Depending upon which lens of the historical perspective you view this through, this 12-song collection is the last gasp of true honky tonk, the first stab at mainstreaming it into the Nashville sound of the 1960s, or country music's first concept album. In 1962, Ray Price was at the peak of his form as a honky tonker of major repute. His regular touring band, the Cherokee Cowboys, were the finest of their kind and Price's voice was an instrument of wonder, full of reflection with every lyrical reading. As a traveling musician, Price knew well of the "night life" depicted in Willie Nelson's title track, a life spent on the road full of hotels, bar rooms, one-night stands, heartache, and regrets. This album, full of well-written songs paying homage to that sinful life and its road to nowhere, evokes the sound, feel, and ambience of classic honky tonk music like few others do. As the decade wore on, Price would go on to major superstardom as a mellow balladeer, working with full string sections, reaching audiences that never heard this music or the other honky tonk classics that preceded it. More's the pity, for this album just may be Price's defining moment as an artist.
RAY PRICE
NIGHT LIFE
Columbia CS-8771April/1963
Produced by Don Law
Grady Martin, Pete Wade - lead guitarJohnny Paycheck, Willie Nelson, Darrell McCall, Arthur Bishop, Ray Edenton - rh.guitar
Harold Bradley - bass guitar
Jimmy Day, Buddy Emmons - steel
Joe Zinkan - bass
Buddy Harman, Steve Bess - drums
Tommy Jackson, Shorty Lavender - fiddle
Hargus Pig Robbins, Floyd Cramer - piano
Strings:
Byron Bach, Brenton Banks, George Binkley, Cecil Brower,
Howard Carpenter,Lillian Hunt, Vernal Richardson
Recorded:
Jan 12/1961, Bradley Film & Recording Studio, Nashville (6)
Jan 7/1962, Bradley Film & Recording Studio, Nashville (8)
Feb 22-25/1963, Columbia Studio, Nashville (1-5,7,9-12)
1.
INTRO AND THEME
(Ray Price - Willie Nelson) « © '63 Fort Knox Music, BMI / Tree Publishing, BMI /Glad Music, BMI / Pappy Daily Music, BMI »
When the evening sun goes down
Hi neighbors it is sundown at our house
As we make this new Columbia album for you
We wanna thank you for being so nice on our last album
It was wonderful the way you accepted it
And tonight we've chosen some of the songs
That we sing and play on our dancers across the country
Songs that reflex the emotion of the people that live in the night life
Songs of happiness sadness heartbreak songs of the night life
And we hope that you enjoy yourself tonight as you'll listen to our latest songs
This first song was written esepecially for me
By a boy from down in Texas - Willie and it accepted so good on our dancers
We hope you like it it's little different of what we normally do
Though we hope we'll be pleasant to you
So me and The Cherokee Cowboys
Are knockin' on your record player once more
And we hope that you can just kinda sit back kick off your shoes
And relax just a little bit and listen to our latest album
And if you'll like it tell us about it won't you
And we'll try to do more things for you the way we're doin' this one
**********
2.
NIGHT LIFE
(Willie Nelson - Paul Buskirk - Walt Breeland) « © '62 Tree Publishing, BMI / Glad Music, BMI / Pappy Daily Music, BMI »When the evening sun goes down you will find me hanging round
Oh the night life ain't no good life but it's my life
Many people just like me dreaming of old used-to-be
Oh the night life ain't no good life but it's my life
Well listen to the blues they're playin'
Yeah listen to what the blues are sayin'
Mine is just another scene from the world of broken dreams
Oh the night life ain't no good life but it's my life
[ steel ] Yeah when the evening sun goes down...
**********
3.
LONELY STREET
(Carl Belew - W.S. Stevenson - Kenny Sowder) « © '56 Acuff-Rose Music, BMI »I'm looking for that Lonely Street I've got a sad sad tale to tell
I need a place to go and weep where's this place called Lonely Street
A place where there's just loneliness where dim lights bring forgetfulness
Where broken dreams and mem'ries meet where's this place called Lonely Street
Maybe on this Lonely Street there's someone such as I
Who came to bury a broken dream and watch an old love die
A place where there's just loneliness where dim lights bring forgetfulness
Where broken dreams and mem'ries meet where's this place called Lonely Street
[ steel - fiddle ] Maybe on this Lonely Street...
Where's this place called Lonely Street
**********
4.
WILD SIDE OF LIFE
(William Warren - Arlie A. Carter) « © '51 Unart Catalog, BMI »You wouldn't read the letter that I wrote you
You told me not to call you on the phone
But there's something that I just got to tell you
So I wrote it in the words of this song
I didn't know God made honky tonk angels
I might have known you'd never make a wife
You gave up the only one who ever loved you
And went back to the wild side of life
[ steel - fiddle ] The glamour of the gay night life has lured you
To the places where the wine and liquor flow
Where you wait to be anybody's baby
And forget the truest love you'll ever know
I didn't know God made...
**********
5.
SITTIN' AND THINKIN'
(Charlie Rich) « © '63 Knox Music, BMI »I got loaded last night on a bottle of gin
And I had a fight with my best girl friend
But when I'm drinkin' I am nobody's friend
Please baby wait for me until they let me out again
I know the same thing has happened before
And everytime it does I hate it more and more
But when I'm drinkin' I am nobody's friend
Please baby wait for me until they let me out again
Spent whole lotta time sittin' and drinkin'
Sittin' and just thinkin' bout you
If I didn't spend so much time sittin' and drinkin'
We'd still have the love that we once knew
Oh I won't promise that it won't happen again
But I can promise it'll be a long long time till then
Cause when I'm drinkin' I am nobody's friend
Please baby wait for me until they let me out again
Please baby wait for me until they let me out again
**********
6.
