His first band, The Blue Ridge Boys, performed on radio station KWPM from a butcher shop in his native West Plains, Missouri where Wagoner cut meat. Wagoner's big break came in 1951, when he was hired as a performer by station KWTO in Springfield, Missouri. This led to a contract with RCA Records. With lagging sales, Wagoner and his trio played schoolhouses for the gate proceeds.
In 1953, his song entitled "Trademark" became a hit for Carl Smith, followed by a few hits of his own on RCA. He was a featured performer on ABC's Ozark Jubilee and moved to Nashville and joined the Grand Ole Opry in 1957.
Wagoner was elected to the Country Music Hall of Fame in 2002. His 81 charted records include "Satisfied Mind" (#1, 1955), “Misery Loves Company” (#1, 1962), “I've Enjoyed As Much of This As I Can Stand” (#7, 1962–1963), “Sorrow on the Rocks” (#5, 1964), “Green, Green Grass of Home” (#4, 1965), “Skid Row Joe” (#3, 1965–1966), “The Cold Hard Facts of Life” (#2, 1967), and “The Carroll County Accident” (#2, 1968–1969). Among his hit duets with Dolly Parton were a cover of Tom Paxton's "The Last Thing on My Mind" (1967), "We'll Get Ahead Someday" (1968), "Just Someone I Used To Know" (1969), "Better Move it on Home" (1971), "Please Don't Stop Loving Me" (#1, 1974) and "Making Plans" (#2, 1980). He also won three Grammy Awards for gospel recordings.
The Porter Wagoner Show ran on syndicated television from 1960 to 1981. There were 686 thirty minute episodes filmed, the first 104 being shot in black and white, the remainder in color. At its peak, it was featured in over 100 markets, with an average viewership of over three million. Reruns of the program currently air on the rural cable network RFD-TV.
Wagoner brought James Brown to the Grand Ole Opry, produced a rhythm & blues album for Joe Simon, and appeared in the Clint Eastwood film Honkytonk Man. [1] During the mid 1980s, Wagoner formed an all girl group called The Right Combination which was named after one of Porter and Dolly Parton's hit records. He also hosted "Opry Backstage" during the 1990s on The Nashville Network where he interviewed guests. Though Parton's departure caused some animosity on both sides, the two reconciled in the late 1980s and have appeared together a number of times in the years since; Parton inducted Wagoner into the Country Music Hall of Fame in 2002.
Wagoner made a guest appearance on the HBO comedy series Da Ali G Show, being interviewed by the fictional character Borat, in its second season.
On July 14, 2006, Wagoner was hospitalized and underwent surgery for an abdominal aneurysm.
Wagoner was honored on May 19, 2007 at the Grand Ole Opry for both his fifty years of membership and his 80th birthday. This was telecast on GAC's Grand Ole Opry Live that day with artists such as Stuart, Parton, and Patty Loveless. Grand Ole Opry Live host Nan Kelley was part of the birthday celebration as well.
On June 05, 2007, Wagoner released his final album called Wagonmaster. The album was produced by Marty Stuart for the Anti-label. This album received the best reviews ever in Porter's career and briefly charted on the country charts.
Wagoner also toured during the summer of 2007 to promote the album. One of these was opening for the rock group The White Stripes at a sold-out concert at Madison Square Garden in New York City.
Wagoner's publicist Darlene Bieber announced on October 19, 2007 that the singer had been hospitalized and was in very serious condition. WSMV-TV reported that Wagoner was admitted earlier that week for observation from an illness. Bieber gave no further information but said that the country star was asking for prayers from his family and fans.
On October 21, 2007, his publicist confirmed that Wagoner had been diagnosed with lung cancer.
On October 26, 2007, Porter was released into hospice care. He died two days later in Nashville, Tennessee. Wagoner's funeral was held on November 1, 2007 at the Grand Ole Opry House followed by interrment at the Woodlawn Memorial Park Cemetery in Nashville.
