4 Well-Worn Country Hits That Every 1960s Kid Still Knows Today

Country music really evolved and transformed in the 1960s. Some of the best country songs came out in that decade, including these four country hits, which are so good that almost every 60s kid still knows the words to them today.

“Ring Of Fire” by Johnny Cash

There may not be a Johnny Cash song that is more well-known than “Ring Of Fire”. The song came out in 1963 on Cash’s Ring of Fire: The Best of Johnny Cash. June Carter, Cash’s future wife, and Merle Kilgore are the two writers of the song.

“Ring Of Fire” says, “I fell into a burning ring of fire / I went down, down, down and the flames went higher / And it burns, burns, burns / The ring of fire, the ring of fire.”

Carter wrote “Ring Of Fire” after meeting Cash and feeling an instant connection, even though they were both married to other people at the time.

“Crazy” by Patsy Cline

In 1961, Patsy Cline had a big hit with “Crazy”. It appears on Cline’s sophomore Showcase record. Willie Nelson is the only writer of “Crazy”.

A song that remains a signature song by Cline, “Crazy” says, “Worry / Why do I let myself worry? / Wondering / What in the world did I do? / Oh, crazy / For thinking that my love could hold you / I’m crazy for trying / And crazy for crying / And I’m crazy for loving you.”

In 1977, Linda Ronstadt had a Top 10 hit with her cover of this song.

“Mama Tried” by Merle Haggard

“Mama Tried” is the title track of a record Merle Haggard put out in 1968. Haggard is the only writer of “Mama Tried”. He admits the song is partially autobiographical.

The lyrics say, “And I turned twenty-one in prison doing life without parole / No one could steer me right, but Mama tried, Mama tried / Mama tried to raise me better, but her pleading I denied / That leaves only me to blame ’cause Mama tried.”

“You Ain’t Woman Enough (To Take My Man)”

Loretta Lynn released plenty of sassy songs. But few are as feisty as “You Ain’t Woman Enough (To Take My Man)”. Released in 1966, “You Ain’t Woman Enough (To Take My Man)” is the title track of Lynn’s seventh studio album. Lynn wrote “You Ain’t Woman Enough (To Take My Man)” by herself. Inspired by real-life events, Lynn wrote the song in about ten minutes.

“You Ain’t Woman Enough (To Take My Man)” says, “Women like you, they’re a dime a dozen, you can buy ’em anywhere / For you to get to him I’d have to move over and / I’m gonna stand right here / It’ll be over my dead body so get out while you can / ‘Cause you ain’t woman enough to take my man.”

The post 4 Well-Worn Country Hits That Every 1960s Kid Still Knows Today appeared first on American Songwriter.