It was released on September 20, 1968, as the first single and title track from the album Stand by Your Man.

It proved to be the most successful record of Wynette's career, and is one of the most familiar songs in country music.

The song received some criticism during the late 1960s-early 1970s women's liberation movement, as feminist groups deemed it to be too conservative,[6][7] while, for others, the song made Wynette a spokeswoman for working-class housewives experiencing marital disappointments and changing gender roles in the late 1960s.

[13] The song is performed by the Blues Brothers Band in their 1980 film in the scene in Bob's Country Bunker.

The episode, set in 1973, featured Kevin and his father Jack feeling down during the backdrop of the women's lib movement of the 1970s, with Kevin's girlfriend Winnie scoring higher at her SAT tests than him and his mother Norma getting a full-time job, so they took their partners out bowling and beat them mercilessly at the game, however, they still remained good sports despite losing, as shown during the drive home.

The song is referenced in Ethel Cain's "Wrestling in Dirt Pits", through the line "Unlike Tammy, I can't stand my man".

In terms of musical genre, the cover remained true to the original, but more pop.