This Is The Story Behind The Popular Song “When You Say Nothing At All” By Keith Whitley

Oct 26, 2018

Decades ago, Keith Whitley released the album "L.A. to Miami." He had the potential to start his career with a few number one records. But unfortunately, George Strait and Randy Travis passed him over in favor of Dean Dillon, Don Schlitz, and Paul Overstreet.

They believed "Nobody In His Right Mind Would've Left Her" and "On the Other Hand" were the singles really destined to make the charts.

Keith Whitley had originally recorded both tunes on his album. He was the first one with the chance to issue singles. But he chose not to. Paul Overstreet and Don Schlitz were Keith Whitley's songwriting buddies at the time.

As a joke, they told him that when they next sent a song to him, he should release it as fast as he could so no one else would beat him. Just a few years after that, those songwriting friends gave Keith Whitley "When You Say Nothing at All."

This was the first time in ages that Whitley was prepared to record a Schlitz and Overstreet tune. He wasn't prepared to let it slip through his fingers. The song everybody now knows came together in a rather haphazard manner. Schlitz and Overstreet were in their Nashville office during a writing session, trying to come up with potential song ideas.

But both men were having trouble. Instead of throwing in the towel and beginning again the following day, the two songwriters decided they were going to stay in that office until they'd come up with something.

The two of them strummed their guitars and rambled whatever came into their minds. Their hope was that an idea would form. One of them muttered something about "when you say nothing at all." That was the thunderclap moment. They stopped dead and looked at each other, realizing they'd gotten a fantastic title. 

Now they had to write the song to go with the title, but much to everyone's surprise, it wasn't very hard to do. Many songwriters say that after the basic idea has been conceived, the actual song is fairly easy to fall into place. 

The songwriters came up with a storyline built around the old saying that actions always speak louder than words. Their concept was that people are able to hear more by watching than by listening with the ears. When they wrote "When You Say Nothing at All," the songwriters had expressed that idea in a fresh and unique way.

The perfect love ballad was destined to be a hit.

The two writers knew right away that Keith Whitley was the artist who had to deliver the song. They said no one could have given a more heartfelt performance. And Keith Whitley finally got his single. The debut of "When You Say Nothing at All" hit the airwaves on September 17, 1988.

It took fifteen weeks, but eventually that song reached the number 1 slot on December 24.

What does this song mean to you? Let us know in the comments and make sure your friends and family can watch the video as well!