Go Rest High on That Mountain

"Go Rest High on That Mountain" is a song written and recorded by American country music artist Vince Gill. It was released in August 1995 as the sixth single from his album When Love Finds You. It is a eulogic ballad. Gill began writing the song following the death of country music singer Keith Whitley in 1989. Gill did not finish the song until a few years later following the death of his older brother Bob of a heart attack in 1993. Ricky Skaggs and Patty Loveless both sang background vocals on the record.

"Go Rest High on That Mountain"
Single by Vince Gill
from the album When Love Finds You
B-side"Maybe Tonight"
ReleasedAugust 28, 1995
Recorded1994
GenreCountry
Length5:15 (Album version)
4:27 (Radio edit)
LabelMCA Nashville
Songwriter(s)Vince Gill
Producer(s)Tony Brown
Vince Gill singles chronology
"You Better Think Twice"
(1995)		 "Go Rest High on That Mountain"
(1995)		 "High Lonesome Sound"
(1996)

The song won the CMA's Song of the Year award in 1996[1] and a BMI Most-Performed Song award in 1997.[2] It also received two Grammy Awards for Best Male Country Vocal Performance and Best Country Song in the 38th Grammy Awards.[3] The single reached No. 14 on the Country Singles chart in 1995.[4] It has sold 857,000 digital copies in the US since becoming available for download.[5]

Gill added a third verse in December 2019 saying “Yeah, it doesn’t make much sense, does it?” he told People. “Yeah, ‘Leave it alone, you idiot!’ That should be my mantra. But in my heart, I think this makes it better.”[6][7]

Critical reception

Deborah Evans Price of Billboard magazine reviewed the song favorably calling the song "beautiful, majestic, and easily one of the best singles of Gill's already distinguished career." She goes on to say that the composition "boasts a touching spiritual lyric and Gill's consistently impeccable vocal delivery."[8] In 2019, Rolling Stone ranked "Go Rest High on That Mountain" No. 17 on its list of the 40 Saddest Country Songs of All Time.[9]

Music video

The music video was directed by John Lloyd Miller and premiered in mid-1995. Filmed at the Ryman Auditorium in downtown Nashville, it features Gill performing the song (accompanied by Loveless and Skaggs on the choruses) while images of nature such as mountains, forests, and sunrises play on screens behind him.

George Jones eulogy

On May 2, 2013, Gill performed the song with Loveless at the funeral of fellow country artist George Jones. At one point during the performance, Gill became too emotional to sing some of the words, but was able to complete the song by focusing primarily on his guitar playing, with Loveless stepping up to complete the back-up vocals and harmony. In a speech just prior to Gill's and Loveless' performance, Gill underlined their duet by stating that he always was aware of a "special anointing" in his duets with Loveless, and compared them particularly to Jones' duets with singer Melba Montgomery during the 1960s.[10]

Chart performance

"Go Rest High on That Mountain" debuted at number 70 on the U.S. Billboard Hot Country Singles & Tracks for the week of September 2, 1995. The song has sold 857,000 digital copies as of November 2019 after it became available for download in the U.S.[5]

Chart (1995) Peak
position
Canada Country Tracks (RPM)[11] 7
US Hot Country Songs (Billboard)[12] 14

Year-end charts
Chart (1995) Position
Canada Country Tracks (RPM)[13] 74

See also

Notes
  1. Cash, Rosanne; Rudder, Randy (2006). Country Music Reader. Country Music Books. p. 103. ISBN 0-9769745-1-7.
  2. Carlin, Richard (2003). Country Music: A Biographical Dictionary. Taylor & Francis. p. 150. ISBN 0-415-93802-3.
  3. "Past winners search". Grammy.com. Archived from the original on 2007-04-13. Retrieved 2009-08-14.
  4. "Vince Gill > Charts & Awards > Billboard Singles". Allmusic. Retrieved 2009-08-14.
  5. Bjorke, Matt (November 30, 2019). "Top 30 Digital Country Songs: November 24, 2019". Rough Stock. Retrieved December 12, 2019.
  6. "Vince Gill Adds Verse to 'Go Rest High On That Mountain'". The Boot. December 20, 2019. Retrieved 2020-09-08. |first= missing |last= (help)
  7. Vince Gill Adds Verse to 'Go Rest High On That Mountain'
  8. Billboard, September 2, 1995
  9. https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-lists/40-saddest-country-songs-of-all-time-158907/vince-gill-go-rest-high-on-that-mountain-147530/
  10. YouTube. Grand Ole Opry. Vince Gill and Patty Loveless - "Go Rest High On That Mountain" at George Jones' Funeral | Opry. 2013 Possum Tracks Touring Co. Retrieved January 7, 2015. YouTube
  11. "Top RPM Country Tracks: Issue 2841." RPM. Library and Archives Canada. December 18, 1995. Retrieved July 21, 2013.
  12. "Vince Gill Chart History (Hot Country Songs)". Billboard.
  13. "RPM Top 100 Country Tracks of 1995". RPM. December 18, 1995. Retrieved July 21, 2013.
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