On This Day in 1973, Charlie Rich Was at No. 1 for the First Time With a Song That Was Too Hot for Country Radio

On this day (April 28) in 1973, Charlie Rich started a two-week run at No. 1 with “Behind Closed Doors.” The song was his first to reach the top of the tally. It may have been a bigger hit for Rich, but many radio stations refused to play it. Programmers believed that the song’s lyrics were too racy for the average listener.

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Rich’s success was hard-won. He released his debut single, “Lonely Weekends,” in 1960. He would drop nine more singles over the next eight years before one made it to the chart. “Set Me Free” broke the streak in 1988 when it peaked at No. 44. Four years later, he reached the top 10 for the first time with “It Take It on Home,” reaching No. 6. A year later, he reached the top of the chart for the first time.

[RELATED: On the Charts 52 Years Ago, Charlie Rich Was Back at No. 1 With an Album Featuring Songs Written by His Wife and Teenage Son]

“Behind Closed Doors” was more than the hit that kicked off the most successful era of Rich’s career. It was also an award-winning song. It took Song of the Year at the ACM and CMA Awards and the Grammy for Best Country Vocal Performance. The song has since been inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame. It also brought songwriter Kenny O’Dell the Grammy for Best Country Song.

Charlie Rich’s Racy Hit Faced Radio Bans

Love songs are nothing new in country music. “Behind Closed Doors” takes things a little further than most would at the time, though. As a result, some radio programmers chose to remove the hit from rotation.

Charlie Rich isn’t vulgar or explicit in the song. In fact, modern audiences likely wouldn’t think twice about the lyrics. In fact, “Behind Closed Doors” can easily be compared to Chris Young’s 2009 chart-topper “Gettin’ You Home (The Black Dress Song).”

Lines like “And when we get behind closed doors / Then she lets her hair hang down / And she makes me glad that I’m a man. / Oh, no one knows what goes on behind closed doors ” were just a little too hot for some radio markets in the early 1970s.

Fortunately, country music fans didn’t feel the same, and this perfect combination of singer, song, and production got the recognition it deserved.

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