Joe South
Encyclopedia
Joe South is a multi-talented American
singer-songwriter
and guitarist.
In 1959, South wrote two songs which were recorded by Gene Vincent
: "I Might Have Known", which was on the album Sounds Like Gene Vincent (Capitol Records
, 1959) and "Gone Gone Gone" which was included on the album The Crazy Beat of Gene Vincent (Capitol Records
, 1963).
He had met and was encouraged by Bill Lowery
, an Atlanta music publisher and radio personality. He began his recording career in Atlanta with National Recording Corporation
, where he served as staff guitarist along with other NRC artists Ray Stevens
and Jerry Reed
. South's earliest recordings have been re-released by NRC on CD.
South was also a prominent sideman
, playing guitar on Aretha Franklin
's "Chain of Fools", Tommy Roe
's "Sheila", Bob Dylan
's Blonde on Blonde
album, and the electric guitar
part that was added to Simon & Garfunkel's first hit, "The Sound of Silence
".
Responding to late 1960s issues, South's style changed radically, most evident in his biggest single, 1969's pungent, no-nonsense "Games People Play
" (purportedly inspired by Dr. Eric Berne's book
), a hit on both sides of the Atlantic. Accompanied by a lush string sound, an organ, and brass, the production won the Grammy Award for Best Contemporary Song
and the Grammy Award for Song of the Year
. South followed up with "Birds Of A Feather" (originally "Bubbled Under" at #106 on 10-17 February 1968, more successful as a cover by The Raiders that peaked on the Hot 100 at #23 on 23-30 October 1971) and two other soul-searchers, "Don't It Make You Want To Go Home" (also covered eight months later by Brook Benton
With The Dixie Flyers) and the provocative "Walk A Mile In My Shoes
" (also covered by Elvis Presley
in a Las-Vegas era version, Bryan Ferry
, and Coldcut
).
South's compositions have been recorded by many other artists as well, including Billy Joe Royal
's hits "Down in the Boondocks" and "Hush" (later a hit for Deep Purple
and Kula Shaker
) and the Osmonds' hit "Yo-Yo". South's most commercially successful composition is Lynn Anderson
's 1971 country/pop monster hit "(I Never Promised You A) Rose Garden", which was a hit in 16 countries worldwide and translated into many languages. Anderson won a Grammy Award
for her vocals, and South won a Grammy Award for writing the song. South would go on to write more hits for Anderson, such as "How Can I Unlove You" (Billboard
Country #1) and "Fool Me
" (Billboard Country #3).
The 1971 suicide of his brother, Tommy, drove South into a deep depression. Tommy had been his backing band's drummer and accompanied South not only in live performances but also on recording sessions when South produced hits for other artists, including Billy Joe Royal, Sandy Posey
, and Friend and Lover
.
South was inducted into the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame
in 1979.
In 1988 Dutch DJ Jan Donkers interviewed South for VPRO-radio. The radio show that aired the interview also played four new songs by South, but a new record was not released.
On 13 September 2003 South was inducted into Georgia Music Hall of Fame
and played together with Buddy Buie
, James B. Cobb, Jr. and Chips Moman
at the induction ceremony.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
singer-songwriter
Singer-songwriter
Singer-songwriters are musicians who write, compose and sing their own musical material including lyrics and melodies. As opposed to contemporary popular music singers who write their own songs, the term singer-songwriter describes a distinct form of artistry, closely associated with the...
and guitarist.
Career
South opened his pop career in July 1958 with the novelty hit "The Purple People Eater Meets the Witch Doctor". Thereafter South's music grew increasingly serious.In 1959, South wrote two songs which were recorded by Gene Vincent
Gene Vincent
Vincent Eugene Craddock , known as Gene Vincent, was an American musician who pioneered the styles of rock and roll and rockabilly. His 1956 top ten hit with his Blue Caps, "Be-Bop-A-Lula", is considered a significant early example of rockabilly...
: "I Might Have Known", which was on the album Sounds Like Gene Vincent (Capitol Records
Capitol Records
Capitol Records is a major United States based record label, formerly located in Los Angeles, but operating in New York City as part of Capitol Music Group. Its former headquarters building, the Capitol Tower, is a major landmark near the corner of Hollywood and Vine...
, 1959) and "Gone Gone Gone" which was included on the album The Crazy Beat of Gene Vincent (Capitol Records
Capitol Records
Capitol Records is a major United States based record label, formerly located in Los Angeles, but operating in New York City as part of Capitol Music Group. Its former headquarters building, the Capitol Tower, is a major landmark near the corner of Hollywood and Vine...
, 1963).
