For the Good Times

Aside from Ray Price's masterful interpretation of this Kris Kristofferson tune (you don't want to hear Kris sing it either, do you?)is the fact that he can deliver these lyrics without causing every redneck woman to go ape-shit on her man. I mean, pardon my profanity, but every gal who ever changed a tampon starts to listen to this song and feels the urge to pick up a crowbar. Then about halfway through, enraptured by Ray's mellifluous tones and pleading vulnerability begins to think "who's breaking up with who here? . . . maybe it is a little bit more than break-up sex this guy is after." By the end of the song, the fairer sex is still not convinced, but she is weakening, and thankfully no laws are broken. Sigh.



I can give you a little insight on exactly why Ray Price is able to strike this delicate balance in this song. I attended an interview with Ray Price at the Country Music Hall of Fame when they opened a temporary exhibit of his career highlights. The interviewer asked him about the heat he received from Country Music fans when he went pop with his string laden (violins, not twin fiddles as he was known for) renditions of Danny Boy, and the monster hit "For the Good Times." He reflected, and then a tear came to his eye. He actually cried when he described how hurt he was that the industry and then subsequently his fans attacked him for his "crossover." Yep, real tears. I had also heard that he cried when he passed the display showing his favorite horse. . . that's a real man who can show real emotion, when stuff of this magnitude hits home. His fans, his music, his horse . . . these are things that mean everything to Ray. The thought that he would disappoint his true country fans, after contributing wholeheartedly to the genre, i.e. the Ray Price shuffle, really shook him to the core. So, that's the thing about Ray. He doesn't take this stuff lightly, it is not just another song.