The Ballad of Davy Crockett Contents The Crockett craze Parodies Covers References External...
Davy CrockettJohn CrockettJohn Wesley CrockettCharles C. WalcuttEast Tennessee Historical SocietyLimestone, TennesseeState of FranklinRogersville Historic DistrictList of FreemasonsUnited States political familiesTennessee's 9th congressional districtTennessee's 12th congressional districtU.S. 20th House of RepresentativesBattle of the AlamoList of Alamo defendersSiege of the AlamoSusanna DickinsonFrancisco Antonio RuizSterne-Hoya HouseColonel David Crockett statueCrockett CountyCrockett Tavern MuseumDavid Crockett Birthplace State ParkDavy Crockett Lake, Greene CountyDavy Crockett Lake, Crockett CountyDavid Crockett State ParkDavid Crockett Elementary SchoolDavid Crockett High SchoolAlamo CenotaphDavid Crockett StatueDavy Crockett National ForestCrockett CountyCrockett, TexasCrockett High SchoolDavid Crockett Elementary SchoolDavid Crockett High SchoolDavid Crockett Junior High SchoolDavy Crockett LakeDavy Crockett LoopCrockett Middle SchoolDavy Crockett SchoolFort CrockettDavid Crockett Elementary School (Arizona)Davy Crockett, King of the Wild FrontierDavy Crockett miniseriesDavy Crockett and the River PiratesThe Alamo: 13 Days to GloryTall Tales and LegendsJames A. Michener's TexasA Line in the SandMythBusters – "Davy Crockett's Magic Bullet"The Alamo (1960)The Alamo (2004)Davy Crockett – In Hearts UnitedDavy Crockett (1910)Martyrs of the AlamoDavy Crockett (1916)With Davy Crockett at the Fall of the AlamoThe Painted StallionHeroes of the AlamoMan of ConquestThe Man from the AlamoThe Last CommandThe First TexanAlamo: The Price of FreedomDavy CrockettThe Ballad of Davy CrockettDavid Crockett MarchRiders in the Sky Present: Davy Crockett, King of the Wild FrontierBibliography of works on Davy CrockettRoswell, Texas (webcomic)John Gadsby ChapmanPompeo CoppiniWilliam CroomeAsher B DurandChester HardingWilliam Henry HuddleWilliam McVeyRobert Jenkins OnderdonkSamuel Stillman OsgoodBoone and Crockett ClubDisney's Davy Crockett RanchDavy Crockett Explorer CanoesWalt Disney's Riverfront Square
Songs written by George BrunsDisney songs1954 songs1955 singles1992 singlesBalladsCultural depictions of Davy CrockettTennessee Ernie Ford songsMac Wiseman songsThe Kentucky Headhunters songsMusic videos directed by John Lloyd MillerMax Bygraves songs
George BrunsThomas W. BlackburnABCFess ParkerDavy CrockettWalt DisneyThe WellingtonsBuddy EbsenJeff YorkMike FinkArchie BleyerCadence RecordsBill HayesAl CaiolaArt RyersonRCAFess ParkerTennessee Ernie FordBillboard magazineMac WisemanCash BoxSons of the PioneersNew Musical ExpressMax BygravesBilly CottonGary MillerRonnie RonaldeDick JamesWestern Writers of AmericaWalt Disney ProductionsUKcoonskin capAtlantic OceanAnnie CordyEstes KefauverAdlai StevensonDwight D. EisenhowerRichard NixonMolesworthGeoffrey WillansRonald SearleFess ParkerjukeboxLorraine Bainescoonskin capCountry Bear JamboreeMickey KatzLalo GuerreroYogi YorgessonHomer and JethroRaising the BarJames Cameron
| "The Ballad of Davy Crockett" | |
|---|---|
Single by Bill Hayes | |
| B-side | "Farewell" |
| Released | 1955 |
| Format | 45 rpm record |
| Genre | Folk |
| Label | Cadence |
| Composer(s) | George Bruns |
| Lyricist(s) | Thomas W. Blackburn |
"The Ballad of Davy Crockett" is a song with music by George Bruns and lyrics by Thomas W. Blackburn. It was introduced on ABC's television series Disneyland, in the premiere episode of October 27, 1954. Fess Parker is shown performing the song on a log cabin set in frontiersman clothes, accompanied by similarly attired musicians. The song would later be heard throughout the Disneyland television miniseries Davy Crockett, first telecast on December 15, 1954. Parker played the role of Davy Crockett and continued in four other episodes made by Walt Disney Studios. It was sung by The Wellingtons. Buddy Ebsen co-starred as George "Georgie" Russel, and Jeff York played legendary boatman Mike Fink.
