Patsy Cline, Lovesick Blues

Following up on Wednesday’s post of “I Can’t Stop Loving You,” we are going to explore the way a Willie Nelson song went from a choppy, fast-tempo country song to a slow, ballad. In the course of one session, Patsy Cline went from an excellent fast-tempo country singer to a slower tempo artist of gigantic proportions. She may have died in a plane crash in 1963, but her music lives forever.

You have heard several of her greatest hits, “Sweet Dreams,” “I Fall to Pieces,” “She’s Got You” and “Crazy.” in this post, we are going to feature the turn of events in 1960 that caused Patsy to skyrocket to fame. Prior to that she had had only one big hit, “Walkin’ After Midnight.” However, in 1960 she went into the Decca studio in Nashville and fought like a tigress with Owen Bradley over the style and tempo that Bradley had in mind for Patsy. She wanted to sing fast; she didn’t want four men singing back up and drowning her out. Strong willed and stubborn, she fought and lost. The first song released was “I Fall to Pieces,” and it went to number one on the country charts and no. 12 on the pop charts.

One reviewer said that her “voice sounded richer, more confident, and more mature, with ageless wise and vulnerable qualities that have enabled her records to maintain their appeal with subsequent generations.”

The best way to hear the difference is to listen to two songs that Patsy sang in 1960. The first was a live performance from the Community Jamboree; she sings Hank Williams great honky tonk favorite, “Lovesick Blues.” And I love it, so don’t get me wrong. She yodeled the socks off this song.