"The Ballad of Davy Crockett" is a song with music by
George Bruns
George Edward Bruns (July 3, 1914 – May 23, 1983) was an American composer of music for film and television. His accolades include four Academy Award nominations, and three Grammy Award nominations. He is mainly known for his compositions for ...
and lyrics by
Thomas W. Blackburn. It was introduced on
ABC
ABC are the first three letters of the Latin script known as the alphabet.
ABC or abc may also refer to:
Arts, entertainment, and media Broadcasting
* American Broadcasting Company, a commercial U.S. TV broadcaster
** Disney–ABC Television ...
's television series ''
Disneyland
Disneyland is a theme park in Anaheim, California. Opened in 1955, it was the first theme park opened by The Walt Disney Company and the only one designed and constructed under the direct supervision of Walt Disney. Disney initially envision ...
'', in the premiere episode of October 27, 1954.
Fess Parker
Fess Elisha Parker Jr. (born F. E. Parker Jr.;Weaver, Tom.Sci-Fi Swarm and Horror Horde: Interviews with 62 Filmmakers p. 148 (McFarland 2012). August 16, 1924 – March 18, 2010),(March 18, 2010Daniel Boone Actor Fess Parker Dies at 85" ''CBS ...
is shown performing the song on a log cabin set in frontiersman clothes, accompanied by similarly attired musicians. The familiar refrain of "Davy, Davy Crockett" is heard throughout the song, which sings of the man's praises. The song would later be heard throughout the ''Disneyland'' television miniseries ''
Davy Crockett'', first telecast on December 15, 1954. This version was sung by
The Wellingtons. Parker played the role of
Davy Crockett in the miniseries and continued in four other episodes made by
Walt Disney
Walter Elias Disney (; December 5, 1901December 15, 1966) was an American animator, film producer and entrepreneur. A pioneer of the American animation industry, he introduced several developments in the production of cartoons. As a film p ...
Studios.
Buddy Ebsen
Buddy Ebsen (born Christian Ludolf Ebsen Jr., April 2, 1908 – July 6, 2003), also known as Frank "Buddy" Ebsen, was an American actor and dancer, whose career spanned seven decades. One of his most famous roles was as Jed Clampett in the CBS ...
co-starred as George "Georgie" Russel, and
Jeff York
Jeff York (March 23, 1912 – October 11, 1995) was an American film and television actor who began his career in the late 1930s using his given name, Granville Owen Scofield. He was also sometimes credited as Jeff Yorke.
Career
York served in ...
played legendary boatman
Mike Fink
Mike Fink (also spelled Miche Phinck)O'Neil, Paul. ''The Old West: The Rivermen''. Time-Life Books, New York. 1975 p. 71 (c. 1770/1780 – c. 1823), called "king of the keelboaters", was a semi-legendary brawler and river boatman who exempli ...
.
Archie Bleyer
Archibald Martin Bleyer (June 12, 1909 – March 20, 1989) was an American song arranger, bandleader, and record company executive.
Early life
Bleyer was born in the Corona section of the New York City borough of Queens. His father was a well-kn ...
, the president of
Cadence Records
Cadence Records was an American record company based in New York City whose labels had a picture of a metronome. It was founded by Archie Bleyer, who had been the musical director and orchestra leader for Arthur Godfrey in 1952. Cadence also lau ...
, 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
Alexander Emil Caiola (September 7, 1920 – November 9, 2016) was an American guitarist, composer and arranger, who spanned a variety of music genres including jazz, country, rock, and pop. He recorded over fifty albums and worked with some of ...
(guitar), and
Art Ryerson
Arthur Ryerson (May 22, 1913 – October 27, 2004) was a jazz guitarist who emerged in the 1930s, playing acoustic and electric guitar, as well as the banjo. He played with jazz orchestras and bands in the 1930s and the 1940s. In the early 19 ...
(guitar) recorded it in one take at an
RCA
The RCA Corporation was a major American electronics company, which was founded as the Radio Corporation of America in 1919. It was initially a patent trust owned by General Electric (GE), Westinghouse, AT&T Corporation and United Fruit Comp ...
studio in Manhattan.
Other versions by
Fess Parker
Fess Elisha Parker Jr. (born F. E. Parker Jr.;Weaver, Tom.Sci-Fi Swarm and Horror Horde: Interviews with 62 Filmmakers p. 148 (McFarland 2012). August 16, 1924 – March 18, 2010),(March 18, 2010Daniel Boone Actor Fess Parker Dies at 85" ''CBS ...
and
Tennessee Ernie Ford
Ernest Jennings Ford (February 13, 1919 – October 17, 1991), known professionally as Tennessee Ernie Ford, was an American singer and television host who enjoyed success in the country and western, pop, and gospel musical genres. Noted for h ...
