(Joe South)
Australia
#17 Sydney #2 Melbourne #6 Brisbane #42 Adelaide
Single on the IN label. Perth record fans apparently preferred the original version (see below).
Melbourne band with singer Russell (The Real Thing) Morris who later recorded this with his band The Rubes (see below).
Suggestion from John Yeager and Terry Stacey.
(Joe South)
USA
Joe South (born Joe Souter) also wrote Billy Joe Royal’s biggest hit, Down In The Boondocks (1965) and Lynn Anderson’s hit (I Never Promised You A) Rose Garden (1971).
Joe South’s own best-known recordings are Games People Play (1969), Don’t It Make You Want To Go Home (1969), Walk A Mile In My Shoes (1970) and Children (1970). As a session musician he worked with Bob Dylan (Blonde On Blonde) and Simon & Garfunkel (The Sounds Of Silence).
According to Arnold Rypens at The Originals, Joe South has cited an old gospel song Hush, Somebody’s Calling My Name as an influence in writing Hush.
The Originals also lists versions of Hush by Jimmy Frey (1968), Blue Suede (in 1975 medley), Dan Baird (with Joe South, 1996) and Gotthard (1998).
Thanks to Kees van der Hoeven.
(Joe South)
USA
Original version
#20 Perth
Singer from Georgia who started out as a country singer but assimilated many other musical influences and crossed over to the pop charts.
Billy Joe Royal was an associate of the writer of Hush, Joe South, with whom he appeared on the country show Georgia Jubilee.
(Joe South)
UK
Later version
#4 USA #12 Sydney #12 Brisbane #7 Adelaide
Double-sided hit with Kentucky Woman.
(Joe South - Georges Aber)
France
Later version
French-language version by legendary pop idol and actor, on 1968 Philips album
Jeune Homme, also on the EP 4 Chansons.
References: Discography and song details at Hallyday.com.fr.
Forum thread at 45 tours de rock francais.
See also: No No No No No and
Mashed Potato.
Further reading: Hallyday.com.fr and JohnnyWeb.fr.
Pop Archives
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Website by Lyn Nuttall. © Lyn Nuttall 2004-2024. Chart positions courtesy of Gavin Ryan’s Australian Chart Books and Dean Scapolo’s Complete NZ Music Charts. Special thanks to Terry Stacey for information, corrections and suggestions. Thanks also to Tony Watson, Philippe Edouard, Dave Overett.., More…