| Down in the Valley | |
| Type: | single |
| Artist: | Solomon Burke |
| Album: | Solomon Burke's Greatest Hits (1962) |
| A-Side: | I'm Hanging Up My Heart For You |
| Recorded: | 1962 |
| Genre: | R&B, Soul |
| Label: | Atlantic (2147) |
| Producer: | Bert Berns |
| Prev Title: | Cry To Me |
| Prev Year: | 1961 |
| Next Title: | I Really Don't Want to Know |
| Next Year: | 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.
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: 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.[6]
| Down in the Valley | |
| Artist: | Otis Redding |
| Album: | Otis Blue |
| Recorded: | 1965 |
| Studio: | Stax, Memphis, Tennessee |
| Genre: | Soul |
| Label: | Volt/Atco |
| Producer: | 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,[7] and generated income for Cassandra Berns, who inherited the publishing rights from her father, Bert Berns,[8] who was credited as co-writer,[9] along with "Babe" Chivian, and Joseph C. Martin.[10]