Jim Reeves Distant Drums - original demo

[INDYOSKARS]

I don´t think that this is a "DEMO", I would call this a proper recording, unissued.

When they issued it back in 1966, "they" decided that it "wasn´t good enough",

& overdubbed it. There have always been "EXPERTS" like that , around country

music (like the guy at Decca who tried giving Uncle Dave Macon a singing lesson),

trying to "better" something that is already perfect, like this version of

"DISTANT DRUMS".

[Xmetro2187]

When this song was resurrected in '66----it became very popular in Viet Nam where i first heard it .

[kobuswarricker]

sal altyd aan jou dink my Dad, ek weet jy was altyd gelukkig met Jim se musiek xx

[ADonovan43]

It is written on the wall that fifty eight thousand Americans heard the sound of the distant drums .Take care ADonovan43

[23842241]

I have hundreds of songs recorded by the great Jim Reeves Given to me years ago by a man who worked and recorded with Jim. I have songs that probably have never seen the light of day, so if there is a song someone has heard of and wants just post a message I shall do what I can for you. Peter, PP country singer

[hagglasse]

@23842241 It would be great if you could post something never heard before!Waiting to hear Jim in a new song

[forsythbill1]

fantastic,nothing more to say really

[pro3tlb]

Cindy Walker wrote this especially for Jim just prior to the escalation of the Viet Nam War. Jim had a habit of going into Studio B upon his return to Nashville after a road trip (often in the wee hours of the morning, he had a key). He would record many songs and when he got home he would give those tapes to his wife Mary; for insurance as he would say. This song was one of those songs. Chet felt that with Viet Nam coming on the timing for this song was off.

[MrOldgeorge1949]

love this song

[RatifiedCow]

...I absolutely love this song... no one sing it like Jim Reeves!

[berto1b]

Nádherné niet čo dodať, až zimomriavky naskakujú

[amateurphilosopher]

I first heard this song in 1970, not too long after registering with Selective Service, and at the time I was madly in love with a girl named Mary. Every time this song came on the radio, it really hit home.

[TheJohnnyrondo]

I heard this whilst serving in RAF GERMANY and JIM WAS STILL ALIVE so cut the bullshit.

[ccmuis23]

kei gaaf zeer mooie stem zacht en gevoelig

[catman5169]

I first came to "know" Gentleman Jim in the early '70's when I became involved in country radio....played his songs as much as I dared!!! Never got a complaint, either...

[rennogsd1996]

first heard this when i was 9. this song was on an album with billy bayou and some others.

[hirdy6]

This man was pure silk.

[booksbenji]

I don't know if y'all noticed that the President's own was marching in open seconds insum "China Town"

[mollysangelique]

pause,moe,tot,later,helaas,mee­r,talk,wat,je,in,real,moet,doe­n,marry,nou,jy,vlucht,by,het,w­oord,samen,kan,dat,niet,contac­t,weet,jy,het,antwoord,moet,jy­,my,loslaten,is,het,real,love,­by,jou,twyfel,je,niet,bay

[mollysangelique]

pause,moe,tot,later,helaas,mee­r,talk,wat,je,in,real,moet,doe­n

[azaz09095]

this is my favorite song of jim reeves. it was playing on my record player many ,many years ago .[im 72 now ] when i asked a girl to get engaged to me.it is still so clear in my mind even though it was so many years ago.thanks for bringing back so many lovely memories.

i didnt marry her after all .

les

[The2ndinfdiv]

GREAT GREAT song and video

[booksbenji]

tomcatjeff1985, Thank you for your post, Sir.

[JONSEY123able]

my dads funeral song..always makes me cry he luved this!

[booksbenji]

Mr willobi, I thank u sir.

[booksbenji]

I still after for the 1st time in 1967, Dad and I went to Selective Service and I sign up and went the officer what branch of the services, I replied "USITED STATES MARINE CORPS, SIR". Dad almost lost it, he knew that I have reading alot of material and when he showed at gradution in '69(MCRDSDIEGO) smiles ear to ear. He didn;t called me no Gomer neither!

[willobi]

@booksbenji you did right thing at the right time ..as you saw fit.

[willobi]

this is sound track to the amtak-wars cloud warrior film if was to be made.

[royaltanks1]

one of my dads favourites RIP dad

[rocketpropulsion]

It's been so very long since I listened to Jim Reeves. My mother listened to him all the time. I miss her so bad. These recordings brings back all the memories of just how wonderful of a mother I did have. Thank you for posting this demo. It's so pure.

[lakpolmit]

Close, this song I think is relavent to all the conflicts we've faced throughout the years of war. it even stands for today with all upset in the Middleeast.

[magilojoh]

I had never heard this version before. It is just beautiful!! Thanks for posting it.

[MrDavidson1970]

Fucks sake its a song, a fucking good song!

[60fatman]

played this song and got totally blasted week before I shipped out to Vietnam. DAMM makes me SAD

[pianoman1065]

Thanks for posting this original demo Jim recorded personally for Cindy Walker after Chet Atkins of RCA turned the song down for Jim.

[slmiller222]

couldnt be a civil war song talks about going across the sea but it is a beautiful song and i can't imagine anybody else singing it.

[STUDIOCHINCHAN]

Thanks for sharing, never heard this one before. I made my version of this beautiful tune. Best regards Eric Studio ChinChan

[4jfern42]

Another very smooth voice...gives me chills...used to sing me to sleep when riding in my dad's 18 wheeler...just me;my sister and dad with the 8 track.

[norbie6]

Beautiful song by a great singer!

[steadystride]

I've been in a uniform while this country was not at piece. I married a girl on my way from basic to my home base. She was not with me but I was not alone. You don't know till you've been there.

