That's How I Got to Memphis

"That's How I Got to Memphis", sometimes titled "How I Got to Memphis", is a country music standard written by American country music artist Tom T. Hall. The song tells a man's story of coming to Memphis to look for a former lover. The song first appeared on Hall's 1969 album Ballad of Forty Dollars & His Other Great Songs. It has been widely covered, most notably by Bobby Bare in 1970, Deryl Dodd in 1996, and Charley Crockett in 2018.

Bobby Bare version
"How I Got to Memphis"
Single by Bobby Bare
from the album This Is Bare Country
B-side"It's Freezing in El Paso"[1]
ReleasedAugust 1970
GenreCountry
Length2:31
LabelMercury
Songwriter(s)Tom T. Hall
Producer(s)Jerry Kennedy
Bobby Bare singles chronology
"Your Husband, My Wife"
(1970)		 "How I Got to Memphis"
(1970)		 "Come Sundown"
(1970)

Bobby Bare covered the song under the name "How I Got to Memphis" on his 1970 album This Is Bare Country.[2]

Critical reception

An uncredited review in Billboard called the song "potent Tom T. Hall material, delivered in one of Bare's finest performances."[3]

Chart performance

Bobby Bare's version spent 16 weeks on the Hot Country Songs charts, peaking at number 3.[1]

Chart (1970) Peak
position
US Hot Country Songs (Billboard)[4] 3
Canadian RPM Country Tracks 22

Deryl Dodd version
"That's How I Got to Memphis"
Single by Deryl Dodd
from the album One Ride in Vegas
ReleasedNovember 9, 1996
GenreCountry
Length3:14
LabelColumbia
Songwriter(s)Tom T. Hall
Producer(s)Blake Chancey, Chip Young
Deryl Dodd singles chronology
"Friends Don't Drive Friends…"
(1996)		 "That's How I Got to Memphis"
(1996)		 "Movin' Out to the Country"
(1997)

In late 1996, Deryl Dodd covered the song for his debut album One Ride in Vegas. The song was the album's second single. In place of a b-side, the single release contained album snippets.[5]

Critical reception

Don Yates of Country Standard Time called Dodd's version of the song "impassioned".[6]

Chart performance

Dodd's version charted on Hot Country Songs for 20 weeks, peaking at number 36 in early 1997.[5]

Chart (1996–97) Peak
position
Canada Country Tracks (RPM)[7] 38
US Hot Country Songs (Billboard)[8] 36

Other versions

The song has been widely covered by other artists and is now considered a standard.[9]

A French language version entitled "Sur la route de Memphis" was a hit for French rock and country artist Eddy Mitchell and was the title track for his 1977 album.

The song is also featured in the series finale of The Newsroom (American TV series).

References
  1. Whitburn, Joel (2008). Hot Country Songs 1944 to 2008. Record Research, Inc. pp. 42–43. ISBN 978-0-89820-177-2.
  2. "Album reviews". Billboard. August 8, 1970. p. 20.
  3. "Singles". Billboard. July 18, 1970. p. 72.
  4. "Bobby Bare Chart History (Hot Country Songs)". Billboard.
  5. Whitburn, pp. 127-28
  6. Yates, Don. "One Ride in Vegas review". Country Standard Time. Retrieved 11 September 2012.
  7. "Top RPM Country Tracks: Issue 9897." RPM. Library and Archives Canada. March 3, 1997. Retrieved July 17, 2013.
  8. "Deryl Dodd Chart History (Hot Country Songs)". Billboard.
  9. Hall, Rashaun (9 February 2002). "Pearl Snaps". Billboard. p. 22.
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