The 1970s were a long, long time ago, but the music is still really good. In the 1970s, country songs were about real life, music that is still revered today. These four country songs from the 1970s are worth listening to today, over and over again.
Videos by American Songwriter
“Take Me Home, Country Roads” by John Denver
John Denver released “Take Me Home, Country Roads” in 1971, on his Poems, Prayers and Promises album. Written by Denver, along with Bill Danoff and Taffy Nivert, the song celebrates the beauty of going home, wherever that might be.
In “Take Me Home, Country Roads,” Denver sings, “Country roads, take me home / To the place I belong / West Virginia, mountain mama / Take me home, country roads.“
“Take Me Home, Country Roads” is such a classic that it is in both the Grammy Hall of Fame and the Library of Congress’s National Recording Registry.
“The Seeker” by Dolly Parton
In the 1970s, Dolly Parton released plenty of beloved classics, including both “Jolene” and “I Will Always Love You”, among others. But she also released “The Seeker“, a song with a message that is timeless.
Written by Parton as a prayer, “The Seeker” says, “I am a seeker, a poor, sinful creature / There is no weaker than I am / I am a seeker and you are a teacher / You are a reacher, so reach down / Reach out and lead me, guide me and keep me / In the shelter of your care each day.”
“I remember when I wrote ‘The Seeker’”, Parton says while appearing at the Country Music Hall of Fame. “I had been out—I was young—and I’d been out on the road with Porter [Wagoner] and them. Just seeing how crazy and wild the world is. And if you don’t keep yourself self-contained, it’s easy to fall into places, like a lot of people do with drugs and alcohol or any number of things. I really lean heavy on my faith.”
“Rainy Day Woman” by Waylon Jennings
Waylon Jennings wrote “Rainy Day Woman” by himself, releasing it in 1974 on his The Ramblin’ Man record. A classic Jennings song, “Rainy Day Woman”, says, “Oh rainy day woman / I never seem to see you for the good times or the sunshine / You have been a friend of mine, rainy day woman.”
In 1994, Mark Chesnutt released his What a Way to Live album, which features this song, sung as a duet with Chesnutt and Jennings.
“The Devil Went Down To Georgia” by Charlie Daniels
“The Devil Went Down To Georgia” by Charlie Daniels feels like a song every music fan should know, regardless of their favorite genre. A classic Daniels song, “The Devil Went Down To Georgia” was first released in 1979, as part of Daniels’ Million Mile Reflections album. Daniels wrote the song with Tom Crain DiGregorio, Fred Edwards, Charles Hayward, and James W. Marshall.
“The Devil Went Down to Georgia” is about the devil having a fiddle-playing contest with a boy. If the boy wins, he gets a fiddle made of gold. But if he loses, the devil gets his soul. The song says in part, “When the Devil finished, Johnny said / ‘You know, you’re pretty good ol’ son / But you just flop down in that chair right there / I’m gonna show you how this stuff’s done.’”
Photo by TV Times via Getty Images
Leave a Reply
Only members can comment. Become a member. Already a member? Log in.