JOE SOUTH - YOU'RE THE REASON

YOU'RE THE REASON

JOE SOUTH

SONGWRITER: BOBBY EDWARDS, TERRY IMESFELL & FRED HENLEY

COUNTRY: U. S. A.

ALBUM: YOU1RE THE REASON

LABEL: CAPITOL RECORDS

GENRE: COUNTRY

YEAR: 1971

"You're the Reason" is a song by Bobby Edwards, released as a single in the United States in 1961. The song reached number four on the Country singles chart and number 11 on the Pop singles chart. The tune was later covered by Gerry and the Pacemakers, Joe South, Hank Locklin, Hank III and John Fogerty on his album The Blue Ridge Rangers.

Joe South(born Joseph Alfred Souter; February 28, 1940 – September 5, 2012) was an American singer-songwriter, guitarist, and record producer. Best known for his songwriting, South won the Grammy Award for Song of the Year in 1970 for "Games People Play" and was again nominated for the award in 1972 for "Rose Garden".

South had met and was encouraged by Bill Lowery, an Atlanta music publisher and radio personality. He began his recording career in Atlanta with the National Recording Corporation, where he served as staff guitarist along with other NRC artists Ray Stevens and Jerry Reed. South's earliest recordings have been re-released by NRC on CD. He soon returned to Nashville with The Manrando Group and then onto Charlie Wayne Felts Promotions. (Charlie Wayne Felts is the cousin of Rockabilly Hall of Fame Inductee and Grand Ole Opry Member, Narvel Felts.)

South had his first top 50 hit in July 1958 with a cover version of the b-side of The Big Bopper's hit single Chantilly Lace, a novelty song called "The Purple People Eater Meets the Witch Doctor". After this South would concentrate mainly on songwriting.

In 1959, South wrote two songs which were recorded by Gene Vincent: "I Might Have Known", which was on the album Sounds Like Gene Vincent(Capitol Records, 1959), and "Gone Gone Gone", which was included on the album The Crazy Beat of Gene Vincent (Capitol Records, 1963).

South was also a prominent sideman, playing guitar on Tommy Roe's "Sheila", Bob Dylan's Blonde on Blonde album, and the classic tremolo intro on Aretha Franklin's "Chain of Fools". South played electric guitar on Simon & Garfunkel's second album, Sounds of Silence, although Al Gorgoni and/or Vinnie Bell feature on the title track.

Billy Joe Royal recorded five South songs: "Down in the Boondocks" (also covered in 1969 by Penny DeHaven), "I Knew You When", "Yo-Yo" (later a hit for The Osmonds), "Hush" (later a hit for Deep Purple, Somebody's Image with Russell Morris, and Kula Shaker), and "Rose Garden" (see below).

Responding to late 1960s issues, South's style changed radically, most evident in his biggest single, 1969's pungent, no-nonsense "Games People Play" (purportedly inspired by Eric Berne's book of the same name), a hit on both sides of the Atlantic. Accompanied by a lush string sound, an organ, and brass, the production won the Grammy Award for Best Contemporary Song and the Grammy Award for Song of the Year. South followed up with "Birds of a Feather" (originally "Bubbled Under" at No. 106 on February 10–17, 1968, more successful as a cover by The Raiders that peaked on the Hot 100 at No. 23 on October 23–30, 1971) and two other soul-searchers, the back-to-nature "Don't It Make You Want to Go Home" (also covered eight months later by Brook Benton With The Dixie Flyers) and the socially provocative "Walk a Mile in My Shoes" (also covered by Elvis Presley in a Las Vegas era version, Bryan Ferry, and Coldcut).

South's most commercially successful composition was Lynn Anderson's 1971 country/pop monster hit "Rose Garden", which was a hit in 16 countries worldwide. Anderson won a Grammy Award for her vocals, and South earned two Grammy nominations for it, as Best Country Song and (general) Song of the Year. South wrote more hits for Anderson, such as "How Can I Unlove You" (Billboard Country No.1) and "Fool Me" (Billboard Country No. 3). Freddy Weller, Jeannie C. Riley, and Penny DeHaven also had hits on the Billboard country chart with South songs. In addition, other artists who have recorded South-penned songs include Jerry Lee Lewis, Johnny Cash, Glen Campbell, Loretta Lynn, Carol Burnett, Andy Williams, Kitty Wells, Dottie West, Jim Nabors, Arlen Roth, Liz Anderson, The Georgia Satellites, Waylon Jennings, Dolly Parton, Ike & Tina Turner, Hank Williams Jr., James Taylor, the Tams, and k. d. lang, although most covered versions of South's best known songs. 

(Walkin' the floor)

(Feelin' so blue)

(Smoke cigarettes)

(Drink coffee, too)

I just lay here at night

Toss and I turn

Lovin' you so

How my heart yearns

You're the reason

I don't sleep at night (Don't sleep at night)

Walkin' the floor

Feelin' so blue

Smoke cigarettes

Drink coffee, too

You're the reason

I don't sleep at night (Don't sleep at night)

I'm bettin'

You're not losin' sleep over me

But if I'm wrong

Don't fail to call

You can keep me company (Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa)

Sometimes I go for a walk

Take a look at the moon

Strum my guitar

Sing a love tune

Honey, you're the reason

I don't sleep at night (Don't sleep at night)

(Walkin' the floor)

(Feelin' so blue)

(Smoke cigarettes)

(Drink coffee, too)

(Strum my guitar)

(Look at the moon)

(Losin' my sleep over you)

I'm bettin'

You're not losin' sleep over me

But if I'm wrong

Don't fail to call

You can keep me company (Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa)

Sometimes I go for a walk

Take a look at the moon

Strum my guitar

And sing a love tune

Honey, you're the reason

I don't sleep at night (Don't sleep at night)

(Walkin' the floor)

(Feelin' so blue)

(Smoke cigarettes)

(Drink coffee, too)

(Strum my guitar)

(Look at the moon)

(Losin' my sleep over you)

You're the reason

You're the reason

You're the reason

You're the reason

You're the reason.