Nice Steel Melody: "You Belong To Me"

Pete Burak · Post by **Pete Burak** » 2 Feb 2007 9:31 am

The song "You Belong To Me" is getting some airplay this week due to a showing on American Idol and the ensuing Entertainment Tonight type shows.
This one is not from my generation, but I can't help think... what a great melody for a steel instrumental, and more specifically (although I haven't tried it yet), this melody sounds like a major Frankin Pedal showcase (not to mention it probably lies nicely on the 6th tuning as well).

'Looks like Pee Wee King had a hand in writing this one.
Here's the tab:
http://www.theguitarguy.com/youbelon.htm

You Tube of The Duprees:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CIEBErVs0fY

Was this ever a popular song in your dance hall or on your playlist as a steel player?

Cool!
Pete B.

Les Green · Post by **Les Green** » 2 Feb 2007 10:02 am

Great song. Know it well. I can't recall the first artist but I think it was someone like Jo Stafford or Kate Star, one of the old pop singers. I'm not sure but never the less a great steel instrumental.

Marc Friedland · Post by **Marc Friedland** » 2 Feb 2007 10:17 am

I agree Pete, it's a very pretty song, though I never have an opportunity to play it with any country or rock bands I'm associated with.
It is one of my favorites to play the melody to at home, with backing tracks I make myself. I play a E9, and I find it works quite well, particularly with my 4th pedal, that only raises the Es to F#. As a matter of fact, playing melodies to songs like You Belong To Me is one of the reasons I chose to add a 4th pedal that only raises the Es to F#.
-- Marc

b0b · Post by **b0b** » 2 Feb 2007 10:21 am

I used to play it with Pam Nadali. I swear that the chord progression is some kind of fractal. Just when you think you have it figured out, you zoom in and there's a whole nuther dimension.

I've always loved that song.

John LeMaster · Post by **John LeMaster** » 2 Feb 2007 10:21 am

Pete, thanks for reminding of this classic. I have heard Patsy Cline's version of it, and it is one of the best. Jim Reeves also had a very smooth, tasteful recording of "You Belong to Me". I suppose the list of artists who have recorded the song is quite lengthy, indeed.

John L.

Chuck S. Lettes · Post by **Chuck S. Lettes** » 2 Feb 2007 10:30 am

Hi Pete,
You're right-it's a classic. I covered the tune with my Ricky Frypan on my CD, Cool Blue Steel. It was nice to see you and your dad in Mesa.
Chuck

Larry Strawn · Post by **Larry Strawn** » 2 Feb 2007 10:31 am

Pete,
My wife Ginger sings this song, and we still gets lots of request for it. Some times when Ginger really doesn't feel up to it I give her a break and I'll play it instrumentaly!

And yes it does play really nice on E9th, and now that I have the Franklin pull I'll be experimenting!

And please, if I want her to know what I said about giving her a break, I'll tell her myself!

Larry

Jon Light (deceased) · Post by **Jon Light (deceased)** » 2 Feb 2007 11:43 am

Every time this song is mentioned I have to stop and do a mental inventory......

she's got everything she needs she's an artist, she don't look back

nope, that's She Belongs To Me and it's too Dylan-y

Button up your overcoat,
When the wind is free,
Take good care of yourself,
You belong to me!

nope, that's called "Button Up Your Overcoat" and it's too dopey.....

and finally I find the right song in my head. And all of you are right--it's a good one.

Roy Ayres · Post by **Roy Ayres** » 2 Feb 2007 12:07 pm

Being a full-time member of PeeWee King's band, I had the good fortune and honor of playing steel on Pee Wee's King RCA record of You Belong To Me. Actually, Ms. Chilton Price wrote the original. Chilton was our record librarian at WAVE in Louisville. Redd Stewart added a few chords to Chilton's original. Pee Wee owned Ridgeway Publishing and was the publisher. As a result, Pee Wee, Redd and Chilton owned the song in a three-way split.

According to Wikipedia, the song was recorded by 67 artists, whose names are listed at

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/You_Belong ... 52_song%29

Mike Neer · Post by **Mike Neer** » 2 Feb 2007 12:41 pm

I used to play guitar with a later edition of the Duprees in the 80s.

