Song Lyric Sunday: Countrypolitan

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For this week’s theme, Jim has chosen the Nashville Sound, as you can see in his post, Country Music Capital of the World. I had to look this up to be sure, and learned that it began in the mid 1950s as a way of taking the more traditional elements out of country music, such as fiddles, and replacing them with more pop chart-oriented arrangements, including string accompaniments for example. Prime acts in this were the likes of Jim Reeves and Patsy Cline, two that I was familiar with from an early age as my Mum loved them both. Somehow, though, I couldn’t see myself playing Distant Drums! The music moved on into a style that became known as “Countrypolitan,” which was aimed directly at a mainstream market and included the likes of Tammy Wynette, Glen Campbell, Lynn Anderson, Charlie Rich and Charley Pride. That still wasn’t much help, but as I scrolled further down the list I found my saving grace for today! I’m playing two of her songs, and here she is with the first one – the video is a little out of sync in places but the audio quality is the best of those that I found from back in the day:

And before I tell you a little more, here are the lyrics:

I don’t want your lonely mansion
With a tear in every room
All I want’s the love you promised
Beneath the haloed moon
But you think I should be happy
With your money and your name
And hide myself in sorrow
While you play your cheating game

Silver threads and golden needles
Cannot mend this heart of mine
And I dare not drown my sorrow
In the warm glow of your wine
You can’t buy my love with money
Cause I never was that kind
Silver threads and golden needles
Cannot mend this heart of mine

Silver threads and golden needles
Cannot mend this heart of mine
And I dare not drown my sorrow
In the warm glow of your wine
You can’t buy my love with money
Cause I never was that kind
Silver threads and golden needles
Cannot mend this heart of mine

Silver threads and golden needles
Cannot mend this heart of mine

Source: Musixmatch

Songwriters: Jack Rhodes / Dick Reynolds

Silver Threads and Golden Needles lyrics © Campbell Connelly And Co.ltd., Beechwood Music Corporation

Linda Ronstadt released her fourth solo album, Don’t Cry Now, in October 1973, and it included this song, Silver Threads And Golden Needles. The album continued her steady progression, reaching what were at that point highs for her of #45 in the main albums chart and #5 in the Country listings. Amongst other tracks it includes her fabulous covers of Desperado, by The Eagles (who formed out of her backing band), and I Believe In You, by Neil Young. This track was released as a single in January 1974, peaking at #67 on the main Billboard chart and at #20 in their Country rankings. It was the second time she had recorded it: her first go was more ‘country’ while this one was much more ‘countrypolitan,’ aimed very much at the crossover into mainstream pop. The first ever recording of the song was by Wanda Jackson, in 1956, and it had also been covered by The Springfields – the British trio where Dusty Springfield began her career. They got to #20 with it in the US in 1962, thereby becoming the first British group to make the US top twenty. I’ve been a huge fan of Linda since those early days: her voice was amazing and she was nice to watch, too.

Linda’s next album, Heart Like A Wheel, was released in November 1974, and this was the one where things took off for her in a big way. It reached #1 in both Billboard’s Main and Country album charts, and gave her two massive hit singles in the pop charts: You’re No Good made #1 and When Will I Be Loved reached #2. But I’m not playing either of those. The album’s title track was written by Kate and Anna McGarrigle, American folk music stalwarts, and this live performance with Linda accompanied by Andrew Gold on piano and harmony vocals is heartbreakingly beautiful:

That one wasn’t released as a single, but it is still a lovely way to close an album. Linda went on to make many other great records, and enjoyed some very productive collaborations, particularly with Emmylou Harris and Dolly Parton, but also with Warren Zevon and Neil Young, among many others. She has sold more than 100m records, making her one of the most successful artists ever. Sadly she has had to retire from music: in August 2013, she announced that she had been diagnosed eight months previously with Parkinson’s disease, leaving her unable to sing due to loss of muscular control, which is common to Parkinson’s patients. In late 2019, it was reported her doctors had revised their diagnosis to progressive supranuclear palsy, a degenerative disease commonly mistaken for Parkinson’s, due to the similarity of the symptoms. It is such a shame for her, but luckily we still have her beautiful legacy of music to enjoy. She was recognised for this by being inducted into the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame in 2014 and as a Kennedy Centre honoree in 2019: both very well merited, in my view.

