The 1970s gave us plenty of great country songs from some of the biggest names in the genre. From the slick production of the likes of Billy Sherrill and Owen Bradley to the rough-edged Outlaw Country of Waylon Jennings and Willie Nelson, it was a great time to be a fan of the genre. Some of those songs were able to transcend from country hits to standards and are still part of the cultural zeitgeist today.
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These country hits, like other standards, may have fallen off the charts decades ago, but they’re still popular. These are the songs that those who aren’t fans of 1970s country can still sing along with decades after their release. In fact, it would be fair to say that some of these tunes will outlive their originators. Some already have.
1. “Me and Bobby McGee” by Kris Kristofferson (1970)
Kris Kristofferson wrote “Me and Bobby McGee” and included it on his 1970 debut album, Kristofferson. Months later, the 1971 posthumously released version recorded by Janis Joplin popularized the song. Hers was a No. 1 hit on the Billboard Hot 100. The song has gone on to appear in several movies and TV shows and has been covered by countless artists.
Neither Kristofferson nor Joplin was the first to record the song. Roger Miller and Kenny Rogers and the First Edition cut the song in 1969. Other notable covers of the standard include country and gospel group The Statler Brothers, Charley Pride, and Gordon Lightfoot. Other artists, ranging from P!nk to the Grateful Dead, have performed the song live.
“Me and Bobby McGee” began as a simple narrative country song in the late 1960s and early 1970s and continues to be popular, outliving all four of the artists who originally recorded it.
2. “I Will Always Love You” by Dolly Parton (1973)
Dolly Parton owes much of her icon status within the country music world to the monumental songs she released during the 1970s. For instance, her album Jolene produced the title track and “I Will Always Love You.” Parton likely had no idea this song would transcend the world of country music to become a standard decades after she wrote it as a farewell to Porter Wagoner, but it did.
“I Will Always Love You” was already a hit for Parton when Whitney Houston recorded it for the soundtrack of The Bodyguard. Her version gave the song international acclaim and added years to its already hearty longevity. The list of artists who have covered it or recorded it as a duet with Parton since Houston made it an international hit is long and filled with stars. That list includes Vince Gill, Kristin Chenoweth, Sarah Washington, and many others.
Both “I Will Always Love You” and “Jolene” would have fit perfectly on this list. This song just happens to be the bigger hit.
3. “Blue Eyes Crying in the Rain” by Willie Nelson (1975)
Penned by the legendary Fred Rose, Willie Nelson found his first No. 1 single with “Blue Eyes Crying in the Rain” when he recorded it for his landmark 1975 album Red Headed Stranger. He was not the first to record the song. Elton Britt, Acuff, Hank Williams, and others put their stamp on it first. However, Nelson’s version remains the most popular.
Nelson was far from the last to record “Blue Eyes Crying in the Rain.” Elvis Presley, Olivia Newton-John, Linda Good, George Jones, and Ramblin’ Jack Elliott are among those who put their spin on the song after Nelson breathed new life into it.
4. “Take This Job and Shove It” by Johnny Paycheck (1977)
David Allan Coe wrote “Take This Job and Shove It,” and Johnny Paycheck used it as the lead single and title track from his 1977 album. The song became Outlaw Country artist’s only No. 1 single and went on to be one of the most influential songs of the 1970s. He performed it during union protests, and the track inspired the 1981 movie Take This Job and Shove It.
The list of artists who covered this song is proof that it transcended the country genre and became a standard. The list includes The Gong Show host Chuck Barris, the Dead Kennedys, and more. Additionally, “Shove This Jay-Oh-Bee” by Canibus and Biz Markie appears in Office Space.
More than anything, the song’s title have become part of the cultural vernacular with countless variations floating around in the world. “Take this job and (verb) it” is a forumla that has been used in the titles of countless books including Take This Job and Love It. Even The Simpsons got in on it in the episode “Lisa vs. Malibu Stacy,” in which they use the phrase “Take this job and fill it.”
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