Harlan Howard

March 23, 2002 1:22 AM

Harlan Howard is dead. The greatest American country songwriter outside of Hank Williams and Merle Haggard wrote more than four thousand songs, including Patsy Cline's "I Fall To Pieces" and Buck Owens' "Tiger By The tail", but "God May Forgive You (But I Won't)", performed by Rosie Flores and Iris Dement, is the one that turned me on. Known as the Dean of Nashville songwriters, Harlan had a permanently reserved barstool, and plenty of tips for aspiring songwriters, one of which was "country music is three chords and the truth". Old stool.
posted by liam (5 comments total)

Damn, that's some sad news.

I can't help but sing along to Heartaches by the Numbers every time I hear it (especially if Roger Miller's singing it).

To give credit where credit is due, Patsy Cline's I Fall to Pieces was co-written by Hank Cochran.

Oddly, I was listening to Joel R. L. Phelps covering Iris Dement when I read this post.

Thanks for the link, Liam!
posted by dobbs at 1:52 AM on March 23, 2002

The only problem was hearing Heartaches by the Number or I've Got A Tiger By The Tail for the 14 millionth time on AM radio when they came out. But, jeez, they couldn't hold a candle in that dept. to My Green Tambourine in sheer annoyance. Nice post, Liam.
posted by y2karl at 7:39 AM on March 23, 2002

What a damn shame. Harlan Howard in this thread and John Fahey a few threads down, makes me think of all the great ones who aren't with us anymore. Thanks for the reminder, man.
posted by jonmc at 8:19 AM on March 23, 2002

"God May Forgive You (But I Won't)"

May God have mercy on you because we won't. - Sen. John McCain speaking after the terrorist attacks.
posted by billman at 12:29 PM on March 23, 2002

I'm curious what came first, Howard's God song or Lyle Lovett's:

God does
But I don't
God will
But I won't
And that's the difference
Between God and me

posted by geneablogy at 10:27 PM on March 23, 2002