Writer(s):

Guy Massey

Quotable:

The song that signaled to record companies the commercial viability of country music.

First charted:

3/21/1925

Charts:

HT 1 ¹²
HP --
CB --
UK --
AC --
CW --
RB --
AR --
MR --
AA --

Sales (in millions):

sales in U.S. only 8.0 *
sales in U.K. only - estimated --
sales worldwide - estimated 8.0

* includes 1 million in sheet music sales

Airplay (in millions):

Awards:

The Prisoner’s Song

Vernon Dalhart

Review:

“The Prisoner’s Song” is a sad ballad about a prisoner being transferred between jails and pondering his sweetheart and ‘a pillow of stone.’” ^RCG It was hugely important to the world of country music. As the genre’s first million-seller ^CM it opened record companies’ eyes to the possibilities of the genre’s marketability. ^CL By some estimates, the song went on to sell 7 million copies, making it one of the ten best sellers of the first half of the century, the biggest-selling non-holiday record of the pre-1955 era ^PM and the biggest hit of 1925. ^WHC The song originally charted in March 1925 and went to the top for 5 weeks. In December it re-charted and hit the pinnacle for another 7 weeks. ^PM

As one of the pioneers of early country music, it is fitting that Dalhart (born Marion Try Slaughter) had actually worked as a cowboy, but it is comical that he first studied and recorded as an opera singer. He’d charted half a dozen top ten hits ^PM before Victor Records tapped him to record a version of “The Wreck of the Old 97.” Dalhart suggested “The Prisoner’s Song” for the B-side. Dalhart would go on to sing the song for at least twenty-eight record labels under seventy different names. ^TY

There is some debate over the song’s authorship. Dalhart copyrighted the song in Guy Massey’s name, giving Massey 5% of the songwriting royalties and taking the other 95% himself. ^WK Dalhart heard the song from his cousin Guy Massey, who sang it while staying at Dalhart’s home. However, Guy reportedly heard it from his brother Robert Massey, who may have heard the song while doing time in prison. ^WK It has even been suggested that Robert F. Taylor carved the lyrics into a county jail cell wall in Blakely, Georgia. ^WK In any event, the publishers tried to generate interest by saying that the songwriter was a jailbird. ^RCG

Nat Shilkret fought for authorship as well. He was the A&R man over the country division of Victor Records and claimed he had to rewrite the music because what Dalhart brought in was unusuable. ^WK

Review Source(s):

^CL Ace Collins (1996). The Stories Behind Country Music’s All-Time Greatest 100 Songs. New York, NY; The Berkley Publishing Group. Pages 6-7.
^CM Country Music Hall of Fame Vernon Dalhart entry
^RCG RimChiGuy.com The Old Songs (1900-1929)
^TY Don Tyler. (1985). Hit Parade 1920-1955. New York, NY: Quill. Page 33.
^PM Joel Whitburn (1986). Pop Memories 1890-1954. Menomonee Falls, WI; Record Research, Inc. Pages 118, 631.
^WHC Joel Whitburn. (1999). A Century of Pop Music. Menomonee Falls, WI; Record Research, Inc. Page 40.
^WK Wikipedia.org