About The Song
In early June 1970 Bobby Bare entered Jack Clement Recording Studio in Nashville for a session that would help launch his new chapter at Mercury Records. On June 10 he recorded “That’s How I Got to Memphis,” a two-minute-and-thirty-one-second ballad written by Tom T. Hall. Mercury released the single in July 1970 under catalog 73097, with “Woman, You Have Been a Friend to Me” on the B-side. The track appeared on Bare’s album *This Is Bare Country*, issued later that year, and became one of the strongest performances from the twenty-eight-year-old Ohio native during his transition from RCA Victor to Mercury.
Tom T. Hall had written the song a year earlier, drawing on the universal theme of following love wherever it leads. Hall himself had moved to Nashville in the 1960s chasing a songwriting dream, and the lyrics carry a quiet autobiographical echo of that restless pursuit. Bare, who had already scored major hits with narrative songs such as “Detroit City” and “500 Miles Away from Home,” heard the demo and immediately recognized its potential. The piece fit perfectly with his relaxed, storytelling style and the more mature direction he was exploring after leaving RCA.
The song tells the story of a man who follows the woman he loves to Memphis. He arrives broke and hungry, unsure where she is, yet certain that love is the only reason he made the journey.
Verses describe the long miles, the uncertainty, and the simple truth that when you care enough, you go where she goes. There is no anger or blame, only quiet determination and the acceptance that some things are worth the risk. The repeated title line serves as both explanation and confession, turning personal longing into a universal statement about devotion.
Bare delivered the performance with his trademark conversational drawl and understated phrasing. Producer Jerry Kennedy kept the arrangement clean and supportive, using acoustic guitar, light strings, and subtle background vocals to frame the story without crowding it. The result sounded intimate yet radio-ready, bridging the folk-country sound Bare had helped popularize in the early 1960s with the more polished productions of the early 1970s. His voice carried a weary sincerity that made every line feel lived-in rather than performed.
Released in midsummer 1970, the single climbed the Billboard Hot Country Songs chart and reached number three. It spent sixteen weeks on the national survey and became one of Bare’s first three Mercury singles to crack the top ten, alongside “Come Sundown” and “Please Don’t Tell Me How the Story Ends.” The modest crossover appeal and strong airplay helped reestablish him as a consistent chart presence after his RCA years and confirmed his skill with thoughtful, story-driven material.
Over the decades the song has been recorded by many artists, including Deryl Dodd, Charley Crockett, and Rosanne Cash, yet Bare’s version remains the most widely recognized country hit. It has appeared on numerous compilations and live albums, and Bare kept it in his concert set for years, often noting how the simple message still connected with audiences who understood what it meant to follow someone across the map. The track later found new life in Americana and roots circles, proving its staying power beyond the original chart run.
More than fifty years after that June afternoon in Nashville, “That’s How I Got to Memphis” stands as one of Bobby Bare’s signature recordings. What began as another strong Tom T. Hall composition became a lasting portrait of love, risk, and quiet resolve that showcased Bare’s ability to turn personal stories into timeless country music. The record remains a favorite among fans who value honest narratives and the warm, unhurried delivery that defined his best work.
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Lyric
If you love somebody enough
You’ll follow wherever they go
That’s how I got to Memphis
That’s how I got to Memphis
If you love somebody enough
You’ll go where your heart wants to go
That’s how I got to Memphis
That’s how I got to Memphis
I know if you’d seen her you’d tell me cause you are my friend
I’ve got to find her and find out the trouble she’s in
And if you tell me she’s not here
You can follow the trail of my tears
That’s how I got to Memphis
That’s how I got to Memphis
She’d get mad and she used to say
She’d come back to Memphis someday
That’s how I got to Memphis
That’s how I got to Memphis
I haven’t eaten a bite
Or slept for three days and nights
That’s how I got to Memphis
That’s how I got to Memphis
I’ve got to find her and tell her that I love her so
I’ll never rest til I find out why she had to go
So thank you for your precious time
Forgive me if I start to cry
That’s how I got to Memphis
That’s how I got to Memphis
That’s how I got to Memphis