302:, Harlan Howard said, "I've never written a song that moves people so much. I've had guys tell me they almost wrecked their truck when they heard it 'cause it made them cry. I had a lot of delightful records in many different languages on that song, but I guess that's probably my favorite song as far as impact is concerned."
325:
A young boy hands his mother an itemized list of charges he says he's owed for performing various chores and comes to collect; the singer performs this in spoken word. The mother responds (singing) by reminding her son about all the things she's done for him, that she never asked him to pay for
275:, where her struggles continued. Then, Howard forwarded a song to Montgomery he thought would be perfect for her: "No Charge." She recorded "No Charge" in early 1974, and it was released that February. By the end of May, Montgomery enjoyed her first taste of solo success, reaching No. 1 on the
317:
introduced the song as a "comedy record", and feigned uncontrollable laughter at the end, picking up on the lines "For advice and the knowledge / and the cost of your college".
329:
Enlightened, the young boy realizes that his mother is right and changes the amount due to "paid in full" (once again, narrated) before the singer sings the moral.
1343:
1273:
1044:....Billy Connolly had three chart hits, 'D.I.V.O.R.C.E.', which reach number one in 1975, 'No Chance (No Charge)' in 1976, and 'In The Brownies' in 1979.
1074:
236:, whose 1974 version was a #1 country hit in both the US and Canada, as well as making #39 on the US pop charts. In the UK, the song is associated with
1027:
1348:
675:
recorded a parody of the song in 1976 called "No Chance (No Charge)", which had a reference to domestic violence. It reached Number 24 on the
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Roland, Tom, "The
Billboard Book of Number One Country Hits" (Billboard Books, Watson-Guptill Publications, New York, 1991 (
1231:
1167:
1143:
682:
C. C. (Chris) Sandford recorded a comedy version in 1976 entitled: No Charge (Chuck) (UK: Power
Exchange Records PX 223)
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679:. One critic commented that "No Charge" was more surreal than anything a mere parodist could come up with.
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268:" with Jones). In the early 1970s, she began focusing on a solo career, but did not have notable success.
1338:
1333:
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729:
Montgomery, Melba (February 1974). ""No Charge"/"I Love Him
Because He's That Way" (7" vinyl single)".
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services rendered and that, all things considered, "the cost of real love is no charge."
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since its release by
Montgomery. The most successful version was recorded by
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111:
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recorded versions of the song in the 1970s. It has also been a popular
1005:(19th ed.). London: Guinness World Records Limited. p. 327.
708:(19th ed.). London: Guinness World Records Limited. p. 43.
669:, who added to the moral by recalling Jesus' sacrifice for humanity.
639:
751:
The
Billboard Book Of Top 40 Country Hits: 1944-2006, Second edition
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699:
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972:. London, England: Spotlight Publications: 25. 25 December 1976.
249:
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during the 1960s (the most successful of those being "
892:"Item Display - RPM - Library and Archives Canada".
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665:song through the years, most famously performed by
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248:Melba Montgomery had already recorded a series of
769:The Billboard Book of Top 40 Hits: Eighth Edition
929:The Irish Charts – Search Results – No Charge"
1068:
300:The Billboard Book of Number One Country Hits
8:
288:chart. The song also reached No. 39 on the
232:. It was first recorded by country singer
1202:(with George Jones and Gene Pitney) (1965)
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1061:
1053:
479:
346:
298:Commenting on the record to Tom Roland in
44:
813:Joel Whitburn's Top Pop Singles 1955–1990
38:For that which has no monetary cost, see
833:"Cash Box Top 100 Singles, May 31, 1975"
574:
425:
691:
62:
51:
910:
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240:, whose 1976 version was a #1 UK hit.
7:
271:Eventually, she began recording for
1344:UK singles chart number-one singles
1218:We Must Have Been Out of Our Minds
642:the song is often associated with
635:, where it remained for one week.
266:We Must Have Been Out of Our Minds
203:"Your Pretty Roses Come Too Late"
81:"I Love Him Because He's That Way"
14:
1274:Don't Let the Good Times Fool You
1160:Don't Let the Good Times Fool You
871:, N.S.W.: Australian Chart Book.
1003:British Hit Singles & Albums
706:British Hit Singles & Albums
252:hits with country music artists
983:NME.com - accessed October 2009
864:Australian Chart Book 1970-1992
771:. Record Research. p. 435.
753:. Record Research. p. 236.
313:'s Top 40 programme, London DJ
16:1974 single by Melba Montgomery
1349:Songs written by Harlan Howard
1136:Close Together (As You and Me)
1032:. A&C Black. p. 144.
935:. Retrieved December 7, 2019.
646:who performed the song on the
1:
1029:Stand Up! On Being A Comedian
551:
463:
414:
402:
390:
378:
366:
946:"SA Charts 1965–March 1989"
1375:
1139:(with George Jones) (1966)
1123:(with George Jones) (1964)
1115:(with George Jones) (1963)
966:"Top 50 Singles of 1976".
412:Adult Contemporary Tracks
37:
28:
18:
1090:
184:
29:For the Future song, see
1260:Wrap Your Love Around Me
1359:Elektra Records singles
1255:" (with Charlie Louvin)
1253:Something to Brag About
1190:(with George Jones and
1187:A King & Two Queens
1026:Double, Oliver (1997).
1001:Roberts, David (2006).
894:Collectionscanada.gc.ca
704:Roberts, David (2006).
653:Fellow country singers
1329:Melba Montgomery songs
1225:Let's Invite Them Over
988:June 12, 2009, at the
1241:" (with George Jones)
1234:" (with George Jones)
1227:" (with George Jones)
1220:" (with George Jones)
627:song to No. 1 on the
1281:Angel of the Morning
1248:" (with Gene Pitney)
1246:Baby Ain't That Fine
1199:Famous Country Duets
1120:Bluegrass Hootenanny
364:Hot Country Singles
1232:What's in Our Heart
1112:What's in Our Heart
933:Irish Singles Chart
286:Hot Country Singles
40:Gratis versus libre
19:For the album, see
1179:Compilation albums
839:on October 3, 2012
612:by numerous other
608:The song has been
189:"He'll Come Home"
180:singles chronology
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1239:Please Be My Love
1039:978-0-413-70320-0
909:Missing or empty
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495:Kent Music Report
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333:Chart performance
305:When playing the
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1168:Melba Montgomery
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1084:Melba Montgomery
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629:UK Singles Chart
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343:Melba Montgomery
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234:Melba Montgomery
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58:Melba Montgomery
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571:Year-end charts
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273:Elektra Records
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64:from the album
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1308:Charlie Louvin
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765:Whitburn, Joel
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673:Billy Connolly
667:Shirley Caesar
648:CBC Television
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604:Cover versions
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258:Charlie Louvin
245:
244:About the song
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1210:Notable songs
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1012:1-904994-10-5
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821:0-89820-089-X
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787:0-82-307553-2
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715:1-904994-10-5
711:
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664:
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659:Tammy Wynette
656:
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630:
626:
623:
622:Bill Amesbury
619:
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578:Chart (1976)
577:
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531:New Zealand (
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483:Chart (1976)
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431:
429:Chart (1975)
428:
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375:
371:
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350:Chart (1974)
349:
348:
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338:Weekly charts
337:
332:
330:
327:
320:
318:
316:
312:
311:Capital Radio
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231:
230:Harlan Howard
228:
225:, written by
224:
221:
220:country music
217:
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188:
187:
183:
179:
175:
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166:
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158:
157:Harlan Howard
155:
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151:Songwriter(s)
147:
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89:February 1974
88:
84:
80:
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72:
69:
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59:
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46:
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34:
33:
25:
23:
1339:1976 singles
1334:1974 singles
1298:George Jones
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1197:
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978:
967:
961:
949:. Retrieved
940:
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843:December 15,
841:. Retrieved
837:the original
827:
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759:
750:
741:
730:
724:
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681:
671:
652:
644:Tommy Hunter
637:
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532:
511:Top Singles
506:
471:J. J. Barrie
457:
440:
409:
400:Top Singles
397:
385:
373:
361:
328:
324:
307:J. J. Barrie
304:
299:
297:
290:
276:
270:
254:George Jones
247:
238:J. J. Barrie
215:
214:
195:
97:January 1974
65:
32:Purple Reign
31:
21:
1303:Gene Pitney
1095:Discography
951:16 December
859:Kent, David
735:. EK-45883.
655:Johnny Cash
618:J.J. Barrie
493:Australia (
315:Roger Scott
309:version on
262:Gene Pitney
216:"No Charge"
165:Producer(s)
48:"No Charge"
1354:1974 songs
1323:Categories
969:Music Week
911:|url=
800:"Mixcloud"
686:References
227:songwriter
171:Pete Drake
1267:No Charge
1192:Judy Lynn
1152:No Charge
1128:Down Home
789:), p. 112
663:Christian
547:Springbok
519:Ireland (
488:position
442:Billboard
434:position
408:Canadian
396:Canadian
384:Canadian
374:Billboard
362:Billboard
355:position
291:Billboard
278:Billboard
196:No Charge
67:No Charge
22:No Charge
1194:) (1964)
986:Archived
902:cite web
861:(1993).
767:(2004).
749:(2004).
631:in June
625:produced
610:recorded
534:Listener
461:Top 100
458:Cash Box
376:Hot 100
321:Synopsis
94:Recorded
86:Released
869:St Ives
614:artists
505:Canada
446:Hot 100
293:Hot 100
205:(1974)
200:(1974)
191:(1974)
140:Elektra
108:Country
24:(album)
1171:(1978)
1163:(1975)
1155:(1974)
1147:(1973)
1131:(1964)
1036:
1009:
875:
819:
785:
712:
650:show.
640:Canada
595:
260:, and
118:Length
76:B-side
54:Single
581:Rank
455:U.S.
439:U.S.
372:U.S.
360:U.S.
282:'
250:duets
218:is a
143:45883
135:Label
103:Genre
1034:ISBN
1007:ISBN
953:2019
915:help
873:ISBN
845:2019
817:ISBN
783:ISBN
710:ISBN
657:and
633:1976
586:UK
521:IRMA
486:Peak
432:Peak
353:Peak
223:song
638:In
589:30
540:16
526:13
514:39
508:RPM
500:29
464:97
450:91
415:24
410:RPM
403:47
398:RPM
386:RPM
379:39
112:Pop
56:by
1325::
1042:.
931:.
906::
904:}}
900:{{
867:.
815:-
694:^
562:1
558:UK
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391:1
367:1
295:.
284:s
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110:,
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1076:e
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955:.
927:"
917:)
913:(
896:.
881:.
847:.
802:.
718:.
194:"
125::
123:3
42:.
35:.
26:.
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.