“He Loves Me All the Way”
Tammy Wynette
Written by Billy Sherrill, Carmol Taylor, and Norro Wilson
Billboard
#1 (3 weeks)
July 4 – July 18, 1970
Despite it spending three weeks at No. 1, “He Loves Me All the Way” has been one of Tammy Wynette’s least enduring hits, not nearly as remembered as some of the other singles we’ll cover from her this decade.
I think that’s because it’s just not Tammy enough. She didn’t co-write this one, so the quiet dignity she brings to the women of her songs isn’t there. These guys made her a bit too much of a doormat, coming perilously close to mocking her with the words they give her to sing. “I’ve been layin’ in bed thinkin’ like a woman” just doesn’t sound like anything a real woman would be lying in her bed thinking.
This one’s a dud, but there are some fantastic Tammy records on the way.
“He Loves Me All the Way” gets a C.
Every No. 1 Single of the Seventies
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I will admit with Tammy I am biased as I consider her the greatest emotional vocalist in the history of the genre. However, she was not a great songwriter like Loretta & Dolly so she relied heavily on outside material by Billy Sherril and others and often resulted in material that was unworthy for her. I hate to agree, but yes the “C” grade is about right.
Bonus Beats:
Here’s the version of “He Loves Me All the Way” that Lorrie Morgan recorded for the 2005 album The Greatest Country Love Songs, a compilation of classics covered mostly by newer artists:
https://youtu.be/CFPBdW4UKtA
And for something more interesting, here’s “On kaikki ennallaan” by Eija Merilä, a Finnish language version of “He Loves Me All the Way”:
https://youtu.be/K8vZXXgi7JE
Tammy Wynette’s distinctive sound will always be catnip to my ears. I think I love all of her singles from her hit-making years, though I don’t dispute the criticisms aimed at the lyrics to this particular song.
I agree with the assessment of this song being worth a “C”. Both Cash Box and Record World had this song reach #1, but at this point in her career I suspect that disc jockeys were pre-disposed to play her records. This was a rather weak effort – better songs will be forthcoming