1. You may have a point, but we needed Chet and Harold Bradley......Waylon is not of the Nashville sound I guess but country music was in decline until these two men in seperate studios and labels brought new life into it, and yes we have to go through changes, look at todays music......nothing like the 50s and 60s!!
2. This recording although a private recording for Cindy Walker who wrote it is just wonderful, Roy Orbison also had a recording but Jims is so much better and the overdub by Mary Reeves and Chet Atkins cannot be faulted in any way. Larry Jordan also has an overdubbed version again very good. I cant say many other recording artists covered this apart from maybe Tex Ritter. Jim was one of a kind, and so sadly missed today.
3. As great as Atkins was in his own right, as the head of RCA he was a pain in the rear to many good and great artists, which is why people like Waylon Jennings broke away and rebelled against the system.
4. Drafted in '67, I secretly married my Barbara Ann on pre-deployment leave. We thought it might be all we would ever have. Four months later I was home, wounded and changed. She stayed with me for 14 years as I became reclusive and distant. She could only move on without me. I am grateful for the time we had together knowing that many in this "Distant Drums" scenario throughout history never make it home or were divorced soon after returning. Hadn't heard this song in 40 years, it sure hit home.
5. Thank you for the dedication. It means a lot to me.
6. Sorry to correct you mangledinal but most folk from the southern states would refer to the Civil War as 'The War Of Northern Aggression'. Today we are Americans and may God Bless us all! And yes, this is a beautiful song sung in an equally beautiful voice!
7. Wasnt,the a drinker
8. this is one of the approved songs orderd by the first family of the am-track federation. you have to read the am-track wars .
9. Roy Orbison had recorded the song in 1963 for the In Dream LP, it is Reeves' version of "Distant Drums" which has endured over the years This was an unexpected achievement for a song which Reeves had recorded for its composer, Cindy Walker, under the impression it was for her private use only and had been earlier dismissed by both the RCA record company and Chet Atkins as unsuitable for wider public release
10. I am originally from Barbados a little island in the Caribbean. I grew up listening to Jim Reeves songs in the 1960's. Every Sunday morning we will hear is gospel recordings on the radio. His golden voice was truly a blessing to the ears. There are times when tears would come to my eyes listening to his songs, because is music brings back many, many wonderful childhood memories. I think of my friends, school,the old neighborhood. I can still the voices of my neighbors resonating in my ears
11. loveing it
12. @closertofiftythanyew yankees is not spelled yankies. AND you johnny rebs put our country thru all that. Come to think of it, a real reb would call it the War between the States, right? Never heard this song before but it's beautiful.
13.  I have uncles who were in the 'Nam. Thanks for your service, and I hope you found a "Mary " worthy of you.
14. First time I heard this song was 1966. I was home on leave from the military with orders to go to Vietnam. My Mary had already found someone else.
15. pity - few live shows by jim !!!
16. It actually kept The Beatles off the number one slot in the UK charts - not easy at that time!
17. I had an annual edition of Billboard Magazine in early 1967 that had this song listed as the Number One song in England in 1966.  It was big in USA but even bigger across the sea!
18. It would be great if you could post something never heard before!Waiting to hear Jim in a new song
19. I don´t think that this is a "DEMO", I would call this a proper recording, unissued. When they issued it back in 1966, "they" decided that it "wasn´t good enough", & overdubbed it. There have always been "EXPERTS" like that , around country music (like the guy at Decca who tried giving Uncle Dave Macon a singing lesson), trying to "better" something that is already perfect, like this version of "DISTANT DRUMS".
20. @closertofiftythanyew; Boy are YOU Stupid or What? I think What ! This song for your info had NOTHING to do with the Civil War !
21. @closertofiftythanyew  nope, the distant drums was in Vietnam those days
22. When this song was resurrected in '66----it became very popular in Viet Nam where i first heard it .
23. sal altyd aan jou dink my Dad, ek weet jy was altyd gelukkig met Jim se musiek xx
24. It is written on the wall that fifty eight thousand Americans heard the sound of the distant drums .Take care ADonovan43
25. I have hundreds of songs recorded by the great Jim Reeves Given to me years ago by a man who worked and recorded with Jim. I have songs that probably have never seen the light of day, so if there is a song someone has heard of and wants just post a message I shall do what I can for you. Peter, PP country singer

Jim Reeves Distant Drums - original demo

2.95 min. | 4.970238 user rating | 267276 views

This is the original demo recording of Distant Drums, just Reeves, guitars & drums, no strings or bugle. Dedicated to all soldiers who leave their own "Marys", goto war and never return.
Tags: Jim Reeves