About The Song
“He’ll Have to Go” is a classic country ballad recorded by American singer Jim Reeves, released in October 1959 as the second single from his album Songs to Warm the Heart on RCA Victor Records. Written by husband-and-wife songwriting team Joe Allison and Audrey Allison, the song was inspired by a late-night phone conversation Joe overheard between a couple. Produced by Chet Atkins at RCA Studio B in Nashville, Tennessee, the track features Reeves’ signature smooth baritone voice, gentle acoustic guitar, soft piano, and the subtle backing of the Anita Kerr Singers. Clocking in at 2:18, the sparse arrangement highlighted Reeves’ intimate delivery, earning it the nickname “the whispering ballad.”
Jim Reeves, born James Travis Reeves on August 20, 1923, in Galloway, Texas, began his career in the early 1950s after an injury ended his baseball aspirations. Nicknamed “Gentleman Jim” for his polished style, he scored his first No. 1 country hit in 1953 with “Mexican Joe.” By the late 1950s, Reeves had fully embraced the Nashville Sound, blending country with pop elements. The recording session for “He’ll Have to Go” took place on October 15, 1959, with top session musicians including guitarist Hank Garland, pianist Floyd Cramer, and bassist Bob Moore. Chet Atkins later recalled that Reeves recorded the vocal in just a few takes, achieving the hushed tone by standing farther from the microphone.
Released in October 1959, the single entered the Billboard Hot Country Songs chart in December 1959 and reached No. 1 on February 8, 1960, where it stayed for an impressive 14 consecutive weeks—the longest run at No. 1 on the country chart during the 1960s. It also crossed over to the pop charts, peaking at No. 2 on the Billboard Hot 100 and No. 12 on the UK Singles Chart. The song spent 26 weeks on the Hot 100 and sold over one million copies, earning Gold certification from the RIAA. Its massive success helped propel Reeves to international stardom and solidified the Nashville Sound’s commercial viability.
The single’s B-side, “In a Mansion Stands My Love,” also charted at No. 12 on the country chart. “He’ll Have to Go” earned BMI awards for both Joe and Audrey Allison and became one of Reeves’ most enduring hits. Tragically, Reeves died in a plane crash on July 31, 1964, at age 40, but posthumous releases kept his music alive. The song has been covered more than 150 times by artists including Elvis Presley, Ry Cooder, Jerry Lee Lewis, Tom Jones, and Bryan Ferry. A 1976 duet version by Ry Cooder and Bobby King reached No. 11 on the UK charts, while Billy Joe Royal took a 1990s revival to No. 51 on the country chart.
In the studio, Reeves initially resisted the song’s quiet style, reportedly telling Chet Atkins, “Chet, there ain’t nothing to this song.” Atkins convinced him to try it softly, and the result became a career-defining recording. The lyrics—delivered as a phone conversation asking a lover to choose between the narrator and another man—captured universal heartache with elegant simplicity. The song remains a staple on classic country radio and is frequently included in lists of the greatest country songs of all time.
Video
Lyric
Put your sweet lips a little closer to the phone
Let’s pretend that we’re together all alone
I’ll tell the man to turn the jukebox way down low
And you can tell your friend there with you he’ll have to goWhisper to me, tell me do you love me true
Or is he holding you the way I do
Though love is blind, make up your mind, I’ve got to know
Should I hang up or will you tell him he’ll have to goYou can’t say the words I want to hear
While you’re with another man
If you want me, answer yes or no
Darling, I will understandPut your sweet lips a little closer to the phone
Let’s pretend that we’re together all alone
I’ll tell the man to turn the jukebox way down low
And you can tell your friend there with you he’ll have to go