Always on My Mind
Encyclopedia
"Always on My Mind" is an American country music
song by Johnny Christopher, Mark James
and Wayne Carson
, originally recorded by Brenda Lee
in 1972.
Allmusic lists over 300 recorded releases of the song in versions by dozens of performers. While Brenda Lee's version had stalled at #45 on the country charts in 1972, other performers would reach top 20 (including #1) success with their own versions: Elvis Presley
in 1972; John Wesley Ryles
in 1979; Willie Nelson
Grammy Award
winning version in 1982; Pet Shop Boys
in 1987.
recorded his version of "Always on My Mind" on March 29, 1972, a few weeks after his February separation from wife Priscilla
. The song was released as the B-side of the "Separate Ways
" single, which reached Gold status in the U.S for sales of over half a million copies. It was listed as a double sided hit reaching number 16 on Billboard magazine
's Hot Country Singles chart in November 1972. In the UK "Always on My Mind" was the hit song and "Separate Ways" was the B-side.
reached number 20 on the U.S. country charts with his rendition, entitled "You Are Always on My Mind", from the album Let the Night Begin.
and released in the spring of 1982. The song raced to number one on Billboard magazine
's Hot Country Singles chart that May, spending two weeks atop and total of 21 weeks on the chart. The song also did very well on Top 40 radio, peaking at number five on the Billboard Hot 100
for three weeks and staying on this chart for 23 weeks. In the year end charts, this version was Billboard's number one country song for 1982. This version also charted in a number of other countries.
Nelson's version would result in three wins at the 25th Grammy Awards
in February 1983: songwriters Christopher, James and Carson won Song of the Year and Best Country Song; in addition, Nelson won for Best Male Country Vocal Performance.
This version also won Country Music Association
awards in two consecutive years: 1982 Song of the Year and 1983 Song of the Year for songwriters Christopher, James and Carson; 1982 Single of the Year for Nelson, and; contributed to Nelson winning 1982 Album of the Year for the album "Always on My Mind
".
Willie Nelson
performed the number with Johnny Cash
on the 1998 release of VH1 Storytellers: Johnny Cash & Willie Nelson
. The song was also featured on a December 2009 ASPCA
commercial.
On July 10, 1991, this version was certified platinum by RIAA. In 2008, the single was inducted to the Grammy Hall of Fame.
performed a synthpop
version of "Always on My Mind" on Love Me Tender, an ITV
network television special commemorating the tenth anniversary of Presley's death, in which various popular contemporary acts performed cover versions of his hits. Their performance was so well-received that the duo decided to record the song and release it as a single. This version became the UK's Christmas number one single
that year and topping the charts for four weeks in total. It is their best selling single in the official UK Singles Chart
.
The Pet Shop Boys version introduces a harmonic variation not present in the original version. In the original the ending phrase "always on my mind" is sung to a IV-V7-I cadence
(C-D7-G). The Pet Shop Boys extend this cadence by adding two further chords: C-D7-Gm7/B-C-G (i.e. a progression of IV-V7-i7b-IV-I).
In November 2004, The Daily Telegraph
newspaper placed the version at number two in a list of the fifty greatest cover versions of all time.
In the video for Pet Shop Boys' version of "Always on My Mind" (an excerpt from their surreal music film It Couldn't Happen Here
), Neil Tennant
and Chris Lowe
are seated in the front of a taxi cab, when an odd passenger gets in, played by notable British actor Joss Ackland
. At the end of the song, he gets out of the car, which drives away. Standing alone, he mutters: "You went away. It should make me feel better. But I don't know how I'm going to get through", which is part of the lyrics for another Pet Shop Boys track, "What Have I Done to Deserve This?".
In 1988, the duo rerecorded the song for their third studio LP, Introspective, combining it with an acid-house track called "In My House".
Country music
Country music is a popular American musical style that began in the rural Southern United States in the 1920s. It takes its roots from Western cowboy and folk music...
song by Johnny Christopher, Mark James
Mark James (songwriter)
Mark James is a songwriter, famous for writing hits for singers B.J. Thomas, Brenda Lee, and Elvis Presley, most notably Elvis' last US number one hit single, "Suspicious Minds."-History:...
and Wayne Carson
Wayne Carson
Wayne Carson Thompson is an American country musician. He is a songwriter, producer and plays percussion, piano, guitar, and bass. His most famous songs include "Neon Rainbow", "The Letter", "Always on My Mind" , and "Soul Deep".-Biography:Born in Denver, Colorado, his parents, Odie and Olivia...
