He'll Have to Go

Last updated
"He'll Have to Go"
Single by Jim Reeves
from the album He'll Have to Go and Other Favorites
B-side "In a Mansion Stands My Love"
ReleasedNovember 1959 (U.S.)
RecordedOctober 15, 1959
Studio RCA Studio B, Nashville
Genre Country, Nashville Sound
Length2:20
Label RCA Victor
Songwriter(s) Joe Allison, Audrey Allison
Producer(s) Chet Atkins [1]
Jim Reeves singles chronology
"Partners"
(1959)		"He'll Have to Go"
(1959)		"I'm Gettin' Better"
(1960)

"He'll Have to Go" is an American country and pop hit recorded on October 15, 1959, by Jim Reeves. The song, released in the fall of 1959, went on to become a hit in both genres early in 1960.

Contents

Background

The song is about a man who's talking by telephone to the woman he loves, when he realizes that another man is with her. The song was written by the husband-and-wife team of Joe and Audrey Allison, and was inspired by a phone conversation between them in which they had trouble making themselves understood. Because of background noise and Audrey Allison's naturally soft voice, her husband had to ask her to put her mouth very close to the receiver. [2] That led her to pen the song's first line.

Reeves recorded the song after listening to the original version of it by singer Billy Brown. When Brown's version attracted little attention, Reeves felt free to record his own. It was released to country radio as the B-side of "In a Mansion Stands My Love", which some music executives considered a stronger song. However, "Mansion" failed to catch on, and disc jockeys began playing the B-side instead. [3] It was not long before "He'll Have to Go" became a huge country and pop hit. Several rhythm and blues radio stations played the song, too.

The recording features a small group of musicians: Floyd Cramer on piano, Marvin Hughes on the vibraphone, Bob Moore on bass, Buddy Harman on drums, Hank Garland on guitar, and the Anita Kerr Singers providing the background vocals. [4]

The first verse set the tone: "Put your sweet lips a little closer to the phone/Let's pretend that we're together all alone/I'll tell the man to turn the juke box way down low/And you can tell your friend there with you he'll have to go." [1]

Country music historian Bill Malone noted that "He'll Have to Go" in most respects represented a conventional country song, but its arrangement and the vocal chorus "put this recording in the country pop vein." In addition, Malone lauded Reeves' vocal styling - lowered to "its natural resonant level" to project the "caressing style that became famous" - as being why "many people refer to him as the singer with the velvet touch." [5]

Chart performance

In 1960, the song reached number 2 on the Billboard Hot 100 in early 1960, kept from the top spot by Percy Faith's "Theme from A Summer Place". [6] Billboard ranked it as the number 2 song of the year for 1960. [7] "He'll Have to Go" reached number 1 on the Hot Country Singles chart on February 8, 1960, where it remained for 14 consecutive weeks. [8] The song was one of just five different titles to occupy the chart's summit during 1960. In addition, it reached number 13 on the R&B Singles Chart. [9]

In Canada, the song was number 1 for six weeks in the pop charts. [10] It also had success abroad, reaching number 1 on the Australian Singles Chart and number 12 on the UK Singles Chart. [11]

Later versions and answer songs


"He'll Have to Go" has been recorded by many other artists. Elvis Presley recorded his version of "He'll Have to Go" on October 31, 1976, at his last known studio recording session; it is believed to be the final song he ever recorded in a studio setting. [14]

The song prompted the answer song "He'll Have to Stay" by Jeanne Black. Her song reached No. 6 on the Billboard Hot C&W Sides chart and No. 4 on the Billboard Hot 100 later in 1960.

Country music satirists Homer and Jethro parodied the song on their 1962 live album Homer and Jethro at the Convention. [15]

Barry Young reached No. 68 in Canada with his version in 1966. [16]

Guitarist Ry Cooder recorded a version with a Mexican Norteño-style arrangement for his 1976 album Chicken Skin Music . The song has also been covered by Joe Pesci, Scottish rocker Frankie Miller, English pop band Prefab Sprout and English rock band the Quireboys.

Solomon Burke had a crossover hit with his 1964 version of the song on the US adult contemporary and R&B charts. [17]

Bryan Ferry recorded the song in 1977, but it was only released in 1988 for his album The Ultimate Collection.

UB40 recorded the song on their 2013 album Getting Over the Storm .

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jim Reeves</span> American singer (1923–1964)

James Travis Reeves was an American country and popular music singer and songwriter. With records charting from the 1950s to the 1980s, he became well known as a practitioner of the Nashville Sound. Known as "Gentleman Jim", his songs continued to chart for years after his death in a plane crash. He is a member of both the Country Music and Texas Country Music Halls of Fame.

