In the mood for a transportative experience? These three country songs from 1977 capture the essence of small-town America as it was, before the internet existed. If you grew up in rural America during the 1970s, I bet these songs will take you back in time in an instant.
“I’m Just A Country Boy” by Don Williams from ‘Country Boy’
“And I’m just a country boy / Money have I none / But I’ve got silver in the stars / And gold in the mornin’ sun / Gold in the mornin’ sun.”
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Sometimes the best anthems are the simplest. “I’m Just A Country Boy” by Don Williams is a good, plain ol’ song about connecting with one’s identity in rural America. This song was originally written by Fred Hellerman and Marshall Barer. It has been covered by many others outside of Williams, though his version was a notable hit.
“A Working Man Can’t Get Nowhere Today” by Merle Haggard and The Strangers from ‘A Working Man Can’t Get Nowhere Today’
‘Lord, a working man can’t get nowhere today / A working man ain’t got no time to play / Today I work my fanny off and leave it lay / A working man can’t get nowhere today.“
Working-class people in rural America dealt with job losses and feeling replaceable back in the 1970s. But one can’t deny that this particular plight has gotten worse in recent times. Merle Haggard’s ode to blue-collar workers and the economic anxiety of the times manages to capture the feelings of the era and the feelings of today at the same time. Now that’s good songwriting.
“Applejack” by Dolly Parton from ‘New Harvest…First Gathering’
“That’s when I was just a kid and now that I am grown / All I have are memories, old Applejack is gone / Oh but he left me his banjo and it always takes me back / And every time I play it, I still hear Applejack.”
How about a sweet little deep cut? This Dolly Parton gem makes it to our list of 1977 country songs that capture small-town America in the 70s. Though, it doesn’t touch on anything political or broadly cultural. Rather, the song features a narrator looking back at her small-town upbringing, listening to an old rural musician named Applejack play the banjo. She would later inherit the instrument as an adult. If there’s a song out there that captures the vibe of 70s rural America, it’s this little tune.
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