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“White Lightning”, written by J.P. “Big Bopper” Richardson was arguably George’s biggest hit, spending five weeks at #1 on Billboard’s country chart and reaching #73 on the pop charts, his highest pop placing While sales number are sketchy, several sources reported sales of over 750,000 and it was one of the few George Jones records to generate significant sales outside of North America. The recording session was apparently one of George’s most difficult as he was friends with Richardson, who had died the week before in the plane crash that killed Buddy Holly and Richie Valens. Jones showed up drunk for the session and many takes were done, although ultimately the first take was released as the single
“Woman of the World” was the fourth (of six) straight solo singles to reach #1 on one or more of the primary charts of the time (Billboard, Cashbox & Record World) – her longest such skein of #1 hits (all six in the group reached #1 on Record World)
Agree that “White Lightning” is one of Jones’ most enduring hits. Although George is mostly remembered for his expressive ballads when given strong uptempo material he also excelled with songs like this one. Like most of his other recording sessions George had a few swigs which resulted in him slurring the lyric “he took one ssss-slug and he drank it right down…” But the song was about drinking so it kinda fit the vibe so they released it that way.
I think Paul may have some inaccurate info as several sources that I have indicate the White Lightning session was held on September 9, 1958. That was a little less that five months before J.P. Richardson’s death. In late January 1959 just before his passing Richardson was aware that White Lightning was to be George’s next single. Richardson co-wrote two other songs with George from that same session – Treasure Of Love – issued as the first single from that session and the song released as the B side “If I Don’t Love You (Grits Ain’t Groceries)” It was a significant session as it was George’s first one exclusively for the Mercury label. For the previous year and a half his recordings had been issued on the Mercury/Starday imprint.
To add to Paul’s comments Loretta’s single from 50 years ago raised a few eyebrows at that time with the lyrics “…why I wear more in swimmin’ than you wear to parties where you go…there’s a place I know where you should go for that’s where you belong.” The song was penned by Nashville newcomer Sharon Higgins although it sounds like a lyric Loretta might have created. Loretta admitted that she did re-work the song a bit to better fit herself. The success of that song likely set the stage for Loretta to create even more revealing lyrics in the years that followed with songs like Wings Upon Your Horns,You Wanna Give Me A Lift and Rated X.
Jones might have claimed that he recorded “White Lightning” a week after Richardson’s death–Wikipedia gives that account–but it’s clearly false. Artists are known to embellish the stories they tell in order to make them more dramatic–that was probably the case, here–or they just plum don’t remember!
Regarding Wikipedia they again published incorrect statements because they do not seem to verify anything. George Jones did not relate that story about the song in either of his two biographies. As I’ve stated here before use Wikipedia at your own peril.