[101paul]

i have a hand full that my dad passed on to me on 45 rpm and would never get rid so you might find it hard.

[closertofiftythanyew]

this is an American Civil War memory song, surely, what you yankies put yourselves through during the 1860s, Abe Lincoln and all that?

[164will]

@closertofiftythanyew The song was written especially for Jim Reeves by Cindy Walker, (who was a close friend of his),this version is the demo he cut for RCA but Chet Atkins decided that, great tho' it was, it wasn't suitable to do a full recording; it wasn't until after Reeves death that it was overdubbed and released in 1966; the rest is, as they say, history!

[closertofiftythanyew]

@164will could be any war, but as a brit as am I, I sense it is steeped in eastern states running around and killing each other, as civil wars hapenned to be. That is no doubt it was based on.

[fek2000]

@164will I had an annual edition of Billboard Magazine in early 1967 that had this song listed as the Number One song in England in 1966. It was big in USA but even bigger across the sea!

[164will]

@fek2000 It actually kept The Beatles off the number one slot in the UK charts - not easy at that time!

[starfish50]

@closertofiftythanyew - NO it was not for the Cival war, because the cival war took place on American soil. If you listen to the song, he says ( they will send me over the sea ( something to that term) - so could NOT be cival war, probably WW2

[64fairlane305]

@closertofiftythanyew nope, the distant drums was in Vietnam those days

[BearStar1]

@closertofiftythanyew; Boy are YOU Stupid or What? I think What ! This song for your info had NOTHING to do with the Civil War !

[conkeruk]

Well done on the work you have put in on all JR work.

Excellent ... thank you

[uubertuu]

sadly all the people around at same tim as jim reeves are either dead or too old to care any more so the only tinf left of jim reeves is the music he left behind but as long as i am around his music will live on and i NEVER tire of distant drums the best song ever

[thovad]

A great singer.

[ChrisCurtisFan]

Takes me back so many years -- was my Mother's favorite Jim Reeves tune....myself, I loved all his music. The velvet voice :'(

[LadODell]

No matter how many years pass this song tells a story we sadly know too many times. I had my orders for Viet Nam when I first heard this song. Sadly for so

many it was their last time. Jim has a way of expressing feelings in a very special way. He truly was and still is a very special super star.

[Bear394]

nice,very nice!!

[GLMcGahan]

this is a really nice video. thanks to the creator, awesome job!

[tomcatjeff1985]

FOR dedication and love to serve for God, country and freedom, these heroe soldiers would leave and never returned to their loveones alive, I have a great respect and admiration for them, God Bless their souls in heaven.

[WBOS72]

This song, when released, knocked The Beatles out of #1 spot in the UK!! Amazing.

[routeoz]

top for about 10 weeks.

[TheLDLady]

I bought the album with this song in 1967and about wore this song out...love it.  Thanks for sharing.

[uubertuu]

this must be the most hauntig song of all time

[uubertuu]

do you know where i can find all jims songs

[164will]

Getting ALL Jims songs is no easy task, believe me. The largest collection is one released on the BEAR FAMILY label several years ago. It's still available at various sites on the net, (try AMAZON), but this does not include the excellent overdubs and radio tracks released by VOICEMASTERS, (goto THE JIM REEVES WAY website for details of those).

Hope this helps you and good luck.

ian (164will)

[kevthegerbil1958]

What a lovely original recording like to heard jims songs before the extras are added his voice just flows through you thank for this

[598spitfire]

i remember this when i was x years old approx my dad had a fergerson radio/record player this was the sound my pre-war brothers and sisters played his music record /radio all the time i love this record even now i'm x-year a true classic

[jucameron]

Released in 1966, two years after his death, Jim Reeves Distant Drums and Glen Campbells "Galveston (1969) were the enduring favourites among enlisted men waiting to leave for Vietnam the equivalent of "Lille Marlene" in the Desert War of WWII.

[AmbAgAshA]

I once heard " Keep moving Dan" However I cannot find it, cany you help?

[AirmanSnook]

The name of that song is "The Blizzard" by Jim Reeves

[rushfiend]

The greatest male vocalist by far!!!

[Rambo82NOR]

he is like elvis , but with another tune in his voice

[briartlaw]

I loved that one thanks for posting ..

[uubertuu]

as any one all the jim reeves songs

[uubertuu]

many singers hvae tried but nobody sings distant drums like jim reeves

[164will]

I agree, most singers cannot sing this as well as Jim Reeves, but have a listen to Johnny Russell, (elsewhere on my channel), give it a very good try.

Ian in UK

[Mihon54]

@uubertuu There is a beautiful version with Czech Jiri Grossmann, and because I am Czech, so I brought it to Jim Reeesovi. Jiri even sang a Blizzard.

[uubertuu]

many singrs have tried, but nobody sings like jim reeves

[artsevere]

I think I like this version better as well- so simple and haunting. It seems like Jim's voice is cleaner and clearer on this version, as well. They should have released this as it was, in my opinion. Thanks 164will---another JR classic recording!

[dragmeslow]

How great to get rid of those annoying and heavyhanded overdubs! That bugle always set my teeth on edge. But now you can hear what a lovely song this really is. Reminds me of the sound on his best album "Tall Tales and Short Tempers". Thanks for sharing this gem!

[164will]

Hey, I like that bugle!

(Seriously, I know what you mean, overdubs are brilliant, but all you really needs is that great voice.)

[dragmeslow]

Yes, the overdubbed version was a huge hit, so I´m probably a minority of one here. But at last I can enjoy it too! Thanks again!