Walk a Mile in My Shoes - Joe South (1970) 1/26/22

Singer/songwriter Joe South had a handful of hits in the late '60s, most notably 1968's "Games People Play," but one of his best was his last: 1970's "Walk a Mile in My Shoes."

At the beginning of the decade, songs urging harmony and understanding were quite popular...and "Walk a Mile in My Shoes" fit right in.

It's interesting to note that the title had been around for decades, but Joe appeared to be the first to write a song around it!

(Trivia: Although it has long been thought to be a Native American proverb, (substitute "moccasins" for shoes), the first written reference was in an 1895 poem by Mary T. Lathrap called “Judge Softly,” which challenged the reader to see things from another's perspective.)

Joe's song was a hit in the US, reaching #3 on the Easy Listening Chart and #12 on the Hot 100. In Canada, it did even better, topping off at #3 on the Adult Contemporary Chart, #6 on the Country Chart, and #10 on the Top 40.

What makes "Walk a Mile in My Shoes" a "Great Song" is that it's still relevant today. And in many ways, that's unfortunate.

What's also unfortunate is that it was Joe's last hit. In 1971, his brother Tim, who was the drummer in his band, committed suicide. Joe became clinically depressed and dropped out of sight. He passed away in 2012.

A sad ending for a great songwriter, but Joe left us with some "Great Songs" and something to think about with 1970's "Walk a Mile in My Shoes"

"Games People Play" (1968):