It Wasn't God Who Made Honky Tonk Angels
Encyclopedia
"It Wasn't God Who Made Honky Tonk Angels" is a 1952 country
song written by J. D. "Jay" Miller, and originally recorded by Kitty Wells
. It was an answer song
to the Hank Thompson
hit "The Wild Side of Life
."
The song — which blamed unfaithful men and women for creating unfaithful women — became the first No. 1 Billboard country hit
for a solo female artist. In addition to helping establish Wells as country music's first major female star, "It Wasn't God ..." paved the way for other female artists, particularly Dolly Parton, Patsy Cline, Loretta Lynn and Tammy Wynette, and songs where women defied the typical stereotype of being submissive to men and putting up with their oft-infidel ways.
, but had little success there. By 1952, she was recording on Decca Records
, and recorded "It Wasn't God ..." at her first recording session.
In "The Wild Side of Life," Thompson expresses regret that his bride-to-be has left him for another man whom she met in a roadhouse, stating "I didn't know that God made honky tonk angels." That song and its appeal to people who "thought the world was going to hell and that faithless women deserved a good deal of the blame ... just begged for an answer from a woman," wrote country music historian Paul Kingsbury.
The rebuttal song, as it turned out, was written by a man, J. D. "Jay" Miller, although it was a female (Wells) who sang the song. In "It Wasn't God ..." – which follows the same melody, but more uptempo – she cites the original song and counters that, for every woman who had been led astray, it was a man who led her there (often through his own infidelity). She also expresses frustration about how women are always made scapegoats for the man's faults in a given relationship.
and their sentiments in song were still more than 10 years away. There was plenty of resistance to the song and its statement: the NBC radio network banned the song for being "suggestive," while Wells was prohibited from performing it on the Grand Ole Opry
and NBC's "Prince Albert" radio program.
Yet, Wells struck a chord with her fans, as "It Wasn't God ..." went to number one for six weeks on Billboard magazines country charts. In topping the charts, Wells became the first woman to ever accomplish the feat, at least as a solo act; if all female singers are considered, then Margaret Whiting
gets the honor (in a 1949 duet No. 1 with Jimmy Wakely
called "Slippin' Around").
Ironically enough, Wells was at first reluctant to record the song, but eventually agreed ... if only to get the standard $125 session fee payment. Eventually, "It Wasn't God Who Made Honky-Tonk Angels" outsold Thompson's "The Wild Side of Life," and launched the then little-known Wells into superstardom. Years later, Wells told an interviewer she was shocked over the song's success and endurance. "Women never had hit records in those days. Very few of them even recorded. I couldn't believe it happened," she said.
Historian Charles Wolfe noted that "It Wasn't God ..." was one of the few notable exceptions to the rule of an answer song not enjoying the same success as the original.
's "I'm Thinking Tonight of My Blue Eyes" (recorded in February, 1929) and virtually identical to the Rev. Guy Smith's "Great Speckled Bird
"—popularized in 1936 by Roy Acuff
. In view of the common associations and Wells' 1959 "Great Speckled Bird" recording, the correspondence was hardly accidental.
In addition to Wells' vocals, husband Johnnie Wright
played bass guitar and Jack Anglin played rhythm guitar. Paul Warren played the fiddle and Shot Jackson played the steel guitar, traits that would be prevalent on many of Wells' biggest hits.
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 written by J. D. "Jay" Miller, and originally recorded by Kitty Wells
Kitty Wells
Ellen Muriel Deason , known professionally as Kitty Wells, is an American country music singer. Her 1952 hit recording, "It Wasn't God Who Made Honky Tonk Angels", made her the first female country singer to top the U.S. country charts, and turned her into the first female country star...
. It was an answer song
Answer song
An answer song is, as the name suggests, a song made in answer to a previous song, normally by another artist. It is also known as a response song. The concept became widespread in blues and R&B recorded music in the 1930s through 1950s...
to the Hank Thompson
Hank Thompson (music)
Henry William Thompson , known professionally as Hank Thompson, was an American country music entertainer whose career spanned seven decades...
hit "The Wild Side of Life
The Wild Side of Life
"The Wild Side of Life" is a song made famous by country music singer Hank Thompson. Originally released in 1952, the song became one of the most popular recordings in the genre's history, spending 15 weeks at No...
."
The song — which blamed unfaithful men and women for creating unfaithful women — became the first No. 1 Billboard country hit
Hot Country Songs
Hot Country Songs is a chart published weekly by Billboard magazine in the United States.This 60-position chart lists the most popular country music songs, calculated weekly mostly by airplay and occasionally commercial sales...
for a solo female artist. In addition to helping establish Wells as country music's first major female star, "It Wasn't God ..." paved the way for other female artists, particularly Dolly Parton, Patsy Cline, Loretta Lynn and Tammy Wynette, and songs where women defied the typical stereotype of being submissive to men and putting up with their oft-infidel ways.
