In 1977, a fairly unknown father-daughter duo named The Kendalls released “Heaven’s Just a Sin Away” as the second single off their album of the same name. Much to the duo’s surprise, the breezy song swiftly captured country fans’ attention. 

The song went to No. 1 on Billboard’s Hot Country Songs chart – making it Royce Kendall and his daughter Jeannie’s first Top 40 entry on the said chart. It also ranked No. 69 on Billboard Hot 100.

In addition to that, the song helped the duo earn a Grammy Award for Best Country by a Duo or Group with Vocal. It also won Single of the Year from the Country Music Association – beating Waylon Jennings and Willie Nelson’s “Mamas Don’t Let Your Babies Grow Up to Be Cowboys” and Linda Ronstadt’s “Blue Bayou.”

Meaning Behind The Song

Written by country songwriter Jerry Gillespie, “Heaven’s Just a Sin Away” tells the story of a woman having a hard time fighting her feelings for a man. Sadly, she is presently committed to someone else. While she knows all her emotions for the other man are not right, she admits that she’s about to lose this battle.

“Heaven help me when I say I think I’m giving in,” the song goes.

Many decades later, an endless number of fans still remember the catchy track out of all The Kendalls’ songs as the music of their youth. Jeannie Kendall even admits that fans approached her quite too many times throughout the years to tell her about their memories and fondness of the song.

You can listen to The Kendalls‘ “Heaven’s Just a Sin Away” by playing the video below.