Detour (song)
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| "Detour" (There's A Muddy Road Ahead) |
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| Written by | Paul Westmoreland |
|---|---|
| Language | English |
| Form | Western swing |
| Original artist | Spade Cooley and His Orchestra |
| Recorded by | Patti Page (many, many other artists) |
"Detour (There's A Muddy Road Ahead)" is a Western swing ballad written by written by Paul Westmoreland in 1945.
The title comes from the repetition of detour in the chorus:
- Detour, there's a muddy road ahead.
- Detour, paid no mind to what it said.
- Detour, oh these bitter things I find.
- Should have read that detour sign.
Written in the first person, the song tells of the singer's regrets for the choices made in life.
Spade Cooley (Columbia 36935), with Tex Williams on vocals, had a big hit with it in 1946, spending 11 weeks on the charts, reaching #2.[1] Other artist scoring big with the song in 1946 included Wesley Tuttle, #3, Elton Britt, #5, and Foy Willing, #6.[2]
A well-known version of the song was the popular recording by Patti Page in 1951. It was released by Mercury Records as catalog number 5682, and first entered the Billboard chart on August 4, 1951, staying for 16 weeks and peaking at #5. [3]
Notable cover versions were recorded by Bill Haley & His Comets for Warner Bros. Records (1960; not released as a single), Bis, and Ella Fitzgerald with Herb Ellis.
[edit] References
- ^ Whitburn, Joel (2005). The Billboard Book of Top 40 Country Hits. Billboard Books, 89.
- ^ Whitburn, Joel (2005). The Billboard Book of Top 40 Country Hits. Billboard Books, 423.
- ^ Whitburn, Joel (1973). Top Pop Records 1940-1955. Record Research.
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