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You Better Move On (song)
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Wikipedia article
"'You Better Move On'" is a 1961 rhythm and blues song by Arthur Alexander. It reached number 24 on the 'Billboard' Hot 100 in March 1962.Whitburn, Joel. 'The Billboard Book of Top 40 Hits: Revised and Enlarged', Billboard Books, New York, 1992, Versions by Billy "Crash" Craddock, George Jones and Johnny Paycheck were hits on the Country charts.
Arthur Alexander version
The lyrics were inspired by Alexander's real life situation, in which his girlfriend and future wife already had a boyfriend. Alexander said of the situation "When I met her out of high school he was still hanging in there. His family was pretty well off. I didn't have no money but I knew she liked me. It was a small town and people would be talking. That's where I got the idea for the song. I didn't talk to him personally. I said it in song."
The song was recorded at the fledgling FAME Studios, which at that point was located above the City Drug Store in Florence, Alabama. (The studio would shortly move to its more famous location in nearby Muscle Shoals, Alabama.) The session musicians on the recording included David Briggs, piano, Terry Thompson, guitar, Forest Riley, acoustic guitar, Norbert Putnam, bass guitar, Jerry Carrigan, drums, and unknown back up singers.'The Muscle Shoals Sound', CD, Rhino Records, 1993
Music critic Toby Creswell included "You Better Move On" as one of the 1001 great songs of all time.
The Rolling Stones version
The Rolling Stones released their version of Arthur Alexander's song on an EP, 'The Rolling Stones', on January 10, 1964. Bruce Eder of AllMusic wrote about the EP: "the real centrepiece was Arthur Alexander's 'You Better Move On,' an American-spawned favourite that the band had been doing in concert this was their chance to show a softer, more lyrical and soulful sound that was every bit as intense as the blues and hard R&B they'd already done on record." The EP reached no. 1 in the UK EP charts in February 1964, having entered the chart the week after its release.
Billy "Crash" Craddock version
Billy "Crash" Craddock released a version of the song as a single in 1971 and on his album of the same name the following year. Craddock's version reached No. 10 on 'Billboard's Hot Country Singles chart,"[https://worldradiohistory.com/Archive-All-Music/Billboard/70s/1971/BB-1971-12-25.pdf Hot Country Singles]", 'Billboard'. December 25, 1971. p. 41. Retrieved February 15, 2021. No. 4 on 'Cash Box's Country Top 65 chart,"[https://worldradiohistory.com/Archive-All-Music/Cash-Box/70s/1972/Cash-Box-1972-01-08.pdf Cash Box Country Top 65]", 'Cash Box'. January 8, 1972. p. 24. Retrieved February 15, 2021. and No. 9 on 'Record World's Country Singles Chart."[https://worldradiohistory.com/Archive-All-Music/Record-World/70s/72/Record-World-1972-01-15.pdf The Country Singles Chart]", 'Record World'. January 15, 1972. p. 38. Retrieved February 15, 2021.
Tommy Roe version
Tommy Roe released a version in 1979, which reached No. 70 on 'Billboard's Hot Country Singles chart,"[https://worldradiohistory.com/Archive-All-Music/Billboard/70s/1979/Billboard%201979-11-17.pdf Hot Country Singles]", 'Billboard'. November 17, 1979. p. 54. Retrieved February 15, 2021. No. 68 on the 'Cash Box' Top 100 Country chart,"[https://worldradiohistory.com/Archive-All-Music/Cash-Box/70s/1979/CB-1979-11-17.pdf Cash Box Top 100 Country]", 'Cash Box'. November 17, 1979. p. 34. Retrieved February 15, 2021. and No. 75 on 'Record World's Country Singles chart."[https://worldradiohistory.com/Archive-All-Music/Record-World/70s/79/RW-1979-11-17.pdf Record World Country Singles]", 'Record World'. November 17, 1979. p. 62. Retrieved February 15, 2021.
George Jones and Johnny Paycheck version
George Jones and Johnny Paycheck recorded a version for their 1980 collaboration album 'Double Trouble'. It was also released as a single and reached No. 18 on 'Billboard's Hot Country Singles chart,"[https://worldradiohistory.com/Archive-All-Music/Billboard/80s/1981/BB-1981-02-07.pdf Hot Country Singles]", 'Billboard'. February 7, 1981. p. 56. Retrieved February 15, 2021. No. 19 on 'Record World's Country Singles chart,"[https://worldradiohistory.com/Archive-All-Music/Record-World/80s/81/RW-1981-02-14.pdf Record World Country Singles]", 'Record World'. February 14, 1981. Retrieved February 15, 2021. and No. 23 on the 'Cash Box' Top 100 Country chart."[https://worldradiohistory.com/Archive-All-Music/Cash-Box/80s/1981/CB-1981-02-07.pdf Cash Box Top 100 Country]", 'Cash Box'. February 7, 1981. p. 24. Retrieved February 15, 2021.
References
Category:1961 songs
Category:1961 singles
Category:1980 singles
Category:Dot Records singles
Category:Billy "Crash" Craddock songs
Category:George Jones songs
Category:Johnny Paycheck songs
Category:Songs written by Arthur Alexander
Category:Epic Records singles
Category:Arthur Alexander songs
Category:Tommy Roe songs
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