If Teardrops Were Pennies

"If Teardrops Were Pennies"
Single by Carl Smith
from the album Let's Live a Little
Released1951
Recorded1951
GenreCountry
Length2:30
LabelColumbia
SongwriterCarl Butler

"If Teardrops Were Pennies" is a song written by Carl Butler that was first a hit for American country music artist Carl Smith. It was released by Columbia Records in 1951 and reached number 8 on the Billboard Hot Country Singles & Tracks chart.[1] It was the B side of Mr. Moon, which reached number 4 on the Billboard Hot Country Singles & Tracks chart.[1] The song also became a pop hit for another Columbia Records artist, Rosemary Clooney, in 1951, reaching number 24 as the B side to the single "I'm Waiting Just for You."[2]

The song has been covered by numerous artists including Kitty Wells and Loretta Lynn and was a hit for country music duo Porter Wagoner and Dolly Parton in 1973.

Chart performance

Chart (1951) Peak
position
US Hot Country Songs (Billboard)[3]8
Chart (1951) Peak
position
US Pop Airplay (Billboard)[4]24

Porter Wagoner and Dolly Parton version

"If Teardrops Were Pennies"
Single by Porter Wagoner and Dolly Parton
from the album Love and Music
B-side"Gone Away"
Released1973
GenreCountry
Length2:06
LabelRCA Victor
SongwriterCarl Butler
ProducerBob Ferguson
Porter Wagoner and Dolly Parton singles chronology
"We Found It"
(1973)		 "If Teardrops Were Pennies"
(1973)		 "Please Don't Stop Loving Me"
(1974)

Background and recording

"If Teardrops Were Pennies" had its greatest chart success as a duet by Porter Wagoner and Dolly Parton, whose version reached number 3 on the Hot Country Singles & Tracks chart in 1973.[5] The song was released on June 4, 1973, as the only single from the album Love and Music and was produced by Bob Ferguson. The song was nominated for Best Country Vocal Performance by a Duo or Group at the 16th Annual Grammy Awards[6]

Songwriter

Carl Butler is credited as the sole songwriter of "If Teardrops Were Pennies." However, Wayne Bledsoe and Bradley Reeves reported in The Knoxville News-Sentinel that the song had actually been written by Arthur Q. Smith, born James Arthur Pritchett, and sold to Butler.[7] To support his alcoholism, Smith had sold many of his songs outright for 15 or 20 dollars, including songs that became hits such as "Wedding Bells", "Rainbow at Midnight", and "I Overlooked an Orchid". Smith also sold a 1/2 share of the song "I Wouldn't Change You If I Could", but ultimately received credit after his widow, Lillian Pritchett, sued the publisher after the song became a hit for Ricky Skaggs in 1983, twenty years after Smith's death.[7]

Other notable covers

References

  1. 1 2 Whitburn, Joel (2004). The Billboard Book Of Top 40 Country Hits: 1944-2006 (2nd ed.). Record Research. p. 318.
  2. ↑ Whitburn, Joel (1986). Joel Whitburn's Pop Memories, 1890-1954 The History of American Popular Music: Compiled from America's Popular Music Charts 1890-1954. Record Research Inc. ISBN 978-0898200836.
  3. ↑ "Carl Smith Chart History (Hot Country Songs)". Billboard.
  4. ↑ "Rosemary Clooney Chart History (Pop Songs)". Billboard.
  5. ↑ Whitburn, Joel (2004). The Billboard Book Of Top 40 Country Hits: 1944-2006 (2nd ed.). Record Research. p. 261.
  6. ↑ "16th Annual Grammy Awards 1973, Nominations, Best Country Vocal Performance by a Duo or Group". Grammy Awards. Retrieved 8 March 2026.
  7. 1 2 "Arthur Q. Smith: The greatest songwriter you never knew finally gets his due".
  8. ↑ "Stonewall Jackson – Help Stamp Out Loneliness". Discogs. Retrieved June 4, 2026.
  9. ↑ "Carl & Pearl Butler – Country We Love". Discogs. Retrieved June 4, 2026.
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