(recorded on February 7, 1955) quickly followed. All three versions made the
Billboard magazine
''Billboard'' (stylized as ''billboard'') is an American music and entertainment magazine published weekly by Penske Media Corporation. The magazine provides music charts, news, video, opinion, reviews, events, and style related to the musi ...
charts in 1955: Hayes' version made number 1 on the weekly chart (from March 26 through April 23) and number 7 for the year, Parker's reached number 6 on the weekly charts and number 31 for the year, while Ford's peaked at number 4 on the weekly country chart and number 5 on the weekly pop chart and charted at number 37 for the year. A fourth version, by bluegrass singer
Mac Wiseman
Malcolm Bell Wiseman (May 23, 1925 – February 24, 2019) was an American bluegrass and country singer.
Early life
He was born on May 23, 1925, in Crimora, Virginia. He attended school in New Hope, Virginia, and graduated from high school the ...
, reached number 10 on the radio charts in May 1955. The song also reached number 1 on the ''
Cash Box'' chart, from March 26 through May 14, 1955. A contemporary version also exists by Western singing group the
Sons of the Pioneers
The Sons of the Pioneers are one of the United States' earliest Western singing groups. Known for their vocal performances, their musicianship, and their songwriting, they produced innovative recordings that have inspired many Western music perf ...
. Over ten million copies of the song were sold.
Louis Armstrong also recorded the song in 1968.
In the United Kingdom, Hayes' version reached number 2 in the ''
New Musical Express'' chart; Ford's version achieved number 3, and a version by UK singer
Max Bygraves
Walter William Bygraves (16 October 1922 – 31 August 2012), best known by the stage name Max Bygraves (adopted in honour of Max Miller), was an English comedian, singer, actor and variety performer. He appeared on his own television shows, s ...
reached number 20. Several other British artistes recorded versions in 1955 and 1956, including
Billy Cotton
William Edward Cotton (6 May 1899 – 25 March 1969) as Billy Cotton was an English band leader and entertainer, one of the few whose orchestras survived the British dance band era. Cotton is now mainly remembered as a 1950s and 1960s radio a ...
,
Gary Miller Gary Miller may refer to:
*Gary Miller (politician) (born 1948), American politician
* Michael Dunn (actor) (Gary Neil Miller, 1934–1973), American actor
* Gary L. Miller (1947–1969), American soldier and Medal of Honor recipient
* Gary Miller ...
,
Ronnie Ronalde
Ronald Charles Waldron (29 June 1923 – 13 January 2015), known professionally as Ronnie Ronalde, was a British music hall singer and siffleur. Ronalde was famous for his voice, whistling, yodelling, imitations of bird song and stage personalit ...
, and
Dick James
Dick James (born Leon Isaac Vapnick; 12 December 1920 – 1 February 1986) was a British music publisher and singer. He and Brian Epstein established the Beatles' publisher Northern Songs. Later, with his son Stephen, James founded the DJM re ...
. Members of the
Western Writers of America
Western Writers of America (WWA), founded 1953, promotes literature, both fictional and nonfictional, pertaining to the American West. Although its founders wrote traditional Western fiction, the more than 600 current members also include histori ...
chose it as one of the Top 100 Western songs of all time.
The Crockett craze
Walt Disney Productions
The Walt Disney Company, commonly known as Disney (), is an American multinational mass media and entertainment conglomerate headquartered at the Walt Disney Studios complex in Burbank, California. Disney was originally founded on October 1 ...
launched a massive marketing campaign in the
UK in 1955 to publicize the film ''
Davy Crockett, King of the Wild Frontier
''Davy Crockett: King of the Wild Frontier'' is a 1955 American Western film produced by Walt Disney Productions. It is an edited and recut compilation of the first three episodes of the ''Davy Crockett'' television miniseries. The episodes us ...
'' (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
A coonskin cap is a hat fashioned from the skin and fur of a raccoon. The original coonskin cap consisted of the entire skin of the raccoon including its head and tail. Beginning as traditional Native American headgear, coonskin caps became assoc ...
. The craze became immensely popular amongst schoolchildren, and the ballad made its way across the
Atlantic Ocean
The Atlantic Ocean is the second-largest of the world's five oceans, with an area of about . It covers approximately 20% of Earth's surface and about 29% of its water surface area. It is known to separate the " Old World" of Africa, Europe ...
