Released December 1961 Genre Rhythm and blues | Format 7" Label Dot | |
B-side "A Shot of Rhythm and Blues" Recorded Fame Studios, Muscle Shoals, Alabama | ||
"You Better Move On" is a song by Arthur Alexander from 1961 that reached #24 on the US charts in March 1962. It was covered in 1962 by Bobby Vee and then by both The Hollies and The Rolling Stones in 1964.
Contents
Arthur Alexander version
The lyrics were inspired by Alexander's real life situation, in which his girlfriend and future wife already had a boyfriend. Alexander said of the situation "When I met her out of high school he was still hanging in there.His family was pretty well off. I didn't have no money but I knew she liked me. It was a small town and people would be talking. That's where I got the idea for the song. I didn't talk to him personally. I said it in song."
The song was recorded at FAME Studios in Muscle Shoals, Alabama. The session musicians on the recording included David Briggs, piano, Terry Thompson, guitar, Forest Riley, acoustic guitar, Norbert Putnam, bass, Jerry Carrigan, drums and unknown back up singers.
Music critic Toby Creswell included "You Better Move On" as one of the 1001 great songs of all time.
Rolling Stones version
"You Better Move On" was first released on 17 January 1964, on the EP, The Rolling Stones. It was also on the US album, December's Children (And Everybody's), released in 1965.