[edit] Biography
Watson was born in Palestine, Texas, in 1943 and began his music career in the early 1970s, performing in local clubs at night while working in a Houston auto body shop during the day. He only recorded for a few small, regional record labels until 1974, when Capitol Records picked up his album Love in the Hot Afternoon and released it nationally. The title track, a mid-tempo ballad in 3/4 time, was released in June 1975 and it quickly reached Number 3 on the Billboard magazine Hot Country Singles chart.
Watson's national success continued throughout the late 1970s and early 1980s, as he recorded several Billboard top-40 hits, including "Where Love Begins," "Paper Rosie," "Should I Go Home (or Should I Go Crazy)," "Nothing Sure Looked Good on You." and "Farewell Party" which was released in 1979 and quickly became Watson's signature song and soon allowed Watson to name his band after the tragic ballad.
In 1982, after switching to the MCA label, he recorded the only number-one hit of his career, "Fourteen Carat Mind." He followed up with several more hits in the early 1980s, including "Speak Softly (You're Talking to My Heart)," "You're Out Doing What I'm Here Doing Without" and "Got No Reason Now for Going Home." By the mid-1980s, he was recording for Epic Records, where his most notable hit was 1985's "Memories to Burn."
Watson never gave up his classical country style, even as he continued to record music throughout the 1980s. He signed with Warner Bros. and released two new albums in 1989 and 1991. He recorded his last album, From the Heart, under the Row Music Group label in 2001.
In 2005, Watson released his latest album, "Then & Now."
In May 2007, Gene Watson signed with the independent Shanachie Records & began work on his first album for the label, which will include new material, along with at least 3 covers of some of Gene's favourite classic country tunes including Merle Haggard's classic "Today I started Loving You Again". The new album, 'In a Perfect World', will be officially released on Tuesday 25 September 2007.
It was also in May 2007 (Saturday 5 May 2007) that the (all new) Gene Watson Site went 'live'. The site, which is owned & maintained by Sean Brady, is based in the Republic of Ireland & receives full support from Sarah Brosmer at Lytle Management in Nashville (Gene Watson's management team) & Gene Watson himself.
In September 2007 "In A Perfect World" was released to the public. The album was received by the country music industry as being one of the best recordings of the year.
[edit] External links
The Official Gene Watson Site
Gene Watson Site Based in Ireland
Retrieved from "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gene_Watson"
Categories: 1943 births | American country singers | American male singers | Living people | People from Anderson County, Texas | People from Houston, Texas
Though he can sing honky-tonk, Gene Watson built a reputation for soulful ballads in the classical country tradition. Born one of seven children in Palestine, TX, Watson married early and was working as an auto-body man when he began frequenting the clubs in Houston. He recorded for a few small-time regional labels during the early '70s like Wide World and Stoneway. Watson finally had success in 1974, when a steamy single for Resco "Love in the Hot Afternoon" was picked up for national distribution by Capitol Records, igniting a firestorm of national hits: "Where Love Begins," "Paper Rosie," "Farewell Party," "Should I Come Home (Or Should I Go Crazy)," and "Nothing Sure Looked Good on You." In 1982, shortly after moving to MCA, Watson recorded his only chart-topper, "Fourteen Carat Mind." A parade of Top Ten entries followed during the early '80s, including "Speak Softly (You're Talking to My Heart)" and "You're Out Doing What I'm Here Doing Without." Watson is a vocal stylist of considerable talent, and still owns his own body shop.
Farewell Party
Gene Watson Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Is gone from, my body
And my lips, are as cold as the sea
When my friends gather 'round
For my farewell party
Won't you, pretend you love me
There will be flowers from those
And leave you in this, world alone
I know you'll have fun
At my farewell party
I know, you'll be glad, when I'm gone
Don't be mad at me, for wanting to keep you
Till my life on this old world is through
You'll be free at the end of my farewell party
But I'll go away loving you
There will be flowers from those
Who cry, when I'm gone
And leave you in this, world alone
I know you'll have fun
At my farewell party
I know, you'll be glad, when I'm gone
Oh, I know you'll be glad when I'm gone
The lyrics of Gene Watson's song "Farewell Party" depict a situation where the singer is nearing death and hosting a farewell party for his friends and loved ones. The opening line "When the last breath of life is gone from my body, and my lips are as cold as the sea" sets the melancholic tone of the song, indicating that the singer is accepting the reality of his impending death. He goes on to ask his friends and loved ones to pretend that they love him when they gather around for his farewell party. This line could be interpreted in various ways. Perhaps the singer feels that his friends may show insincere affection towards him in his death but wants to believe otherwise. Alternatively, he may be acknowledging the fact that most people tend to speak highly of the deceased, regardless of how they felt about them in life.
The song's pre-chorus implies that the singer's death would leave his loved ones feeling heartbroken and alone. He predicts that flowers will be lying around as a symbol of grief and that his loved ones would be left to continue living in a world without him. However, he believes that his farewell party would be a celebration of his life and that his friends and family will have fun. The chorus, "I know you'll be glad when I'm gone," is a poignant sentiment. The singer acknowledges that his passing might bring relief to his loved ones, possibly because it would mean that his suffering is over.
Line by Line Meaning
When the last, breath of life
When I am about to die and take my last breath of life
Is gone from, my body
When my body doesn't have any more breaths left to take
And my lips, are as cold as the sea
When I am so cold that my lips feel as cold as the sea
When my friends gather 'round
When my friends come together
For my farewell party
To say goodbye to me
Won't you, pretend you love me
Please show me some love and act like you care
There will be flowers from those
People will bring flowers
Who cry, when I'm gone
Those who are sad because I am gone
And leave you in this, world alone
And leave you alone in this world
I know you'll have fun
I know you will enjoy yourself
At my farewell party
During my goodbye celebration
I know, you'll be glad, when I'm gone
I know you will be happy when I leave
Don't be mad at me, for wanting to keep you
Please don't be angry that I want to keep you close
Till my life on this old world is through
Until my time on this earth is done
You'll be free at the end of my farewell party
After the goodbye celebration, you will be free
But I'll go away loving you
Despite leaving, I will still love you
Oh, I know you'll be glad when I'm gone
I understand that you will be happy after I leave
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Capitol CMG Publishing
Written by: S. TODDE LAWTON, MICHAEL ALLEN, TOBY MCKEEHAN, TIM ROSENAU, DAVE WYATT, NIRVA DORSAINT READY, DESHON BULLOCK, GABE PATILLO, BRIAN HALEY, Nirva Ready, Todde Lawton
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@marni8163
If I could just give Gene Watson and this song a "Thumbs Up" every time I listen to it, the world would run out of numbers !!!!
@Genewatsons
Thanks for the love,care and support❤. It's a pleasure talking to you over here, where are you from?
@michaelpopham794
@@franf5995l
@danakirkwood7516
Me too!
@dlrunner
You got that right!
@rickeyhead6526
My dad loved this song he wanted played at his funeral he died September 9th 2022 I had to listen to it today with tears my eyes I love you dad
@constancehicks5607
One of the greatest singers ever. Fabulous song
@patricktwomey6471
Your Dad God rest him had great taste in music R.I.P. DAD
@1ksubswithnovids989
So sorry for your loss, I always told my husband I wanted it played at my funeral but he left first 😢
@kimberlyritch4108
This was played at my dad's. My wishing him father's day 💙