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{{Infobox single
{{Infobox song
| Name = Blackjack County Chain
| name = Blackjack County Chain
| Cover = Willie Nelson - Blackjack County Chain.jpg
| cover = Willie Nelson - Blackjack County Chain.jpg
| Artist = [[Willie Nelson]]
| alt =
| Producer = [[Chet Atkins]]
| type = single
| B-side = "Some Other World"
| artist = [[Willie Nelson]]
⚫
| album =
| Recorded = 1967 at [[RCA Studio B]] <small>([[Nashville, Tennessee]])</small>
| Released = May 1967
| B-side = Some Other World
| released = May 1967
| Format = [[7" single]] <small>(RCA-479202)</small>
| recorded = 1967
| Genre = [[Country music|Country]]
| Length = 2:00
| studio = [[RCA Studio B]] ([[Nashville, Tennessee]])
| Label = [[RCA Victor]]
| venue =
| Writer = [[Red Lane]]
| genre = [[Country music|Country]]
| Chronology = [[Willie Nelson]]
| length = 2:00
| label = [[RCA Victor]]
⚫
| Last single = "[[The Party's Over (Willie Nelson song)|The Party's Over]]" <br/> (1967)
| writer = [[Red Lane]]
| This single = "''''Blackjack County Chain'''"<br />(1967)
| producer = [[Chet Atkins]]
⚫
| Next single = "[[San Antonio Rose|San Antonio]]"<br />(1967)
| chronology = [[Willie Nelson]]
⚫
| Misc =
⚫
| prev_title = [[The Party's Over (Willie Nelson song)|The Party's Over]]
| prev_year = 1967
⚫
| next_title = [[San Antonio Rose|San Antonio]]
| next_year = 1967
}}
}}
"'''Blackjack County Chain'''" is a song written by [[Red Lane]]. The song was initially rejected by [[Charley Pride]], who considered at the time the lyrics controversial.
"'''Blackjack County Chain'''" is a song written by [[Red Lane]]. The song was initially rejected by [[Charley Pride]], who considered at the time the lyrics controversial.


The song was ultimately recorded by [[Willie Nelson]], whose version enjoyed success until it was banned by radio stations.
The song was ultimately recorded by [[Willie Nelson]], whose version enjoyed success until it was banned by radio stations.

Russell Crowe performed a version of the song on the Irish television show the Late Late Show on 9/9/22.


==Overview==
==Overview==
"Blackjack County Chain" was written by country music artist Red Lane,. The song depicts the killing of a [[Georgia (U.S. state)|Georgia]] sheriff by members of a black chaingang, as recounted by one of them. Lane offered initially the song to [[Charley Pride]], who anticipating a possible controversy refrained from recording it.{{sfn|Pride, Charlie; Henderson, Jim|1994|p=144}}
"Blackjack County Chain" was written by country music artist Red Lane. The song depicts the killing of a [[Georgia (U.S. state)|Georgia]] sheriff by members of a chaingang, as recounted by one of them. Lane offered initially the song to [[Charley Pride]]. Anticipating a possible controversy he refrained from recording it.{{sfn|Pride, Charlie|Henderson, Jim|1994|p=144}}


