You Better Move On

(Arthur Alexander)

This song was written by Arthur Alexander from Sheffield, Alabama, in 1961 and recorded at the FAME studios in Muscle Shoals, Alabama, in 1962 with the co-founders Norbert Putnam and David Briggs both performing on it. The song was released in 1962 by Dot Records which were based in Nashville, and became a No.24 chart hit in the United States. The accompanying album which had the same name was also released in 1962.

Getting noticed quickly, Bobby Vee also recorded it in 1962 for his album A Bobby Vee Recording Session.

Just a year later and it was catching the attention of other groups. The Rolling Stones recorded it in 1963 for inclusion on their 1964 The Rolling Stones EP. The EP reached No. 1 in the UK and the song was one of the tracks on their American album December’s Children (and Everybody’s) released in 1965.

At almost the same time in 1963 The Hollies also recorded it and included it on their UK debut album Stay With The Hollies which was released in January. This album was then released in the United States in June of that year using the title Here I Go Again.

Also in 1964 the song was recorded by another British group, The Roadrunners at the Star-Club in Hamburg, Germany for their self titled album and a year later the Bill Black Combo included it on their album More Solid & Raunchy.

Just over five years later and the country singer Billy “Crash Craddock” recorded his take on it in 1970, using it as the title track of his album, and took it to the US Country chart Top 10. The original album was recorded on the Cartwheel label and reached No. 37 on the US Country album chart and was re-released in 1973 by ABC Records.

Next it was the turn of Johnny Rivers who recorded it as a track for this 1975 release New Lovers and Old Friends. The album just managed to scratch the surface of the Billboard Album chart reaching No. 144.

We get to 1980 and it was turned into a duet by George Jones and Johnny Paycheck who recorded for the only album they made together called Double Trouble. They released it as a single, which reached No. 18 on the US country chart and 25 on the Canadian country chart.

The following year in 1981 it was recorded by the rock group Mink Deville and included on their album Coup de Grace. The group’s leading man Willy DeVille later added to his 2001 solo album Love & Emotion: Atlantic Years.

Over the years there have been several other recordings made including the Dean Martin 7-Disc compilation Lay Some Happiness On Me: The Reprise Years released in 2001 and The Moody Blues 3-Disc CD/DVD collection called The Moody Blues: Classic Artists released in 2006 and the 2009 double disc set by Dave Berry called This Strange Effect: The Decca Sessions 1963-1966.

Other artists that have recorded the song include The Boys, The Byrds, Ian Gillan, Levon Helm, The Leaves, Alan Merrill, Katy Moffatt and Sugar Ray Norcia.

Sources:

You Better Move On

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