Of all the songs written by Tillotson, this song is his most successful. It was inspired by his father's terminal illness, despite having lyrics that are sung as a lover to a heartbreaker.

This was Tillotson's first hit to make the Country charts, reaching #4. By the time this song reached its peak, Tillotson enlisted in the National Guard where he stayed for 6 months. During that time, he recorded new songs (mainly Country standards) for his album of the same name. The album capitalized on the success of the song and helped change his image from a teen-idol singer to a Country-Pop singer (Country music was the market that Tillotson always aimed for).

This received a Grammy nomination for Best Country & Western Recording; it lost to Burl Ives' hit "Funny Way of Laughin'."

A version by Billy Joe Royal reached #17 on the Country charts in 1988. Other artists who have covered this include Bobby Darin, Shelley Fabares, Ferlin Husky, Sonny James, Hank Locklin, Dean Martin, Elvis Presley, Boots Randolph, Slim Whitman, and the Wilburn Brothers.