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"Someday Soon" is a song composed by Canadian singer-songwriter
Ian Tyson Ian Dawson Tyson (September 25, 1933 – December 29, 2022) was a Canadian singer-songwriter who wrote several folk songs, including " Four Strong Winds" and " Someday Soon", and performed with partner Sylvia Tyson as the duo Ian & Sylvia. Ea ...
who recorded the song with Sylvia Fricker as the duo Ian & Sylvia in 1963. Cited by Richie Unterberger of
Allmusic AllMusic (previously known as All Music Guide and AMG) is an American online music database. It catalogs more than three million album entries and 30 million tracks, as well as information on musicians and bands. Initiated in 1991, the databa ...
as "clearly point ngtoward ts writer'sfuture C&W/cowboy direction", "Someday Soon" would be brought to prominence via a 1968 recording by Judy Collins, and subsequently recorded by a number of artists primarily in the country and western field. In 2010 "Someday Soon" was honored by the
Western Writers of America Western Writers of America (WWA), founded 1953, promotes literature, both fictional and nonfictional, pertaining to the American West. Although its founders wrote traditional Western fiction, the more than 600 current members also include histori ...
as one of the "Top 100 Western Songs" of all time.


As recorded by Ian & Sylvia/ Ian Tyson

On the occasion of his 2019 induction into the
Canadian Songwriters Hall of Fame The Canadian Songwriters Hall of Fame (''Panthéon des Auteurs et Compositeurs canadiens'') is a Canadian non-profit organization, founded in 1998 by Frank Davies, that inducts Canadians into their ''Hall of Fame'' within three different categori ...
,
Ian Tyson Ian Dawson Tyson (September 25, 1933 – December 29, 2022) was a Canadian singer-songwriter who wrote several folk songs, including " Four Strong Winds" and " Someday Soon", and performed with partner Sylvia Tyson as the duo Ian & Sylvia. Ea ...
would credit
Bob Dylan Bob Dylan (legally Robert Dylan, born Robert Allen Zimmerman, May 24, 1941) is an American singer-songwriter. Often regarded as one of the greatest songwriters of all time, Dylan has been a major figure in popular culture during a career sp ...
with inspiring Ian & Sylvia to follow his lead in writing "original folk songs":(Ian Tyson quote:)"We had to go in some direction, because we had used up all the real roots music from the Delta on north. Bob blazed the trail into the wilderness, into unknown territory. I realized after I had written '
Four Strong Winds "Four Strong Winds" is a song written by Ian Tyson and recorded by Canadian folk duo Ian and Sylvia. Tyson has noted that he composed the song in about 20 minutes in his then manager Albert Grossman's New York apartment in 1962. A significant compos ...
' - Tyson's tyro composition written in 1962 after first hearing Dylan sing an original song - "and a couple of others, I had all kinds of cowboy material back there from personal experience. I just never thought of it as folk material, which it was of course." Like the subject of "Someday Soon", Tyson had been a rodeo rider in his youth, an on-the-job injury ending Tyson's career in his mid-20s (that injury led to Tyson's interest in music: while hospitalized he learned to play the guitar to pass the time). Tyson had written the song at the Lower East Side apartment of Sylvia Fricker, his musical partner in Ian & Sylvia:(Ian Tyson quote:) "I don't know where I got the idea for
riting Writing is a medium of human communication which involves the representation of a language through a system of physically inscribed, mechanically transferred, or digitally represented symbols. Writing systems do not themselves constitute h ...
a song from a girl's perspective. I stole the first line of
Someday Soon' Someday or Some Day may refer to: Film and television * Someday (1935 film), ''Someday'' (1935 film), a British film directed by Michael Powell * Someday (2011 film), ''Someday'' (2011 film), a Japanese film directed by Junji Sakamoto * Someday ...
from an old
Stanley Brothers The Stanley Brothers were an American bluegrass duo of singer-songwriters and musicians, made up of brothers Carter Stanley (August 27, 1925 – December 1, 1966) and Ralph Stanley (February 25, 1927 – June 23, 2016). Ralph and Carter perfo ...
... bluegrass song. But I don't know where I got that plotline." "Some Day Soon" - as the Ian & Sylvia version was originally styled - appeared on the 1964 Ian & Sylvia album ''Northern Journey'', released shortly after the couple's June 1964 marriage: the song had already been issued as the B-side of the January 1964 advance single release " You Were on My Mind". "Someday Soon" was recorded in 2001 by Ian Tyson for his 2002 live album release ''Live at Longview''.


