For the Good Times (song) explained

For the Good Times
Type:single
Artist:Bill Nash
A-Side:We Had All The Good Things Going
Released:1968
Genre:Country
Label:Smash
Producer:Jerry Kennedy
For the Good Times
Type:single
Artist:Ray Price
Album:For the Good Times
B-Side:Grazin' in Greener Pastures
Released:June 1970
Recorded:March 1970
Genre:Country
Length:3:47
Label:Columbia
Producer:Don Law
Prev Title:You Wouldn't Know Love
Prev Year:1970
Next Title:I Won't Mention It Again
Next Year:1971

"For the Good Times" is a song written by Kris Kristofferson, first recorded by singer Bill Nash in 1968 before appearing on Kristofferson's own debut album in June 1970. After a recording by Ray Price became a #1 hit single in June of that year, the song established Kristofferson as one of country and popular music's top songwriters while giving Price his first chart-topping country and western song in 11 years.

"For the Good Times" continued to be recorded by a number of artists in subsequent years, to popular success. It became a staple of soul singer Al Green's concert repertoire in the 1970s,[1] also featuring as a studio recording on his 1972 album I'm Still in Love with You.[2] A version by Perry Como spent 27 weeks on the UK Singles Chart peaking at #7 in August 1973 and spent 13 weeks on the Irish Singles Chart, peaking at #1 for 2 weeks in November 1973.[3] [4]

Composition

Kristofferson wrote most of the song in 1968 while on a work-related road trip from Nashville to the Gulf of Mexico. It recounts the end of a love affair, based on a real life experience of his, in a manner that popular music scholar Steve Sullivan said "conveys sadness, acceptance, and longing".[5]

An early recording of the song was by Bill Nash on Smash Records in 1968.[6] Kristofferson's own recording appeared on self-titled debut album in April 1970.[7]

Ray Price's recording

Ray Price recorded the song on March 16, 1970,[5] accompanied by an orchestra in Nashville's Columbia Studio A.[8]

Price's recording was released as a single and made its chart debut on June 27, 1970, topping the country and western chart for one week and reaching #11 on the pop singles chart.[5] "For the Good Times" was Price's fifth #1 single and spent 19 weeks on the chart.[9] It was also his only release to hit the Top 40 of the pop chart.[10] Originally Price's label, Columbia Records, had released the song as the "B" side of the single, but switched to promoting "For the Good Times" after Wayne Newton recorded his own version of the tune. The flip side, "Grazin' in Greener Pastures," did receive credit on the country music chart.[11]

At the 1971 Academy of Country Music awards, "For the Good Times" won in the category of "Song of the Year" (for Kristofferson as composer) and "Single of the Year" (for Price).[12] In 2014, Rolling Stone named Price's recording #18 on its "40 Saddest Country Songs of All Time".[13] Kacey Musgraves has said it "might be the saddest song of all time. It really breaks my heart."[5]

It was featured in television commercials promoting ESPN's coverage of the 2014 - 15 College Football Playoff.[14] [15]

Charts

Chart (1970)Peak
position
Australia (Kent Music Report)[16] 32
U.S. Billboard Hot Country Singles1
U.S. Billboard Hot 10011
U.S. Billboard Hot Adult Contemporary Tracks10
Canadian RPM Country Tracks2
Canadian RPM Top Singles13
Canadian RPM Adult Contemporary Tracks10

Notes and References

  1. Book: Christgau, Robert. Robert Christgau. 1981. . Ticknor & Fields. 0-89919-025-1. Al Green's Greatest Hits Volume II. http://www.robertchristgau.com/get_album.php?id=67. September 7, 2018.
  2. Book: Awkward, Michael. 119. 2007. Soul Covers: Rhythm and Blues Remakes and the Struggle for Artistic Identity (Aretha Franklin, Al Green, Phoebe Snow). Duke University Press. 978-0822389491.
  3. Web site: PERRY COMO | full Official Chart History | Official Charts Company . Officialcharts.com . 2016-10-03.
  4. Web site: The Irish Charts - All there is to know . 2023-06-30 . www.irishcharts.ie.
  5. Book: Sullivan, Steve. 461. 2017. Encyclopedia of Great Popular Song Recordings, Volume 3. Rowman & Littlefield. 978-1442254497.
  6. Web site: For the good times . Poplartunes.nl . 2016-01-31.
  7. http://nodepression.com/album-review/kris-kristofferson-self-titled "Kris Kristofferson - Self-Titled"
  8. https://web.archive.org/web/20180908164840/http://www.cmt.com/news/1564564/kris-kristofferson-talks-more-about-his-songs/ "Kris Kristofferson Talks More About His Songs"
  9. Book: Whitburn, Joel . The Billboard Book Of Top 40 Country Hits: 1944-2006, Second edition. Joel Whitburn . 2004 . Record Research . 275.
  10. Book: Whitburn, Joel . The Billboard Book of Top 40 Hits: Eighth Edition . Joel Whitburn . 2004 . Record Research . 505.
  11. Roland, Tom, "The Billboard Book of Number One Country Hits" (Billboard Books, Watson-Guptill Publications, New York, 1991, p. 43.
  12. https://books.google.com/books?id=SUUEAAAAMBAJ&dq=%22for+the+good+times%22+%22Song+of+the+Year%22+%22Academy+of%22&pg=RA1-PA53 Billboard Apr 3, 1971
  13. News: Rolling Stone . September 26, 2014 . 40 Saddest Country Songs of All Time . Daniel . Kreps . David . Menoci . Linda . Ryan . Rob. Harvilla . Nick . Murray . Cady . Drell . Mike . Powell . Marissa R . Moss . Keith . Harris . Reed . Fisher.
  14. http://www.kmoo.com/music/31-music-news/4666-ray-prices-for-the-good-times-plays-in-espn-commercial.html "Ray Price’s 'For the Good Times' Plays in ESPN Commercial"  - KMOO-FM 99.9.
  15. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_NFPCXhHgqQ ESPN television commercial promoting 2014 - 15 College Football Playoff telecasts, courtesy of YouTube.
  16. Book: Kent, David. David Kent (historian). Australian Chart Book 1970–1992. illustrated. Australian Chart Book. St Ives, N.S.W.. 1993. 0-646-11917-6. 238.