"Cool Water" | |
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Single by The Sons of the Pioneers | |
B-side | So Long to the Red River Valley [1] |
Written | 1936 |
Published | 1936 Music of the West/Unichappell Music Inc [2] |
Released | April 1941 |
Recorded | March 27, 1941 [3] |
Studio | Chicago, Illinois |
Genre | Country (Hillbilly) |
Label | Decca 5939 |
Songwriter(s) | Bob Nolan |
"Cool Water" is a song written in 1936 by Bob Nolan. It is about a parched man and his mule traveling a wasteland tormented by mirages. Members of the Western Writers of America chose it as No. 3 on the Top 100 Western songs of all time.
It was first recorded by The Sons of the Pioneers on March 27, 1941, for Decca Records (catalog 5939) [4] and this briefly charted in 1941 with a peak position of No. 25. [5] On August 8, 1945, The Sons of the Pioneers cut a new recording, this time for RCA Victor (catalog 20-1724). [6] [7] This version was re-released in 1947 on the Victor Smart Set album P-168 "Cowboy Classics." [7] However, the best-selling recorded version was done by Vaughn Monroe and The Sons of the Pioneers in 1948. The recording was released by RCA Victor as catalog number 20-2923. The record was on the Billboard chart for 13 weeks beginning on August 6, 1948, peaking at No. 9. [6] [8]
Frankie Laine and The Mellomen took it to No. 2 on the British charts in 1955.
Chart (1955) | Peak position |
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United Kingdom ( NME) [9] | 2 |
United Kingdom ( Record Mirror) [10] | 1 |