# 3 Country Songs From 1983 That Still Break My Heart Today

- URL: https://talkfuse.com/story/3-country-songs-from-1983-that-still-break-my-heart-today/
- Published: 2026-10-28T21:00:00+00:00
- Updated: 2026-10-28T21:51:05+00:00
- Original publisher: American Songwriter
- Original article: https://americansongwriter.com/3-country-songs-from-1983-that-still-break-my-heart-today/
- Topics: Art, Culture, Entertainment, Music

## Key points

- Three 1983 country songs dwell on love, marriage and heartbreak.
- Reba McEntire’s song became her second consecutive No. 1.
- Alabama’s divorce story also reached the Hot 100 top 20.

## Summary

Three country songs released in 1983 explore painful choices in love and marriage. Their stories of conflicted relationships and divorce helped make them enduring heartbreak songs, with two reaching No. 1 on the country chart.

Reba McEntire’s “You’re the First Time I’ve Thought About Leaving” describes a married person contemplating leaving for someone new; it became her second consecutive No. 1 single. Earl Thomas Conley’s “Holding Her and Loving You” centres on choosing to stay with a supportive wife while loving another woman, and Alabama’s “Lady Down on Love” tells a divorce story inspired by a real-life conversation. Alabama’s song also reached the Billboard Hot 100’s top 20.

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Summarised by TalkFuse (https://talkfuse.com/). Quote the original publisher for the reporting and link this page for the summary and discussion.