About The Song
“Faded Love” is a Western swing song originally written by Bob Wills, his father John Wills, and his brother Billy Jack Wills. First recorded by Bob Wills and His Texas Playboys for MGM Records in 1950 (catalog MGM 10786), it reached number 8 on the country charts that year. The track is a sentimental ballad about lost love, with the recurring refrain “I remember our faded love” drawing from the melody of an earlier American slave ballad.
Patsy Cline recorded her version during her final recording sessions on February 4-7, 1963, at Bradley Film and Recording Studio (also known as the Quonset Hut) in Nashville, Tennessee. Produced by Owen Bradley, who shaped Cline’s signature Nashville Sound with lush, pop-influenced arrangements, the session included other key tracks such as “Sweet Dreams (Of You),” “He Called Me Baby,” and additional material intended for a planned album tentatively titled “Faded Love.” Backing was provided by top Nashville session players, including members of the A-Team, with The Jordanaires contributing harmonies on various cuts from this period.
The recording occurred just weeks before Cline’s death in a plane crash on March 5, 1963, near Camden, Tennessee, alongside Hawkshaw Hawkins, Cowboy Copas, and her manager Randy Hughes. Due to this tragedy, “Faded Love” was released posthumously as a single by Decca Records in September 1963 (catalog number Decca 31529, 7-inch vinyl, 45 RPM, mono), with “When You Need a Laugh” as the B-side. It debuted on the Billboard Hot Country Singles chart and peaked at number 7 in October 1963, marking Cline’s final solo Top 10 country hit. It also reached number 96 on the Billboard Hot 100 pop chart.
The single capitalized on the surge in popularity following Cline’s passing, similar to her earlier posthumous success with “Sweet Dreams (Of You),” which hit number 5 country and 44 Hot 100. “Faded Love” was not included on an album during her lifetime but appeared on the 1967 compilation “Patsy Cline’s Greatest Hits” (Decca/MCA), which became one of the best-selling country albums of all time after its 1988 reissue achieved multi-platinum status. It has since been featured on numerous retrospectives, including “Sweet Dreams: Her Complete Decca Masters (1960-1963)” (2010) and “The Patsy Cline Story” collections.
The song exemplifies the polished countrypolitan style of Cline’s later work under Bradley, blending emotional depth with orchestral elements. It has been covered by many artists across genres, but Cline’s rendition is widely regarded as definitive due to its poignant delivery and historical context as one of her last recordings. Sources including Wikipedia, uDiscover Music, and discography sites confirm the February 1963 session details, chart performance, and release timeline. The original mono master has been remastered for modern streaming and CD reissues, preserving its place in country music history.
Video
Lyric
As I look at the letters that you wrote to me
It’s you that I am thinking of
As I read the lines that to me were so dear
I remember our faded loveI miss you, darling, more and more everyday
As Heaven would miss the stars above
With every heartbeat, I still think of you
And remember our faded loveAs I think of the past and all the mem’ries that linger
I pray to the Lord that I’ll see you again
But there’s one thing I know I’ll always remember
I remember our faded loveI miss you, darling, more and more everyday
As Heaven would miss the stars above
With every heartbeat, I still think of you
And remember our faded love