Up until his illness and death, he appeared regularly on the Grand Ole Opry and toured actively.
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Misery Loves Company
Porter Wagoner Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Just gather round me 'cause misery loves company
I've just left my home friends where I couldn't sleep
For missin' a woman that I couldn't keep
She just walked out and left me for somebody else
Now her memory keeps hauntin' me when I'm by myself
Tell funny stories turn the jukebox up loud
Come on sit at my table where the drinks are on me
Just gather round me 'cause misery loves company
Now I'm not the first one who's lost everything
To a false hearted woman with a false hearted dream
But this is the first time I've suffered myself
Help me get over this love, I'll handle the next love all by myself
So break out the bottle bring on the crowd
Tell funny stories turn the jukebox up loud
Come on sit at my table where the drinks are on me
Just gather round me 'cause misery loves company
The lyrics in Porter Wagoner's song Misery Loves Company tell the story of heartbreak and the desire for companionship. The singer has just lost a woman he loved to someone else, and he's struggling to deal with the pain and grief that comes with it. He's unable to sleep or escape thoughts of her, so he turns to alcohol and a group of friends to help him forget. He knows he's not alone in his struggles, and he's seeking comfort in the misery of others.
The chorus, "Break out the bottle, bring on the crowd, tell funny stories, turn the jukebox up loud," is a plea for distraction and a way to cope with his heartache. He invites his friends to sit with him and join in his sadness, recognizing that misery loves company. He acknowledges that he's not the first to experience this kind of loss and disappointment, but it's still painful for him and he needs help moving on.
In summary, the song Misery Loves Company is about the universal experience of heartbreak and the human desire for companionship and distraction in times of intense grief. The lyrics highlight the importance of friends and community in dealing with difficult emotions and seeking relief from pain through shared experiences.
Line by Line Meaning
So break out the bottle bring on the crowd
I want to drown my sorrows and forget my pain by drinking with my friends
Tell funny stories turn the jukebox up loud
Please distract me from my heartbreak by entertaining me with humor and music
Come on sit at my table where the drinks are on me
I don't want to be alone, so I'm offering to pay for everyone's drinks if they keep me company
Just gather round me 'cause misery loves company
I'm hoping that being around others who are also unhappy will make me feel less alone in my pain
I've just left my home friends where I couldn't sleep
I had to leave my place of comfort where my friends and family are because the pain of missing my ex is too much to bear
For missin' a woman that I couldn't keep
I am heartbroken because I lost a woman I loved, even though I couldn't keep her faithful to me
She just walked out and left me for somebody else
My ex chose to leave me for someone else and I'm filled with despair
Now her memory keeps hauntin' me when I'm by myself
I'm tormented by thoughts of my ex and the life we had together every time I'm alone
Now I'm not the first one who's lost everything
I know I'm not the only person who has suffered a devastating heartbreak like this
To a false hearted woman with a false hearted dream
My ex was not sincere in her love for me and had her own dreams that didn't include me
But this is the first time I've suffered myself
Even though others have experienced heartbreak before me, this is the first time I've personally felt this level of emotional pain
Help me get over this love, I'll handle the next love all by myself
I need support now to heal from this heartbreak, but I promise to learn from this experience and be stronger in future relationships
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, CONCORD MUSIC PUBLISHING LLC, Peermusic Publishing
Written by: Jerry Reed
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Daniel Burns
this song went to #1 on the country charts in 1962!!!
Lennart Sjöström
One of the best country singers.
greg mulkey
this is when country music was worth listning too
Eileen Hudson
Sure remember that song!!! Real country music . Great singer ..
Clint Walker
That album brings back memories, I think that's the one my grandmother had on 8-track tape. I'll have to listen to "Sorrow on the Rocks" next, and then "Ya'll Come". Yeah, I'm pretty sure that's it.
TheRonnie63
Love Porter Wagoner
Marryann Lamb
Awesome song Bill thanks
jennifur sun
love the steel guitar
T
Love the bottles made of glass
Alan Hogan
Hell yeah