Country music is rightfully known for telling a story in its lyrics. It’s a standard that has been part of the genre for decades. These three country songs all came out in 1965 and take the listener on an emotional roller coaster in the lyrics.
“Things Have Gone To Pieces” by George Jones
George Jones includes “Things Have Gone To Pieces” on his George Jones & Gene Pitney – For the First Time! Two Great Stars album, released with pop artist Gene Pitney. “Things Have Gone To Pieces” chronicles all the things that have gone wrong since a relationship ended.
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The song says, “Somebody threw a baseball through my window / And the arm fell off my favorite chair again / The man called me today and said he’d haul my things away / If I didn’t get my payments made by ten /Things have gone to pieces since you left me / Nothing turns out half-right now it seems / There ain’t nothing in my pocket but three nickels and a dime / But I’m holding to the pieces of my dream.”
“Ribbon Of Darkness” by Marty Robbins
Gordon Lightfoot is the sole writer of “Ribbon Of Darkness“. Both Lightfoot and Robbins released “Ribbon Of Darkness” in 1965, although it’s Robbins who had a No. 1 hit with the song.
“Ribbon Of Darkness” says, “In this cold room lying / Don’t wanna see no one but you / Lord, I wish I could be dying / To forget you / How I wish your heart could see / How mine just aches and breaks all day / Come on back and take away / Ribbon of darkness over me.“
Robbins had a hit with “Ribbon Of Darkness”, but he isn’t the only artist to record the song. Connie Smith, Crystal Gayle, and Conway Twitty are among the artists who also recorded a version of “Ribbon Of Darkness”.
“Behind The Tear” by Sonny James
“Behind The Tear” is the title track of an album Sonny James released in 1965. The only single from the project, Ned Miller and Sue Miller are the two writers of the song.
“Behind The Tear” says, “Behind the tear, there’s a hurt / Behind the hurt, a broken heart / Behind that broken heart, there lies a broken dream / Behind the dream, there’s a fool / Behind the fool a wasted love / You broke my heart, and I’m the fool behind the tear.”
“Behind The Tear” is James’s third No. 1 single. It is also among his most successful, spending a total of three weeks at the top of the charts.
Photo by Hulton Archive/Getty Images
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