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Fastball
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For the American band, see Fastball (band). For the game also known as fast-pitch softball, see Softball.
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During pregame bullpen warmup Chris Young warms up with a four-seam fastball.
The fastball is the most common type of pitch thrown by pitchers in baseball and softball. "Power pitchers," such as former American major leaguers Nolan Ryan and Roger Clemens, rely on speed to prevent the ball from being hit, and have thrown fastballs at speeds of 95–105 mph (152.9–169.14 km/h) (officially) and up to 108.1 mph (174 km/h) (unofficially).[1] Pitchers who throw more slowly can put movement on the ball, or throw it on the outside of home plate where batters can't easily reach it.
The appearance of a faster pitch can sometimes be achieved by minimizing the batter's vision of the ball before its release. The result is known as an "exploding fastball": a pitch that seems to arrive at the plate quickly despite its low velocity.
Fastballs are usually thrown with backspin, so that the Magnus effect creates an upward force on the ball. This causes it to fall less rapidly than expected, and sometimes causes an optical illusion often called a rising fastball. Although it is impossible for a human to throw a baseball fast enough and with enough backspin for the ball to actually rise, to the batter the pitch seems to rise due to the unexpected lack of natural drop on the pitch.
A straight pitch is achieved by gripping the ball with the fingers across the wide part of the seam (called a "four-seam fastball") so that both the index and middle fingers are touching two seams perpendicularly. A sinking fastball is thrown by gripping it across the narrow part (a "two-seam fastball") so that both the index and middle fingers are along a seam. Lateral motion is achieved by holding a four-seam fastball off-center (a "cut fastball"), and sinking action with a lateral break is thrown by splitting the fingers along the seams (a "split-finger fastball").
Colloquially, a fastball pitcher 'throws heat' or 'puts steam on it', among many other variants.
Contents
[hide]
1 Pitches
1.1 Four-seam fastball
1.2 Two-seam fastball
1.3 Rising fastball
1.4 Cutter
1.5 Split-finger fastball
1.6 Incurve
1.7 Side-arm fastball
2 References
Pitches[edit]
An animated diagram of a four-seam fastball
Four-seam fastball[edit]
Main article: Four-seam fastball
This section's tone or style may not reflect the encyclopedic tone used on Wikipedia. See Wikipedia's guide to writing better articles for suggestions. (June 2017) (Learn how and when to remove this template message)
The four-seam fastball is the most common variant of the fastball. The pitch is used often by the pitcher to get ahead in the count or when he needs to throw a strike. This type of fastball is intended to have minimal lateral movement, relying more on its velocity. It is often perceived as the fastest pitch a pitcher throws, with recorded top speeds above 100 mph. The fastest pitch recognized by MLB was on September 25, 2010, at Petco Park in San Diego by then Cincinnati Reds left-handed relief pitcher Aroldis Chapman. It was clocked at 105.1 miles per hour. [2] April 19, 2011 Chapman lit up the stadium radar gun at 106 MPH (the TV-reading had his pitch at 105 MPH, and the pitchF/X reading was actually 102.4 MPH). [3] Two general methods are used to throw a four-seam fastball. The first and most traditional way is to find the horseshoe seam area, or the area where the seams are the farthest apart. Keeping those seams parallel to the body, the pitcher places his index and middle fingers perpendicular to them with the pads on the farthest seam from him. The thumb then rests underneath the ball about in the middle of the two fingers. With this grip, the thumb will generally have no seam on which to rest.
The four seam fastball is widely regarded as the main key to advancing to the next level of play. One of a baseball scouts main criteria when scouting a prospect is how fast he throws a four seam fastball. The game of baseball keeps on progressing, and as research on the physics of throwing is published and recognized, fastball velocity training has become more effective. This can be shown by looking at the average fastball velocity in the major leagues as time progresses. In 2008 the average fastball thrown in the MLB was 90.9 mph. 5 years later it had risen to 92.0. To show the affect that this increase in velocity has had on hitters in the big leagues, we can look at the runs scored stat. In 2008, the average number of runs a team scored a game was 4.6; 5 years later as the velocity increased, the average dropped by half a run a game, to 4.0.
How has pitch velocity gone up so much? Mostly by the development of better training and clearer communication within the baseball community that velocity is so valued. People like Tom House, Eric Cressey, Kyle Boddy, and Ron Wolforth have all pushed the edge and dedicated careers to research on what makes the ultimate pitcher. Pitchers are getting bigger, faster and stronger, and pushing their bodies in the weight room as well as with weighted ball throwing. All of this has created a faster more powerful game for pitchers on the mound today. [4] [5]
Two-seam fastball[edit]
Main articles: Two-seam fastball and Sinker (baseball)
A two-seam fastball, sometimes called a two-seamer, tailing fastball, running fastball, or sinker is another variant of the straight fastball. It is designed to have more movement than a four-seam fastball, so the batter cannot hit it hard, but it can be more difficult to master and control. Because of the deviation from the straight trajectory, the two-seam fastball is sometimes called a moving fastball.
