The 1970s were a time of monumental change and upheaval. The divisive Vietnam War concluded. There was Watergate, the headline-making political scandal that toppled the Nixon presidency. Blockbuster films like Jaws did swimmingly at the box office. The Beatles called it quits after a run that changed the vocabulary of contemporary music forever. And heartbreak songs were part of the backbone of country music. Some great ones were crafted and sung during this ten-year span. They became synonymous with the genre and made bona fide stars out of the artists who wrote and performed them. Here are four prime examples that are sad, not maudlin. Hankies, anyone?
Videos by Wide Open Country
"Help Me Make It Through the Night"
Plaintive, sensuous, and emotional, this song written and sung by Kris Kristofferson is now an unquestioned classic. Scores of artists have done covers of it, among them "Elvis Presley, Willie Nelson, Joan Baez, Johnny Cash, and more," per American Songwriter. Some found the lyrics too risque and eyebrow-raising. Others appreciated the candor of Kristofferson's masterpiece. Sammi Smith had a big hit with the track. It earned her a Grammy. The misery of nocturnal loneliness and isolation has never been more searingly expressed in song.
"I Never Promised You A Rose Garden"
Despite its bubbly, upbeat tempo, this track is about the darker side of romantic love. Lynn Anderson took it all the way to number one, it was eventually certified gold, and the tune won her a Grammy. Anderson became inextricably linked with the song for the rest of her career. It has lyrics like "I could sing you a tune and promise you the moon / But if that's what it takes to hold you / I'd just as soon let you go....," It's definitely about the "mopey" aspect of a loving but shaky relationship.
"I Will Always Love You"
The granddaddy of country music heartbreak songs as only Dolly Parton could write it. It was intended as a gentle farewell to Parton's mentor and professional partner, country crooner Porter Wagoner. Then Whitney Houston took the song to a stratospheric level of acclaim some twenty years later. She recorded a hauntingly dramatic cover of it for her film, The Bodyguard. Per siriusxm.com, Houston's scintillating version got a very well-deserved pair of Grammys, globally sold more than 20 million copies, and achieved diamond certification.
"Where Do I Put Her Memory"
American Songwriter lauded this as "one of the most beautifully sad country songs ever recorded." Charley Pride's sincere vocals convey the depth of his heartache at an ended relationship. No matter what he does with the tangible reminders of what was, he can't forget his special lady. Her memory stays in his soul. The images in this song are wonderfully etched and indelible. A gorgeous, sentimental number one track.
