3 Lyrics From 1980s Country Greats That Are Absolute Poetry

These 1980s country songs are poetic, to say the least. Each artist took simple ideas and gave them unimaginable scope.

[RELATED: 3 Lyrics From Legendary 1960s Country Songs That Are Absolute Poetry]

“Grandpa (Tell Me ‘Bout The Good Old Days)” — The Judds

Nostalgia is a fickle friend. We’re all guilty of traipsing down that path every once in a while, blinded by hindsight and yearning for “better” days. That’s the idea behind this Judds classic. “Grandpa, tell me ’bout the good old days / Sometimes it feels like this world’s gone crazy / Grandpa, take me back to yesterday,” they sing in the chorus, begging for simpler times.

“Did lovers really fall in love to stay / And stand beside each other, come what may? / Was a promise really something people kept / Not just something they would say,” they ask later on in the song, needing to know if their dream of simplicity is even true. This is a poetic piece for its relatability and commentary on the human experience. We all know what it’s like to look back and wish we could break the bonds of time.

“Forever And Ever, Amen” — Randy Travis

This Randy Travis classic is simple poetry, but it’s poetry all the same. It’s a simple message of devotion that has immense weight. “Oh, baby, I’m gonna love you forever / Forever and ever amen / As long as old men sit and talk about the weather / As long as old women sit and talk about old men, the lyrics read, using familiar scenes to dictate a span of time. He could’ve left it at “forever and ever,” but it’s the little details that make this song all the more touching.

“They say time can play tricks on a memory / Make people forget things they knew / Well, it’s easy to see, it’s happenin’ to me / I’ve already forgotten every woman but you,” he adds later, gushing about his partner in poetic verse.

“Amarillo By Morning” — George Strait

“When that Sun is high / In that Texas sky / I’ll be buckin’ at the county fair / Amarillo by mornin’ / Amarillo I’ll be there,” George Strait sings in this 1980s country classic. Through the lens of a rodeo cowboy, Strait perfectly captures the feeling of loneliness.

This story could’ve been told many ways, but this is perhaps the most poetic option. Strait bends the story to his will, revealing details that add up to a robust, rich character. This song’s expressive lyrics sweep the listener away.

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