"Vaya con Dios (May God Be With You)" ([ˈba.ʝa kon djos], literally "Go with God") is a popular song written by Larry Russell, Inez James, and Buddy Pepper, and first recorded by Anita O'Day in December 1952. Les Paul and Mary Ford had a No. 1 recording of the song in 1953. Members of the Western Writers of America chose it as one of the Top 100 Western songs of all time.[1][2]

"Vaya con Dios"
Single by Les Paul and Mary Ford
B-side"Johnny (Is the Boy for Me)"
ReleasedJune 1953
GenrePop
Length2:50
LabelCapitol
Songwriter(s)Larry Russell, Inez James, and Buddy Pepper
Les Paul and Mary Ford singles chronology
"Sleep"
(1953)
"Vaya con Dios"
(1953)
"Johnny"
(1953)

Background

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The most-popular version of the song was recorded by Les Paul and Mary Ford. This recording was released by Capitol Records as catalog number 2486 with "Johnny (Is the Boy For Me)" as the flip side in May 1953.[3] It first reached the Billboard magazine Best Seller chart on June 13, 1953 and lasted 31 weeks on the chart, reaching number one on August 8 and remaining at number one for a total of 11 non-consecutive weeks.[4] The song also reached number one on the Cash Box chart where it remained at No. 1 for five weeks.[5] The song was ranked the No. 1 top tune of 1953,[6] and the second best selling song of the year.[7]

The Les Paul and Mary Ford single reached No. 7 in the UK backed with the Les Paul instrumental composition "Deep in the Blues" as the flip side.

In 2005, the 1953 Les Paul and Mary Ford recording was inducted in the Grammy Hall of Fame.

Other notable recordings

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1953 sheet music cover for the Les Paul and Mary Ford recording, Ardmore Music. New York.

The song has been recorded by:

References

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  1. ^ Western Writers of America (2010). "The Top 100 Western Songs". American Cowboy. Archived from the original on 27 December 2010.
  2. ^ "Vaya Con Dios music, videos, stats, and photos". Last.fm. 4 January 2023. Retrieved 2023-02-16.
  3. ^ "Cover versions of Vaya con Dios written by Buddy Pepper, Larry Russell, Inez James". Secondhandsongs.com. Retrieved 1 May 2021.
  4. ^ Whitburn, Joel (1973). Top Pop Records 1940–1955. Record Research.
  5. ^ "Song artist 161 - Les Paul & Mary Ford". Tsort.info. Retrieved 2014-05-23.
  6. ^ "1953's Top Tune". Billboard. December 19, 1953. p. 28.
  7. ^ "1953's Top Popular Records". Billboard. December 19, 1953. p. 29.
  8. ^ "A Bing Crosby Discography". Bingmagazine.co.uk. Retrieved September 18, 2017.
  9. ^ "Pedro Infante – Adios Mis Chorreadas (Vinyl)". Discogs.com. 28 January 2018. Retrieved 1 May 2021.

Sources

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  • Jacobson, Bob. Les Paul: Guitar Wizard. Madison, Wisconsin: Wisconsin Historical Society Press, 2012.
  • Shaughnessy, Mary. Les Paul: An American Original. New York: Morrow, 1993.
  • Wyckoff, Edwin Brit. Electric Guitar Man: The Genius of Les Paul. Genius at Work! Berkeley Heights, N.J.: Enslow Publishers, 2008.