South of the Border (1939 song)

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"South of the Border Down Mexico Way"
Single by Gene Autry
B-side "Gold Mine in Your Heart"
PublishedMarch 30, 1939 (1939-03-30) by Peter Maurice Music Co., Ltd., London [1]
ReleasedOctober 13, 1939 (1939-10-13) [2]
RecordedSeptember 11, 1939 (1939-09-11) [3]
Studio Stevens Hotel, Chicago
Genre Hillbilly, Country & Western
Length2:48
Label Vocalion 5122 [4]
Composer(s) Michael Carr
Lyricist(s) Jimmy Kennedy
Gene Autry singles chronology
"Back in the Saddle Again"
(1939)		"South of the Border Down Mexico Way"
(1939)		"The Merry-Go-Roundup / I'm Beginning To Care"
(1940)
"South of the Border (Down Mexico Way)"
Song by Shep Fields and His Rippling Rhythm
B-side "It's All Over Town (We're Thru)"
ReleasedAugust 14, 1939 [5]
RecordedAugust 1, 1939 [6]
Studio New York City, New York
Genre Big Band
Label Bluebird B-10376

"South of the Border Down Mexico Way" is a popular song describing a trip to Mexico, written by Jimmy Kennedy and Michael Carr and published in 1939 for the film of the same name starring country star Gene Autry. [7]

Contents

Background

In the lyrics, a man looks back with regret for having left a woman he can't forget. When he returns much later, she is preparing to wed, presumably to either the church or another man. In the movie, however, she has become a nun to atone for her brother's crimes. [8] Members of the Western Writers of America chose it as one of the Top 100 Western songs of all time. [9]

Recordings

The song was a hit in 1939 for Shep Fields, vocal by Hal Derwin, reaching the No.1 spot for five weeks. [10] Other successful recordings in 1939 were by Guy Lombardo, Gene Autry, Ambrose (vocal by Denny Dennis) and Tony Martin. [11]

Other notable recordings

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References

  1. ↑ Library of Congress. Copyright Office. (1939). Catalog of Copyright Entries 1939 Musical Compositions New Series Vol 34 Pt 3 For the Year 1939. United States Copyright Office. U.S. Govt. Print. Off.
  2. ↑ 78 Record: Gene Autry - South of the Border (Down Mexico Way) (1939) , retrieved 2021-07-31
  3. ↑ Russell, Tony (2004). Country Music Records: A Discography, 1921-1942. New York: Oxford University Press. p. 84. ISBN   0195139895.
  4. ↑ "Vocalion 78rpm numerical listing discography - 5000 series (main sequence)". www.78discography.com. Retrieved 2022-02-04.
  5. ↑ 78 Record: Shep Fields And His Rippling Rhythm - South Of The Border (Down Mexico Way) (1939) , retrieved 2021-07-31
  6. ↑ "Victor matrix BS-041153. South of the border (Down Mexico way) / Hal Derwin ; Shep Fields ; Rippling Rhythm Orchestra - Discography of American Historical Recordings". adp.library.ucsb.edu. Retrieved 2022-08-20.
  7. ↑ Soundtrack: South of the Border (1939). - IMDb.
  8. ↑ Frederick B. Pike, "FDR's Good Neighbor Policy: Sixty Years of Generally Gentle Chaos" (1995), University of Texas Press. P. 198.
  9. ↑ Western Writers of America (2010). "The Top 100 Western Songs". American Cowboy. Archived from the original on 19 October 2010.
  10. ↑ Whitburn, Joel (1986). Joel Whitburn's Pop Memories 1890-1954. Wisconsin, USA: Record Research Inc. p.  157. ISBN   0-89820-083-0.
  11. ↑ Whitburn, Joel (1986). Joel Whitburn's Pop Memories 1890-1954. Wisconsin, USA: Record Research Inc. p.  583. ISBN   0-89820-083-0.
  12. ↑ "Frank Sinatra Discography". jazzdiscography.com. Retrieved May 16, 2017.
  13. ↑ Whitburn, Joel (1986). Joel Whitburn's Pop Memories 1890-1954. Wisconsin, USA: Record Research Inc. p.  394. ISBN   0-89820-083-0.
  14. ↑ "allmusic.com". allmusic.com. Retrieved May 16, 2017.
  15. ↑ South of the Border (Down Mexico Way) (feat. George Strait) on YouTube
  16. ↑ "www.discogs.com". discogs.com. Retrieved July 7, 2023.
  17. ↑ "www.allmusic.com". allmusic.com. Retrieved July 7, 2023.
  18. ↑ "www.allmusic.com". allmusic.com. Retrieved July 13, 2023.
  19. ↑ "Discogs.com". Discogs.com. Retrieved May 17, 2017.
  20. ↑ "Discogs.com". Discogs.com. Retrieved May 16, 2017.
  21. ↑ "45worlds.com". 45worlds.com. Retrieved May 16, 2017.
  22. ↑ "45cat.com". 45cat.com. Retrieved May 17, 2017.
  23. ↑ "Discogs.com". Discogs.com. Retrieved May 17, 2017.
  24. ↑ "www.allmusic.com". allmusic.com. Retrieved July 6, 2023.
  25. ↑ "allmusic.com". allmusic.com. Retrieved May 16, 2017.
  26. ↑ "45cat.com". 45cat.com. Retrieved May 17, 2017.
  27. ↑ "www.allmusic.com". allmusic.com. Retrieved July 8, 2023.
  28. ↑ "Discogs.com". Discogs.com. Retrieved May 16, 2017.
  29. ↑ "Discogs.com". Discogs.com. Retrieved May 17, 2017.
  30. ↑ "allmusic.com". allmusic.com. Retrieved January 15, 2023.
  31. ↑ "Discogs.com". Discogs.com. Retrieved May 16, 2017.
  32. ↑ "www.allmusic.com". allmusic.com. Retrieved July 12, 2023.
  33. ↑ "www.allmusic.com". allmusic.com. Retrieved July 12, 2023.
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