Leavin' on Your Mind

"Leavin' on Your Mind" is a famous Country/Pop song written by Wayne Walker and Webb Pierce was popularized by Joyce Smith in 1962.

Patsy Cline herself puts a wrinkle into this. The story goes that she was in Owen Bradley’s office one day, heard the record Smith made, and immediately wanted the song for herself. According to Smith, “He said, ‘no you can’t have it. I’m going to see what that Canadian gal does with it.’” Cline apparently said pretty please with sugar on top, but Bradley and the label wouldn’t back down. Smith’s single, released in 1962, didn’t crack the top-40, but sold more than 100,000 copies, a major hit for a first record and enough that the Canadian gal recouped the considerable studio expenses and actually made a little money in royalties. Patsy Cline wound up recording the song and releasing it in 1963. It didn’t make the hit parade, either. It was her last single before she died in a plane crash in March of that year. Unlike her earlier hits "Crazy" and "I Fall to Pieces", "Leavin' On Your Mind" was an unfortunate failure on the pop chart, where it stalled at #83. However, the song today remains a classic in Country music. Initially, Cline was going to release the single on her next upcoming, fourth album called Faded Love, along with two other singles that year.

However, the album was never released due to the tragic event that ended her life, which was a plane crash that March. The album was to be released at the end of March. Instead, the album was released on a double compilation album called The Patsy Cline Story. This album featured all of Cline's big hits, starting for her first in 1957 to 1963. The album was a huge hit and is still being sold today.

Chart performance

(If You've Got) "Leavin' On Your Mind", written by Wayne Walker and Webb Pierce was first recorded by Joyce Smith in September 1961 and was released in March 1962. She had just signed with Decca Records. The Smith version peaked at #126 in the Music Vendor charts w/e 4/9/62. Joyce found herself in Nashville's famed Columbia Studios working with the Legendary Owen Bradley, The Jordanaires, and session players the likes of Pete Drake, Buddy Harmon, Harold Bradley, Billy Grammer and Bobby Moore. The week she recorded Leavin' On Your Mind in Nashville at the old Columbia Studios, Patsy Cline came into Owen Bradley's office and he played Joyce's record for her, she immediately loved the tune and wanted to record it but Owen said no, we'll wait and see what this Canadian girl does with it. Joyce Smith was one of only a handful to have her early records sell in excess of 100,000 copies in the U.S. which Decca said was a major hit for a first record. Joyce recorded several singles for Decca in the 60's. Her many years of superb performances at rodeos, on TV, and live concerts around the world, and her many industry awards and accolades truly set her apart as a Country Music Legend and a first class lady. Joyce was inducted into the National Traditional Country Music Hall of Fame in the U.S in 2007 and in 2010 was inducted into the Canadian Country Music Hall of Fame. Joyce makes her home in Edmonton, Alberta Canada and still performs regularly with the Canadian Country Music Legends Show.

Use in popular culture

The song was featured on the ABC drama series Lost in episode three of the first season entitled "Tabula Rasa".^[1]

Cover versions

LeAnn Rimes recorded a cover of the song for her LeAnn Rimes (album) in 1999. Rissi Palmer recorded a cover of the song for her self-titled debut album in 2007. It was also covered by Lorrie Morgan for her 2009 album, A Moment in Time, from which it was released as a single. It was also recorded by The Czars and appears on their 2006 compilation album Sorry I Made You Cry. Terri Clark also covered it for her 2012 album Classic.

References

External links

• Lyrics of this song at MetroLyrics