I'm Moving On (Hank Snow song) explained

I'm Moving On
Cover:	Immovingon.jpg
Type:	single
Artist:	Hank Snow (The Singing Ranger) and His Rainbow Ranch Boys
A-Side:	"With This Ring, I Thee Wed"
Released:	^[1]
Recorded:	March 28, 1950^[2]
Studio:	Brown Radio Productions, Nashville, Tennessee
Genre:	Country honky-tonk
Label:	RCA Victor
Producer:	Stephen Sholes
Prev Title:	The Drunkard's Son
Prev Year:	1950
Next Title:	I Cried But My Tears Were Too Late
Next Year:	1950

"I'm Moving On" is a 1950 country standard written by Hank Snow. It was a success in the record charts and has been recorded by numerous musicians in a variety of styles.

Recording and lyrics

According to Snow, he proposed the song for his first session for RCA Records in 1949, but recording director Stephen H. Sholes turned it down. "Later on, in the spring of 1950, in Nashville, Mr. Sholes had not remembered the song, so I recorded it," Snow recalled.^[3]

The song has four bars of verse followed by eight bars of chorus with the final lines referring back to the verse:

Charts and critical reception

The single reached number one on the Billboard country singles chart and stayed there for 21 weeks, tying a record for the most weeks atop the chart.^[4] It was the first of seven number-one Billboard country hits Snow scored throughout his career on that chart.^[4] The song's success led to Snow joining the Grand Ole Opry cast in 1950.^[5]

According to music writer John Morthland, "The chugging beat establishes that this is a train song, and the fiddle and steel push harder than is usual on Nashville records from this era... There's real anger and determination in Snow's voice, which sometimes sounds too smooth for this type of song."^[6]

Charting versions

• Ray CharlesIn 1959, a version by Ray Charles reached number forty on the Billboard Hot 100 singles chart and number eleven on the R&B singles chart. Charles's version with his soul band featured congas and maracas, giving the Spanish tinge to a country and western blues. It was recorded on June 26, 1959, at his last recording session with Atlantic Records,^[7] months before he signed with ABC. Produced by Jerry Wexler, Charles provides the lead vocals, and is backed by the Raelettes. The Ray Charles Orchestra provided the instrumentation.
• Don Gibsonreached No. 14 on the Billboard Hot Country Singles chart with a recording of the song in 1960.^[4]
• Matt LucasIn June 1963, his Smash Records single reached No. 56 on the Hot 100.^[8]
• The Rolling Stones recorded the song for their EP Got Live If You Want It! in 1965. Their version charted in Sweden, reaching No. 3 on Tio i Topp and No. 7 on Kvällstoppen.^{[9] [10]}
• Emmylou HarrisReleased an up-tempo live version on her album Last Date in 1982, which reached No. 5 on the Hot Country Singles chart.^[4]

Other recordings

• Les Paul and Mary Ford – Les and Mary (1955)^[11]
• Elvis Presley recorded and released a version in 1969, which was included on his album From Elvis in Memphis

References

• Book: Perone, James. 2012. The Album: A Guide to Pop Music's Most Provocative, Influential, and Important Creations. 1. ABC-Clio. 978-0-313-37906-2.

Notes and References

1. Web site: Victor 21-0328 (10-in. double-faced) . September 29, 2022 . Discography of American Historical Recordings.
2. Web site: Victor matrix E0VB-4045. I'm moving on / Rainbow Ranch Boys ; Hank Snow . September 29, 2022 . Discography of American Historical Recordings.
3. Book: Horstman. Dorothy. Sing Your Heart Out, Country Boy. registration. 1975. Country Music Foundation Press. 0-915608-19-7. 365. Third.
4. [Joel Whitburn]
5. Book: Malone. Bill C.. Country Music U.S.A.. registration. 1968. University of Texas Press. 0-292-71096-8. 238. 1985 paperback.
6. Book: Morthland. John. The Best of Country Music. 1984. Doubleday Dolphin. 0-385-19192-8. 208. First. registration.
7. Book: Simons . Dave . Studio Stories: How the Great New York Records Were Made: From Miles . 2004 . Backbeat Books . New York . 72 . 9781617745164 . April 14, 2021.
8. Book: Whitburn, Joel . Joel Whitburn

   . Joel Whitburn's Top Pop Singles, 14th Edition: 1955-2012 . Joel Whitburn . 2013 . Record Research . 519.

9. Book: Hallberg, Eric . Eric Hallberg, Ulf Henningsson presenterar Tio i topp med de utslagna på försök: 1961 - 74 . Henningsson . Ulf . Premium Publishing . 1998 . 919727125X . 313.
10. Book: Hallberg, Eric . Eric Hallberg presenterar Kvällstoppen i P 3: Sveriges radios topplista över veckans 20 mest sålda skivor 10. 7. 1962 - 19. 8. 1975 . Drift Musik . 1993 . 9163021404 .
11. Web site: www.allmusic.com. www.allmusic.com. July 1, 2024.