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On this day, October 16, 1961, Decca Records released Patsy Cline's recording of "Crazy."
Big hat tip to This Day in Country Music
1961
Decca records released "Crazy" by Patsy Cline. The ballad, composed by Willie Nelson gave Cline a #2 country hit in 1962. Nelson originally wrote the song for country singer Billy Walker, but Walker turned it down. The song's eventual success helped launch Nelson as a performer as well as a songwriter. It spent 21 weeks on the chart for Cline, and eventually became one of her signature tunes.
Decca records released "Crazy" by Patsy Cline. The ballad, composed by Willie Nelson gave Cline a #2 country hit in 1962. Nelson originally wrote the song for country singer Billy Walker, but Walker turned it down. The song's eventual success helped launch Nelson as a performer as well as a songwriter. It spent 21 weeks on the chart for Cline, and eventually became one of her signature tunes.
Crazy (Willie Nelson song)
Single by Patsy Cline
from the album Showcase
B-side: "Who Can I Count On?"
Released: October 16, 1961
Recorded: August 21, 1961; Bradley Film & Recording Studio, Nashville
Songwriter(s): Willie Nelson
Producer(s): Owen Bradley
"Crazy" is a song written by Willie Nelson and popularized by country singer Patsy Cline in 1961. Nelson wrote the song while living in Houston, working for Pappy Daily's label D Records. He was also a radio DJ and performed in clubs. Nelson then moved to Nashville, Tennessee, working as a writer for Pamper Music. Through Hank Cochran, the song reached Patsy Cline. After her original recording and release, Cline's version reached number two on Billboard's Hot Country Singles, also crossing to the pop chart as a top 10 single.
Cline's version is considered a country music standard and, in 1996, became the all-time most played song in jukeboxes in the United States. "Crazy" was covered by many artists; different versions reached the charts in a variety of genres. The song was featured in television shows, while many publications have included it in their all-time best songs lists. The Library of Congress inducted Cline's version into the National Recording Registry in 2003.
Background and writing
In 1958, while performing around Fort Worth, Texas and working as a DJ hosting The Western Express, Willie Nelson attracted the attention of Pappy Daily. Daily, a record producer from Houston, offered Nelson a recording contract with D Records as well as a job as a writer for Glad Music. Nelson moved to Houston, where he also searched for musical gigs in ballrooms and clubs. At the Esquire Ballroom, band leader Larry Butler told Nelson that he could not offer a musician job. In response, Nelson suggested he sell original songs that he played for Butler on a reel-to-reel tape recorder. Butler liked the songs, but refused to buy, instead offering Nelson a job working six nights a week with his band. Nelson and his family settled in Pasadena, Texas, where he became a DJ on radio station KRCT. Later, he also taught guitar.
Mugshot of Nelson's arrest in Pasadena, Texas in July 1960
Nelson used his commute from Pasadena to the Esquire Ballroom as writing time, because the 30 mi (48 km) ride usually took an hour that he used to develop new lyrics. Over one week, he wrote "Crazy", "Night Life", and "Funny How Time Slips Away". At the time, Nelson's mood was negatively affected by his lack of stable employment while supporting his wife and three children, since his three jobs did not provide enough income. On his long night commutes to clubs, he compared his situation with those of his contemporaries and felt that "the world was asleep". According to his autobiography It's A Long Story: My Life, Nelson wondered if he were "Crazy" and completed the song as if he were a man whose relationship recently ended. Musician Sleepy LaBeef, who accompanied Nelson on upright bass on the song's demo recording, asserted that the songwriter had arrived in Houston with "Crazy" already written. Additionally, biographer Joe Nick Patoski noted that Nelson played "Crazy" for Butler along with the songs he planned to sell just as he arrived in the city. Nelson wrote "Crazy" in less than an hour, and originally titled it "Stupid". The intonation of the opening was inspired by Floyd Tillman's "I Gotta Have My Baby Back".
{snip}
Patsy Cline's recording
Patsy Cline depicted in a 1960 portrait for Decca Records
In his book Willie: An Autobiography, Nelson recalled that it was hard to find artists interested in recording "Crazy" due to its use of several chords, instead of the standard three used for country music compositions at the time. Walker intended to record the song, and made a demo at Starday Records. Ultimately, the label decided to reject Walker's proposition since they felt that "Crazy" would not have commercial success.
Nelson's fellow Pamper Music song plugger and writer Hank Cochran played "Crazy" for Patsy Cline's producer Owen Bradley, who felt that the composition would be good for Cline. Cochran then told Walker about Bradley's interest in the song for Cline and asked him not to record it. In exchange, Cochran gave Walker "Charlie's Shoes".
{snip}
Single by Patsy Cline
from the album Showcase
B-side: "Who Can I Count On?"
