About The Song
Randy Travis sings “On The Other Hand” and “1982” live back in 1982.
They say that to obtain success, you really need to work for it. Just like in the case of one of 1980’s no. 1 hit songs, “On The Other Hand” written by Paul Overstreet and Don Schlitz. It took two different artists and three releases of the song before gaining top success. It was first recorded by Keith Whitley in 1985 on his album “L.A. to Miami.”
The song was later released by Randy Travis as the lead-off single to his album Storms of Life and it peaked at #67 in the United States. However, it was re-released in April 1986 after the song “1982” peaked. To note, the re-release was his first number-one hit.
Overstreet and Schlitz were working on another song and they were going over different options for a line. Then, one said, as he went over the list, “On the other hand” then paused as ideas immediately went off about what he had just said.
The song depicts a man with a wedding band on one hand, who is tempted by another woman. Paul Overstreet said in an interview
“We were trying to write a theme for another song. It was the idea that when you have one woman, you shouldn’t be looking for another one. I personally was tired of that whole scenario of going from one relationship to another, and not having the strength to really say no in tempting situations. I was hoping we could write a song that would say we had the strength to say no. So right in the middle of that song, we kind of bantered some lines back and forth and Don said ‘but on the other hand,’ and I said, ‘there’s a golden band,’” he continued. “From that point, we looked at each other and kind of got that glitter in our eyes, and finished it real quick. Then we went to lunch.”
They took off on a tangent and wrote the song and something else that you probably didn’t know, Merle Haggard was the first pick for recording, the second was George Jones and third was Dan Seals.
When the song was handed over to producer Kyle Lehning, he came back and said he didn’t hear it for Danny (Seals). He said he heard it from a new guy he was recording named Randy Traywick.
This Traywick guy was a cook and dishwasher at the Nashville Palace. He changed from Randy Traywick to a stage name of Randy Travis.
Video
Lyrics
On one hand, I count the reasons I could stay with you
And hold you close to me all night long
So many lover’s games I’d love to play with you
On that hand there’s no reason why it’s wrong
But on the other hand, there’s a golden band
To remind me of someone who would not understand
On one hand, I could stay and be your lovin’ man
But the reason I must go is on the other hand
In your arms, I feel the passions I thought had died
When I looked into your eyes, I found myself
And when I first kissed your lips, I felt so alive
I’ve got to hand it to you girl, you’re somethin’ else
But on the other hand, there’s a golden band
To remind me of someone who would not understand
On one hand, I could stay and be your lovin’ man
But the reason I must go is on the other hand
Yeah, the reason I must go is on the other hand