The Easy Part's Over
{{Infobox song
| name = The Easy Part's Over
| cover = Charley Pride--The Easy Part's Over.jpg
| type = single
| artist = Charley Pride
| album = Songs of Pride...Charley That Is
| B-side = "The Right to Do Wrong"
| released = {{Start date|1968|04}}
| recorded = January 2, 1968
| studio = RCA Studio A, Nashville, Tennessee
| genre = {{hlist|Country|traditional country{{cite web |title=Songs of Pride...Charley That Is: Charley Pride: Songs, Reviews Credits |url=https://www.allmusic.com/album/songs-of-pridecharley-that-is-mw0000242752 |website=Allmusic |access-date=25 December 2020}}}}
| length = {{duration|m=02|s=20}}
| label = RCA Victor
| writer = {{hlist|Jerry Foster|Bill Rice}}
| producer = {{hlist|Chet Atkins|Jack Clement|Bob Ferguson}}
| prev_title = The Day the World Stood Still
| prev_year = 1968
| next_title = Let the Chips Fall
| next_year = 1968
}}
"The Easy Part's Over" is a song written by Jerry Foster and Bill Rice, and recorded by American country music artist Charley Pride. It was released in April 1968 as the first single from the album Songs of Pride...Charley That Is. The song was Pride's seventh single and his fifth major hit as a recording artist.
Background and content
Under the supervision and guidance of Jack Clement, Charley Pride became country music's first commercially successful African-American recording artist. With his first two singles failing to become successful, Pride finally had his first major hit in 1967 with "Just Between You and Me." He would have several more top ten hits that followed this hit, including "The Easy Part's Over."{{cite web |last1=Vinopal |first1=David |title=Charley Pride: Biography & History |url=https://www.allmusic.com/artist/charley-pride-mn0000165818/biography |website=Allmusic |access-date=24 December 2020}} The song was co-written by songwriters Jerry Foster and Bill Rice. The song was recorded on January 2, 1967 at the RCA Victor Studio. Two additional tracks were also recorded at the same session. Jack Clement co-produced the song, along with Chet Atkins and Bob Ferguson.{{cite journal |last1=Pride |first1=Charlie |title="The Easy Part's Over"/"The Right to Do Wrong" (Vinyl Single Insert Information) |journal=RCA Victor Records |date=April 1968}}
Release and reception
"The Easy Part's Over" was released as a single via RCA Victor Records in January 1968. It was Pride's seventh single released in his music career.{{cite book|last=Whitburn|first=Joel|title=Hot Country Songs 1944 to 2008|publisher=Record Research, Inc.|year=2008|isbn=978-0-89820-177-2}} It spent a total of 15 weeks on the Billboard Hot Country Songs chart and peaked at number two on the list in June 1968.{{cite magazine |title="The Easy Part's Over" chart history |url=https://www.billboard.com/artist/charley-pride/chart-history/csi/ |magazine=Billboard |access-date=25 December 2020}} The song was Pride's fifth major hit and highest-charting single up to that point. In addition, it also became a hit in Canada, also reaching number two on the RPM Country Singles chart in 1968.{{cite web |title=Search results for "Charley Pride" under Country Singles |url=https://www.bac-lac.gc.ca/eng/discover/films-videos-sound-recordings/rpm/Pages/list.aspx?OCRText=Charley+Pride&ChartEn=Country+Singles& |website=RPM | date=17 July 2013 |access-date=24 December 2020}} It was later released on Pride's 1967 studio album on RCA titled Songs of Pride...Charley That Is.
Track listings
7" vinyl single{{cite web |title=Charley Pride -- "The Easy Part's Over" (1968, Single) |url=https://www.discogs.com/Charley-Pride-The-Easy-Parts-Over-The-Right-To-Do-Wrong/release/5628237 |website=Discogs |year=1968 |access-date=25 December 2020}}
- "The Easy Part's Over" – 2:20
- "The Right to Do Wrong" – 2:20
Chart performance
| class="wikitable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center" |
| scope="col"| Chart (1968)
! scope="col"| Peak |
|---|
| scope="row"| Canada Country Songs (RPM)
| 2 |
| {{single chart|Billboardcountrysongs|2|artist=Charley Pride|rowheader=true|accessdate=December 25, 2020}} |
References
{{reflist}}
{{Charley Pride singles}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Easy Part's Over}}
Category:Song recordings produced by Chet Atkins
Category:Song recordings produced by Jack Clement
Category:Song recordings produced by Bob Ferguson (musician)