About The Song
“Sweet Memories” is a song performed by Willie Nelson, released in 1979 on his album Sweet Memories on RCA Records, a compilation of earlier recordings. Written by Mickey Newbury in 1968, the song was first recorded by Newbury, reaching modest success, before Nelson’s version was released. Nelson originally recorded the track in 1970 during sessions for RCA, but it was not included on an album until the 1979 compilation. The song was not released as a single but gained recognition as a fan favorite. The 3:15 track reflects on lost love with a melancholic tone, with lyrics like: “My world is like a river / As dark as it is deep.”
Nelson recorded the song in 1970 at RCA Studios in Nashville, Tennessee, produced by Chet Atkins and Felton Jarvis. The session featured Nelson’s band, with Bee Spears on bass, Paul English on drums, and Charlie McCoy on harmonica, alongside a string section arranged by Bergen White. The arrangement is understated, with Nelson’s vocals and acoustic guitar at the forefront, complemented by McCoy’s harmonica and subtle strings, creating a somber mood. The album Sweet Memories, a collection of previously unreleased tracks, reached No. 32 on the Billboard Top Country Albums chart and sold over 300,000 copies by 1981, per RIAA records.
The song’s selection for the 1979 compilation came as RCA sought to capitalize on Nelson’s rising fame after his move to Columbia Records. Nelson had performed “Sweet Memories” live since the late 1960s, drawn to its emotional depth, and the 1970 recording captured that sentiment. In a 1979 interview with Country Music magazine, Nelson said: “It’s one of those songs that feels like it’s always been part of my set.” The track gained exposure through its inclusion in the 1979 television special Willie Nelson: Live from the Texas Opry, aired on PBS, featuring a live performance.
Covers of the song include Newbury’s 1968 original and a 1970 version by Andy Williams on Raindrops Keep Fallin’ on My Head. Nelson’s take inspired later renditions, including a 1982 recording by The Oak Ridge Boys on Bobbie Sue and a 1995 version by Dolly Parton on Something Special, per SecondHandSongs. A live performance from a 1980 Austin City Limits episode was released on the 2006 album Live at Austin City Limits. The song appeared in the 1983 film Tender Mercies, used in a scene of quiet reflection, and in a 2016 episode of Nashville, featured during a storyline about lost love.
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Lyric
My world is like a river
As dark as it is deep
Night after night the past comes in
And takes away my sleepSweet memories, my sweet memories
They’re all I’ve got to live on now
Sweet memories, my sweet memories
They’re all I’ve got to dream aboutI see her face in every place
I hear her voice in every sound
The love we shared, the dreams we dared
They’re all that’s left to keep me aroundSweet memories, my sweet memories
They’re all I’ve got to live on now
Sweet memories, my sweet memories
They’re all I’ve got to dream aboutMy world is like a river
As dark as it is deep
Night after night the past comes in
And takes away my sleep