In 1975, Freddy Fender released “Before The Next Teardrop Falls” as the title track of his debut album. The song, written by Vivian Keith and Ben Peters, became a two-week No. 1 hit for Fender. Fender has producer Huey P. Meaux to thank for him even recording the song. He was hired to sing some demos for Meaux, including “Before The Next Teardrop Falls”. It instead became the beginning of his own solo career.
Fender actually made his version of “Before The Next Teardrop Falls” bilingual, singing it in both Spanish and English. The song says in part, “But if he ever breaks your heart / If the teardrops ever start / I’ll be there before the next teardrop falls.“
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“Before The Next Teardrop Falls” remains one of Fender’s biggest hits. However, Fender is far from the only artist to record this beloved song. In fact, Charley Pride and Jerry Lee Lewis actually recorded the song first, before Fender put his own spin on it.
Charley Pride’s take on “Before The Next Teardrop Falls” is part of his 1967 Make Mine Country record. Lewis’s version is on his 1970 Another Place Another Time album. Still, it’s Fender who is the first artist to have a hit single with the track.
The Success of “Before The Next Teardrop Falls” for Freddy Fender
Fender received his first Grammy nomination for “Before The Next Teardrop Falls”. Nominated for Best Country Vocal Performance, Male, Fender lost that year to Willie Nelson’s “Blue Eyes Crying In The Rain”. Fender won the only CMA Award of his career for “Before The Next Teardrop Falls, taking home the trophy for Single of the Year.
Fender also reached the top of the Billboard Hot 100 chart with this song. After he recorded it, numerous other artists covered the song, likely due to Fender’s success. Count Gene Stuart, Loretta Lynn, Dolly Parton, Al Green, and The Mavericks as some of the many artists who also recorded “Before The Next Teardrop Falls”.
The year 1975 became an important one for Fender. After releasing his award-winning hit single, he followed it with “Wasted Days And Wasted Nights”, also a two-week No. 1 hit. In December of 1975, Fender returned to the top spot again, this time with “Secret Love”. In 1977, Fender had his final Top 10 hit, with “The Rains Came”.
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