"Always on My Mind" is a ballad written by Wayne Carson, Johnny Christopher, and Mark James, first recorded by Brenda Lee and first released by Gwen McCrae in March 1972. Lee's version was released three months later in June 1972. The song has been a crossover hit, charting in both the country and western and pop categories. Elvis Presley's recording was the first commercially successful version of the song.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Are You Lonesome Tonight?</span> Song written and composed by Lou Handman and Roy Turk; first recorded by Charles Hart

"Are You Lonesome Tonight?" is a song written by Roy Turk and Lou Handman in 1926. It was recorded several times in 1927—first by Charles Hart, with successful versions by Vaughn De Leath, Henry Burr, and the duet of Jerry Macy and John Ryan. In 1950, the Blue Barron Orchestra version reached the top twenty on the Billboard's Pop Singles chart.

"Theme from A Summer Place" is a song with lyrics by Mack Discant and music by Max Steiner, written for the 1959 film A Summer Place, which starred Sandra Dee and Troy Donahue. It was recorded for the film as an instrumental by Hugo Winterhalter. Originally known as the "Molly and Johnny Theme", this lush extended cue, as orchestrated by Murray Cutter, is not the main title theme of the film, but an oft-heard secondary love theme for the characters played by Dee and Donahue. The theme has become a canonical representation of the easy listening genre, and is considered by some to be the definitive easy listening track of all time.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Save the Last Dance for Me</span> Original song written and composed by Doc Pomus and Mort Shuman; first recorded by the Drifters

"Save the Last Dance for Me" is a song written by Doc Pomus and Mort Shuman, first recorded in 1960 by American musical group the Drifters with Ben E. King on lead vocals. It has since been covered by several artists, including Dalida, the DeFranco Family, Emmylou Harris, Dolly Parton, and Michael Bublé.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Make the World Go Away</span> 1963 single, 1965 hit for Eddie Arnold

"Make the World Go Away'" is a country pop song composed by Hank Cochran. It has become a Top 40 popular success three times: for Timi Yuro (1963), Eddy Arnold (1965), and the brother-sister duo Donny and Marie Osmond (1975). The original version of the song was recorded by Ray Price in 1963. and popularized again by Mickey Gilley in (1999) has remained a country-crooner standard ever since.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Blue Eyes Crying in the Rain</span> 1975 single by Willie Nelson

"Blue Eyes Crying in the Rain" is a song written by songwriter Fred Rose. First recorded by Elton Britt in 1946, then made more popular by Roy Acuff in 1947, the song has been covered by many artists, including Hank Williams Sr., Johnny Russell, Charley Pride, and Elvis Presley. Most notably, the song was recorded by Willie Nelson as part of his 1975 album Red Headed Stranger. Both the song and album revived Nelson's success as a singer and recording artist.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Paper Roses</span> 1960 single by Anita Bryant

"Paper Roses" is a popular song written and composed by Fred Spielman and Janice Torre. It first was a top five hit in 1960 for Anita Bryant. Marie Osmond recorded it in 1973 and took her version to number one on the US country chart.

Gloria Jeanne Black was an American country music singer.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">It's Now or Never (song)</span> English-language song

"It's Now or Never" is a song recorded by Elvis Presley and released as a single in 1960. The song is one of the best-selling singles by Presley, and one of the best-selling physical singles of all time. It was recorded by Bill Porter at RCA Studio B in Nashville. It is written in E major and has a tempo of 80 BPM.

"Am I That Easy to Forget" is a popular song written by country music singer Country Johnny Mathis who later sold the publishing rights to W.S. Stevenson and published in 1958. Belew recorded his song in Nashville on December 17, 1958, and released the single in March 1959, when it reached number nine on the U.S. country music chart. Other country music artists who have recorded cover versions of the song include Skeeter Davis, Ernest Tubb (1960), Jerry Wallace (1962), Gene Vincent (1966), George Jones (1967), Patti Page (1968), Ann-Margret & Lee Hazlewood (1969), Jim Reeves and Prairie Oyster (1991).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Crying Time</span> 1965 single by Ray Charles

"Crying Time" is a song from 1964 written and originally recorded by the American country music artist Buck Owens. It gained greater success in the version recorded by Ray Charles, which won two Grammy Awards in 1967. Numerous other cover versions have been performed and recorded over the intervening years.

"The Race Is On" is a song written by Don Rollins and made a hit on the country music charts by George Jones and on the pop and easy listening charts by the unrelated Jack Jones. George's version was the first single released from his 1965 album of the same name. Released as a single in September 1964, it peaked at number three on the Billboard Hot Country Singles chart and at number 96 on the Billboard Hot 100 in January 1965. Jack's version topped Billboard's Easy Listening chart and reached number 15 on the Hot 100 the same year. The two recordings combined to reach number 12 on the Cashbox charts, which combined all covers of the same song in one listing and thus gave George Jones his only top-40 hit. The song uses thoroughbred horse racing as the metaphor for the singer's romantic relationships.