Lane then offered the song to his friend [[Willie Nelson]]. Nelson had recently a hit single with "[[The Party's Over (Willie Nelson song)|The Party's Over]]", that peaked at twenty-four in ''[[Billboard (magazine)|Billboard's]]'' [[Hot Country Singles]]. Nelson's version of "Blackjack County Chain" was released with a cover of [[Floyd Tillman]]'s "Some Other World" on the flipside.{{sfn|Patoski, Joe Nick|2008|p=188}} The single debuted in May 1967. [[RCA Records]] published a full-page advertising promoting the single on ''Billboard''.{{sfn|Alamo Promotions|1967|p=55}} On its review, the publication praised the work of producer [[Chet Atkins]], while it declared "(Nelson's) moving rendition [...] should be working its way up to the top".{{sfn|Billboard staff|p=16|1967}}
Lane then offered the song to his friend [[Willie Nelson]]. Nelson had recently a hit single with "[[The Party's Over (Willie Nelson song)|The Party's Over]]", that peaked at twenty-four in ''[[Billboard (magazine)|Billboard's]]'' [[Hot Country Singles]]. Nelson's version of "Blackjack County Chain" was released with a cover of [[Floyd Tillman]]'s "Some Other World" on the flipside.{{sfn|Patoski, Joe Nick|2008|p=188}} The single debuted in May 1967. [[RCA Records]] published a full-page advertising promoting the single on ''Billboard''.{{sfn|Alamo Promotions|1967|p=55}} On its review, the publication praised the work of producer [[Chet Atkins]], while it declared "(Nelson's) moving rendition [...] should be working its way up to the top".{{sfn|Billboard staff|p=16|1967}}
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| style="text-align:center;"|21
| style="text-align:center;"|21
|}
|}

==Cover versions==

===Studio versions===
Irish folk singer [[Christy Moore]] covered "Blackjack County Chain" on the album ''[[Smoke and Strong Whiskey]]'' released in 1991. [[Bluegrass music]] performer [[Del McCoury]] covered the song (as "Blackjack County Chains") on the 1996 [[Del McCoury Band]] album ''The Cold Hard Facts''. [[Charley Crockett]] is an American blues, country and Americana singer, guitarist, and songwriter who also covered the song, releasing his version in 2020 on his studio album ''Welcome to Hard Times''.


==Footnotes==
==Footnotes==
Line 43: Line 54:


==References==
==References==
*{{cite journal|author=Alamo Promotions|year=1967|work=Billboard|publisher=Nielsen Business Media, Inc|url=https://books.google.de/books?id=5icEAAAAMBAJ&lpg=PA55&dq=%22Blackjack%20county%20chain%22%20billboard&pg=PA55#v=onepage&q=%22Blackjack%20county%20chain%22%20billboard&f=false|accessdate=February 11, 2015|title=Chain Breaking|ref=harv}}
*{{cite magazine|author=Alamo Promotions|year=1967|magazine=Billboard|publisher=Nielsen Business Media, Inc|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=5icEAAAAMBAJ&q=%22Blackjack+county+chain%22+billboard&pg=PA55|accessdate=February 11, 2015|title=Chain Breaking}}
*{{cite journal|author=Billboard staff|year=1967|url=https://books.google.de/books?id=5icEAAAAMBAJ&lpg=PA16&dq=%22blackjack%20county%20chain%22%20review&pg=PA16#v=onepage&q=%22blackjack%20county%20chain%22%20review&f=false|title=Country Spotlight|work=Billboard|publisher=Nielsen Business Media, Inc|accessdate=February 11, 2015|ref=harv}}
*{{cite magazine|author=Billboard staff|year=1967|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=5icEAAAAMBAJ&q=%22blackjack+county+chain%22+review&pg=PA16|title=Country Spotlight|magazine=Billboard|publisher=Nielsen Business Media, Inc|accessdate=February 11, 2015}}
*{{cite book|author=Patoski, Joe Nick|year=2008|title=Willie Nelson: An Epic Life|publisher=Hachette Digital|ref=harv|isbn=978-0-316-01778-7}}
*{{cite book|author=Patoski, Joe Nick|year=2008|title=Willie Nelson: An Epic Life|publisher=Hachette Digital|isbn=978-0-316-01778-7|url-access=registration|url=https://archive.org/details/willienelsonepic00pato}}
*{{cite book|author1=Pride, Charlie |author2=Henderson, Jim |year=1994|title=Pride: the Charley Pride story|publisher=W. Morrow|isbn=978-0-688-12638-4|ref=harv}}
*{{cite book|author1=Pride, Charlie|author2=Henderson, Jim|year=1994|title=Pride: the Charley Pride story|publisher=W. Morrow|isbn=978-0-688-12638-4|url-access=registration|url=https://archive.org/details/pridecharleyprid00prid}}


