This week in 1966: The U.S. agreed to sell 200 tanks to Israel and Muhammad Ali was reclassified 1-A by the draft board; and a singer from Henderson, Tennessee, had his 91st hit record.
According to Eddy Arnold, having a hit record can open the door to better songs. After the success of "What's He Doing in My World" and "Make the World Go Away," we started getting the good songs. Publishers and writers started bringing me the good songs - it's kind of funny how that works. After "Make the World Go Away," we were offered "I Want to go with You." This was another Hank Cochran song and I liked the song the very first time I heard it. So I recorded it and it was another big hit!"
Eddy added, "I never got into or even wanted to get into political songs. And I didn't want a writer to think that he had to give me half the song to get me to record it. I just didn't think that was right. And I wanted the writers to bring me their good songs because they knew they wouldn't have to share the song with me. If I liked the song, I'd record it."
Arnold's RCA Victor single "I Want to go with You" came on the country charts Feb. 12, 1966 - made it to No. 1 and stuck there for six weeks. It was his 91st charted song and was on the charts for 19 weeks. Eddy Arnold placed 146 song on the country music charts between 1945 and 2008, including 28 No. 1s. He joined The Grand Old Opry in 1943 and was inducted into The Country Music Hall of Fame in 1966.
He died in 2008 at age 89.
To subscribe to our free "Country Music Classics" email newsletter, send a blank email to [email protected]