The Steel Guitar Forum

I've been working with Jack Martin former lead player with FIDDLIN FRENCHIE BURKE here in Southern Mo. We do this song 158.49 mph . I've had several people ask who the original artist was on this song. Does anyone out there know who the original artist was on this song?

Hi Mike!

This very topic was discussed several months back, it may have been under the "Music" category. Probably Bob Wills had the first significant recording of "My Window Faces the South" in 1938 with Leon McAuliffe on the vocal. They re-cut it in the mid 1940's on the Tiffany Transcription series with Tommy Duncan singing it. Charlie Walker and probably 20 other singers recorded it since then. Of course Commander Cody and the Lost Planet Airmen recorded it back in the 1970's and Bobby Black cooks on the steel on their version. Incidently, Bobby can play it on the E9th neck and you'd swear it was C6th. It's a great fun song to listen to and to play, and it's a happy song. I can still sing it myself. Takes a TIGHT arrangement to make it sound right though unless you get lucky. I would imagine that your band is able to do a very fine job with it.

Tim R.

John Hughey has a great version that's as good as I've heard.

Herby Wallace RIPS IT! He playes it sooo fast..the wind he creates surly makes you turn south..I think he has it on an album..But He has played it live..and as most of you steel players know .Herby IS incredable...but he won't tell me How he does it...I can'r even think that fast. Visit Herbie's WEB sight for info.<FONT SIZE=1 COLOR="#8e236b"><p align=CENTER>[This message was edited by Bob Hayes on 11 April 2001 at 10:39 PM.]</p></FONT>

Thanks guys, It was almost automatic that a song like that had to have been a BOB WILLS ARRANGEMENT. Is there anything by BOB WILLS that isn't a true work of art?

George Strait had a good version ... but he chose to call it "You've Got to Have an Ace in the Hole" Best, Boomer

Right you are, Boomer!

Tim R.

The Commander Cody studio version is the best. It is a very tight, crisp arrangement that has tremendous drive. Cody's drummer Lance Dickerson has to be at the top of the country-rock food chain. He absolutely makes the song. Bobby Black of course plays nifty stuff on it, as do all the lead instrumentalists, but Dickerson creates the drive, and that is what it's all about in that song.

Boomer, Tim,

Doesn't "Ace in the Hole" go to a IV chord where "South" goes to I7 in the first line of the song?

Les

Perhaps - However the melodies in different parts of both songs are more than coincidentally close. Best, Boomer

I never thought of it boomer but you are right man wouldnt that be one for the courts to decide....lol, anyway, I was gonna agree that Hughey has a killer version and so do J.D.Crowe and the New South with Keith Whitley on vocals and Doug Jernigan on steel
BB

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www.southernmix.com

In my humble opinion, Gene O'Neal had one of the best versions. I don't know if he ever recorded it, but he wore it out when I picked with him at Skulls Rainbow Room on occasion. Best, Boomer

Back about 1954 or thereabouts Decca put out
a set of records called Dance-a-Rama one
set was done by Grady Martin and his Winging
Strings They done a great recording of My
Window Faces The South. vocal by Red Foley.
Bud Issacs, Grady Martin, Hank Garland,
and other fine musicians. Red Foley did a
great vocal. Al

Bob H.
You know, I really rip that song up too. In fact, I rip it so bad you can hardly tell it's the same song.

Also, a minor point, but in Ace In The Hole, when it goes from the I to VI chords, the chords are augmenteds. Minor point, but since we're discussing similarities, what the hey. Structurally, they seem identical.<FONT SIZE=1 COLOR="#8e236b"><p align=CENTER>[This message was edited by Jeff Lampert on 10 April 2001 at 08:38 PM.]</p></FONT>

The great Sammi Smith did a version of this with Hal Rugg on steel. Fine singing and playing.

Buddy Emmons and Ray Pennington did a great job on it too....I seem to recall, but then again, I could be mistaken.

I saw BE do it live at a steel guitar show in the Northeast in the 70's. He played a blistering solo, as good as is humanly possible, and the crowd went nuts over it, I mean crazy nuts. Then the lead singer, like the idiot he was, gave another solo to him. There is no way he could have played a better one that the first, and it wasn't, although it was certainly real, real good. But that first one was searing.<FONT SIZE=1 COLOR="#8e236b"><p align=CENTER>[This message was edited by Jeff Lampert on 11 April 2001 at 10:24 AM.]</p></FONT>

Hey Mike,

If your "window faces the south", put an awning on it.

Seriously, I thought I heard a recording of it by a singer, Red Foley. Does anyone know who is playing steel guitar on it?

Rick

Sorry I just read Al Johnson's reply.

I would not have thought it was Bud Isaacs.

Herby Wallace,I heard all the rest,like yours best. And your tone was very acceptable, Yup yup yup yup yup!
Bobbe

Bobbe,

Thanks for the comments. I did record it on an Emmons LeGrande, so I hope that was acceptable.

Thanks,

Herby Wallace

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Are there other songs with the same progression as My Window...? I'd like some words to sing in the middle. I sometimes sing Merle Travis' "Kinfolks in Carolina", but its
a different progression. Any ideas? Thanks. -Joel

Hey Bobbe, You ought to hear Herby play it on E9th ( (

Herby plays it so fast I need track shoes on to listen to it! He recorded it in my "Wulf's lair" recording studio in Hendersonville, He played it so fast that the tape in the machine couldn't keep up with the notes!
Bobbe