From the early 1950s through the mid-1970s, Faron Young songs dominated the country radio and honky tonks. His signature hits and chart-topping singles that showcased his versatility as a vocalist ranked him among the top stars in all of country music.
But it was not just his incredible vocal talent that impressed everyone; it’s also his outgoing personality that the country community fell in love with. So today, we will walk down memory lane and dig a little deeper into some of his biggest hits. Keep on scrolling below.
1. Hello Walls
Written by Willie Nelson before he hit it big as a country artist, “Hello Walls” tells the story of a man and his lonely conversation with his walls, window, and ceiling after his lover has left him. Faron Young recorded it for his album of the same name and made it into a massive hit. It reached No. 1 on Billboard’s Hot Country and Western Sides while crossing over to the pop charts, peaking at No. 12 on Billboard Hot 100.
2. Live Fast, Love Hard, Die Young
The song became the first among Young’s country No.1s and the fifth among his consecutive top ten hits. “Live Fast, Love Hard, Die Young” was written by songwriter Joe Allison, who revealed that the song came to him while watching a gangster movie that starred a young actor. One line from the film struck him as a good idea for a song, and that line was: “I want to die young and leave a good-looking corpse.”
3. Alone With You
Reaching No. 1 on Billboard’s Country And Western Jockey chart, “Alone With You” was one of Young’s consecutive hits early on in his career. It finds Young expressing his desire to be alone with his lover – even just for one night. “This would be a joy unending. Could be a real beginning. How I’d love to be alone with you,” the song goes.
4. Country Girl
Here’s another country No. 1 hit for Young! Written by Roy Drusky, “Country Girl” became one of Young’s trademark songs that helped boost his career. The track features the celebrated steel guitarist Ben Keith.
5. It’s Four in the Morning
After ten years of not having a country No. 1 hit single, Young climbed back to the top with “It’s Four in the Morning.” It dominated the top spot of Billboard’s Hot Country Songs chart as well as the Canadian RPM Country Tracks chart. In addition to that, it was also a major smash in the United Kingdom, which is something rarely happens for a country song.
6. If You Ain’t Lovin’ (You Ain’t Livin’)
When Young released the song in 1954, it quickly reached No. 2 on Billboard’s Hot Country Songs chart – where it stayed for three weeks. Over three decades later, the country ballad was covered by George Strait for his album of the same name. Strait’s version was a chart-topper, climbing the top spot of both Billboard’s Hot Country Songs chart and Canadian RPM Country Tracks chart.
7. All Right
Written by Young, “All Right” was one of his biggest hits! It ranked No. 2 on Billboard’s Country and Western disk jockey chart, where it spent nearly thirty weeks. At the end of 1955, this country ballad also ranked No. 10 on Billboard’s year-end country chart.
8. Three Days
Written by Willie Nelson, Young brought the song to the seventh spot on Billboard’s Hot Country Songs chart.
A year later, Nelson recorded his own version for his debut album, …And Then I Wrote. Nelson re-recorded the song quite a few times, including for his 1998 album Teatro which features Emmylou Harris on the background vocals.
9. I Just Came to Get My Baby
Young proves how fierce he is in this country classic as he tries to get his girl out of a honky tonk, away from anyone who wants to take advantage of her. She’s never been to one, and she can’t even stand how beer tastes – and Young couldn’t figure out what made her decide to come over.
10. Sweet Dreams
Written by Country Music Hall of Famer Don Gibson, the song was a massive hit for Young.
Gibson originally recorded “Sweet Dreams” in 1955, which peaked at No. 9 on Billboard’s Hot Country Songs chart. But that success was overshadowed by Young, who took the song all the way to No. 2 on the same chart. It was Young’s version that earned Gibson his first acknowledgment as a brilliant songwriter.
More Faron Young Songs From The Honky-Tonk Man
One of the interesting Faron Young facts is that he was posthumously inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame in 2000. Truly, the country singer made such an impressive career. Here are some more of his songs that you need to check out.
So, which among these Faron Young songs do you love the most?
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