Buck Owens began his historic music career in the 1950s. But it wasn’t until the 1960s that he began to dominate at radio, with a lengthy run of hit singles. Credited with helping start the famous Bakersfield sound, these are four of the best songs Buck Owens released in the 1960s. They are all almost guaranteed to make anybody smile.
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“Act Naturally”
“Act Naturally” is Buck Owens’s first No. 1 hit. Out in 1963 on his The Best Of Buck Owens album, Johnny Russell and Lavonia Inez Morrison are the two writers of the song.
An uptempo tune about a man down on himself, “Act Naturally” begins with “They’re gonna put me in the movies / They’re gonna make a big star out of me / We’ll make a film about a man that’s sad and lonely / And all I gotta do is act naturally.”
Owens had a big hit with “Act Naturally”, but he isn’t the only one. Other artists who have covered the song include Loretta Lynn, Dwight Yoakam, and the Beatles, among others. Later, Owens and Ringo Starr released a duet version of the song, in 1989.
“I’ve Got A Tiger By The Tail”
Written by Owens and Harlan Howard, “I’ve Got A Tiger By The Tail” came out in 1964. It is the title track of his 1965 record. A crossover hit for Owens, it remains one of his most popular songs.
“I’ve Got A Tiger By The Tail” says, “I’ve got a tiger by the tail, it’s plain to see / I won’t be much when you get through with me / Well I’m a-losing weight, and I’m turning mighty pale / Looks like I’ve got a tiger by the tail.”
“I’ve Got A Tiger By The Tail” is in the Grammy Hall of Fame.
“Your Tender Loving Care”
The title track of a record released in 1967 is “Your Tender Loving Care”. Written solely by Owens, “Your Tender Loving Care” is a sweet, romantic tune about enduring love.
“Your Tender Loving Care” says, “Winter needs the north wind and the snowflakes / Springtime needs the flowers soft and rare / I just need to feel your arms around me / I just need your tender loving care.“
“Buckaroo”
There are no lyrics to “Buckaroo”, since it’s an instrumental song. Still, the lack of words did little to affect his popularity at the time. The song is on Owens’s The Instrumental Hits of Buck Owens and His Buckaroos. It became one of his many No. 1 hits.
Photo by Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images
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