Today’s post was written by Paul.
A while back, Tipper and I did a video about our favorite LP, that we listened to a lot when we were little. The song “The Party’s Over” was on one of the three records in that collection. Willie Nelson wrote this song. He released it in 1967. It comes from the more buttoned-up, early part of his career, before he was an “outlaw,” before songs like “On the Road Again” and Fred Rose’s “Blue Eyes Crying in the Rain” made Willie a household name.
Unlike most classic country songs, this song places the blame for a failed relationship squarely on the male speaker of the song, rather than on his girlfriend or wife. In the 60’s, Willie was still finding his sound and style. Back then, he wore suits and didn’t play his iconic nylon-string guitar.
A while back, a tennis-playing buddy of mine asked me if I knew any professional singers who sang out of time. I cannot recall why that topic came up. I told him that Willie was famous/notorious for singing out-of-time intentionally. It certainly wasn’t because he couldn’t keep good time. It was a choice that he made in most songs. Somehow, it allowed him to hit notes in certain ways that he wanted. In that regard, Willie really did his own thing. Usually, he came in drastically early with his vocal, but sometimes, he also came in deliberately late. Sometimes, he combined the two techniques by falling way behind then cramming syllables into a couple of beats that should have been stretched over several beats.
Some Acorns may be familiar with the “Country Family Reunion” series, where country music legends sat around in rocking chairs, sang their classic hits, and swapped stories. I think it may have been produced by Larry Black (of Larry’s Country Diner). In one episode, Carlton Haney (a legendary music promoter) told a funny story of the first time Don Reno and Red Smiley ever heard Willie Nelson sing. Haney was promoting both acts. He took Don and Red from one venue across the street to hear Willie singing in another venue. Willie was on stage, singing with his experimental timing technique, and Reno and Smiley didn’t know what to think of it. Haney asked them, “Well, what do you think of this boy?” Haney said that Don Reno said, “He’s terrible. Awful.” Red Smiley said something along the lines of “Someone should get him off the stage.” That story made me laugh so hard when I first heard it. It’s rare for bluegrass acts to “look down” on country acts in this way. Reno was an absolutely amazing tenor singer, but like Willie, he wasn’t gifted with a very conventional voice. Neither of their voices are naturally pleasing to all listeners. In other words, both of them had somewhat odd or unusual voices. So, I don’t think it was Willie’s voice that turned him off, but his timing.
Haney explained that Don and Red just didn’t understand what Willie was trying to do. I think he’s exactly right. It took time for people to appreciate Willie’s singing and to understand that he was in total control of his vocal.
The Louvins toured with Elvis Pressley when Elvis was just starting out. Charlie said that for the first half of the tour, the audiences just sat and stared in silence at Elvis. He said, they just didn’t know what he was doing. They had never seen/heard anything like it before. Charlie said that by the end of the tour, the crowds were screaming so wildly for Elvis, that no one wanted to follow him on stage. The tour had many other country acts, including Hank Snow.
The other performers got together and nominated Ira to speak to the tour manager so that no one would have to follow Elvis on stage. Not only did this approach not work, but it got Ira and Charlie fired from the tour.
Incidentally, Haney also told a story about Willie being plucked up on stage as a nobody (he was at the time playing bass for Ernest Tubb or someone). With his singing, Willie “brought the house down,” and Ray Price did not want to follow him. Anyway, Willie’s an American original, such a great songwriter, guitar player, and singer.
Sometimes other singers who imitate Willie, will deliberately mess their timing up while they sing. I saw Mark Wheeler of the Marksmen do it while singing “Family Bible,” which Willie wrote. I saw Chris Malpass of the Malpass Brothers do it on “Poncho and Lefty.” You can see them here. If you watch it, pay close attention to the last time Chris sings “A few brave federales say, ‘they could have had him any day.'” Chris comes in so early with his vocal that he is completely ignoring the beat of the band, letting his vocal have a timing all its own. I guess one lesson we can learn from Willie is, don’t be afraid to march to the beat of your own drum. 🙂 Thanks for watching!
Paul
Original singles released on Spotify.
Is Willie Nelson an American Indian from Cherokee NC? We were visiting and I am sure I saw him in the Park.
Paul, that was excellent!
I loved this post and you sang that song so beautifully. It was awesome!
TY for singing and playing for us.
I don’t believe Red Smiley said that. He was know to be a “real gentleman” according to my late friend, fiddle virtuoso Randle Collins. I am also friends with Red’s family and a nicer bunch of country folks I have never met.
I am part of Red’s family. Arthur Lee “Red” Smiley’s father was my great-grandmother’s Modena’s brother Arthur Lee Smiley Sr. She was 19 years older that he and had a son Robert born 2 months before he was.
Lot’s of things are attributed to dead people that they cannot deny. My father is an example. He didn’t drink at all until after he died then he became a total sot according to the scandalmongers. There’s a special place in Hell for people like that. For those who made it up and for those who repeated it.
Ain’t they no way to open a link without closing the blog you are reading?
Ed, I’m sorry you’ll have to hit the back button or right click and open a new tab.
