Before the Ring on Your Finger Turns Green

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"Before the Ring on Your Fingers Green"
Single by Dottie West
from the album Suffer Time
B-side"Wear Away"
ReleasedNovember 1965 (1965-11)
RecordedSeptember 28, 1965
StudioRCA Victor Studio
Genre
Length1:59
LabelRCA Victor
Songwriter(s)Felice and Boudleaux Bryant
Producer(s)Chet Atkins
Dottie West singles chronology
"No Sign of Living"
(1965) 		"Before the Ring on Your Fingers Green"
(1965) 		"Would You Hold It Against Me"
(1965)

"Before the Ring on Your Finger Turns Green" is a song written by Felice and Boudleaux Bryant, and recorded by American country music artist Dottie West. It was released in November 1965 as the first single from the album Suffer Time. The song became a top 40 chart single on the US country music chart.

Background and recording[edit]

Dottie West recorded at RCA Victor records between 1963 and 1976. It was at RCA where she developed her musical persona as a recording artist known for singing with heavy emotion. Among her top ten singles were "Here Comes My Baby" (1964), "Would You Hold It Against Me" (1966) and "Paper Mansions" (1968). West also had a series of charting top 40 singles such as "Before the Ring on Your Finger Turns Green".[2][3] It was composed by Felice and Boudleaux Bryant, a husband and wife songwriting team known for writing many country singles of the era.[4] The song was recorded on September 28, 1965 at RCA Victor Studios in Nashville, Tennessee. The session was produced by Chet Atkins.[5]

Release, chart performance and critical reception[edit]

"Before the Ring on Your Finger Turns Green" was released as a single by RCA Victor in November 1965. It was backed on the B-side by the song "Wear Away". It was distributed as a seven-inch vinyl record.[5] It was predicted by Billboard magazine that the single would reach the top ten of their country songs chart. The publication further described the track as a "clever rhythm ballad".[6] When reviewing the compilation RCA Country Legends: Dottie West, Thom Jurek described the song as an "excellent side".[2] Despite Billboard's prediction, the song only reached the top 40. It entered the US Billboard Hot Country Songs chart in late 1965. It reached the number 22 position on the chart in early 1966. It became West's seventh charting single and sixth top 40 single on the US Billboard country chart.[7] It was then released on West's 1966 album Suffer Time and served as its lead single.[8]

Track listing[edit]

7 inch vinyl single[5]

  • "Before the Ring on Your Finger Turns Green" – 1:59
  • "Wear Away" – 2:40

Chart performance[edit]

Chart (1965–1966) Peak
position
US Hot Country Songs (Billboard)[9] 22

Accolades[edit]

Year Nominee / work Award Result Ref.
1966 8th Annual Grammy Awards Best Country Vocal Performance, Female Nominated [10]

References[edit]

  1. ^ a b ""Before the Ring on Your Finger Turns Green" by Dottie West: Track info". AllMusic. Retrieved 29 October 2023.
  2. ^ a b Jurek, Thom. "RCA Country Legends: Dottie West: Songs, reviews, credits". AllMusic. Retrieved 29 October 2023.
  3. ^ Ankeny, Jason. "Dottie West Biography". AllMusic. Retrieved 29 October 2023.
  4. ^ Whisenhunt, Elton (January 1, 1966). "Nashville Scene". Billboard. p. 29. Retrieved 29 October 2023.
  5. ^ a b c West, Dottie (November 1965). ""Before the Ring on Your Finger Turns Green"/"Wear Away" (7" vinyl single)". RCA Victor. 47-8702.
  6. ^ "Spotlight Singles: Country Spotlights: Top 10" (PDF). Billboard. October 30, 1965. p. 16. Retrieved 29 October 2023.
  7. ^ Whitburn, Joel (2008). Hot Country Songs 1944 to 2008. Record Research, Inc. ISBN 978-0-89820-177-2.
  8. ^ West, Dottie (July 1966). "Suffer Time (Liner Notes and Album Information)". RCA Victor. LSP-3587.
  9. ^ "Dottie West Chart History (Hot Country Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved October 29, 2023.
  10. ^ "Dottie West: Artist". Grammy Awards. Retrieved 16 April 2023.
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