The pitcher grabs a baseball and finds the area on it where the seams are the closest together, and puts his index and middle fingers on each of those seams. A sinker is a similar pitch that drops 3 to 6 inches more than a typical two-seam fastball; this causes batters to hit ground balls more often, mostly due to the tilted sidespin on the ball.[6]
Each finger should be touching the seam from the pads or tips to almost the ball of each finger. The thumb should rest underneath the ball in the middle of those two fingers, finding the apex of the horseshoe part of the seam. The thumb needs to rest on that seam from the side to the middle of its pad. If the middle finger is used, more whipping action occurs, making the pitch go around 10 mph faster. This ball tends to move for the pitcher a little bit depending on velocity, arm slot angle, and pressure points of the fingers. Retired pitchers Greg Maddux and Pedro Martínez were known for their effective two-seamers.
Depending on the grip and pressure applied with the fingers, sometimes the two-seam fastball features more sink than lateral movement. Sinkerballers tend to induce a lot of ground ball outs because hitters tend to swing over the ball due to the late downward movement, thus often end up beating the ball into the ground. Roberto Hernández of the Philadelphia Phillies, Justin Masterson of the St. Louis Cardinals, Derek Lowe of the New York Yankees, Tim Hudson of the San Francisco Giants, Aaron Cook of the Colorado Rockies, Clay Buchholz of the Boston Red Sox, Roy Halladay of the Philadelphia Phillies, Chris Volstad of the Chicago White Sox, Trevor Cahill of the Chicago Cubs, and Bronson Arroyo of the Arizona Diamondbacks are well known for their sinkers, consistently ranking high in the league in ground ball-to-fly ball ratio.
Rising fastball[edit]
The rising fastball is an effect perceived by some batters, but is a baseball myth. Some batters are under the impression that they have seen a "rising" fastball, which starts with the trajectory of a normal fastball, but which as it approaches the plate rises several inches and gains a burst of speed. Tom Seaver, Jim Palmer, Sandy Koufax, Dwight Gooden, and Chan Ho Park have been described as paramount pitchers with this kind of ball action.
Such a pitch is known to be beyond the physical capabilities of pitchers, due to the very high backspin required to overcome gravity with the Magnus effect. While not physically impossible (conservation of momentum is maintained through imparting the required opposing momentum to air, as an airplane does at takeoff), the amount of spin required is beyond the capabilities of a human arm. It has been explained as an optical illusion.
What is likely happening is that the pitcher first throws a fastball at one speed, and then, using an identical arm motion, throws another fastball at a higher speed. The higher-speed fastball arrives faster and sinks less due to its high speed. The added back-spin from the higher speed further decreases the amount of sink. When the pitch is thrown, the batter expects a fastball at the same speed, yet it arrives more quickly and at a higher level. The batter perceives it as a fastball which has risen and increased in speed. A switch from a two-seam to a fastball can enhance this effect.
This perception may also be created by a tall, hard-throwing pitcher who throws the ball from a higher release point on an elevated mound (the pitcher's rubber is 10 inches above the field level). Factoring in the element of depth perception when the hitter watches the pitcher from 60 ft 6 in away from the pitcher's mound, and the hitter perceives the pitcher's size and positioning on the mound to be less elevated than it actually is. Hence, to the hitter, an overhand pitch will appear to be thrown at a hitter's shoulder level (or even belt level), as opposed to several inches above the hitter's head, from where the pitch is actually released from the pitcher's hand. This perception enhances the apparent "rising" motion of the fastball when the pitch passes the hitter at a higher level than where the hitter perceived the pitch to have left the pitcher's hand.
It is possible for a rising fastball to be thrown by a submarine pitcher because of the technique with which they throw the ball. Because they throw almost underhanded with their knuckles near the field surface, the batter perceives the sensation of the ball going upward because of its low starting point and flight trajectory. This is not the traditional rising fastball batters believe they see. This type of movement is similar to a rising fastball in fast-pitch softball. Left-hander Sid Fernandez was known for throwing a rising fastball from a slightly "submarine" motion.
An animated diagram of a cutter
Cutter[edit]
Main article: Cutter (baseball)
A cut fastball, or "cutter", is similar to a slider, but the pitcher tends to use a four-seam grip. The pitcher shifts the grip on a four-seamer (often by slightly rotating the thumb inwards and the two top fingers to the outside) to create more spin. This usually causes the pitch to shift inwards or outwards by a few inches, less than a typical slider, and often late. A cutter is effective for pitchers with a strong four-seamer since the grip and delivery look virtually identical. The unexpected motion will often fool batters into hitting the ball off-center, or missing it altogether.
Mariano Rivera, a relief pitcher for the New York Yankees, is known for throwing a cutter. In his prime, Rivera could deliver late motion while throwing the ball around 95 mph. Al Leiter rode his cutter to 162 career wins and a no-hitter. Roy Halladay threw a cut fastball, but claimed that overusing it had given him forearm trouble.[citation needed] This may have prematurely ended Halladay's 2006 season due to forearm stiffness,[citation needed] since the grip causes more stress than a standard four-seamer. Yankee Andy Pettitte is another pitcher who throws the cutter. On a June 3, 2007, game against the Red Sox, announcer Joe Morgan estimated that of Pettitte's 87 pitches, 83 of them were cutters. Jamie Moyer used a cutter that became an important pitch due to his relatively low velocity late in his career. Many other major league pitchers have added the cut fastball, as well.
