(The Hit Hammer is where I'm reviewing each #1 song on the Billboard Hot 100. Starting from when the chart started in 1958 and eventually working my way to the present. To see my inspiration and more information about this blog, please CLICK HERE)
Freddy Fender - "Before the Next Teardrop Falls"
Hit Number 1: May 31, 1975
Stay at Number 1: 1 Week
Freddy Fender had been through some stuff. Mostly, he had constantly dealt with problems related to drugs, particularly marijuana. In the 1950s, he was a pretty successful Tex-Mex singer, and though he wasn't making dents on the Hot 100 or anything, his name was still known by a lot of people around the Tex-Mex region. Or I should say, his stage name, El Bebop Kid. One of his first songs was a cover of Elvis Presley's "Don't Be Cruel," and he recorded the cover in Spanish. (Presley's original was a #1 hit on the Pre-Hot 100 in 1956. His version is a 7) Just when Fender was starting to pick up some steam in the music business, he was busted for marijuana possession and sentenced to five years in prison, though he would be released in 1963.
Fender tried to get back into music after being released from prison, but there was no way he could get back to where he once was. By the end of the '60s, he was working as a mechanic, and would only play a few local shows every now and then during weekends. Not to mention he was still having occasional trouble with relapsing on drugs. But he finally was able to get clean enough, and was starting to regain some of that attention he lost after his drug bust. In 1971, Fender met a producer by the name of Huey Meaux, and Meaux liked Fender enough to want to sign him to a deal with Crazy Cajun Records. One thing that Fender never considered doing was recording country music, but Meaux thought that Fender would sound great on a particular track that had been around for a few years. This track was "Before the Next Teardrop Falls," and though it took some convincing, Fender would eventually agree to record the song.
On the surface, there isn't anything that will jump out at you about the song. There's a guy who's dealing with some heartbreak, but he has no ill will towards his ex. In fact, he wishes her to be happy with her new lover. But, if this girl ever finds herself unhappy, and if that new guy ever does her wrong, he'll be there "before the next teardrop falls." Again, a pretty basic song plot. But there's something haunting about Fender's recording. Fender's signature was a quiver in his voice, and that really works on slow sad songs like this. But the reason why it works so well on this song is because Fender makes the narrator sound so genuine. Like I almost want this girl to ditch this other guy and go back to Fender's character. He sounds like a stand up guy. Not everyone could sell this character as well as Fender did.
One thing that I wish singers would do more often is put a little more personality into slower songs. Otherwise, I just find them to be stale and boring. But that's not how I would describe "Before the Next Teardrop Falls." Sure, it's sad as all living hell, but it's addictive sadness. (If that makes even an ounce of sense) Fender sounds like he's about to cry, like he's a truly broken man. And then he sings in Spanish for a little bit, which surprisingly, I love. (For those who don't know, the Spanish verse is just a repeat of the first verse translated) It's like a nod back to Fender's roots, and knowing about Fender's difficulties which led up to the song, it's pretty remarkable that he was able to come up with such a major hit. The song doesn't slap, but it finds a way to tug at your heartstrings. That's because of the timid instrumentation and the unintimidating quiver of Fender's voice. He found that sweet spot that can actually make slow ballads good.
Fender's popularity was brief, but he was able to score another top ten hit with the song "Wasted Days and Wasted Nights," a song he first released in 1959, but decided to re-record in the '70s. (It made it to #8. It's an 8) From what I'm seeing he was able to kick his drug habits for the most part, and performed with other bands well into the '90s. He was falsely reported to be dead in 2001, which he laughed off, but unfortunately he did die of lung cancer in 2006. But I never knew about his fascinating story that led to his only #1
hit, and that's what makes writing these reviews fun. Stories like Fender's are the ones I enjoy writing about the most.
GRADE: 8/10
IN POP CULTURE:
"Before the Next Teardrop Falls" has been covered a few times since Fender's version, but I'll be including a cover by Dolly Parton here because her version includes the Spanish lyrics, which are sung by David Hidalgo. Her version was released on her 1996 covers album Treasures. Here's that version:
(Dolly Parton will eventually appear in this blog)
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