George Jones Sings White Lightning and Other Favorites
White Lightning and Other Favorites | ||||
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Studio album by George Jones | ||||
Released | May 26, 1959 | |||
Recorded | August 1956 – September 1958 | |||
Studio |
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Genre | Country, rockabilly | |||
Length | 28:58 | |||
Label | Mercury MG-20477 | |||
Producer | Pappy Daily | |||
George Jones chronology | ||||
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Singles from White Lightning and Other Favorites | ||||
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White Lightning and Other Favorites is a studio album released by George Jones on May 26, 1959. Its title track "White Lightning" was a #1 Country hit in 1959.
The album is one of the most favorably regarded albums that Jones released in the 1950s. The album charted well, and was one of the most popular country albums of 1959. It also contained some of Jones' first collaborations. "I'm With the Wrong One" was his second collaboration, recorded in 1956 (the oldest song included on the LP) as a duet with Jennette Hicks. "Flame in My Heart" was his third collaboration, recorded as a duet with Virginia Spurlock and released as a single in 1957.
Composition and recording
Side one tracks
In 1957, Jones signed to Mercury Records and began recording with them in Nashville, leaving the old Starday studio in Houston. White Lightning and Other Favorites was released on May 28, 1959, as a two-sided 33rpm LP. Both sides listed a collaboration and both ended in a Southern-Gospel tune. The oldest song included on the album was recorded at one of his last recording sessions with Starday Records in August 1956 titled: "I'm With the Wrong One," written by Jones.
- White Lightning
"White Lightning" was released in February 1959, and became a #1 hit written by a close-friend of Jones', who wrote a Top 10 for Jones the previous year. The Big Bopper wrote the song and included on his only LP release. Jones asked his manager, H.W. "Pappy" Daily, if he could record it, and requested that he give it to nobody else. Jones recorded the song in September 1958 at the Bradley Film and Recording Studio in Nashville. It was released as a single three days after Richardson (The Bopper) died in a plane crash.
"That's the Way I Feel" was recorded in September 1957 and was written by Jones, like most of the tracks on the album. Jones would write or co-write 10 of the songs and all of Side 2. "Life to Go" was one of Jones best compositions, written after Jones played the Old Time Fiddlers Convention in Crockett, Texas, with Jackson and Ernest Tubb. There was a prison there and, while walking around the grounds with Jackson, they began chatting with an inmate. At one point they asked him how much time he had left to serve, to which the prisoner replied, "I been here for eighteen years and still got life to go." "His remark chilled me to the bone," Jones wrote in his 1996 autobiography I Lived To Tell It All. "I had hated the prison, but I knew I'd be leaving. That man hated it more and knew he'd never leave. I wanted to get that prison out of my mind. But I couldn't." "Don't Do This To Me" was recorded on March 19, 1957, and written by Jones. "Wandering Soul" was recorded in September 1957 and was written by Bill Dudley and Jones.
Side two tracks
"Giveaway Girl" was written by Jones and Sid Kessel on March 19, 1957. "You're Back Again" was recorded and Jones and Hank Locklin, Locklin singing the backing-vocals for the track during an October 1956 session. "No Use to Cry" was recorded on April 23, 1957, and written by Jones. It was also included on his 1958 studio release: "Long Live King George." "Nothing Can Stop Me" was released as the b-side to I'm With Wrong One in July 1958. It was written by Roger Miller and Jones and recorded on June 5, 1957. "Flame in My Heart" was recorded with fellow Mercury artists Virginia Spurlock on March 19, 1957. It was Jones third collaboration during his 50+ year career. "Jesus Wants Me" was the last song of the album and was a southern gospel song written by Jones with Eddie Noack, and was recorded on April 21, 1958.
In his autobiography, Jones apologized to readers who might be disappointed that he had not provided more information in his book about his recording sessions because "I've worked so many of them too drunk to walk but not too drunk to sing. I can't remember much about them." As he later explained to Billboard in 2006, "I would say 90% of the time I would be in pretty damn good shape when I went into the studio. I did have a little sense, not a whole lot. But I would still have to have a little build-up of courage, three or four drinks throughout the session time. I don't know, it seemed to mellow you out and relax you a little more, and you would even feel your songs better."
