About The Song
In September 1959, Ray Price released “Under Your Spell Again” as the B-side to his single “The Same Old Me” on Columbia Records. While the A-side climbed to number one on the Billboard Hot Country Songs chart, Price’s version of the Buck Owens composition reached number five, giving him another solid hit during one of the most commercially successful periods of his career. The double-sided single showcased Price’s ability to deliver both upbeat shuffles and emotionally charged ballads with equal conviction.
The song was co-written by Buck Owens and Dusty Rhodes earlier that year. Owens recorded the original version on Capitol Records, taking it to number four on the country chart in late 1959. This near-simultaneous success by two major artists highlighted the strong songwriting emerging from California’s Bakersfield scene and its appeal to traditional country singers like Price. Dusty Rhodes, a steel guitarist and early collaborator with Owens, helped craft the tune that captured the push-and-pull of complicated romance.
By 1959, Ray Price had perfected what fans affectionately called the “Ray Price beat” — a driving 4/4 shuffle rhythm that became his signature sound. Leading his Cherokee Cowboys band, which at various times included future stars such as Willie Nelson, Price dominated the honky-tonk scene with hits like “Crazy Arms” and “Heartaches by the Number.” His recording of “Under Your Spell Again” fit comfortably within this energetic yet heartfelt style while demonstrating his openness to strong material from outside Nashville.
Produced by Don Law at Columbia’s Nashville studios, the track featured Price’s rich baritone supported by steel guitar, fiddle, and the tight rhythm section that defined his sound. The arrangement maintained the danceable energy typical of his work while allowing the emotional weight of the lyrics to come through clearly. Sessions for the single took place earlier that year, capturing Price at the height of his shuffle-driven phase before he began exploring smoother arrangements in the 1960s.
The song tells the story of a man who repeatedly falls under the influence of a former lover despite knowing the pain she brings. “You’ve got me under your spell again, saying those things again, making me believe that you’re just mine,” he sings, admitting his inability to stay away even after swearing it would be the last time. The lyrics capture a classic country theme of romantic weakness and the difficulty of breaking free from an addictive relationship, delivered with the straightforward honesty that marked much of Price’s early work.
The success of “Under Your Spell Again” further cemented Price’s position as one of country music’s most consistent hitmakers at the end of the 1950s. The song would later appear on various compilations, including the 1989 collection *American Originals*, keeping it accessible to new generations of listeners long after its original single release.
More than six decades later, the track stands as a fine example of the creative exchange between Nashville’s established stars and the rising Bakersfield Sound. It illustrates Ray Price’s skill at selecting quality songs and delivering them with the sincerity and vocal power that defined his long and influential career.
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Lyric
You’ve got me, under your spell again
Saying those things again
I gotta take you back just one more time
I swore the last time that you let me down
That I wouldn’t see you if you came around
But I can’t tell my heart what is right or wrong
And I’ve been so lonely dear since you’ve been gone
You’ve got me, under your spell again
Saying those things again
You’ve got me dreaming those dreams again
Thinking those things again
I gotta take you back just one more time
You’ve got me, under your spell again
Saying those things again
You’ve got me dreaming those dreams again
Thinking those things again
I gotta take you back just one more time