Willie Nelson - Always On My Mind

"Always on My Mind" is a ballad song written by Wayne Carson, Johnny Christopher and Mark James. The song has been a crossover hit, charting in both the country and western and pop categories, and AllMusic lists over 300 recorded releases of the song in versions by dozens of performers, including notably Brenda Lee in 1972, Elvis Presley in that same year, John Wesley Ryles in 1979, Willie Nelson's Grammy Award-winning version in 1982 and Pet Shop Boys in 1987. Willie Nelson recorded and released the song in early 1982. It raced to number one on Billboard's Hot Country Singles chart that May, spending two weeks on top and a total of 21 weeks on the chart. The song also fared well on Top 40 radio, reaching number five on the Billboard Hot 100 for three weeks and staying on that chart for 23 weeks. It was the best-performing single on the Hot Country Singles year-end chart of 1982. This version also charted in a number of other countries. The single was certified platinum by the RIAA on October 7, 1991. Nelson's version resulted in three wins at the 25th Grammy Awards in February 1983: songwriters Christopher, James, and Carson won Song of the Year and Best Country Song; in addition, Nelson won for Best Male Country Vocal Performance. This version also won Country Music Association Awards in two consecutive years: 1982 Song of the Year and 1983 Song of the Year for songwriters Christopher, James and Carson; 1982 Single of the Year for Nelson, and; contributed to Nelson winning 1982 Album of the Year for the album Always on My Mind.