"Walk a Mile in My Shoes" is a song written by
Joe South, who had a
hit with it in
1970. South was also producer and arranger of the track and of its B-side, "Shelter." The single was credited to "Joe South and the Believers"; the Believers included his brother Tommy South and his sister-in-law Barbara South.
The song's highest position on the
Billboard Hot 100 was #12, which was also its highest position in the
Cashbox chart. It also reached highs of #56 country and #3 Adult Contemporary in Billboard, and it made #10 in the
RPM chart in Canada. It was South's second and final record to reach the top 20 of the Billboard chart. It also reached the Top 20 in Australia.
Background
The song concerns racial tolerance and the need for perspective and compassion.
Willie Hightower, as a single in 1970 (also included on the
Honest Jon's 2004 compilation album simply titled Willie Hightower), originally produced by
Rick Hall at
FAME Studios in Muscle Shoals, Alabama
