he re-affirms that she left everything behind when, in some of the song’s final lines, he notes that she took nothing but the baby and his heart. Why would she leave behind all of her belongings and, more importantly, all of the baby’s belongings if she was just walking away from a relationship?

4. “Where Do I Put Her Memory” by Charley Pride (1979)

Written by Jim Weatherly, Charley Pride released “Where Do I Put Her Memory” in 1979 as the third single from his album Burgers and Fries/When I Stop Leaving. It went to the top of the Hot Country Songs chart, giving Pride his 21^st No. 1 on the survey. More importantly, it’s one of the most beautifully sad country songs ever recorded.

Pride was a master of conveying emotion in his vocal delivery. Whether he was singing about being deeply in love or heartbroken, he made listeners believe every word. “Where Do I Put Her Memory” is no exception. The lush string arrangement and backing vocals lend extra weight to this song about a man who has cleared his home of all traces of his ex-lover but can’t find a way to escape her memory.

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