About The Song
“(I’m So) Afraid of Losing You Again” is a tender country ballad by Charley Pride, released in October 1969 as a single from his album The Best of Charley Pride on RCA Victor. Written by Dallas Frazier and A.L. “Doodle” Owens, it soared to No. 1 on the Billboard Hot Country Singles chart for three weeks in December 1969, Pride’s fourth of 29 career chart-toppers, and peaked at No. 74 on the Billboard Hot 100. The song’s aching vulnerability— “Sometimes I want to throw my arms around you / Then I tremble at the thought of giving in” —captures a man haunted by past heartbreak, terrified of losing love again. Pride’s warm, resonant baritone, described by AllMusic as “smooth yet soulful,” makes every note feel like a confession. He told Country Music People in 1970, “That song hit me hard. It’s like I lived it, that fear of messing up something good.” The track, at 3:08, was a cornerstone of Pride’s early dominance, cementing his crossover appeal.
Recorded in August 1969 at RCA Studio B in Nashville, the track was produced by Jack Clement, with uncredited Nashville A-Team players likely including Harold Bradley on guitar, Lloyd Green on pedal steel, and The Jordanaires on backing vocals, per Discogs. The arrangement’s gentle strings and steel guitar cradle Pride’s voice, amplifying the song’s emotional weight without overpowering it. Rate Your Music fans call it “a masterclass in understated country,” with its C-G-Am chord progression and “I’m so afraid of losing you again” refrain, per Genius, hitting like a quiet plea. The song’s success followed Pride’s breakout hits like “All I Have to Offer You (Is Me),” and its inclusion on a compilation album—his first to hit No. 1 on the Billboard Country Albums chart—boosted its reach.
Pride, born March 18, 1934, in Sledge, Mississippi, was a trailblazer, the first Black superstar in country music. A former Negro League baseball player, he broke racial barriers in the 1960s South, winning over audiences with his voice and charm. By 1969, he was a Nashville titan, and “(I’m So) Afraid” showcased his ability to convey universal emotions, as Rolling Stone noted in a 2020 tribute: “Charley sang heartbreak like he’d walked through it.” The song was a live staple, performed on his 1969–1970 tours and later at the Grand Ole Opry, with a 1970 Hee Haw clip on YouTube showing his easy stage presence. Covers include Dallas Frazier’s 1969 original, Faron Young’s 1970 take, and Crystal Gayle’s 1980 version, per SecondHandSongs. A 2021 duet with Dolly Parton on CMT Giants reintroduced it to new fans.
No major film or TV placements are noted, but the song thrives on Spotify and karaoke platforms like Smule, where fans praise its raw emotion. No controversies surround it—Pride’s sincerity kept it pure. Reflecting on its impact, Pride told Billboard in 1971, “It’s about loving so much it scares you. Everybody’s felt that.” The track remains a testament to Pride’s legacy, who passed on December 12, 2020, as a Black artist who conquered country’s heart with songs that spoke to everyone.
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Lyric
Sometimes I want to throw my arms around you
Then I tremble at the thought of giving in
Because I know how much it cost to love you
And I’m so afraid of losing you againBeing close to you revives the sorrow
That wakes me up and tells me I can’t win
I’d love to wake up in your arms tomorrow
But I’m so afraid of losing you againIf heaven were to hear my heart’s confession
Wanting you would be my greatest sin
But I’m glad that you’re no longer my possession
‘Cause I’m so afraid of losing you againBeing close to you revives the sorrow
That wakes me up and tells me I can’t win
I’d love to wake up in your arms tomorrow
But I’m so afraid of losing you again
I’m so afraid of losing you again