He Stopped Loving Her Today
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| “He Stopped Loving Her Today” | ||
|---|---|---|
| Single by George Jones from the album I Am What I Am |
||
| Released | March 1980 | |
| Genre | Country | |
| Length | 03:15 | |
| Label | Epic Records | |
| Writer(s) | Bobby Braddock Curly Putman |
|
| Producer | Billy Sherrill, George Jones | |
"He Stopped Loving Her Today" is a song by country music artist George Jones that has been named in some surveys as the greatest country song of all time.[citation needed] It was a single on the album "I Am What I Am". Released in 1980, the song was Jones's first #1 single in six years. The melancholy song was written by Bobby Braddock and Curly Putman.
It is about a man who was betrayed by his lover. Despite her actions, he never stopped loving her the rest of his life--the day he stopped loving her turned out to be the day he died.
Jones stated in a 2002 Country Music Television interview that he told the producer he "...would record the song," but did not think it would sell "because it [was] too sad." Jones also bet the record producer that it would do poorly. Jones gladly lost his bet, for it would be the biggest hit of his career and for nearly three decades would be his trademark song.
The song was recorded in Nashville, Tennessee at CBS Studio B. The recording process was lengthy. Jones was frequently intoxicated and later said in an interview that the four spoken lines of the song had to be recorded over and over because he could not speak without slurring his words.
Jones credits the song with reviving his flagging career, stating that "a four-decade career had been salvaged by a three-minute song." George Jones earned the Grammy Award for Best Male Country Performance in 1980. The Academy of Country Music awarded the song "Single of the Year" and "Song of the Year" in 1980. It also became the Country Music Association's Song of the Year in both 1980 and 1981. This was only the second time that the same song won this honor two years in a row. (The first instance was the song "Easy Loving", sung by Freddie Hart.)
In 2003, CMT ranked this song #2 on its 100 Greatest Songs in Country Music. In 2004, CMT ranked it #13 on its 100 Greatest Country Love Songs. Other surveys have shown it as the #1 country song of all time.[citation needed]
[edit] Other versions
- On Shooter Jennings' 2005 album Put the "O" Back in Country, George sings the chorus of "He Stopped Loving Her Today" at the end of the track "4th Of July". (Jones' guest appearance was removed from the song's radio edit.)
- George Canyon covered the song for his 2007 album Classics.
- Josh Turner covered the song in 2006 for his Cracker Barrel Exclusive album live from the Ryman Auditorium in Nashville, TN.
- Trent Summar & The New Row Mob covered the song on their 2006 album Horseshoes & Hand Grenades.
- David Allan Coe recorded a version in the 1980s.
- A version appears by Johnny Cash on the Unearthed set.
| Preceded by "Tryin' to Love Two Women" by Oak Ridge Boys |
Billboard Hot Country Singles number one single by George Jones July 5, 1980 |
Succeeded by "You Win Again" by Charley Pride |
