| "Right or Wrong" | |
Cover of Sheet Music. |
|
| Music by | Arthur Sizemore/Paul Biese |
|---|---|
| Lyrics by | Haven Gillespie |
| Written | 1921 |
| Language | English |
| Form | jazz |
| Recorded by | (many artists) |
"Right or Wrong" is a jazz ballad from 1921. Composed by Arthur Sizemore and Paul Biese, with words by Haven Gillespie, it is described by the original sheet music as "a beautiful fox-trot ballad."[1]
The lyrics tell of the loss of a paramour. The title comes from a refrain in the chorus:
"Right or Wrong" was recorded by many early jazz and swing orchestras, including; Mike Markel and His Orchestra (OKeh 4478, 1921), Original Dixie Jazz Band (Oriole 445, 1925), Peggy English (Brunswick 3949, 1928), Tampa Red (Bluebird 6832, 1936), and Mildred Bailey and Her Orchestra (Vocalion 3758, 1937). The recording with the longest lasting influence would be the one by the black-faced Emmett Miller and the Georgia Crackers (OKeh 41280, 1929).
Miller's version was picked up by an early Bob Wills and became a standard Western swing dance tune.[2] Both Wills (Vocalion 03451, 1936) and Milton Brown (Decca 5342 , 1936) made early recordings. Western swing versions generally do not include any of the verses, only repetitions of the chorus. The song also appears on Leon Redbone's 1990 album Sugar.
Wanda Jackson's hit "Right or Wrong" in 1961 is not this song, but one written by herself.
Contents |
| "Right or Wrong" | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Single by George Strait | ||||
| from the album Right or Wrong | ||||
| B-side | "Fifteen Years Going Up (And One Night Coming Down)" | |||
| Released | January 25, 1984 | |||
| Format | 7" single | |||
| Recorded | July 20, 1983 | |||
| Genre | Country | |||
| Length | 2:05 | |||
| Label | MCA | |||
| Producer | Ray Baker | |||
| George Strait singles chronology | ||||
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The biggest hit for "Right or Wrong" came in 1984, when George Strait recorded the old Bob Wills song for his best-selling album of the same name (See Right or Wrong).[3] The single from that album (MCA 52337) reached #1, staying on the charts for 12 weeks. [4]
George Strait's success led to the songwriter, Haven Gillespie, receiving an ASCAP award in 1985 for writing the song.[5]
| Chart (1984) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| U.S. Billboard Hot Country Singles | 1 |
| Canadian RPM Country Tracks | 1 |
| Preceded by "The Yellow Rose" by Johnny Lee with Lane Brody |
Billboard Hot Country Singles number-one single April 28, 1984 |
Succeeded by "I Guess It Never Hurts to Hurt Sometimes" by The Oak Ridge Boys |
| Preceded by "I've Been Wrong Before" by Deborah Allen |
RPM Country Tracks number-one single April 28, 1984 |
Succeeded by "The Yellow Rose" by Johnny Lee with Lane Brody |