He had met and was encouraged by Bill Lowery
Bill Lowery
Bill Lowery was an American music entrepreneur.-Early successes:Lowery was born in Leesville, Louisiana. He studied radio dramatics at Taft Junior College and went on to a number of radio-announcing jobs...
, an Atlanta music publisher and radio personality. He began his recording career in Atlanta with National Recording Corporation
National Recording Corporation
-Early years:National Recording Corporation was incorporated in Atlanta in 1958. Founders were Bill Lowery, at the time the number one Country Music disc jockey and already a successful music publisher, and Boots Woodall, whose band recorded for Capitol, King, and Bullet Records and performed on...
, where he served as staff guitarist along with other NRC artists Ray Stevens
Ray Stevens
Ray Stevens is an American country music, pop singer-songwriter who has become known for his novelty songs.-Early career:...
and Jerry Reed
Jerry Reed
Jerry Reed Hubbard , known professionally as Jerry Reed, was an American country music singer, innovative guitarist, songwriter, and actor who appeared in more than a dozen films...
. South's earliest recordings have been re-released by NRC on CD.
South was also a prominent sideman
Session musician
Session musicians are instrumental and vocal performers, musicians, who are available to work with others at live performances or recording sessions. Usually such musicians are not permanent members of a musical ensemble and often do not achieve fame in their own right as soloists or bandleaders...
, playing guitar on Aretha Franklin
Aretha Franklin
Aretha Louise Franklin is an American singer, songwriter, and pianist. Although known for her soul recordings and referred to as The Queen of Soul, Franklin is also adept at jazz, blues, R&B, gospel music, and rock. Rolling Stone magazine ranked her atop its list of The Greatest Singers of All...
's "Chain of Fools", Tommy Roe
Tommy Roe
Tommy Roe is an American pop music singer-songwriter.Best-remembered for his hits "Sheila" and "Dizzy" , critic Bill Dahl wrote that Roe was "widely perceived as one of the archetypal bubblegum artists of the late 1960s, but Roe cut some pretty decent rockers along the way, especially early in his...
's "Sheila", Bob Dylan
Bob Dylan
Bob Dylan is an American singer-songwriter, musician, poet, film director and painter. He has been a major and profoundly influential figure in popular music and culture for five decades. Much of his most celebrated work dates from the 1960s when he was an informal chronicler and a seemingly...
's Blonde on Blonde
Blonde on Blonde
Blonde on Blonde is American singer-songwriter Bob Dylan's seventh studio album, released in May or June 1966 on Columbia Records and produced by Bob Johnston. Recording sessions commenced in New York in October 1965, with a plethora of backing musicians, including members of Dylan's live backing...
album, and the electric guitar
Electric guitar
An electric guitar is a guitar that uses the principle of direct electromagnetic induction to convert vibrations of its metal strings into electric audio signals. The signal generated by an electric guitar is too weak to drive a loudspeaker, so it is amplified before sending it to a loudspeaker...
part that was added to Simon & Garfunkel's first hit, "The Sound of Silence
The Sound of Silence
"The Sound of Silence" is the song that propelled the 1960s folk music duo Simon & Garfunkel to popularity. It was written in February 1964 by Paul Simon in the aftermath of the 1963 assassination of John F. Kennedy. An initial version preferred by the band was remixed and sweetened, and has become...
".
Responding to late 1960s issues, South's style changed radically, most evident in his biggest single, 1969's pungent, no-nonsense "Games People Play
Games People Play (1969 song)
"Games People Play" is a song written, composed and performed by singer/songwriter Joe South, released at the end of 1968.-Origins & inspirations:...
" (purportedly inspired by Dr. Eric Berne's book
Games People Play (book)
Games People Play: The Psychology of Human Relationships is a 1964 bestselling book by psychiatrist Eric Berne. Since its publication it has sold more than five million copies. The book describes both functional and dysfunctional social interactions....
), a hit on both sides of the Atlantic. Accompanied by a lush string sound, an organ, and brass, the production won the Grammy Award for Best Contemporary Song
Grammy Award for Best Contemporary Song
The Grammy Award for Best Contemporary Song was awarded between 1960 and 1971. The award had several minor name changes:*In 1960 the award was known as Best Performance by a "Top 40" Artist...
and the Grammy Award for Song of the Year
Grammy Award for Song of the Year
The Song of the Year is one of the four most prestigious awards in the Grammy Awards ceremony, if not in all of the American music industry. It has been awarded since 1959 and unlike the Record of the Year award, which goes to the performer and production team of a single song, Song of the Year...