Song history
In the late 1940s, Wells had recorded on RCA VictorRCA Records
RCA Records is one of the flagship labels of Sony Music Entertainment. The RCA initials stand for Radio Corporation of America , which was the parent corporation from 1929 to 1985 and a partner from 1985 to 1986.RCA's Canadian unit is Sony's oldest label...
, but had little success there. By 1952, she was recording on Decca Records
Decca Records
Decca Records began as a British record label established in 1929 by Edward Lewis. Its U.S. label was established in late 1934; however, owing to World War II, the link with the British company was broken for several decades....
, and recorded "It Wasn't God ..." at her first recording session.
In "The Wild Side of Life," Thompson expresses regret that his bride-to-be has left him for another man whom she met in a roadhouse, stating "I didn't know that God made honky tonk angels." That song and its appeal to people who "thought the world was going to hell and that faithless women deserved a good deal of the blame ... just begged for an answer from a woman," wrote country music historian Paul Kingsbury.
The rebuttal song, as it turned out, was written by a man, J. D. "Jay" Miller, although it was a female (Wells) who sang the song. In "It Wasn't God ..." – which follows the same melody, but more uptempo – she cites the original song and counters that, for every woman who had been led astray, it was a man who led her there (often through his own infidelity). She also expresses frustration about how women are always made scapegoats for the man's faults in a given relationship.
Reception
Wells' statement was a rather daring one to make in 1952, particularly in the conservative, male-dominated realm of country music; also of significance, women's liberationFeminism
Feminism is a collection of movements aimed at defining, establishing, and defending equal political, economic, and social rights and equal opportunities for women. Its concepts overlap with those of women's rights...
and their sentiments in song were still more than 10 years away. There was plenty of resistance to the song and its statement: the NBC radio network banned the song for being "suggestive," while Wells was prohibited from performing it on the Grand Ole Opry
Grand Ole Opry
The Grand Ole Opry is a weekly country music stage concert in Nashville, Tennessee, that has presented the biggest stars of that genre since 1925. It is also among the longest-running broadcasts in history since its beginnings as a one-hour radio "barn dance" on WSM-AM...
and NBC's "Prince Albert" radio program.
Yet, Wells struck a chord with her fans, as "It Wasn't God ..." went to number one for six weeks on Billboard magazines country charts. In topping the charts, Wells became the first woman to ever accomplish the feat, at least as a solo act; if all female singers are considered, then Margaret Whiting
Margaret Whiting
Margaret Whiting was a singer of American popular music and country music who first made her reputation during the 1940s and 1950s.-Youth:...
gets the honor (in a 1949 duet No. 1 with Jimmy Wakely
Jimmy Wakely
James Clarence Wakeley , better known as Jimmy Wakely, was an American country-Western singer and actor, one of the last crooning cowpokes following World War II...
called "Slippin' Around").
Ironically enough, Wells was at first reluctant to record the song, but eventually agreed ... if only to get the standard $125 session fee payment. Eventually, "It Wasn't God Who Made Honky-Tonk Angels" outsold Thompson's "The Wild Side of Life," and launched the then little-known Wells into superstardom. Years later, Wells told an interviewer she was shocked over the song's success and endurance. "Women never had hit records in those days. Very few of them even recorded. I couldn't believe it happened," she said.
Historian Charles Wolfe noted that "It Wasn't God ..." was one of the few notable exceptions to the rule of an answer song not enjoying the same success as the original.
A familiar melody
The melody of both "The Wild Side of Life" and "It Wasn't God ..." is very similar to the Carter FamilyCarter Family
The Carter Family was a traditional American folk music group that recorded between 1927 and 1956. Their music had a profound impact on bluegrass, country, Southern Gospel, pop and rock musicians as well as on the U.S. folk revival of the 1960s. They were the first vocal group to become country...
's "I'm Thinking Tonight of My Blue Eyes" (recorded in February, 1929) and virtually identical to the Rev. Guy Smith's "Great Speckled Bird
The Great Speckled Bird (song)
"The Great Speckled Bird" is a Southern hymn whose lyrics were written by the Reverend Guy Smith. It is an allegory referencing Fundamentalist self-perception during the Fundamentalist-Modernist Controversy. The song is in the form of AABA and has a 12 bar count...
"—popularized in 1936 by Roy Acuff
Roy Acuff
Roy Claxton Acuff was an American country music singer, fiddler, and promoter. Known as the King of Country Music, Acuff is often credited with moving the genre from its early string band and "hoedown" format to the star singer-based format that helped make it internationally successful.Acuff...
. In view of the common associations and Wells' 1959 "Great Speckled Bird" recording, the correspondence was hardly accidental.
In addition to Wells' vocals, husband Johnnie Wright
Johnnie Wright
Johnnie Robert Wright, Jr. , known professionally as Johnnie Wright, was an American country music singer-songwriter who spent much of his career working with Jack Anglin as the popular duo Johnnie & Jack, and was also the husband of Kitty Wells.-Early life and career:Born in Mount Juliet,...
played bass guitar and Jack Anglin played rhythm guitar. Paul Warren played the fiddle and Shot Jackson played the steel guitar, traits that would be prevalent on many of Wells' biggest hits.