.
[Opie, Peter, Opie, Iona, ''The Lore and Language of Schoolchildren'', 2001, NYRB Classics, ] A French version by
Annie Cordy
Léonie Juliana, Baroness Cooreman (16 June 1928 – 4 September 2020), also known by her stage name Annie Cordy, was a Belgian actress and singer. She appeared in more than 50 films from 1954 and staged many memorable appearances at Bruno Coq ...
was number 1 for five 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
Dwight David "Ike" Eisenhower (born David Dwight Eisenhower; ; October 14, 1890 – March 28, 1969) was an American military officer and statesman who served as the 34th president of the United States from 1953 to 1961. During World War II, ...
and
Richard Nixon
Richard Milhous Nixon (January 9, 1913April 22, 1994) was the 37th president of the United States, serving from 1969 to 1974. A member of the Republican Party, he previously served as a representative and senator from California and was ...
.
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
Herbert Geoffrey Willans, RNVR, (4 February 1911 – 6 August 1958), an English writer and journalist, is best known as the creator of Nigel Molesworth, the "goriller of 3B" and "curse of St. Custard's", as in the four books with illustrations ...
and
Ronald Searle
Ronald William Fordham Searle, CBE, RDI (3 March 1920 – 30 December 2011) was an English artist and satirical cartoonist, comics artist, sculptor, medal designer and illustrator. He is perhaps best remembered as the creator of St Trinian's S ...
.
The craze was referenced in the film ''
Back to the Future
''Back to the Future'' is a 1985 American science fiction film directed by Robert Zemeckis, and written by Zemeckis and Bob Gale. It stars Michael J. Fox, Christopher Lloyd, Lea Thompson, Crispin Glover, and Thomas F. Wilson. Set in 1985, ...
'', which is set predominantly in 1955. In the film, the
Fess Parker
Fess Elisha Parker Jr. (born F. E. Parker Jr.;Weaver, Tom.Sci-Fi Swarm and Horror Horde: Interviews with 62 Filmmakers p. 148 (McFarland 2012). August 16, 1924 – March 18, 2010),(March 18, 2010Daniel Boone Actor Fess Parker Dies at 85" ''CBS ...
version of the song is heard on a
jukebox
A jukebox is a partially automated music-playing device, usually a coin-operated machine, that will play a patron's selection from self-contained media. The classic jukebox has buttons, with letters and numbers on them, which are used to sele ...
inside Lou's Diner and, in a later scene, one of
Lorraine Baines' brothers appears wearing a
coonskin cap
A coonskin cap is a hat fashioned from the skin and fur of a raccoon. The original coonskin cap consisted of the entire skin of the raccoon including its head and tail. Beginning as traditional Native American headgear, coonskin caps became assoc ...
. The song is sung by the characters Henry and Sammy in the
Country Bear Jamboree
The Country Bear Jamboree is an attraction in the Magic Kingdom theme park at the Walt Disney World Resort and at Tokyo Disneyland in the Tokyo Disney Resort. The attraction also existed at Disneyland Park. All versions of the attraction are simi ...
. The 2009 film ''
Fantastic Mr. Fox
''Fantastic Mr Fox'' is a children's literature, children's novel written by British author Roald Dahl. It was published in 1970, by Allen & Unwin, George Allen & Unwin in the UK and Alfred A. Knopf in the U.S., with illustrations by Donald Ch ...
'' 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
Meyer Myron "Mickey" Katz (June 15, 1909 – April 30, 1985) was an American musician and comedian. He was the father of actor Joel Grey and paternal grandfather of actress Jennifer Grey.
Early life
Meyer Myron Katz was born on Sawtell Court in ...
; "Pancho Lopez" by Eduardo
Lalo Guerrero
Eduardo "Lalo" Guerrero (December 24, 1916 – March 17, 2005) was an American guitarist, singer and farm labor activist best known for his strong influence on later Latin musical artists.
Early life
Guerrero was born in Tucson, Arizona, one o ...
; "Ole Svenson" by
Yogi Yorgesson
Harry Stewart (October 21, 1908 – May 20, 1956), born Harry Skarbo, was an entertainer, singer, comedian, and songwriter. He was best known for his portrayal of Yogi Yorgesson, a comically exaggerated Swedish American.[Homer and Jethro
Homer and Jethro were the stage names of American country music duo Henry D. "Homer" Haynes (1920–1971) and Kenneth C. "Jethro" Burns (1920–1989), popular from the 1940s through the 1960s on radio and television for their satirical versio ...]
