It’s been a long time since I featured any country music here. Which might please some people, but since it’s my blog, I get to chose the topics.
Written by Kris Kristofferson (great lyricist, just an OK singer) in 1970, it was recorded by Ray Price later that year.
In contrast to the Kristofferson version, Price’s got the full Nashville sound treatment. It also hit #1 on the Billboard Country chart and #10 on the Adult Contemporary chart.
[youtube]http://youtu.be/aOiul47ZwQk[/youtube]
Here is the original version by Krisofferson,
[youtube]http://youtu.be/Ovb_iRWcqsc[/youtube]
While a good part of the difference is in the arrangement, Price has one of the richest voices in music. It’s hard for him not to make a song sound great.
The Ray Price version is definitely better!!!
We’ll have to disagree here. The Kristofferson original was a richer, more real, closer to the earth musical experience than the starch & press Price re-do. My preference is always the nitty gritty, down home, from the gut versions over the industrialized crank-em-out-dime-a-dozen Nashville lets get rich pablum.