Is a country song written by Kenny O’Dell. It was first recorded by Charlie Rich for his 1973 album Behind Closed Doors. The single was Rich’s first number-one hit on the country charts, spent 20 weeks on this chart, and was also a crossover hit on the pop charts. It was certified Platinum by the RIAA for U. S. sales in excess of two million copies.Background vocals were provided by The Nashville Edition.

Rich’s producer, Billy Sherrill, encouraged O’Dell to write music for the singer. O’Dell recalled the creation of “Behind Closed Doors” to Tom Roland in The Billboard Book of Number One Country Hits. “It was just a title I had written down, and I had a little guitar riff that I’d carried with me for a couple of years. The chorus was pretty much a little deviation on that.” Sherrill later changed some lines at the end of the second verse, but some radio stations banned the record initially as being racy.

“Behind Closed Doors” earned awards for Song of the Year (for O’Dell) and Single of the Year (for Rich) from both the Country Music Association and the Academy of Country Music, and Rich also received a Grammy Award for Best Male Country Vocal Performance. In 2003, it ranked #9 in CMT’s 100 Greatest Songs in Country Music.

Some Versions:
Charlie Rich April 1973
Hank Thompson July 16, 1973
Barbara Fairchild 1973
Ronnie Milsap April 1974
Jerry Vale 1974
The Danny Davis Singers May 1975
Bobby Goldsboro 1975
Don Estelle 1977
Ed Bruce 1981
Dolly Parton September 24, 1996
Andy Pratt and Mark Doyle 2002
Adam Harvey June 14, 2013

Charlie Rich – Behind Closed Doors lyrics

My baby makes me proud
Lord, don’t she make me proud
She never makes a scene
By hangin’ all over me in a crowd

‘Cause people like to talk
Lord, don’t they love to talk
But when they turn out the lights
I know she’ll be leavin’ with me

And when we get behind closed doors
Then she lets her hair hang down
And she makes me glad that I’m a man
Oh, no one knows what goes on behind closed doors

My baby makes me smile
Lord, don’t she make me smile
She’s never far away
Or too tired to say “I want you”

She’s always a lady
Just like a lady should be
But when they turn out the lights
She’s still a baby to me

‘Cause when we get behind closed doors
Then she lets her hair hang down
And she makes me glad I’m a man
Oh, no one knows what goes on behind closed doors
Behind closed doors