, originally recorded by Brenda Lee
Brenda Lee
Brenda Mae Tarpley , known as Brenda Lee, is an American performer who sang rockabilly, pop and country music, and had 37 US chart hits during the 1960s, a number surpassed only by Elvis Presley, The Beatles, Ray Charles and Connie Francis...
in 1972.
Allmusic lists over 300 recorded releases of the song in versions by dozens of performers. While Brenda Lee's version had stalled at #45 on the country charts in 1972, other performers would reach top 20 (including #1) success with their own versions: Elvis Presley
Elvis Presley
Elvis Aaron Presley was one of the most popular American singers of the 20th century. A cultural icon, he is widely known by the single name Elvis. He is often referred to as the "King of Rock and Roll" or simply "the King"....
in 1972; John Wesley Ryles
John Wesley Ryles
John Wesley Ryles is an American country music artist. He made his debut in 1968 with the single "Kay", a Top Ten hit on the Billboard Hot Country Singles charts, and the title track to his debut album for Columbia Records.Ryles later recorded one album, Reconsider Me, for the Plantation label,...
in 1979; Willie Nelson
Willie Nelson
Willie Hugh Nelson is an American country music singer-songwriter, as well as an author, poet, actor, and activist. The critical success of the album Shotgun Willie , combined with the critical and commercial success of Red Headed Stranger and Stardust , made Nelson one of the most recognized...
Grammy Award
Grammy Award
A Grammy Award — or Grammy — is an accolade by the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences of the United States to recognize outstanding achievement in the music industry...
winning version in 1982; Pet Shop Boys
Pet Shop Boys
Pet Shop Boys are an English electronic dance music duo, consisting of Neil Tennant, who provides main vocals, keyboards and occasional guitar, and Chris Lowe on keyboards....
in 1987.
Elvis Presley version
Elvis PresleyElvis Presley
Elvis Aaron Presley was one of the most popular American singers of the 20th century. A cultural icon, he is widely known by the single name Elvis. He is often referred to as the "King of Rock and Roll" or simply "the King"....
recorded his version of "Always on My Mind" on March 29, 1972, a few weeks after his February separation from wife Priscilla
Priscilla Presley
Priscilla Presley is an American actress and businesswoman. She is the ex-wife of singer Elvis Presley, and the mother of singer-songwriter Lisa Marie Presley....
. The song was released as the B-side of the "Separate Ways
Separate Ways (Elvis Presley album)
Separate Ways is a compilation album by Elvis Presley from 1973. Released by RCA Records under its RCA-Camden subsidiary exactly one month after another compilation, Burning Love and Hits from His Movies, Volume 2, Separate Ways was the second and final attempt by RCA to repackage older Elvis...
" single, which reached Gold status in the U.S for sales of over half a million copies. It was listed as a double sided hit reaching number 16 on Billboard magazine
Billboard (magazine)
Billboard is a weekly American magazine devoted to the music industry, and is one of the oldest trade magazines in the world. It maintains several internationally recognized music charts that track the most popular songs and albums in various categories on a weekly basis...
's Hot Country Singles chart in November 1972. In the UK "Always on My Mind" was the hit song and "Separate Ways" was the B-side.
Chart performance
| 1972 Weekly Chart | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Canadian RPM Country Tracks | 4 |
| Dutch Top 40 | 17 |
| French Singles Chart | 56 |
| Swiss Singles Chart | 39 |
| U.K. Singles Chart | 9 |
| U.S. Billboard Hot Country Singles | 16 |
John Wesley Ryles version
In 1979, John Wesley RylesJohn Wesley Ryles
John Wesley Ryles is an American country music artist. He made his debut in 1968 with the single "Kay", a Top Ten hit on the Billboard Hot Country Singles charts, and the title track to his debut album for Columbia Records.Ryles later recorded one album, Reconsider Me, for the Plantation label,...
reached number 20 on the U.S. country charts with his rendition, entitled "You Are Always on My Mind", from the album Let the Night Begin.
Chart performance
| 1979 Weekly Chart | Peak position |
|---|---|
| U.S. Billboard Hot Country Singles | 20 |
| Canadian RPM Country Tracks | 24 |
Willie Nelson version
The song was recorded by Willie NelsonWillie Nelson
Willie Hugh Nelson is an American country music singer-songwriter, as well as an author, poet, actor, and activist. The critical success of the album Shotgun Willie , combined with the critical and commercial success of Red Headed Stranger and Stardust , made Nelson one of the most recognized...
and released in the spring of 1982. The song raced to number one on Billboard magazine
Billboard (magazine)
Billboard is a weekly American magazine devoted to the music industry, and is one of the oldest trade magazines in the world. It maintains several internationally recognized music charts that track the most popular songs and albums in various categories on a weekly basis...
