The Party 's Over ( Willie Nelson song ) - wikipedia The Party 's Over ( Willie Nelson song ) `` The Party 's Over '' Single by Willie Nelson B - side `` Make Way for a Better Man '' Released February 1967 Format 7 '' single ( RCA - 479100 ) Recorded June 1966 at RCA Studio B ( Nashville, Tennessee ) Genre Country Length 2 : 22 Label RCA Victor Songwriter ( s ) Willie Nelson Producer ( s ) Chet Atkins Willie Nelson singles chronology `` I 'm Still Not Over You '' ( 1966 ) `` The Party 's Over '' ( 1967 ) `` Blackjack County Chain '' ( 1967 ) `` I 'm Still Not Over You '' ( 1966 ) `` ' The Party 's Over '' ( 1967 ) `` Blackjack County Chain '' ( 1967 ) `` The Party 's Over '' is a song written by country music singer Willie Nelson during the mid-1950s. After arriving in Houston, Texas, Nelson was hired to play for the Esquire Ballroom band, where he would be allowed to close the shows singing the song. Guitar instructor and Nelson 's friend Paul Buskirk forwarded the song to singer Claude Gray, who recorded the original version of the song, released as `` My Party 's Over '' in 1959. Nelson recorded the song himself in 1966, which was released as a single in February 1967. It reached number twenty - four on Billboard 's Hot Country Singles, and it was included as the title track of Nelson 's album. The song was later popularized by former Dallas Cowboys quarterback and Monday Night Football host Don Meredith, who sang a line of the song on the broadcasts. Contents 1 Background 2 Recordings 3 Chart performance 4 Footnotes 5 References Background In 1956, Nelson moved from Fort Worth, Texas to Portland, Oregon. He soon found a job on KVAN, in Vancouver, Washington, hosting the show The Western Express. Nelson became a popular DJ, while he continued to make live performances. During this time he wrote `` The Party 's Over ''. When he moved to Houston, Texas, Nelson stopped by the Esquire Ballroom to sell his original songs to house band singer Larry Butler. Butler refused to purchase the songs, and instead signed Nelson to his band. Butler would at the end of the show let Nelson sing solo `` The Party 's Over '' as a closer. During his time in Fort Worth, Nelson was signed by Pappy Daily to D Records. While in Houston, he recorded sides for the label. Nelson was also hired by guitar instructor Paul Buskirk to work as an instructor in his school. Recordings Buskirk convinced singer Claude Gray to record a set of original songs by Nelson, including `` The Party 's Over '', `` Night Life '', `` Family Bible '' and `` Leave Alone ''. Buskirk organized the session and hired the musicians, while Gray paid for the costs of the sessions US $100. Produced by Bill Quinn, the song was recorded on December 18, 1959, at Goldstar Studios. D Records issued the song as `` My Party 's Over '', on the flipside of `` Leave Alone '' in May 1960. Produced by Chet Atkins, Willie Nelson recorded the song in Nashville, Tennessee in June 1966. His backing was composed by guitarists Jerry Reed and Velma Smith, steel guitarist Buddy Emmons, pianist Hargus `` Pig '' Robbins, and bassist Junior Husky. From the four recorded tracks, `` The Party 's Over '' was selected as the A-side of a single release. The single was released in February 1967, with `` Make Way for a Better Man '' on the flipside. Billboard called the song a `` plaintive ballad '', and declared : `` ( Nelson ) performs it to perfection. Should bring him right back to the top ten. The single entered the Hot Country Singles chart, and peaked at number twenty - four. The song was included as the titletrack of the album The Party 's Over and Other Great Willie Nelson Songs. The song was later popularized by former Dallas Cowboys quarterback Don Meredith, who later hosted ABC 's Monday Night Football. After a key play that ended the possibilities of other team to win the game, Meredith would sing part of the song : `` Turn out the lights, the party 's over ''. Nelson later re-recorded the song for his 1982 album Always on My Mind. It was released as a single, on the B - side of the title track. Chart performance Chart ( 1967 ) Peak position Billboard Hot Country Singles 24 Footnotes Jump up ^ Thomson, Graeme 2012, p. 64. Jump up ^ Nelson, Willie ; Bud Shrake ; Edwin Shrake 2000, p. 116, 117. Jump up ^ Patoski, Joe Nick 2008, p. 97. Jump up ^ Nelson, Willie ; Bud Shrake ; Edwin Shrake 2000, p. 118. Jump up ^ Smith, Michael William 2013. Jump up ^ Bradley, Andy ; Wood, Roger 2010, p. 78. Jump up ^ Patoski, Joe Nick 2008, p. 99. Jump up ^ Patoski, Joe Nick 2008, p. 166. Jump up ^ Billboard staff 1967, p. 16. ^ Jump up to : Kienzle, Richard 2003, p. 239. Jump up ^ Billboard staff 2 1967, p. 84. Jump up ^ Patoski, Joe Nick 2012, p. 127. Jump up ^ Patoski, Joe Nick 2008, p. 386. References Billboard staff ( 1967 ). `` Singles Spotlight ''. Billboard. Nielsen Business Media, Inc. 79 ( 19 ). ISSN 0006 - 2510. Billboard staff 2 ( 1967 ). `` Album Reviews ''. Billboard. Nielsen Business Media, Inc. 79 ( 40 ). ISSN 0006 - 2510. Bradley, Andy ; Wood, Roger ( 2010 ). House of Hits : The Story of Houston 's Gold Star / SugarHill Recording Studios. University of Texas Press. ISBN 978 - 0 - 292 - 78324 - 9. Kienzle, Richard ( 2003 ). Southwest Shuffle : Pioneers of Honky - Tonk, Western Swing, and Country Jazz. Routledge. ISBN 978 - 0 - 415 - 94103 - 7. Nelson, Willie ; Bud Shrake ; Edwin Shrake ( 2000 ). Willie : An Autobiography. Cooper Square Press. Patoski, Joe Nick ( 2008 ). Willie Nelson : An Epic Life. Hachette Digital. ISBN 978 - 0 - 316 - 01778 - 7. Patoski, Joe Nick ( 2012 ). The Dallas Cowboys : The Outrageous History of the Biggest, Loudest, Most Hated, Best Loved Football Team in America. Hachette. ISBN 978 - 0 - 316 - 13271 - 8. Smith, Michael William ( 2013 ). `` Mr. Record Man : Willie Nelson ''. Houston Press. Voice Media Group. Retrieved May 2, 2013. Thomson, Graeme ( 2012 ). Willie Nelson : The Outlaw. Virgin Books. ISBN 978 - 0 - 7535 - 1184 - 8. 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 Ca n'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 '' / `` Do n'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 Do n'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 '' `` I Still Ca n'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 '' `` 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 '' / `` Do n'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 '' `` 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 Would n'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 '' `` Partners After All '' / `` Home Away From Home '' `` Heart of Gold '' / `` So Much Like My Dad '' `` Island in the Sea '' / `` There Is No Easy Way '' `` 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 '' `` 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 '' `` Ai n't Necessarily So '' / `` I Never Cared For You '' ( `` Ai n't Necessarily So '' also on CD Single ) 1991 `` The Piper Came Today '' / `` ( I Do n't Have a Reason ) To Go To California Anymore '' ( `` The Piper Came Today '' also on CD Single ) `` Ten With a Two '' / `` You Decide '' `` 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 Do n't Know Me '' `` Cowboys Are Frequently, Secretly Fond of Each Other '' 2008 `` Gravedigger '' `` You Do n'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 Wo n'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 NFL on ABC Related programs Monday Night Football ESPN Sunday Night Football American Football League on ABC Pro Football Highlights Non-NFL programs College Football on ABC USFL on ABC World League of American Football on ABC Related articles History of Monday Night Football NFL on television ( history ) Monday Night Mayhem ( film ) ABC Monday Night Football ( video game ) Super Bowl TV ratings ( lead - out programs ) Chicago Bears ( home games ) 1953 1954 1955 Chicago Cardinals ( home games ) 1953 1954 1955 Los Angeles Rams ( Pacific Time Zone affiliates ) 1955 San Francisco 49ers ( Pacific Time Zone affiliates ) 1955 Washington Redskins ( home games ) 1954 Commentators AFL All - Star Game American Bowl Pro Bowl World Bowl Postseason commentators AFL Championship Game NFL Championship Game Super Bowl Lore televised by ABC `` Body Bag Game '' Death of John Lennon Brett Favre wins one for his father `` Monday Night Miracle '' Montana outduels Elway `` Snowball Game '' Joe Theismann 's career - ending sack `` The Night That Courage Wore Orange '' World Bowl ' 91 Postseason lore `` Music City Miracle '' `` One Yard Short '' `` The Star - Spangled Banner '' ( Whitney Houston recording ) `` Wide Right '' Music Charles Fox Edd Kalehoff Johnny Pearson Hank Williams, Jr. Songs `` All My Rowdy Friends Are Here on Monday Night '' `` Heavy Action '' `` The Party 's Over '' NFL Championship 1948 1950 Super Bowl XIX ( 1984 ) XXII ( 1987 ) XXV ( 1990 ) XXIX ( 1994 ) XXXIV ( 1999 ) XXXVII ( 2002 ) XL ( 2005 ) Pro Bowl 1976 1977 1978 1979 1980 1981 1982 1984 1985 1986 1995 2018 AFL Championship 1960 1961 1962 1963 1964 Results and standings Yearly results Monday night NFL games prior to 1970 1970 -- 1989 1990 -- 2009 2010 -- present Retrieved from `` https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=The_Party%27s_Over_(Willie_Nelson_song)&oldid=778164263 '' Categories : 1967 singles 1967 songs RCA Victor singles Willie Nelson songs Songs written by Willie Nelson Song recordings produced by Chet Atkins Hidden categories : Articles with hAudio microformats Talk Contents About Wikipedia Add links This page was last edited on 1 May 2017, at 14 : 35. 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Question: who wrote turn out the lights the party's over
Answer: Willie Nelson