I am being harassed by a Portuguese goat and its owner.
The goat has been bleating about wanting a new edition of Single Song Sunday, while its owner has been badgering me to feature a song that conveys the sentiment - and I quote - "F*** off back to the Dominican Republic disgraced former PM Johnson". This is my attempt to satisfy both requests.
I used to think that Teresa Brewer's 1952 version of "Gonna Get Along Without You Now" was the original but in researching today's feature I discovered that is not the case. It was first recorded a year earlier by little remembered country singer Roy Hogsed.
Roy's original had different lyrics to those we know and love. It was not a hit, so he recruited songwriter Milton Kellem to help make them more palatable for Middle America. It was that version that Teresa took into the charts.
The most successful version of the song in the US was by Pinky & Perky Patience & Prudence in 1956. In the UK, by contrast, it was Viola Wills' disco version in 1979. Sandwiched between them on our playlist today is the mighty Skeeter Davis. Dig that funky organ.
We round things off with The Lemonheads, a Spanish language version by Gervasio from Uruguay, and of course the Mandatory Reggae Version. Chevelle and Papa San get equal billing on that but Chevelle does about 80% of the work. Papa San is clearly the Johnson of the partnership.
"Gonna Get Along Without You Now" - Roy Hogsed
"Gonna Get Along Without You Now" - Teresa Brewer
"Gonna Get Along Without You Now" - Patience & Prudence
"Gonna Get Along Without You Now" - Skeeter Davis
"Gonna Get Along Without You Now" - Viola Wills
"Gonna Get Along Without You Now" - The Lemonheads
"Sera Damasiado Tarde" - Gervasio
"Gonna Get Along Without You Now" - Chevelle & Papa San
He's looking forward to listening to these tunes (whilst eating his fried tomatoes and onions on fried bread for breakfast)
ReplyDeleteYou've uploaded Ro Hogsed twice, 2nd time in place of Teresa Brewer
ReplyDeleteOops! Now corrected
DeleteI heard a jew's harp there! (I suspect there's a better way to describe that instrument, I don't know what it is)
DeleteI believe jaw harp is the preferred term these days
DeleteI only knew the Viola Wills version, so this was a veritable cheeseboard of covers, Ernie. Gervasio wins my vote and I hope I never have to listen to the Mr. President version again. A real Stinking Bishop, you might say.
ReplyDeleteI only made it through the first minute or so of that one myself. It got to No. 31 in Germany in 1995 - clearly a slow year for German pop.
DeleteLike Khayem, I only knew the Viola Wills version, and like Khayem, I tried to cut off my ears after hearing Mr President. (It's OK, they're pretty useless anyway. And the hearing aids still fit in the remaining holes.) Skeeter & The Lemonheads take it for me... particularly surprised to have not heard Evan's take before.
ReplyDeleteIt's a dead heat between Skeeter and Gervasio for me. Bottom of the pile by some distance is Mr President, who make a noise so awful that any more than a few seconds of it would surely result in me ripping my own ears off.
ReplyDeleteI hope the goat is happy now
ReplyDeleteI imagine it will be butting its head up against something else before too long
Delete