3SP: Oh, That’s Darling

I read somewhere that when Conway Twitty uttered the words “Hello, Darlin’” in concert a roar would rise from the audience so he got in the habit of waiting a couple extra beats before continuing the song. At one performance though he heard the proverbial crickets chirping. It was a private concert for a corporate client or convention [I'm a little fuzzy on the details at the moment] and the audience was nearly all men. And they just aren’t into the screaming for this song like the women are….

A college friend who is an excellent amateur musician loved to sing “Darlin’.” I’m not sure I’ve ever heard it played on the radio but my YouTube research turned up versions by several artists. I think this is the original.

Two of my favorite singer/songwriters, Steve Goodman and John Prine, wrote “You Never Even Call Me by My Name.” The stories they tell vary in some of the details, but generally it goes like this: They called it [with tongue firmly in cheek] The Perfect Country-Western Song. Then David Allen Coe pointed out several details [like Mom, getting drunk, trucks, prison, and dogs] they had left out. That lead to another verse and a hit song for Coe.