Archie Bleyer, the president of Cadence Records, heard the song on the ABC telecast (December 15, 1954) and called Bill Hayes that night to gauge his interest in recording it. The next day, Hayes (vocals), Al Caiola (guitar), and Art Ryerson (guitar) recorded it in one take at an RCA studio in Manhattan.[1] Other versions by Fess Parker[2] and Tennessee Ernie Ford (recorded on February 7, 1955) quickly followed. All three versions made the Billboard magazine charts in 1955: Hayes' version made #1 on the weekly chart (from March 26 through April 23) and #7 for the year, Parker's reached #6 on the weekly charts and #31 for the year, while Ford's peaked at #4 on the weekly country chart and #5 on the weekly pop chart and charted at #37 for the year. A fourth version, by bluegrass singer Mac Wiseman, reached #10 on the radio charts in May 1955.[3] The song also reached #1 on the Cash Box charts, from March 26 through May 14, 1955. A contemporary version also exists by Western singing group the Sons of the Pioneers. Over ten million copies of the song were sold.[4]
In the United Kingdom, Hayes' version reached #2 in the New Musical Express chart; Ford's version achieved #3, and a version by UK singer Max Bygraves reached #20. Several other British artistes recorded versions in 1955 and 1956, including Billy Cotton, Gary Miller, Ronnie Ronalde and Dick James.
Members of the Western Writers of America chose it as one of the Top 100 Western songs of all time.[5]
Contents
1 The Crockett craze
2 Parodies
3 Covers
4 References
5 External links
The Crockett craze
Walt Disney Productions launched a massive marketing campaign in the UK in 1955 to publicize the film Davy Crockett, King of the Wild Frontier (released in Britain in 1956) and to make the country's youth "Crockett conscious". There was already a "Crockett craze" in the U.S., where the episodes had become wildly popular. Crockett merchandise was produced en masse, the most iconic item being the imitation coonskin cap. The craze became immensely popular amongst schoolchildren, and the ballad made its way across the Atlantic Ocean.[6] A French version by Annie Cordy was number 1 for 5 weeks in France in August 1956.
United States Senator Estes Kefauver of Tennessee wore a Davy Crockett cap during the 1956 campaign, as the Democratic vice-presidential nominee. Adlai Stevenson and Kefauver lost in the general election to incumbents Dwight D. Eisenhower and Richard Nixon.
The Crockett phenomenon is referenced in books of the time such as Back in the Jug Agane, one of the Molesworth series by Geoffrey Willans and Ronald Searle.
The craze was referenced in the film Back to the Future, which is set predominantly in 1955. In the film, the Fess Parker version of the song is heard on a jukebox inside Lou's Diner and, in a later scene, one of Lorraine Baines' brothers appears wearing a coonskin cap. The song is sung by the characters Henry and Sammy in the Country Bear Jamboree. The 2009 film Fantastic Mr. Fox opens with the eponymous fox playing the song on his belt radio.
