The Quiet Wisdom of the Soul: An Underrated Gem from the Voice of the West
The 1960s were a fascinating, tumultuous time in American music, a decade often remembered for its seismic shifts in rock and pop, yet quietly anchored by the enduring, versatile genius of artists like Marty Robbins. While the cultural landscape was changing at a breakneck pace, the velvety baritone of Robbins remained a steadfast companion, especially to those who cherished the rich storytelling tradition of Country and Western. One song, an overlooked jewel from that period, perfectly embodies this timeless quality: “A Time And A Place For Everthing.”
Released in late 1960 on the B-side of the dramatic ballad “Ballad of the Alamo,” and later included on his 1961 compilation “More Greatest Hits” (Columbia Records CS 8435), this track is a subtle masterclass. While the A-side was the historical epic that grabbed the headlines, it’s the quiet contemplation of the B-side that truly resonates decades later, proving the enduring power of a simple, universal truth. It did not achieve the thunderous chart success of his legendary “El Paso” (a number one hit across Country and Pop charts the year before), nor did it make a major chart impact on its own, often remaining a beloved deep cut for devoted fans. It was simply the other side of a coin, a moment of profound, philosophical reflection paired with a moment of historical drama.
The story behind the song isn’t one of theatrical drama or wild studio antics; rather, its power lies in its quiet contemplation. Written by B. J. Eidson, “A Time And A Place For Everthing” is an intimate, almost spoken-word piece of country-pop wisdom. Its meaning is a direct, yet poetic, assertion of the Biblical principle, famously articulated in Ecclesiastes 3:1: “To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven.” Robbins distills this into a conversation with a heavy-hearted listener—perhaps a younger self, or a friend lost in the impatience of a broken heart. He offers not a quick fix, but a gentle promise: there is a right time for tears to dry, for new love to arrive, and for the hurt of the past to finally yield to peace.
For those of us who came of age during that era, or simply carry the memory of its music, this song is a profound piece of musical nostalgia. It wasn’t loud, but its message was deep. It reminds us of a time when a song didn’t need a slick video or a massive marketing push to find its way into your soul; it just needed the sincerity of a voice like Marty Robbins’s and a melody that felt like a quiet conversation on a front porch swing. His smooth, unhurried delivery wraps around the lyric like a comforting blanket, allowing the listener to truly absorb the simple profundity of the idea: you cannot rush healing, nor can you force a new beginning.
It’s the quintessential Marty Robbins moment—not the gunfighter, nor the romantic balladeer, but the quiet philosopher of the American experience, the man who understood that a three-minute song could be a lifetime of earned perspective. Listening now, it’s a reflection not just on the song’s subject, but on the passing of our own time—how quickly the frantic pace of youth fades, leaving us with the sober, settling comfort that, indeed, everything happens when and where it is meant to. This recording is a perfect artifact of the early 1960s ‘Nashville Sound,’ blending country instrumentation with orchestral touches to create a sound that was both authentically Southern and appealingly sophisticated to a broader, aging audience seeking melody and meaning.