. South followed up with "Birds Of A Feather" (originally "Bubbled Under" at #106 on 10-17 February 1968, more successful as a cover by The Raiders that peaked on the Hot 100 at #23 on 23-30 October 1971) and two other soul-searchers, "Don't It Make You Want To Go Home" (also covered eight months later by Brook Benton
Brook Benton
Brook Benton was an American singer and songwriter who was popular with rock and roll, rhythm and blues, and pop music audiences during the late 1950s and early 1960s, when he scored hits such as "It's Just A Matter Of Time" and "Endlessly", many of which he co-wrote.He made a comeback in 1970...
With The Dixie Flyers) and the provocative "Walk A Mile In My Shoes
Walk A Mile In My Shoes
"Walk a Mile in My Shoes" is a song written by Joe South, who had a hit with it in 1970. The song concerns racial tolerance and the need for perspective and compassion.-Notable covers and references:*Elvis Presley on his 1970 live album On Stage...
" (also covered by Elvis Presley
Elvis Presley
Elvis Aaron Presley was one of the most popular American singers of the 20th century. A cultural icon, he is widely known by the single name Elvis. He is often referred to as the "King of Rock and Roll" or simply "the King"....
in a Las-Vegas era version, Bryan Ferry
Bryan Ferry
Bryan Ferry, CBE is an English singer, musician, and songwriter. Ferry came to public prominence in the early 1970s as lead vocalist and principal songwriter with the band Roxy Music, who enjoyed a highly successful career with three number one albums and ten singles entering the top ten charts in...
, and Coldcut
Coldcut
Coldcut are an English dance music duo, comprising Matt Black and Jonathan More. Their signature style is electronic dance music, featuring cut up samples of hip hop, breaks, jazz, spoken word and various other types of music, as well as video and multimedia.-1980s:In 1986, computer programmer Matt...
).
South's compositions have been recorded by many other artists as well, including Billy Joe Royal
Billy Joe Royal
Billy Joe Royal is an American singer.-Biography:Born in Valdosta and raised in Marietta in 1942, Royal became a local star at Savannah, Georgia's Bamboo Ranch in the 1950s and 1960s...
's hits "Down in the Boondocks" and "Hush" (later a hit for Deep Purple
Deep Purple
Deep Purple are an English rock band formed in Hertford in 1968. Along with Led Zeppelin and Black Sabbath, they are considered to be among the pioneers of heavy metal and modern hard rock, although some band members believe that their music cannot be categorised as belonging to any one genre...
and Kula Shaker
Kula Shaker
Kula Shaker are an English psychedelic rock band. Led by outspoken frontman Crispian Mills, the band came to prominence during the Post-Britpop era of the late 1990s. The band enjoyed great commercial success in the UK between 1996 and 1999, notching up a number of Top 10 hits on the UK Singles...
) and the Osmonds' hit "Yo-Yo". South's most commercially successful composition is Lynn Anderson
Lynn Anderson
Lynn Rene Anderson is an American country music singer and equestrian known for a string of hits throughout the 1970s and early 1980s, most notably her Grammy Award-winning, worldwide mega-hit, " Rose Garden." Helped by her regular exposure on national television, Anderson was one of the most...
's 1971 country/pop monster hit "(I Never Promised You A) Rose Garden", which was a hit in 16 countries worldwide and translated into many languages. Anderson won a Grammy Award
Grammy Award
A Grammy Award — or Grammy — is an accolade by the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences of the United States to recognize outstanding achievement in the music industry...
for her vocals, and South won a Grammy Award for writing the song. South would go on to write more hits for Anderson, such as "How Can I Unlove You" (Billboard
Billboard charts
The Billboard charts tabulate the relative weekly popularity of songs or albums in the United States. The results are published in Billboard magazine...
Country #1) and "Fool Me
Fool Me
"Fool Me" is a song written by Joe South. South's version was released as a single in 1971 and peaked at number 78 on the Billboard Hot 100.-Lynn Anderson version:...
" (Billboard Country #3).
The 1971 suicide of his brother, Tommy, drove South into a deep depression. Tommy had been his backing band's drummer and accompanied South not only in live performances but also on recording sessions when South produced hits for other artists, including Billy Joe Royal, Sandy Posey
Sandy Posey
Sandy Posey is an American popular singer, who enjoyed success in the 1960s with singles such as her 1966 recording of Martha Sharpe's composition, "Single Girl." She is often described as a country singer, although, like Skeeter Davis her output has varied...
, and Friend and Lover
Friend and Lover
Friend and Lover were an American folk-singing duo composed of husband-and-wife team, Jim and Cathy Post. They are best known for their hit single "Reach Out of the Darkness", which reached number 10 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 chart in the summer of 1968....
.
South was inducted into the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame
Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame
The Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame was established by the Nashville Songwriters Foundation, Inc. in Nashville, Tennessee, United States. A non-profit organization, its objective is to honor and preserve the songwriting legacy that is uniquely associated with music community in the city of...
in 1979.
