My Window Faces the South

Joel Glassman · Post by **Joel Glassman** » 30 Jun 2000 6:54 am

--One of my favorite songs to sing
(a good Western Swing tune for New England :^).
I'm told it has a verse-does anyone know the
words to the verse or have sheet music?
I've never seen the sheet music--wouldn't know where to find it --thanks, Joel

Mark Herrick · Post by **Mark Herrick** » 30 Jun 2000 1:55 pm

From the Commander Cody album "Country Casanova" a great song and a fine turn on the steel by Bobby Black:

My window faces the South.
And I'm almost halfways to heaven.
The snow is fallin' but all I can see
Are those fields of cotton smilin' back at me.

My window faces the South.
And though I'm so far from that Swanee
Well I'm never frownin' or down in the mouth.
My window faces the South.

Billy Jones · Post by **Billy Jones** » 30 Jun 2000 7:21 pm

Terrific song. I learned it when Red Foley first put it out with Grady Martin and Bud Isaac, I believe was on the steel. Fine steel solo and much slower than the guys do it today. Typical Foley style.
... Billy

Dayna Wills · Post by **Dayna Wills** » 30 Jun 2000 7:43 pm

Hi,
I learned this song from an LP titled Mel Tillis Joins the Bob Wills Road Show. Does anyone know who the players were who did that wild ending? On my cassette, Tom Morrell and Amos Hedrick, JR. did that ending.

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Jason Odd · Post by **Jason Odd** » 1 Jul 2000 2:39 am

Dayna, is that the LP from about 1967, I think I know the one you are talking about, but I have no ideas on who worked on it.

Ric Epperle · Post by **Ric Epperle** » 1 Jul 2000 9:03 am

Dayna..
My dad knows.. I'll ask him when I see him this afternoon and let you know..

Joel Glassman · Post by **Joel Glassman** » 3 Jul 2000 7:21 am

Hi Mark,
That's the chorus, but I'm also told
there is a verse with a different progression
and different words. Its a great tune,
but it would be nice to add another section. I was hoping someone had the sheet music.
Interesting to hear who else did it.
I'm finding Red Foley is one of my
latest favorite singers.
Thanks, Joel [This message was edited by Joel Glassman on 03 July 2000 at 08:21 AM.]

Tim Rowley · Post by **Tim Rowley** » 3 Jul 2000 7:17 pm

Great song! I have sung it in the past myself. I was fortunate enough to see Commander Cody and the L.P.A. perform this song live with the great Bobby Black on steel back in the early 1970's. Composer credit on "My Window Faces the South" is listed as Silver, Parish, and Livingston. Bob Wills recorded the tune at least twice: 11/30/38 with Leon McAuliffe on the vocal which came out on 78 RPM on Vocalion and Okeh initially, then later on The Antones (Bob Wills Fan Club label); and in the Tiffany Transcriptions sometime between 1945 and 1947 with Tommy Duncan on vocal. The later version is the one I believe I've heard, and the words are the same as on the later Commander Cody version. The Tiffany Transcriptions are still available as a reissue (possibly on Bear Family?). Elderly Instruments carries them I believe. Charlie Walker has performed this song many times on the Grand Ole Opry with the staff band and it always got a good round of applause.

Dayna, the LP you are speaking of must be the 1970 Kapp (MCA) album as "My Window Faces the South" is not listed on the March 1967 sessions. I believe the track you are referring to must have been the one recorded March 1970 in Nashville. Bob Wills himself is of course not on that session as he had a stroke on the right side in May 1969 which destroyed his ability to play. The musicians who cut this track are not specified in the Wills discography but Pete Drake may have been on it, I'm not sure.

Tim R. [This message was edited by Tim Rowley on 03 July 2000 at 08:21 PM.]

Blane Sanders · Post by **Blane Sanders** » 8 Jul 2000 5:04 pm

I had an old Willie Nelson LP with that song on it, but I lent it to someone years ago and don't remember to who. I don't remember the name of the album, but it was from the 60's, and had a good version of Window Faces South. What a great tune, and fun to jam on, when your with the right bunch of pickers!

Terry in H-town · Post by **Terry in H-town** » 9 Jul 2000 1:26 pm

Excellent tune! I played drums with the late Ray Scearce on steel, and it was one of my favorites.

Tim Rowley · Post by **Tim Rowley** » 9 Jul 2000 6:09 pm

You betcha Terry! The late Ray Scearce was one of my favorite players. Played around the Flint MI area for many years. He could play most every song you could throw at him. Last I seen him play was at a funeral. He played "The Way We Were" all by himself--it was tremendous. His passing was a great loss to the steel guitar community. Tim R.

