He'll Have to Go
Encyclopedia
"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 massive hit in both genres early in 1960.
and Audrey Allison, was inspired after the couple was having difficulty communicating by telephone. Audrey had a soft voice and was unable to speak up so her husband could adequately hear her, so Joe would have his wife place the receiver closer to her mouth.
When Brown's version failed to become a hit, Reeves recorded his. It was promptly released to country radio ... as the B-side
of the intended hit, "In a Mansion Stands My Love." However, "Mansion" failed to catch on, and disc jockeys began playing the B-side instead. It wasn't long before the song 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.
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."
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."
In addition, the song reached #2 on the Billboard Hot 100
in early 1960 and #13 on the R&B Singles Chart . It also had success abroad, reaching #1 on the Australian Singles Chart and #12 on the UK Singles Chart.
, Tom Jones
, Bryan Ferry
and Ry Cooder
. Presley recorded his version of "He'll Have to Go" on Oct. 31, 1976 at his last known studio recording session; it is believed to be the final song he ever recorded in a studio setting. "He'll Have to Go" is also the sole cover song ever issued by the British group Prefab Sprout
, their version appearing on the US pressing of their album Two Wheels Good
.
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 later in 1960. Skeeter Davis
made a cover of it in 1961.
Elton John
performed "He'll Have to Go" live on a number of occasions, perhaps most notably in 1979 on his acoustic tour with percussionist Ray Cooper
, which included eight historic performances in the Soviet Union
; a first for a Western rock artist. Elton had performed the song as part of his regular setlist when he was a pub piano player at the Northwood Hills Hotel in the early 1960s.
According to an account in Philip Norman's official biography, "Elton," in 1967 John chose the song for his Liberty Records audition. Liberty's Ray Williams, who auditioned the young pianist, was bowled over by how "unhip" John was. The song did, however, work well enough to land John a short demo session. Upon the revelation that John could write music well but not lyrics, Williams then suggested John meet with a lyricist who couldn't write music: Bernie Taupin.
The Notting Hillbillies
covered this song a few times during their short 1998 tour. Mark Knopfler
also covered it.
The Mekons also covered it at least once in a 1986 concert that can be found on the Live Music Archive.
Country music
Country music is a popular American musical style that began in the rural Southern United States in the 1920s. It takes its roots from Western cowboy and folk music...
and pop
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...
hit recorded on October 15, 1959 by Jim Reeves
Jim Reeves
James Travis Reeves , better known as Jim Reeves, was an American country and popular music singer-songwriter. With records charting from the 1950s to the 1980s, he became well-known for being a practitioner of the Nashville sound...
. The song, released in the fall of 1959, went on to become a massive hit in both genres early in 1960.
Background
Reeves recorded what became one of country music's biggest hits ever after listening to a version recorded by singer Billy Brown († January 10, 2009). The song, written by JoeJoe Allison
Joe Marion Allison was an American Hall of Fame songwriter, a radio and television personality, a record producer, and a country music business executive....
and Audrey Allison, was inspired after the couple was having difficulty communicating by telephone. Audrey had a soft voice and was unable to speak up so her husband could adequately hear her, so Joe would have his wife place the receiver closer to her mouth.
A-side and B-side
A-side and B-side originally referred to the two sides of gramophone records on which singles were released beginning in the 1950s. The terms have come to refer to the types of song conventionally placed on each side of the record, with the A-side being the featured song , while the B-side, or...
of the intended hit, "In a Mansion Stands My Love." However, "Mansion" failed to catch on, and disc jockeys began playing the B-side instead. It wasn't long before the song became a huge country and pop hit; several rhythm and blues
Rhythm and blues
Rhythm and blues, often abbreviated to R&B, is a genre of popular African American music that originated in the 1940s. The term was originally used by record companies to describe recordings marketed predominantly to urban African Americans, at a time when "urbane, rocking, jazz based music with a...
radio stations played the song, too.
The recording features a small group of musicians: Floyd Cramer
Floyd Cramer
Floyd Cramer was an American Hall of Fame pianist who was one of the architects of the "Nashville sound." He popularized the "slip note" piano style where an out-of-tune note slides effortlessly into the correct note...
on piano, Marvin Hughes on the vibraphone, Bob Moore
Bob Moore
Bob Loyce Moore is an American session musician, orchestra leader, and bassist who was a member of the legendary Nashville A-Team during the 1950s and 60s.-Biography:...
on bass, Buddy Harman on drums, Hank Garland
Hank Garland
Walter Louis Garland , better known as Hank Garland, was a Nashville studio musician who performed with Elvis Presley, Patsy Cline, Roy Orbison and many others.-Biography:...
on guitar and the Anita Kerr Singers providing the background vocals.
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."
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."
