Co-written and first recorded by Johnny Bush (C&W #14 1972).
Other hit version by Willie Nelson (1973 |C&W #12 1979), Johnny Bush (C&W #92 1981).
From the wiki: “‘Whiskey River’ was co-written by American country music singer Johnny Bush and Paul Stroud, and was first recorded by Bush in 1972.
“Bush released the song in 1972 through RCA Victor and included it on his album Whiskey River. Released as a single, it peaked in 1973 at #14 on the Billboard Country Singles chart. Bush later re-recorded the song in 1981 and released it again, this time on the Delta label, with ‘When My Conscience Hurts the Most’ on the B-side, charting again at #92 on the Country Singles chart.
Co-written and first recorded by Willie Nelson (1972).
Hit versions by Waylon Jennings (C&W #3 1973), Waylon Jennings & Willie Nelson (US #25/MOR #16/C&W #1 1976).
Also recorded by Tina Turner (recorded 1974, released 1979).
From the wiki: “Waylon Jennings and Willie Nelson wrote ‘Good Hearted Woman’ in a room at the Fort Worther Motel in Forth Worth, TX, in 1969, inspired by an ad for an Ike & Tina Turner show saying: ‘Tina Turner singing songs about good-hearted women loving good-timing men.’ Jennings started writing the song and asked Nelson to help him finish it during a late-night poker game. By all accounts, Nelson’s contribution was minimal, with his third wife Connie recalling, ‘The only part Willie came up with was ‘Through teardrops and laughter they walk through this world hand in hand.’ Waylon said, ‘That’s it! That’s what’s missing’ and gave Willie half the song.’
“‘Good Hearted Woman’ was first recorded by Willie Nelson in 1972 for his album The Words Don’t Fit the Picture. Later the same year, Jennings recorded the song as the title track of his album Good Hearted Woman. Released as a single in 1973, Jenning’s recording peaked at #3 on Billboard magazine’s Hot Country Singles chart.
First recorded (as “The Last Thing I Needed (The First Thing This Morning)”) by Bill & Bonnie Hearne (1976).
Hit version by Willie Nelson (C&W #2/CAN #1 1982).
Also recorded by Lost Gonzo Band (1976), Gary P. Nunn (1984).
From the wiki: “‘Last Thing I Needed First Thing This Morning” was written by Gary P. Nunn (‘London Homesick Blues’ aka Austin City Limits theme song) and Donna Farar, and was first recorded in 1976 by then-Austin, TX, musicians Bill & Bonnie Hearne. Willie Nelson recorded the song in 1982 for his album Always On My Mind. ‘Last Thing I Needed …’ was released as the third single from the album, and peaked at #2 on the Billboard Hot Country Singles chart and #1 on the RPM Country Tracks chart in Canada.
First recorded by Vaughn De Leath (1927).
Popular recordings by Ben Selvin (US #1 1927), Al Jolson (1927, in The Jazz Singer), Benny Goodman (1935), Count Basie & His Orchestra (US #8 1946), Bing Crosby (1946), Willie Nelson (MOR #32/C&W #1/CAN #1 1978).
Inspired Theolonious Monk “In Walked Bud” (1947).
From the wiki: “‘Blue Skies’ was composed by Irving Berlin in 1926 as a last-minute addition to the Rodgers and Hart musical Betsy. Although the show ran for 39 performances only, the song was an instant success, with audiences on opening night demanding 24 encores of the piece from star Belle Baker. During the final repetition, Ms. Baker forgot her lyrics, prompting Berlin to sing them from his seat in the front row.
Co-written and first recorded by Ed Bruce (C&W #15 1975).
Other hit version by Waylon Jennings & Willie Nelson (US #42/C&W #1/CAN #1 1978).
From the wiki: “‘Mamas Don’t Let Your Babies Grow Up to Be Cowboys’ was first recorded in 1975 by Ed Bruce, written by him and his wife, Patsy Bruce. Bruce’s rendition of the song peaked at #15 on the Hot Country Singles charts in 1975.
“Waylon Jennings and Willie Nelson covered the song on their 1978 duet album Waylon & Willie. Unbeknownst to Bruce, Jennings had recorded it himself in 1977. Unfortunately, Waylon was unhappy with his recording. So he brought it to a session with Nelson, who added vocals to the existing recording. Jennings recalls, ‘Me and Willie were talking about recording again, and I said, ‘Willie, I cut this thing, but I ain’t sure about it.’ I said, ‘It don’t sound right, but it might be a great duet.’ {Even though my] whole record was finished, I just took [out] part of my voice and put his on.’
