"Tulsa Time" is unquestionably one of the biggest hits Don Williams ever released. What makes the song even more interesting is that it almost didn't happen. Written by Danny Flowers and released in 1978 on Williams' Expressions album, a perfect storm - literally - almost kept the song from even being released.
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According to Flowers, he was holed up inside an Oklahoma hotel while on tour with Williams. A noted tunesmith, Flowers wrote the entire song in about 30 minutes. Unfortunately, both Williams and Eric Clapton both wanted the song. Williams and Clapton reportedly began arguing about who would get to record "Tulsa Time," when Flowers had enough.
"I just put both hands up and said, 'Stop!" Flowers tells Tulsa World (via Rolling Stone). "If you are going to fight about it, I'm not going to let either one of you do it.'"
Ironically, both Williams and Clapton recorded "Tulsa Time," although Williams is the only one who had a hit with the song.
The Story Behind "Tulsa Time"
What makes "Tulsa Time" even more interesting is that Flowers is actually from North Carolina. But when he was stuck in Oklahoma, he had time to reflect on his affinity for one of the state's popular cities.
"I had a lot of friends there," Flowers recalls (via American Songwriter). "I was thinking about my friends in Tulsa and what my experience there was like, so I just started writing this song. "
Flowers might have quickly penned "Tulsa Time," but it almost had another writer on it. He asked someone else in the band to help him write the song, but was surprisingly turned down.
"I called the bass player down the hall," Flowers remembers. "'Hey, man, do you want to come help me finish a song?'"
"He said, 'No, I've got my clothes off and I'm in bed and I'm watching Rockford Files," he adds. "I said, 'OK, but it's going to be a big hit, and you're really going to miss out on it.' He said, 'OK, I'll see you in the morning.'"
The bass player likely later regretted his decision. "Tulsa Time" was the No. 1 song in 1979.
