Once You've Had the Best
| "Once You've Had the Best" | |
|---|---|
| Song by Johnny Paycheck | |
| from the album Mr. Lovemaker | |
| Released | June 1973 |
| Studio | Columbia Recording Studio (Nashville, Tennessee) |
| Genre | Country |
| Length | 2:42 |
| Label | Epic |
| Songwriter(s) | Johnny Paycheck |
| Producer(s) | Billy Sherrill |
"Once You've Had the Best" is a country ballad written by Johnny Paycheck. It was recorded by Paycheck on his 1973 album Mr. Lovemaker. The song was popularized in a more optimistic tone by George Jones, who released it as a single for his album The Grand Tour, with the single reaching number three on the Billboard Hot Country Songs chart.
Original recording
Paycheck wrote and recorded the song for his 1973 album, Mr. Lovemaker.[1] The song received praise from critics, specifically for Paycheck's songwriting, especially in an album mainly written by outside writers.[1]
George Jones version
| "Once You've Had the Best" | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Single by George Jones | ||||
| from the album The Grand Tour | ||||
| B-side | "Mary Don't Go 'Round" | |||
| Released | October 24, 1973 | |||
| Recorded | 1973 | |||
| Genre | Country | |||
| Length | 2:36 | |||
| Label | Epic | |||
| Songwriter(s) | Johnny Paycheck | |||
| Producer(s) | Billy Sherrill | |||
| George Jones singles chronology | ||||
| ||||
George Jones recorded the song for his 1974 album, The Grand Tour. It was released as a single through Epic Records on October 24, 1973. The single debuted on the Billboard Hot Country Songs chart on November 24, 1973, and then peaked at number three.
Jones' version featured a more optimistic tone and was generally considered as the far superior version over Paycheck's.[2]
Charts
| Chart (1973–1974) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Canada Country (Billboard) | 65 |
| US Hot Country Songs (Billboard)[3] | 3 |
Other versions
- Alan Jackson on his 2001 album Under the Influence
- Sammy Kershaw on his 2014 album Do You Know Me: A Tribute to George Jones
References
- ^ a b Freeders, Al (July 29, 1973). "Cal Smith Continues To Hang Right in There". Dayton Daily News. Dayton, Ohio. p. 131. Retrieved August 11, 2025.
- ^ Jurek, Thom. "The Grand Tour - George Jones : Songs, Reviews, Credits, Awards". AllMusic. Retrieved August 11, 2025.
- ^ "George Jones Chart History (Hot Country Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved August 11, 2025.