Joe South, Singer And Writer of Hit Songs, Dies at 72
Source: New York Times
Joe South, a singer-songwriter who wove confrontational lyrics into bouncy pop hits of the late 1960s and early 70s, including Games People Play, Walk a Mile in My Shoes and (I Never Promised You a) Rose Garden, died on Wednesday at home in Flowery Branch, Ga., north of Atlanta. He was 72.
The cause was apparently a heart attack, said Judy Thompson, a longtime friend.
Mr. Souths best-known song became a hit when it was recorded by someone else. Rose Garden, sung by Lynn Anderson, reached No. 3 on the Billboard pop chart in 1971, four years after Mr. South wrote it. The chorus I beg your pardon, I never promised you a rose garden/Along with the sunshine theres gotta be a little rain sometime reflected a world-weariness characteristic of his writing.
In 1969 he targeted religion and insincerity in Games People Play, which thrust him toward stardom:
People walking up to you
Singing glory hallelujah,
And theyre tryin to sock it to you
In the name of the Lord.
Read more: http://www.nytimes.com/2012/09/06/arts/music/joe-south-singer-and-songwriter-dies-at-72.html
Just thought I'd add this other song of his here...I didn't realize Joe had done it...
RIP, Joe. Thanks for the truth in all your lyrics.
Hubert Flottz
(37,726 posts)Very sad.
sendero
(28,552 posts)... on his Wikipedia page. He did not live an easy life but he did write some great songs.
silvershadow
(10,336 posts)Cracklin Charlie
(12,904 posts)Maybe it was someone else.
PMcDee
(43 posts)Tony Joe White
pacalo
(24,721 posts)My absolute favorite of all his songs (thanks, Joe) is on my iTunes/iPod: