George Strait’s “Fool Hearted Memory” reached number one on Billboard’s Hot Country Songs chart on 28 August 1982, becoming the first of his eventual 44 chart-topping singles. The achievement mattered because it helped establish Strait’s rise after his early recording success, while also linking his first number one to his big-screen debut in the action film *The Soldier*.

Written by Byron Hill and Strait’s producer Blake Mevis, the song was commissioned for *The Soldier* under conditions that it be recorded by a major-label artist, performed in the film and issued as a single. Strait released it on 27 May 1982 as the lead single from *Strait from the Heart*; the film premiered on 27 August, and the song topped the chart the following day. Although the film has largely faded from view, the song remains popular with Strait’s fans.