As recorded by Judy Collins


Background

In 1968, Judy Collins recorded "Someday Soon" for her album '' Who Knows Where the Time Goes''. Although Collins had frequently crossed paths with
Ian and Sylvia Ian & Sylvia were a Canadian folk and country music duo which consisted of Ian and Sylvia Tyson, née Fricker. They began performing together in 1959 (full-time in 1961), married in 1964, and divorced and stopped performing together in 1975. ...
- (Judy Collins quote:) "We used to hang out together. I had heard all of their songs"- it was Collins' swain Stephen Stills who suggested she record "Someday Soon". According to the song's composer
Ian Tyson Ian Dawson Tyson (September 25, 1933 – December 29, 2022) was a Canadian singer-songwriter who wrote several folk songs, including " Four Strong Winds" and " Someday Soon", and performed with partner Sylvia Tyson as the duo Ian & Sylvia. Ea ...
(Ian Tyson quote:)"Stephen Stills was living with Judy Collins and he told her: 'You've got to record this song.' She didn't want to record it but he pushed her to and that recording was magical." Collins herself recalls responding positively to Stills' recommendation: (Judy Collins quote:) "One evening as Stephen and I were driving back o Los Angelesfrom Malibu we started talking about the n progress sessions for''Who Knows Where the Time Goes''. 'I think we need one more song,' Stephen said: 'What about 'Someday Soon'? The song was perfect for me, a Colorado girl at heart" - referencing the song's locale - "I remembered all the lyrics and we hit the freeway singing in harmony...The next day we recorded 'Someday Soon'" in a session which featured Stills on acoustic guitar, Buddy Emmons on pedal steel guitar and
James Burton James Edward Burton (born August 21, 1939, in Dubberly, Louisiana) is an American guitarist. A member of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame since 2001 (his induction speech was given by longtime fan Keith Richards), Burton has also been recognized ...
on
Telecaster The Fender Telecaster, colloquially known as the Tele , is an electric guitar produced by Fender. Together with its sister model the Esquire, it is the world's first mass-produced, commercially successfulLes Paul had built a prototype solid body ...
. The album ''Who Knows Where the Time Goes'' was issued in the autumn of 1969, at which time "
Both Sides Now "Both Sides, Now" is a song by Canadian singer-songwriter Joni Mitchell. First recorded by Judy Collins, it appeared on the US singles chart during the fall of 1968. The next year it was included on Mitchell's album '' Clouds'', and became one ...
" given a belated single release from Collins' 1967 album '' Wildflowers'' was affording Collins her debut
Top 40 In the music industry, the Top 40 is the current, 40 most-popular songs in a particular genre. It is the best-selling or most frequently broadcast popular music. Record charts have traditionally consisted of a total of 40 songs. "Top 40" or "cont ...
hit. As "Both Sides Now" was dropping out of the Top 40 from its #8 ''Billboard'' Hot 100 peak, "Someday Soon" was released as follow-up single in January 1969 - five years to the month after the release of the Ian & Sylvia single " You Were On My Mind"/ "Some Day Soon". Despite reaching the Top Ten in a number of locales where "Both Sides Now" had afforded Collins especial success - notably
San Francisco San Francisco (; Spanish for " Saint Francis"), officially the City and County of San Francisco, is the commercial, financial, and cultural center of Northern California. The city proper is the fourth most populous in California and 17th ...
and several mid-size California cities -, "Someday Soon" would rise no higher on the Hot 100 than #55, also reaching #37 on the Canadian Top Singles chart published by ''
RPM Revolutions per minute (abbreviated rpm, RPM, rev/min, r/min, or with the notation min−1) is a unit of rotational speed or rotational frequency for rotating machines. Standards ISO 80000-3:2019 defines a unit of rotation as the dimensionl ...
''. In 1972 "Someday Soon" was rereleased - with " Suzanne" as B-side - parallel with the release of the compilation '' Colors of the Day: The Best of Judy Collins'' album, but the single was not a success. Despite not being a major hit in terms of chart data, "Someday Soon" is considered a signature song of Collins'. Robb Baker (''
The Chicago Tribune The ''Chicago Tribune'' is a daily newspaper based in Chicago, Illinois, United States, owned by Tribune Publishing. Founded in 1847, and formerly self-styled as the "World's Greatest Newspaper" (a slogan for which WGN radio and television ar ...
'') reviewing ''Who Knows Where the Time Goes'' cited "Someday Soon" along with Collins' original "My Father" as the album's highlights, describing "Someday Soon" as " ollins' countriest selection ever...about a girl who vies for a man's affections with...a 'damned old rodeo'." Matthew Greenwald of
Allmusic AllMusic (previously known as All Music Guide and AMG) is an American online music database. It catalogs more than three million album entries and 30 million tracks, as well as information on musicians and bands. Initiated in 1991, the databa ...
described Collins's rendition favorably, calling it "one of the great story-songs of the 1960s" and praising Collins's vocals. In-concert renditions of "Someday Soon" appear on the 2000 album release ''Judy Collins Live at Wolf Trap'' and the 2003 multi-artist album release ''Wildflower Festival''. Collins' 2015 duets album ''Strangers Again'' featured her rendition of "Someday Soon" with Jimmy Buffett.


