A song that gets extensive radio play is almost guaranteed to be a hit. However, not every song that becomes a hit–even those that go to No. 1–will be remembered in the decades to come. In fact, several songs that once topped the charts have been all but forgotten by most of the world. On the other hand, some songs that get little to no radio play and miss the charts can still become staples of the genre. These country songs from the 1970s got little to no radio play and became classics.
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Today, we’re going to look at four country songs from the 1970s that didn’t need radio play to become classics. Some sparked cover versions that became massive hits while others were just good enough to stand the test of time.
[RELATED: Influential 1970s Country Artists Who Never Reached Superstar Status]
1. “Angel from Montgomery” by John Prine from John Prine (1971)
John Prine was among a handful of highly influential artists who didn’t enjoy much radio play or chart success. However, he is still regarded as one of the most influential songwriters in the country, folk, and Americana world. In short, he’s a great example of how an artist can change the face of music without being a chart sensation or dominating the radio waves.
Nearly everyone has heard “Angel from Montgomery.” Penned by Prine and originally included on his 1971 self-titled debut, Bonnie Raitt cut a massively popular version of this now-classic country song in the 1970s. While both versions remain popular among fans around the world, neither received much airplay or chart success. In fact, neither Prine nor Raitt released the song as a single.
2. “Honky Tonk Heroes” by Waylon Jennings from Honky Tonk Heroes (1973)
Waylon Jennings started his career as a clean-cut Nashville country crooner. However, that changed in the ’70s when he released the classic album Honky Tonk Heroes packed with songs penned by Billy Joe Shaver. The 1973 album helped to codify the Outlaw Country sound and put Jennings at the forefront of the movement with his longtime friend Willie Nelson.
Jennings didn’t release the album’s title track as a single and it saw very little radio play, if any. However, that didn’t stop it from being a favorite among fans of the genre for decades to come. Countless country fans are still dancing holes in their shoes to this song more than 50 years later.
3. “Up Against the Wall, Red Neck” by Jerry Jeff Walker from Viva Terlingua (1973)
Whether fans know it as “Up Against the Wall, Red Neck” or “Up Against the Wall, Redneck Mother,” this country banger from the 1970s is an undeniable classic song. Ray Wylie Hubbard wrote it and passed it along to his pal Jerry Jeff Walker who included it on multiple releases.
While Walker is no longer with us, Hubbard still plays this song during every concert–whether he wants to or not–and fans love it. Like the bulk of his work, this isn’t the kind of song that fits the radio mold but that doesn’t stop it from being an incredibly fun and memorable track.
4. “L.A. Freeway” by Guy Clark from Old No. 1 (1975)
In a perfect world, Guy Clark would have dominated the airwaves from the beginning of his career. He released a laundry list of classic country songs starting in the ’70s with his debut album Old No. 1. Much like Prine, he didn’t receive much radio play and didn’t see a lot of chart success but that didn’t stop him from being highly influential. In fact, Clark is probably your favorite songwriter’s favorite songwriter. He is also often credited with being one of the originators of Americana.
“L.A. Freeway” isn’t just an enduring song. It’s an example of Clark’s prowess as a songwriter and storyteller. He took something as mundane as moving from one state to another and turned it into a song that remains popular and relatable more than 50 years after its release without the benefit of radio play.
Featured Image by Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images
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