Chart performance
"He'll Have to Go" reached #1 on the Hot Country Singles chart on February 8, 1960, where it remained for 14 consecutive weeks. The song was one of just five different titles to occupy the chart's summit during 1960.In addition, the song reached #2 on the Billboard Hot 100
Billboard Hot 100
The Billboard Hot 100 is the United States music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine. Chart rankings are based on radio play and sales; the tracking-week for sales begins on Monday and ends on Sunday, while the radio play tracking-week runs from Wednesday...
in early 1960 and #13 on the R&B Singles Chart . It also had success abroad, reaching #1 on the Australian Singles Chart and #12 on the UK Singles Chart.
| Chart (1960) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Australia Singles Chart | 1 |
| Norwegian Singles Chart | 1 |
| U.S. Billboard Hot C&W Sides | 1 |
| U.S. Billboard Hot 100 | 2 |
| UK Singles Chart | 12 |
| U.S. Billboard Hot R&B Singles | 13 |
Cover versions and answer songs
"He'll Have to Go" has been covered by many artists, most notably Elvis PresleyElvis Presley
Elvis Aaron Presley was one of the most popular American singers of the 20th century. A cultural icon, he is widely known by the single name Elvis. He is often referred to as the "King of Rock and Roll" or simply "the King"....
, Tom Jones
Tom Jones (singer)
Sir Thomas John Woodward, OBE , known by his stage name Tom Jones, is a Welsh singer.Since the mid 1960s, Jones has sung many styles of popular music – pop, rock, R&B, show tunes, country, dance, techno, soul and gospel – and sold over 100 million records...
, Bryan Ferry
Bryan Ferry
Bryan Ferry, CBE is an English singer, musician, and songwriter. Ferry came to public prominence in the early 1970s as lead vocalist and principal songwriter with the band Roxy Music, who enjoyed a highly successful career with three number one albums and ten singles entering the top ten charts in...
and Ry Cooder
Ry Cooder
Ryland Peter "Ry" Cooder is an American guitarist, singer and composer. He is known for his slide guitar work, his interest in roots music from the United States, and, more recently, his collaborations with traditional musicians from many countries.His solo work has been eclectic, encompassing...
. Presley recorded his version of "He'll Have to Go" on Oct. 31, 1976 at his last known studio recording session; it is believed to be the final song he ever recorded in a studio setting. "He'll Have to Go" is also the sole cover song ever issued by the British group Prefab Sprout
Prefab Sprout
Prefab Sprout are an alternative English pop rock band from Witton Gilbert, County Durham, England who rose to fame during the 1980s. Eight of their albums have reached the Top 40 in the UK Albums Chart, and one of their singles, "The King of Rock 'n' Roll", peaked at number seven in the UK...
, their version appearing on the US pressing of their album Two Wheels Good
Steve McQueen (album)
Steve McQueen is the second album by English pop band Prefab Sprout, released in June 1985. It was released in the United States as Two Wheels Good due to a legal conflict with the estate of American actor Steve McQueen...
.
The song prompted the answer song
Answer song
An answer song is, as the name suggests, a song made in answer to a previous song, normally by another artist. It is also known as a response song. The concept became widespread in blues and R&B recorded music in the 1930s through 1950s...
"He'll Have To Stay" by Jeanne Black
Jeanne Black
Jeanne Black was an American country singer.Black first sang on Cliffie Stone's television program, Hometown Jamboree, from 1956 to 1959. Following this, she sang in Nevada, in Las Vegas and Tahoe. She signed with Capitol Records in 1960 and released the single "He'll Have to Stay" later that year...
. Her song reached No. 6 on the Billboard Hot C&W Sides chart later in 1960. 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...
made a cover of it in 1961.
Elton John
Elton John
Sir Elton Hercules John, CBE, Hon DMus is an English rock singer-songwriter, composer, pianist and occasional actor...
performed "He'll Have to Go" live on a number of occasions, perhaps most notably in 1979 on his acoustic tour with percussionist Ray Cooper
Ray Cooper
Ray Cooper is an English musician. He is a session and road-tour percussionist, and occasional actor, who has worked with several musically diverse bands and artists including George Harrison, Billy Joel, Eric Clapton, and Elton John. Cooper is commonly regarded by music fans, critics and fellow...
, which included eight historic performances in the Soviet Union
Soviet Union
The Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991....
; a first for a Western rock artist. Elton had performed the song as part of his regular setlist when he was a pub piano player at the Northwood Hills Hotel in the early 1960s.
According to an account in Philip Norman's official biography, "Elton," in 1967 John chose the song for his Liberty Records audition. Liberty's Ray Williams, who auditioned the young pianist, was bowled over by how "unhip" John was. The song did, however, work well enough to land John a short demo session. Upon the revelation that John could write music well but not lyrics, Williams then suggested John meet with a lyricist who couldn't write music: Bernie Taupin.
The Notting Hillbillies
The Notting Hillbillies
The Notting Hillbillies was a country music project formed by Mark Knopfler, who was then lead guitarist and singer of the Dire Straits, with Brendan Croker, Steve Phillips, and Knopfler's bandmate Guy Fletcher. They made just one album, Missing...Presumed Having a Good Time. This album was...
covered this song a few times during their short 1998 tour. Mark Knopfler
Mark Knopfler
Mark Freuder Knopfler, OBE is a Scottish-born British guitarist, singer, songwriter, record producer and film score composer. He is best known as the lead guitarist, vocalist, and songwriter for the British rock band Dire Straits, which he co-founded in 1977...
also covered it.
The Mekons also covered it at least once in a 1986 concert that can be found on the Live Music Archive.
See also
- Whitburn, Joel, Top Country Songs 1944-2005 - 6th Edition, 2006
- Whitburn, Joel, Top Pop Singles: 1955-2006, 2007