music.wikisort.org - Composition

"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.[7]

This article possibly contains original research. (August 2010)

"South of the Border Down Mexico Way"
Single by Gene Autry
B-side	"Gold Mine in Your Heart"
Published	March 30, 1939 (1939-03-30) by Peter Maurice Music Co., Ltd., London[1]
Released	October 13, 1939 (1939-10-13)[2]
Recorded	September 11, 1939 (1939-09-11)[3]
Studio	Stevens Hotel, Chicago
Genre	Hillbilly, Country & Western
Length	2:48
Label	Vocalion 5122[4]
Composer(s)	Michael Carr
Lyricist(s)	Jimmy Kennedy
Gene Autry singles chronology
"Back in the Saddle Again" (1939) "South of the Border Down Mexico Way" (1939) "The Merry-Go-Roundup / I'm Beginning To Care" (1940)

"South of the Border (Down Mexico Way)"
Song by Shep Fields and His Rippling Rhythm
B-side	"It's All Over Town (We're Thru)"
Released	August 14, 1939[5]
Recorded	August 1, 1939[6]
Studio	New York City, New York
Genre	Big Band
Label	Bluebird B-10376

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.[8] Members of the Western Writers of America chose it as one of the Top 100 Western songs of all time.[9]

Recordings

The song was a hit in 1939 for Shep Fields, vocal by Hal Derwin, reaching the No.1 spot for five weeks.[10] Other successful recordings in 1939 were by Guy Lombardo, Gene Autry, Ambrose (vocal by Denny Dennis) and Tony Martin.[11]

Other notable recordings

• Frank Sinatra recorded the song on April 30, 1953[12] for Capitol Records and it reached the Billboard charts with a top position of #18 in a 4-week stay.[13]
• Al Bowlly recorded May 11, 1939 (see Al Bowlly discography)
• Acker Bilk – included in the album Clarinet Moods (2002)[14]
• 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[15]
• 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)[16]
• Fats Domino included in his album Here He Comes Again! (1963)[17]
• Frankie Laine (1953)[18]
• Gale Storm – issued as a single[19] and also included in the album Gale Storm Sings (1957)[20]
• 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)[21]
• Malcolm Vaughan – included in the EP Requests for Malcolm Vaughan (1960)[22]
• Marty Robbins – released in his posthumous collection Under Western Skies, released in 1995.
• Mel Tormé – included in the album ¡Olé Tormé!: Mel Tormé 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)[23]
• Perry Como recorded for his album We Get Letters (1957)
• Russ Conway – for his album Piano Requests (1958)[24]
• 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)[25]
• Willie Nelson – for his album What a Wonderful World (1988) and for his album Let's Face the Music and Dance (2013)

References

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