Best Songs of Patsy Cline

Patsy Cline is commonly held as one of the greatest, if not THE greatest, female vocalist in country music history. Her songs are part and parcel of the classic Nashville sound, where country tunes were melded with strings and pop song structures from Tin Pan Alley, to create a new sound for a new demographic of people (as country fans were growing up in post-WWII America). Patsy (born Virginia Hensley, in Winchester VA) was gifted with perfect pitch, and an innate sense of phrasing. Her songs are classic heartache songs, heard on many jukeboxes and stages to this day. She was by-in-large a singles artist, as were many during this time, so this list is comprised of tunes that often appear on anthologies. Here is my list (with the songwriter, and session year)

Patsy Cline
1. Leavin' On Your Mind
2. Crazy
3. Sweet Dreams
4. San Antonio Rose
5. I Fall To Pieces
6. Faded Love
7. Walking After Midnight
8. Always
9. Strange
10. So Wrong

"Leavin' On Your Mind" (Webb Pierce/Wayne Walker, 1962). This is my personal favorite song of Patsy's. Any easy shuffle in the key of G, she sings it like a lament. Her phrasing is on display here in abundance - "If you've got leavin' on your mind, hurt me know get it over". An oft-overlooked classic in her repertoire.

"Crazy" (Willie Nelson, 1961). This is the quintessential Nashville country torch-song. It is the number one most requested jukebox song according to Billboard. Patsy had difficult with this song: it was jazzier than most country material, and she had just recently been injured in car crash. Her injuries hampered her endurance and ability to breathe, so when combined with the stylistic quirks of the song, she had trouble getting a good take at first. She finally nailed, and the result is legendary. The song is framed by masterful by pianist Floyd Cramer (whom you can recognize from the first note of the intro) and the sublime vocals of the Jordanaires. Willie Nelson often says that Patsy's version is his favorite rendition of his songs by anybody.

"Sweet Dreams" (Don Gibson, 1963). Don Gibson was the quintessential Nashville heartbreak songwriter. Beginning with a lovely cascading string passage, the song is one of Patsy's most poignant. The song was one of her last she recorded before her death, and serves as a capstone to her recorded output. Another all-time classic.

"San Antonio Rose" (Bob Wills, 1961). This song is country and western swing standard that has been recorded by numerous artists over the years. Interestingly this song can be viewed as a precursor to the Nashville sound, as it combines Western swing with AABA pop song form.

"I Fall To Pieces" (Hank Cochran/Howard Harlan, 1961). This tune is the second in the trifecta of Patsy's most well-known songs (the others being "Walking After Midnight" and "Crazy"). The song begins with a sweet, echo-laden ascending guitar line by Nashville ace Hank Garland. Another Nashville landmark song.

"Faded Love" (Bob Wills, 1963). Also recorded near the end of Patsy's life, "Faded Love" features what might be her most personal and soulful vocal performance ever (and that's saying a lot given the other songs on this list, and her output in general!). Her grace and style, and sheer emotive power are on display here in force. The very last lines of the song, when she pauses with a catch in her voice on the phrase "Faded Love" is worth the price of admission alone.

"Walking After Midnight" (Donn Hecht/Alan Block, 1957/1961). This is the song that put Patsy Cline on the map: a country music standard if there ever was one.

"Always" (Irving Berlin, 1963). Recorded during the same session as "Sweet Dreams" this song prove Patsy's inimitable versatility once and for all. Those who knew her said that Patsy could sing any style, and this Berlin standard proves it. At the end of the day, whatever she sang became a Patsy Cline song.

"Strange" (Mel Tillis/Fred Burch). This tune features a rhumba-esque groove and Patsy's signature jazz influence "behind the beat" phrasing.

"So Wrong" (Carl Perkins, Danny Dill, Mel Tillis, 1962). Yet another of the classic torch songs that Patsy made her own.

Thanks to the following for verification of the songwriters and session dates:

http://www.patsycline.info/
http://www.patsified.nu