‘Save Your Heart for Me’ came from out of nowhere
This week in 1980: More than 33,000 New York City transit workers went on strike after negotiations failed; a Windfall Profits Tax was imposed on the oil industry; Alaska ended the state income tax and a singer from Groveton, Texas, released what would become his 19th hit record.
A lot of hit songs sometimes seem to come out of nowhere and according to Bob McDill,
Jacky Ward’s 1980 hit, “Save Your Heart For Me” was certainly one of those “out of nowhere” tunes.
McDill commented, “I liked that song but I don’t remember where the idea came from. I remember I was in my office knowing that I needed to write something and I just sat down and started doing it and that’s what came out. Where it came from or why, I have no idea. The song just happened. I’ve written some pretty good songs that way and that was one of them.”
McDill put the song on tape and took it to record producer Jerry Kennedy, who liked it and suggested they try it on Jacky Ward. Jacky like the song right off and recorded it. His Mercury Records version was released in early April and entered the charts May 24, 1980. It was his 19th charted song.
The single peaked at No. 8 and was on the charts for 16 weeks.
Ward placed 25 songs on the country music charts between 1972 and 1988. Two of those 25 were duets with Reba McEntire.
In the 1980s he also hosted a show on The Nashville Network called “Dancin’ USA.”
Jacky Ward left the music business for the ministry in 1985.
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