Country Music

Classic Country Music Hits

Country Music

George Jones – Once You’ve Had The Best (Live at Farm Aid 1985)

“Scroll down to the end of the article to listen to music.”

Picture this: a warm, dimly lit room filled with the soulful strumming of a guitar, the soft clink of glasses, and the hum of hushed conversations. Amidst this serene ambiance, a voice cuts through, rich with emotion and experience, singing about the bittersweet realization that once you’ve had the best, nothing else quite compares. This scene, reminiscent of many late-night gatherings, perfectly encapsulates the essence of “Once You’ve Had the Best,” a song that speaks to the heart and soul.

About The Composition

  • Title: Once You’ve Had the Best
  • Composer: Johnny Paycheck
  • Premiere Date: 1973
  • Album/Opus/Collection: Mr. Lovemaker
  • Genre: Country

Background

“Once You’ve Had the Best” was written and performed by Johnny Paycheck, a name synonymous with the gritty, unvarnished realities of life and love. Released in 1973 as part of his album Mr. Lovemaker, the song quickly became a staple in Paycheck’s repertoire. Known for its poignant lyrics and heartfelt delivery, the song captures the essence of longing and the unshakeable memory of a past love.

In the early 70s, Johnny Paycheck was already a well-established figure in the country music scene, renowned for his ability to infuse his songs with raw, unfiltered emotion. “Once You’ve Had the Best” was no exception. The song resonated deeply with listeners, many of whom found solace and a sense of shared experience in its lyrics.

Musical Style

The musical style of “Once You’ve Had the Best” is quintessentially country, characterized by its simple yet powerful arrangement. The song features traditional country instrumentation, including acoustic guitar, steel guitar, and subtle percussion. The structure is straightforward, allowing Paycheck’s voice and the song’s emotive lyrics to take center stage.

One of the standout elements of the song is its melody, which is both haunting and comforting. The use of steel guitar adds a layer of melancholy, enhancing the song’s themes of nostalgia and yearning. Paycheck’s vocal delivery is raw and sincere, drawing the listener in and conveying a profound sense of authenticity.

Lyrics

The lyrics of “Once You’ve Had the Best” tell a story of a love lost and the realization that nothing else can ever compare to what once was. The song opens with a vivid depiction of the protagonist’s current state, juxtaposed with memories of a past love. Lines like “Once you’ve had the best, the rest is just second best” poignantly capture the essence of the song’s message.

The narrative is relatable and universal, touching on themes of love, loss, and the enduring impact of significant relationships. The lyrics are simple yet profound, allowing listeners to project their own experiences and emotions onto the song.

Performance History

Since its release, “Once You’ve Had the Best” has been performed by numerous artists, each bringing their own unique interpretation to the song. Notable performances include those by George Jones, who covered the song and helped solidify its place in country music history. Over the years, the song has been a favorite in live performances, with its emotional depth and relatable themes resonating with audiences worldwide.

Cultural Impact

The cultural impact of “Once You’ve Had the Best” extends beyond the realm of country music. Its themes of love and loss are universal, making it a favorite across different genres and audiences. The song has been featured in various media, including television shows and films, further cementing its place in popular culture.

The song’s influence can be seen in the works of contemporary country artists, many of whom cite Johnny Paycheck as an inspiration. “Once You’ve Had the Best” continues to be a touchstone for those exploring themes of heartache and longing in their music.

Legacy

The legacy of “Once You’ve Had the Best” is evident in its enduring popularity and continued relevance. The song remains a beloved classic, regularly covered by new generations of artists and featured in various playlists and compilations. Its timeless message and emotive delivery ensure that it continues to touch the hearts of listeners, old and new.

Conclusion

“Once You’ve Had the Best” is more than just a song; it’s a reflection of the human experience, capturing the universal emotions of love, loss, and longing. Its heartfelt lyrics, combined with Johnny Paycheck’s soulful delivery, make it a timeless piece that resonates deeply with listeners.

If you haven’t yet experienced the emotional depth of “Once You’ve Had the Best,” I highly recommend giving it a listen. Whether through Johnny Paycheck’s original recording or one of the many beautiful covers, this song is sure to leave a lasting impression. For a truly memorable experience, seek out live performances where the raw emotion of the song can be felt in its fullest.

Embrace the journey that “Once You’ve Had the Best” offers, and allow its melodies and lyrics to transport you to a place of reflection and emotional resonance

Video

Lyrics

I’m so glad to have you back within these arms of mine
I can finally close my eyes and get some rest
Never once did I think of finding someone new
‘Cause there’s nothing better once you’ve had the best
You’re the very thing they sing about in love songs
And one mistake don’t mean you’ve failed the test
And as you lay beside me softly sleeping, this I know
There’s nothing better once you’ve had the best
Within your arms I’ve had the best and I think the world should know
I don’t care what you’ve said or done I’ll always love you so
You’ve got more love in your little finger than all the rest
And there’s nothing better once you’ve had the best
No, there’s nothing better once you’ve had the best

