George Thorogood Rocks a Country Classic With 'Move It On Over'

'200 Greatest 70s Rock Songs' Book Excerpt

Photo byRounder

“Move It On Over” was written and first recorded by country singer Hank Williams in 1947. Some music critics consider it one of the earliest rock and roll records. “Move It On Over” has been described as a novelty song but Williams’ fiddler Jerry Rivers disputed this in The Billboard Book of Top 40 Country Hits: 1944–2006. Rivers said Williams’ songs ”weren’t novelty — they were serious, not silly, and that’s why they were much better accepted and better selling. ‘Move It On Over’ hits right home, ’cause half of the people he was singing to were in the doghouse with the ol’ lady.”

"Move It On Over" by Hank Williams

George Thorogood & the Destroyers made “Move It On Over” the title tune of their second album in 1978. The single reached №33 in 1979.

“Well, when it comes to country music, there’s Hank Williams and there’s Hank Williams, and that’s it!” Thorogood told Todd Beebe Music. “It’s like saying there’s blues and there’s Robert Johnson, and that’s it. I was made aware of Robert Johnson and Hank Williams almost exactly at the same time. I had a Hank Williams album and then I heard Robert Johnson right after that.

"Move It On Over" by George Thorogood & the Destroyers

“I couldn’t tell which artist was greater — Hank Williams or Robert Johnson! It was so powerful, both of them! And I was just going, ‘This is the greatest music I’ve ever heard!’ Remember, I’d already been exposed to the Beatles and Zeppelin and Dylan and Hendrix and things like that.

“I heard Hank Williams and Robert Johnson and that’s when I put it together. I said, ‘This is where it all came from! These are the two most important artists that ever came along in contemporary music!’ And I couldn’t tell which one was better, so I said ‘Let’s do a Hank Williams song and put a slide on it like Robert Johnson! BANG, ’Move It On Over,’ here I am!”

Frank Mastropolo is the author of 200 Greatest 70s Rock Songs and 200 Greatest 60s Rock Songs.