.
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
Dot Records was an American record label founded by Randy Wood (record producer), Randy Wood and Gene Nobles that was active between 1950 and 1978. The original headquarters of Dot Records were in Gallatin, Tennessee. In 1956, the company moved ...
by
International Bluegrass Music Hall of Fame
Induction to the International Bluegrass Music Hall of Fame, called the International Bluegrass Music Hall of Honor from its creation in 1991 through 2006, is managed by the International Bluegrass Music Association, and the Hall itself is maint ...
inductee
Mac Wiseman
Malcolm Bell Wiseman (May 23, 1925 – February 24, 2019) was an American bluegrass and country singer.
Early life
He was born on May 23, 1925, in Crimora, Virginia. He attended school in New Hope, Virginia, and graduated from high school the ...
reached the number 10 position on the Country charts.
*Also in 1955,
Burl Ives
Burl Icle Ivanhoe Ives (June 14, 1909 – April 14, 1995) was an American musician, actor, and author with a career that spanned more than six decades.
Ives began his career as an itinerant singer and guitarist, eventually launching his own rad ...
released the song as a single on
Decca Decca may refer to:
Music
* Decca Records or Decca Music Group, a record label
* Decca Gold, a classical music record label owned by Universal Music Group
* Decca Broadway, a musical theater record label
* Decca Studios, a recording facility in W ...
.
*
Annie Cordy
Léonie Juliana, Baroness Cooreman (16 June 1928 – 4 September 2020), also known by her stage name Annie Cordy, was a Belgian actress and singer. She appeared in more than 50 films from 1954 and staged many memorable appearances at Bruno Coq ...
's version, "La Ballade de Davy Crockett", was number 1 in the charts for five weeks in France in August 1956.
*
Pinky and Perky
''Pinky and Perky'' is a children's television series first broadcast by BBC TV in 1957, and revived in 2008 as a computer-animated adaptation.
Original series
The title characters are a pair of anthropomorphic puppet pigs, named Pinky and ...
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
The Kentucky Headhunters are an American country rock and Southern rock band originating in the state of Kentucky. The band's members are Doug Phelps (vocals, bass guitar), Greg Martin (vocals, lead guitar), and brothers Richard Young (vocals, rhy ...
' 1991 album ''
Electric Barnyard'', and was released as a single. It peaked at number 49 on the ''Billboard''
Hot Country Singles
Hot Country Songs is a chart published weekly by ''Billboard'' magazine in the United States.
This 50-position chart lists the most popular country music songs, calculated weekly by collecting airplay data from Nielsen BDS along with digital sa ...
chart.
*
Tim Curry
Timothy James Curry (born 19 April 1946) is an English actor and singer. He rose to prominence for his portrayal of Dr. Frank-N-Furter in the film ''The Rocky Horror Picture Show'' (1975), reprising the role he had originated in the 1973 London ...
recorded a cover version for the ''Disney's Music From The Park'' album in 1996.
*
Mannheim Steamroller
Mannheim Steamroller is an American neoclassical new-age music ensemble founded and directed by percussionist/composer Chip Davis in 1974. The group is known primarily for its '' Fresh Aire'' series of albums, which blend classical music with ...
's
new-age instrumental rendition appeared on their 1999 album ''
Mannheim Steamroller Meets the Mouse''.
*
They Might Be Giants
They Might Be Giants (often abbreviated as TMBG) is an American alternative rock band formed in 1982 by John Flansburgh and John Linnell. During TMBG's early years, Flansburgh and Linnell frequently performed as a duo, often accompanied by a ...
covered the song, with modified lyrics, as "The Ballad of Davy Crockett (in Outer Space)" on their 2009 album ''
Here Comes Science
''Here Comes Science'' is the fourth children's album and fourteenth studio album by American alternative rock band, They Might Be Giants, packaged as a CD/DVD set. The album is (as the title suggests) science-themed, and is the third in their l ...
''.
*Chelsea Stallings covered the song, for 2009's
Dance Dance Revolution Disney Grooves.
References
External links
Cashbox charts, 1955
{{DEFAULTSORT:Ballad of Davy Crockett
Songs with music by George Bruns
Disney songs
Children's television theme songs
Television drama theme songs
1954 songs
1955 singles
1992 singles
1950s ballads
Songs about explorers
Cultural depictions of Davy Crockett
Tennessee Ernie Ford songs
Mac Wiseman songs
The Kentucky Headhunters songs
Music videos directed by John Lloyd Miller
Max Bygraves songs
Cadence Records singles
Walt Disney Records singles