What a Way to Live (song)
 | A request that this article title be changed to What a Way to Live is under discussion. Please do not move this article until the discussion is closed. |
| "What a Way to Live" | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
Houston, Texas) | ||||
| Genre | Country | |||
| Length | 2:54 | |||
| Label | D | |||
| Songwriter(s) | Willie Nelson | |||
| Willie Nelson singles chronology | ||||
| ||||
"What a Way to Live" is a song written by country music singer
A cover version by
Background
In 1959, Nelson moved from
Nelson had moved to Houston to advance as a performer and writer, and to be closer to the office of his newly signed label, D Records, and its publishing house, Glad Music. During his first D Records session in Fort Worth, Nelson had recorded "Man With the Blues".[2]
Recordings
On March 11, 1960, his second session with the label took place at Gold Star Studios, produced by Bill Quinn. On the recording of "What a Way to Live", Nelson was backed by Paul Buskirk on guitar, steel guitarist Ozzie Middleton, fiddlers Darold Raley and Clyde Brewer, bassist Dean Reynolds and drummer Al Hagy.[3] Released in May 1960,[4] the single was not a success.[3] As part of the deal that Nelson made with Uncle Hank Craig to sign him to D Records, Craig received part of the proceeds of the single.[5]
In 1967,
Mark Chesnutt also recorded a version of the song on his 1994 album of the same name.
Chart performance
Johnny Bush
| Chart | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Billboard Hot Country Singles
|
29[7] |
Footnotes
- ^ Thomson, Graeme 2012, p. 20.
- ^ Bradley, Andy & Wood, Roger 2010, p. 78.
- ^ a b Bradley, Andy & Wood, Roger 2010, p. 79.
- ^ Sachs, Bill 1960, p. 40.
- ^ Patoski, Joe Nick 2008, p. 93.
- ^ Bush, Johnny 2007, p. 137.
- ^ a b Withburn, Joel 2005, p. 66.
References
- Bush, Johnny (2007). Whiskey River (Take My Mind): The True Story of Texas Honky-Tonk. University of Texas Press. ISBN 978-0-292-71490-8.
- Bradley, Andy; Wood, Roger (2010). House of Hits: The Story of Houston's Gold Star/SugarHill Recording Studios. University of Texas Press. ISBN 978-0-292-78324-9.
- Patoski, Joe Nick (2008). Willie Nelson: An Epic Life. Hachette Digital. ISBN 978-0-316-01778-7.
- Sachs, Bill (1960). "Folk Talent & Tunes". Billboard. Vol. 75, no. 21. Nielsen Business Media, Inc. ISSN 0006-2510.
- Thomson, Graeme (2012). Willie Nelson: The Outlaw. Virgin Books. ISBN 978-0-75351-184-8.
- Withburn, Joel (2005). Joel Whitburn's top country songs: 1944-2005, Billboard. Record Research. ISBN 978-0-898-20165-9.
