Don Williams – “Come Early Morning”: The Quiet Road Home That Defined “The Gentle Giant”
To those of us who cherish the golden age of thoughtful, melodic country music, the name Don Williams evokes an immediate sense of quiet comfort and profound sincerity. His voice, that smooth, resonant bass-baritone, was less like a performance and more like a gentle, reassuring conversation with an old friend. And few songs capture the pure, uncomplicated essence of his artistry quite like “Come Early Morning.” While the previous song we discussed, “I Recall a Gypsy Woman,” found its major chart success later and overseas, “Come Early Morning” is fundamentally tied to the very genesis of Don Williams’ solo career, marking the moment the world first truly began to recognize “The Gentle Giant.”
Released in April 1973, “Come Early Morning” was the second single from his auspicious debut album, Don Williams Volume One, on the small but influential JMI Records label. Though often mentioned in the context of his breakthrough, the official record shows that it followed his first chart entry, “The Shelter of Your Eyes.” Crucially, this single quickly became a substantial hit, peaking at number 12 on the US Billboard Hot Country Songs chart in 1973. This Top 15 success was a vital step, signaling that the public was ready for Williams’ calm, understated style, a welcome balm against some of the flashier sounds of the era.
The song itself, penned by the legendary songwriter Bob McDill (and produced by the equally essential Allen Reynolds), is a masterpiece of simple, evocative poetry. It’s a traveler’s confession, a lyrical portrait of a man who has been “walkin’ in the moonlight, trippin’ in the starlight” and “drifted up across the mountain,” but who finds his true north not in the wandering, but in the return. The refrain—”Come early mornin’ I’ll be home at my honey’s side”—is less a promise and more a prayer for the simple, enduring comfort of a familiar love. It speaks to that deep-seated yearning we all have, especially as we age and tire of life’s rough roads, to simply be home with the person who matters most.
For those of us who followed his career from the start, this song was absolutely foundational. In the early 1970s, as Don Williams transitioned from the folk-pop of The Pozo-Seco Singers into his solo country identity, “Come Early Morning” was indeed a staple of his early live setlists, often performed on small stages, in intimate radio shows, and on those regional tours where artists truly forge their connection with the audience. His performance of this song in those nascent years—stripped-down, warm, and deeply authentic—helped cement his persona as a humble, thoughtful artist, a man singing about real life and genuine emotions.
Perhaps the most fascinating footnote to this song’s history is that the accompanying promotional film, produced by the great Jack Clement, is often cited as one of the first genuine music videos in country music history. This early visual component underscores the seriousness with which Williams, Clement, and Reynolds approached this new phase of his career, using cutting-edge media to showcase the traditional, deeply human quality of the song. It was a forward-looking effort that helped launch a sound rooted in timeless values.
“Come Early Morning” isn’t just a hit record; it’s a touchstone. It represents the very beginning of a 17-year run of almost uninterrupted Top Ten hits. It’s the soundtrack to a specific memory of settling in, a reminder that the greatest adventures often lead us right back to the simplest, most loving destination. Hearing that gentle, rolling rhythm again transports us back to a time when a song could ease the ache of the world, reminding us of the quiet joy in saying: “I’ll be home and satisfied.”