Gonna Get Along without Ya Now
Encyclopedia
"Gonna Get Along Without Ya Now" is a popular
song
written by Milton Kellem, and published in 1951. Originally written in English, has been done in several styles and tempos.
The original version, recorded by Teresa Brewer
with Orchestra directed by Ray Bloch on January 10, 1952, was released by Coral Records
as catalog number
60676 on April 5, 1952. It reached #25 on the Billboard
charts. It was done in a "Swing" style, with big band backing (including mouth harp).
Patience and Prudence
had more success with the song when they recorded it in 1956 reaching #11 on the charts. This is considered the benchmark version, by which all others are judged, due to the intimate harmony of the two young singers. This version brightened the melody somewhat, and later artists followed the brighter version, as did Brewer when she recorded an album version in 1964 in a semi-Caribbean style.
Two other versions hit the US chart in 1964 as sung by Tracey Dey
(peaking at #51) and Skeeter Davis
(peaking at #48).
Dey's version was done in a style emulating the Wall of Sound
, which was popular with girl groups at the time.
Davis' version reached the Top 10 on Country charts, and is considered by oldies
enthusiasts to be "the" cover version. Where the Patience and Prudence version has an orchestral backing, the Davis version has a pop band backing of electronic organ
, bass and drums, with violin and backup singers.
Popular music
Popular music belongs to any of a number of musical genres "having wide appeal" and is typically distributed to large audiences through the music industry. It stands in contrast to both art music and traditional music, which are typically disseminated academically or orally to smaller, local...
song
Song
In music, a song is a composition for voice or voices, performed by singing.A song may be accompanied by musical instruments, or it may be unaccompanied, as in the case of a cappella songs...
written by Milton Kellem, and published in 1951. Originally written in English, has been done in several styles and tempos.
The original version, recorded by Teresa Brewer
Teresa Brewer
Teresa Brewer was an American pop singer whose style incorporated elements of country, jazz, R&B, musicals and novelty songs. She was one of the most prolific and popular female singers of the 1950s, recording nearly 600 songs. Born Theresa Breuer in Toledo, Ohio, Brewer died of a neuromuscular...
with Orchestra directed by Ray Bloch on January 10, 1952, was released by Coral Records
Coral Records
Coral Records was a Decca Records subsidiary formed in 1949. It recorded pop artists McGuire Sisters and Teresa Brewer, as well as rock and roller Buddy Holly....
as catalog number
Catalog numbering systems for single records
This article presents the numbering systems used by various record companies for single records.- Capitol :...
60676 on April 5, 1952. It reached #25 on the Billboard
Billboard (magazine)
Billboard is a weekly American magazine devoted to the music industry, and is one of the oldest trade magazines in the world. It maintains several internationally recognized music charts that track the most popular songs and albums in various categories on a weekly basis...
charts. It was done in a "Swing" style, with big band backing (including mouth harp).
Patience and Prudence
Patience and Prudence
Patience and Prudence McIntyre, known professionally as Patience and Prudence, were two sisters who were a young singing act in the 1950s.-Career:...
had more success with the song when they recorded it in 1956 reaching #11 on the charts. This is considered the benchmark version, by which all others are judged, due to the intimate harmony of the two young singers. This version brightened the melody somewhat, and later artists followed the brighter version, as did Brewer when she recorded an album version in 1964 in a semi-Caribbean style.
Two other versions hit the US chart in 1964 as sung by Tracey Dey
Tracey Dey
Tracey Dey was an American girl group pop singer of the early and mid-1960s. Born Nora Ferrari, and hailing from Yonkers, New York, she was attending college at Fordham University when producer Bob Crewe became aware of a demo tape she had recorded.-Career:...
(peaking at #51) and Skeeter Davis
Skeeter Davis
Mary Frances Penick , better known as Skeeter Davis, was an American country music singer best known for crossover pop music songs of the early 1960s. She started out as part of The Davis Sisters as a teenager in the late 1940s, eventually landing on RCA Records. In the late '50s, she became a solo...
(peaking at #48).
Dey's version was done in a style emulating the Wall of Sound
Wall of Sound
The Wall of Sound is a music production technique for pop and rock music recordings developed by record producer Phil Spector at Gold Star Studios in Los Angeles, California, during the early 1960s...
, which was popular with girl groups at the time.
Davis' version reached the Top 10 on Country charts, and is considered by oldies
Oldies
Oldies is a term commonly used to describe a radio format that concentrates on music from a period of about 15 to 55 years before the present day....
enthusiasts to be "the" cover version. Where the Patience and Prudence version has an orchestral backing, the Davis version has a pop band backing of electronic organ
Electronic organ
An electronic organ is an electronic keyboard instrument which was derived from the harmonium, pipe organ and theatre organ. Originally, it was designed to imitate the sound of pipe organs, theatre organs, band sounds, or orchestral sounds....
, bass and drums, with violin and backup singers.