24TH HOUR
(Ray Price) « © '61 Tree Publishing, BMI »There are 23 hours that I can't get by
But the 24th hour is the one when I cry
I pray that it won't come but it comes anyhow
And the 24th hour is right about now
Right about now the heartaches start callin'
Right about now the teardrops start fallin'
The late show is over and there's no place to go
And it's right about now that I miss you you so
[ steel - fiddle ] I start counting the hours when daylight began
For I know that when night comes just how it will end
I pray that it won't come but it comes anyhow
And the 24th hour is right about now
Right about now the heartaches start callin'...
**********
7.
GIRL AT NIGHT
(Hank Thompson) « © '63 Songs Of PolyGram, BMI »She lives her life in honky tonks and the crowded backstreet bars
A world of make believe that knows no sun no moon or stars
Just a glitter of a great white way and the glamor of city lights
Where the music's loud she's in the crowd a lonely girl in the night
I wonder if she's thinking of dreams that didn't last
I wonder if she's haunted by heartaches from the past
Perhaps there is a story of a love that wasn't right
Now those shadows hide her empty pride a lonely in the night
[ steel ] I watch her sit there so lonely as she lights her cigarette
And the smoke rings rise but in her eyes oh it seems to be such a regret
Yes she's there to tempt her lover and that dress that hugs her tight
With a glass of wine to pass a time just a lonely girl in the night
I wonder if she's thinking...
**********
8.
PRIDE
(Wayne P.Walker - Irene Stanton) « © '62 Cedarwood Publishing, BMI / Songs Of PolyGram, BMI »You know that you're doing lots of things that ain't right
You're out with a different party almost every night
And you're making me look like a crazy fool
So why do I have these doubts about leaving you
Because my heart tells me stay but my pride tells me go
But how can I leave you when I love you so
Which way should I turn I'd sure like to know
My heart tells me stay but my pride tells me go
[ steel - fiddle ] I'd be so much better off to drive you from my mind
And make you the mem'ries that I'd like to leave behind
I know that these heartaches are what you will put me through
So why do I have these doubts about leaving you
Because my heart tells me stay...
**********
9.
THERE'S NO FOOL LIKE A YOUNG FOOL
(Bette Thomasson) « © '56 Tree Publishing, BMI »There's no fool like a young fool with wild and careless way
Who forgets about tomorrow and lives for just today
If she could only realize the sorrow that's in store
She'd try behavin' on for sights and honky tonk no more
It breaks my heart to see her sitting
There with tavern lights shining in her hair
Life won't be as sweet to her tomorrow as today
There's no fool like a young fool who throws her life away
[ steel ] Now the dim lights and the drinking seem like fun I know
But she'll find out one morning you reap just what you sowed
The sad part is she'll be alone once she starts to fall
There's no fool like a young fool who thinks she knows it all
It breaks my heart...
**********
10.
IF SHE COULD SEE ME NOW
(Hank Cochran) « © '63 Tree Publishing, BMI »I saw the one I loved and lost last night again
I smiled and said hello like we were still old friends
Don't pitty me it never matter anyhow
But oh if she could see me now
If she could see me now when the night life's gone
I'd sat I really looked without my party face on
The way I just give up sit down and cry out loud
But oh if she could see me now
[ fiddle - steel ] I'm first at every party and the last to leave
And no one sees the hurt that's deep inside of me
I drink too much and say who wants her anyhow
But oh if she could see me now
If she could see me now...
**********
11.
BRIGHT LIGHTS AND BLONDE HAIRED WOMEN
(Eddie Kirk) « © '50 Century Songs, BMI »I'm gettin' tired of roamin' around I'm gettin' tired of paintin' the town
Bright lights and blonde haired women don't thrill me
I'm gettin' tired of being lit up like a Christmas tree
I guess I done everything there is to do you said it would be this way
Believe me baby I'm all through please let me come home to you
I'm gettin' tired of roamin' around I'm gettin' tired of paintin' the town
I'm tired of blonde haired women oh don't thrill me
I'm gettin' sick and tired being lived up like a Christmas tree
I guess I done everything there is to do you said it would be this way
Believe me baby I'm all through please let me please let me come home to you
**********
12.
ARE YOU SURE
(Willie Nelson - Bobby Emmons) « © '63 Tree Publishing, BMI »Oh look around you look down the barroom the lonely faces that you see
Are you sure that this is where you want to be
These are your friends but are they real friends do they love you the same as me
Are you sure that this is where you want to be
You seem in such a hurry to live this kind of life you caused so many tears and misery
Look around you take a good look and tell me what you see
Are you sure that this is where you want to be
[ steel ] Don't let my tears persuade you I had hoped I couldn't cry
But lately teardrops seem a part of me
So look around you and take a good look at all the lonely used to be
Are you sure that this is where you want to be
**********
13.
LET ME TALK TO YOU
(Danny Dill - Don Davis) « © '57 Cedarwood Publishing, BMI »Just one more dance just one more chance so I can talk to you
Don't live too fast forget the past and I will try to prove
I would do anything you ask me to
Don't run around don't turn me down let me talk to you
Don't go too far with that crowd at the bar
That's not the way to win please fall in love again
Give me your heart so I can start to build our life anew
I know you'll pay so if you're afraid let me talk to you
[ strings ] Don't go too far...
**********
