Color of the Blues
This article relies largely or entirely on a single source. (May 2016) |
"Color of the Blues" | ||||
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Starday | ||||
Songwriter(s) | George Jones, Lawton Williams | |||
Producer(s) | Pappy Daily | |||
George Jones singles chronology | ||||
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"Color of the Blues" is a 1958 country song written by George Jones and Lawton Williams and released by Jones on January 15, 1958.
Background
By the time of the release of "Color of the Blues" in 1957, Jones had been releasing singles for three years and had scored four
Composition
"Color of the Blues" is considered one of Jones' greatest earlier works, and he often performed it live during the late 1950s. According to Rich Kienzle's liner notes of the 1994 Song retrospective The Essential George Jones: The Spirit of Country, Lawton Williams (who had composed
- There's a rainbow overhead
- With more blue than gold and red
- Blue must be the color angels choose
- A blue dress you proudly wore
- When you left to return no more
- Blue must be the color of the blues
The song reached #7 on the country singles chart. It is often featured on compilations of Jones early Starday and Mercury albums, including; 1961's Greatest Hits, 2004's Definitive Collection: 1955-1962, 50 Years of Hits, and 2005's 24 Greatest Hits. Jones thought so much of the song that he would recut it for both United Artists and Musicor in the 1960s. It would also be recorded by Red Sovine, Skeeter Davis, Loretta Lynn, Elvis Costello, Patty Loveless, and John Prine featuring Susan Tedeschi.
Chart performance
Chart (1958) | Peak position |
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U.S. Billboard Hot C&W Sides[1] | 7 |
Discography
References
- ^ Whitburn, Joel (2004). The Billboard Book Of Top 40 Country Hits: 1944-2006, Second edition. Record Research. p. 179.