The year 1974 had a lot of diverse hits in country music. Whether the songs were happy or sad, or something in between, a lot of the songs told a story, including these four, which all have lyrics that are absolutely stunning.
“The Grand Tour” by George Jones
“The Grand Tour” is one of the saddest songs George Jones ever released, even if the lyrics are breathtaking. Written by Norro Wilson, Carmol Taylor, and George Richey, “The Grand Tour” is the title track of an album that Jones also released in 1974.
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A song about a relationship that has ended, “The Grand Tour” says, “Straight ahead, that’s the bed / Where we’d lay in love together / And Lord knows we had a good thing going here /See her picture on the table / Don’t it look like she’d be able / Just to touch me and say good morning dear / There’s her rings, all her things / And her clothes are in the closet / Like she left them / When she tore my world apart.”
When Jones released “The Grand Tour”, his marriage to his wife, Tammy Wynette, was on the rocks. The couple divorced in 1975. Three years later, Wynette married Richey.
“I Will Always Love You” by Dolly Parton
There may not be a more well-worded song, of any year, than Dolly Parton’s “I Will Always Love You”. Parton famously wrote “I Will Always Love You” as a goodbye to her former boss and TV partner, Porter Wagoner.
Written solely by Parton for her Jolene album, “I Will Always Love You” says, “I hope life treats you kind / And I hope that you have all / That you ever dreamed of / And I wish you joy / And happiness / But above all of this / I wish you love / And I will always love you.”
In 1992, Whitney Houston recorded her own version of “I Will Always Love You” for The Bodyguard. The song became one of Houston’s biggest hits.
“A Very Special Love Song” by Charlie Rich
Charlie Rich’s fourth consecutive No. 1 single, “A Very Special Love Song” is a blatant admission of feelings. The title track of one of 11 albums Rich released in 1974, including compilation records and projects with new material, Wilson and Billy Sherrill are the two writers of “A Very Special Love Song”.
“A Very Special Love Song” says, “So don’t be surprised if you’re sittin’ alone and you hear it / ‘Cause I’m gonna sing it to the whole big lonely world / So turn your radio way down low and get near it / And I’ll tell the world I love you, girl.”
“Back Home Again” by John Denver
The title track of John Denver’s eighth studio album, “Back Home Again” paints a stunning picture in the lyrics. A No. 1 on both the country and pop charts, Denver wrote “Back Home Again” by himself.
“Back Home Again” says, “There’s a storm across the valley, clouds are rolling in / The afternoon is heavy on your shoulders / There’s a truck out on the four lane, a mile or more away / The whining of his wheels just makes it colder / He’s an hour away from riding on your prayers up in the sky / And ten days on the road are barely gone / There’s a fire softly burning, supper’s on the stove / But it’s the light in your eyes that makes him warm.”
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