Hush (Billy Joe Royal song)



"Hush" is a song written by American composer and musician Joe South, for recording artist Billy Joe Royal, whose single peaked at number 52 on the Billboard Hot 100 on 28 October – 11 November 1967. The chorus begins "Hush, hush, I thought I heard her calling my name", which is a takeoff from the traditional gospel song lyrics "Hush, hush, somebody's calling my name". Session musician Barry Bailey, who later became the lead guitarist for the Atlanta Rhythm Section, plays guitar on the track. Kris Ife covered "Hush" in 1967. Australian performer Russell Morris recorded a version in 1967 with Somebody's Image, and a heavier version with his band The Rubes in 1980. The hook of the song "na-nana-na-nana-na-nana-na" has similarity with the bridge section of The Beatles song "A Day in the Life". The Deep Purple version has a slower section also matching the timing with The Beatles song.

Deep Purple version
The song was subsequently recorded by British hard rock band Deep Purple  for their 1968 debut album Shades of Deep Purple. The track became the group's first hit single peaking at number 4 on the Hot 100 on 21–28 September 1968 and number 2 in Canada while going largely unnoticed in the United Kingdom. A live, US-televised version of "Hush" appeared as a bonus track on the 2000 CD-reissue of the Shades of Deep Purple album.

In 1968, Hugh Hefner introduced Deep Purple who performed live in Playboy After Dark TV show. After Hefner heard a ghost story from Jon Lord and had a guitar lesson from Ritchie Blackmore, Deep Purple performed "Hush" which is available in the Playboy After Dark -2nd Collection 2007 DVD release.

In celebration of the band's 20th anniversary, Deep Purple re-recorded the song in 1988 for their album Nobody's Perfect. The track was released as a single and reached number 62 on the UK singles chart and number 44 on the US Hot Mainstream Rock chart.

"Hush" is one of four songs originally recorded with vocals sung by Rod Evans that the band have performed with Ian Gillan on vocals later on. Others are "Kentucky Woman", originally from the album The Book of Taliesyn from 1968, "Mandrake Root" from the same album that originally featured "Hush", and "Bird Has Flown" from the album Deep Purple, or Deep Purple III, released in 1969.

Other versions
Johnny Hallyday recorded a French cover, "Mal", in 1968. Love Affair recorded a cover that was included as a track on the The Everlasting Love Affair album, released in the December that year.

The Partridge Family performed a version on their TV series, with David Cassidy on vocals.

Also in 1968, American singer Merrilee Rush included her version of the song on her debut album Angel of the Morning.

Funky Junction recorded a version of "Hush" on their only album Funky Junction Play a Tribute to Deep Purple in 1973. The band featured Phil Lynott, Eric Bell and Brian Downey from Thin Lizzy.

Santa Esmeralda (a French disco band) recorded a version for their 1981 album Bentleyfunk

Funk Machine (an Italo disco band) recorded a version for their 1982 album Dance on the Groove and do the Funk.

West German pop duo Milli Vanilli recorded a version in 1988.

The American noise rock band Killdozer covered "Hush" on their 1989 covers-only album, For Ladies Only.

UK psych-rock band Prime Movers covered "Hush" on their 1991 album, Earth Church.

Gotthard's self-titled debut album, released in 1992, featured a cover version of "Hush" recorded by the band themselves.

The Electric Amish recorded a parody called "Mush" on their Milkin' It album.

Kula Shaker, a British psychedelic rock band released "Hush" as a single on February 24, 1997. It reached number 2 on the UK singles chart and number 19 on the Mainstream Rock Tracks chart in the US, where it was included in the I Know What You Did Last Summer soundtrack and the trailer for the 2014 film Kingsman: The Secret Service.

Eric Gales recorded a version on his 2006 album Crystal Vision.

In other media
The Deep Purple version was featured in films:
 * 1995 – Apollo 13
 * 2000 – Isn't She Great
 * 2001 – When Strangers Appear
 * 2004 – Beyond the Sea
 * 2006 – Children of Men
 * 2008 – Strange Wilderness

The song was parodied as "Push" in promos for the short-lived 1998 American soap opera Push.

The song was played in the second season of the television series Prison Break during the episode "Scan". It was also featured in the second episode of the short-lived Freaks and Geeks.

The game Battlefield: Vietnam included "Hush" as part of the in-game soundtrack.

The Xbox 360 version of the game Guitar Hero II features the Deep Purple arrangement as a playable song.

The 2008 television advertisement for the Jaguar XF features the 'monitor mix' version of Hush, from Deep Purple's The Early Years album.

The song can also be heard in the film Ghosts of Girlfriends Past, in a television spot for the 2009 film Taking Woodstock, as well as played over footage of Derby County goals in the movie about Brian Clough, The Damned United.

Deep Purple's version of the song is featured in full during two shootouts early in the 2012 video game Spec Ops: The Line.

Deep Purple's version was sampled for the 1995 PM Dawn song Downtown Venus.

1968 Deep Purple version

 * Ritchie Blackmore - guitar
 * Rod Evans - lead vocals
 * Nick Simper - bass, backing vocals
 * Ian Paice - drums
 * Jon Lord - organ, backing vocals

1988 Deep Purple version

 * Ritchie Blackmore - guitar
 * Ian Gillan - vocals, harmonica
 * Roger Glover - bass
 * Ian Paice - drums
 * Jon Lord - organ, keyboards