Split-finger fastball[edit]
Main article: Split-finger fastball
The split-finger fastball, or "splitter", is truly an off-speed pitch rather than a type of fastball. Like the changeup, to which it is a close relative, it is thrown with the same arm motion as a normal fastball, but the adjusted grip causes it to behave quite differently. The ball does not have the characteristically tight spin of a fastball. The ball appears to tumble in a knuckleball-like fashion; but it is much faster than a knuckleball. The ball is gripped tightly with the index and middle fingers "split" along the outside of the horseshoe seam. It is important that at least one finger is touching the seam, as the ability to control the release of the ball is derived from this contact. The release is the same as a fastball. A splitter usually drops as it approaches the plate, and breaks to either the right or left. The forkball is a similar pitch, though it is slower and gripped with a more exaggerated split of the fingers. A pitcher generally needs long, flexible fingers to effectively throw this pitch. Due to similarities in speed and movement, some pitchers' split-finger fastballs are misidentified as changeups.
It helps to have larger hands to throw this pitch. Because the fingers are spread wider than normal on the baseball, this pitch produces more stress from the hand up through the arm. While the mechanics are the same as a normal fastball, the stress it places on the hand and arm is different. Over time it is possible to damage the arm. It is therefore not recommended for younger pitchers to learn this pitch. Older pitchers should feel comfortable deploying this pitch, but to use it in moderation. The splitter is an effective pitch because the hitter generally picks up the movement later and either swings over the ball or produces a weakly hit ground ball.
The split-finger is used currently by pitchers such as Dan Haren, Jonathan Papelbon, and Masahiro Tanaka. Former players noted for use of the split-finger fastball include Bruce Sutter, Mike Scott, John Smoltz, Jack Morris, Kazuhiro Sasaki, Bryan Harvey, Roger Clemens, and Fred Breining.
Incurve[edit]
The incurve was a term used until about 1930 used to describe a simple fastball. As a curveball was often called an "outcurve", one might assume that an incurve is the opposite of a curveball, in other words, the modern screwball. However, this does not appear to be so, as cited by John McGraw.
All balls that are twisted out of their natural course are called curves. The outcurve, the drop, down shoot, and so on, are simply a curve ball to the professional player. To us there is no such thing as an incurve. That is what we call a fastball. Of course, I am assuming the pitcher is right-handed. A so-called incurve is nothing more than a ball thrown in a natural way with great force. A ball thus thrown will naturally curve inward, to a certain extent.[7]
Side-arm fastball[edit]
A side-arm fast ball is thrown from an angle different from the normal one. It is at a lower angle and is thrown from the side, hence the name "side"-arm. It will have a sinking motion to the right if the pitcher is right-handed, or to the left if the pitcher is left-handed. It is usually slower than a normal four-seam fastball.
References[edit]
Baseball portal
Jump up ^ "The Fastest Pitcher in Baseball History". Baseball Almanac, Inc. Archived from the original on 2007-08-12. Retrieved 2007-08-10.
Jump up ^ Brandon McClintock. "Aroldis Chapman and the 15 Fastest Pitches Ever Recorded". Bleacher Report. Archived from the original on 15 October 2015. Retrieved 14 October 2015.
Jump up ^ "Aroldis Chapman Throws A 106 MPH Fastball, Or Was It 105? (Video)". totalprosports.com. Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 14 October 2015.
Jump up ^ "Running Down the Velocity Upswing - Redleg Nation". redlegnation.com. 19 February 2015. Archived from the original on 4 April 2016.
Jump up ^ Sawchik, Travis. "MLB pitchers setting velocity records, altering balance of power". TribLIVE.com. Archived from the original on 2014-10-24.
Jump up ^ John Walsh. "In Search of the Sinker". The Hardball Times. Archived from the original on 2007-07-09.
Jump up ^ Mcgraw, John (1995). My Thirty Years in Baseball. Lincoln: University of Nebraska Press. ISBN 0-8032-8139-0.
[hide]
v
t
e
Baseball pitches
Fastballs
Cutter
Four-seam
Two-seam
Shuuto
Sinker
Split-finger fastball
Gyroball
Off-speed pitches
Breaking balls
Curveball (12–6
Knuckle curve)
Screwball
Slider
Slurve
Changeups
Circle changeup
Forkball
Fosh
Palmball
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Junk pitches
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Purpose pitches
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brushback
Intentional ball (pitchout)
Pickoff
Illegal pitches
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Quick pitch
Other
Balk
Wild pitch
Deliveries
Overhand
Sidearm
Submarine
Related
The Neyer/James Guide to Pitchers (2004 book)
Knuckleball! (2012 documentary)
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Help Me Make It Through the Night
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Jump to: navigation, search
For the Sammi Smith album, see Help Me Make It Through the Night (album).
For the Hank Crawford album, see Help Me Make It Through the Night (Hank Crawford album).
