Laura (What's He Got That I Ain't Got)

Leon Ashley

About Laura (What's He Got That I Ain't Got)

"Laura (What's He Got That I Ain't Got)" is a song co-written and recorded by American country music singer Leon Ashley. Recorded in 1967 and released on his own Ashley Records label, the song was his only No. 1 single that September. Frankie Laine and Brook Benton took cover versions to the pop and Adult Contemporary charts that year, while Claude King, Marty Robbins and Kenny Rogers charted their own versions on the country charts.


Year:
1984
2:32
56 
#2

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My little boy came into the kitchen this evening
While I was fixing supper
And he handed me a piece of paper he'd been writing on
And after wiping my hands on my apron
I read it - and this is what it said

For mowing the yard - five dollars
And for making my own bed this week - one dollar
And for going to the store - fifty cents
An' playing with little brother, while you went shopping 
Twenty-five cents
Taking out the trash - one dollar
Getting a good report card - five dollars
And for raking the yard - two dollars
Total owed - fourteen seventy-five.

Well, I looked at I'm standing there expectantly
And a thousand memories flashed through my mind
So I picked up the pen, turning the paper over,
This is what I wrote:

For nine months I carried you
Growing inside me - no charge
For the nights I've sat up with you,
Doctored you, prayed for you - no charge
For the time and the tears.
And the cost through the years, there's no charge
When you add it all up.
The full cost of my love is no charge.

For the nights filled with dread
And the worries ahead - no charge
For advice and the knowledge
And the cost of your college - no charge
For the toys, food and clothes and for wiping your nose
There's NO CHARGE, son
When you add it all up,
The full cost of my love, is - charge.

Well, when he finished readin'
He had great big old tears in his eyes
And he looked up at me and he said,
"Mama, I sure do love you."
Then he took the pen,
And in great big letters
He wrote: "Paid in full."

When you add it all up
The cost of real love is - no charge.

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Leon Ashley

Leon Walton (born May 18, 1936 in Covington, Georgia) is an American country music artist, known profressionally as Leon Ashley. He is known mainly for his number 1 single "Laura (What's He Got That I Ain't Got)", which topped the country singles charts in 1967. This single was distributed on his own label. Ashley wrote, recorded, released, distributed and published the single on his own. Besides this song, he released several other singles throughout the 1960s and 1970s. more »

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Written by: BILLY JOEL

Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind


10 facts about this song

Artists
The song "Laura (What's He Got That I Ain't Got)" was recorded by multiple artists, including Kenny Rogers, Leon Ashley, and Marty Robbins.
Original Performance
The song was originally performed by the country singer Leon Ashley. Ashley's version was released in 1967 and it reached number one on the Billboard Hot Country Singles chart.
Songwriters
"Laura (What's He Got That I Ain't Got)" was co-written by Leon Ashley and his wife, Margie Singleton.
Kenny Rogers's Version
Kenny Rogers, a huge country-pop crossover artist of the 70s and 80s, covered the song in 1976 for his album "Kenny Rogers".
Marty Robbins Version
Marty Robbins' version of "Laura (What's He Got That I Ain't Got)" was included in his studio album "R.F.D." in 1964, three years before Ashley's version.
Song Theme
The song discusses a desperate man's attempts to understand why his love interest, Laura, is leaving him for another man.
Chart Performance
When Kenny Rogers covered the song, it didn't top the charts like Ashley's original did, but it did make it to number 19 on the Billboard Hot Country Singles chart.
Unique Achievement
With "Laura (What's He Got That I Ain't Got)", Leon Ashley became the first country artist to have a number one hit with a self-written song that he produced and published himself.
Other Notable Covers
Besides Rogers and Robbins, other artists like Frankie Laine, Brook Benton, and Claude François have also recorded their own versions of the song.
Laura's Perspective
Interestingly, Margie Singleton (co-writer of the song) also recorded a response song from Laura's perspective, titled "Laura (Do You Love Me)"; it talks about why she left her partner. The song didn't chart but it added a deeper dimension to the original song.

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