1960 Country No. 1, Later Recorded By Reba McEntire, Topped The Charts 66 Years Ago Today
In September 1960, "My Heart Has a Mind of Its Own," a twangy country song written by two New York City songwriters and performed by a New Jersey pop star, became a smash that made the singer the first woman to have two No. 1 hits on the Billboard Hot 100 (launched in August 1958). Singer Connie Francis had been working with songwriters Howard Greenfield and Jack Keller, who'd written her first No. 1 hit, the country-influenced "Everybody's Somebody's Fool," and wanted a similar country tune. The duo obliged: The song went to No. 1, and was later covered by country star Reba McEntire when she was first starting out.
No one but Francis believed the song would be a hit, and she based her decision to record the song on the title alone. After Howard Greenfield told her the song's name, but before she'd actually heard the song, Francis told him, "That's a smash! Great title!" (via Fred Bronson's "The Billboard Book of Number One Hits"). Francis' original version came out two months after "Everybody's Somebody's Fool" took over the summer of 1960, and by September 19, "My Heart Has a Mind of Its Own" had knocked Chubby Checker's "The Twist" off the top spot.
A pop star with a penchant for country music
Although "My Heart Has a Mind of Its Own" failed to make a dent on the country charts, it is squarely in the country genre with its mariachi-influenced strings, Connie Francis' lamenting double-tracked vocals, and slide guitar. Best known for pop hits like "Who's Sorry Now?," "Stupid Cupid," and "Pretty Little Baby," which became a TikTok sensation decades after she recorded it, Francis' repertoire encompassed a wide range of styles. She even recorded a series of albums of international music from Latin America, Germany, and Italy (sung in those languages). She also had an abiding love for country music, and Howard Greenfield and Jack Keller had mined country legend Hank Williams' catalog for inspiration.
"My Heart Has a Mind of Its Own," a song that reminds us what it means to be in love, was included on Francis' 1961 album "More Greatest Hits." It was covered by several other artists before Reba McEntire took a swing at the tune, which appeared on her 1994 compilation album "Oklahoma Girl." Francis may have been an Italian-American from Newark, but she could sing a country tune with the best of them, as proven by her No. 1 hit in September 1960.