3 Country Songs From 1976 That Every 70s Kid Still Knows Today

Country music in the mid-1970s will always sound amazing, no matter how many years have passed. Among the many great songs that came out in that era are these three incredible country songs. All out in 1976, it’s almost a guarantee that every 70s kid still knows them by heart today.

“Sweet Dreams” by Emmylou Harris

Don Gibson is the writer of “Sweet Dreams”, a song that appears on Elite Hotel,  Emmylou Harris’s third studio album. But it’s Harris’ version that remains among the most revered. “Sweet Dreams” became Harris’s second No. 1 single.

“Sweet Dreams” begins with, “Sweet dreams of you / Every night I go through / Why can’t I forget you and start my life anew / Instead of having sweet dreams about you.”

Elite Hotel also includes “Together Again”, Harris’s first song to reach the top of the charts. Elite Hotel gave Harris her very first Grammy Award. “Sweet Dreams” has been covered multiple times by other country artists, including Patsy Cline and Reba McEntire.

“’Til I Can Make It On My Own” by Tammy Wynette

Tammy Wynette wrote “’Til I Can Make It On My Own” with Billy Sherrill and George Richey. It is the title track of an album that also came out in 1976.

The chorus says, “Now and then / Lord, you know I’ll need a friend / And ’till I get used to losing you / Let me keep on using you / ‘Til I can make it on my own.”

Interestingly, Wynette had two more No. 1 hits in 1976. “Golden Ring”, a duet with George Jones, hit No. 1, as did “You And Me”.

“(I’m A) Stand By My Woman Man” by Ronnie Milsap

A two-week No. 1 single, Ronnie Milsap was in the middle of a long string of hits when he released “(I’m A) Stand By My Woman Man”. On his 20/20 Vision album, the song was written by Kent Robbins.

“(I’m A) Stand By Woman Man” says in part, “I’m a stand by my woman man / We fall asleep at night thinking ain’t love grand / That’s why I’m a stand by my woman man / When she’s down she knows I’ll be beside her.“

20/20 Vision also includes “What Goes On When the Sun Goes Down”, another big hit for Milsap. “(I’m A) Stand By Woman Man” was inspired by Wynette’s “Stand By Your Man” single. It also resulted in a copyright lawsuit over the similarities to “Stand By Your Man”.

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