Best of Skeeter Davis - Vol. II (liner notes)

SKEETER DAVIS TALKS ABOUT
THE SONGS AND THE PEOPLE
THAT HELPED MAKE UP THIS ALBUM

WHAT DOES IT TAKE (To Keep a Man Like You Satisfied)
Recorded 5/1/67

Musicians:
  Wayne Moss, Jerry Stembridge (Chip Young), Ray Edenton, guitar
  Harold Chalker, steel guitar
  Roy Huskey Jr, bass
  Bill Walker, vibes
  David Briggs, piano
  Jerry Carrigan, drums
  The Nashville Strings

I heard a record of this song by Jimmy Payne and I really thought it was great, but I felt like it was more of a woman's song. I told Jim Glaser (of the Glaser Brothers), who published it, how I felt about the song, and that I planned to record it. My feelings must have been right, 'cause I had great success with my version and not only that, itgot a couple of BMI awards for Jim Glaser as writer and publisher of the song. Made us all happy!

SET HIM FREE
Recorded 1/30/59

Musicians:
  Ray Edenton, Pete Wade, guitar
  Jimmie Day, steel guitar
  Jerry Byrd, bass
  Tommy Jackson, fiddle
  Hargus Robbins, piano
  Buddy Harman, drums

Marie Wilson and Penny Moyers brought me the lyrics with no melody, so it was like a poem or story. I thought it was commercial but unfinished as a song, so I wrote the melody and also wrote the judge's part into it making it a real courtroom drama on record. Chet Atkins, my producer, thought it was a hit and it was. It turned out to be my first top ten record as a soloist. It also won me my first BMI award as a writer and my first Grammy nomination, which at that time was not categorized into best male or female vocalists, just best on record in the country field; naturally competition was heavier, so that makes me very proud. Also my record of Set Him Free was responsible for making a dream of mine come true: it got me signed on the Grand Ole Opry!

ONE TIN SOLDIER
Recorded 9/29/71

Musicians:
  Billy Sanford, Bobby Thompson, guitar
  Henry Strzelecki, bass
  Buddy Spicher, fiddle
  Diane Harriss, flute
  David Briggs, piano
  Jerry Carrigan, drums
  The Nashville Strings

I saw the movie "Billy Jack" and heard this song in the movie, and as soon as I heard it I wanted to record it. So I recorded the song very hopeful that it would become a hit. It didn't make a top ten record in the country charts, (except in Canada), but it won me a Grammy nomination, being chosen by NARAS as one of the top five country female vocal performances, and also the added thrill of getting to meet Tom Laughlin, who played Billy Jack in the movie. I got to go see him in California when I taped a television special in Hollywood for NBC. So you can see, that song will always be a favorite, and to this date I've seen the movie Billy Jack seven times and would see it again!

FUEL TO THE FLAME
Recorded 6/15/66

Musicians:
  Pete Wade, Jerry Stembridge (Chip Young), guitar
  Pete Drake, steel guitar
  Roy Huskey Jr, bass
  Jerry Smith, celeste
  David Briggs, piano
  Jerry Carrigan, drums
  The Nashville Strings

I had all the songs chosen for the session and had pretty well learned them. I had a record player by my pool, listening and relaxing (it was June or July), 'cause session time was set for six o'clock. About four o'clock Felton Jarvis (he produced this one) called and told me that a new writer in town had brought a song by RCA for me. He just knew I'd like it and was sending it to the house. Well, I did love the song and recorded it that night and didn't dream at the time that one day I'd do an entire album of that new writer's songs. Her name was Dolly Parton. You know her, don't you? She's written lots of songs since Fuel to the Flame and is now one of the top female singers. I still love her writing, and to prove it I did an album SKEETER SINGS DOLLY singing only songs written by her.

LOVE TAKES A LOT OF MY TIME
Recorded 1/8/71

Musicians:
  Bobby Thompson, guitar
  Pete Drake, steel guitar
  Henry Strzelecki, bass
  Hargus Robbins, piano
  Ralph Gallant (Larrie Londin), drums

I liked this song as soon as I heard it 'cause it was such a good song for the women, I think. It tells of all the work they have to do in the house and then says that the most important time or best time of all is when the work is done and you're in the arms of the man you love. Any woman feels that way, right?

