Down in the Valley (Solomon Burke song)

"Down in the Valley"

Single by Solomon Burke
from the album  Solomon Burke's Greatest Hits (1962)
A-side| "I'm Hanging Up My Heart For You"
Released| 1962 (1962)
Recorded| 1962
Genre| R&B, Soul
Length| 2:33
Label| Atlantic (2147)
Songwriter(s)| Bert Berns, Solomon Burke
Producer(s)| Bert Berns
Solomon Burke singles chronology
| "Cry To Me"
(1961)  | "Down in the Valley"
(1962)  | "I Really Don't Want to Know"
(1962)

|
|

"Down in the Valley" is a 1962 R&B song written by Bert Berns and Solomon Burke and originally recorded by Solomon Burke. It was released on Atlantic as a B-side to "I'm Hanging Up My Heart For You". It was covered by Otis Redding on his album Otis Blue. Burke's original version is a classic example of early country soul with booming vocals.

## Burke song

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During a recording session at Atlantic Record on April 4, 1962, Burke recorded five songs, including "I'm Hanging Up My Heart For You" (#15 R&B; #85 Pop) b/w "Down In The Valley" (#20 R&B; #71 Pop) (Atlantic 2147).[1] For "Down in the Valley", Burke borrowed from a traditional folk song "Down in the Valley", that was written as early as 1800,[2] and sung by The Andrews Sisters in the 1944 film  Moonlight and Cactus,[3][4] and by Patti Page in 1951.[5] In August 2008 Burke told Mojo magazine:

> I wrote that on the train, 'cos I had no song and I started thinking on old songs that I could do uptempo and I thought, (sings Gospel song pacier, with horn arrangement) so I had to keep that in my head 'til I got to the studio. I said, 'Can I have a tuba like I have in my church?' In my church we got the tuba and the trombones. Got to get that New Orleans sound. They loved it.[6]

Burke recalled: "I put my own feelings and words to it, and was lucky enough by the grace of God to capture the song, when it was in P.D., able to have a copyright on it." "Down in the Valley" debuted in the US charts on May 26, 1965, and peaked at #20 in the R&B charts, #71 in the Pop charts, and at #19 in the Adult Contemporary charts.[7]

## Redding rendition

[edit]

"Down in the Valley"

Song by Otis Redding
from the album  Otis Blue
Released| 1965 (1965)
Recorded| 1965
Studio| Stax, Memphis, Tennessee
Genre| Soul
Length| 3:02
Label| Volt/Atco
Songwriter(s)| Bert Berns/Solomon Burke
Producer(s)| Steve Cropper

The song was later covered by Otis Redding on his 1965 album Otis Blue, and was featured in the 1996 film 2 Days in the Valley,[8] and generated income for Cassandra Berns, who inherited the publishing rights from her father, Bert Berns,[9] who was credited as co-writer,[10] along with "Babe" Chivian, and Joseph C. Martin.[11]

## Notes

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1. ^ Atlantic Records Discography: 1962. Jazzdisco.org. Retrieved on 2011-04-07.
2. ^ For discussion of the song's origins, see Britannica Annals of American History: "Down in the Valley" "Mudcat.org: Lyr Req: Down in the Valley". Archived from the original on 2012-10-24. Retrieved 2012-11-21.
3. ^ M.H. Orodenker, "On the Records", The Billboard (18 December 1943):67.
4. ^ Joel Whitburn, Joel Whitburn's Billboard Pop Hits, Singles & Albums, 1940–1954, 2nd ed. (Record Research, 2002):22.
5. ^ "Public Domain Issues Swamp Pubs, Diskers", Billboard (8 December 1951):23.
6. ^ Down In The Valley by Solomon Burke Songfacts. Songfacts.com. Retrieved on 2011-04-07.
7. ^ Down in the Valley (song by Solomon Burke) ••• Music VF, US & UK hits charts. Musicvf.com (1962-05-26). Retrieved on 2011-04-07.
8. ^ "Soundtracks for 2 Days in the Valley", IMDB.com
9. ^ Don Waller, "Time Bomb Songs", Billboard (13 December 1997):28.
10. ^ "Down in the Valley", Lyrics
11. ^ "DOWN IN THE VALLEY (Legal Title)", BMI Work #337516

## External links

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* Solomon Burke's Down in the Valley lyrics

* v
* t
* e

Solomon Burke

Studio albums|

* Rock 'n Soul (1964)
* Don't Give Up on Me (2002)
* Make Do with What You Got (2005)
* Nothing's Impossible (2010)
* Hold On Tight (2010)

Singles|

* "Just Out of Reach (of My Two Open Arms)" (1961)
* "Cry to Me" (1962)
* "Down in the Valley" (1962)
* "If You Need Me" (1963)
* "Everybody Needs Somebody to Love" (1964)
* "Got to Get You Off My Mind" (1965)

Related articles|

* Discography

* v
* t
* e

Otis Redding

Studio albums|

* Pain in My Heart
* The Great Otis Redding Sings Soul Ballads
* Otis Blue
* The Soul Album
* Complete & Unbelievable: The Otis Redding Dictionary of Soul
* King & Queen

Posthumous albums|

* The Dock of the Bay
* The Immortal Otis Redding
* Love Man
* Tell the Truth

Live albums|

* Live in Europe
* In Person at the Whisky a Go Go
* Monterey International Pop Festival
* Good to Me: Live at the Whisky a Go Go, Vol. 2
* Live at the Whisky a Go Go: The Complete Recordings

Compilation albums|

* The History of Otis Redding
* The Dock of the Bay – The Definitive Collection
* The Very Best of Otis Redding, Vol. 1
* Otis! The Definitive Otis Redding
* Dreams to Remember: The Otis Redding Anthology
* Remember Me

Singles|

* "These Arms of Mine"
* "Mr. Pitiful"
* "I've Been Loving You Too Long"
* "Respect" / "Ole Man Trouble"
* "Satisfaction"
* "Try a Little Tenderness"
* "Tramp"
* "Knock on Wood"
* "(Sittin' On) The Dock of the Bay"
* "Papa's Got a Brand New Bag"
* "You Left the Water Running"

Related topics|

* Discography
* Shake! Otis at Monterey
* "Otis" (song)

Authority control databases |

* MusicBrainz work
* MusicBrainz release group

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