From the recording Daddy
How could you ever say you love country music and not be a Patsy Cline fan? The control she had over her voice, her way with a phrase, how she could growl one minute and soar the next… She was the consummate singer’s singer. No single female artist has had more influence on my singing style than Patsy Cline.
Although her life was tragically cut short by a plane crash in 1963 at the tender age of 30, she left behind a rich treasure trove of recordings and influenced generations of singers. No one can ever replace her, and it’s both a challenge and a joy to sing her songs. ‘I Fall to Pieces’ has always been my favorite.
Hank Cochran and Harlan Howard were two of the best and most prolific songwriters from Patsy’s era. Among other songs, Hank Cochran also wrote ‘She’s Got You’ and ‘Why Can’t He Be You’ both of which were hits for Patsy Cline. He penned the song ‘Make the World Go Away’, which Ray Price took to #2 on the Billboard charts. When Eddy Arnold recorded the same song, it went to #1 and became his signature song.
Harlan Howard’s songs include ‘Heartaches by the Number’, recorded by Ray Price, ‘Pick Me Up on Your Way Down’ which was a #2 hit for Charlie Walker, another Patsy Cline song, ‘He Called Me Baby’ which was later recorded as ‘She Called Me Baby’ by Charlie Rich and rose to #1 on the C&W charts. Another favorite, ‘Foolin’ Round’, was co-written with Buck Owens.
Lyrics
I fall to pieces each time I see you again
I fall to pieces, how can I be just your friend?
You want me to act like we’ve never kissed
You want me to forget, pretend we’ve never met
And I’ve tried and I’ve tried but I haven’t yet
You walk by and I fall to pieces
I fall to pieces each time someone speaks your name
I fall to pieces, time only adds to the flame
You tell me to find someone else to love
Someone who’ll love me too, the way you used to do
But each time I go out with someone new
You walk by and I fall to pieces
Well, you walk by and I fall to pieces