Lovin' Her Was Easier (Than Anything I'll Ever Do Again)
Encyclopedia
"Lovin' Her Was Easier" is the title of a song written and recorded by Kris Kristofferson
. It was also released by Roger Miller
, who included it on his album The Best of Roger Miller and released it as a single in July 1971. Ten years later, it was recorded by Tompall & the Glaser Brothers
for the album Lovin' Her Was Easier.
, The Silver Tongued Devil and I
.
Kristofferson's rendition of the song was not released to the country format. It reached #26 on the Billboard Hot 100
and #4 on Hot Adult Contemporary Tracks
. In Canada, it reached #21 on the RPM
Top Singles charts and #8 on that same publication's Adult Contemporary list.
in 1970 and had two Top 20 hits with the label between then and early 1971: the double-sided "South"/"Don't We All Have the Right
" at #15 and "Tomorrow Night in Baltimore" at #11. Mercury rush-released the single following a recording session in Los Angeles, California
under the production of Jerry Fuller.
) charts in August 1971. The song spent eleven weeks on that chart and peaked at #28. In Canada, the song debuted at #50 on the RPM
Country Tracks charts dated for September 11, 1971, peaking at #8 on the chart week of October 16.
covered the song in 1981. This was the group's third single following its 1980 reunion, as frontman Tompall Glaser
had departed the group in 1973 for a solo career. The group's first two Elektra singles — "Weight of My Chains" and "Sweet City Woman
" — both had seen minimal chart success and were never included on an album. Released in mid-1981, this version of "Lovin' Her Was Easier" went on to become the group's highest-charting single. It was also the title track of the Glaser brothers's reunion album, Lovin' Her Was Easier.
Following the release of this song, the Glaser brothers recorded only four more cuts for Elektra before disbanding a second time. Jim Glaser
began a solo career on the Noble Vision label, charting several singles in the early-to-mid 1980s, including "You're Gettin' to Me Again," which reached Number One.
included a cover of the song on his album Outlaw
, an album which comprises covers of songs recorded by "outlaw" country music artists. His version of the song was released as the first single from it. Chesnutt told LimeWire that, although he was familiar with both Kristofferson's and the Glaser Brothers's renditions of the songs, he "wasn't a big fan of the song" until he heard Waylon Jennings
sing it. (Jennings recorded the song on his 1971 album The Taker/Tulsa
.)
Kris Kristofferson
Kristoffer "Kris" Kristofferson is an American musician, actor, and writer. He is known for hits such as "Me and Bobby McGee", "For the Good Times", "Sunday Mornin' Comin' Down", and "Help Me Make It Through the Night"...
. It was also released by Roger Miller
Roger Miller
Roger Dean Miller was an American singer, songwriter, musician and actor, best known for his honky tonk-influenced novelty songs...
, who included it on his album The Best of Roger Miller and released it as a single in July 1971. Ten years later, it was recorded by Tompall & the Glaser Brothers
Tompall & the Glaser Brothers
Tompall & The Glaser Brothers was an American country music group composed of three brothers: Chuck, Jim, and Tompall Glaser, all of whom also had success in the 1970s as solo artists. Between 1960 and 1975, the trio recorded ten studio albums, and charted nine singles on the Billboard Hot Country...
for the album Lovin' Her Was Easier.
Kris Kristofferson version
Kristofferson was the first artist to record the song, doing so on his 1971 album for Monument RecordsMonument Records
Monument Records was an American record label, Washington, D.C. named for the Washington Monument, founded in 1958, by Fred Foster and Buddy Deane . Buddy Deane soon left the company, and in the early 60's bought KOTN in Pine Bluff, Arkansas where he retired to until his death...
, The Silver Tongued Devil and I
The Silver Tongued Devil and I
The Silver Tongued Devil and I is the second album by Kris Kristofferson, released in 1971 on Monument Records. In the spoken word intro to "The Pilgrim, Chapter 33", Kristofferson says he wrote the song about various celebrities...
.
Kristofferson's rendition of the song was not released to the country format. It reached #26 on the Billboard Hot 100
Billboard Hot 100
The Billboard Hot 100 is the United States music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine. Chart rankings are based on radio play and sales; the tracking-week for sales begins on Monday and ends on Sunday, while the radio play tracking-week runs from Wednesday...
and #4 on Hot Adult Contemporary Tracks
Hot Adult Contemporary Tracks
The Adult Contemporary chart is a weekly chart published in Billboard magazine that lists the most popular songs on adult contemporary and "lite-pop" radio stations in the United States...
. In Canada, it reached #21 on the RPM
RPM (magazine)
RPM was a Canadian music industry publication that featured song and album charts for Canada. The publication was founded by Walt Grealis in February 1964, supported through its existence by record label owner Stan Klees. RPM ceased publication in November 2000.RPM stood for "Records, Promotion,...
Top Singles charts and #8 on that same publication's Adult Contemporary list.
| Chart (1971) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| U.S. Billboard Hot 100 | 26 |
| U.S. Billboard Hot Adult Contemporary Tracks | 4 |
| Canadian RPM Top Singles | 21 |
| Canadian RPM Adult Contemporary Tracks | 8 |
Roger Miller version
Roger Miller signed to Mercury RecordsMercury Records
Mercury Records is a record label operating as a standalone company in the UK and as part of the Island Def Jam Motown Music Group in the US; both are subsidiaries of Universal Music Group. There is also a Mercury Records in Australia, which is a local artist and repertoire division of Universal...
in 1970 and had two Top 20 hits with the label between then and early 1971: the double-sided "South"/"Don't We All Have the Right
Don't We All Have the Right
"Don't We All Have the Right" is a song written and recorded by Roger Miller in 1970 and featured on his album, Trip in the Country, released as a double A-side with "South." It was later recorded by Ricky Van Shelton...
