Always On My Mind

Always On My Mind was
the backside of this record,
the B side.

Another parody....be patient while I get this out of my system!

This one is the song, Always On My Mind, was originally published in 1972 and has been sung by many musical artists; Gwen McCrae and Brenda Lee did the first versions.  Elvis Presley came out with his version the same year as the B side of Separate Ways which was shortly after separating from his wife, Priscilla. Of course, because the separation was the scandal of the year, and Elvis' popularity was so high at the time, conditions were favorable for the song to soar on the Billboard charts. [For the uninitiated, 'B side' refers to the song recorded on a 45 record that essentially is the second best to the main song on the front side.]

By far, the most successful version of Always On My Mind was done in 1982 by Willie Nelson. Although Elvis' voice can be smooth and polished, it is the absence of those qualities that make Nelson's song believably charismatic. Willie Nelson's voice can illustrate pain and remorse precisely because of its earthiness.

This is the perfect song to parody for gourd songs about the remorse a gardener feels when the gourd seeds that do not sprout or produce fruit. There is a tender sadness to the fact that the original hope of things to come [gourds to craft in the future] has been lost due to neglect or ineptitude [poor location or lack of water].

Here are the original lyrics to this song:

Maybe I didn't love you  /  Quite as often as I could have
And maybe I didn't treat you  /  Quite as good as I should have

If I made you feel second best  /  Girl I'm sorry I was blind
You were always on my mind  /  You were always on my mind

And maybe I didn't hold you  /  All those lonely, lonely times
And I guess I never told you  /  I'm so happy that you're mine

Little things I should have said and done  /  I just never took the time
You were always on my mind  /  You were always on my mind

Tell me,  /  Tell me that your sweet love hasn't died
Give me, give me  /  One more chance to keep you satisfied  /  I'll keep you satisfied


The gourd parody needs to reflect the remorse in these sad words, yet be inspire hope that things can be better with a fresh start.

I put my seeds in a bad place  /  Not in full sun as I should have

And they were in the wrong space  /  No space to roam as they could have

An open field would’ve been the best  /  I’m so sorry I was blind

[but] It’s too late to grieve and whine  /  It’s too late to grieve and whine

Harvesting should have waited  / ‘ Til the frosts had come and gone

And the vines should have died away  /  showing proof the plant was done.

My little gourds needed dif’rent care  /  Looking back I wasn’t kind

I'll know more next year, next time  /  I’ll know more next year, next time.

Next time,  /  Next time there’ll be sun and space to roam

And I”ll know  /  I’ll know more ‘bout how to get my gourds to grow  /   To get my gourds to grow.


Gosh, we have a cracklin' good time in the VLGS!!
CAM