“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”.
Songs with Banjo from Harold Hagler
