Few genres feature as many sad tearjerkers as classic country music. In fact, country music cornered the market on devastating storytelling in music for the better part of a century. There are far too many gutwrenching songs to include on one short list, too. So, I picked a few underrated gems from back in the day that deserve way more love today, as well as a spot on your “I need a good cry” playlist. Let’s look at just a few country ballads that will have you in your feelings!
“Hello Walls” by Faron Young
“Hello Walls” by Faron Young was released in 1961. This tearjerker was actually written by the incomparable Willie Nelson, but was first recorded by Young. It was a No. 1 hit in 1961, and I can see why. It’s really a heartbreaking tune.
Videos by American Songwriter
This honky-tonk tale is about a man abandoned by the woman he loves, as he sings about his loneliness to the walls of his home. And even if you remove the lyrics, the melody alone is particularly arresting.
“Concrete Angel” by Martina McBride
I couldn’t leave “Concrete Angel” by Martina McBride off of this list. This country-pop gem was released in 2002 and peaked at No. 5 on the country charts that year.
This song, like many of Martina McBride’s more poignant hits, is about abuse. “Concrete Angel” explores the abuse a little girl faces at the hands of her mother, which sadly ends in her death. The “concrete angel” in question refers to a headstone. Devastating.
“Long Black Veil” by Lefty Frizzell
Let’s get into some old school country ballads, shall we? “Long Black Veil” by Lefty Frizzell was released in 1959, and while Frizzell was the first to record it, the song itself was written by Marijohn Wilkin and Danny Dill.
Frizzell was better known for his upbeat honky tonk tunes, but he knew his way around a tearjerker. “Long Black Veil” is about a man who is falsely accused of murder, but can’t defend himself, as doing so would reveal the secret affair he had with his best friend’s wife. He is executed for the crime he didn’t commit, and he takes his secret to the grave. The title refers to a mysterious woman, likely the affair partner, who visits his grave after his death.
“The Little Girl” by John Michael Montgomery
“The Little Girl” by John Michael Montgomery is one of those country ballads that you really never forget. This turn-of-the-millennium track was released in 2000 and was a No. 1 hit on the Hot Country Singles & Tracks chart that year.
In this song, Montgomery dives into a tale about a little girl who hides behind her couch as her drug-addled parents duke it out every night. This song has a bittersweet ending that results in the death of the parents in question, a new life for the little girl, and some religious overtones.
Photo by Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images