Country music is known for its heartbreaking songs, but there are only a handful of songs in history that can truly be called the saddest. In a recent poll conducted by OutKick's David Hookstead, many country fans were asked which of the greatest figures in country music wrote the saddest country song of all time.
X-Post's poll received nearly 200 comments, so picking the most voted song wasn't easy. There were quite a few contenders. Many voters chose Chris Stapleton's “Maggie's Song” and Johnny Cash's iconic acoustic country cover of “Hurt” from rock band Nine Inch Nails. Tim McGraw's “If You're Reading This” came in third. The runner-up in the poll was Brad Paisley's tearjerker “Whiskey Lullaby.”
But one song garnered the majority of votes and came out on top: George Jones' heartbreaking “He Stopped Loving Her Today.”
George Jones' “He Stopped Loving Her Today” is named the saddest country song of all time
According to the poll above, George Jones' “He Stopped Loving Her Today” is a truly heartbreaking song. However, it is considered by many to be arguably one of the greatest country songs of all time. Upon its release in the '80s, the song quickly became a #1 hit for Jones and a highlight of his career.
This tear-jerking story tells of a man who is abandoned by his true love. Although heartbroken, he refuses to let her go and vows to love her until the day he dies, even keeping their letters and photographs in the hope that she will return.
The lyrics “Dressed up to go out / I saw his smile for the first time in years” allude to the man's death. His deceased lover attends the funeral. The song title is likely a reference to the fact that he loved her until the day he died, meaning “he stopped loving her today” because his life is over. It couldn't get any sadder.
“He Stopped Loving Her Today” was written by Carly Putman and Bobby Braddock for Jones' 1980 album, I Am What I Am. After Jones' death in 2013, the song experienced a resurgence in popularity, re-entering the Hot Country Songs chart decades after its original release.
Alan Jackson covered the song at Jones' funeral, and George Strait also performed the ballad with Jackson at the CMA Awards that year.
Photo by Evette Roberts/Redferns
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