Down Yonder


Down Yonder is a popular American song by L. Wolfe Gilbert. It was first published in 1921, and introduced in the same year at the Orpheum Theatre, New Orleans.
Gilbert had written the lyrics for the 1912 song "Waiting for the Robert E. Lee". In "Down Yonder," Gilbert brought back four of the characters from the earlier song — Daddy, Mammy, Ephram and Sammy. However, the lyrics of "Down Yonder" are seldom heard because the song has usually been performed as an instrumental, especially on the piano or organ.
"Down Yonder" is an expression meaning "down there", referring to a place that is considerably lower in elevation or farther south. In the sense of the song's lyrics, it means "in the American South."

Versions

Before 1951

Recordings by Ernest Hare & Billy Jones, and by the Peerless Quartet were very popular in 1921.
In 1934, the instrumental version by Gid Tanner & His Skillet Lickers sold over one million copies, and was awarded a gold disc by the RIAA.

1951

Versions that charted in 1951 included those by Del Wood, by Joe ´Fingers´ Carr, by Champ Butler, by Lawrence Cook, by the Freddy Martin orchestra, by the Frank Petty Trio, and by Ethel Smith.
ArtistCompanyChart
date		WeeksPeak
Del WoodTennessee Records 7758/24/51254
Joe ´Fingers´ CarrCapitol Records 177710/12/511714
Champ ButlerColumbia Records 395339/21/511618
Lawrence CookAbbey Records 150539/21/51223
Freddy MartinRCA Victor Records 20-426710/12/51424
Frank Petty TrioMGM Records 1105711/9126
Ethel Smith King Records 98610/27116

On the Cash Box charts, where all versions were combined, the song got even higher, making #1 in one week, December 15, 1951.

After 1951