"Help Me Make It Through the Night"
Song by Kris Kristofferson
from the album Kristofferson
A-side
"Help Me Make It Through the Night"
Released
1970
Recorded
1969
Genre
Country
Length
2:24
Label
Monument
Songwriter(s)
Kris Kristofferson
Producer(s)
Fred Foster
"Help Me Make It Through The Night"
Single by Sammi Smith
B-side
"When Michael Calls"
Released
January 1970
Genre
Country
Label
Mega Records
Songwriter(s)
Kris Kristofferson
Producer(s)
Jim Malloy
Sammi Smith singles chronology
"Help Me Make It Through The Night"
(1970) "I've Got to Have You"
(1972)
"Help Me Make It Through The Night"
(1971) "I've Got to Have You"
(1972)
"Help Me Make It Through The Night" is a country music ballad written and composed by Kris Kristofferson and released on his 1970 album Kristofferson. It was covered later in 1970 by Sammi Smith, on the album Help Me Make It Through the Night. Smith's recording of the song remains the most commercially successful and most well-known version in the United States. Her recording ranks among the most successful country singles of all time in terms of sales, popularity, and radio airplay. It topped the country singles chart, and was also a crossover hit, reaching number eight on the U.S. pop singles chart. "Help Me Make It Through The Night" also became Smith's signature song.
Inspired by Smith's success with the song, numerous other artists covered it soon thereafter, including Loretta Lynn, Glen Campbell, Joan Baez, Jerry Lee Lewis, Elvis Presley, and Willie Nelson.
Other artists who have recorded charting versions of the song include Gladys Knight & the Pips, John Holt, and (in French) Claude Varade.
Contents
[hide]
1 Background and writing
2 Content
3 Chart performance
3.1 Sammi Smith
3.2 Weekly charts
3.3 Year-end charts
4 Other charting versions
4.1 Willie Nelson
5 Other cover versions
5.1 Conventional
5.2 Novelty and other language
6 Television and film appearances
7 References
8 External links
Background and writing[edit]
Kristofferson said that he got the inspiration for the song from an Esquire magazine interview with Frank Sinatra. When asked what he believed in, Frank replied, "Booze, broads, or a bible...whatever helps me make it through the night."
During his time as a struggling songwriter, Kristofferson wrote the song while staying with Dottie West and her husband, Bill, at their home on Shy's Hill Road in Nashville's Green Hills neighborhood. When he offered Dottie the song, she originally claimed it was "too suggestive" for her. Eventually, she would record it before the year was out, and it is included on her album Careless Hands. However, by then, several others had recorded and released versions of it, some garnering great success. Later on, West said that not recording it when it was originally offered to her was one of the greatest regrets of her career.
Content[edit]
Kristofferson's original lyrics speak of a man's yearning for sexual intimacy. They were controversial in 1971 when the song was covered by a woman: I don't care what's right or wrong, I don't try to understand / Let the devil take tomorrow, Lord tonight I need a friend.
Chart performance[edit]
Sammi Smith[edit]
Sammi Smith's recording reached number-one on the U.S. country charts and won the Grammy Award for Best Country Music Female performance. On February 20, 1971, it reached number 8 on Billboard's U.S. pop singles chart, and also enjoyed success in Canada. Adult-Contemporary stations took to the song, and it peaked at number 3 on Billboard's Easy Listening chart. Additionally, it spent three weeks at number 1 on the Country chart.[1] The song became a gold record.
Weekly charts[edit]
Chart (1971)
Peak
position
Australia KMR[2] 7
Canada RPM Top Singles 4
Canada RPM Country Tracks 1
US Billboard Hot 100[3] 8
US Billboard Easy Listening[4] 3
US Billboard Hot Country Singles[5] 1
US Cash Box Top 100[6] 9
Year-end charts[edit]
Chart (1971)
Rank
Australia[7] 32
Canada[8] 64
US Billboard Hot 100[9] 36
US Cash Box [10] 78
Other charting versions[edit]
In 1971, Joe Simon hit #69 on the Hot 100 and #13 on the Hot Soul Singles chart.
In 1972, a version by Gladys Knight & the Pips reached number 33 on the Billboard Hot 100 and number 13 on the Hot Soul Singles chart, and was a Top 10 pop hit in the United Kingdom. This version was later sampled extensively on Huff and Puff's 1996 dance track "Help Me Make It".[11]
In 1974, John Holt included the song on his album 1000 Volts of Holt. That year, his recording of the song made it into the UK Top Ten.
In 1975, the French Canadian singer Claude Valade recorded a French version of the song, "Aide-moi à passer la nuit", produced and distributed by London Deram Records. The French-language lyrics were written by Canadian singer-songwriter Christine Charbonneau. The song made its way to fame and was on the charts (3rd place) for more than six months.[12]
In 1980, Willie Nelson covered the song. His rendition became a hit on the Country music charts of both the U.S. and Canada.