Charles Davidson · Post by **Charles Davidson** » 2 Feb 2007 1:27 pm

Always liked the Dupree's version of that great song.It's a pity you won't hear great music like that today,unless you're lucky enough to have a local oldies station near by.

Robert Thomas · Post by **Robert Thomas** » 2 Feb 2007 6:10 pm

Hi Pete,
that is a nice tune, I just worked it out on E-9th and C-6th. Very nice in either tuning. I'll have to use it once in a while at the nursing homes.

Jim Cohen · Post by **Jim Cohen** » 2 Feb 2007 6:31 pm

Oh, hey, I like this version:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vqN_M4d94kU

Eric West · Post by **Eric West** » 2 Feb 2007 7:28 pm

Yuppers.

I spent many an hour in the Village Barn in Suitland Maryland in the late 70s listening to an old guy named Smokey Mack belt this one out, Jimmy on a Jazzmaster, and Fuzzy Groves on Bass.

BTW I just got a couple of large albums of Bing Crosby doing "Western" songs. I don't have a 78, but these are pristine, and I don't want to play them more than once or twice before I record them.

Bing did a LOT of these, "You Belong to Me" being one of them.

EJL

Sonny Priddy · Post by **Sonny Priddy** » 2 Feb 2007 7:55 pm

Great Song Takes Me Back When I Was 17 or 18 Years Old. Boy oh Boy. Sonny.

Johnny Baldwin · Post by **Johnny Baldwin** » 2 Feb 2007 7:57 pm

George Wixon tabbed "You Belong To Me" awhile back. His website is www.gwixon.com
Here's the tab link: http://www.gwixon.com/you.html
His site also has great BIAB info.
Have fun...

Jody Sanders · Post by **Jody Sanders** » 3 Feb 2007 7:51 am

We did this song back in the 70's. Had a sit down job on Surfside beach for 16 months tues. thru Sat. It was one of our most requested songs. Jody.

James Cann · Post by **James Cann** » 22 Mar 2007 8:01 am

Big Duprees fan here! Currently working up a medley of Have You Heard, My Own True Love, and You Belong to Me. Great fun.

Check out www.duprees.com. and click on videos of their NPTV concerts in '05. Still going strong on the east coast and sounding better than ever.

Sonny Priddy · Post by **Sonny Priddy** » 22 Mar 2007 8:24 am

you Belong To Me was Going Strong In 1952&53 I Was A Teenager Wow How Time Slips Away. SONNY.

Carroll Hale · Post by **Carroll Hale** » 22 Mar 2007 8:58 am

hearing this song "you belong to me"....was one of my mom's fav all time...especially after my dad returned home from pearl harbor....WWII....she would listen to it for hours on an old 78 rpm phonograph player..........just hearing it brings a few "tears"...tears of joy to my eyes...
thanks for the memories...ch

Roger Shackelton · Post by **Roger Shackelton** » 22 Mar 2007 7:54 pm

Sonny, I believe that's "Funny How Time Slips Away."

Kevin Hatton · Post by **Kevin Hatton** » 22 Mar 2007 9:58 pm

The Duprees were REAL talent. No pitch correction here. Just real singers. I played some Patsy Cline shows where we played that tune. Very enjoyable. Great melody.

Willis Vanderberg · Post by **Willis Vanderberg** » 23 Mar 2007 2:07 am

This song was very popular in the early fifties and the artist was Jo Stafford. Her husband was the band leader , I don't recall his name. I do this as an instrumental quite often. I also like the old Johnnie Ray song " Cry ". It works really well on E9th.We play for a lot of old folks down here and they love songs like " It's been a long , long time",
" Now is the hour ", "September Song "," Autumn leaves ", And many, many, more great old tunes from that era.

Jeff Agnew · Post by **Jeff Agnew** » 23 Mar 2007 3:30 am

Her husband was the band leader , I don't recall his name.

Paul Weston.

She also recorded with him under the name "Jonathan and Darlene Edwards". Which, if you haven't heard any of their work, deserves whatever effort it takes to find a copy.

Willis Vanderberg · Post by **Willis Vanderberg** » 23 Mar 2007 7:43 am

Hey Jeff:
Thank you for the heads up. I do remember now that was her husbands name.I will check it out

The Steel Guitar Forum

Nice Steel Melody: "You Belong To Me"

Nice Steel Melody: "You Belong To Me"

song

song

tears to my eyes.