Parodies
Several parodies were issued in 1955, including "Duvid Crockett" by Mickey Katz; "Pancho Lopez" by Eduardo Lalo Guerrero; "Ole Svenson" by Yogi Yorgesson; and "The Ballad of Davy Crew-Cut" by Homer and Jethro. In the South Park episode "Raising the Bar", James Cameron plays the song during his underwater voyage to literally "raise the bar" for morality's sake, except this version replaces Davy Crockett with James Cameron himself, therefore being a parody.
Covers
- A 1955 single release on Dot Records by International Bluegrass Music Hall of Fame inductee Mac Wiseman reached the #10 position on the Country charts.
- Also in 1955, Burl Ives released the song as a single on Decca.
Annie Cordy's version, "La Ballade de Davy Crockett", was number 1 in the charts for five weeks in France in August 1956.
Pinky and Perky included their version of the song on their 1962 EP Pinky and Perky Out West.- A rendition was recorded and released on The Kentucky Headhunters' 1991 album Electric Barnyard, and was released as a single. It peaked at number 49 on the Billboard Hot Country Singles chart.[7]
Tim Curry recorded a cover version for the Disney's Music From The Park album in 1996.
Mannheim Steamroller's new-age instrumental rendition appeared on their 1999 album Mannheim Steamroller Meets the Mouse.
They Might Be Giants covered the song, with modified lyrics, as "The Ballad of Davy Crockett (in Outer Space)" on their 2009 album Here Comes Science.
References
^ "Bill Hayes: A Conversation". The MacGyver Project..mw-parser-output cite.citation{font-style:inherit}.mw-parser-output .citation q{quotes:"""""""'""'"}.mw-parser-output .citation .cs1-lock-free a{background:url("//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/6/65/Lock-green.svg/9px-Lock-green.svg.png")no-repeat;background-position:right .1em center}.mw-parser-output .citation .cs1-lock-limited a,.mw-parser-output .citation .cs1-lock-registration a{background:url("//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/d/d6/Lock-gray-alt-2.svg/9px-Lock-gray-alt-2.svg.png")no-repeat;background-position:right .1em center}.mw-parser-output .citation .cs1-lock-subscription a{background:url("//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/a/aa/Lock-red-alt-2.svg/9px-Lock-red-alt-2.svg.png")no-repeat;background-position:right .1em center}.mw-parser-output .cs1-subscription,.mw-parser-output .cs1-registration{color:#555}.mw-parser-output .cs1-subscription span,.mw-parser-output .cs1-registration span{border-bottom:1px dotted;cursor:help}.mw-parser-output .cs1-ws-icon a{background:url("//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/4/4c/Wikisource-logo.svg/12px-Wikisource-logo.svg.png")no-repeat;background-position:right .1em center}.mw-parser-output code.cs1-code{color:inherit;background:inherit;border:inherit;padding:inherit}.mw-parser-output .cs1-hidden-error{display:none;font-size:100%}.mw-parser-output .cs1-visible-error{font-size:100%}.mw-parser-output .cs1-maint{display:none;color:#33aa33;margin-left:0.3em}.mw-parser-output .cs1-subscription,.mw-parser-output .cs1-registration,.mw-parser-output .cs1-format{font-size:95%}.mw-parser-output .cs1-kern-left,.mw-parser-output .cs1-kern-wl-left{padding-left:0.2em}.mw-parser-output .cs1-kern-right,.mw-parser-output .cs1-kern-wl-right{padding-right:0.2em}
^ DAVY CROCKETT (TV 1954) George Bruns – Recordman #110
^ Billboard, May 28, 1955, Most Played By Jockeys, p. 58
^ Reporter-News Online: Texas News – The life, legend of Davy Crockett Archived 2007-09-29 at the Wayback Machine
^ Western Writers of America (2010). "The Top 100 Western Songs". American Cowboy. Archived from the original on 10 August 2014.
^ Opie, The Lore and Language of Schoolchildren
^ Whitburn, Joel (2008). Hot Country Songs 1944 to 2008. Record Research, Inc. p. 223. ISBN 0-89820-177-2.
External links
- Cashbox charts, 1955
