The essential '60s country playlist

Penned originally by Willie Nelson, Patsy Cline's melancholic alto made "Crazy" an instant hit in 1962. Though it only peaked at #2 on the charts, it remains perhaps Cline's most iconic recording. 

Arguably one of the finest story songs in country music history, written by the late Tom T. Hall, "Harper Valley P.T.A." tells the story of a woman whose character has been maligned on account of her appearance, and she's not taking it anymore! The song was so popular after its release in 1966 that it inspired a film and a television show. 

The title track from Glen Campbell's acclaimed 1968 album, "Wichita Lineman" remains one of country music's most enduring hits. It was also a major crossover success for Campbell, peaking at #3 on the pop charts. 

Also written by Willie Nelson, Faron Young scored a mega-hit with his clean-cut take on "Hello Walls" in 1961. Nelson, of course, also recorded his own version of the song but Young's vocals make his recording perhaps the most iconic. 

With its mariachi horns and endlessly catchy melody, Johnny Cash's "Ring of Fire" was written by his wife June Carter well before they were married. It's still considered one of the genre's best-written songs and has been streamed on Spotify more than 229 million times. 

Loretta Lynn was the definition of a hitmaker in the 1960s, and "Fist City" is among her finest — and feistiest. Thanks to its insinuations of violence toward a woman who has her eye on Loretta's man, the song was banned from country radio and became a classic in spite of that fact. 

This autobiographical track, released by Haggard in 1968, reflects on his own time incarcerated at San Quentin Prison as a young man. It was an instant hit and remains an anthem for all of us who haven't quite lived up to the expectations of our parents. 

In 1965, George Jones hit the ground running with "The Race Is On," an endlessly catchy tune that uses a horse race as a metaphor for heartbreak. It was a hit for Jones in 1964, and '90s country favorites Sawyer Brown found their own success with the song decades later. 

Sure, he's the king of rock 'n roll, but there's no denying that Memphis native Elvis Presley is beloved among many country fans. Listen to songs like his cover of this John Hartford song, which had already been a #1 hit when recorded by Glen Campbell, for an idea why. 

Recorded by Ray Price in 1963 and made popular by Eddy Arnold in 1965, "Make The World Go Away" is one of the decade's finest sad songs. A #2 hit, the song's been covered by countless country artists in the ensuing decades, from Elvis Presley to Martina McBride. 

This anthem for a "man of means by no means" is perhaps Roger Miller's most identifiable hit, released in 1965. Whether it's the iconic lyrics that are impossible to avoid singing along with or that infectious melody, "King of the Road" is an absolute essential. 

Yet another crossover success for Glen Campbell, this song about a Texas beach town is viewed by some as a protest track in the midst of the war in Vietnam or a patriotic tune supporting the troops. However you feel about it politically, there's no denying the excellent lyrics and Campbell's stellar singing. 

Johnny Cash and June Carter earned a Grammy Award in 1968 for their spūnky, love-drenched recording of "Jackson," originally written by Jerry Lieber and Billy Edd Wheeler. It's been covered countless times, most recently by alt-country star Orville Peck and drag queen Trixie Mattel. 

This devastatingly sad tune about the end of a marriage made Tammy Wynette top the charts in 1968. Infused with her own personal strife, the song feels especially personal considering the very public breakdown of her marriage with George Jones. 

The debut single from Loretta Lynn in 1960, "I'm A Honky Tonk Girl" was a powerful introduction to the woman who would grow into one of country music's finest songwriters and vocalists. 

Even though it was virtually ignored at first by country radio tastemakers after its release in 1961, "I Fall To Pieces" eventually became a major crossover success for Patsy Cline. 

It's technically a Christmas song, but Willie Nelson's "Pretty Paper" is also a stunning showcase of what makes him one of country music's most lauded songwriters. A little bit lonesome and a little bit hopeful, it originally was a hit for Roy Orbison before Nelson's recording became the standard after its release in 1964. 

One of the songs credited with introducing the California-inflected "Bakersfield Sound" to country music, Buck Owens's "I've Got A Tiger By The Tail" is packed with iconic lyrics about a man who's not quite sure how to handle his new flame. "Well, every night you drag me where the bright lights are found, there ain't no way to slow you down," he sings. "I'm as 'bout as helpless as a leaf in a gale, and it looks like I've got a tiger by the tail." 

This working-class anthem pays its respects to the blue-collar workers that make this country possible while recognizing their struggles. It was a huge hit for Haggard in 1969 and remains a fan favorite. 

In perhaps one of the most devastating vocal performances of the 20th century, Skeeter Davis infuses "The End of the World" with pure, raw emotion inspired by the loss of her father.