"Delta Dawn" is a song written by former child rockabilly star Larry Collins and songwriter Alex Harvey, best known as a 1972 top ten country hit for Tanya Tucker and a number one hit for Helen Reddy in 1973.

The co-writer more often goes by the name Alexander Harvey today, to not be confused with Glaswegian rocker Alex Harvey.

The song draws its melody from the traditional Scottish song The Bonnie Banks o' Loch Lomond.

The title character is a faded Southern belle from Brownsville, Tennessee who, at forty-one, is obsessed to unreason with the long-ago memory of an . The song's lyrics describe how the woman regularly "walks down town with a suitcase in her hand / looking for a mysterious dark haired man" who she says will be taking her "to his mansion in the sky".

Reddy's recording in particular has choir-like inspirational overtones as well.

The first recording of "Delta Dawn" was made by Harvey for his eponymous album released in November 1971. Although Harvey opened for Helen Reddy – his Capitol labelmate – at the Troubadour in January 1972, Reddy made no apparent connection with any of Harvey's compositions at that time.

Dianne Davidson, who sang backup on Harvey's recording, was the first artist to record a cover and chart in 1971–72. Tracy Nelson, who also sang backup on Harvey's recording, performed "Delta Dawn" in her live act. After hearing her sing the song at the Bottom Line in New York City, Bette Midler added the song to her repertoire. Nashville-based producer Billy Sherrill heard Midler sing "Delta Dawn" on The Tonight Show and wanted to sign her to Epic Records and have her record the song. Finding out that Midler was already signed to Atlantic Records, Sherrill cut the song with Tanya Tucker who was newly signed to Epic, and Tucker's version was released in April 1972 to reach number 6 C&W that spring.

...
Wikipedia