Love is the most timeless theme in all of the arts. Whether it is books, films, paintings, sculptures, or music, love is the thing most often expressed in art. More specifically, one of the most common subgenres of love is that of unrequited love. It is a tale as old as time, though it never gets old because it is also one of the most honest stories one can tell. That being said, country music has seen its fair share of songs about unrequited love.
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Like all genres, a good deal of country love songs surround the common theme of unrequited love. It’s harder to name an artist who doesn’t have one than to name an artist who does have one. It’s just the way the business of songwriting goes, and given that there is a plethora of them, here are three good ones you should add to your list.
“I Will Always Love You” by Dolly Parton
“I Will Always Love You” by Dolly Parton is not only one of the most infamous unrequited country love songs of all time, but is also just one of the most infamous unrequited love songs of all time. Of course, Whitney Houston made this into a bona fide classic, but Dolly Parton was the writer, thus the person who felt the feeling.
When Dolly Parton released the single in 1974, it became a success almost instantaneously. Upon its release, the single peaked at no. 1 on the Billboard Hot Country charts. Years later, it peaked at no. 1 again after Parton re-recorded the song for her film The Best Little Whorehouse In Texas.
“He Stopped Loving Her Today” by George Jones
George Jones‘ 1980 single is arguably one of the saddest country songs in the history of the genre. In short, it is a harrowing tale about the mourning of a lost lover. We won’t spoil the story for you entirely, but Jones perfectly captures the sentiment of unrequited love in this song. If you’re looking for solace, you will find it here, guaranteed.
Following its 1980 release, Jones’ single peaked at no. 1 on the Billboard Hot Country Songs chart and remained there for a week. Nearly 45 years after its release, it remains one of Jones’ most memorable songs, and one of the most tragic songs in the canon of country music.
“Always On My Mind” by Willie Nelson
You surely saw this selection coming from a mile away. After all, how could you not? Out of Willie Nelson‘s expansive catalog full of love songs, this one is undeniably the most poignant and the most tragic. “Always On My Mind” follows a very human arc, as the speaker seeks redemption, though cannot find it because the love is no longer reciprocated. It’s cliché, but cliché for a very valid reason.
It seems the masses also agreed with the majesty of this song, because when Nelson released it in 1982, the single peaked at no. 1 on the Billboard Hot Country Singles chart. Also, it impressively peaked at no. 5 on the Billboard Hot 100.
Photo by Richard McCaffrey/ Michael Ochs Archive/ Getty Images
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