“The Jennings/Nelson cover recording peaked at #1 on the Hot Country Singles chart in March 1978, spending four weeks topping the chart while also crossing-over to the Billboard Hot 100. In 1979, the song won the Grammy Award for Best Country Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal. Members of the Western Writers of America have also chosen ‘Mamas Don’t Let Your Babies Grow Up to Be Cowboys’ as one of the Top 100 Western songs of all time.”
Written and first recorded by The Allman Brothers (1970).
Also recorded by Buddy Miles (1971).
Hit versions by Joe Cocker (US #23 1972), Gregg Allman (US #19 1973), Paul Davidson (UK #10 1976), Willie Nelson (C&W #6 1980).
From the wiki: “‘Midnight Rider’ is a popular and widely covered song by The Allman Brothers Band from their 1970 album Idlewild South, written by Gregg Allman and Robert Kim Payne. Drummer Buddy Miles (Electric Flag, Jimi Hendrix) recorded the first cover of ‘Midnight Rider’, in 1971, for his album titled A Message to the People.
“Recordings by Joe Cocker, Gregg Allman himself (on his solo album Laid Back), U.K. singer Paul Davidson, and Willie Nelson have all reached the US and UK charts as singles but the original arrangement, as recorded by The Allman Brothers Band, was never released as a single.”
Written and first recorded by Townes Van Zandt (1972).
Also recorded by Emmylou Harris (1977), Hoyt Axton (1977).
Hit version by Willie Nelson & Merle Haggard (MOR #21/C&W #1/CAN #1 1983).
From the wiki: “”Pancho and Lefty” is a song written by country singer and songwriter Townes Van Zandt. Often considered his “most enduring and well-known song,” Van Zandt first recorded it for his 1972 album, The Late Great Townes Van Zandt. Emmylou Harris then covered the song for her 1977 album, Luxury Liner. Also in 1977, Hoyt Axton recorded it on his album Snowblind Friend. The song became a #1 Country hit in 1983 when Merle Haggard and Willie Nelson adopted it as the title track of their duet album Pancho & Lefty. Members of the Western Writers of America chose it as one of the Top 100 Western Songs of All Time.
Co-written and first recorded by Albert Hammond (1975).
Also recorded by Bobby Vinton (1980).
Hit version by Julio Iglesias & Willie Nelson (US #5/C&W #1/UK #17/CAN #4/AUS #1/NZ #2/SPN #2 1984).
From the wiki: “‘To All the Girls I’ve Loved Before’ is a song written by Hal David (former lyricist for Burt Bacharach; ‘Do You Know the Way to San Jose’, ‘Alfie‘, ‘Raindrops Keep Falling on My Head’, ‘One Less Bell to Answer‘) and Albert Hammond (‘The Air That I Breathe‘,’When I Need You‘). It was originally recorded in 1975 by Albert Hammond for his album 99 Miles From L.A., but his song became most famous nearly a decade later with the 1984 recording by Julio Iglesias and Willie Nelson, which appeared on Iglesias’s album 1100 Bel Air Place.
First recorded (as “Jail House Blues”) by Whistler & His Jug Band (1924).
Also recorded by Earl McDonald’s Original Louisville Jug Band (1927), Jim Jackson (1928), Tim Blake Nelson (2000).
Popular versions by Jimmie Rodgers (US #14 1928), Webb Pierce (C&W #1 1955), Johnny Cash (C&W #8 1962), Sonny James (C&W #15 1977), Willie Nelson & Webb Pierce (C&W #72 1982).
From the wiki: “‘In The Jailhouse Now’ is an American novelty Blues song originally found in vaudeville performances from the early 20th century. In 1924, Whistler’s Jug Band from Louisville, Kentucky, recorded it under the title ‘Jail House Blues’. In 1927, Earl McDonald’s Original Louisville Jug Band made another recording of the song; in January 1928, Jim Jackson recorded ‘Jailhouse’ and established the first song’s first copyright titled as ‘In the Jailhouse Now’ although the song is usually now credited to Jimmie Rodgers. Rodgers recording of ‘In the Jailhouse Now’ was recorded February 15, 1928, in Camden, New Jersey, and features Rodgers’ famous yodel throughout the song. In 1938, Gene Autry and his side-kick, Smiley Burnette (as ‘Frog’), sang the Jimmie Rodgers version in the movie Prairie Moon.
