Singers need to "feel" a song in their hearts and minds to get the emotion across to listeners. So it's crucial that they literally get all the words right. Sometimes, there is a sticking point that a vocalist has trouble getting past. That seems to have happened once to the late, great Charley Pride, who passed away in 2020 at age 86 from complications of COVID-19. Per Classic Country Music Stories on Facebook, Pride's challenge when it came to singing one song - "She's Just An Old Love Turned Memory" - is explained. A smart, quick-thinking producer finally saved the day for the acclaimed triple-Grammy winner. It took only one tiny tweak to correct the issue.
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Pride was a cultural and popular sensation. His obituary in The New York Times stated, "The reasons for Mr. Pride's appeal were undeniable: a resonant baritone voice, an innate ear for melody, an affable demeanor and camera-friendly good looks." But one pesky lyric turned into a minor but stubborn glitch for him.
What Word Did Charley Pride Inexplicably Get Stuck On When He Sang That Song?
Pride had an issue with the 1977 John Schweers-written song right of the bat. Per the outlet, "While attempting to record 'She's Just an Old Love Turned Memory,' Pride had his share of problems in the studio - mainly with the very first line of the song." The line "I phoned her today" weirdly kept sounding like "I honed her today" when Pride sang it. That was certainly not good.
There Was A Small But Important Change In One Line
A producer named Jerry Bradley devised a fast fix. He suggested that Pride try it as "I called her today." That change did not appeal to him, however. At last, Pride did go with the one-word alteration. He had the right idea. According to Facebook, "'She's Just an Old Love Turned Memory' landed at #1 on Billboard's country singles chart March 12, 1977, marking Pride's 17th chart-topper. He finished with a career total of 29."
The song is about the narrator's former flame, the one he can't seem to forget. Try as he might, she is always present in his mind. The line, "But she still turns my world upside down" will be painfully familiar to anybody who had a cherished love that fizzled out.
