The Hit Country Song That Patsy Cline Reluctantly Recorded

The country singer had doubts about recording the magnetic single ‘Walkin’ After Midnight.’

A statue portrayal of Patsy Cline from the 1960s at Madame Tussauds, the world’s most well-known wax museum, in Nashville. Ritu Manoj Jethani/Shutterstock

Before the success of Patsy Cline’s breakthrough hit, “Walkin' After Midnight,” the country singer casually referred to the number as a “little ole pop song.” Her first label,  4 Star Records, knew the song was a potential hit when they heard it, but Cline wasn’t convinced. She felt the song’s melody didn’t fit her style.

The nostalgic ballad ultimately set the stage for future signature releases like “I Fall to Pieces” and “Crazy,” and no other song became ingrained in country music culture like the early 1957 single.