Put It Off Until Tomorrow

"Put It Off Until Tomorrow" is a song written by Dolly Parton and Bill Owens, and first recorded by American country music artist Bill Phillips. It was released in January 1966, and Phillips released an album of the same name later that year. The song became his biggest hit, peaking at number 6 on the Billboard Hot Country Singles chart.[1] Parton provided uncredited harmony vocals on the single. The song has been covered by numerous artists, and became a top ten hit for The Kendalls in 1980.

"Put It Off Until Tomorrow"
Single by Bill Phillips
from the album Put It Off Until Tomorrow
B-side"Lonely Lonely Boy"
ReleasedJanuary 1966
GenreCountry
Length2:30
LabelDecca
Songwriter(s)

Background and recording

Dolly Parton and her uncle Bill Owens were signed to Combine Publishing House and to Monument Records in 1965, before Parton had turned 20.[2] "Put It Off Until Tomorrow" was one of the songs they wrote during their frequent trips between Nashville and their home in East Tennessee. They recorded a demo of the song with Owens singing lead and Parton singing the harmony, which they sent to Bill Phillips, a recording artist with Decca Records who had had a few charting singles at that time. Phillips agreed to record the song, and said "Whoever that girl is singing the harmony, I want her on this record."[3] The song received a 1966 Country Music award from BMI.[4]

Although Parton's harmony was uncredited, it generated widespread interest in her singing and songwriting among country radio listeners.[5] Monument Records owner Fred Foster was marketing Parton as a pop act, concerned that her voice was too high for country music. After the success of "Put It Off Until Tomorrow", Foster was convinced that Parton could succeed in country music, and her first country single, "Dumb Blonde", was released the following year,[6] peaking at number 24 on the Billboard country chart.[7]

Parton has recorded the song several times, first on her debut album, Hello, I'm Dolly, released in 1967 on Monument Records. She also recorded a version with Porter Wagoner for their first album as a duo, Just Between You and Me, released in 1968. A duet with Kris Kristofferson was included on the 1982 compilation album The Winning Hand. "Put It Off Until Tomorrow" was also included on Honky Tonk Angels, a 1993 collaborative album with Parton, Loretta Lynn, and Tammy Wynette.

Charts
Chart (1966) Peak
position
US Hot Country Songs (Billboard)[1] 6

The Kendalls version
"Put It Off Until Tomorrow"
Single by The Kendalls
from the album Heart of the Matter
B-side"Gone Away"
Released1980
GenreCountry
Length2:40
LabelOvation
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s)Brien Fisher
The Kendalls singles chronology
"I'm Already Blue"
(1980)		 "Put It Off Until Tomorrow"
(1980)		 "Heart of the Matter"
(1981)

"Put It Off Until Tomorrow" was covered by American country duo, the Kendalls, for the album Heart of the Matter, released in 1979. The song reached number 9 on the Billboard country chart on August 16, 1980,[8] and number 5 on the Canadian RPM Country Tracks chart.[9] The song was later included on the album The Best of the Kendalls, released in 1981 on Ovation records.[10]

Charts
Chart (1980) Peak
position
US Hot Country Songs (Billboard)[8] 9
Canadian RPM Country Tracks[9] 5

Other notable covers

References
  1. Whitburn, Joel (2004). The Billboard Book Of Top 40 Country Hits: 1944-2006, Second edition. Record Research. p. 267.
  2. "Special Presentation: Dolly Parton Timeline". Library of Congress. April 8, 2010. Retrieved March 5, 2023.
  3. Parton, Dolly; Oermann, Robert K. (2020). Songteller: My Life in Lyrics. Chronical Books. p. 50.
  4. "2003 BMI Country Music Awards: Dolly Parton bio". November 3, 2003. Retrieved March 5, 2023.
  5. "Dolly Parton Discography". Library of Congress. April 8, 2010. Retrieved March 5, 2023.
  6. West, Lacey (December 4, 2022). ""19-Year-Old Dolly Parton Was Originally Pitched As A Bubblegum Pop Singer, But Wrote Her Way Into Country"". Whiskey Riff. Retrieved March 6, 2023.
  7. Whitburn, Joel (2004). The Billboard Book Of Top 40 Country Hits: 1944-2006, Second edition. Record Research. p. 260.
  8. Whitburn, Joel (2004). The Billboard Book Of Top 40 Country Hits: 1944-2006, Second edition. Record Research. p. 187.
  9. Item: 236 - Library and Archives Canada (bac-lac.gc.ca)
  10. "The Best of the Kendalls". AllMusic. Retrieved March 6, 2023.
  11. "Loretta Lynn Chart History - Billboard 200". Billboard. Retrieved 6 March 2023.
  12. "Cashbox – September 24, 1966" (PDF). Cashbox. Retrieved 6 March 2023 – via American Radio History.
  13. "I'll Take the Dog". Allmusic. Retrieved March 6, 2023.
  14. "Ru-beeeee". AllMusic. Retrieved March 6, 2023.
  15. "Sweet Temptation". AllMusic. Retrieved March 6, 2023.
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