The Last Thing on My Mind
Tom Paxton's folk lament, covered by Porter Wagoner and Dolly Parton.
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"The Last Thing on My Mind" is a song written by American musician and singer-songwriter Tom Paxton in the early 1960s. It was first recorded by Paxton in 1964 and appears on his album Ramblin' Boy, his debut release on Elektra Records. The composition, based on the traditional lament "The Leaving of Liverpool," remains one of Paxton's best-known works.
Porter Wagoner and Dolly Parton version
Porter Wagoner and Dolly Parton released their cover of "The Last Thing on My Mind" as their debut duet single on October 30, 1967, through RCA Victor. The single reached number 7 on the Billboard Hot Country Singles chart, beginning a long string of top ten duets for the pair. Billboard praised the single, calling it a "folk-oriented ballad" with "much pop potential," while Cashbox described it as "a very effective updating of the contemporary folk ditty" with "an appealing blending of voices." The song debuted at number 70 on the Billboard Hot Country Singles chart, spent 17 weeks on the chart, and its B-side, "Love Is Worth Living," peaked at number 4 on the RPM Country Singles chart in Canada. The recording session credits include Jerry Carrigan on drums, Pete Drake on steel guitar, and Buck Trent on banjo, among others, with Bob Ferguson producing.
Did You Know?
- A solo version by Dolly Parton was released on February 16, 2023, from the Doc Watson tribute album I Am a Pilgrim: Doc Watson at 100.
- That solo version was nominated for the 66th Grammy Awards in the Best Country Solo Performance category.
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Sources
Compiled from Wikipedia and the sources listed below. Text from Wikipedia is available under CC BY-SA 4.0; this entry is adapted from it.
- Wikipedia: The Last Thing on My Mind (CC BY-SA 4.0).
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