Gonna Get Along Without You Now

Album: Stitched Up (1979)
Charted: 8
Play Video

Songfacts®:

  • This popular song was written by Milton Kellern and published in 1951. It has been recorded in several styles and tempos and the original version, by pop singer Teresa Brewer was done in a swing style. For many, the benchmark version was the more poppy 1956 rendition by the sister act Patience and Prudence, which reached #11 in the US and #22 in the UK. In 1964, the song reached the US charts twice more, Tracey Dey's Wall of Sound version peaked at #51 and Skeeter Davis' country recording reached #48. In Europe Viola Wills' disco version is probably the best known.
  • Los Angeles born Viola Wilkerson was already the mother of six children before the age of 21 when, in 1965, she was discovered by a pre stardom Barry White who signed her to Bronco Records and changed her surname to Wills. After working with White and as part of Joe Cocker's backing quartet, The Sanctified Sisters, Wills had an Europe-wide solo hit with her disco version of this song. She later spent time in England and had another UK Top 40 hit with the double a-side "Dare to Dream and her version of "Both Sides Now." Though that was her last chart entry, Wills had some success on the HI-NRG nostalgia circuit in the UK before she returned home to the US. In May 2009 she died of cancer aged 69.

Comments: 2

  • Max from PerthI understand the composer's name was misspelled on the record label and should read "Milton Kellem"
  • Barry from Sauquoit, NyOn April 26th 1964, Skeeter Davis' covered version of "Gonna Get Along Without You Now" entered Billboard's Hot Top 100 chart at position #90; though it only reached #48 on the Top 100, it did peak at #8 {for 1 week} on July 5th, 1964 on Billboard's Hot Country Singles chart...
    Between 1957 and 1969 she had twenty-seven hits on Billboard's Hot Country singles chart; nine made the Top 10 with two reaching #2, "(I Can't Help You) I'm Falling Too" in 1960 and "The End of the World" in 1962...
    Ms. Davis, born Mary Frances Penick, passed away on September 9th, 2004 at the age of 72...
    May she R.I.P.
see more comments

Editor's Picks

Lajon Witherspoon of Sevendust

Lajon Witherspoon of SevendustSongwriter Interviews

The Sevendust frontman talks about the group's songwriting process, and how trips to the Murder Bar helped forge their latest album.

Wedding Bell Blues

Wedding Bell BluesSong Writing

When a song describes a wedding, it's rarely something to celebrate - with one big exception.

00s Music Quiz 1

00s Music Quiz 1Music Quiz

Do you know the girl singer on Eminem's "Stan"? If so, this quiz is for you.

Joe Ely

Joe ElySongwriter Interviews

The renown Texas songwriter has been at it for 40 years, with tales to tell about The Flatlanders and The Clash - that's Joe's Tex-Mex on "Should I Stay or Should I Go?"

Peter Lord

Peter LordSongwriter Interviews

You may not recognize his name, but you will certainly recognize Peter Lord's songs. He wrote the bevy of hits from Paula Abdul's second album, Spellbound.

Grunge Bands Quiz

Grunge Bands QuizMusic Quiz

If the name Citizen Dick means anything to you, there's a chance you'll get some of these right.