I'M A LOVER (Not a Fighter)
Recorded 10/1/69

Musicians:
  Jerry Stembridge (Chip Young), Jimmy Capps, Hollis DeLaughter (Red Lane), Billy Sanford, guitar
  Weldon Myrick, steel guitar
  Roy Huskey Jr, bass
  Larry Butler, piano
  Kenneth Buttrey, drums

We were looking for a different type song that nobody had out at the time. Seems everybody was singing ballads. We wanted a good uptempo country record. Ronny Light, my producer at RCA, told me he was writing a song for me that he thought would make it. I had faith in him, but when I got to the session and he only had one verse finished, I'll have to admit I was a little worried. All the musicians recorded the music- I watched and listened. A week or so later Ronny gave me the words and I went in and did my part. It was that top ten record that we wanted.

BRIDGE OVER TROUBLED WATER
Recorded 5/11/70

Musicians:
  Norman Blake, Jerry Stembridge (Chip Young), Jimmy Capps, guitar
  Bobby Thompson, Weldon Myrick, steel guitar
  Henry Strzelecki, bass
  Buddy Spicher, fiddle
  Jerry Smith, piano
  Jerry Carrigan, drums

This is probably my second favorite record of mine- next to The End of the World. First of all, it's one of the greatest songs and I'm most proud of my version. I think the production and the musicians are super. (Buddy Spicher played the fiddle on it.) Merle Haggard told me my record was a masterpiece, and that compliment alone made me happy I recorded it, 'cause I think he's great!

SUNGLASSES
Recorded 6/28/65

Musicians:
  Chet Atkins, Ray Edenton, Jerry Kennedy, guitar
  Norbert Putnam, electric bass
  Henry Strzelecki, bass
  Floyd Cramer, celeste and tambourine
  Harold Ragsdale (Ray Stevens), piano
  Jerry Carrigan, drums

This was a hit for me that really was recorded in record-breaking time. Chet produced the session, and we had only three songs with arrangements thinking that's all we'd get done in session time. When the time was just about up almost everybody left. There was about fifteen minutes left and Chet said, "I've got a song for you that John Loudermilk wrote, let's record that." I told him I couldn't learn it in five minutes. He assured me that I could. When he came back from getting the song from his desk, we had only four or five musicians. He got his guitar, started picking, and we recorded Sunglasses in just a few minutes. He was right- it was a hit, and I received all kinds of sunglasses as gifts- big ones, little ones and even sunglasses with transistor radios in them.

LET ME GET CLOSE TO YOU
Recorded 6/18/64

Musicians:
  Ray Edenton, Jerry Hubbard, Wayne Moss, guitar
  Pete Drake, steel guitar
  Henry Strzelecki, bass
  Floyd Cramer, Harold Ragsdale (Ray Stevens), piano
  Buddy Harman, drums
  The Nashville Strings

This was one of the many songs I recorded written by Carole King. I did this song at least six or seven years ago. I was recording Carole's songs in 1964 and had a half-million seller with one of her songs, I Can't Stay Mad at You, which is in my first "Best of Skeeter Davis" album. Let Me Get Close to You also was a big hit, so we decided to include it in this album.

BUS FARE TO KENTUCKY
Recorded 1/8/71

Musicians:
  Bobby Thompson, guitar
  Pete Drake, steel guitar
  Henry Strzelecki, bass
  Hargus Robbins, piano
  Ralph Gallant (Larrie Londin), drums

Here is one of my very special records. All of my relatives and friends thought sure I had written it 'cause it was about Kentucky, and me being from Dry Ridge and all just made them think that. Ronny Light wrote this one, but he had worked with me long enough to know there is a lot of Kentucky in my soul, so I guess that is why it sounded like I wrote it. It seemed to represent me so well and reminded me so much of the time I started my singing career. I published the song and won my first BMI award as a publisher, and Ronny got his first BMI award as a writer. That's something really nice and I'm grateful, but I would love the record even if it had not hit. Like I said, there's a lot of Kentucky in my soul.

THERE'S A FOOL BORN EVERY MINUTE
Recorded 1/11/68

Musicians:
  Jerry Eubanks, Grady Martin, Jerry Stembridge (Chip Young), guitar
  Norbert Putnam, Charles Sanders, bass
  Floyd Cramer, piano
  Jerry Carrigan, drums
  The Nashville Strings

This song was written by one of my favorite people, Paul Evans. It won him an award too, for being one of the top records of the year, so I was happy about that! I especially like the guitar break in the song played by Grady Martin. Also, the talking I do in the end of the song has caused me to be teased a lot 'cause I talk so country- but I'm a country girl, so how else can I talk??

Best of Skeeter Davis, Vol. II

liner notes by Skeeter Davis