Delta Dawn
| "Delta Dawn" | ||
|---|---|---|
| Single by Helen Reddy | ||
| From the album Long Hard Climb | ||
| Single Released | Summer 1973 | |
| Recorded | Winter 1972 | |
| Song Length | 3:09 | |
| Record label | Capitol | |
| Chart positions | 1 (USA) 1 (CAN) | |
| Helen Reddy single chronology | ||
| "I Am Woman" 1972 |
"Delta Dawn" 1973 |
"Leave Me Alone (Ruby Red Dress)" 1973 |
"Delta Dawn" was a song written by Alex Harvey,not to be confused with the Sensational Alex Harvey, with some help from Larry Collins. ], and recorded by a number of female artists, most notably, Helen Reddy and Tanya Tucker, whose versions topped the pop and country charts, respectively. Included on Tucker's first album, the song was released as a single and became the then thirteen-year old's first hit. Reddy cut the song shortly after Tucker's version became a hit, and her version became the seventh-highest selling single for the year 1973, hitting number one on the week ending September 15. Barbra Streisand was originally to have recorded the song, and a backing track was recorded, but upon hearing it, Streisand did not like the tune and refused to provide vocals. It was at this time that Reddy was approached to provide vocals for the already recorded backing track. Following the success of her widely popular 1972 single "I Am Woman", Reddy's version of "Delta Dawn" sold over a million copies upon its first release.
In addition to Reddy and Tucker, Bette Midler has long been associated with "Delta Dawn", having included it on one of her early albums. She had heard the song in Nashville, memorized it, and performed it three times on The Tonight Show with Johnny Carson. Midler actually attempted to release her version as a single, but as luck would have it, Reddy's version was released a mere two days before Midler's, and most radio stations ended up preferring Reddy's recording; Midler's' version of the song was then moved to the B-side of her single release. [1] (Things ended up working out for Midler, just the same, as she also had a number-one pop hit with her single's flip side, a remake of the Andrews Sisters' "Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy".)
The song is about a woman from Brownsville who earned the nickname "Delta Dawn" in her youth for her unmatched beauty and grace. After being dumped by a deceptive suitor, she lost her splendor and went insane, and now spends her days waiting for the return of her lost love. Although the song has a Southern gospel feel (as evidenced by the song's introduction by a choir, as well as the lyrics providing the setting of the song in the Deep South), Reddy is from Australia, and trained her voice accordingly to mask her accent.
In addition to Reddy, Tucker and Midler, "Delta Dawn" was also covered by Teresa Brewer and, in more recent years, by the punk rock band Me First and the Gimme Gimmes, on their album Ruin Jonny's Bar Mitzvah.
It was also sung by Monica Geller in an episode of the hit sitcom, Friends ("TOW Monica Sings"). In this episode, her singing is greeted with raptuous applause, but only because the stage light causes her shirt to become transparent without her realizing.