Chart performance


Moe Bandy version


Background

In 1982,
country music Country (also called country and western) is a genre of popular music that originated in the Southern and Southwestern United States in the early 1920s. It primarily derives from blues, church music such as Southern gospel and spirituals, ...
singer
Moe Bandy Marion Franklin "Moe" Bandy Jr. (born February 12, 1944) is an American country music singer. He was most popular during the 1970s, when he had several hit songs, both alone and with his singing partner, Joe Stampley. Early life and recordin ...
remade the song for his Columbia Records album release ''Rodeo Romeo''. It was the second and final single from that album. This version entered the country music charts in the U.S. and Canada, respectively reaching #21 and #36.


Chart performance


Suzy Bogguss version


Background

Suzy Bogguss charted a recording of "Someday Soon" in 1991, from her Liberty Records album release '' Aces''. According to its composer
Ian Tyson Ian Dawson Tyson (September 25, 1933 – December 29, 2022) was a Canadian singer-songwriter who wrote several folk songs, including " Four Strong Winds" and " Someday Soon", and performed with partner Sylvia Tyson as the duo Ian & Sylvia. Ea ...
, Bogguss' recording of "Someday Soon" was due to steel guitarist Tommy Spurlock, Tyson's sometimes sideman, playing on the sessions for the ''Aces'' album:(Ian Tyson quote:) "He said; "Why don't y'all do 'Someday Soon', that old song of Tyson's?' They all gave him blank looks. Then they got the Judy Collins version of the song and cut it almost the same way with minor tweaking". Bogguss herself would state that "recording
Someday Soon' Someday or Some Day may refer to: Film and television * Someday (1935 film), ''Someday'' (1935 film), a British film directed by Michael Powell * Someday (2011 film), ''Someday'' (2011 film), a Japanese film directed by Junji Sakamoto * Someday ...
is sort of like living out a dream for me. I've been singing it forever:" " twas one of the first songs I played when I was starting out erformingin 1978. t'sa song that it felt cool to play with just the guitar, and I've always wanted to record it": "I actually had to fight to record that song
ince ''Aces'' co-producer Ince may refer to: *Ince, Cheshire, a village in Cheshire, UK *Ince-in-Makerfield in the Metropolitan Borough of Wigan, UK *Ince (UK Parliament constituency), a former constituency covering Ince-in-Makerfield *Ince (ward), an electoral ward covering ...
Jimmy owensaid: 'Too many people have covered that song. Moe Bandy did it 10 years ago and Judy Collins had a huge hit, and you’re going to draw comparisons.' I said, let me cut it because the young people t her live showswere really responding to it." Bogguss has conceded that while she aims to select songs that "I could give my wntwist to", "Someday Soon" was a number "I did pretty much like Judy Collins ad" Released as the lead single from ''Aces'', "Someday Soon" spent twenty weeks on the country singles charts and peaking at #12. The song also reached #16 on the ''RPM'' Country Tracks charts. Bryan Buss of
Allmusic AllMusic (previously known as All Music Guide and AMG) is an American online music database. It catalogs more than three million album entries and 30 million tracks, as well as information on musicians and bands. Initiated in 1991, the databa ...
described Bogguss's rendition as the "second strongest cut" on ''Aces,'' saying that her vocal performance "makes Bogguss an artist and not just a vocalist." Bogguss' 2016 album ''Aces Redux'' features a new recording of "Someday Soon" (plus the other tracks from ''Aces''). A 1999 live version of "Someday Soon" is featured on ''Live at Caffé Milano'' which had been sold in CD format at Bogguss' live shows since 2001 before being made available digitally in 2020.


