South of the Border (1939 song)

In the lyrics, a man looks back with regret for having left a woman he can't forget. When he returns much later, she is preparing to wed, presumably to either the church or another man. In the movie, however, she has become a nun to atone for her brother's crimes.[2] Members of the Western Writers of America chose it as one of the Top 100 Western songs of all time.[3]

The song was a hit in 1939 for Shep Fields, vocal by Hal Derwin.[4] Other successful recordings in 1939 were by Guy Lombardo, Gene Autry, Ambrose (vocal by Denny Dennis) and Tony Martin.[5]

• Frank Sinatra recorded the song on April 30, 1953[6] for Capitol Records and it reached the Billboard charts with a top position of #18 in a 4-week stay.[7]
• Al Bowlly recorded May 11, 1939 (see Al Bowlly discography)
• Acker Bilk – included in the album Clarinet Moods (2002)[8]
• Asleep at the Wheel, with vocals by George Strait, for their 2015 album Still the King - Celebrating the Music of Bob Wills and his Texas Playboys[9]
• Bing Crosby included in his album Bing Crosby's Treasury – The Songs I Love (1965)
• Chris Isaak for his album Baja Sessions (1996)
• Chuck Berry – for the album Chuck Berry (1975) (a few liberties taken with the lyrics)
• Dean Martin for his album Dino Latino (1962)
• Engelbert Humperdinck – for the album The Winding Road (2007)[10]
• Fats Domino included in his album Here He Comes Again! (1963)[11]
• Frankie Laine (1953)[12]
• Gale Storm – issued as a single[13] and also included in the album Gale Storm Sings (1957)[14]
• Gene Merlino – for The Simpsons episode "Kamp Krusty"
• Herb Alpert for his album South of the Border (1964)
• Keely Smith for the album Keely Sings Sinatra (2001)[15]
• Malcolm Vaughan – included in the EP Requests for Malcolm Vaughan (1960)[16]
• Marty Robbins – released in his posthumous collection Under Western Skies, released in 1995.
• Mel Tormé – included in the album ¡Olé Tormé!: Mel Tormé Goes South of the Border with Billy May (1959)
• Patsy Cline – included in her album Showcase (1961)
• Don Mclean – included in his album Prime Time (1977)
• Patti Page – recorded for her album Let's Get Away from It All (1957)[17]
• Perry Como recorded for his album We Get Letters (1957)
• Russ Conway – for his album Piano Requests (1958)[18]
• Sam Cooke – included in his Cooke's Tour album (1960)
• The Shadows – for their album Out of the Shadows (1962)
• Slim Whitman – included in the album In Love the Whitman Way (1968)[19]
• Willie Nelson – for his album What a Wonderful World (1988) and for his album Let's Face the Music and Dance (2013)