Willie Nelson[edit]
Chart (1980)
Peak
position
US Hot Country Songs (Billboard)[13] 4
Canadian RPM Country Tracks 1
In 2007, it was recorded for a second time in French with Annie Blanchard (Musicor Records) and the song made the Top 20 for 26 weeks, reaching a high of #6.[14]
Other cover versions[edit]
Conventional[edit]
Other artists who have recorded the song include:
Ray Price, on the 1970 album For The Good Times, released slightly before Sammi Smith's version
Jerry Lee Lewis, on the 1971 album Touching Home
Lynn Anderson, on the 1971 album You're My Man
Glen Campbell, on the 1971 album The Last Time I Saw Her
Loretta Lynn, on the 1971 album I Wanna Be Free
Johnny Mathis, on the 1971 album You've Got a Friend
Andy Williams, on the 1971 album You've Got a Friend
Jim Nabors, on the 1971 album Help Me Make It Through The Night
Skeeter Davis, on the 1971 album Skeeter
Dottie West, on the 1971 album Careless Hands
Jeannie C. Riley, on the 1971 album Jeannie
Joan Baez, on the 1971 album Blessed Are.... (In her 1987 memoir, Baez disclosed that she had had an affair with Kristofferson himself at the same approximate time.)
Peggy Lee, on the 1971 album Where Did They Go
Olivia Newton-John, on the 1971 album If Not for You
Engelbert Humperdinck, on the 1971 album Another Time, Another Place and again in 2009 for A Taste of Country.
Elvis Presley, on the 1972 album Elvis Now
Saxophonist Hank Crawford, on the 1972 album Help Me Make It Through the Night
Tammy Wynette, on the 1974 album Another Lonely Song
Lena Zavaroni, on the 1974 album Ma! (He's Making Eyes At Me); she later performed it live on numerous occasions, including at her own wedding in 1989
Charley Pride, on the 1976 album The Happiness of Having You
Sergio Franchi, a tenor/crossover version on the 1976 DynaHouse album 20 Magnificent Songs.[15]
Harry James, on the 1979 album Still Harry After All These Years
Monika Brodka, on the 2005 album "Album" [1]
Bryan Adams, on the 2014 album Tracks of My Years
Johnny Cash and his wife, June Carter Cash, recorded it as a duet. The recording is found on the 2006 compilation June Carter and Johnny Cash: Duets, released by Sony BMG. In this version, Johnny Cash inserts "June" before the line tonight I need a friend.
In 2008, Mariah Carey recorded a version of the song intended for inclusion on the soundtrack album of the film Tennessee, but the album was never released. Her recording was eventually released on YouTube in 2010.[16]
Novelty and other language[edit]
Barry Humphries, in the lecherous persona of his character Sir Les Patterson, released a version of the song on the 1985 LP 12 Inches of Les.
In 1990, country novelty musician Ray Stevens produced a comedic version of the song. After a conventional balladic first verse with piano and strings, a Foghorn Leghorn character breaks in demanding "a little fire in it!" Stevens launches into an upbeat "hillbilly" bluegrass tempo, interspersing each line with mocking jokes of those lines: the first line "Take the ribbon from your hair," is followed by a ripping sound followed by a woman yelling, Spike Jones-style, and so on. Another comedic version was recorded by novelty group Big Daddy, which was performed in the style, and with musical references to The Coasters. A parody was called "Help Me Make It Through the Yard" by Pinkard & Bowden, in which the lyrics are altered to tell about the plight of a man coming home drunk: Take the rosebush from my hair, / Lord, it has a lot of thorns, / What's the sprinkler doing on / At this hour of the morn? ...
In Austria, a German language version of the song was recorded by S.T.S.. Its title in German was "Gö, Du Bleibst Heut Nacht Bei Mir". The song was also covered by UK singer Charlie Landsborough on his 2009 album 'Nothing Lasts Forever'. Another German Version ("Hilf Mir Durch Die Nacht") exists by Volker Lechtenbrink.
A Spanish version was recorded in Colombia in 2001 by Marco T.[citation needed]
An Estonian version was released in 1983 by Ivo Linna & Rock Hotel.[citation needed]
Television and film appearances[edit]
In 1972, John Huston used Kristofferson's version as the theme for his feature Fat City. It plays under the title credits, with instrumental arrangements later in the movie.
In 1978, Kristofferson made a guest appearance on the television series The Muppet Show; on that episode he performed "Help Me Make It Through the Night" as a duet with a besotted Miss Piggy.
In the 1997 film The Ice Storm, the Sammi Smith recording plays in the background in one of the key party scenes.
In 2013, American Idol contestant Kree Harrison sang this song during season 12 on "Songs They Wish They Had Written" week.[citation needed]
In 2015, DeAnna Johnson covered this song on The Voice.
References[edit]
Jump up ^ Joel Whitburn's Top Pop Singles 1955-1990 - ISBN 0-89820-089-X
Jump up ^ Australian-charts.com
Jump up ^ Joel Whitburn's Top Pop Singles 1955-1990 - ISBN 0-89820-089-X
Jump up ^ Whitburn, Joel (2002). Top Adult Contemporary: 1961-2001. Record Research. p. 226.
Jump up ^ Whitburn, Joel (2004). The Billboard Book Of Top 40 Country Hits: 1944-2006, Second edition. Record Research. p. 321.
