45 single, Side A. Decca (31901) (1966)
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"Put It Off Until Tomorrow" is a single by Bill Phillips from his debut studio album of the same name. It was released on January 17, 1966, by Decca Records. The track was written by Dolly with her uncle Bill Owens and features uncredited vocals from Dolly and was produced by Owen Bradley. It peaked at number six on the Billboard Hot Country Songs chart, becoming Philips' first top ten hit and convincing Fred Foster at Monument to market Dolly as a country artist. It was later included on Phillips' album of the same name in June 1966.
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Track listing
Side A
- Put It Off Until Tomorrow (with uncredited harmony by Dolly Parton) (Dolly Parton, Bill Owens) 2:30
- Lonely Lonely Boy (Bill Phillips) 2:15
Background
When Dolly was signed to Monument Records by Fred Foster in 1964, she was also signed to a publishing deal with Foster's Combine Music. "Put It Off Until Tomorrow" was written by Dolly and uncle Bill Owens during one of their trips from Sevierville to Nashville. They sent a demo of the song with Bill singing lead and Dolly singing the harmony to Decca country artist Bill Phillips. Upon hearing the demo, Phillips' stated, "Whoever that girl is singing the harmony, I want her on this record." He recorded the song and one additional Parton-Owens composition in June 1965. Although the first single released from this session, "Friends Tell Friends", failed to impact the country charts in 1965, the follow-up single in 1966, "Put It Off Until Tomorrow", became a top 10 hit and provided Fred Foster with the evidence he needed to be convinced to market Dolly as a country artist.
The song was awarded a BMI Award in 1966. Dolly's husband Carl accompanied her to the awards banquet and it is the only time he has gone with her to a music event.
The song was awarded a BMI Award in 1966. Dolly's husband Carl accompanied her to the awards banquet and it is the only time he has gone with her to a music event.
Recording
Both sides of the single were recorded on June 22, 1965, at Columbia Recording Studios in Nashville, Tennessee, at the same session that yielded Phillips' previous single, "Friends Tell Friends", which also featured uncredited harmony vocals from Dolly.
Dolly has re-recorded the song several times She recorded a solo version on her 1967 debut album, Hello, I'm Dolly. She recorded the song as a duet with Porter Wagoner in 1968 for their first album together, Just Between You and Me. Dolly's vocals from her 1967 solo recording of the song were used to create a duet with Kris Kristofferson for the 1982 compilation album, The Winning Hand. The song was re-recorded once again with Loretta Lynn and Tammy Wynette in 1993 for their collaboration album, Honky Tonk Angels. The most recent version of the song was released in 2024 on Smoky Mountain DNA: Family, Faith and Fables and is a duet by Dolly and her uncle Bill Owens, created using a 1983 recording of Bill with contemporary vocals from Dolly.
Dolly has re-recorded the song several times She recorded a solo version on her 1967 debut album, Hello, I'm Dolly. She recorded the song as a duet with Porter Wagoner in 1968 for their first album together, Just Between You and Me. Dolly's vocals from her 1967 solo recording of the song were used to create a duet with Kris Kristofferson for the 1982 compilation album, The Winning Hand. The song was re-recorded once again with Loretta Lynn and Tammy Wynette in 1993 for their collaboration album, Honky Tonk Angels. The most recent version of the song was released in 2024 on Smoky Mountain DNA: Family, Faith and Fables and is a duet by Dolly and her uncle Bill Owens, created using a 1983 recording of Bill with contemporary vocals from Dolly.
Audio
Critical reception
Cashbox reviewed the single in their January 29, 1966 issue. They gave "Put It Off Until Tomorrow" a B (good) rating and described it as a "bluesy, slow-paced ballad." The B-side, "Lonely Lonely Boy", was given a B+ (very good) rating and described as a "waltz themed heartbreaker" with a "simple and appealing arrangement."
Cashbox review, January 29, 1966.
Commercial performance
"Put It Off Until Tomorrow" peaked at number six on the Billboard Hot Country Songs chart dated June 4, 1966, becoming Phillips' first top ten hit.
Accolades
"Put It Off Until Tomorrow" received the Country Award from BMI in 1966. It was also awarded a Songwriter Achievement Award from Nashville Songwriters Association International in 1968.
Personnel
Credits are adapted from the single labels and the 2009 box set, Dolly.
"Put It Off Until Tomorrow"
- Stu Basore – steel guitar
- Harold Bradley – guitar
- Owen Bradley – producer
- Floyd Cramer – piano
- O'dell Martin – guitar
- Dolly Parton – harmony vocals
- Bill Phillips – lead vocals
- Leo Taylor – drums
- Paul Yandell – guitar
- Joe Zinkan – bass