" at #15 and "Tomorrow Night in Baltimore" at #11. Mercury rush-released the single following a recording session in Los Angeles, California
Los Angeles, California
Los Angeles , with a population at the 2010 United States Census of 3,792,621, is the most populous city in California, USA and the second most populous in the United States, after New York City. It has an area of , and is located in Southern California...
under the production of Jerry Fuller.
Chart performance
Miller's version of the song entered the Hot Country Singles (now Hot Country SongsHot Country Songs
Hot Country Songs is a chart published weekly by Billboard magazine in the United States.This 60-position chart lists the most popular country music songs, calculated weekly mostly by airplay and occasionally commercial sales...
) charts in August 1971. The song spent eleven weeks on that chart and peaked at #28. In Canada, the song debuted at #50 on the RPM
RPM (magazine)
RPM was a Canadian music industry publication that featured song and album charts for Canada. The publication was founded by Walt Grealis in February 1964, supported through its existence by record label owner Stan Klees. RPM ceased publication in November 2000.RPM stood for "Records, Promotion,...
Country Tracks charts dated for September 11, 1971, peaking at #8 on the chart week of October 16.
| Chart (1971) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| U.S. Billboard Hot Country Singles | 28 |
| Canadian RPM Country Tracks | 8 |
| Canadian RPM Adult Contemporary | 11 |
Tompall & the Glaser Brothers version
Tompall & the Glaser BrothersTompall & the Glaser Brothers
Tompall & The Glaser Brothers was an American country music group composed of three brothers: Chuck, Jim, and Tompall Glaser, all of whom also had success in the 1970s as solo artists. Between 1960 and 1975, the trio recorded ten studio albums, and charted nine singles on the Billboard Hot Country...
covered the song in 1981. This was the group's third single following its 1980 reunion, as frontman Tompall Glaser
Tompall Glaser
Tompall Glaser is an American country music artist. Active since the 1950s, he has recorded both as a solo artist and with his brothers Chuck and Jim in the trio Tompall & the Glaser Brothers...
had departed the group in 1973 for a solo career. The group's first two Elektra singles — "Weight of My Chains" and "Sweet City Woman
Sweet City Woman
Sweet City Woman is a 1971 song by Canadian rock band The Stampeders. The song appeared on their debut album Against the Grain...
" — both had seen minimal chart success and were never included on an album. Released in mid-1981, this version of "Lovin' Her Was Easier" went on to become the group's highest-charting single. It was also the title track of the Glaser brothers's reunion album, Lovin' Her Was Easier.
Following the release of this song, the Glaser brothers recorded only four more cuts for Elektra before disbanding a second time. Jim Glaser
Jim Glaser
Jim Glaser is an American country music artist. The brother of country singers Chuck and Tompall Glaser, he has performed as both a solo artist and alongside his two brothers in the group Tompall and the Glaser Brothers...
began a solo career on the Noble Vision label, charting several singles in the early-to-mid 1980s, including "You're Gettin' to Me Again," which reached Number One.
Chart performance
Tompall & the Glaser Brothers' rendition of the song spent sixteen weeks on the Billboard country music charts. The song reached a peak of #2 on that chart, holding the position for two weeks. It also reached a #2 peak on the RPM country singles charts.| Chart (1981) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| U.S. Billboard Hot Country Singles | 2 |
| Canadian RPM Hot Country Singles | 2 |
Mark Chesnutt version
In 2010, Mark ChesnuttMark Chesnutt
Mark Nelson Chesnutt is an American country music singer. Chesnutt recorded and released his first album, Doing My Country Thing, in the late-1980s on private independent record label, Axbar Records, with the vinyl album version now a collector's item...
included a cover of the song on his album Outlaw
Outlaw (Mark Chesnutt album)
Outlaw is the fourteenth studio album by American country music artist, Mark Chesnutt. It was released on June 22, 2010, via Saguaro Road Records.-Background:...
, an album which comprises covers of songs recorded by "outlaw" country music artists. His version of the song was released as the first single from it. Chesnutt told LimeWire that, although he was familiar with both Kristofferson's and the Glaser Brothers's renditions of the songs, he "wasn't a big fan of the song" until he heard Waylon Jennings
Waylon Jennings
Waylon Arnold Jennings was an American country music singer, songwriter, and musician. Jennings began playing at eight. He began performing at twelve, on KVOW radio. Jennings formed a band The Texas Longhorns. Jennings worked as a D.J on KVOW, KDAV and KLLL...
sing it. (Jennings recorded the song on his 1971 album The Taker/Tulsa
The Taker/Tulsa
The Taker/Tulsa is a 1971 album by Waylon Jennings. The album includes covers of several Kris Kristofferson songs.-Track listing:# "The Taker" – 2:29# "You'll Look for Me" – 2:03...
.)
Other versions
- Billie Jo SpearsBillie Jo SpearsBillie Jo Spears is an American country music singer. She reached the top-10 of the Country music charts five times between 1969 and 1977, her biggest hit being "Blanket on the Ground", which, in 1975, became her only number one...
recorded the song as "Loving him was easier (than anything I'll ever do again)" in 1977 for her album If you want me - Nana MouskouriNana MouskouriNana Mouskouri , born Ioánna Moúschouri on October 13, 1934, in Chania, Crete, Greece, is a Greek singer who has sold about 300 million records worldwide in a career spanning over five decades, making her one of the best-selling music artists of all time. She was known as Nána to her friends and...
recorded the song - also as as "Loving him was easier (than anything I'll ever do again)" - in 1982 for her album Song for Liberty