Jump up ^ Cash Box Top 100 Singles, April 10, 1971
Jump up ^ "Forum - 1970 (ARIA Charts: Special Occasion Charts)". Australian-charts.com. Archived from the original on 2016-06-02. Retrieved 2017-04-04.
Jump up ^ "Item Display - RPM - Library and Archives Canada". collectionscanada.gc.ca.
Jump up ^ Musicoutfitters.com
Jump up ^ Cash Box Year-End Charts: Top 100 Pop Singles, December 25, 1971
Jump up ^ "Huff & Puff's Help Me Make It sample of Gladys Knight & the Pips's Help Me Make It Through the Night". WhoSampled. Retrieved 2012-01-06.
Jump up ^ "Claude Valade Hit Parade, ''Aide-moi à passer la nuit'', in 3rd place for 26 weeks" (PDF). 2.banq.qc.ca. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2012-04-25. Retrieved 2012-08-05.
Jump up ^ "Willie Nelson Chart History (Hot Country Songs)". Billboard.
Jump up ^ "Annie Blanchard, ''Aide-moi à passer la nuit'', Top 20, Charts" (PDF). 2.banq.qc.ca. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2012-04-25. Retrieved 2012-08-05.
Jump up ^ "Sergio Franchi". Discogs.com. Archived from the original on 2012-04-21. Retrieved 2012-08-05.
Jump up ^ Daw, Robbie (May 17, 2010). "Mariah Carey Covers "Help Me Make It Through The Night"". Idolator.
External links[edit]
Allmusic review
Lyrics of this song at MetroLyrics
Preceded by
"Joshua"
by Dolly Parton Billboard Hot Country Singles
number-one single
February 13-February 27, 1971 Succeeded by
"I'd Rather Love You"
by Charley Pride
Preceded by
"A Woman Always Knows"
by David Houston RPM Country Tracks
number-one single
March 13, 1971 Succeeded by
"A Stranger in My Place"
by Anne Murray
Preceded by
"Coward of the County"
by Kenny Rogers RPM Country Tracks
number-one single
February 2, 1980 Succeeded by
"Leaving Louisiana in the Broad Daylight"
by The Oak Ridge Boys
[show]
v
t
e
Kris Kristofferson
Albums
Kristofferson
The Silver Tongued Devil and I
Border Lord
Jesus Was a Capricorn
Spooky Lady's Sideshow
Who's to Bless and Who's to Blame
Surreal Thing
Songs of Kristofferson
Easter Island
Shake Hands with the Devil
To the Bone
The Winning Hand (with Willie Nelson, Brenda Lee, Dolly Parton)
Music from Songwriter (with Willie Nelson)
Repossessed
Third World Warrior
A Moment of Forever
The Austin Sessions
This Old Road
Closer to the Bone
With Rita Coolidge
Full Moon
Breakaway
Natural Act
With The Highwaymen
Highwayman
Highwayman 2
The Road Goes on Forever
Live
Live at the Philharmonic
Broken Freedom Song: Live from San Francisco
Compilation albums
Songs of Kristofferson
The Essential Kris Kristofferson
Please Don't Tell Me How the Story Ends: The Publishing Demos
The Complete Monument & Columbia Album Collection
See also
Discography
Filmography
Ghost Brothers of Darkland County
Willie Nelson Sings Kristofferson
[show]
v
t
e
Joe Simon
Studio albums
The Chokin' Kind
The Sounds of Simon
Drowning in the Sea of Love
The Power of Joe Simon
Get Down
Singles
"The Chokin' Kind"
"San Francisco Is a Lonely Town"
"Help Me Make It Through the Night"
"Drowning in the Sea of Love"
"Power of Love"
"Misty Blue"
"Get Down, Get Down (Get on the Floor)"
"Funny How Time Slips Away"
[show]
v
t
e
Gladys Knight & the Pips
Gladys Knight
Merald "Bubba" Knight
William Guest
Edward Patten
Brenda Knight
Eleanor Guest
Langston George
Chris Morante
Studio albums
Everybody Needs Love
Neither One of Us
Imagination
I Feel a Song
2nd Anniversary
The One and Only
Soundtrack albums
Claudine
Compilation albums
The Ultimate Collection
Singles
"Every Beat of My Heart"
"Giving Up"
"Take Me in Your Arms and Love Me"
"Everybody Needs Love"
"I Heard It Through the Grapevine"
"The End of Our Road"
"It Should Have Been Me"
"I Wish It Would Rain"
"The Nitty Gritty"
"If I Were Your Woman"
"Help Me Make It Through the Night"
"Neither One of Us (Wants to Be the First to Say Goodbye)"
"The Look of Love"
"Midnight Train to Georgia"
"I've Got to Use My Imagination"
"Best Thing That Ever Happened to Me"
"I Feel a Song (In My Heart)"
"The Way We Were/Try to Remember"
"Save the Overtime (For Me)"
"Hero"
"Love Overboard"
"Baby, Don't Change Your Mind"
Related topics
Discography
Aaliyah
Barry Hankerson
Book
[show]
v
t
e
Willie Nelson singles discography
1950s
and
1960s
1957
"No Place For Me" / "Lumberjack"
1959
"Man With the Blues" / "The Storm Has Just Begun"
1960
"What a Way to Live" / "Misery Mansion"
"Nite Life" / "Rainy Day Blues"
1961
"The Part Where I Cry" / "Mr. Record Man"
1962
"Willingly" / "Chain of Love"
"Touch Me" / "Where My House Lives"