's Hot Country Singles chart that May, spending two weeks atop and total of 21 weeks on the chart. The song also did very well on Top 40 radio, peaking at number five on the Billboard Hot 100
Billboard Hot 100
The Billboard Hot 100 is the United States music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine. Chart rankings are based on radio play and sales; the tracking-week for sales begins on Monday and ends on Sunday, while the radio play tracking-week runs from Wednesday...
for three weeks and staying on this chart for 23 weeks. In the year end charts, this version was Billboard's number one country song for 1982. This version also charted in a number of other countries.
Nelson's version would result in three wins at the 25th Grammy Awards
Grammy Awards of 1983
The 25th Grammy Awards were held February 23, 1983. They recognized accomplishments by musicians from the previous year.-Awards:*Record of the Year**Toto for "Rosanna"*Album of the Year**Toto for Toto IV...
in February 1983: songwriters Christopher, James and Carson won Song of the Year and Best Country Song; in addition, Nelson won for Best Male Country Vocal Performance.
This version also won Country Music Association
Country Music Association
The Country Music Association was founded in 1958 in Nashville, Tennessee. It originally consisted of only 233 members and was the first trade organization formed to promote a music genre...
awards in two consecutive years: 1982 Song of the Year and 1983 Song of the Year for songwriters Christopher, James and Carson; 1982 Single of the Year for Nelson, and; contributed to Nelson winning 1982 Album of the Year for the album "Always on My Mind
Always on My Mind (album)
Always on My Mind is a 1982 album by country singer Willie Nelson. It was the Billboard number one country album of the year for 1982, and stayed 253 weeks on the Billboard Top Country Albums charts, peaking at number one for a total of 22 weeks, as well as spending 99 weeks on the Billboard 200...
".
Willie Nelson
Willie Nelson
Willie Hugh Nelson is an American country music singer-songwriter, as well as an author, poet, actor, and activist. The critical success of the album Shotgun Willie , combined with the critical and commercial success of Red Headed Stranger and Stardust , made Nelson one of the most recognized...
performed the number with Johnny Cash
Johnny Cash
John R. "Johnny" Cash was an American singer-songwriter, actor, and author, who has been called one of the most influential musicians of the 20th century...
on the 1998 release of VH1 Storytellers: Johnny Cash & Willie Nelson
VH1 Storytellers: Johnny Cash & Willie Nelson
VH1 Storytellers is a live album by Johnny Cash and Willie Nelson, released in 1998 on American Recordings. The album was produced by Rick Rubin and was the third record released as part of Cash's 9-year period of collaboration with Rubin.The opening track is a duet with Cash and Nelson, followed...
. The song was also featured on a December 2009 ASPCA
American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals
The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals is a non-profit organization dedicated to preventing cruelty towards animals...
commercial.
On July 10, 1991, this version was certified platinum by RIAA. In 2008, the single was inducted to the Grammy Hall of Fame.
Chart performance
| 1982 Weekly Chart | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Australian Kent Music Report | 39 |
| Canadian RPM Country Tracks | 1 |
| Canadian RPM Adult Contemporary Tracks | 4 |
| Canadian RPM Top Singles | 10 |
| Dutch Singles Chart | 17 |
| Irish Singles Chart | 8 |
| U.S. Billboard Hot Country Singles | 1 |
| U.S. Billboard Hot Adult Contemporary Tracks | 2 |
| U.S. Billboard Hot 100 | 5 |
| U.K. Singles Chart | 49 |
| 1982 Year-End Chart | Position |
|---|---|
| U.S. Billboard Hot 100 | 22 |
| U.S. Cashbox Top 100 | 31 |
| Canadian RPM Top Singles | 70 |
Pet Shop Boys version
In 1987, Pet Shop BoysPet Shop Boys
Pet Shop Boys are an English electronic dance music duo, consisting of Neil Tennant, who provides main vocals, keyboards and occasional guitar, and Chris Lowe on keyboards....
performed a synthpop
Synthpop
Synthpop is a genre of popular music that first became prominent in the 1980s, in which the synthesizer is the dominant musical instrument. It was prefigured in the 1960s and early 1970s by the use of synthesizers in progressive rock, electronic art rock, disco and particularly the "Kraut rock" of...
