On the Charts 49 Years Ago, Glen Campbell Went to No. 1 for the Final Time With a Song Inspired by Childhood Memories

Forty-nine years ago today (March 19), in 1977, Glen Campbell reached the top of the Hot Country Songs chart with “Southern Nights.” The single stayed at No. 1 for two consecutive weeks, giving Campbell his final country chart-topper. It was also a crossover hit, topping the Hot 100, as well as the Adult Contemporary chart. His version of the song was partially driven by a guitar lick he learned from legendary picker Jerry Reed.

Videos by American Songwriter

Campbell wasn’t the first to record “Southern Nights.” Instead, Allen Toussaint, who wrote the song about his childhood, recorded the original version for his 1975 album of the same name. According to Songfacts, it was the final song he recorded for the album. In fact, he wrote it in the studio. “While I was finishing the album, Van Dyke Parks visited me in the studio,” he recalled. “He was a wonderful guy, a genius of a guy. He said, ‘Well, consider that you were going to die in two weeks. If you know that, what would you think you would like to have done?’ And after he said that, I wrote ‘Southern Nights’ as soon as he left.”

[RELATED: On This Day in 1969, Glen Campbell Released a No. 1 Hit That Became an Unintentional Counterculture Anthem and Protest Song]

Toussaint grew up in Louisiana and would often travel into rural areas of the state to visit his elders. “There were people from our ancestors, and we loved them a lot,” he said. “This song was written about them.” He wrote hundreds of songs, but says that this is the one that defines his career. “I really felt highly, highly inspired and very spiritual doing that song. It’s the only one I felt that much about,” he said.

“Southern Nights” Resonated Deeply with Glen Campbell

Glen Campbell grew up in a small, unincorporated community called Billstown in Southwest Arkansas. As a result, he and Allen Toussaint had several things in common, which made this song resonate deeply with Campbell.

“Southern Nights” reminded him of his childhood in rural Arkansas. “My dad told me when I was a kid, ‘You’re having the best time of your life, and you don’t even know it.’ Sure enough, he was right. Now, I really feel the need to go back home, float down the Missouri River, and fish for bass and crappies. It’s real peaceful, and remote from things like telephones,” he said. “My head is still there.”

Featured Image by David Redfern/Redferns