"Wake Me When It's Over" / "There's Gonna Be Love In My House"
"You Dream About Me" / "Is This My Destiny"
1963
"Half a Man" / "The Last Letter"
"Take My Word" / "Feed it a Memory"
1964
"How Long is Forever" / "You Took My Happy Away"
"Am I Blue" / "There'll Be No Teardrops Tonight"
"River Boy" / "Opportunity to Cry"
"I Never Cared For You" / "You Left Me (A Long Time Ago)"
"Pretty Paper" / "What A Merry Christmas This Could Be"
1965
"She's Not For You" / "Permanently Lonely"
"Healing Hands of Time" / "One Day at the Time"
"I Just Can't Let You Say Goodbye" / "And So Will You, My Love"
1966
"One In A Row" / "San Antonio Rose"
"Colombus Stockade Blues" / "He Sits at my Table"
"I'm Still Not Over You"/ "I Love You Because"
1967
"The Party's Over" / "Make Way for a Better Man"
"Blackjack County Chain" / "Some Other World"
"San Antonio" / "To Make a Long Story Short"
1968
"Little Things" / " Sweet Memories"
"Good Times" / "Where Do You Stand"
"Johnny One Time" / "She's Still Gone"
1969
"Bring Me Sunshine" / "Don't Say Love or Nothing"
"I Hope So" / "Right or Wrong"
1970s
1970
"Once More With Feeling" / "Who Do I Know in Dallas"
"Laying My Burdens Down" / "Truth Number One"
1971
"I'm a Memory" / "Fire and Rain"
"Yesterday's Wine" / "Me and Paul"
1972
"Words Don't Fit the Picture" / "A Moment"
1973
"Shotgun Willie" (mono) / "Sad Songs and Waltzes"
"Stay All Night (Stay a Little Longer)" / "Devil in a Sleepin' Bag"
1974
"I Still Can't Believe You're Gone" / "Heaven and Hell"
"Bloody Mary Morning" / "After the Fire is Gone"(with Tracy Nelson)
"Sister's Comin' Home" (mono) / "Pick Up The Tempo"
1975
"Blue Eyes Crying in the Rain" / "Bandera"
1976
"Remember Me (When the Candle Lights Are Gleaming)" / "Time of the Preacher"
"I'd Have to Be Crazy" (mono) / "Amazing Grace"
"If You've Got the Money I've Got the Time" / "The Sound in Your Mind"
1977
"Uncloudy Day" / "Precious Memories"
"I Love You A Thousand Ways" / "Mom and Dad's Waltz"
1978
"Georgia on My Mind" / "On The Sunny Side Of The Street"
"Blue Skies" / "Moonlight in Vermont"
"All of Me" / "Unchained Melody"
1979
"Whiskey River" / "Under the Double Eagle"
"September Song" / "Don't Get Around Much Anymore"
"White Christmas" / "Blue Christmas"
1980s
1980
"Help Me Make It Through the Night" / "The Pilgrim, Chapter 33"
"My Heroes Have Always Been Cowboys" / "Rising Stars"
"Midnight Rider" / "So You Think You're A Cowboy"
"On the Road Again"/ "Jumpin' Cotton Eyed Joe"(performed by Johnny Gimble)
1981
"Angel Flying Too Close to the Ground" / "I Guess I've Come to Live Here in Your Eyes"
"Mona Lisa" / "Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star"
"I'm Gonna Sit Right Down and Write Myself a Letter" / "Over the Rainbow"
"Heartaches of a Fool" / "Uncloudy Day"
1982
"Always on My Mind" / "The Party's Over"
"Let It Be Me" / "Permanently Lonely"
"Last Thing I Needed First Thing This Morning" / "Old Fords and a Natural Stone"
1983
"Little Old Fashioned Karma" / "Beer Barrel Polka"
"Why Do I Have to Choose" / "Would You Lay with Me (In a Field of Stone)"
"Take It to the Limit" / "Till I Gain Control Again"
"Without a Song"
1984
"City of New Orleans (Unedited version)" / "Why Are You Pickin' On Me"
1985
"Forgiving You Was Easy" / "You Wouldn't Cross the Street"
"Me and Paul" / "I Let My Mind Wander"
1986
"Living in the Promiseland" / "Bach Minuet in G"
"I'm Not Trying to Forget You" / "I've Got the Craziest Feeling"
1987
"Partners After All" / "Home Away From Home"
"Heart of Gold" / "So Much Like My Dad"
"Island in the Sea" / "There Is No Easy Way"
1988
"Nobody There But Me" / "Wake Me When It's Over"
"Spanish Eyes" (with Julio Iglesias) / "Ole Buttermilk Sky"
"Twilight Time" / "Ac-Cent-Tchu-Ate the Positive"
1989
"Nothing I Can Do About It Now" / "If I Were a Painting"
"There You Are" / "Spirit"
"Is The Better Part Over" / "Mr. Record Man"
1990s
1990
"The Highway" / "Spirit"
"Ain't Necessarily So" / "I Never Cared For You" ("Ain't Necessarily So" also on CD Single)
1991
"The Piper Came Today" / "(I Don't Have a Reason) To Go To California Anymore" ("The Piper Came Today" also on CD Single)
"Ten With a Two" / "You Decide"
1993
"Graceland"
"Still is Still Moving to Me" / "Valentine"
1995
"Turn Me Loose and Let Me Swing"
1998
"I Never Cared for You"
2000s
and
2010s
2002
"Mendocino County Line" (with Lee Ann Womack) / "Maria (Shut Up and Kiss Me)" (Both single tracks released on CD and 7" record)
2003
"Wurlitzer Prize" (with Norah Jones)
"Beer for My Horses" (with Toby Keith)
2005