version of "Always on My Mind" on Love Me Tender, an ITV
ITV
ITV is the major commercial public service TV network in the United Kingdom. Launched in 1955 under the auspices of the Independent Television Authority to provide competition to the BBC, it is also the oldest commercial network in the UK...
network television special commemorating the tenth anniversary of Presley's death, in which various popular contemporary acts performed cover versions of his hits. Their performance was so well-received that the duo decided to record the song and release it as a single. This version became the UK's Christmas number one single
Christmas number one single
The Christmas number one single is a single that reaches number one on the national pop music charts in the week immediately prior to Christmas. It is primarily a pop culture phenomenon in the United Kingdom and in the neighboring Republic of Ireland....
that year and topping the charts for four weeks in total. It is their best selling single in the official UK Singles Chart
UK Singles Chart
The UK Singles Chart is compiled by The Official Charts Company on behalf of the British record-industry. The full chart contains the top selling 200 singles in the United Kingdom based upon combined record sales and download numbers, though some media outlets only list the Top 40 or the Top 75 ...
.
The Pet Shop Boys version introduces a harmonic variation not present in the original version. In the original the ending phrase "always on my mind" is sung to a IV-V7-I cadence
Cadence (music)
In Western musical theory, a cadence is, "a melodic or harmonic configuration that creates a sense of repose or resolution [finality or pause]." A harmonic cadence is a progression of two chords that concludes a phrase, section, or piece of music...
(C-D7-G). The Pet Shop Boys extend this cadence by adding two further chords: C-D7-Gm7/B-C-G (i.e. a progression of IV-V7-i7b-IV-I).
In November 2004, The Daily Telegraph
The Daily Telegraph
The Daily Telegraph is a daily morning broadsheet newspaper distributed throughout the United Kingdom and internationally. The newspaper was founded by Arthur B...
newspaper placed the version at number two in a list of the fifty greatest cover versions of all time.
In the video for Pet Shop Boys' version of "Always on My Mind" (an excerpt from their surreal music film It Couldn't Happen Here
It Couldn't Happen Here
It Couldn't Happen Here is a 1988 musical film starring the British pop duo Pet Shop Boys and based around their music. It was originally conceived as an hour-long video based around their album Actually, but it turned into a surreal full-scale feature film directed by Jack Bond and co-starring...
), Neil Tennant
Neil Tennant
Neil Francis Tennant is an English musician, singer and songwriter, who, with bandmate Chris Lowe, makes up the successful electronic dance music duo Pet Shop Boys.-Childhood:...
and Chris Lowe
Chris Lowe
Chris Lowe is an English musician, who, with colleague Neil Tennant, makes up the pop duo Pet Shop Boys.-Childhood:...
are seated in the front of a taxi cab, when an odd passenger gets in, played by notable British actor Joss Ackland
Joss Ackland
Sidney Edmond Jocelyn Ackland CBE , known as Joss Ackland, is an English actor who has appeared in more than 130 films and numerous television roles.-Early life:...
. At the end of the song, he gets out of the car, which drives away. Standing alone, he mutters: "You went away. It should make me feel better. But I don't know how I'm going to get through", which is part of the lyrics for another Pet Shop Boys track, "What Have I Done to Deserve This?".
In 1988, the duo rerecorded the song for their third studio LP, Introspective, combining it with an acid-house track called "In My House".
Chart performance
| 1987 Weekly Chart | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Australian Singles Chart | 10 |
| Austrian Top 40 | 2 |
| Dutch Top 40 | 5 |
| French Singles Chart | 22 |
| New Zealand Singles Chart | 8 |
| Norwegian Singles Chart | 3 |
| Swedish Singles Chart | 1 |
| Swiss Singles Chart | 1 |
| U.K. Singles Chart | 1 |
| U.S. Billboard Hot 100 | 4 |
| U.S. Billboard Hot Dance Club Play | 8 |
Other cover versions
- In 1988, Alvin and the ChipmunksAlvin and the ChipmunksAlvin and the Chipmunks is an American animated music group created by Ross Bagdasarian, Sr. in 1958. The group consists of three singing animated anthropomorphic chipmunks: Alvin, the mischievous troublemaker, who quickly became the star of the group; Simon, the tall, bespectacled intellectual;...
covered this version for their album The Chipmunks and The Chipettes: Born to RockThe Chipmunks and The Chipettes: Born to RockThe Chipmunks and The Chipettes: Born to Rock is a music album by The Chipmunks and The Chipettes, released in 1988 on LP and in 1990 on CD and cassette by Quality Special Products...
