What are your favorite 80s country songs and hooks?
 

Due to the band that I'm in, I'm having a chance to rediscover some fun, pop-country tunes from my childhood. We are looking at doing some old Eddie Rabbit tunes in addition to Nitty Gritty Dirt Band among others.

What are some of your old favorite 80s country pop tunes?

(I don't want this to turn into a country/purist discussion. Please? I just want some fun country songs to play.)

Thanks!

Have you folks thought about making wacky covers such as:

Bonnie Raitt's "Something To Talk About"...



Covered as...



Tony

Anything by the late Dan Seals but especially this duet with Marie Osmond...

When you mentioned the Dirt Band a couple come to mind from the "Circle" albums: Catfish John ala Alison Krause, When it's Gone, So it Goes, and Momma's Opry by Iris Dement. I play those a bunch, and they are favorites. Good luck

A buddy came over last night and played his very nice version of Amarillo by Morning. That's a good one.

There are literally at least 100
The 80s was a prolific time in country music and it was getting pop-ish

As mentioned Amarillo by Morning is one I play and also
"All my EX's live in Texas

I you have a female singer "Strawberry Wine"

Mountain Music
Smokey Mountain Rain
Elvira
Bluest Eyes in Texas
Seven Spanish Angels
Baby's Got Her Blue Jeans On

"Take this job and shove it" would probably get a rise out of the crowd.

That song is interesting in that it wasn't long after it was a big hit that the jobs he was singing about started going overseas and suddenly, those same "take this job and shove it" crowd were hollering about losing their jobs.

The song is certainly entertaining. I can remember where I was and what I was doing during the time it was a big hit. At the time, it spoke to the largely blue collar crowd, of which I was then a part. I certainly understood the sentiment. Luckily, I moved on so the loss of those jobs didn't cause me, personally, undue hardship as it did so many others.

Tony

The Voice of country music in the 80s was Vern Gosdin with 19 top 10 hits.
Those who can do a cover of "Set 'Em Up Joe", "I'm Still Crazy", or "Chiseled in Stone"
will have the faithful dancing and crying.

If you have the right vocalist, anything by Vince Gill (but I don't think he got going until the early 90's)....

When I Call your Name, Whenever You Come Around, Go Rest High on that Mountain, etc.

Beat me to it, but there's your answer.

OMG way too many fun songs but, off the top of my head here are some

Check out Sirius XM Prime Country songs



Babys got her bluejeans on
she dont know shes beautiful
when my ship comes in (90s actually)
nothing but the tail lights
all my rowdy friends are comin over tonight
stand on it
stand up
john deere green
bubba shot the jukebox
just in case
aint goin down til the sun comes up
my old yellow car
feed jake
youre easy on the eyes
dukes of hazard theme song
should have been a cowboy
country boy can survive

(my favorite rowdy song I-95)

giddy up a' um bop a' mow, mow :D

meh 79, close enough