Arthur Alexander wrote this song, making it one of the world's great trivia questions: Alexander is the only person to write songs that were recorded by Bob Dylan ("Sally Sue Brown"), The Rolling Stones ("You Better Move On") and The Beatles.
Alexander's version was released as a single by Dot Records in 1962, peaking at #68. It is probably his second-most-popular hit, the top one being "You Better Move On" (Billboard #24), also released in '62. Not many remember the Dot Records label, which was rebranded in the late '60s and folded by 1977. But some of Arthur Alexander's fellow Dot Records colleagues include Pat Boone, Lawrence Welk, Liberace, and... Leonard Nimoy, whose singing career included the album Mr. Spock's Music from Outer Space and the unforgettable "The Ballad of Bilbo Baggins."
John Lennon loved this song, which is why The Beatles recorded it and added the song to their early stage catalog. According to Beatles historian Mark Lewisohn, John Lennon had a terrible cold during the recordings, thus leading to his strange vocals in the song. (thanks, Airk - Skagway, AK)
The subtitle (Go to Him) is a little confusing, as in both Alexander and The Beatles versions of the song, they sing "Go with him."
The Beatles' recording was distributed to US disc jockeys in 1963 on a single with " Ask Me Why." The promotional disc is a rare collectors item.
The Beatles performed this on their 1963 BBC TV appearance on Pop Go The Beatles.
This song featured as a minor plot point in a 1991 episode of the TV sitcom Married With Children, in which Ed O'Neill has "Anna (Go To Him)" stuck in his head for half the episode while being unable to remember the title or words. The song comes on a jukebox in one scene and then he yells it out.