Significant Songs (190)

~ beetleypete

Don’t It Make My Brown Eyes Blue

I have never been a fan of what is generally called ‘Country Music’. I didn’t identify with that very American experience of road trips, truck-driving, and ‘good ‘ole boys’. I don’t know much about Texas, and I have never eaten in a ‘diner’, treated my wife badly, or left a woman to look after my kids.
I haven’t met any daughters of coal miners, and I don’t believe I ever saw an island in a stream. It has also never been a requirement for me to stand by a man.

But in 1978, I was surprised to actually enjoy a Country song I heard on the radio. With a mellow voice that got my attention immediately, I managed to overlook the syrupy lyrics, and found myself humming it later, after getting out of the car. I was a little concerned though. I was only 26, yet here I was remembering the lyrics to a Country song that would normally never enter my consciousness. It became a top ten hit in Britain, so the performer eventually appeared on TV to promote it.

And she was lovely to look at too. Her name was Crystal Gayle, (a stage name) and I couldn’t help but sing along, as I watched her on the screen. I discovered that she was already a popular singer in the genre, and well known in America, also that she was the same age as I was. Not long after, I found myself in a local record shop, buying a copy of the single. The only Country record I have ever knowingly purchased. I found out a little more over the years. Her real name is Brenda, and she is the sister of another famous Country singer, Loretta Lynn.

Crystal is still recording and performing. But I didn’t buy any of her other records, not even ‘Talking In Your Sleep’, which I tried not to like, but failed. 🙂

21 thoughts on “Significant Songs (190)”

    1. I don’t know enough about it to debate the subject, so happy to agree that she may not be that great. I just like this song, I haven’t listened to hardly any other Country singers though. 🙂
      Best wishes, Pete.

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  4. I think Crystal Gayle’s song is one of a handful of country and western songs I like. I did buy the 45 rpm record back then. I also like “El Paso” (Mary Robbins), “Big Bad John” (Jimmy Dean), “Ghost Riders in the Sky” (various singers), “Flowers on the Wall” (The Statler Brothers”), etc. In other words, there are some “old time” C&W songs I like. I don’t care for modern country at all.

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  6. There’s a (very old) joke about country music songs…. what happens when you play a country music song backwards? You get your dog back, your job back, your wife back….”

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