Carolina in the Pines

"Carolina in the Pines"
Single by Michael Murphey
from the album Blue Sky – Night Thunder
Released August 4, 1975 (original release)
May 6, 1985 (re-release)
Genre Country
Length 4:08
Label Warner Bros.
Writer(s) Michael Murphey
Producer(s) Bob Johnston
Michael Murphey singles chronology
"Wildfire"
(1975)
"Carolina in the Pines"
(1975)
"Renegade"
(1976)

"Carolina in the Pines" is a song written and recorded by American country music artist Michael Martin Murphey. It was released in August 1975 as the second and final single from the album Blue Sky - Night Thunder. It peaked at number 21 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 chart, number 4 on the Adult Contemporary chart, and number 25 on the Canadian RPM Top Singles chart in late 1975.[1] The song was re-recorded with John McEuen on banjo and released in May 1985 from his compilation album, The Best of Michael Martin Murphey. The re-release peaked at number 9 on the U.S. Billboard Hot Country Singles chart and at number 11 on the Canadian RPM Country Tracks chart in mid-1985.

Background

"Carolina in the Pines" addresses Martin's wife whose actual name was Caroline: "I tried to write a love song about my wife without trying to relegate her to a secondary position as a supporter of me. I tried to make it about her as an individual. That's what [she and I] try to do in life."[2] Caroline Hogue was the second of Murphey's four wives: the couple had married in 1973 and would divorce in 1978.

Critical reception

"Billboard magazine reviewed the song favorably, calling it "a countryish tune in a distinct John Denver vein."[3]

Chart performance

Original release

Chart (1975) Peak
position
U.S. Billboard Hot 100 21
Canadian RPM Top Singles 25
Canadian RPM Adult Contemporary 4

Re-release

Chart (1985) Peak
position
U.S. Billboard Hot Country Singles 9
Canadian RPM Country Tracks 11

References

  1. Whitburn, Joel (1996). The Billboard Book of Top 40 Hits, 6th Edition (Billboard Publications)
  2. Daily News: 16. July 6, 1975. Missing or empty |title= (help)
  3. Billboard, August 16, 1975


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