George Jones' Debut Country Song, "No Money in This Deal"

by

Arden Lambert

Updated

October 17, 2018

Updated

October 17, 2018

Updated

October 17, 2018

George Jones was 22 years old when he first signed a recording contract with Starday Records. The first of his more than 900 records is his self-penned honky-tonk tune “No Money in This Deal.” The song was the first of the five songs he recorded with The Western Cherokees in Beaumont, Texas. The recording greatly exhibited Lefty Frizzell’s influence particularly on Jones’ vocal style as well as on the lyrics. Also, the song’s close similarity with Frizzell’s 1950 hit “If You’ve Got the Money (I’ve Got the Time)” is hugely recognizable. Jones’ debut record was out on February 18, 1954.

Additional Facts of the Song

In 1956, Jones re-recorded the song. The re-recorded version appeared on his fourth studio album that was released the following year. The song became a regional hit. Despite its limited geographic exposure, the song undeniably helped launch Jones’ recording career. Surely, the singer had considered the song special. He even mentioned his two sisters, Joyce and Loyce, in it. However, in his interview with Nick Toches of Texas Monthly in 1994, Jones said of the song,

“[It’s a ] bunch of junk. It didn’t seem like junk so much back in those days, but it would be junk today.”

Also, during Jones’ early years of singing, many thought of him as someone with copied vocal style. He tried to imitate those country music artists he idolized so much including Roy Acuff, Hank Williams, and Lefty Frizzell. Also, in his 1996 autobiography, the singer admitted how nervous he was at the time he recorded his first two singles.

“I can’t imagine being as nervous today as I was when I cut my first two songs for Starday at age twenty-two. When anybody gets nervous they rely on their reflexes, and I was no exception.”

Listen to Jones’ recording of “No Money on This Deal” below.

Did you enjoy this piece?

We would be glad to hear your thoughts or experiences related to the song. Likewise, please do not forget to hit the like button and share the fun with other fans of country music. Here on Country Thang Daily, we strive to bring you a daily dose of cutting-edge entertainment through country music and information.

To stay tuned, follow us on Facebook and Twitter. We’re also on Instagram and Pinterest.


Tags

Debut Country Song, George Jones, Lefty Frizzell, No Money in This Deal


Trending

UP NEXT

Latest Stories

Lisa Marie Presley’s Life of Legacy and Loss, Graceland’s Next Chapter
Bunnie XO Pictures: A Collection Of Her Hottest Looks Through The Years
Johnny Tillotson’s Fairytale-Like Cover of the Country-pop Hit “Send Me the Pillow You Dream On”
A Dive into “Talk Back Trembling Lips” Lyrics: Ernest Ashworth’s Hit Song 
Top 30 Country Songs This Week You Need to Hear
Does Jelly Roll Regret Having Face Tattoos? That and More Right Here

Country Thang Daily

>