It’s a song that has just never gotten the respect it deserves. It was back in 1967 that Washington State folkster Danny O’Keefe wrote “Good Time Charlie’s Got the Blues.”
O’Keefe waited four years to record it, putting it on his 1971 self-titled debut album. That effort was largely ignored, so he gave the tune another shot the following year with a slower, more downbeat arrangement for his second album, O’Keefe.
This version did a bit better, especially when it also was released as a single. The song reached No. 9 among Billboard’s Hot 100 singles and No. 5 on the adult contemporary chart.
That was the peak of its fame in the record sales game, but “Good Time Charlie” had fans among a wide range of important singers.
Waylon Jennings, for instance, recorded it in 1973, Elvis Presley in 1974, Conway Twitty in 1977 and Charlie Rich in 1980.
Willie Nelson and Leon Russell both hit the country charts with it in the same year — 1984 — and crooner Mel (“The Velvet Fog”) Tormé recorded it especially for a 1986 episode of NBC TV’s “Night Court” in a segment in which the singer also had a bit acting role.
Our Take on the Tune
It was Randy Hamilton who brought us the song.
Not long ago, he and his buddy, Flood guitarist Dan Cox, came in the room on a rainy night like last night, sat down, tuned up, and almost immediately the song fell into a groove. Along with Danny, Sam St. Clair found a special voice for soloing, and “Good Time Charlie”, with Randy’s lead vocals, landed solidly in our repertoire.
"Good Time Charlie's Got the Blues"