. - In 2002, it was covered by pop group SweetboxSweetboxSweetbox is a Los Angeles based pop music project formed in 1995 by executive producer Heiko Schmidt and music producer Roberto "Geo" Rosan.Throughout the years Sweetbox has had several leading women including Kimberly Kearney, Dacia Bridges, Tina Harris, Jade Villalon and most recently and...
for their album Jade - In 2003, BrazilianBrazilianBrazilian may refer to anything of or relating to Brazil and may also refer directly to:* Brazilian barbecue, known as churrasco* Brazilian football—see Football in Brazil* Brazilian football clubs—see List of football clubs in Brazil...
singer Danni CarlosDanni CarlosDaniela Carlos de Araújo is a Brazilian singer, composer, musician and actress.-Discography:*2003 - Rock'n'Road*2004 - Rock'n'Road Again*2005 - Rock'n'Road All Night*2006 - Rock'n'Road Movies...
covered the song on her album Rock N Road Acustico. - In 2007, Canadian singer Michael BubléMichael BubléMichael Steven Bublé is a Canadian singer. He has won several awards, including three Grammy Awards and multiple Juno Awards. His first album reached the top ten in Canada and the UK. He found worldwide commercial success with his 2005 album It's Time, and his 2007 album Call Me Irresponsible was...
included a cover of the song on his album Call Me IrresponsibleCall Me Irresponsible (album)Call Me Irresponsible is the third studio album released by Grammy Award-winning Canadian jazz singer Michael Bublé. The album was released on May 1, 2007.-Release:...
. - A cover appeared in the 2009 survival horror video game Silent Hill: Shattered MemoriesSilent Hill: Shattered MemoriesSilent Hill: Shattered Memories is a survival horror video game for the Wii and the seventh installment in the Silent Hill series, being a "reimagining" of the first installment. Published by Konami Digital Entertainment and developed by Climax Studios, the game was released in December 2009, with...
, featuring the series's prominent vocalist Mary Elizabeth McGlynnMary Elizabeth McGlynnMary Elizabeth McGlynn is an American voice actress, ADR director, writer, and singer best known for her extensive English-language dubbing of various anime, and her singing in multiple games from the Silent Hill series, as well as the movie adaptation and Dance Dance Revolution EXTREME. She has...
. - In the 8th season of American IdolAmerican Idol (season 8)The eighth season of American Idol premiered on January 13, 2009, and concluded on May 20, 2009. Judges Simon Cowell, Paula Abdul, and Randy Jackson continued to judge the show's contestants, along with Ryan Seacrest as host. The season introduced Kara DioGuardi as the fourth judge on the Idol...
, contestant Anoop DesaiAnoop DesaiAnoop Desai is an American singer-songwriter best known for his time as a contestant on the eighth season of American Idol. Motivated by the death of his friend Eve Carson, Desai auditioned for American Idol. Desai made American Idol history by being the first ever 13th finalist on American Idol...
covered the song. Later, during the 10th seasonAmerican Idol (season 10)The tenth season of American Idol premiered on January 19, 2011 and concluded on May 25, 2011, on Fox. The show underwent a number of changes from season nine, including the reduction of the judging panel to its original number of just three judges , a returning executive producer, a new music...
of the show, the song was covered by Scotty McCreeryScotty McCreeryScott Cooke "Scotty" McCreery is an American country singer from Garner, North Carolina . He also won the tenth season of American Idol on May 25, 2011. His debut studio album, Clear as Day was released in October 2011...
. - In 2008, Roch VoisineRoch VoisineJoseph Armand Roch Voisine, OC better known as Roch Voisine, is a Canadian Acadian singer-songwriter, actor, and radio and television host...
covered the song on his album AmericanaAmericana (Roch Voisine album)Americana is a 2008 album by Canadian singer Roch Voisine. Many of the tracks were recorded in Nashville, Tennessee.He followed that in 2009 with the album Americana II.-Track listing:Bonus bilingual English / French version tracks marked with [*]...
.
Appearances in other media
- The Willie Nelson version was featured in a British television advert for the Vauxhall AstraVauxhall AstraAstra is a model name which has been used by Vauxhall, the British subsidiary of General Motors , on their small family car ranges since 1979. Astras are technically essentially identical with similar vehicles offered by GM's German subsidiary Opel in most other European countries...
in 1989. - This song features in recent ads for Telcel, in Mexico.
- The song featured in the stage musical Priscilla Queen of the Desert – the Musical.