“Before the next teardrop falls – Makali”
Makali, is seemingly an obscure artist who sings this duo with Beix. In
Makali’s musical associations are 4 main references: Mark Tau, music, PNG, One Blood. Makali could be from Hawaii, New Guinea, Samoa or some other part of the Pacific Islands/South Pacific Islands. What a beautiful twist their island voices give to this nostalgic Country song in an English and Island dialect duo.
The song was written in 1967 and had been recorded more than two dozen times. The song had achieved modest success in versions by various performers; the original version by Duane Dee reached #44 on the Billboard country chart in early 1968, and Linda Martell sent her version to #33 in early 1970. Jerry Lee Lewis recorded a version of the song on his 1969 album, Another Place Another Time.
In 1974, record producer Huey P. Meauxapproached Fender about overdubbing vocals for an instrumental track. Fender agreed, performing the song bilingual style — singing the first half of the song in English, then repeating that portion in Spanish.
“The recording only took a few minutes,” Fender once told an interviewer. “I was glad to get it over with and I thought that would be the last of it.”
However, “Before the Next Teardrop Falls” immediately took off in popularity when released to country radio in January 1975. The song ascended to #1 on the Billboard Hot Country Singles chart in March, spending two weeks atop the chart. Thereafter, the song caught on just as strongly at Top 40 radio stations and it was not long before Fender had a #1 Billboard Hot 100 hit as well. Billboard ranked it as the No. 4 song for 1975.
The song is about a man’s undaunted determination to save his heart for the just-departed object of his deep (but unrequited) love, and sincere hope that should the woman’s new relationship not work out, she will remember his love and return to him. As originally composed, it is in thirty-two bar form (Fender’s bilingual recording stretches the piece to 48 bars).
A showcase of Fender’s tenor and Meaux’s Tex-Mex musical styling, “Before the Next Teardrop Falls” jump-started his career. (Fender’s career had stalled in 1960 after his arrest on drug charges.) In the months and years that followed, Fender recorded several bilingual standards which became major hits, most notably “Secret Love”.
BMI Songwriter Sterling Blythe claimed authorship and recalled having sold the rights to a portfolio of songs, among them “Before the Next Teardrop Falls”, for $4,500 to settle debts when he left Nashville for the West Coast prior to Fender’s recording.
Fender also has recorded a version fully in Spanish, entitled “Estare contigo cuando triste estas” (literally “I will be with you when you are sad”). The Spanish-language second verse in the English version, is the first verse of the fully Spanish version.
This sounds wonderful. I like what it’s about despite how sad it actually is. Sometimes you just need to express those feelings for that particular moment in your life. Thanks for sharing, AOC! :D
You are welcome Lashaan. Makali’s duet gives a new vision of love’s circumstances. You are right Lashaan love overcomes the sadness. The island girl sings to her island guy and he to her. The lyrics and gestures are amicable. Thanks for dropping by. Enjoy your day.
I love your playlist. I start my mornings with AOC. Y’all keep up the good work.
Thank you! Keep listening and have a wonderful week!