In 1988 Dutch DJ Jan Donkers interviewed South for VPRO-radio. The radio show that aired the interview also played four new songs by South, but a new record was not released.
On 13 September 2003 South was inducted into Georgia Music Hall of Fame
Georgia Music Hall of Fame
The Georgia Music Hall of Fame, located in downtown Macon, Georgia, preserves and interprets the state's rich musical heritage through programs of collection, exhibition, education and performance...
and played together with Buddy Buie
Buddy Buie
Buddy Buie is a songwriter, producer, and publisher. He is most commonly associated with Roy Orbison, The Classics IV and The Atlanta Rhythm Section.-Biography:...
, James B. Cobb, Jr. and Chips Moman
Chips Moman
Lincoln Wayne "Chips" Moman is an American record producer, guitarist, and songwriter. As a record producer, Moman is known for recording Elvis Presley, Bobby Womack, Carla Thomas, and Merrilee Rush, as well as guiding the career of the Box Tops in Memphis, Tennessee during the 1960s...
at the induction ceremony.
Albums
| Year | Album | Chart Positions | Label | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| US Billboard 200 The Billboard 200 is a ranking of the 200 highest-selling music albums and EPs in the United States, published weekly by Billboard magazine. It is frequently used to convey the popularity of an artist or groups of artists... |
US Country | CAN | |||
| 1969 | Introspect | 117 | — | — | Capitol |
| Games People Play | — | — | — | ||
| 1970 | Don't It Make You Want to Go Home? | 60 | 39 | 36 | |
| Greatest Hits | 125 | — | 88 | ||
| 1971 | Joe South | 207 | — | — | |
| Joe South Story | — | — | — | MGM | |
| So the Seeds Are Growing | — | — | — | Capitol | |
| 1972 | A Look Inside | — | — | — | |
| 1975 | Midnight Rainbows | — | — | — | Island |
| 1976 | You're the Reason | — | — | — | Gusto |
| 1990 | The Best of Joe South | — | — | — | Rhino |
| 1999 | Retrospect: The Best of Joe South | — | — | — | Koch |
| 2001 | Anthology: A Mirror of His Mind | — | — | — | Raven |
| 2002 | Classic Masters | — | — | — | Capitol |
Singles
| Year | Single | Chart Positions | Album(s) | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| US Billboard Hot 100 The Billboard Hot 100 is the United States music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine. Chart rankings are based on radio play and sales; the tracking-week for sales begins on Monday and ends on Sunday, while the radio play tracking-week runs from Wednesday... |
US Country Hot Country Songs Hot Country Songs is a chart published weekly by Billboard magazine in the United States.This 60-position chart lists the most popular country music songs, calculated weekly mostly by airplay and occasionally commercial sales... |
US AC Hot Adult Contemporary Tracks The Adult Contemporary chart is a weekly chart published in Billboard magazine that lists the most popular songs on adult contemporary and "lite-pop" radio stations in the United States... |
CAN Canadian Singles Chart The Canadian Singles Chart is currently compiled by the U.S.-based music sales tracking company, Nielsen SoundScan . The chart is compiled every Wednesday, and is published by Jam! Canoe on Thursdays.... |
CAN Country | CAN AC | |||
| 1958 | "The Purple People Eater Meets the Witch Doctor" | 47 | — | — | — | — | — | singles only |
| 1961 | "You're the Reason You're the Reason "You're the Reason" is a song by Bobby Edwards, released as a single in 1961. The song reached number four on the Country singles chart and number eleven on the Pop singles chart.-Bobby Edwards:-Joe South:-Hank Locklin:... " |
87 | 16 | — | — | — | — | |
| 1969 | "Games People Play" | 12 | — | — | 7 | — | — | Introspect, Games People Play |
| "Birds of a Feather" | 96 | — | — | — | — | — | Introspect | |
| "Leaning on You" | — | — | — | 69 | — | — | single only | |
| "Don't It Make You Want to Go Home" (with The Believers) | 41 | 27 | — | 42 | 11 | 18 | Don't It Make You Want to Go Home? | |
| 1970 | "Walk a Mile in My Shoes" (with The Believers) | 12 | 56 | 3 | 10 | 6 | 2 | |
| "Children" | 51 | — | — | 33 | — | 31 | ||
| "Why Does a Man Do What He Has to Do" | — | — | — | 47 | — | — | singles only | |
| 1971 | "Fool Me Fool Me "Fool Me" is a song written by Joe South. South's version was released as a single in 1971 and peaked at number 78 on the Billboard Hot 100.-Lynn Anderson version:... " |
78 | — | — | — | — | — |