"Funny How Time Slips Away" is a song written by Willie Nelson and first recorded by country singer Billy Walker. Walker's version was issued as a single by Columbia Records in June 1961 and peaked at number 23 on the Hot C&W Sides chart. The song has been featured in several live action films and television shows, such as in the first episode of the second season of AMC’s Better Call Saul and in the 2020 Netflix drama The Devil All the Time.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hurt (Roy Hamilton song)</span> 1954 song

"Hurt" is a 1954 song by Jimmie Crane and Al Jacobs. "Hurt" was originally performed by Roy Hamilton, whose version peaked at number eight on the R&B Best Seller chart and spent a total of seven weeks on the chart. A version by Ricky Denell also received considerable radio airplay in 1954 on pop radio stations. The song is considered to be the signature hit of Timi Yuro, whose version went to number four on the Billboard pop chart in 1961. Elvis Presley’s 1976 version reached the top 40 on the Billboard Hot 100 and the top 10 on Billboard’s Hot Country Singles chart. Juice Newton's 1985 version scored number one on Billboard's Country chart.

<i>Heres the Answer</i> 1961 studio album by Skeeter Davis

Here's the Answer is the second studio album by American country artist Skeeter Davis. The album was released in January 1961 on RCA Victor Records and was produced by Chet Atkins. The album consisted of cover versions of hit singles by country artists and answer songs to the hits.

"I Love You Because" is a song written and recorded by country music singer and songwriter Leon Payne in 1949. The song has been covered by several artists throughout the years, including hit cover versions by Al Martino in 1963 and Jim Reeves in 1964.

"He'll Have to Stay" is a song written by Audrey Allison, Charles Grean, and Joe Allison and performed by Jeanne Black. The song is an answer song to Jim Reeves' 1959 hit "He'll Have to Go". It was produced by Ken Nelson.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Loving Arms</span>

"Loving Arms" is a song written by Tom Jans and first recorded as a duet by Kris Kristofferson and Rita Coolidge for their 1973 album Full Moon.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Blue Boy (song)</span> 1958 single by Jim Reeves

"Blue Boy" is a song written by Boudleaux Bryant, sung by Jim Reeves, and released on the RCA Victor label. In July 1958, it peaked at No. 2 on Billboard's country and western jockey chart. It spent 22 weeks on the charts and was also ranked No. 10 on Billboard's 1958 year-end country and western chart. On the Hot 100, "Blue Boy" peaked at No. 45.

References

  1. 1 2 Gilliland, John (1969). "Show 10 - Tennessee Firebird: American country music before and after Elvis. [Part 2]" (audio). Pop Chronicles . University of North Texas Libraries.
  2. ↑ Gilbert, Bob and Gary Theroux, "The Top Ten: 1956-Present," Pop Record Research, Fireside Books, Simon & Schuster, New York. 1982 ( ISBN   0-671-43215-X).
  3. ↑ Gilbert and Theroux, "The Top Ten."
  4. ↑ ""He'll Have To Go" | Jim Reeves". 15 October 2009. Retrieved 26 April 2021.
  5. ↑ Malone, Bill, "Classic Country Music: A Smithsonian Collection" ((booklet included with Classic Country Music: A Smithsonian Collection 4-disc set). Smithsonian Institution, 1990), p. 51.
  6. ↑ "The Hot 100 Chart". Billboard.com. Retrieved 26 April 2021.
  7. ↑ Billboard Year-End Hot 100 singles of 1960
  8. ↑ Whitburn, Joel (2004). The Billboard Book Of Top 40 Country Hits: 1944-2006, Second edition. Record Research. p. 285.
  9. ↑ Whitburn, Joel (2004). Top R&B/Hip-Hop Singles: 1942-2004. Record Research. p. 488.
  10. ↑ "RADIO STATION CHUM (TORONTO) WEEKLY CHARTS FOR 1960". Barry Kowal - hits of all decades. Retrieved 23 August 2023.
  11. ↑ "he'll have to go | full Official Chart History | Official Charts Company". Officialcharts.com. Retrieved 26 April 2021.
  12. ↑ "CHUM Hit Parade - February 8, 1960".
  13. ↑ "Billboard Hot 100 60th Anniversary Interactive Chart". Billboard. Retrieved 10 December 2018.
  14. ↑ Ernst Jorgensen, Elvis Presley: A Life in Music (St; Martin's Press, 1998), p. 400.
  15. ↑ "Homer And Jethro – Homer And Jethro At The Convention". Discogs. 1962. Retrieved August 7, 2023.
  16. ↑ "RPM Top 100 - May 30, 1966" (PDF).
  17. ↑ "Solomon Burke Songs • Top Songs / Chart Singles Discography • Music VF, US & UK hits charts". Musicvf.com. Retrieved 26 April 2021.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.