Released: October 16, 1961
Recorded: August 21, 1961; Bradley Film & Recording Studio, Nashville
Songwriter(s): Willie Nelson
Producer(s): Owen Bradley
"Crazy" is a song written by Willie Nelson and popularized by country singer Patsy Cline in 1961. Nelson wrote the song while living in Houston, working for Pappy Daily's label D Records. He was also a radio DJ and performed in clubs. Nelson then moved to Nashville, Tennessee, working as a writer for Pamper Music. Through Hank Cochran, the song reached Patsy Cline. After her original recording and release, Cline's version reached number two on Billboard's Hot Country Singles, also crossing to the pop chart as a top 10 single.
Cline's version is considered a country music standard and, in 1996, became the all-time most played song in jukeboxes in the United States. "Crazy" was covered by many artists; different versions reached the charts in a variety of genres. The song was featured in television shows, while many publications have included it in their all-time best songs lists. The Library of Congress inducted Cline's version into the National Recording Registry in 2003.
Background and writing
In 1958, while performing around Fort Worth, Texas and working as a DJ hosting The Western Express, Willie Nelson attracted the attention of Pappy Daily. Daily, a record producer from Houston, offered Nelson a recording contract with D Records as well as a job as a writer for Glad Music. Nelson moved to Houston, where he also searched for musical gigs in ballrooms and clubs. At the Esquire Ballroom, band leader Larry Butler told Nelson that he could not offer a musician job. In response, Nelson suggested he sell original songs that he played for Butler on a reel-to-reel tape recorder. Butler liked the songs, but refused to buy, instead offering Nelson a job working six nights a week with his band. Nelson and his family settled in Pasadena, Texas, where he became a DJ on radio station KRCT. Later, he also taught guitar.
Mugshot of Nelson's arrest in Pasadena, Texas in July 1960
Nelson used his commute from Pasadena to the Esquire Ballroom as writing time, because the 30 mi (48 km) ride usually took an hour that he used to develop new lyrics. Over one week, he wrote "Crazy", "Night Life", and "Funny How Time Slips Away". At the time, Nelson's mood was negatively affected by his lack of stable employment while supporting his wife and three children, since his three jobs did not provide enough income. On his long night commutes to clubs, he compared his situation with those of his contemporaries and felt that "the world was asleep". According to his autobiography It's A Long Story: My Life, Nelson wondered if he were "Crazy" and completed the song as if he were a man whose relationship recently ended. Musician Sleepy LaBeef, who accompanied Nelson on upright bass on the song's demo recording, asserted that the songwriter had arrived in Houston with "Crazy" already written. Additionally, biographer Joe Nick Patoski noted that Nelson played "Crazy" for Butler along with the songs he planned to sell just as he arrived in the city. Nelson wrote "Crazy" in less than an hour, and originally titled it "Stupid". The intonation of the opening was inspired by Floyd Tillman's "I Gotta Have My Baby Back".
{snip}
Patsy Cline's recording
Patsy Cline depicted in a 1960 portrait for Decca Records
In his book Willie: An Autobiography, Nelson recalled that it was hard to find artists interested in recording "Crazy" due to its use of several chords, instead of the standard three used for country music compositions at the time. Walker intended to record the song, and made a demo at Starday Records. Ultimately, the label decided to reject Walker's proposition since they felt that "Crazy" would not have commercial success.
Nelson's fellow Pamper Music song plugger and writer Hank Cochran played "Crazy" for Patsy Cline's producer Owen Bradley, who felt that the composition would be good for Cline. Cochran then told Walker about Bradley's interest in the song for Cline and asked him not to record it. In exchange, Cochran gave Walker "Charlie's Shoes".
{snip}
Patsy Cline - Crazy (1961)
61,036 views Jul 23, 2017
Curtis Hayden
61,036 views Jul 23, 2017
Curtis Hayden
kus0mak 1 year ago
An absolutely flawless performance by a gift from heaven. She was taken back far too soon. I miss Patsy so much!
An absolutely flawless performance by a gift from heaven. She was taken back far too soon. I miss Patsy so much!
Let's toss in this bonus video.
Patsy Cline - Lovesick Blues
872,132 views Jul 9, 2008
crazy4patsycline
13.6K subscribers
From "Community Jamboree" in 1960
872,132 views Jul 9, 2008
crazy4patsycline
13.6K subscribers
From "Community Jamboree" in 1960
One more:
Reuben, Reuben - RARE Patsy Cline performance
109,622 views Feb 26, 2009
crazy4patsycline
13.6K subscribers
Reuben, Reuben performed by Patsy Cline, June Valli, Cowboy Copas and Eddy Arnold.
From the "Ozard Jubillee" on June 1960.
109,622 views Feb 26, 2009
crazy4patsycline
13.6K subscribers
Reuben, Reuben performed by Patsy Cline, June Valli, Cowboy Copas and Eddy Arnold.
From the "Ozard Jubillee" on June 1960.
Mon Oct 16, 2023: On this day, October 16, 1961, Decca Records released Patsy Cline's recording of "Crazy."
Sun Oct 16, 2022: On this day, October 16, 1961, Decca Records released Patsy Cline's recording of "Crazy."
Sat Oct 16, 2021: Sixty years ago today, October 16, 1961, Patsy Cline released "Crazy."
1 replies
= new reply since forum marked as read
= new reply since forum marked as read
