Talk Back Trembling Lips

"Talk Back Trembling Lips" is a 1963 song first recorded by Ernest Ashworth. The song became the most successful of Ernest Ashworth's career and was his only No. 1 song on the Billboard Hot Country Singles chart that October. The song spent 35 weeks on the country chart.^[2] The song also bubbled under the Billboard Hot 100, just missing the chart's main listing as it peaked at No. 101. Johnny Tillotson recorded a successful cover version in 1963 that peaked in early 1964.

"Talk Back Trembling Lips"
Single by Ernest Ashworth
from the album Hits of Today and Tomorrow
B-side	"That's How Much I Care"
Released	June 1963
Recorded	May 1963
Genre	Country
Length	2:37
Label	Hickory
Songwriter	John D. Loudermilk
Producer	Wesley Rose
Ernest Ashworth singles chronology
"I Take the Chance" (1962) "Talk Back Trembling Lips" (1963) "A Week in the Country" (1964)

"Talk Back Trembling Lips"
Single by Johnny Tillotson
from the album Talk Back Trembling Lips
B-side	"Another You"
Released	October 1963 (1963-10)
Recorded	September 26, 1963[citation needed]
Genre	Country
Length	2:36
Label	MGM
Songwriter	John D. Loudermilk
Producer	Tanridge Productions Inc.[1]
Johnny Tillotson singles chronology
"You Can Never Stop Me Loving You" (1963) "Talk Back Trembling Lips" (1963) "Funny How Time Slips Away" (1963)

Chart performance

Ernest Ashworth

Chart (1963)	Peak position
US Hot Country Songs (Billboard)[3]	1
US Billboard Hot 100[4]	101

Johnny Tillotson

Chart (1963)	Peak position
US Adult Contemporary (Billboard)[5]	6
US Billboard Hot 100[6]	7

Cover versions

Bowing at #91 on 9 November 1963, Johnny Tillotson took his version of the song to number seven on the Hot 100 on 4 January 1964.^[7][8] It was his last top-10 single.

Still in the early '60s, a more pop orientated version appeared by Australian singer Debbie Stuart.

Australian country singer Kevin Shegog recorded a cover of the song in 1963.

George Jones recorded a cover of the song in 1966.

Years later, country singer Becky Hobbs introduced the song to younger audiences with her 1990 cover version, although it failed to chart on the Billboard Hot Country Singles & Tracks chart. Ernest Ashworth himself appears in the music video as a guest.