On this day (November 28) in 1972, Charlie Rich stepped into the famous Quonset Hut Studio in Nashville to record “Behind Closed Doors.” He released the song in January 1973, and in April, it became his first No. 1 single, staying at the top of the chart for two weeks. However, the song was too racy for many radio stations. As a result, several stations refused to play it.
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Rich released his debut single, “Lonely Weekends,” in 1960, and it failed to chart. His next nine releases saw the same fate. In 1968, he reached the country chart for the first time with “Set Me Free,” which peaked at No. 44. He broke into the top 40 for the first time with “A Part of Your Life” in late 1971. His next single, “I Take IT on Home,” peaked at No. 6 in 1972. The next year, “Behind Closed Doors” gave him his first No. 1 and kicked off the most successful period of his career.
While “Behind Closed Doors” seems innocuous to modern listeners, it was incredibly racy for the early 1970s. The chorus contains the lines And she makes me glad I’m a man / Oh, no one knows what goes on behind closed doors. In the second verse, the narrator claims his significant other is never “Too tired to say I want you.” As a result, DJs across the country refused to play it, fearing it would offend their listeners.
Charlie Rich Finally Scores a Major Hit
After more than a decade, Charlie Rich finally found the major hit he had been looking for. It stayed at No. 1 on the country chart for two weeks. Then, it brought Rich multiple awards. “Behind Closed Doors” won Song of the Year at the CMA and ACM Awards in 1973. The next year, it won the Grammy Award for Best Country Vocal Performance, Male. Then, in 1998, it entered the Grammy Hall of Fame.
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