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
The Cold Hard Facts of Life
Porter Wagoner Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I smiled and said, I'll sure surprise my wife
I don't think I'll phone, I'll just head on home
For I didn't know the cold hard facts of life
I passed a little wine store on the corner
I pictured pink champagne by candle light
I stopped the car right then got out and hurried in
A stranger stood there laughing by the counter
He said, "I'll take two bottles of your best"
Her husband's out of town and there's a party
He winked as if to say you know the rest
I left the store two steps behind the stranger
From there to my house, his car stayed in sight
But it wasn't till he turned into my drive that I learned
I was witnessing the cold hard facts of life
I drove around the block till I was dizzy
Each time the noise came louder from within
And then I saw our bottle there beside me
And I drank a fifth of courage and walked in
Lord, you should've seen their frantic faces
They screamed and cried, please put away that knife
I guess I'll go to hell or I'll rot here in this cell
But who taught who the cold hard facts of life
Who taught who the cold hard facts of life
The lyrics to Porter Wagoner's song "The Cold Hard Facts of Life" tells the story of a man who returns home early from a trip and decides to surprise his wife with a romantic evening. However, on his way home, he stops by a wine store and encounters a stranger who purchases two bottles of champagne and reveals that he is going to a party at the man's house. The man realizes that his wife is having an affair and confronts her and her lover with a knife. The final lyric line "But who taught who the cold hard facts of life" implies that this violent encounter was a result of both the husband and wife's actions.
The song explores themes of infidelity, betrayal, and revenge. It highlights the harsh reality of relationships and the consequences of actions. It also suggests that everyone involved in these situations holds some level of responsibility for the outcome.
Line by Line Meaning
I got back in town a day before I'd planned to
I arrived in town earlier than I had anticipated
I smiled and said, I'll sure surprise my wife
I was happy to surprise my wife
I don't think I'll phone, I'll just head on home
I decided to go home without calling my wife
For I didn't know the cold hard facts of life
I was unaware of what awaited me at home
I passed a little wine store on the corner
I saw a small wine store on the street corner
I pictured pink champagne by candle light
I imagined a romantic evening with my wife
I stopped the car right then got out and hurried in
I immediately pulled over and went inside the store
My mind not on the cold hard facts of life
I was not thinking about the harsh realities of life
A stranger stood there laughing by the counter
An unknown man was laughing near the store counter
He said, "I'll take two bottles of your best"
He ordered the best wine the store had to offer
Her husband's out of town and there's a party
He stated that there was a party since her husband was not home
He winked as if to say you know the rest
He implied that I knew what he meant without saying it out loud
I left the store two steps behind the stranger
I exited the store right after the man did
From there to my house, his car stayed in sight
I could see his car the entire way to my house
But it wasn't till he turned into my drive that I learned
It was only when he pulled into my driveway that I realized
I was witnessing the cold hard facts of life
I was observing the harsh realities of life
I drove around the block till I was dizzy
I circled the block several times until I was dizzy
Each time the noise came louder from within
The noise from my house kept getting louder with each pass
And then I saw our bottle there beside me
I noticed our bottle of wine next to me in the car
And I drank a fifth of courage and walked in
I drank enough alcohol to give me courage and then entered the house
Lord, you should've seen their frantic faces
It would have been quite a sight to see the panic on their faces
They screamed and cried, please put away that knife
They begged me to put down the knife I was holding
I guess I'll go to hell or I'll rot here in this cell
I know that I will likely suffer the consequences for my actions
But who taught who the cold hard facts of life
In the end, it is unclear who ultimately taught each other about the harsh realities of life
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: Bill Anderson
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
sauquoit13456
On this day in 1967 {April 2nd} Porter Wagoner's "Cold Hard Facts of Life" peaked at #2* {for 1 week} on Billboard's Hot Country Singles chart, for the weeks it was at #2, the #1 record for that week was "Walk Through This World" by George Jones...
Between 1954 and 1983 the West Plains, Missouri had seventy nine records on the Billboard Country charts, twenty eight made the Top 10 with two reaching #1, "A Satisfied Mind" for four weeks in July of 1955 and "Misery Loves Company" for two non-consecutive weeks in March of 1962...
Twenty two of his seventy nine charted records were duets, twenty one with Dolly Parton and one with Merle Haggard...
Porter Wayne Wagoner passed away at the age of 80 on October 28th, 2007...