Dean Dobbins · Post by **Dean Dobbins** » 11 Jul 2000 7:43 am

Another great record of this song is by
Sammi Smith, With Hal Rugg on Steel, and
Jimmy Capps on Guitar.
Great work by Hal and Jimmy, and of course,
I've been in love with Sammi forever!

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Dino

Mark Herrick · Post by **Mark Herrick** » 11 Jul 2000 9:24 am

So, everyone agrees this is a great song, but Joel indicates that he thinks there is a verse missing from what I had posted earlier. Since this was the only version of the song I had on hand, I have never heard any other verses. Are there other verses and if so, please post. (Then I can stop checking this thread every time I come to the Country Music forum!)

Steve Alcott · Post by **Steve Alcott** » 6 Dec 2010 8:53 am

http://www.musicnotes.com/sheetmusic/mt ... =MN0026538

Billy Tonnesen · Post by **Billy Tonnesen** » 6 Dec 2010 1:29 pm

My Window faces the South is included in the Bob Wills' Tiffany Recordings, Volume #5. Guitarist Junior Barnard takes a great ride. This was around the year 1945.

Joachim Kettner · Post by **Joachim Kettner** » 7 Dec 2010 7:12 am

daynawills wrote:Hi,
I learned this song from an LP titled Mel Tillis Joins the Bob Wills Road Show. Does anyone know who the players were who did that wild ending?

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Actually it is caled Mel Tillis& Bob Wills In Person. Kapp Records KS 3639.
I also wonder who played steel.

Walter Stettner · Post by **Walter Stettner** » 8 Dec 2010 2:00 am

Here is a list of versions I have found in my collection:

Buddy Spicher from the album "Me and my Heroes" (w/Curly Chalker on steel)

Del Reeves, with Lloyd Green on steel (E-9th, from the album "Big Daddy Del")

J.D. Crowe & the New South (My Home Ain't In The Hall of Fame"), w/Doug Jernigan on steel - this one is currently my Clip of the Week, see Steel on the Net section

Tex Williams ("Live in Las Vegas", early 1960s) w/Denny Mathis on steel, Chuck Thompson and Glen Campbell on guitars, Billy Armstrong and Bobby Crayton on fiddles

A rare live version from the Red Foley show, w/Grady Martin singing, Bud Isaacs on steel

The Bob Wills studio version, ca. 1940, w/Leon McAuliffe on steel (almost unhearable, no solo etc.)

Bob Wills Tiffany Transcriptions from 1945, w/Junior Barnard on guitar and Herb Remington on steel

Willie Nelson w/ the Texas Troubadours, Buddy Charleton on steel

Also, the versions that have already been mentioned here (Mel Tillis, Red Foley, Sammi Smith.

If you are interested in any of these versions, let me know and I'll put them up on my website.

Kind Regards, Walter

Mitch Drumm · Post by **Mitch Drumm** » 8 Dec 2010 3:44 am

The earliest version I know of is by Fats Waller, from 1937--before Wills or Foley tried it. Stone cold Dixieland.

It begins with Fats singing "Way Down Upon The Swanee River". No sign of the verse.

With steel no less---by Ceele Burke.

It's from the same session as Fats' recording of "Why Do Hawaiians Sing Aloha"--the same tune Andy Iona did.

Graham · Post by **Graham** » 8 Dec 2010 6:49 am

Jake Hooker has a good version of this on his live cd - 2002, with Dicky Overby on steel

Dayna Wills · Post by **Dayna Wills** » 23 Dec 2010 7:06 pm

Sometimes there is old sheet music available at the public library. I don't know of a verse for "Window", but there is a verse to Right or Wrong.
Didja know that?

Peter Huggins · Post by **Peter Huggins** » 23 Dec 2010 11:10 pm

Here's a great version sung by George Morgan from the old Star Route TV show, with Gene Davis, Glen Campbell and the Collins Kids

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VtznA8yKyAA

Billy Tonnesen · Post by **Billy Tonnesen** » 24 Dec 2010 8:35 pm

Was that a young J.D. Maness on the Star Route T.V. show ?

Ron Whitfield · Post by **Ron Whitfield** » 24 Dec 2010 9:24 pm

Cody's finished setting up at the Golden Bear ready to start the show, a guy hollers "My Window Faces The South!", Cody replies "that's too bad".

Mike Neer · Post by **Mike Neer** » 24 Dec 2010 10:10 pm

My favorite version is Willie Nelson's but Tommy Duncan is not far behind with Bob Wills.

Here's the verse:

Chip Fossa · Post by **Chip Fossa** » 26 Dec 2010 3:41 am

In the George Morgan YouTube [Peter Huggins' reply], just what is that guitar ole' Glen is playing?

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My Window Faces the South

My Window Faces the South

My window faces the south