"Hush" is the title of a song written by American composer and musician Joe South, for recording artist Billy Joe Royal, whose single peaked at number 52 on the Billboard Hot 100 on 28 October - 11 November 1967.^[1] The chorus begins "Hush, hush, I thought I heard her calling my name", which is a takeoff from the traditional gospel song lyrics "Hush, hush, somebody's calling my name".

Deep Purple version [link]

The song was subsequently recorded by British hard rock band Deep Purple for their 1968 debut album Shades of Deep Purple. The track became the group's first hit single peaking at number 4 on the Hot 100 on 21-28 September 1968 and number 2 in Canada while going largely unnoticed in the United Kingdom.

In celebration of the band's 20th anniversary, Deep Purple re-recorded the song in 1988 for their album Nobody's Perfect. The track was released as a single and reached number 62 on the UK singles chart and number 44 on the US Hot Mainstream Rock chart.

A live, US-televised version appeared as a bonus track on the 2000 CD-reissue of Shades of Deep Purple.

"Hush" is one of four songs originally recorded with another vocalist that the band have performed with Ian Gillan on vocals. Others are "Kentucky Woman", originally from the album "The Book of Taliesyn" from 1968, "Mandrake Root" from the same album that originally featured "Hush", and "Bird Has Flown" from the album Deep Purple, or Deep Purple III, released in 1969. Coincidentally, all four songs were originally sung by Rod Evans. Gillan has refused to perform any songs originally sung by Deep Purple's third vocalist, David Coverdale.

Other versions [link]

The Prisoners - HUSH - Big Beat - Candy Moose Head Experience S.C.-

Kula Shaker, a British psychedelic rock band released "Hush" as a single in 1999. It reached number 2 on the UK singles chart and number 19 on the Mainstream Rock Tracks chart in the US, where it was included on the I Know What You Did Last Summer soundtrack album.

Johnny Hallyday recorded a french cover "Mal" in 1968.

Kris Ife recorded a version of "Hush".

The Electric Amish recorded a parody called "Mush" on their Milkin' It album. The band Killdozer covered "Hush" on their 1989 covers-only album, "For Ladies Only".

Love Affair recorded a cover.

Gotthard, a Swiss hard rock band, also recorded a cover on their debut album.

Russell Morris, an Australian pop singer from the 1960s also recorded a version of the song and can be heard on his compilation album released in 2002.

In other media [link]

The Deep Purple version was featured in films:

• 1996 – Apollo 13
• 2000 – Isn't She Great
• 2001 – When Strangers Appear
• 2004 – Beyond the Sea
• 2006 – Children of Men
• 2008 – Strange Wilderness

The song was parodied as "Push" in promos for the short-lived 1998 American soap opera Push.

The song was played in the second season of the television series Prison Break during the episode "Scan". It was also featured in the second episode of the short-lived Freaks and Geeks.

The game Battlefield: Vietnam included "Hush" as part of the in-game soundtrack.

The Xbox 360 version of the game Guitar Hero II features the Deep Purple arrangement as a playable song.

The 2008 television advertisement for the Jaguar XF features the 'monitor mix' version of Hush, from Deep Purple's The Early Years album.

The song can also be heard in the film Ghosts of Girlfriends Past, in a television spot for the 2009 film Taking Woodstock,^{[clarification needed]} as well as played over footage of Derby County goals in the movie about Brian Clough, The Damned United.

Personnel [link]

1968 Deep Purple version [link]

• Ritchie Blackmore - guitar
• Rod Evans - lead vocals
• Nick Simper - bass, backing vocals
• Ian Paice - drums
• Jon Lord - organ, backing vocals

1988 Deep Purple version [link]

• Ritchie Blackmore - guitar
• Ian Gillan - vocals, Harmonica
• Roger Glover - bass
• Ian Paice - drums
• Jon Lord - organ, keyboards

References [link]