| 50 years ago this day
Posted by Gianluca Cludi   on October 15, 2009, 2:26 am
151.30.18.4
50 years ago this day Jim recorded his biggest hit (and one of the biggest country hits of '50 & '60 as well): "He'll have to go".
"He'll have to go" was the first song Jim recorded that day (on early morning)and was first recorded by country singer Billy Browns on Columbia label some month before (always in 1959). Some stories tells who Jim first hear Browns'' version on his radio car while driving, and him stopped the car and fell in love with this song (who Jim recorded some months later after convincing his producer Chet Atkins). Other stories tells who was Chet Atkins first to hear Browns' version and convincing Jim to recorded it...
Beh, whatever story is that real or not, Jim's version eclipsed Billy Browns' version and was country n. 1 for 14 weeks for a total of 34 weeks on the chart and got up to n. 2 in the pop chart as well. Even in England was n. 12 on the chart and was the first international hit for Jim.
After Jim's version, "Hell' have to go" was recorded by many other singer, among them:
Pat Boone,Caterina Valente (in Dutch language), Ernest Tubb, Connie Francis, Nat King Cole, Kitty Wells, Tom Jones, Ry Cooder, Elvis Presley.
A truly classic of any musical genre, "Hell' have to go" was even the favourite all-time song of mine and the first song of Jim I hear (in 1983 on a RCA double LP compilation of various artist "60 years of Country Music 1922-1982").
Always for Jim
A big Ciao from Italy
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