Country music has countless classic hits, going back decades. But sometimes, there is a specific year in country music that stands out because of the songs that were released. These four country songs came out in 1972, but they are bound to put anyone in a good mood, 53 years later.
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“Chantilly Lace” by Jerry Lee Lewis
“Chantilly Lace” was first a pop hit in the 1950s. Written by J.P. Richardson and released by The Big Bopper in 1958, the song became a Top 10 hit. But it’s Jerry Lee Lewis who made it a country classic with his version.
Included on his The Killer Rocks On album, the feel-good song says, “Chantilly lace and a pretty face / And a ponytail hangin’ down / A wiggle in her walk and a giggle in her talk / Make the world go ’round.”
“Funny Face” by Donna Fargo
Donna Fargo wrote “Funny Face” for her The Happiest Girl in the Whole U.S.A. album. The feel-good song says, “Funny face, I love you / Funny face, I need you / These are the sweetest words I’ve ever heard / Funny face, don’t leave me / Funny face, believe me / My whole world’s wrapped up in you.”
“Funny Face” is Fargo’s second consecutive No. 1 single. The song is also her highest charting pop single, making it into the Top 5. The song also reportedly made Fargo the first female country artist to have back-to-back gold singles, wth “The Happiest Girl in the Whole U.S.A.” and “Funny Face”.
“I Can’t Stop Loving You” by Conway Twitty
Conway Twitty’s “I Can’t Stop Loving You” was first a hit for Don Gibson, who included it on his 1958 Oh Lonesome Me album. The song was also recorded by numerous other artists, including Roy Orbison, Ray Charles, and Paul Anka, among others.
But it’s Twitty’s that remains among the most popular. Twitty includes “I Can’t Stop Loving You” on his I Can’t Stop Loving You / (Lost Her Love) On Our Last Date record, making it a chart-topping single. The song’s message might be sad, but Twitty’s delivery makes it a classic that almost always evokes a smile.
“I Can’t Stop Loving You” says, “I can’t stop loving you so I made up my mind / To live in memories of old lonesome times / I can’t stop wanting you, it’s useless to say / So I just live my life in dreams of yesterday.”
“My Man (Understands)” by Tammy Wynette
Hit songwriters Billy Sherrill, Norro Wilson, and Carmol Taylor wrote “My Man (Understands)”, which Tammy Wynette includes on her My Man album.
The song begins with, “My man understands, he holds me in the palm of his hand and
I like it, I like it / He’s a dream, the real thing / He always makes me feel like a queen /
And I love it, I love it / His arms are warm, they keep me away from harm / And I’m proud of it, so proud of it / He’s mine, he’s fine, he makes a funny feeling go up my spine / And I wanna keep it like this all the time.“
Photo by Michael Putland/Getty Images
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