That’s all for today. I’m now wondering what others will be playing for this – and no doubt many will have adhered more closely to the brief than I did! But I didn’t want to go down the ‘Mum’s music’ route, sorry!

See you again for Tuesday Tunes. Now, if only I could think of a theme…

43 thoughts on “Song Lyric Sunday: Countrypolitan”

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  6. The first one has that old twangy country style that I’m not a fan of, though I like the second one. I find today’s country music much more appealing.

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  7. I wasn’t going to, but I find I must.

    When I listen to Linda and Wanda back to back, my choice is definitely Wanda. They bith sing the song with a twang, but Wanda convinces me she is living in sorrow, while Linda sounds too happy. Maybe she has made up her mind to leave, but I hear no regrets. Wanda has a touch of defiance, but Linda just sings for her audience. I guess what I am trying to say is, Wanda sounds like she lived the experience — while Linda heard the story from a friend. She isn’t involved, but peripheral to the situation. Yeah, she has a great voice, but her version has no life. 👎👎👎

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      • As I have told Jill, the first music I got to listen to as a child was old-style C&W. That was all my older brothers listened to.Then 1956, and my sisters listened to nothing but Elvis. Yuck! Then came the Forgettable Years from 1958 to 1964 — the Bobby Era, Booby Curtola, Bobby Vee, Bobby Vinton, even Bobby Darin except Mac the Knife. Finally, 1964. The British Invasion! It took15 years before I found my kind of music! And I’ve never let it let away.
        But, I can still appreciate whag I had to go through to get here. Fiddles? Great dancing music, when I could dance…
        But just so’s you know, my four favourite rock singers — in reverse order — (early) Jim Morrison, Jimi Hendrix, Janis Joplin, and Eric Burdon. Nobody sings like they do! (in my opinion.)

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      • Not trying to convince you, but did you ever see Janis live? The sweat pours off her face as she scrunches every face muscle, then explodes into, “Cry-yyy-yyy-yyy, Baby, cry baby, cry babyyyyyyyyyy!” Definitely one of the best performances I ever saw in my life. Her top was soaked from all the effort and passion she put into every syllable of every word. I liked her before that. By the end of the performance I was in love with her. And this was just Winnipeg, the place where most bands, including the Who and Led Zeppelin just went through
        the motions. Janis was worth more than the price of admission. The others who were on the same bill were nothing in comparison (except the Ides of March, who earlier put on a fantastic show!)

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      • No. I think she only ever played here once, in London, when I was just 16 and wouldn’t have been able to get there even if I wanted to. I know she was a mesmerising performer from YouTube videos, but I just never took to her musical style.

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  9. I have never heard of Countrypolitan, and cannot even imagine what it would mean musically. To me Linda was Folk Rock, quietly.
    But I have to correct what I presume to be a memory mistske. The first time I ever heard of Linda Ronstadt was as lead vocalist for the Stone Poneys, which may or may not have involved the Wrecking Crew. The song, written by Mike Nesmith (of the Monkees?!) was called Different Drum:

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    • Linda can’t be pigeon holed into one genre. She started off as country, has released loads of what I’d also call folk rock, but there are three albums of American standards, jazz albums, a couple entirely in Spanish. Not easy to define, is she! You’re right about Different Drum – she was the only band member on it, the musicians were from the Wrecking Crew.

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  12. My favourite female vocalist, and she has such a strong instinct for great material. You could have chosen a hundred songs and they all would have been the right choice.

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  14. Great choice, Clive. Linda had such a great voice and during her career she branched out into almost every genre of music, because she was a really great singer. I am happy that many of her songs are still around for us to listen to still.

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