Single Stories: Gerry & The Pacemakers, "You'll Never Walk Alone"

Normally there’s an anniversary tied to our decision to do a Single Stories piece, but today’s selection is tied to more current events, specifically the recent cover of this tune by Captain Tom Moore, Michael Ball, and the NHS Voices of Care Choir. Basically, we just figured it was a good time to remind folks of the version that used to immediately leap to mind when the words “You’ll Never Walk Alone” are uttered.

Originally penned by Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein II for their 1945 musical Carousel, “You’ll Never Walk Alone” was always intended as a song of solace and comfort even in its original incarnation, and it remains that way to this very day. Between its debut and present day, however, Gerry and the Pacemakers recorded a version of the song for their 1963 album HOW DO YOU LIKE IT? It was a smash hit from the get-go, climbing to #1 on the UK Singles chart, but it was also quickly adopted as the football anthem for Liverpool F.C. and was embraced to such a degree that its title was added to their coat of arms as well as to the gates above Anfield Stadium.

“You’ll Never Walk Alone” has been re-released a number of times over the years, and it’s been covered many other times prior to Moore’s version – like, say, by Marcus Mumford of Mumford & Sons – but the version by Gerry and the Pacemakers is one that’s stood the test of time for multiple decades, and as wonderful as Moore’s version may be, we’d expect that the Pacemakers’ version will eventually regain its status as the most-played version of the classic tune.