Original version[edit]
1930 original recording as a Victor 78, 23013-A, featuring Hoagy Carmichael and His Orchestra
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The song was written in 1930 by
Hoagy Carmichael (music) and
Stuart Gorrell (lyrics). Although it is frequently asserted that the lyrics were written not about the state of Georgia, but rather for Carmichael's sister, Georgia Carmichael,
[2] Hoagy Carmichael himself contradicted this view with his recounting of the origin of the song in his second autobiography
Sometimes I Wonder. Carmichael wrote that the song was composed when bandleader
Frankie Trumbauer suggested that he write about the state of Georgia. According to Carmichael, Trumbauer also suggested the opening lyrics should be "Georgia, Georgia ...", with the remaining lyrics coming from Gorell. Carmichael made no mention at all of his sister in his telling of the song's genesis.
[3]
The song was first recorded on September 15, 1930, in New York by Hoagy Carmichael and His Orchestra with
Bix Beiderbecke on muted cornet and Hoagy Carmichael on vocals. It featured
Eddie Lang on guitar. The recording was part of Beiderbecke's last recording session.
[4] The recording was released as
Victor 23013 with "One Night in Havana". In 2014, the recording was inducted in the
Grammy Hall of Fame.
Cover versions[edit]
The song has been covered by many artists, significant among them:
Ailee,
Richard Manuel,
Louis Armstrong,
Ethel Waters,
Frankie Laine,
Dean Martin,
Jerry Reed,
Glenn Miller,
Eddy Arnold, The
Anita Kerr Singers,
Brenda Lee,
Zac Brown Band,
Michael Bublé,
Michael Bolton,
Dave Brubeck,
Anita O'Day,
Mildred Bailey,
Ella Fitzgerald,
Rebecca Parris,
Gerald Albright,
[5][6] Jo Stafford,
Gladys Knight,
Gene Krupa,
Grover Washington, Jr.,
James Brown,
Usher,
Fats Waller,
Billie Holiday,
Nat Gonella and The Georgians,
Django Reinhardt,
Khalil Fong,
Wes Montgomery, Jerry Garcia, John Scofield,
John Mayer,
Jerry Lee Lewis,
Little Willie Littlefield,
The Righteous Brothers, Deep Purple,
Tom Jones,
Jackie Wilson,
Maceo Parker,
Crystal Gayle,
Van Morrison,
Willie Nelson,
Ray Bryant,
Coldplay,
Annie Lennox (from
Nostalgia 2014), The Joel Haynes Trio (with Denzel Sinclair) and
the Spencer Davis Group (with
Steve Winwood on vocals),
Tony Rice,
Lou Rawls,
Arturo Sandoval,
instrumental version by
Oscar Peterson, and
Al Hirt.
[7] The Hi-Lo's, 1956, Kapp Records LP [KL-1027]-The Hi-Lo's & The Jerry Fielding Orchestra.
Bing Crosby recorded this song twice: in 1956 with
Buddy Cole and his trio and in 1975 with Paul Smith and Band for the LP
A Southern Memoir.
Stuart Gorrell's letter to his home town Teen Hop patrons, published in the
Bremen Enquirer, 3 Aug 1961
Frankie Trumbauer had the first major hit recording in 1931, when his recording made the top ten on the charts. Trumbauer had suggested that Carmichael compose the song. Another 1931 hit version was
Mildred Bailey's vocal made with members of
Paul Whiteman's Orchestra (Victor 22880).
The song was a standard at performances by
Ronnie Hawkins and The Hawks in the late 1950s and early 1960s, where it was sung by pianist
Richard Manuel. When The Hawks split off on their own and became
The Band, they kept the song as part of their repertoire. They recorded a studio version of the song for
Jimmy Carter's presidential bid in 1976, which was released as a single that year as well as on their 1977 album
Islands.
[8]
Cold Chisel's version of the song appeared on the album
Barking Spiders Live: 1983 and has become a staple of their live shows. Guitarist
Ian Moss still performs the song and a live version is included in his
Let's All Get Together album.
The song is also associated with the
Spirit of Atlanta Drum and Bugle Corps. "Georgia" was originally featured in their 1979 show and the corps continues to perform it today. Currently the piece is performed as a warmup or in a formal setting by Spirit's members and alumni.
Ray Charles[edit]
It was not until Ray Charles' 1960 recording on
The Genius Hits the Road, that the song became a major hit, reaching the number one spot for one week in November 1960 on the
U.S. Billboard Hot 100. On March 7, 1979, in a mutual symbol of reconciliation after conflict over
civil rights issues, he performed it before the
Georgia General Assembly (the
state legislature). After this performance, the connection to the state was firmly made, and the Assembly adopted it as the state song on April 24.
Although there is no actual evidence to that effect, according to the 2004 film
Ray, Charles was lifted from a supposed lifetime ban implemented since 1962.
[9][10]
Sometime after 2000, Charles invited the Italian singer
Giorgia Todrani to sing the song with him after learning she was named in honor of the song.
Willie Nelson[edit]
Willie Nelson recorded "Georgia" on his 1978 album
Stardust. It was released as single, peaked at #1 for a single week and a total of 16 weeks on a country chart.
[11] A year later, Nelson won a Grammy award for Best Male Country Vocal Performance for his version of the song.
Chart performance[edit]
| Chart (1978) | Peak
position |
|---|
| U.S. Billboard Hot Country Singles | 1 |
| U.S. Billboard Hot 100 | 84 |
| Canadian RPM Country Tracks | 1 |
| Canadian RPM Top Singles | 86 |
| Canadian RPM Adult Contemporary Tracks | 16 |
Cultural significance[edit]
The original lyrics, including the commonly excised introductory verse, are in the
Georgia Code under license. The location in the 2011 code is section 50-3-60,
Official song.
See also[edit]
