| "North to Alaska" | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Single byJohnny Horton | ||||
| from the album Greatest Hits | ||||
| B-side | "Mansion You Stole" | |||
| Released | August 22, 1960 | |||
| Recorded | August 9, 1960 | |||
| Genre | Country | |||
| Length | 2:49 | |||
| Label | Columbia | |||
| Songwriter(s) | Mike Phillips,Tillman Franks[1] | |||
| Producer(s) | Don Law | |||
| Johnny Horton singles chronology | ||||
| ||||
"North to Alaska" is a 1960 hit song recorded byJohnny Horton that was featured inthe movie of the same name. The song was written by Mike Phillips, along withTillman Franks.Though Horton had sung several popularmovie tie-in songs, this was the first one that was sung over the opening titles.Horton died in an automobile accident November 5, 1960 two days before the movie was released.[2]Members of theWestern Writers of America chose it as one of the Top 100 Western songs of all time.[3]
The song's lyrics during the opening titles of the film provide a back story for the point where the film begins: Sam McCord left Seattle in 1892 with George and Billy Pratt, "crossed the Yukon river" and "found the bonanza gold below that old white mountain just a little southeast ofNome." By "1901" Sam was known as "a mighty man", and his partner George then tells him, "I'd trade all the gold that's buried in this land for one small band of gold to place on sweet little Jenny's hand." George feels that Jenny is his "true love", and he declares he will "build for my Jenny a honeymoon home" below the same mountain where gold was discovered. An instrumental of the song is also played at the saloon on a piano when Sam and Angel arrive in Nome. The bass singing portion is done byRusty Goodman.
"North to Alaska" toppedBillboard magazine'sCountry Singles chart,[4] reached number four on theBillboard Hot 100 chart and eight on Norway Singles Chart.[5]
| Chart (1960–61) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Australia Singles Chart | 2 |
| Canada (CHUM)[6] | 1 |
| New Zealand (Lever Hit Parade)[7] | 6 |
| Norway (VG-lista)[8] | 8 |
| UK Singles (OCC)[9] | 23 |
| USBillboard Hot 100[10] | 4 |
| USHot Country Songs (Billboard)[11] | 1 |
| USHot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs (Billboard)[12] | 10 |
| West Germany[13] | 41 |
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