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DOCTORS ERASED MOST OF TOWNES VAN ZANDT’S CHILDHOOD MEMORIES. A FEW YEARS LATER, HE SAT DOWN WITH A GUITAR AND WROTE “WAITIN’ AROUND TO DIE.” Before he became the Texas songwriter Willie Nelson and Merle Haggard would carry to No. 1, Townes Van Zandt had been headed somewhere else. He came from a prominent Fort Worth family. His parents imagined law school, politics, a life with a desk and a future that made sense on paper. Then college started coming apart. Townes was drinking hard in Boulder. He was depressed, restless, and doing things that frightened his family. After he was brought back to Texas, they admitted him to a hospital in Galveston. Doctors gave him months of insulin shock treatment. Later accounts said much of his long-term memory was gone. His mother said allowing the treatment was the biggest regret of her life. Townes went back to Houston. He enrolled in a pre-law program. He married. He had an apartment, a young family, and another chance to become the man everybody had expected. Then he started writing songs. One of the first was “Waitin’ Around to Die.” It was not the kind of song a young law student was supposed to bring home. It was about drifting, drinking, getting beaten down, meeting a friend on the road, and finding out the friend was waiting to die too. Townes started playing coffeehouses for almost nothing. He met Mickey Newbury, who heard the songs and sent him toward Nashville. By the end of the 1960s, he was making records full of characters who sounded like they had already lost their way before the first verse began. Years later, Willie Nelson and Merle Haggard took “Pancho and Lefty” to No. 1. But before the songs reached Nashville, before the records, before the long nights and the legend, there was a young man in Texas trying to build a new life after a hospital had taken much of the old one away. He did not become a lawyer. He picked up a guitar and started writing about people who could not find their way home.

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TOM T. HALL LEFT THE TOUR BUS BEHIND. DIXIE HALL TURNED THEIR FARM INTO A PLACE WHERE THE SONGS COULD KEEP LIVING. By the mid-1990s, Tom T. Hall had spent more than three decades on the road. He had written “Harper Valley P.T.A.” for Jeannie C. Riley. He had taken “The Year That Clayton Delaney Died” and “Old Dogs, Children and Watermelon Wine” to country radio. He had become “The Storyteller,” one of the few men in Nashville who could make a small-town stranger feel like the center of the world for three minutes. But by then, the road had changed. Country music was getting younger, louder, more corporate. Tom had never been built for chasing trends. He had lived through the buses, the airport gates, the television appearances, the late-night drives back from another show. Eventually, he stepped away from full-time touring. There was no giant farewell show. No final stadium speech. He simply went home to Fox Hollow, the farm outside Nashville he shared with his wife, Dixie. For a while, it looked like the story might end there. Then Dixie Hall went to work. Dixie was not just Tom’s wife. She had been a songwriter before she married him. She had written Dave Dudley’s hit “Truck Drivin’ Son-of-a-Gun.” She had spent years around Nashville rooms where songs were treated like inventory and writers were expected to keep producing. At Fox Hollow, she helped create something different. The farm became a place where bluegrass musicians could come record. Songwriters came through. Young artists found a room, a microphone, and people who still cared whether a song had a life beyond the charts. Dixie kept writing. Tom began writing with her again. One of the first albums from that chapter was Nancy Moore’s 1999 debut, Local Flowers. It was recorded at Fox Hollow. Every song on the record came from Dixie Hall, Tom T. Hall, or both of them together. That was the turn. Tom T. Hall had not gone back to chasing hits. He had not returned to the road as the old “Storyteller” Nashville remembered. He was making a different kind of music now — songs for bluegrass singers, songs for friends, songs written at home with the woman who knew he was not finished. Years later, he recorded an album of the songs they had made together: Tom T. Hall Sings Miss Dixie and Tom T. The title sounded almost casual. But it carried the truth of his final musical chapter. Tom T. Hall left the road. Dixie Hall made sure he still had somewhere to sing.

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TOM T. HALL LEFT THE TOUR BUS BEHIND. DIXIE HALL TURNED THEIR FARM INTO A PLACE WHERE THE SONGS COULD KEEP LIVING. By the mid-1990s, Tom T. Hall had spent more than three decades on the road. He had written “Harper Valley P.T.A.” for Jeannie C. Riley. He had taken “The Year That Clayton Delaney Died” and “Old Dogs, Children and Watermelon Wine” to country radio. He had become “The Storyteller,” one of the few men in Nashville who could make a small-town stranger feel like the center of the world for three minutes. But by then, the road had changed. Country music was getting younger, louder, more corporate. Tom had never been built for chasing trends. He had lived through the buses, the airport gates, the television appearances, the late-night drives back from another show. Eventually, he stepped away from full-time touring. There was no giant farewell show. No final stadium speech. He simply went home to Fox Hollow, the farm outside Nashville he shared with his wife, Dixie. For a while, it looked like the story might end there. Then Dixie Hall went to work. Dixie was not just Tom’s wife. She had been a songwriter before she married him. She had written Dave Dudley’s hit “Truck Drivin’ Son-of-a-Gun.” She had spent years around Nashville rooms where songs were treated like inventory and writers were expected to keep producing. At Fox Hollow, she helped create something different. The farm became a place where bluegrass musicians could come record. Songwriters came through. Young artists found a room, a microphone, and people who still cared whether a song had a life beyond the charts. Dixie kept writing. Tom began writing with her again. One of the first albums from that chapter was Nancy Moore’s 1999 debut, Local Flowers. It was recorded at Fox Hollow. Every song on the record came from Dixie Hall, Tom T. Hall, or both of them together. That was the turn. Tom T. Hall had not gone back to chasing hits. He had not returned to the road as the old “Storyteller” Nashville remembered. He was making a different kind of music now — songs for bluegrass singers, songs for friends, songs written at home with the woman who knew he was not finished. Years later, he recorded an album of the songs they had made together: Tom T. Hall Sings Miss Dixie and Tom T. The title sounded almost casual. But it carried the truth of his final musical chapter. Tom T. Hall left the road. Dixie Hall made sure he still had somewhere to sing.

