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4 Country Songs From the 1950s and 1960s That Signaled a Huge Style Shift
American Songwriter has compiled a list of country songs from the 1950s and 1960s that marked a shift towards female perspectives in a genre previously dominated by male artists and narratives about "untrustworthy" women. The article traces this stylistic change from Kitty Wells's pioneering 1952 hit through to the late 1960s, highlighting how female singers began pushing back against submissive gender roles and double standards prevalent in country music at the time.
The list features four tracks: Kitty Wells's "It Wasn't God Who Made Honky Tonk Angels" (1952), a direct retort to Hank Thompson's "The Wild Side Of Life"; Loretta Lynn's "Don't Come Home A-Drinkin' (With Lovin' On Your Mind)", her first number one hit, which challenged expectations of wifely submission; Jean Shepard's "Second Fiddle (To An Old Guitar)" (1964), about a husband's obsession with his instrument; and Jeannie C. Riley's 1968 one-hit wonder "Harper Valley P.T.A.", which criticised small-town hypocrisy and gossip aimed at women.
In short
- Female country artists challenged male-dominated narratives from the 1950s onward
- Kitty Wells's 1952 hit began the stylistic shift in the genre
- List includes songs by Loretta Lynn, Jean Shepard and Jeannie C. Riley
Explained simply
Country music in the 1950s and 1960s was dominated by male artists, with songs often portraying women as either virtuous or morally questionable. During this period, female singers began using their music to tell different stories, offering perspectives that challenged these limited portrayals.
The breakthrough came with Kitty Wells's 1952 hit, which directly responded to a male artist's song by offering a female perspective. Other female artists, including Loretta Lynn, Jean Shepard, and Jeannie C. Riley, continued this trend throughout the following decade and a half, using their music to address themes such as female independence and social hypocrisy.
This shift represented an important moment in how country music portrayed women's experiences. By pushing back against submissive gender roles and the double standards present in the genre, these female artists helped establish that women's voices deserved equal space and weight in a male-dominated musical landscape.
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