About The Song
“Life Has Its Little Ups and Downs” is a country single by American singer-songwriter Charlie Rich, released in September 1969 by Epic Records (catalog 5-10509). Written by Rich’s wife, Margaret Ann Rich, the song was recorded during the same Nashville sessions that produced his 1969 album The Fabulous Charlie Rich. Clocking in at 2:30, it features Rich’s warm baritone over a gentle mid-tempo arrangement that blends traditional country with subtle pop influences. The track marked one of Rich’s earliest self-contained successes as both performer and songwriter’s spouse, predating his major crossover breakthrough with “Behind Closed Doors” by four years.
The single entered the Billboard Hot Country Singles chart at No. 68 in late September 1969, steadily climbing through consistent regional airplay in the Southeast and Midwest. It peaked at No. 41 during the week of November 22, 1969, and spent 10 weeks on the chart total. On the Cash Box Country Top 75, it performed slightly better, reaching No. 36. While it did not cross over to the Billboard Hot 100, the song established a foothold for Margaret Ann Rich as a professional songwriter and became a recurring staple in Charlie’s live performances throughout the 1970s.
Recording took place in early 1969 at Columbia Studio B in Nashville, Tennessee, produced by Billy Sherrill, who had recently taken over Rich’s Epic output after his stints at RCA Groove and Hi Records. Sherrill assembled a core group of session players including steel guitarist Pete Drake, fiddler Buddy Spicher, bassist Bob Moore, drummer Jerry Carrigan, and pianist Hargus “Pig” Robbins on acoustic piano. The arrangement is understated: brushed drums, walking bass lines, light steel guitar fills, and minimal string overlays arranged by Cam Mullins. Rich handled lead vocals in a single afternoon take, backed by The Jordanaires providing soft four-part harmonies on the chorus. The B-side, “Have a Little Talk with Myself,” an original co-written by Rich and Donnie Fritts, did not chart independently.
Epic Records promoted the single modestly compared to Rich’s later 1970s campaigns, relying primarily on country radio and jukebox distribution. Initial pressings shipped approximately 80,000 copies, with the distinctive orange Epic label featuring a full-color photo sleeve in limited runs. The track appeared on Rich’s tenth studio album, The Fabulous Charlie Rich (KE 30896), released in November 1969. The LP peaked at No. 14 on the Billboard Top Country Albums chart and remained listed for 22 weeks, marking Rich’s strongest album performance to that date.
Margaret Ann Rich, who began writing songs in the mid-1960s while accompanying Charlie on tour, registered the composition through Tree International Publishing (BMI). She drew inspiration from everyday married life and the couple’s shared struggles during Charlie’s lean years at smaller labels. Session logs from Columbia indicate the basic track was cut in under three hours, with Rich adding his vocal and minimal overdubs in a second short session the following day. The mono 45 RPM mix was optimized for AM radio, while the album version featured a slightly longer fade and subtle stereo separation of the steel guitar.
Structurally, the song follows a simple verse-chorus-verse format in the key of C major, with a gentle lift to D in the final chorus. Production emphasized Rich’s conversational phrasing, avoiding the heavy string sections that would define his 1973-1975 countrypolitan era. Reissues preserved the original recording on numerous compilations, including Epic/Legacy’s 1997 Feel Like Going Home: The Essential Charlie Rich, the 2009 Bear Family box set It Ain’t Gonna Be That Way, and the 2015 Real Gone Music collection So Lonesome I Could Cry.
Covers include a 1970 version by Billy Jo Spears on her Capitol album With Love, a 1971 rendition by George Jones on his Musicor LP George Jones with Love, and a 1980 take by Ricky Van Shelton that appeared on his debut Columbia album. The original Epic 45 remains collectible, with near-mint copies valued at $15-25 due to the photo sleeve rarity. Margaret Ann Rich later co-wrote additional tracks for Charlie, including “A Woman Left Lonely” (1970) and “Field of Yellow Daisies” (1974), cementing her role as a behind-the-scenes contributor to his catalog.
Video
Lyric
[Verse 1]
My baby and I have our troubles, yes we do
Sometimes I wonder if we’ll ever pull through
But then she smiles at me and I know we’ll be all right
‘Cause life has its little ups and downs
Like ponies on a merry-go-round
One day you’re up then the next you’re down
But love will keep us safe and sound[Chorus]
Life has its little ups and downs
Some folks have more ‘n others ’round
But when you got love, you got it made
‘Cause love will see you through the shade[Verse 2]
We’ve had our share of stormy weather, yes we have
But we’ve stuck together through the good and bad
And when the rain comes tumblin’ down
We just hold each other tight
‘Cause life has its little ups and downs
Like ponies on a merry-go-round
One day you’re up then the next you’re down
But love will keep us safe and sound[Chorus]
Life has its little ups and downs
Some folks have more ‘n others ’round
But when you got love, you got it made
‘Cause love will see you through the shade[Outro]
Yes, love will see you through the shade
Love will see you through the shade