No matter how many hits an artist has, they all have that one song that clicked and put their feet on the path to stardom. Sometimes, artists try for years to find the song that puts them on the map. Other times, they debut with a career-making hit. Today, we’re going to look at the nostalgic country songs that helped kick off the careers of a few legendary artists.
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These songs aren’t necessarily the artists’ first No. 1, their debut single, or even their first hit. Instead, these songs seemingly got the ball rolling. They preceded strings of hits or marked the beginning of their rise to wider success. More importantly, these are the kinds of songs that make many country fans nostalgic for days gone by.
[RELATED: 3 Nostalgic Country Songs That Aged Like Milk]
1. “You Ain’t Woman Enough (To Take My Man)” by Loretta Lynn (1966)
The late, great Loretta Lynn is undeniably country music royalty. She was a singer/songwriter with a larger-than-life personality. And, by all accounts, one of the biggest hearts the world has ever seen. However, she was also a no-nonsense kind of woman as evidenced by some of her most loved songs. Chief among those is “You Ain’t Woman Enough (To Take My Man).”
Written by Lynn and produced by the legendary Owen Bradley, she released it as the sole single from You Ain’t Woman Enough in 1966. This nostalgic classic went to No. 2 on the Hot Country Songs chart. While it wasn’t her first top 10 hit and she wouldn’t find her first chart topper until 1967, “You Ain’t Woman Enough” introduced the world to the grittier side of Lynn’s personality and helped her stand out from the crowd. It went on to be one of her signature songs and remains loved by her fans and fans of country music the world over.
2. “Mule Skinner Blues (Blue Yodel No. 8)” by Dolly Parton (1970)
Today, Dolly Parton is a country music icon and a household name. In fact, she is seemingly on a first name basis with the entire nation. Even those who aren’t fans of her music or the genre in general will likely know who you’re talking about when you say Dolly. With her level of fame, some fans might be surprised to learn that her career had a relatively slow start.
She released her first single “Puppy Love” in 1959 and it failed to chart. The same would be true for her next seven singles. “Dumb Blonde” landed at No. 24 on the country chart in 1966. However, her chart success remained inconsistent until she released her cover of “Mule Skinner Blues” in 1970. It went to No. 3 and ushered in an age of hits for Parton.
“Mule Skinner Blues” was penned and originally released by Jimmie Rodgers in 1930. Parton covering a song by the Father of Country Music is pretty much the epitome of nostalgic country songs.
3. “Fool Hearted Memory” by George Strait (1982)
Today, fans hail George Strait as the King of Country Music. He released some of the biggest nostalgic hit country songs from the ’80s and ’90s. While some artists try for years to get a single to the top of the Hot Country Songs chart before they make it, Strait only needed four shots. “Fool Hearted Memory” was the lead single from his sophomore album Strait from the Heart and his first No. 1.
“Fool Hearted Memory” kicked off a massive string of hits for Strait. Over the next nine years, he released 29 singles, all of which landed in the top 10. Twenty-one of those singles went to No. 1. After reaching the top of the charts, Strait wouldn’t miss the top 10 until he released his cover of “Lovesick Blues” in 1992. It peaked at No. 24 on the country chart. Then, Strait followed it with another string of hits that spanned the remainder of the decade.
4. “A Better Man” by Clint Black (1989)
Co-penned by Clint Black and Hayden Nicholas, Black released “A Better Man” as the lead single from his debut album Killin’ Time in February 1989. This nostalgic banger went to No. 1 on the Hot Country Songs chart, making Black the first artist to hit the top of the country chart with their debut single since Freddy Fender did it with “Before the Next Teardrop Falls” in 1975.
A member of the fabled Class of ’89, “A Better Man” kicked off a string of hits for Black. He followed his chart-topping debut with a string of hits. Between 1989 and 1996, he released 25 singles and all but one of them landed in the top 10. “Still Holding On,” a collaboration with Martina McBride and his final single of 1996, peaked at No. 11. Nine of his first 25 singles went to No. 1.
Featured Image by Erika Goldring/Getty Images for Americana Music
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