Tuesday 15 May 2012

WEDNESDAY CLUB - Jim Reeves - He'll Have to Go

MIDWEEK CRISIS you're doing something naughty, come to WEDNESDAY CLUB we've got gentleman Jim but he won't come in while he/she/it is there.


JIM REEVES - 'He'll Have to Go' (1959)

It was not 'hip' to like Jim Reeves when I was a teenager in the 60's and the mere mention of his name now would by pass the words dad rock and grandpa rock would be screamed.

But I don't care!

Gentleman Jim has one of my favourite voices of all time. It is silky smooth and is perfect for his sad break-up ballads. He has contributed to some of my favourite break up songs ever. 'He'll Have to Go' is up there with the best. Painful to listen to, it is typical of the Country and Westerns songs of that time. You may say it is sentimental mush but every now and then it is exactly what I want to hear.

Mr Reeves has many many more just like this and just as good, 'Four Walls', 'I Love You Because', 'I Won't Come in When he's There', 'Welcome to My World', Distant Drums, 

'He'll Have to Go' is (Covered beautifully by Ry Cooder, see Post by the  'Majestic Singing Bear' on Growupbackwords Blog).

Tragically JR was killed in a plane crash in 1964, he was then a Country Superstar but if he had lived who knows what heights he could have reached.

A typical night of music and drinking would start with the latest music, then as the night goes on the oldies would start to creep in. Maybe later, well after midnight, some Pogues, then as the morning  progress Mr Dylan and Van Morrison would creep in. We're in the early hours now, 'he's drunk, it's his music now!'.  They have all gone to bed. Now for some Joy Division and Leonard Cohen.

I always knew if it was a very very late one, if there was an empty Jim Reeves CD lying around. The CD being the last one played.

 A true testament.

That reminds me of  'Apocalyptic nightmares'....you ordered a curry. You wake up the next morning and you remember this curry and you want it now because you are hungover and your got the hungers. You did not eat it. Did you!? It's gone, you ate it last night! and you don't remember  'Apocalyptic nightmares'.

All the the remaining takeaways are hidden in microwaves, cupboards nooks and crannies. Bastardoz. I blew it again!  I'm bloody starving!

Go on I dare you, get some Jim Reeves music, you will be pleasantly surprised and you never know you could make your Gran or Great Gran's day. You could be first in the great revival. Its going to happen.
A True Gent


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WEDNESDAY CLUB - Jim Reeves - He'll Have to Go
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Oleh

5 comments

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Anonymous
16 May 2012 at 06:41

Brilliant post, sir, but, sadly, I seem to be unable to playback any embedded videos (see my blog for discussions of problem). Thank you for the 'shout out'.

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16 May 2012 at 17:30

Jim Reeves only seemed to be played in the wee small hours, after a good session. As you said, you could tell things got serious when the Jim Reeves CDs were splayed about the place the next day during the 'clean up' operation. A soundtrack to growing up for me as I got subjected to his crooning countless of times. Unfortunately he reminds me of Christmas but this is an absolute classic!

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16 May 2012 at 18:25

Sorry to have s u b j e c t e d you to Mr Reeves. 'But You Love Me, Daddy' another Jim Classic.....only joking!

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sfw
16 May 2012 at 22:44

Classic track Old Pa. Heard it first during one of my (many) "cultural attache'" drinking/listening sessions at air-farce one, which are fondly recalled. However, you can now admit that you are the 'phantom-curry menace' who'd "arf inched" my Chicken Tikka Massala!

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24 May 2012 at 09:45

I love the start to this video! How times have changed! Unfortunately as flycasual has already said, his voice screams Christmas music to me. That said, it's not unpleasant and it's nice to hear a waltz once in a while! How I miss those nights...

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