Track listing
No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
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1. | "White Lightning" | J.P Richardson | 2:49 |
2. | "I'm With the Wrong One (w/ Jennette Hicks)" | George Jones | 2:12 |
3. | "That's the Way I Feel" | George Jones, Roger Miller | 1:55 |
4. | "Life to Go" | Jones | 2:55 |
5. | "Don't Do This to Me" | Jones | 2:17 |
6. | "Wandering Soul" | Bill Dudley, Jones | 2:26 |
No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
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1. | "Giveaway Girl" | Jones, Sid Kessel | 2:24 |
2. | "You're Back Again" | Jones, Hank Locklin | 2:47 |
3. | "No Use to Cry" | Jones | 2:14 |
4. | "Nothing Can Stop Me" | Miller, Jones | 2:30 |
5. | "Flame in My Heart (w/ Virginia Spurlock)" | Jones, Bernard Spurlock | 2:30 |
6. | "Jesus Wants Me" | Jones, Eddie Noack | 1:59 |
Reception
Review scores | |
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Source | Rating |
AllMusic | [1] |
"White Lightning" is one of Jones' biggest number-one hits. He performed it live throughout his career (as it was a big fan favorite) and re-recorded it multiple times. The album it produced was arguably the best of Jones' LP releases during his early career.[citation needed]
References
- ^ George Jones Sings White Lightning and Other Favorites at AllMusic
External links
- George Jones' Official Website
- Record Label
- v
- t
- e
- Grand Ole Opry's New Star
- Country Church Time
- White Lightning and Other Favorites
- George Jones Salutes Hank Williams
- George Jones Sings Country and Western Hits
- George Jones Sings from the Heart
- George Jones Sings Bob Wills
- Homecoming in Heaven
- My Favorites of Hank Williams
- I Wish Tonight Would Never End
- George Jones Sings Like the Dickens!
- I Get Lonely in a Hurry
- The Race Is On
- Mr. Country & Western Music
- New Country Hits
- Old Brush Arbors
- Trouble in Mind
- Country Heart
- Love Bug
- I'm a People
- We Found Heaven Right Here on Earth at "4033"
- Walk Through This World with Me
- George Jones Sings the Songs of Dallas Frazier
- The George Jones Story
- My Country
- If My Heart Had Windows
- I'll Share My World with You
- Where Grass Won't Grow
- Will You Visit Me on Sunday
- George Jones with Love
- George Jones Sings the Great Songs of Leon Payne
- George Jones (We Can Make It)
- A Picture of Me (Without You)
- Nothing Ever Hurt Me (Half as Bad as Losing You)
- In a Gospel Way
- The Grand Tour
- Memories of Us
- The Battle
- Alone Again
- I Wanta Sing
- Bartender's Blues
- My Very Special Guests
- I Am What I Am
- Still the Same Ole Me
- Shine On
- Jones Country
- You've Still Got a Place in My Heart
- Ladies' Choice
- Who's Gonna Fill Their Shoes
- Wine Colored Roses
- Too Wild Too Long
- One Woman Man
- You Oughta Be Here with Me
- And Along Came Jones
- Walls Can Fall
- High-Tech Redneck
- The Bradley Barn Sessions
- I Lived to Tell It All
- It Don't Get Any Better Than This
- Cold Hard Truth
- The Rock: Stone Cold Country 2001
- The Gospel Collection
- Hits I Missed...And One I Didn't
- Burn Your Playhouse Down – The Unreleased Duets
- What's in Our Heart (with Melba Montgomery)
- Close Together (As You and Me) (with Melba Montgomery)
- Bluegrass Hootenanny (with Melba Montgomery)
- George Jones & Gene Pitney – For the First Time! Two Great Stars
- George Jones & Gene Pitney – Recorded in Nashville, Tennessee! (with Gene Pitney)
- It's Country Time Again! (with Gene Pitney)
- Double Trouble (with Johnny Paycheck)
- A Taste of Yesterday's Wine (with Merle Haggard)
- Kickin' Out the Footlights...Again (with Merle Haggard)
- George Jones & The Smoky Mountain Boys
- Hillbilly Hit Parade
- George Jones Singing 14 Top Country Song Favorites
- George Jones Sings His Greatest Hits
- The Fabulous Country Music Sound of George Jones
- Long Live King George
- The Crown Prince of Country Music
- A King & Two Queens (with Judy Lynn and Melba Montgomery)
- Blue & Lonesome
- Heartaches & Tears
- Famous Country Duets
- Hits by George
- The Best of George Jones
- All-Time Greatest Hits, Vol. 1
- Encore
- Anniversary – 10 Years of Hits
- By Request
- Super Hits
- Friends in High Places
- Super Hits, Volume 2
- 16 Biggest Hits
- 50 Years of Hits
- God's Country: George Jones and Friends