He was performing very much in the rock n roll piano style of his cousin Jerry Lee Lewis (and another cousin, the Reverend Jimmy Swaggart). He formed his own label, Astro in 1964 and cut an album named after a Lewis success "Down the Line". Re-issued on Paula, the album was a regional hit. The big time, however, continued to elude him although he had a minor hit with "Now I Can Live Again" from the album. At an Astro session he laid down a version of George Morgan's old hit "Room Full of Roses" which attracted airplay locally and was picked up for national release by Hugh Heffner's Playboy label. It hit No. 1 in the Country charts. After 12 further hits with the label, Playboy was taken over by Epic and Gilley moved there for his most consistent run of album and singles success.
He was now performing straight-up piano-led Country material. Gradually, he moved towards a more pop-orientated sound in the 1980s, which brought him further success on not just the Country charts, but also the Pop charts. Before that, however, he had a string of Country hits throughout the 70s, often revivals like "I Overlooked An Orchid" (Carl Smith - No. 1, 1974), "City Lights" (Bill Anderson - No. 1 1975), "Window Up Above" (George Jones - No. 1 1975), "Bring It On Home" (Sam Cooke - No. 1 1976). His mix of rockabilly, honky tonk and uptown Country provided more hits with "Chains of Love" (No. 9, 1977) "Honky Tonk Memories" (No. 4, 1977) and "Here Comes The Hurt Again" (No. 9,1978).
In all, Gilley had 33 Top 10 singles, 17 of which reached No. 1, on the US Country chart between 1974 and 1986. Amongst the biggest hits were "Don't the Girls All Get Prettier at Closing Time,"(No. 1) "Overnight Sensation" (No. 7, both 1976), remakes of the Ben E King hit "Stand By Me" and Buddy Holly's "True Love Ways" (both No. 1s in 1980).
In 1971 he lent his name to the opening the famous country nightclub Gilley's in Pasadena, Texas. His career received a big boost when both the club and his music featured prominently in the 1980 film "Urban Cowboy". The soundtrack included the Buddy Holly cover which went to No. 1. The club closed in 1989 and the building was heavily damaged by arson later that year. A new Gilley's club opened in 2003 in the Dallas-Fort Worth area. And Gilley's Theatre and Diner in Branson saw the singer take up a successful residency in that Missouri city.
His most recent successful recording activity was in 1988 when he released "Chasin' Rainbows" on Airborne which produced his last Top 40 single to date when "She Reminded Me Of You" reached No 23 in the Country charts.
In July 2009, Gilly suffered a back injury in a fall and was airlifted to Houston for medical treatment but subsequently returned to Branson and performing in his theatre there. He has a Facebook information page on which he sends regular video messages to members. A recent joint biography about the three cousins, Jerry Lee Lewis, Jimmy Swaggert and Mickey, called "Unconquered" by J D Davis is a must for any fan of their music, rock n roll, Country and gospel music.
A Headache Tomorrow
Mickey Gilley Lyrics
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'Cause you left a hole in my heart, that's too deep to fill
But a drink or two, maybe three or four, for a while you're out of sight
It's a headache tomorrow or a heartache tonight
The sun goes down, the blues come around
And the choice is black and white
Low down and lonesome and high as a kite
It's a headache tomorrow or a heartache tonight
No matter which one you choose you lose, I know which one I'll take
When the sun comes up tomorrow, something's gonna ache
If I could take a pill to kill the pain, I know I'm gonna be all right
It's a headache tomorrow or a heartache tonight
The sun goes down, the blues come around
And the choice is black and white
Low down and lonesome and high as a kite
When you can't win for losing, you know it's just not right
It's a headache tomorrow or a heartache tonight
The sun goes down, the blues come around
And the choice is black and white
Low down and lonesome and high as a kite
When you can't win for losing, you know it's just not right
It's a headache tomorrow or a heartache tonight
In Mickey Gilley's song "A Headache Tomorrow," the lyrics describe the struggle of dealing with heartbreak and turning to whiskey to temporarily ease the pain. The singer is torn between the two options: either endure the heartache now or numb it with alcohol, knowing that it will only result in a headache the next day. The lyrics suggest that even though whiskey can provide temporary relief, it can never truly take away the pain and memories of lost love.
The choice between a headache and heartache seems to be a never-ending cycle of trying to forget painful memories. The singer understands that choosing to use alcohol to cope will only lead to more problems the next day, but the allure of temporary escape is too strong to resist. The lyrics show a clear understanding of the vicious cycle of addiction and heartbreak.
The repeated line, "The sun goes down, the blues come around, and the choice is black and white," emphasizes the cyclical nature of the singer's struggle. Additionally, the line "When you can't win for losing, you know it's just not right" highlights the hopelessness that comes with the constant battle between addiction and heartbreak.
Overall, "A Headache Tomorrow" is a powerful depiction of the struggle to numb heartache with alcohol and the vicious cycle of addiction that follows.
Line by Line Meaning
Well, if the whiskey doesn't get me, I know the memories will
If I don't drown my sorrows with alcohol, the memories of you will cause me pain
'Cause you left a hole in my heart, that's too deep to fill
You broke my heart so badly that I can't seem to move on from it
But a drink or two, maybe three or four, for a while you're out of sight
I drink until you're out of my thoughts, even if it's just temporary
It's a headache tomorrow or a heartache tonight
I know I'll have to deal with the consequences of my drinking tomorrow, but for now, I'm trying to numb my pain
The sun goes down, the blues come around
As the day ends, my sadness and loneliness sets in
And the choice is black and white
I'm faced with a clear decision, but neither option is good
Low down and lonesome and high as a kite
I feel sad, alone, and drunk
When you can't win for losing, you know it's just not right
Life can be unfair, and no matter what I do, I can't seem to win
No matter which one you choose you lose, I know which one I'll take
Both options bring pain, but I'll choose to drink to forget my troubles
When the sun comes up tomorrow, something's gonna ache
I know I'll regret my choices in the morning when reality sets in
If I could take a pill to kill the pain, I know I'm gonna be all right
I wish I could take something to make my heartache go away, but for now, the alcohol will have to do
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: CHICK RAINS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind