About The Song
“Heartaches by the Number” is a popular country song written by Harlan Howard, and published in 1959. The sheet music was a best seller in both the US and Britain in January 1960.
The song mentions three heartaches, listed by the narrator:
The first one is when the narrator’s lover leaves him. The lover returns, but never means to stay, and this causes the second round of anguish. Thirdly, the lover calls stating they plan to return but the narrator waits in vain for the knock on his door and suggests that the object of his affection has lost their way.
The chorus tells how the lover loves the narrator “less every day”; however, the narrator declares, “Each day I love you more.” Although it is apparent that he has “heartaches by the number” and “a love that I can’t win”, the narrator asserts that the day he stops counting is the “day my world would end”.
Ray Price – recorded before the Guy Mitchell version.(Columbia 41374). Price’s version reached #2 and spent 40 weeks on the Billboard Hot C&W Sides chart.
Video
Lyrics
Heartache number one was when you left me
I never knew that I could hurt this way
And heartache number two was when you come back again
You came back and never meant to stayNow I’ve got heartaches by the numbers, troubles by the score
Every day you love me less, each day I love you more
Yes, I’ve got heartaches by the numbers, a love that I can’t win
But the day that I stop counting, that’s the day my world will endHeartache number three was when you called me
And said that you was coming back to stay
With hopeful heart I waited for your knock on the door
I waited but you must have lost your wayNow I’ve got heartaches by the numbers, troubles by the score
Every day you love me less, each day I love you more
Yes, I’ve got heartaches by the numbers, a love that I can’t win
But the day that I stop counting, that’s the day my world will end