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MARK CHESNUTT’S FATHER DROVE HIM TO NASHVILLE FOR TEN YEARS. THEN HE DIED JUST BEFORE HIS SON’S FIRST NO. Before Mark Chesnutt became one of the voices that kept honky-tonk alive in the 1990s, he was a kid in Beaumont, Texas, growing up around his father’s records. Bob Chesnutt sang locally. He collected country albums. Hank Williams. Merle Haggard. George Jones. The music was always in the house. Mark started on drums, then began singing with his father’s band while he was still a teenager. Bob knew the difference between a kid who liked country music and one who had a voice people would follow into a barroom. So he kept taking him to Nashville. Mark was seventeen when those trips began. For nearly ten years, father and son kept making the run from Beaumont to Music City. Mark cut little singles for regional labels. He played honky-tonks around southeast Texas. He became the house band at Cutters in Beaumont. There were nights when the room was full and nights when it was not. There were records that came out and disappeared without changing anything. But Bob kept believing. By the end of the 1980s, Mark had released several local singles without breaking through. Then producer Tony Brown heard one of the records and passed Mark’s name to producer Mark Wright. MCA signed him in 1990. After all those drives, all those clubs, all those small records, Nashville had finally opened the door. Then Bob Chesnutt died of a heart attack. He did not get to stand in the crowd and hear the full result of the years he had spent driving his son toward this moment. Mark released Too Cold at Home later that year. The title track became a major hit. Then “Brother Jukebox” went to No. 1 in 1991. More hits followed: “Blame It on Texas,” “Your Love Is a Miracle,” “Old Flames Have New Names,” “I’ll Think of Something.” Country radio had finally learned the name Mark Chesnutt. Years later, Mark found old photographs of Bob and wrote that his father had been his biggest inspiration and truly his hero. The records proved it. But the long drives had already said it first.

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A WORKPLACE ACCIDENT LEFT STONEY EDWARDS TOO SICK TO GO BACK TO THE STEEL REFINERY. THEN HE SANG AT A BENEFIT FOR BOB WILLS — AND A LAWYER IN THE CROWD CHANGED THE REST OF HIS LIFE. Before Stoney Edwards made a record, he had spent most of his life working whatever job would keep a family fed. He was born Frenchy Edwards in Seminole, Oklahoma, during the Depression. He never went to school. After moving to California, he worked as a janitor, truck driver, cowboy, machinist, and forklift operator. At night, he played guitar and sang country songs in bars around the Bay Area, carrying the sound of Bob Wills, Lefty Frizzell, and the Grand Ole Opry with him. Then, in 1968, he got trapped inside a sealed tank at the steel refinery where he worked. The air inside filled with carbon dioxide. By the time Stoney was pulled out, the poisoning had left him seriously ill. He could not return to the heavy work that had paid the bills. The refinery job was gone. So was the certainty that he could keep supporting his wife and children the way he had before. For two years, he tried to recover. Then word came that Bob Wills was sick. Stoney had grown up on Western swing. Bob Wills was one of the men whose records had taught him what country music could sound like. So in 1970, Stoney helped put together a benefit for Wills in Oakland, California. It was not a Nashville audition. It was a local night for a sick hero. But Ray Sweeney was in the room. Sweeney was a lawyer with connections to Capitol Records. He heard Stoney sing and saw something the country business rarely gave room to: a Black singer carrying an old honky-tonk voice that sounded closer to Lefty Frizzell and Merle Haggard than anything fashionable on radio. Within months, Capitol signed him. His first single was “A Two Dollar Toy.” The song came from a moment after the accident, when Stoney had considered leaving home because he could no longer provide for his family. On the way out, he stepped on one of his daughter’s toys and woke her up. He stopped. That small plastic toy became a song. Then came “She’s My Rock,” a Top 20 country hit. “Mississippi You’re on My Mind” followed. For a few years in the 1970s, Stoney Edwards became one of the most visible Black country singers in America after Charley Pride. But the first door did not open in Nashville. It opened in Oakland, at a benefit for Bob Wills, with a recovering refinery worker standing in front of a crowd and singing the music he had carried through every job he had ever worked.