George Jones – Tender Years, is a song written by American country music artist George Jones and Darrell Edwards. It became Jones’ second #1 country hit.
Spent seven non consecutive weeks at #1 and a total of 32 weeks on the country chart. “Tender Years” also made it to the Hot 100, peaking at number 76. Like his previous singles “Family Bible” and “Window Up Above,” the recording displayed a more mature, restrained vocal approach from the one that had established him on earlier honky tonk hits such as “Why Baby Why” and “White Lightning”. In the liner notes to the 1994 Mercury compilation Cup of Loneliness: The Classic Mercury Years, country music historian Colin Escott argues that “Tender Years” “just about defined the territory he carved out as his own in the years ahead. ‘Window Up Above,’ ‘Color of the Blues,’ and ‘Accidentally on Purpose’ had all hinted at the same direction, but on ‘Tender Years’ the song, the production, and the performance came together in a statement of soon-to-be classic George Jones.” Music journalist Rich Kienzle concurs, observing in his essay for The Essential George Jones: The Spirit of Country, “Here, his singing voice, which so far had been high and nasal, began to deepen. His restrained delivery and the smoother, ‘Nashville Sound’ production (complete with muted accompaniment and a vocal chorus) produced a smoother, but no less expressive George Jones.” Years later Jones would perform the song with Faron Young and Marty Robbins during a segment on Robbins’ television show.
George Jones – Tender Years
From the album Greatest Hits
B-side “Battle of Love”
Released April 1961
Recorded February 8, 1961
Genre Country
Label Mercury
Songwriter(s) George Jones, Darrell Edwards
Producer(s) Shelby Singleton
COUNTRYPEDIA
George Jones – Tender Years Lyrics
You keep saying you love him
I believe that it’s true
And it just doesn’t matter
How much I love you
But in time you’ll understand, dear
When you shed a tear
Then you’ll know you were living
In your tender years. (tender years.)
In your eyes there’s a lovelight
That shines for him
But how long will it stay there
Will that love light grow dim?
You can just see the happiness
You can’t see the tears
It’s true, ’cause you’re living
In your tender years. (tender years.)
— Instrumental —
So if I can’t be your first love
I’ll wait and be your last
I’ll be somewhere in your future
To help you forget the past
And you’ll know that I love you
With a love that’s sincere
‘Cause I’ll wait ’til you’re thru living
In your tender years. (tender years.)
Yes, you’ll know that I love you
With a love that’s sincere
Yes, I’ll wait ’til you’re thru living
In your tender years… (tender years)…
GENIUS
