The Eric Heatherly of today suits Music City during such rockabilly-friendly events as the Nashville Boogie while sounding and looking nothing like the retro-minded artists given a fair shake on Music Row. Yet in 2000, Heatherly worked with Alan Jackson's go-to producer Keith Stegall on Swimming in Champagne, a Mercury Nashville debut highlighted by a top 10 cover of The Statler Brothers' "Flowers on the Wall."
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Original Statler Brothers tenor singer Lew DeWitt wrote the song about a lonely man with a well-adjusted and concerned neighbor. The song was released in September 1965 and found its way onto the top five of Billboard's Hot Country Singles Chart and the all-genre Hot 100 by January 1966. It's one of several '60s classics given a modern-day popularity boost by Quentin Tarantino after it appeared on the Pulp Fiction soundtrack.
Read More: Country Classics Revisited: The Statler Brothers Make Boredom Fun in 'Flowers on the Wall'
The Statler Brothers' version sounded like pop-country in its time, enough so that Nancy Sinatra covered it for her album Boots. "If He'd Love Me," a song written by Jessi Colter when she was known professionally as Miriam Eddy, follows "Flowers on the Wall" on Boots' track listing.
Yet by 2000, changes in country music made "Flowers on the Wall" emblematic of simpler times before big-budget arena shows and multi-platinum crossover hits.
Although Heatherly never stopped recording compelling music, his mainstream run ended unceremoniously after a restructuring at Mercury Records left his planned second album unreleased.
"Flowers on the Wall" Lyrics
I keep hearin' you're concerned about my happiness
But all the thought you're giving me is, conscience I guess
If I were walkin' in your shoes, I wouldn't worry none
While you and your friends are worrying 'bout me
I'm havin' lots of fun
Counting flowers on the wall, that don't bother me at all
Playin' solitaire 'til dawn with a deck of fifty one
Smokin' cigarettes and watchin' Captain Kangaroo
Now don't tell me I've nothing to do
Last night I dressed in tails pretending I was on the town
As long as I can dream, it's hard to slow this swinger down
So please don't give a thought to me, I'm really doing fine
You can always find me here and having quite a time
Counting flowers on the wall, that don't bother me at all
Playin' solitaire 'til dawn with a deck of fifty one
Smokin' cigarettes and watchin' Captain Kangaroo
Now don't tell me I've nothing to do
It's good to see you, I must go, I know I look a fright
Anyway, my eyes are not accustomed to this light
And my shoes are not accustomed to this hard concrete
So I must go back to my room and make my day complete
Counting flowers on the wall, that don't bother me at all
Playin' solitaire 'til dawn with a deck of fifty one
Smokin' cigarettes and watchin' Captain Kangaroo
Now don't tell me I've nothing to do
Don't tell me I've nothing to do
Don't tell me I've nothing to do
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