Live/Living Top Ten: How the Other Half Lives (#1)
By Four Walls
@FourWalls (68980)
United States
March 31, 2024 11:02am CST
The jury duty questionnaire is filled out. I guess they got my name off my driver’s license renewal, not voter registration (which is why they didn’t see the exemption). Oh, well, that’s life. And this is the end of the month, meaning the end of the songs with “live” in the title. A big thank-you again to @RasmaSandra for the suggestion! And, with a big “Linda? NO!!!!” to warn of the impending country music, here’s the top song.
#1: How the Other Half Lives - Wynn Stewart and Jan Howard
DANG what a great song. I first knew this from the Johnny & Jonie Mosby version in the mid-60s, which is more uptempo.
Thematically, this is another “The Wild Side of Life” (person leaves spouse for the bar scene). With all love and respect to the Hank Thompson classic, this one blows that out of the water. The driving rhythm and harmonies of Wynn Stewart (who was the bigger star at the time, but that’s not saying much) and Jan Howard (who was married to Harlan Howard at the time) just make this song go. The Mosby version kept the harmonies and the fiddles.
This song is on my 100 favorites list, so naturally it’d top this list of living songs.
Thanks for reading.
How the Other Half Lives
Written by Wynn Stewart and Fuzzy Owen
Recorded by Wynn Stewart and Jan Howard
Released as a single, 1962
You don’t care how much my heart will grieve:
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8 people like this
5 responses
@RebeccasFarm (90406)
• Arvada, Colorado
31 Mar
Nope but Happy Easter my friend.
1 person likes this
@FourWalls (68980)
• United States
1 Apr
Thanks. I had a great day, and I hope you did, too.
1 person likes this
@RebeccasFarm (90406)
• Arvada, Colorado
1 Apr
@FourWalls It was not the best thanks
1 person likes this
@LindaOHio (181550)
• United States
1 Apr
Whew! Almost listened to this one! Hope you have a good week.
1 person likes this
@RasmaSandra (80708)
• Daytona Beach, Florida
31 Mar
Somewhere in time I have heard this, It is a great song, Hope you had a Happy Easter, If I was still in Latvia tomorrow I would be having a Second Easter but since I no longer do any special celebrating it is just as well, Hope you have a good start to the new week,
1 person likes this
@FourWalls (68980)
• United States
1 Apr
I had a great day, and I hope you did as well. Thanks for the suggestion. Now, on to the 70-year-old songs!
1 person likes this
@FourWalls (68980)
• United States
1 Apr
I’m a sucker for country music like this.
1 person likes this
@Metsrock69 (3582)
• United States
31 Mar
I got lucky the last time they sent for me for jury duty, Covid hit and they cancelled it
1 person likes this
@FourWalls (68980)
• United States
31 Mar
I’m hoping they have the old exemption on record.
1 person likes this