Nearly 50 years ago to the day (49, to be exact), Tammy Wynette recorded what would be her signature song, Stand By Your Man.
The song was co-written by Wynette and renowned producer, Billy Sherrill, and is said to have taken just 15 minutes at a studio in Nashville. At first, Wynette was apparently not fond of the song, as it was vastly different to what she had done before and struggles with some of the vocal melodies and higher register notes. It would go on to be her biggest selling and most instantly recognisable song.
Stand By Your Man did not come without controversy, though. Wynette was condemned by the feminist movement, right through to the ’90s and was mocked by soon-to-be first lady, Hillary Clinton, made reference to it in a negative way. Wynette defended the song through the years, stating that it was not about women putting themselves second to men, but in fact overlooking their shortcomings if they truly love them.
Whatever your take is on the content of the song, there’s not denying the impact of the and influence of the track. It has been been covered by countless artists over the years, and prominently featured in a number of Hollywood movies. It was added to the National Recording Registry in 2010 due to it’s cultural and historical significance.
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