"Good Hearted Woman" is a song written by American country music singers Waylon Jennings and Willie Nelson.
Writing
In 1969, while staying at the Fort Worther Motel in Fort Worth, Texas,[1] Jennings saw an advertisement in a newspaper promoting Tina Turner as a "good hearted woman loving two-timing men", a reference to Ike Turner.[2] Jennings went to talk to Nelson, who was in a middle of a poker game, about writing a song based on that phrase. Joining the game, he and Nelson expanded the lyrics as Nelson's wife Connie Koepke wrote them down.[1]
Recording
Jennings recorded the song for the first time as the title track of his 1972 album Good Hearted Woman,[1][3] the single peaked at number three on the Billboard's Hot Country Singles.[4] Jennings had recorded a concert version for Waylon Live, which served as a basis for the duet with Nelson. "I just took my voice off and put Willie's on in different places," he explained. "Willie wasn't within 10,000 miles when I recorded it." He also added canned crowd noises to add to the live feel for the album Wanted: The Outlaws!.[5] The album cemented the pair's outlaw image and became country music's first platinum album.[6] The song peaked at number one on Billboard's Hot Country Singles and at number 25 on the Billboard Hot 100.[7] The song won the Single of the Year award in the 1976 Country Music Association Awards,[8] and took Jennings and Nelson to the mainstream audiences, giving them nationwide recognition.[9][10]
Charts
Waylon Jennings
| Chart (1971–1972) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| US Hot Country Songs (Billboard)[11] | 3 |
| Canadian RPM Country Tracks | 1 |
Waylon Jennings and Willie Nelson
| Chart (1976) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| US Hot Country Songs (Billboard)[11] | 1 |
| US Billboard Hot 100[12] | 25 |
| US Adult Contemporary (Billboard)[13] | 16 |
| Canadian RPM Country Tracks | 5 |
| Canadian RPM Adult Contemporary Tracks | 6 |
Year-end charts
| Chart (1976) | Position |
|---|---|
| US Hot Country Songs (Billboard)[14] | 2 |
Cover versions
- In 1976, a duet version of "Good Hearted Woman" performed by Waylon Jennings and Willie Nelson became the first of three number ones on the country chart for the duo.
- The 2005 album Texas Fed, Texas Bred: Redefining Country Music, Volume 1 includes a cover version performed by Guy Clark.
- LeAnn Rimes recorded a version of the song for her 2011 release, Lady & Gentlemen.
- Hank Williams III recorded a version of the song, later released in Long Gone Daddy.
- Tina Turner recorded song for her 1988 album Goes Country.
- George Jones recorded it and included in his 1980 album I Am What I Am.[15]
- Mel Street recorded a version for his 1972 album, Borrowed Angel.
- Micky and the Motorcars (with Cody and Willy Braun) recorded a version for Cross Canadian Ragweed's "The Red River Tribute" to Waylon Jennings (2003)
- Marty Stuart and Travis Tritt performed the song for Jerry Bradley at the induction ceremony of Jerry Bradley into the Country Music Hall of Fame in 2019.
- In 1981 Michal Tučný created Czech version under name Báječná ženská.
- Marty Robbins recorded a version for his 1981 album, The Legend.
References
- ^ a b c Horstman, Dorothy 1996, p. 104.
- ^ "Waylon Jennings & Willie Nelson - Good Hearted Woman". New Musical Express. IPC MEDIA. Retrieved June 3, 2012.
- ^ Horstman, Dorothy 1996, p. 426.
- ^ "Billboard Hot Country Singles". Billboard. Vol. 84, no. 10. Nielsen Business Media, Inc. March 11, 1972. p. 52. ISSN 0006-2510. Retrieved June 4, 2012.
- ^ "Songfacts: Good Hearted Woman by Waylon Jennings and Willie Nelson".
- ^ Hartman, Gary 2008, p. 175.
- ^ "Wanted! The Outlaws". Allmusic. Allrovi. Retrieved June 4, 2012.
- ^ "Country's Toppers Honored by CMA". Billboard. Nielsen Business Media, Inc. October 23, 1976. Retrieved June 3, 2012.
- ^ Larkin, Colin 2002, p. 196.
- ^ Busby, Mark 2004, p. 332.
- ^ a b "Waylon Jennings Chart History (Hot Country Songs)". Billboard.
- ^ "Waylon Jennings Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard.
- ^ "Waylon Jennings Chart History (Adult Contemporary)". Billboard.
- ^ "Hot Country Songs – Year-End 1976". Billboard. Retrieved August 5, 2021.
- ^ "www.allmusic.com". allmusic.com. Retrieved October 19, 2021.
Works cited
- Busby, Mark (2004). The Southwest. Greenwood Publishing Group. ISBN 9780313328053.
- Hartman, Gary (2008). The History Of Texas Music. Texas A&M University Press. ISBN 9781603440028.
- Horstman, Dorothy (1996). Sing Your Heart Out, Country Boy. Country Music Foundation. ISBN 9780915608195.
- Larkin, Colin (2002). The Virgin Encyclopedia of 70s Music. Virgin. ISBN 9781852279479.
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