Chart performance
| Chart (1952) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| U.S. Billboard Hot 100 | 27 |
| U.S. Billboard Hot Country Singles | 1 |
Cover versions
Several cover versions of the song have been recorded, including the following:- Lynn AndersonLynn AndersonLynn Rene Anderson is an American country music singer and equestrian known for a string of hits throughout the 1970s and early 1980s, most notably her Grammy Award-winning, worldwide mega-hit, " Rose Garden." Helped by her regular exposure on national television, Anderson was one of the most...
also recorded a version of the song that became a Top 20 hit for her in 1971, for the album "Songs That Made Country Girls Famous". - The two songs ("Wild Side of Life" and "It Wasn't God Who Made Honky Tonk Angels") were combined into a duet by Waylon JenningsWaylon JenningsWaylon Arnold Jennings was an American country music singer, songwriter, and musician. Jennings began playing at eight. He began performing at twelve, on KVOW radio. Jennings formed a band The Texas Longhorns. Jennings worked as a D.J on KVOW, KDAV and KLLL...
and Jessi ColterJessi ColterJessi Colter is an American country music artist who is best known for her collaboration with her husband, country singer and songwriter Waylon Jennings and for her 1975 country-pop crossover hit "I'm Not Lisa"....
on their 1981 album Leather and LaceLeather and LaceLeather and Lace is a duet album by Waylon Jennings and Jessi Colter, released on RCA Victor in 1981. It was the famous couple's first album together, though they had sung individual duets together prior to the release of Leather and Lace. "You Never Can Tell " is a well-known Chuck Berry song...
. That song reached No. 10 on the Billboard Hot Country Singles chart. - The two songs were also covered by the folkFolk musicFolk music is an English term encompassing both traditional folk music and contemporary folk music. The term originated in the 19th century. Traditional folk music has been defined in several ways: as music transmitted by mouth, as music of the lower classes, and as music with unknown composers....
/ rockabillyRockabillyRockabilly is one of the earliest styles of rock and roll music, dating to the early 1950s.The term rockabilly is a portmanteau of rock and hillbilly, the latter a reference to the country music that contributed strongly to the style's development...
band The KnittersThe KnittersThe Knitters are a Los Angeles-based band who play country, rockabilly and folk music. At the time of their formation they were pioneers of country punk, cowpunk or folk punk, the genre which gradually evolved into alternative country...
(a side project of the seminal LA punk band X) on a 1985 compilation album "Radio Tokyo Tapes, Vol. 3." - Wells made a cameo guest-vocalist appearance on a cover version recorded by Dolly PartonDolly PartonDolly Rebecca Parton is an American singer-songwriter, author, multi-instrumentalist, actress and philanthropist, best known for her work in country music. Dolly Parton has appeared in movies like 9 to 5, The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas, Steel Magnolias and Straight Talk...
, Loretta LynnLoretta LynnLoretta Lynn is an American country music singer-songwriter, author and philanthropist. Born in Butcher Hollow, Kentucky to a coal miner father, Lynn married at 13 years old, was a mother soon after, and moved to Washington with her husband, Oliver Lynn. Their marriage was sometimes tumultuous; he...
and Tammy WynetteTammy WynetteVirginia Wynette Pugh, known professionally as Tammy Wynette , was an American country music singer-songwriter and one of the genre's best-known artists and biggest-selling female vocalists....
, for the album Honky Tonk AngelsHonky Tonk Angels-Personnel:*Loretta Lynn, Dolly Parton, Tammy Wynette: Lead, Backing & Harmony Vocals*Patsy Cline, Kitty Wells: Guest Vocals*Drums: Eddie Bayers, Buddy Harman*Percussion: Farrell Moris*Bass: Roy Huskey, Jr., Bob Moore, Tom Robb...
and released as a single. Wells also appeared in a video for the song, which has aired on The Nashville NetworkSpike TVSpike is an American cable television channel. It launched on March 7, 1983 as The Nashville Network , a joint venture of WSM, Inc...
, CMTCountry Music TelevisionCountry Music Television, or CMT, is an American country music-oriented cable television network. Programming includes music videos, taped concerts, movies, biographies of country music stars, game shows, and reality programs...
and Great American CountryGreat American CountryGreat American Country , is a Nashville, Tennessee-based country music cable television network.-History:The station launched December 31, 1995 and Garth Brooks' video "The Thunder Rolls" was the first video to air on GAC....
.
Parody
The lyrics of songs with similar melodies to "It Wasn't God ..." — "Wild Side," "Speckled Bird" and "Blue Eyes" — were included in David Allen Coe's novelty song, "If That Ain't Country." In mocking the similarities of the melodies of the songs, he sings:- I'm thinking tonight of my blue eyes
- Concerning the Great Speckled Bird
- I didn't know God made Honky-Tonk Angels
- And went back to the Wild Side of Life
External links
- Kitty Wells at the Country Music Hall of Fame