"I'm a Worried Man" (with Toots Hibbert)
"The Harder They Come"
2006
"You Don't Know Me"
"Cowboys Are Frequently, Secretly Fond of Each Other"
2008
"Gravedigger"
"You Don't Think I'm Funny Anymore"
2011
"The Scientist"
2012
"Roll Me Up and Smoke Me When I Die"
"Just Breathe"
"Come On Back Jesus"
2013
"From Here to the Moon and Back" (with Dolly Parton)
"Grandma's Hands" (with Mavis Staples)
"It Won't Be Long" (with The Secret Sisters)
"Somewhere Between" (with Loretta Lynn)
2014
"The Wall"
"Bring It On"
"Laws of Nature"
"Who'll Buy My Memories"
"Summer of Roses" / "December Day"
2015
"It's All Going to Pot"
"Alice in Hulaland"
2016
"Lay Me Down"
2017
"Still Not Dead"
2018
"Last Man Standing"
Book:Willie Nelson
Category:Willie Nelson
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Categories:
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A good day to die (phrase)
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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A good day to die (or today is a good day to die) is a phrase historically associated with certain Native American cultures, although it appears to mischaracterize the historical sources, and its actual origin is unclear. The phrase has since been appropriated into other cultural contexts. For example, in the Star Trek franchise, it occurs several times as a Klingon saying, with Star Trek writer Marc Okrand proposing several ways to say the phrase in the Klingon language.[1]
In "Campaigns of General Custer in the North-west, and the Final Surrender of Sitting Bull" published in 1881, author Judson Elliott Walker relates an account from Low Dog, as told to Captain Howe of the Standing Rock Agency: "I [Low Dog] called to my men: 'This is a good day to die; follow me'". This is the first known (published) use of the phrase.[citation needed]
In "Black Elk Speaks" published in 1932, recounting the Battle of the Little Bighorn described the warriors under Crazy Horse: "...off toward the west and north they were yelling " Hokahey!" like a big wind roaring, and making the tremolo; and you could hear eagle bone whistles screaming". "Hokahey" is simply an exclamation to draw attention, similar to a coach saying, "Let's do it!" It is likely neither Low Dog nor Crazy Horse ever said, "Today is a good day to die," which is the English bastardization of a common Sioux battle-cry, "Nake nula wauŋ welo!" ("nake nula waun"). This phrase means, "I am ready for whatever comes." It was meant to show the warriors were not afraid of the battle or dying in it.
Another author describes it as the ending of a Lakota Sioux prayer.[2]
Regarding the war cry "today is a good day to die," most presume the now-popular statement refers to patriotic sentiment. That is, warriors should always be willing to die while proudly defending their families and home territory. Indeed, such was probably at the heart of the phrase when skirmishing the cavalry. An unsolicited interpretation offered by an Ottawa woman, however, carried a different meaning. "We Indians have an expression 'today is a good day to die.' It means that we should be ready to die on any given day. We should always be prepared to die, and have no regrets. That's why it's important to begin each day fresh, and not let past problems or present distractions cloud how God wants us to live."[3]
The 1993 film Smoke Signals plays with this concept:
Hence, the film self-consciously references other westerns, most notably Little Big Man, with its line "It's a good day to die" refigured in three different ways in Smoke Signals: "Sometimes it's a good day to die and sometimes it's a good day to play basketball", "It's a good day to be indigenous", and "Sometimes it's a good day to die and sometimes it's a good day to have breakfast”.[4]
References[edit]
Jump up ^ Marc Okrand, Klingon for the Galactic Traveler (1997), p. 6-7.
Jump up ^ Elaine Fletcher-Janzen, Multicultural Perspectives on the Neuropsychological Assessment and Treatment of Epilepsy, in Elaine Fletcher-Janzen, Tony L. Strickland, and Cecil Reynolds, Handbook of Cross-Cultural Neuropsychology (2000), p. 193.
Jump up ^ Michael F. Steltenkamp, Black Elk: Holy Man of the Oglala (1997), p. 28.
Jump up ^ Neil Campbell, The Rhizomatic West: Representing the American West in a Transnational, Global Media Age (2008), p. 250.
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=A_good_day_to_die_(phrase)&oldid=841476316"
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