Cover versions
In addition to the hit versions of the 1960s, the song has been recorded by:- Chet AtkinsChet AtkinsChester Burton Atkins , known as Chet Atkins, was an American guitarist and record producer who, along with Owen Bradley, created the smoother country music style known as the Nashville sound, which expanded country's appeal to adult pop music fans as well.Atkins's picking style, inspired by Merle...
on his 1968 LP Solo FlightsSolo FlightsSolo Flights is the title of a recording by Chet Atkins. Side one of this album features Atkins' experiment with the "Octabass Guitar" wherein he replaced the two lower strings with heavier gauges in order to drop an octave and create a fuller sound.This album was re-issued on CD for the first... - Skeeter DavisSkeeter DavisMary Frances Penick , better known as Skeeter Davis, was an American country music singer best known for crossover pop music songs of the early 1960s. She started out as part of The Davis Sisters as a teenager in the late 1940s, eventually landing on RCA Records. In the late '50s, she became a solo...
, in 1964 and again in 1971 - The VibrationsThe VibrationsThe Vibrations were an African-American soul vocal group from Los Angeles, California, active from the mid-1950s to 1976. Most notable among the group's hit singles were "My Girl Sloopy" and "Love in Them Thar Hills"...
(1966), who did a funk-style version - Trini LopezTrini LopezTrini Lopez is an American singer, guitarist and actor.-Career:Lopez was born in Dallas, Texas, on Ashland Street in the Little Mexico neighborhood. He began his entertainment career in Dallas playing at the Vegas Club, a nightclub owned by Jack Ruby...
(1967) - Brent Dowe and The MelodiansThe MelodiansThe Melodians were a reggae band formed in the Greenwich Town area of Kingston, Jamaica in 1965, by Tony Brevett , Brent Dowe and Trevor McNaughton...
(1967), who recorded the rocksteadyRocksteadyRocksteady is a music genre that originated in Jamaica around 1966. A successor to ska and a precursor to reggae, rocksteady was performed by Jamaican vocal harmony groups such as The Gaylads, The Maytals and The Paragons. The term rocksteady comes from a dance style that was mentioned in the Alton...
version produced by Duke ReidDuke ReidTreasure Isle re-directs here. For the game, see Treasure Isle .Arthur "Duke" Reid, CD was a Jamaican record producer, DJ and label owner....
. - Viola WillsViola WillsViola Wills was an American pop singer, best known for the 1979 UK Singles Chart #8 and U.S. Hot Dance Club Play #52 hit, "Gonna Get Along Without You Now". Other hits included further covers of the songs, "Both Sides Now" , and "If You Could Read My Mind" Viola Wills (December 30,...
(1979), doing a version in "discoDiscoDisco is a genre of dance music. Disco acts charted high during the mid-1970s, and the genre's popularity peaked during the late 1970s. It had its roots in clubs that catered to African American, gay, psychedelic, and other communities in New York City and Philadelphia during the late 1960s and...
" or "dance" style, with a slower tempo and heavy electronic instrumental backing. This is the style done by most later artists. The Viola Wills version of the song peaked at number fifty-two on the disco chart. - Bad MannersBad MannersBad Manners are an English 2 Tone ska band. They quickly became the novelty favourites of the UK pop scene through their bald outsized frontman's on-stage antics, earning early exposure through their Top of The Pops exploits and an appearance in the live film documentary, Dance Craze.They were at...
(1989), a ska version - The LemonheadsThe LemonheadsThe Lemonheads are an American alternative rock band first formed in 1986 by Evan Dando, Ben Deily and Jesse Peretz. Dando has remained the band's only constant member....
(1991) - Mr PresidentMr. President (band)- Studio albums :- Compilation albums :-Singles:-Band line-up:* Lady Danii * T-Seven * Sir Prophet * Lazy Dee * Nadia Ayche...
(1995), done in a Eurodance style. - Cristina del ValleCristina del ValleCristina del Valle is a Spanish singer and activist born in Asturias in 1962.In 1980, she went to Madrid to study criminology and since 1978, she has worked in several social action groups, NGOs and left-wing political parties which worked in support of human rights, Sahrawi people or against...
, in Catalan, again in a dance style and tempo - Soraya ArnelasSoraya ArnelasSoraya Arnelas Rubiales , better known by her stage name Soraya, is a popular Spanish singer...
(2007), in both English and Spanish (not mixing the languages), dance style - She & HimShe & HimShe & Him is an American indie pop duo consisting of Zooey Deschanel and M. Ward . The band's first album, Volume One, was released on Merge Records in March 2008...
, with vocals by Zooey DeschanelZooey DeschanelZooey Claire Deschanel is an American actress, musician, and singer-songwriter. In 1999, Deschanel made her film debut in Mumford, followed by her breakout role as young protagonist William Miller's troubled older sister Anita in Cameron Crowe's 2000 semi-autobiographical film Almost Famous...
, covering Skeeter Davis's version of the song on their 2010 album Volume TwoVolume Two (She & Him album)Volume Two is the second studio album by She & Him, a collaboration between M. Ward and actress Zooey Deschanel. It was released on March 17, 2010 through P-Vine Records in Japan, in the United States on March 23, 2010 through Merge Records, and on April 5, 2010 on Double Six Records in the UK.The... - UB40UB40UB40 are a British reggae/pop band formed in 1978 in Birmingham. The band has placed more than 50 singles in the UK Singles Chart, and has also achieved considerable international success. One of the world's best-selling music artists, UB40 have sold over 70 million records.Their hit singles...
, on their Labour of Love IV album (2010) and as a single released on 25 January 2010