Country music in the 80s was filled with romantic love songs. Whether it was about new love or the joy of love that has lasted decades, plenty of country songs from the 80s are perfect for anyone ready to say “I do.” We picked four of our favorite 80s love songs, ideal for any country wedding.
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“Could I Have This Dance” by Anne Murray
There likely isn’t a more perfect wedding song than Anne Murray’s “Could I Have This Dance”. Released in 1980 on Anne Murray’s Greatest Hits album, the song is the perfect first dance for the bride and groom.
“Could I Have This Dance” says in part, “Could I have this dance for the rest of my life? / Could you be my partner every night? / When we’re together, it feels so right / Could I have this dance for the rest of my life?“
“I’ll Still Be Loving You” by Restless Heart
Restless Heart released “I’ll Still Be Loving You” in 1987 from their sophomore Wheels record. The song says in part, “I’ll be yours until the sun doesn’t shine / Till time stands still / Until the winds don’t blow / When today is just a memory to me / I know / I’ll still be loving you.”
The song was such a hit that it not only became a No. 1 country song for Restless Heart, but a Top 5 on the Adult Contemporary chart as well. Ironically, although it’s a big hit for Restless Heart, not all of the band members initially wanted to record it. But their producer, Tim DuBois, kept pushing, fortunately.
“If you really examine the lyrics – ‘I’ll be yours until the sun doesn’t shine, Til’ time stands still.’ Really, we were going to cut this?’” guitarist Greg Jennings recalls (via Songfacts). “But, he pushed us to do it, and it worked.”
“When You Say Nothing At All” by Keith Whitley
Keith Whitley’s”When You Say Nothing At All” came out in 1988 from his sophomore Don’t Close Your Eyes album. It’s likely that plenty more wedding playlists have included this song, written by Paul Overstreet and Don Schlitz, in the almost 40 years since the song was released.
“When You Say NOthing At All” says in part, “The smile on your face lets me know that you need me / There’s a truth in your eyes saying you’ll never leave me / The touch of your hand says you’ll catch me wherever I fall / You say it best, when you say nothing at all.” Sadly, Whitley did not get to see how well the song did in the years since it was released. Whitley passed away on May 9, 1989, from alcohol poisoning.
“Through The Years” by Kenny Rogers
If there’s a song that is about enduring love, it’s Kenny Rogers’ “Through The Years”. Steve Dorff and Marty Panzer penned this song for Rogers. The song was released in 1982 on Rogers’ Love Will Turn You Around album.
The sweet song says, “Through the years, through all the good and bad / I knew how much we had, I’ve always been so glad / To be with you through the years / It’s better every day, you’ve kissed my tears away / As long as it’s okay, I’ll stay with you / Through the years.“
Not only did “Through The Years” become a country music hit for Rogers, but it was a hit on Billboard‘s Adult Contemporary and the all-genre Hot 100 chart as well.
Photo by kpa/United Archives via Getty Images
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