The tune title “Half A Man” was unusually applicable for Willie Nelson in 1963. As he approached his thirtieth birthday, the Texan troubadour had already paid limitless dues in his makes an attempt to have his songs recognised, and was lastly seeing success each as a author and an artist. But it surely was one thing of a false daybreak.
When Faron Younger recorded Nelson’s “Hello Walls” and Ray Worth minimize “Night Life,” it earned Willie a job in Worth’s band, and opened the door to additional recognition for his superior songcraft. In October 1961, Billy Walker took the primary model of his “Funny How Time Slips Away” into the nation countdown. Only a month later, Patsy Cline launched Nelson’s “Crazy” in the direction of immortality as her recording made its chart debut.
Nelson now made hay along with his personal data, signing with Liberty Information. In March 1962, his “Willingly” duet along with his soon-to-be second spouse Shirley Collie, hit the survey on its approach to No.10. Seven years after his first recordings, he appeared to be on path to actual stardom. That feeling was heightened when his solo “Touch Me” reached No.7 because the follow-up.
After which he wrote…
In September, he launched a debut LP whose title recognised his repute as a go-to composer in Nashville, …And Then I Wrote. However for all the brand new appreciation of his skills, it did not chart. On April 6, 1963, Willie entered Billboard’s Sizzling Nation Singles survey at No.28 with the aforementioned “Half A Man.” It debuted in the identical week as Johnny Money’s model of Ray Charles’ “Busted,” and new singles by such favorites as Webb Pierce, Don Gibson, and George Jones.
Billboard had reported “growing interest” in Nelson’s string-laden ballad from New Orleans radio station WNOE in February. Every week earlier than its nation entry, the tune was listed within the Effervescent Beneath part beneath the Sizzling 100, at No.129, and as a “Regional Breakout” the week earlier than. Even earlier than that, the journal had reviewed Jane Darwyn’s tailored model launched as a single on the Pamper label, “Half A Woman (Half A Man).”
Willie and two Tommys
Nelson’s model of the tune, produced by Tommy Allsup, featured pedal metal by Tommy Jackson. However after the High 10 success of the yr earlier than, its No.25 nation peak and five-week run have been a disappointment. His second album Right here’s Willie Nelson, on which it featured, once more missed the bestsellers, and after one other minor singles entry for Liberty in 1964 with “You Took My Happy Away,” Nelson left for RCA Victor.
“Half A Man” has cropped up once more on a number of subsequent events in Nelson’s epic profession. There was a 1982 cowl by Merle Haggard, then it surfaced twice in 1985. That yr, Willie did it with two fellow survivors, Faron Younger on their collaborative Humorous How Time Slips Away, then George Jones on the duets album Half Nelson.
Purchase or stream “Half A Man” on the Right here‘s Willie Nelson album.