Written and first recorded (as a demo) by Willie Nelson (1961).
Hit version by Patsy Cline (US #9/C&W #2/UK #14 1961).
From the wiki: “Willie Nelson wrote ‘Crazy’ in early 1961. At the time he was a journeyman singer-songwriter working at the time under the name of Hugh Nelson. Nelson originally wrote the song for country singer Billy Walker who turned it down for the same reason Roy Drusky turned down ‘I Fall to Pieces’ the previous year – that it was ‘a girl’s song’. The song’s eventual success helped launch Nelson’s career as a performer as well as a songwriter. (On an episode of VH1’s Storytellers, Nelson revealed that ‘Crazy’ was originally titled ‘Stupid’.)
First recorded by Fats Waller & His Rhythm (US #5 1935).
Other hit versions by The Boswell Sisters (US #3 1936), Billy Williams (US #3 1957), Willie Nelson (C&W #26/CAN #25 1981).
Also recorded by Connee Boswell (1953), Frank Sinatra (1954 & 1962), Bing Crosby with Bob Scobey’s Frisco Jazz Band (1957), Bill Haley & His Comets (1957).
From the wiki: “‘I’m Gonna Sit Right Down and Write Myself a Letter’ was composed in 1935 by Fred E. Ahlert and Joe Young, and has become a standard of the Great American Songbook. The first recording on the song was by Fats Waller & His Rhythm, in a Victor Records recording session on May 8, 1935. It was covered the following year by The Boswell Sisters, reaching #3 on US popular music charts. (Connee Boswell would record a solo version in 1952.)
Written and first recorded by Steve Goodman (1971).
Hit versions by Arlo Guthrie (US #18 1972), Willie Nelson (US #30/C&W #1/CAN #1 1984).
From the wiki: “‘City of New Orleans’ is a folk song written by Steve Goodman (and first recorded for Goodman’s self-titled 1971 album), describing a train ride from Chicago to New Orleans on the Illinois Central Railroad’s City of New Orleans in bittersweet and nostalgic terms. Goodman got the idea while traveling on the Illinois Central line for a visit to his wife’s family.
First recorded by Roy Acuff & His Smoky Mountain Boys (1947).
Also recorded by Hank Williams (1951), Elvis Presley (1976), Eva Cassidy (2008).
Hit versions by Willie Nelson (US #21/C&W #1 1975), UB40 (ARU #1 2013).
From the wiki: “‘Blue Eyes Crying in the Rain’ is a song written by songwriter Fred Rose, and first recorded by Roy Acuff in 1947. The song was also recorded in 1951 by Hank Williams for the Mother’s Best Flour Hour radio program.
First recorded by Brenda Lee (C&W #45/CAN #40 1972).
Hit versions by Elvis Presley (C&W #16/UK #9 1972), John Wesley Ryles (C&W #20 1979), Willie Nelson (US #5/C&W #1 1982), Pet Shop Boys (US #4/UK #1/CAN #1 1988).
From the wiki: “‘Always on My Mind’ is an American country music song by Johnny Christopher, Mark James (‘Suspicious Minds‘, ‘Hooked On a Feeling‘) and Wayne Carson, recorded first by Brenda Lee in 1972.
“Wayne Carson says that he wrote the song in 10 minutes at his home in Springfield at his kitchen table and completed the song in studio with the assistance of Johnny Christopher and Mark James. Brenda Lee would be the first singer to record and release a version of ‘Always On My Mind’. Her single, however, would stall at #45 on the US Country Singles chart.
First recorded (in English) by Jill Corey (US #57 1957).
Other hit versions by The Everly Brothers (US #7 1960), Betty Everett & Jerry Butler (US #5/R&B #1 1964), The Sweet Inspirations (R&B #13 1967), Glen Campbell & Bobbie Gentry (US #36/C&W #14/MOR #7 1969) and Willie Nelson (US #40/C&W #2/MOR #11 1982).
From the wiki: “[O]riginally published in 1955 as ‘Je t’appartiens,’ the score was written and first recorded in French by Gilbert Bécaud (‘September Morn’). The English-language version used lyrics by Mann Curtis and was first performed in 1957 by Jill Corey in the television series Climax!. Corey’s version, with orchestration by Jimmy Carroll, was released as a single and was moderately successful.
