The Story Behind Good Hearted Woman by Waylon Jennings and Willie Nelson
When Waylon Jennings and Willie Nelson teamed up, the world expected nothing short of brilliance, and they delivered with the hit song Good Hearted Woman.
The story of the song’s creation begins in 1969 when Waylon Jennings and Willie Nelson were on tour together. During a stay at the Fort Worth Motel in Texas, Jennings was flipping through TV channels when an advertisement for Tina Turner caught his eye. The ad mentioned Turner singing about a “good hearted woman loving two-timing men,” and the phrase sparked an idea in Jennings’s mind. He thought to himself, “What a great country song title!”
Inspired, Jennings began writing the song, but he quickly became stuck when he reached the chorus. Unsure of how to proceed, he turned to Nelson for help, even though he found him in the midst of a poker game. Despite the setting, the two began collaborating on the lyrics, continuing to play cards while expanding the song. Connie Koepke, Nelson’s then-wife, helped by writing down the lyrics as they went along.
The result was a timeless country anthem:
“She’s a good hearted woman in love with a good timin’ man.
And she loves him in spite of his ways that she don’t understand.
Through teardrops and laughter, they pass through this world hand in hand.
A good hearted woman, lovin’ a good timin’ man.”
In 1972, Waylon Jennings recorded Good Hearted Woman as the title track for his album, which became a huge success, peaking at No. 3 on the Billboard Hot Country Songs chart and No. 1 in Canada. Three years later, in 1975, Jennings and Nelson recorded a duet version of the song, which topped the Billboard Hot Country Songs chart and even made it to No. 25 on the Billboard Hot 100.
The duet version was included in the 1976 compilation album Wanted: The Outlaws!, which became the first country album to sell a million copies. Their collaboration was widely recognized, earning them the 1976 Country Music Association Award for Single of the Year.
Good Hearted Woman not only helped solidify Jennings and Nelson’s place in mainstream country music, but it also revitalized Waylon Jennings’s confidence in his songwriting, according to his wife, Jessi Colter. This hit was truly a defining moment in both of their careers.
Lyrics
A long time forgotten are dreams that just fell by the way
And the good life he promised ain’t what she’s living today
But she never complains of the bad times or bad things he’s done, Lord
She just talks about the good times they’ve had and all the good times to come
She’s a good hearted woman in love with a good timin’ man
She loves him in spite of his ways that she don’t understand
Through teardrops and laughter they’ll pass through this world hand in hand
A good hearted woman lovin’ her good timin’ man
He likes the night life and bright lights and good timin’ friends
When the party’s all over she’ll welcome him back home again
Lord knows she don’t understand him but she does the best that she can
‘Cause she’s a good hearted woman, she loves her good timin’ man
She’s a good hearted woman in love with a good timin’ man
And she loves him in spite of his wicked ways that she don’t understand
Through teardrops and laughter they’ll pass through this world hand in hand
A good hearted woman lovin’ her good timin’ man
She’s a good hearted woman in love with a good timin’ man
She loves me in spite of my wicked ways that she don’t understand
Through teardrops and laughter we’ll pass through this world hand in hand, Lord
A good hearted woman lovin’ her good timin’ manAdvertisement
