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Blue Eyes Crying in the Rain

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Wikipedia article


{{Infobox song

| name = Blue Eyes Crying in the Rain

| cover = Blue_Eyes_Crying_in_the_Rain_-_Willie_Nelson.jpg

| alt =

| type = single

| artist = Willie Nelson

| album = Red Headed Stranger

| B-side = Bandera

| released = July 1975

| recorded = February 9–12, 1975

| studio =

| venue =

| genre = Country

| length = 2:18

| label = Columbia

| writer = Fred Rose

| producer = Willie Nelson

| prev_title = Sister's Coming Home

| prev_year = 1974

| next_title = Fire and Rain

| next_year = 1976

| misc =

}}

"'Blue Eyes Crying in the Rain'" is a song written by songwriter Fred Rose. Originally performed by Roy Acuff, the song has been covered by many artists, including Hank Williams Sr., Johnny Russell, and Charley Pride. Most notably, the song was recorded by Willie Nelson as part of his 1975 album 'Red Headed Stranger'. Both the song and album revived Nelson's success as a singer and recording artist.

Song history



Originally recorded in 1947 by Acuff, "Blue Eyes Crying in the Rain" was recorded by Hank Williams in 1951 for the 'Mother's Best Flour Hour'. Other early remakes of the song were made by Donn Reynolds (MGM single - June 1957), Ferlin Husky (album 'Ferlin's Favorites' - November 1959), Slim Whitman (album 'Country Favorites' - 1959), Gene Vincent (recorded October 15, 1958/ album 'Crazy Times!' -1960), Bill Anderson (album '...Sings Country Heart Songs' - January 15, 1962), John D. Loudermilk (album 'Country Love Songs Plain and Simply Sung' - August 1968), Hank Snow (album 'Greatest Hits') and Conway Twitty (album 'Hello Darlin' ' - June 1970).

The version by Willie Nelson, recorded for his 1975 concept album 'Red Headed Stranger', which was about a fugitive preacher on the run from the law after killing his wife, was lauded by country music historian Bill Malone as "a fine example of clean, uncluttered country music, [with] a spare arrangement that could have come straight out of the 1940s."Malone, Bill, "The Smithsonian Collection of Classic Country Music" ((booklet included with 'The Smithsonian Collection of Classic Country Music' 8-volume set). Smithsonian Institution, 1981). 'Rolling Stone' noted the song was delivered with his "jazz-style phrasing" and was "the beating heart of 'Red Headed Stranger'."[https://www.rollingstone.com/news/story/6596147/blue_eyes_crying_in_the_r ain] "Blue Eyes Crying in the Rain," from "The RS 500 Greatest Songs of All Time," 'Rolling Stone', November 2004.

A music video for the song was created in 1986 to promote the motion picture adaptation of the album.

Chart success and legacy



Before the success of "Blue Eyes Crying in the Rain," Nelson had enjoyed widespread success primarily as a songwriter, with such songs as "Crazy" (Patsy Cline) and "Hello Walls" (Faron Young). As a performer, meanwhile, Nelson had hit the top 10 of the 'Billboard magazine' Hot Country Singles chart just twice; it had happened in 1962, once as a solo artist ("Touch Me") and again as part of a duet with Shirley Collie ("Willingly"). Thereafter, Nelson had approached the top 20 on occasion, but went 13 years without a top 10 hit.

In October 1975, the song became Nelson's first No. 1 hit as a singer, and at year's end, was the third-biggest song of 1975 on the 'Billboard' Hot Country Singles chart.[http://www.billboard.com/bbcom/charts/yearend_chart_display.jsp?f=Hot+Country+Songs&g=Year-end+Singles&year=1975] 'Billboard magazine' Hot Country Singles year-end chart - 1975. In addition, the song gained modest airplay on Top 40 radio, reaching No. 21 on the 'Billboard' Hot 100.

In 2004, 'Rolling Stone' ranked "Blue Eyes Crying in the Rain" No. 302 on its list of the 500 Greatest Songs of All Time.[https://www.rollingstone.com/news/coverstory/500songs/page/4] "The RS 500 Greatest Songs of All Time," 'Rolling Stone.' Rolling Stone also ranked "Blue Eyes Crying in the Rain" No. 48 on its list of the 100 Greatest Country Songs of All Time in June 2004.

Chart performance



Later versions



* Elvis Presley recorded "Blue Eyes Crying in the Rain" (having sung it privately with friends and family for years while accompanying himself on piano) in the Jungle Room at Graceland on 7 February 1976. This was the last known song that Elvis Presley sang (at the piano in the rest area of his racquetball court located to the rear of Graceland) before his death on August 16, 1977.

* Olivia Newton-John covered the song on her 1976 album 'Come on Over'.

* Maria Tyl's version reached No. 7 in South Africa in 1981.

* Ken Kincaid, a New Zealand singer recorded a version which appears on the B side of his 1982 single "Cindy", CBS BA 222 941.45cat [http://www.45cat.com/record/ba222941 Ken Kincaid - Discography]The New Zealand Archive of Film, Television and Sound Ng Taonga Whitihua Me Ng Taonga Krero [http://www.ngataonga.org.nz/collections/catalogue/catalogue-item?record_id=170696 Catalogue 18497, Cindy]

* Linda Good's version of the song was featured on the compilation album 'Sony/ATV Nashville Classic Covers, Vol.1' (2008).iTunes [https://itunes.apple.com/au/album/sony-atv-nashville-classic/id276513986 Sony/ATV Nashville Classic Covers: Volume One, Various Artists]

* A live version by Willie Nelson and Shania Twain was included on Nelson's 2003 live album 'Live & Kickin': Willie Nelson and Friends'.

* UB40 covered the song in their 2013 album 'Getting Over the Storm'.Discogs [https://www.discogs.com/UB40-Getting-Over-The-Storm/release/4886971 UB40 Getting Over The Storm ]

* In 2017 a posthumously released album of newly found recordings by George Jones, 'George Jones & The Smoky Mountain Boys' included the song.

Sources



References



Category:1945 songs

Category:1975 singles

Category:Willie Nelson songs

Category:Billy "Crash" Craddock songs

Category:Gene Summers songs

Category:Hank Williams songs

Category:Shania Twain songs

Category:Charley Pride songs

Category:Olivia Newton-John songs

Category:Waylon Jennings songs

Category:Vince Gill songs

Category:Floyd Cramer songs

Category:Songs written by Fred Rose (songwriter)

Category:Columbia Records singles

Category:Eva Cassidy songs

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