Wild Side of Life, The (1951)
2-75
(wm) Arlie Carter & William Warren (P) Hank Thompson (CR) Burl Ives (R) 1976 Freddie Fender (R) 1981 Waylon Jennings & Jessi Colter (Trivia: This song inspired the 1952 answer, “It Wasn’t God Who Made Honky Tonk Angels,” the first big hit for Kitty Wells)
[Verse 1] You wouldn’t read my letter if I wrote you.
You asked me not to call you on the phone.
But there’s something I’m wanting to tell you,
So I wrote it in the words of this song.

[Chorus]
I didn’t know God made honky tonk angels.
I might have known you’d never make a wife.
You gave up the only one that ever loved you.
And went back to the wild side of life.

[Verse 2] The glamor of the gay night life has lured you
To the places where the wine and liquor flow,
Where you wait to be anybody’s baby
And forget the truest love you’ll ever know