Watching Scotty Grow
Encyclopedia
"Watching Scotty Grow" is a song written by country music
singer-songwriter Mac Davis
. Although featured on Davis' 1972 album I Believe in Music, a more famous version of the song was performed by Bobby Goldsboro
in 1970 and included on Goldsboro's album We Gotta Start Lovin.
hit singles in the mid to late 1960s, including his chart-topping song, "Honey
", in 1968. By the early 1970s, he had begun to achieve success on the country chart as well. According to Goldsboro, he met music producer Jerry Fuller
one day in Los Angeles, and Fuller encouraged him to meet one of his associates in the music business, Mac Davis. When the two met, one of Davis' songs that stood out to Goldsboro was "Watching Scotty Grow". Goldsboro decided to record the song, but an executive with United Artists Records
questioned the potential of releasing it as a single, stating that "I just don't think anyone will buy a record about a father and a son."
on January 9, 1971, where it remained for six weeks. The song also peaked at #11 on the Billboard Hot 100
in February of that year and climbed to the top ten on the Billboard country music chart
as well. The song was Goldsboro's tenth top 40 hit on the U.S. pop chart.
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...
singer-songwriter Mac Davis
Mac Davis
Mac Davis is a country music singer, songwriter, and actor originally from Lubbock, Texas who has enjoyed much crossover success...
. Although featured on Davis' 1972 album I Believe in Music, a more famous version of the song was performed by Bobby Goldsboro
Bobby Goldsboro
Bobby Goldsboro is an American country and pop singer-songwriter. He had a string of Pop and Country hits during the 1960s and 1970s, including his signature #1 classic "Honey," which sold well over one million copies in the United States.-Early life:Goldsboro was born in Marianna, Florida...
in 1970 and included on Goldsboro's album We Gotta Start Lovin.
History
Goldsboro had many pop musicPop music
Pop music is usually understood to be commercially recorded music, often oriented toward a youth market, usually consisting of relatively short, simple songs utilizing technological innovations to produce new variations on existing themes.- Definitions :David Hatch and Stephen Millward define pop...
hit singles in the mid to late 1960s, including his chart-topping song, "Honey
Honey (Bobby Goldsboro song)
"Honey," also known as "Honey ," is a song written by Bobby Russell. He first produced it with former Kingston Trio member Bob Shane...
", in 1968. By the early 1970s, he had begun to achieve success on the country chart as well. According to Goldsboro, he met music producer Jerry Fuller
Jerry Fuller
-Biography:Jerry Fuller was born in Fort Worth, Texas to a musical family, his father having been a singer with Bob Wills' Light Crust Doughboys. Jerry Fuller and his brother Bill performed as a duo in their home state, recording for the local Lin label, before Jerry branched out on his own and...
one day in Los Angeles, and Fuller encouraged him to meet one of his associates in the music business, Mac Davis. When the two met, one of Davis' songs that stood out to Goldsboro was "Watching Scotty Grow". Goldsboro decided to record the song, but an executive with United Artists Records
United Artists Records
United Artists Records was a record label founded by Max E. Youngstein of United Artists in 1957 initially to distribute records of its movie soundtracks, though it soon branched out into recording music of a number of different genres.-History:...
questioned the potential of releasing it as a single, stating that "I just don't think anyone will buy a record about a father and a son."
Reception
After the release of Goldsboro's album We Gotta Start Lovin in late 1970, "Watching Scotty Grow" began to receive attention from radio stations in the United States. Goldsboro stated: "They put it out and within two weeks, it was being played like a single." The record label quickly issued a 45rpm, and the song began ascending American record charts during the Christmas shopping season. It reached the top of the Billboard Easy Listening chartHot Adult Contemporary Tracks
The Adult Contemporary chart is a weekly chart published in Billboard magazine that lists the most popular songs on adult contemporary and "lite-pop" radio stations in the United States...
on January 9, 1971, where it remained for six weeks. The song also peaked at #11 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 February of that year and climbed to the top ten on the Billboard country music chart
Hot Country Songs
Hot Country Songs is a chart published weekly by Billboard magazine in the United States.This 60-position chart lists the most popular country music songs, calculated weekly mostly by airplay and occasionally commercial sales...
as well. The song was Goldsboro's tenth top 40 hit on the U.S. pop chart.
Charts
| Chart (1971) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Canadian RPM Top Singles | 5 |
| Canadian RPM Adult Contemporary Tracks | 1 |
| Canadian RPM Country Tracks | 7 |
| U.S. Billboard Hot 100 | 11 |
| U.S. Billboard Easy Listening | 1 |
| U.S. Billboard Hot Country Singles | 7 |