Cousin Ed, my records indicate that my great-grandfather, Alfred Burton “AB” Hutchins, was married to Mary “Polly” Smiley. Is she connected to your Smiley’s? Might Arthur Lee Smiley, Sr. have been her brother?
AB was born in 1835 and married Polly Smiley Feb. 5, 1857. AB went off to war and never came back home. Family tales say he died somewhere in 1862 in North Tennessee while serving the CSA, but his death was due to illness, not combat (or so I’m led to believe).
If this is the same Smiley family and you have more information, I’d be much obliged for the information. I believe you have my email address.
Sat on stage with Waylon and Willie one night. Willie was singing. Waylon was tired and wanted to go home. As you know, Willie will sing all night if there is someone to listen. Waylon kept saying, “I am tired, Willie, let’s go home”…Willie would turn and say, “One more, Waylon, and then we’ll go home”. This was still going on at 2am. Good hook for a song.
Like Mr. Casada, my first thought on hearing the song was Don Meredith and football.
But I have to ask Paul: Why do you think that we are all acorns? Some of us are most certainly blind pigs and proud of it. :_) Put me at the top of that list.
Maybe I was an acorn long long ago but I certainly grew out of it. Now I am a mossy old oak with acorns of my own.
Enjoyed the song today, I’m a Willie Nelson fan and you did a good job!
Willie was always a fav of mine – he was unique in voice and song – and I feel we all should march to our own drum, to not try to be clones of someone else. Thanks for sharing this, Paul.
Drums need to be tuned, too.
Great post, Paul. Those behind the scenes stories are a hoot. It is true that Willie has to grow on many people, me included. Probably there is a lesson in that about us humans. Maybe one of the! would be Don’t be too hasty to make up your mind.
I have tickets to see Willie here in Maine next month. At 92 he is touring with a kid named Bob Dylan, who is only 84. Yet a couple of dudes with unconventional voices doing their own thing.
Great post Paul. I remember my years of being in the chorus all through grade and high school. Because of this I qualified going to state chorus where the best singers in the state would come together and record several songs to be told. Paul I can’t sing. Not even a joyful noise. But because of my attendance record I was elected to state chorus. As we practiced our song the choir director kept pointing at me and telling me to sing lower. When he could no longer hear me I was low enough.
One Wednesday night during praise and for worship we were sitting in the second row. The pastor was sitting in front of me. After the first song he turned around and put hid finger up to his lips and said my singing was putting him off tune. I realize I can’t sing and I’m OK with that.
At the end of our Awake America Murphy Prayer Meeting we are to sing a song and I try to make sure I have someone there who can sing as well as pray. We meet at the Cherokee County Courthouse every third Thursday.
My style of singing is called “cooling soup” singing. Bless you for your article on Willie.
Ron, I can’t play a radio without getting static and the last time I tried singing at my church, my dearest friend that always sits on the pew in front of me, turned around and ask me where does it hurt, do I need to call 911. I now sing solo, so low no one can hear me.
My mom never really liked Willie. Said he sang through his nose. But the more I listened to him, I came to realize what a talented artist he truly is. Angel Flying Too Close to The Ground is a favorite.
I loved today’s post!
As a RN at Vanderbilt in Nashville I worked with lots of Nashville talent and their families. I was gifted a tiny glued clothespin rocker by Fred Rose’s daughter in law and eventually it broke into pieces. It was a very cute little thing and the thought of being given a gift just tickled me plumb to death! I will share tales as the names come up. The LIVEST wire I EVER met was Tanya Tucker. I went to her home to assist with getting her daddy home health care and was asking lots of Medicare questions like can your dad drive and go as he pleases. She patiently answered and as her patience waned, she looked at me and asked me “ Who are you-Medicare patrol? If my daddy wants to go anywhere, I take you, don’t I daddy?” She’s just as honest and straight forward as any hillbilly I ever met. To be honest, I drove away that day laughing hysterically at Tanya’s gumption!!! She’s a real live wire!!! Have a good one yall! I know I am. It’s cool and I got a jacket on. It’s a balmy 65 and windy and cloudy in southern WV!
I wonder how many of the Blind Pig Acorns immediately associate this song more with Don Meredith and Monday night than Willie Nelson?
Mr. Casada,
That was the first thought that came to me. Back when Monday night football was worth watching. Dandy Don, Howard Cosell and Frank Gifford were the commentators if I remember correctly. Fond memories of watching some classic games.
Willie Nelson is one of a kind. Very talented musician, singe and song writer. My favorite song he recorded is “Angel Flying Too Close To The Ground.”
RIP Jeannie Seely, grand ole opry and Larry’s Diner member! She was one of the best!
My favorite Willie Nelson song has to be “The Family Bible.” I have so many memories of my Mother reading the Bible to us before going to bed when I was a young child and could not read. Daddy would also be sitting and listening with us. Today, Aug 3rd, would be my wife’s birthday. My Party ended the day she died. I don’t want to die, but trying to carry on my life without her is more like a burden or hardship.