About the song
In the realm of country music, certain songs transcend time, resonating with listeners across generations because of their emotional depth and lyrical honesty. One such timeless piece is “Making Believe”, a classic country ballad that has been recorded by numerous artists but took on a particularly poignant quality when performed by The Kendalls. Known for their harmonious blend of voices and their ability to convey deep emotional truths, The Kendalls breathed new life into this already beloved song, adding their own unique family dynamic and interpretative style. Their version of “Making Believe” not only demonstrates their vocal talents but also highlights the enduring themes of longing, heartbreak, and unrequited love that lie at the heart of traditional country music.
Origins of the Song
“Making Believe” was originally written and recorded by Jimmy Work in 1955, and it quickly became a country standard. The song gained early fame when Kitty Wells recorded it the same year, giving it her signature plaintive touch. Over the decades, the track has been covered by a wide array of artists, including Patsy Cline, Connie Francis, Merle Haggard, and Emmylou Harris, to name just a few. Its universal appeal lies in its lyrical simplicity and emotional directness: it captures the painful act of pretending to be happy while silently suffering the heartbreak of loving someone who cannot return that affection.
The Kendalls’ Interpretation
When The Kendalls performed “Making Believe”, they brought with them a special chemistry that set their version apart from others. As a father-daughter duo, Royce and Jeannie Kendall created harmonies that were both intimate and distinctive. Jeannie’s soaring, crystal-clear lead vocals carried the song’s emotional weight, while Royce’s deeper, grounding harmonies provided stability and richness.
Their rendition highlights the universal human experience of longing and sorrow, but with a delicacy that avoids melodrama. Jeannie’s voice, with its unique mix of vulnerability and strength, made the lyrics feel deeply personal, as if she were confessing her pain directly to the listener. Royce’s harmonies added depth, anchoring the emotional turbulence with quiet support. Together, they transformed the song into a moving testament to the power of understated delivery in country music.
Themes of the Song
At its core, “Making Believe” is about emotional deception—pretending to be content while inwardly carrying the weight of lost love. The lyrics speak of putting on a brave face, “making believe” that everything is fine, while knowing that reality tells a very different story. This theme is universal, resonating with anyone who has ever hidden their heartbreak from the world.
The song does not indulge in bitterness or anger; instead, it portrays heartbreak with quiet dignity. This reflective quality is part of what has allowed “Making Believe” to endure for decades. Its timeless message of concealed sorrow and unspoken longing continues to strike a chord with listeners, whether they hear it in the 1950s or today.
Musical Style
Musically, The Kendalls’ version maintains the traditional country essence of the song but enriches it with their distinctive harmonies. The arrangement is simple and uncluttered, allowing the vocals to take center stage. Gentle instrumentation, typically featuring steel guitar and acoustic guitar, provides the perfect backdrop for the emotional intensity of the lyrics. Unlike more modern, heavily produced tracks, this performance thrives on its sincerity and sparseness. The Kendalls understood that the strength of “Making Believe” lay in its words and melody, and they wisely chose not to overshadow them.
Cultural and Historical Significance
By recording “Making Believe”, The Kendalls aligned themselves with the great lineage of artists who had embraced the song before them. In doing so, they paid homage to country music’s tradition of storytelling while also showcasing their own artistry. Their interpretation helped introduce the song to a new audience in the late 1970s and 1980s, ensuring its continued relevance.
The song’s enduring popularity is also a testament to the role of classic ballads in country music. Unlike upbeat honky-tonk numbers or flashy crossover hits, songs like “Making Believe” remind listeners of the genre’s roots: simple, heartfelt narratives about the human condition. For The Kendalls, it was an opportunity to prove their ability not only to deliver chart-topping hits like “Heaven’s Just a Sin Away” but also to handle classic, emotionally demanding material with grace.
The Kendalls’ Legacy and the Role of “Making Believe”
For The Kendalls, performing “Making Believe” demonstrated their range as artists. While their biggest commercial successes often came from songs that blended catchiness with a touch of boldness, this ballad showed their ability to strip everything back and focus on pure emotional delivery. It solidified their reputation not just as entertainers, but as serious interpreters of country music’s deepest themes.
Moreover, their rendition contributes to the legacy of “Making Believe” as one of the most frequently revisited songs in the country repertoire. Each artist who records it leaves a piece of themselves within the song, and The Kendalls’ contribution is among the most memorable because of the purity of Jeannie’s voice and the subtle strength of Royce’s harmonies.
Conclusion
The Kendalls’ “Making Believe” is a masterclass in emotional honesty and interpretive restraint. By taking a well-known classic and imbuing it with their unique familial harmonies, they offered a version that feels both timeless and deeply personal. The song’s themes of hidden heartbreak and unspoken longing are universal, and The Kendalls captured them with rare beauty. In doing so, they not only honored the legacy of a beloved country standard but also added to their own legacy as one of the most distinctive and emotionally resonant duos in country music history.