{{Willie Nelson singles}}
{{Willie Nelson singles}}


{{authority control}}
⚫
[[Category:Songs written by Red Lane]]

[[Category:1967 songs]]
[[Category:1967 songs]]
⚫
[[Category:Willie Nelson songs]]
[[Category:1967 singles]]
[[Category:1967 singles]]
⚫
[[Category:Willie Nelson songs]]
[[Category:Waylon Jennings songs]]
⚫
[[Category:Songs written by Red Lane]]
[[Category:Song recordings produced by Chet Atkins]]
[[Category:RCA Victor singles]]

Latest revision as of 16:00, 13 August 2023

"Blackjack County Chain"
Single by Willie Nelson
B-side"Some Other World"
ReleasedMay 1967
Recorded1967
StudioRCA Studio B (Nashville, Tennessee)
GenreCountry
Length2:00
LabelRCA Victor
Songwriter(s)Red Lane
Producer(s)Chet Atkins
Willie Nelson singles chronology
"The Party's Over"
(1967) 		"Blackjack County Chain"
(1967) 		"San Antonio"
(1967)

"Blackjack County Chain" is a song written by Red Lane. The song was initially rejected by Charley Pride, who considered at the time the lyrics controversial.

The song was ultimately recorded by Willie Nelson, whose version enjoyed success until it was banned by radio stations.

Russell Crowe performed a version of the song on the Irish television show the Late Late Show on 9/9/22.

Overview

[edit]

"Blackjack County Chain" was written by country music artist Red Lane. The song depicts the killing of a Georgia sheriff by members of a chaingang, as recounted by one of them. Lane offered initially the song to Charley Pride. Anticipating a possible controversy he refrained from recording it.[1]

Lane then offered the song to his friend Willie Nelson. Nelson had recently a hit single with "The Party's Over", that peaked at twenty-four in Billboard's Hot Country Singles. Nelson's version of "Blackjack County Chain" was released with a cover of Floyd Tillman's "Some Other World" on the flipside.[2] The single debuted in May 1967. RCA Records published a full-page advertising promoting the single on Billboard.[3] On its review, the publication praised the work of producer Chet Atkins, while it declared "(Nelson's) moving rendition [...] should be working its way up to the top".[4]

The song met instant success, reaching number twenty-four on the country singles chart. At the time the song's popularity was growing, most of the radio stations banned it from airplay due to its content.[2] Nelson re-recorded the song as a duet with Waylon Jennings for their 1983 collaboration Take it to the Limit.[5]

Chart performance

[edit]
Chart (1967) Peak
position
Billboard Hot Country Singles 21

Cover versions

[edit]

Studio versions

[edit]

Irish folk singer Christy Moore covered "Blackjack County Chain" on the album Smoke and Strong Whiskey released in 1991. Bluegrass music performer Del McCoury covered the song (as "Blackjack County Chains") on the 1996 Del McCoury Band album The Cold Hard Facts. Charley Crockett is an American blues, country and Americana singer, guitarist, and songwriter who also covered the song, releasing his version in 2020 on his studio album Welcome to Hard Times.

Footnotes

[edit]
  1. ^ Pride, Charlie & Henderson, Jim 1994, p. 144.
  2. ^ a b Patoski, Joe Nick 2008, p. 188.
  3. ^ Alamo Promotions 1967, p. 55.
  4. ^ Billboard staff 1967, p. 16.
  5. ^ Patoski, Joe Nick 2008, p. 372.

References

[edit]
  • Alamo Promotions (1967). "Chain Breaking". Billboard. Nielsen Business Media, Inc. Retrieved February 11, 2015.
  • Billboard staff (1967). "Country Spotlight". Billboard. Nielsen Business Media, Inc. Retrieved February 11, 2015.
  • Patoski, Joe Nick (2008). Willie Nelson: An Epic Life. Hachette Digital. ISBN 978-0-316-01778-7.
  • Pride, Charlie; Henderson, Jim (1994). Pride: the Charley Pride story. W. Morrow. ISBN 978-0-688-12638-4.
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