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I'm Moving On (Hank Snow song)
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Wikipedia article
"'I'm Moving On'" is a 1950 country standard written by Hank Snow. It is Snow's most recorded song.
Recording and lyrics
According to Snow, he proposed the song for his first session for RCA Records in 1949, but recording director Stephen H. Sholes turned it down. "Later on, in the spring of 1950, in Nashville, Mr. Sholes had not remembered the song, so I recorded it," Snow recalled.
The song has four bars of verse followed by eight bars of chorus with the final lines referring back to the verse:
Charts and critical reception
The single reached number one on the 'Billboard' country singles chart and stayed there for 21 weeks, tying a record for the most weeks atop the chart.Joel Whitburn, 'Joel Whitburn's Top Country Songs 1944 to 2005', Record Research, 2005 It was the first of seven number-one 'Billboard' country hits Snow scored throughout his career on that chart. The song's success led to Snow joining the Grand Ole Opry cast in 1950.
"I'm Moving On" is one of three songs in the history of the 'Billboard' country charts to spend 21 weeks at number one, the others being 1947's "I'll Hold You in My Heart (Till I Can Hold You in My Arms)" by Eddy Arnold and 1955's "In the Jailhouse Now" by Webb Pierce. It spent 44 weeks in Billboard's top 10. Until August 2013, the three songs jointly held the record for most weeks at the top position on the country chart, until being surpassed by "Cruise" by Florida Georgia Line, which logged its 22nd week atop the chart on August 10, 2013.
According to music writer John Morthland, "The chugging beat establishes that this is a train song, and the fiddle and steel push harder than is usual on Nashville records from this era... There's real anger and determination in Snow's voice, which sometimes sounds too smooth for this type of song."
Charting versions
*Ray CharlesIn 1959, a version by Ray Charles reached number forty on the Billboard Hot 100 singles chart and number eleven on the R&B singles chart. Charles's version with his soul band featured congas and maracas, giving the Spanish tinge to a country and western blues. It was recorded on June 26, 1959, at his last recording session with Atlantic Records, months before he signed with ABC. Produced by Jerry Wexler, Charles provides the lead vocals, and is backed by the Raelettes. The Ray Charles Orchestra provided the instrumentation.
*Don Gibsonreached No. 14 on the 'Billboard' Hot Country Singles chart with a recording of the song in 1960.
*Matt LucasIn June 1963, his Smash Records single reached No. 56 on the Hot 100.
*The Rolling Stones recorded the song for their EP 'Got Live If You Want It!' in 1965. Their version charted in Sweden, reaching No. 3 on 'Tio i Topp' and No. 7 on Kvllstoppen.
*Emmylou HarrisRecorded an uptempo live version of "I'm Moving On" which reached No. 5 on the Hot Country Singles chart and No. 1 on the 'RPM' Country Tracks chart in Canada in the spring of 1983.
*Hank SnowIn 1977, he recorded a sequel titled "I'm Still Movin' On" with some new lyrics. It is tribute to country artists who died, including Jimmie Rodgers and Hank Williams and also mentions other country musicians, such as Hank Williams Jr. Snow's single reached no. 80 on the Country Music charts.
References
Category:1950 singles
Category:1959 singles
Category:1983 singles
Category:Hank Snow songs
Category:Ray Charles songs
Category:Don Gibson songs
Category:Emmylou Harris songs
Category:Big House (band) songs
Category:Terri Clark songs
Category:Dean Brody songs
Category:Al Hirt songs
Category:Elvis Presley songs
Category:Billboard Hot Country Songs number-one singles of the year
Category:Grammy Hall of Fame Award recipients
Category:RCA Victor singles
Category:Warner Records singles
Category:Songs written by Hank Snow
Category:1950 songs
Category:Song recordings produced by Stephen H. Sholes
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