Chart performance


Other versions

"Someday Soon" has also been recorded by
the Kingston Trio The Kingston Trio is an American folk and pop music group that helped launch the folk revival of the late 1950s to the late 1960s. The group started as a San Francisco Bay Area nightclub act with an original lineup of Dave Guard, Bob Shane, ...
(album '' The Kingston Trio (Nick Bob John)''/ 1964),
Julie Felix Julie Ann Felix (June 14, 1938 – March 22, 2020) was an American-British folk singer and recording artist who achieved success, particularly on British television, in the late 1960s and early 1970s. She later performed and released albums on h ...
(album ''The Second Album''/ 1965), Esther & Abi Ofarim (album ''The New Esther & Abi Ofarim album''/ 1966), Judy Lynn (album ''Judy Lynn Sings at Caesar's Palace''/ 1969),
Skeeter Davis Skeeter Davis (born Mary Frances Penick; December 30, 1931September 19, 2004) was an American country music singer and songwriter who sang crossover pop music songs including 1962's " The End of the World". She started out as part of the Davis S ...
(album "maryfrances"/ 1969), Lynn Anderson (album '' Stay There 'Til I Get There''/ 1970),
Bonnie Dobson Bonnie Dobson (born November 13, 1940, Toronto, Ontario, Canada)"Bonnie Dobson"< ...
(album ''Bonnie Dobson''/ 1972),
Glen Campbell Glen Travis Campbell (April 22, 1936 – August 8, 2017) was an American guitarist, singer, songwriter, actor and television host. He was best known for a series of hit songs in the 1960s and 1970s, and for hosting '' The Glen Campbell Good ...
(album '' I Knew Jesus (Before He Was a Star)''/ 1973), Chris LeDoux (album ''Rodeo Songs 'Old and New'''/ 1973),
Tanya Tucker Tanya Denise Tucker (born October 10, 1958) is an American country music singer and songwriter who had her first hit, "Delta Dawn", in 1972 at the age of 13. Over the succeeding decades, Tucker became one of the few child performers to mature int ...
(album ''
Tanya Tucker Tanya Denise Tucker (born October 10, 1958) is an American country music singer and songwriter who had her first hit, "Delta Dawn", in 1972 at the age of 13. Over the succeeding decades, Tucker became one of the few child performers to mature int ...
''/ 1975), Crystal Gayle (album ''
When I Dream ''When I Dream'' is the fifth studio album by American country music singer Crystal Gayle. It was released on June 2, 1978 at the height of her career. It was her second consecutive #2 country album on the ''Billboard'' charts. Two singles from t ...
''/ 1978), Freda & the Firedogs featuring
Marcia Ball Marcia Ball (born March 20, 1949, Orange, Texas, United States) is an American blues singer and pianist raised in Vinton, Louisiana. Ball was described in ''USA Today'' as "a sensation, saucy singer and superb pianist... where Texas stomp-rock ...
(album ''Live from the Old Soap Creek Saloon''/ 1979),
Mare Winningham A mare is an adult female horse or other equine. In most cases, a mare is a female horse over the age of three, and a filly is a female horse three and younger. In Thoroughbred horse racing, a mare is defined as a female horse more than four y ...
(album ''Lonesomers''/ 1997),
Andrea Marcovicci Andrea Louisa Marcovicci ( ro, Marcovici; born November 18, 1948) is an American actress and singer. Life and career Marcovicci was born in Manhattan, to Helen Stuart, a singer, and Eugen Marcovicci, a physician and internist of Romanian desce ...
(album ''Here There & Everywhere''/ 2000),
Lucy Kaplansky Lucy Kaplansky (born February 16, 1960) is an American folk musician based in New York City. Kaplansky has a PhD in clinical psychology from Yeshiva University and plays guitar, mandolin, and piano. Life and career Kaplansky was originally f ...
(album '' Over the Hills''/ 2007),
One Hundred Dollars One Hundred Dollars, sometimes seen as $100, is a Canadian alternative country band. Based in Toronto, Ontario, the band currently consists of Simone Schmidt on vocals, Ian Russell on acoustic guitar, Stew Crookes on pedal steel, Paul Mortimer on ...
(album ''Forest of Tears''/ 2008),
Joanie Keller Joanie Keller (born in Wayne, Nebraska) is an American country music singer. Keller began performing in her father's band when she was a small child. After graduating high school, she played local clubs in Colorado before moving to Nashville to ...
(album ''Me & Dad''/ 2009), Annalisa Tornfelt (album ''Search Zero''/ 2015),
Fred Eaglesmith Frederick John Elgersma (born July 9, 1957), known by the stage name Fred Eaglesmith, is a Canadian alternative country singer-songwriter. He is known for writing songs about vehicles, rural life, down-and-out characters, lost love and quirky rur ...
& Tif Ginn (album ''Alive''/ 2020), and Steve Forbert (album ''Early Morning Rain''/ 2020).


References

{{Suzy Bogguss Ian Tyson songs Judy Collins songs Moe Bandy songs Suzy Bogguss songs Glen Campbell songs 1969 singles 1982 singles 1991 singles Songs written by Ian Tyson Song recordings produced by Jimmy Bowen Elektra Records singles Columbia Records singles Liberty Records singles Vanguard Records singles 1964 songs Esther & Abi Ofarim songs