May he R.I.P.
* "Cold Hard Facts of Life" was Porter Wagoner's first of two of his records to peak at #2, his other #2 record was "The Carroll County Accident" for four weeks in January of 1969...
Plus in a duet with Dolly Parton he had a third record peak at #2, "Making Plans", for two weeks in August of 1980...
And from the 'For What It's Worth' department, the remainder of the Hot Country Singles' Top 10 on April 2nd, 1967:
#3. "I Won't Come In While He's There" by Jim Reeves
#4. "Lonely Again" by Eddy Arnold
#5. "Need You" by Sonny James
#6. "Where Does The Good Times Go" by Buck Owens
#7. "Get While The Gettin's Good" by Bill Anderson
#8. "Stamp Out Loneliness" by Stonewall Jackson
#9. "Drifting Apart" by Warner Mack
#10. "Words I'm Gonna Have To Eat" by Bill Phillips
David Gikundi
The Cold Hard Facts of Life
Song by Porter Wagoner
Lyrics
I got back in town a day before I'd planned to
I smiled and said, "I'll sure surprise my wife"
I don't think I'll phone, I'll just head on home
'Cause I didn't know the cold hard facts of life
I passed a little wine store on the corner
I pictured pink champagne by candlelight
I stopped the car right then, got out and hurried in
My mind not on the cold hard facts of life
A stranger stood there laughing by the counter
He said, "I'll take two bottles of your best"
Her husband's out of town and there's a party
He winked, as if to say, "You know the rest"
I left the store two steps behind the stranger
From there to my house, his car stayed in sight
But it wasn't 'til he turned into my drive that I learned
I was witnessing the cold hard facts of life
Oh, I drove around the block 'til I was dizzy
Each time the noise came louder from within
And then I saw a bottle there beside me
And I drank a fifth of courage and walked in
Lord, you should've seen their frantic faces
They screamed and cried, "Please put away that knife"
I guess I'll go to hell or I'll rot here in this cell
But who taught who the cold hard facts of life?
Who taught who the cold hard facts of life?
Source: Musixmatch
Mariano Brangeri
what a song man, the album has the best cover art ive ever seen
Dorrett Lawson
One of my all time favorite, just touching, 🙌🙏💯
Pauline Gulas
I wish they all were around!they were all great singers 👍👍
Dean Lucas
Whenever a country fan used to give me grief about Rock song lyrics, I used to point this song out to them
Peter Storck
And u were right
sauquoit13456
On this day in 1967 {April 2nd} Porter Wagoner's "Cold Hard Facts of Life" peaked at #2* {for 1 week} on Billboard's Hot Country Singles chart, for the weeks it was at #2, the #1 record for that week was "Walk Through This World" by George Jones...
Between 1954 and 1983 the West Plains, Missouri had seventy nine records on the Billboard Country charts, twenty eight made the Top 10 with two reaching #1, "A Satisfied Mind" for four weeks in July of 1955 and "Misery Loves Company" for two non-consecutive weeks in March of 1962...
Twenty two of his seventy nine charted records were duets, twenty one with Dolly Parton and one with Merle Haggard...
Porter Wayne Wagoner passed away at the age of 80 on October 28th, 2007...
May he R.I.P.
* "Cold Hard Facts of Life" was Porter Wagoner's first of two of his records to peak at #2, his other #2 record was "The Carroll County Accident" for four weeks in January of 1969...
Plus in a duet with Dolly Parton he had a third record peak at #2, "Making Plans", for two weeks in August of 1980...
And from the 'For What It's Worth' department, the remainder of the Hot Country Singles' Top 10 on April 2nd, 1967:
#3. "I Won't Come In While He's There" by Jim Reeves
#4. "Lonely Again" by Eddy Arnold
#5. "Need You" by Sonny James
#6. "Where Does The Good Times Go" by Buck Owens
#7. "Get While The Gettin's Good" by Bill Anderson
#8. "Stamp Out Loneliness" by Stonewall Jackson
#9. "Drifting Apart" by Warner Mack
#10. "Words I'm Gonna Have To Eat" by Bill Phillips
Moneytalks
Awesome post. Love Porter, thanks
Jim Hughes
Porter Wagoner will be missed greatly
John Bengston
What hat happen please don't give me the news that I don't want to hear
Ang Higgy
@John Bengston I don't know why he said "will" be missed, Porter died many years ago.