The Saddest Country Songs of the 1960s, Ranked

These sad country songs are stone-cold classics.

In the 1960s, heartbreak looked a little different than it does today: There were no breakups over text or email, no obsessively scrolling through your ex's Instagram, no Facebook reminders of the happy times you shared together.

But of course, there was still great country music to help ease your pain.

Loretta Lynn, Tammy Wynette, Charley Pride and Ray Price are just a few of the country stars who contribute excellent sad songs, all of which are about the pain of love gone bad. While a couple of these songs are about couples ripped apart by war, most of the saddest songs of the '60s are about unrequited love, infidelity, or lovers who simply don't see eye to eye anymore.

If classic, traditional country is what soothes your soul, look no further: Here are the 13 best sad songs from the 1960s.

Some of these songs have been overlooked as the years have worn on, while others — including our No. 1 pick — are as popular now as they were then, and have even turned up in some movie soundtracks or refreshed modern cover performances.

Carena Liptak is an Associate Editor and staff writer at Taste of Country. She specializes in breaking country music news, interviews and lists. In particular, she’s got a soft spot for sad songs — check out her roundup of the 50 Saddest Country Songs of All Time!