This Should Go On Forever
 | This article includes a list of general references, but it lacks sufficient corresponding inline citations. (March 2014) |
| "This Should Go On Forever" | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Single by Rod Bernard | |
| Released | October 1958 |
| Recorded | 1958, MasterTrak Studio, Louisiana |
| Genre | Swamp pop |
| Length | 2:49 |
| Label | Jin / Argo |
| Songwriter(s) | J. D. "Jay" Miller/Bernard Jolivette |
| Producer(s) | J. D. "Jay" Miller |
"This Should Go On Forever" is a popular song of the
and Bernard JolivetteBackground
King Karl (real name Bernard Jolivette), a black Creole swamp pop musician, composed the song around 1958. (Producer J. D. "Jay" Miller was listed as a co-writer even though he did not actually help to compose the tune.) Karl intended to record the song for the Excello label of Nashville, for which he, his bandmate Guitar Gable (Gabriel Perrodin), and their band the Musical Kings had recorded other swamp pop compositions. Excello did not like the song, however, and as a result Karl's version at first remained unreleased.
In the meantime,
In late 1958, Bernard's version became a regional hit in south Louisiana and east Texas, and, licensed to the Argo label of Chicago. In the US, it rose to the top 20 on the Billboard Hot 100 and R&B chart in 1959. Surprised by the song's success, Excello quickly released King Karl's original version. Other groups sought to record the song, by then, the general public regarded Bernard's version as the authoritative version. As a result, it was Bernard who appeared on American Bandstand, the Alan Freed Show, and elsewhere.
Chart positions
| Chart (1959) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| U.S. Billboard Hot 100[1] | 20 |
| U.S. Billboard Hot R&B Sides chart[2] | 12 |
Cover versions
Other swamp pop groups, released their own versions of the song to capitalize on Bernard's success including:
- Doug Charles and the Boogie Kings
- Gene Terry and the Downbeats
- It has also been covered by Mike Ladd on Shadow Records NR8816 and is credited only to "J. Miller" on the 45 label.
References
- ^ Whitburn, Joel (2013). Joel Whitburn's Top Pop Singles, 14th Edition: 1955-2012. Record Research. p. 76.
- ^ Whitburn, Joel (2004). Top R&B/Hip-Hop Singles: 1942-2004. Record Research. p. 55.
Sources
- Shane K. Bernard, Swamp Pop: Cajun and Creole Rhythm and Blues (Jackson: University Press of Mississippi, 1996).
- John Broven, South to Louisiana: Music of the Cajun Bayous (Gretna: Pelican, 1983).
