Songs with Earlier Histories Than the Hit Version

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Faded Love

Co-written and first recorded by Bob Wills & His Texas Playboys (1946).
Also recorded by The Maddox Brothers & Rose (1950).
Hit versions by Bob Wills & His Texas Playboys (C&W #8 1950), Leon McAuliffe (C&W #22 1962 |C&W #22 1971), Patsy Cline (US #97/C&W #7 1963).

From the wiki: “‘Faded Love’ is a Western swing song written by Bob Wills; his father, John Wills; and his brother, Billy Jack Wills. The tune is considered to be an exemplar of the Western swing fiddle component of American fiddle. The song was first recorded as an instrumental in April, 1946 by Bob Wills & His Texas Playboys for the Tiffany record label; a 1950 re-recording for MGM Records, with lyrics by Billy Jack, became a major hit for the group, reaching #8 on the Country charts in 1950, becoming one of the Playboys’ signature songs.

“‘Faded Love’ was covered in 1950 by The Maddox Brothers & Rose, a quintet known as America’s Most Colorful Hillbilly Band, consisting of four brothers, Fred, Cal, Cliff and Don Maddox, along with their sister, Rose. The Maddox’s material ranged from the Country standards of Hank Williams and Merle Travis, cowboy songs, to the Western swing of Bob Wills, to old-time, folk, and church singing, to jazz, swing, boogie woogie and even a taste of early rock and roll. Fred Maddox played upright bass using the ‘slap bass’ technique as early as 1937.

“Maddox’s trademark backbeat, a slapping bass style, helped drive a broad change in popular music, sporting a faster, immediately discernible rhythm that came to be known as rockabilly. Sister Rose recalled: ‘We were called hillbilly singers – not country – then. No, none of this country music then. People just called us hillbilly … People tell me that I was one of the first women to sing what I sang – country boogie. I guess I was. There was no rock ‘n’ roll in those early days, before 1955. Only country boogie. My brothers also played that way. We called it country then.’

“One-time Bob Wills rhythm and steel guitarist Leon McAuliffe had hits with ‘Faded Love’ on two separate occasions, each recording reaching #22 in both 1962 and 1971. (The former was an instrumental version, and the latter rendition was in collaboration with Tompall & the Glaser Brothers.)

“‘Faded Love’ had even greater success when Patsy Cline covered the song in 1963. Her version was originally intended to be the title cut for a planned album and was produced at what turned out to be the last recording session before her untimely death. Cline’s recording was posthumously released as a single and reached #7 on the Country chart. It would eventually be released on Patsy Cline’s Greatest Hits, a compilation album in 1967. ”

Bob Wills & His Texas Playboys, “Faded Love” MGM re-recording (1950):

The Maddox Brothers & Rose, “Faded Love” (1950):

Leon McAuliffe, “Faded Love” (1962):

Patsy Cline, “Faded Love” (1963):

Leon McAuliffe with Tompall & the Glaser Brothers, “Faded Love” (1971):

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