"Let Me Go, Devil" is a song written in

1953 Events January * January 6 – The Asian Socialist Conference opens in Rangoon, Burma. * January 12 – Estonian émigrés found a Estonian government-in-exile, government-in-exile in Oslo. * January 14 ** Marshal Josip Broz Tito ...

Jenny Lou Carson Jenny Lou Carson, (January 13, 1915 – December 16, 1978), born Virginia Lucille Overstake, was an American country music singer-songwriter and the first woman to write a No. 1 country music hit. From 1945 to 1955 she was one of the most prolif ...

. Carson greatly admired the talents of

Hank Williams Hiram "Hank" Williams (September 17, 1923 – January 1, 1953) was an American singer, songwriter, and musician. An early pioneer of country music, he is regarded as one of the most significant and influential musicians of the 20th century. W ...

. Williams' battle with

alcoholism Alcoholism is the continued drinking of alcohol despite it causing problems. Some definitions require evidence of dependence and withdrawal. Problematic use of alcohol has been mentioned in the earliest historical records. The World He ...

and subsequent death inspired her to write the song. It was first recorded on July 2, 1953, by Wade Ray, followed a few weeks later by

Georgie Shaw Georgie Shaw, born George Shoester (1930 – September 1, 2006) in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, was an American popular musician. Biography Career Shaw recorded a song called " Let Me Go, Devil", written in 1953, which was about alcoholism. It w ...

Johnny Bond Cyrus Whitfield "Johnny" Bond (June 1, 1915 – June 12, 1978) was an American country music singer-songwriter, guitarist and composer and publisher, who co-founded a music publishing firm. He was active in the music industry from 1940 until the ...

and

Tex Ritter Woodward Maurice "Tex" Ritter (January 12, 1905 – January 2, 1974) was a pioneer of American country music, a singer, and an actor from the mid-1930s into the 1960s. He was the patriarch of the Ritter acting family (son John Ritter, grandso ...

. In 1954, then

Columbia Records Columbia Records is an American reco ...

producer

Mitch Miller Mitchell William Miller (July 4, 1911 – July 31, 2010) was an American choral conductor, record producer, record-industry executive, and professional oboist. He was involved in almost all aspects of the industry, particularly as a conductor ...

felt the song as written was too depressing for pop audiences and suggested that "Devil" be changed to "Lover". The pop song writing team of Fred Wise,

Kay Twomey Kathleen G. "Kay" Twomey (April 27, 1914 in Boston, Massachusetts – September 26, 1995 in Wellesley, Massachusetts) was an American songwriter and music arranger. Twomey co-wrote " Serenade of the Bells", which reached the Billboard magazine Best ...

, and

Ben Weisman Benjamin Weisman (November 16, 1921 – May 20, 2007) was an American composer. He wrote 57 songs recorded by Elvis Presley, more than any other songwriter. Biography Weisman was born in Providence, Rhode Island, and grew up in Brooklyn, New Yor ...

writing under the pseudonym Al Hill, were hired to rewrite the lyrics. The song became the major

1954 Events January * January 3 – The Italian broadcaster RAI officially begins transmitting. * January 7 – Georgetown–IBM experiment: The first public demonstration of a machine translation system is held in New York, at the head ...

1955 Events January * January 3 – José Ramón Guizado becomes president of Panama. * January 17 – , the first nuclear-powered submarine, puts to sea for the first time, from Groton, Connecticut. * January 18– 20 – Battle of Yijian ...

hit, "

Let Me Go, Lover! "Let Me Go, Lover!", a popular song, was written by Jenny Lou Carson and Al Hill, a pen name used by Fred Wise, Kathleen Twomey, and Ben Weisman. It is based on an earlier song called " Let Me Go, Devil", about alcoholism. Background "Let ...

." In 1954, it was also recorded By Hank Snow, on RCA Victor 47-5960. The 45rpm label showed "Let Me Go, Lover"; however the lyrics heard on the piece were "Let Me Go, Woman", following closely the Mitch Miller revised lyrics.

References

*Rogers, Arnold & Langley, Jerry (2005). ''Many Tears Ago: The Life and Times of Jenny Lou Carson''. Nova/Nashville Books. 1953 singles American songs Songs written by Jenny Lou Carson Georgie Shaw songs {{pop-standard-stub