For The Good Times (song) - For The Good Times

"For the Good Times" is a song penned by Kris Kristofferson that appeared on his debut album Kristofferson. He wrote the first verse and chorus in 1968 while driving from Nashville to the Gulf of Mexico; an early recording of the song was by Bill Nash on Smash Records.

In 1970 Ray Price recorded a version of the song which topped the US country music chart and was awarded "Song of the Year" by the Academy of Country Music. "For the Good Times" was Price's fifth #1 single and spent 19 weeks on the chart. "For the Good Times" crossed over onto the pop chart peaking at number eleven, becoming Ray Price's only release to hit the Top 40 of the Billboard Hot 100. Originally Price's label, Columbia Records, released the song as the "B" side of the single, but switched to promoting "For the Good Times" after Wayne Newton recorded his own version of the tune. The flip side, "Grazin' in Greener Pastures," did receive credit on the country music chart.

In the UK, in 1973, a version by Perry Como spent 27 weeks on the UK Singles Chart peaking at #7 in the week beginning August 25.