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South of the Border (1939 song)
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Wikipedia article
"'South of the Border Down Mexico Way'" is a popular song describing a trip to Mexico, written by Jimmy Kennedy and Michael Carr and published in 1939 for the film of the same name starring country star Gene Autry.Soundtrack: [https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0031957/soundtrack 'South of the Border' (1939)]. - IMDb.
Background
In the lyrics, a man looks back with regret for having left a woman he can't forget. When he returns much later, she is preparing to wed, presumably to either the church or another man. In the movie, however, she has become a nun to atone for her brother's crimes.Frederick B. Pike, "FDR's Good Neighbor Policy: Sixty Years of Generally Gentle Chaos" (1995), University of Texas Press. P. 198. Members of the Western Writers of America chose it as one of the Top 100 Western songs of all time.
Recordings
The song was a hit in 1939 for Shep Fields, vocal by Hal Derwin, reaching the No.1 spot for five weeks. Other successful recordings in 1939 were by Guy Lombardo, Gene Autry, Ambrose (vocal by Denny Dennis) and Tony Martin.
Other notable recordings
*Frank Sinatra recorded the song on April 30, 1953 for Capitol Records and it reached the 'Billboard' charts with a top position of #18 in a 4-week stay.
*Al Bowlly recorded May 11, 1939 (see Al Bowlly discography)
*Acker Bilk included in the album 'Clarinet Moods' (2002)
*Asleep at the Wheel, with vocals by George Strait, for their 2015 album 'Still the King - Celebrating the Music of Bob Wills and his Texas Playboys'
*Bing Crosby included in his album 'Bing Crosby's Treasury The Songs I Love' (1965)
*Chris Isaak for his album 'Baja Sessions' (1996)
*Chuck Berry for the album 'Chuck Berry' (1975) (a few liberties taken with the lyrics)
*Dean Martin for his album 'Dino Latino' (1962)
*Engelbert Humperdinck for the album 'The Winding Road' (2007)
*Fats Domino included in his album 'Here He Comes Again!' (1963)
*Frankie Laine (1953)
*Gale Storm issued as a single and also included in the album 'Gale Storm Sings' (1957)
*Gene Merlino for 'The Simpsons' episode "Kamp Krusty"
*Herb Alpert for his album 'South of the Border' (1964)
*Keely Smith for the album 'Keely Sings Sinatra' (2001)
*Malcolm Vaughan included in the EP 'Requests for Malcolm Vaughan' (1960)
*Marty Robbins released in his posthumous collection 'Under Western Skies', released in 1995.
*Mel Torm included in the album 'Ol Torm!: Mel Torm Goes South of the Border with Billy May' (1959)
*Patsy Cline included in her album 'Showcase' (1961)
*Don Mclean included in his album 'Prime Time' (1977)
*Patti Page recorded for her album 'Let's Get Away from It All' (1957)
*Perry Como recorded for his album 'We Get Letters' (1957)
*Russ Conway for his album 'Piano Requests' (1958)
*Sam Cooke included in his 'Cooke's Tour' album (1960)
*The Shadows for their album 'Out of the Shadows' (1962)
*Slim Whitman included in the album 'In Love the Whitman Way' (1968)
*Willie Nelson for his album 'What a Wonderful World' (1988) and for his album 'Let's Face the Music and Dance (2013)
References
Category:1939 songs
Category:1939 singles
Category:Al Bowlly songs
Category:Frank Sinatra songs
Category:Guy Lombardo songs
Category:Pop standards
Category:Songs with lyrics by Jimmy Kennedy
Category:Songs with music by Michael Carr (composer)
Category:Number-one singles in Australia
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