COUNTRY MUSIC CLASSICS
Doug Davis
Owner/Publisher/Manager/Editor/
Writer/Gopher/Chief Cook & Bottle Washer
Thursday June 21st, 2012
CHECK OUT OUR WEBSITE AT www.countrymusicclassics.com
STORY BEHIND THE SONG
Many hit songs have come from real life situations or predicaments, and according to Freddy Fender, his 1975 number one, "Wasted Days And Wasted Nights" was one of those tunes!
Freddy commented, "I wrote that song at a low point in my life. I was playing at The Starlight Club in Harlingen, Texas. I was broke and didn't even have the money to rent a room. I was staying in a little room there at the bar where I was playing. I was down and out - feeling very sorry for myself. My marriage was on the rocks and I was separated. And it was during that time that I wrote "Wasted Days And Wasted Nights." The song is very simple – and is right on the edge of being bad grammar. The first verse of the song, "Wasted days and wasted nights – I have left for you behind" has to do with my Hispanic roots. I don't think that an Anglo-American would write a line like that. But in Spanish – it would be very correct."
His ABC/Dot Records single, "Wasted Days And Wasted Nights" came on the country music charts June 21st, 1975 and was in the number one slot the week of August 9th – where it stayed for two weeks.
It was his 2nd charted song and his second number one.
Freddy (born: Baldemar Huerta) placed 21 songs on the country music charts between 1975 and 1983 – including four number ones.
Freddy Fender died in 2006 at the age of 69.
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A T T E N T I O N: R A D I O S T A T I O N S:
Our short form daily radio feature, "Story Behind The Song" is now available to radio stations. (NOT AVAILABLE TO INTERNET STATIONS)
The feature is available at no charge.
For information, email me at classics@countrymusicclassics.com
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QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS
Q: Do you know anything about Naomi Judd being in a new movie? It was mentioned on the TV entertainment news.
A: Naomi Judd will co-star in "The Nearlyweds," a movie set to air next year on the Hallmark channel. The movie is based on a novel written by Beth Kendrick and follows three couples who found out the minister who married them died before he signed the marriage certificate, leaving them to decide if they want to legally wed or end their relationship.
Q: I have an old 45 record of Johnny Cash's "Season's Of My Heart." My dad says that song was on the radio by George Jones but I can't find any info. Is that correct?
A: "Season's Of My Heart" scored a # 10 for Cash in 1960 and was on the flipside of Jones' "Why Baby Why" in 1955.
Q: Have you heard of a song titled "Just Like Real People?" My mom says it was on the radio back in the 70's.
A: "Just Like Real People" scored a # 11 hit for The Kendalls in 1979.
Q: I love the old song "Abilene" by George Hamilton IV. My dad says someone else had a big hit with that song. Is that true?
A: "Abilene" was A # one for George Hamilton IV in 1963 and a # 24 for Sonny James in 1977.
Q: Do you remember a song about "Don't Drop It" from back in the 50's? Do you know who had that song and what happened to him?
A: "Don't Drop It" was a # 4 hit in 1954 for Terry Fell. Fell died April 4, 2007 in Madison, Tennessee.
Q: My uncle talks about Buck Owens playing guitar for another country singer years before he became famous. Is that true?
A: Buck Owens played lead guitar for Tommy Collins in the mid-1950's.
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Your comments, suggestions, gripes, etc. concerning this newsletter---are welcome. Email to:Classics@countrymusicclassics.com
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NUMBER ONE ON THIS DATE:
1948
Texarkana Baby - Eddy Arnold
1956
Crazy Arms - Ray Price
1964
Together Again - Buck Owens
1972
The Happiest Girl in the Whole U.S.A. - Donna Fargo
1980
One Day at a Time - Cristy Lane
1988
I Told You So - Randy Travis
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A GOLDEN OLDIE: THE JOKE STRETCHER.
By: Jack Blanchard
Singers have to say something between songs,
and Misty and I like to make audiences laugh,
but we avoid jokes, per se.
We're partial to funny remarks and one-liners,
but once in a while a hilarious joke comes along,
and the joke-stretchers are waiting there to ruin it.
Some jokesters get dangerous once they have the floor.
They like being the center of attention,
so they drag the joke on and on, stomping the life out of it.
They think they're building suspense,
but what they are actually doing is trying the crowd's patience.
To illustrate, here's a good old joke...
"A guy with no arms applied for a job as bell ringer in a church.
The priest said, 'A person has to have arms to ring a church bell'.
The guy said, 'My family is starving! I need the job!'
So he got hired and was up in the bell tower on Sunday morning,
worrying about how to ring the bell.
People were coming to the church, and he had to do something,
so he ran at the big bell and hit it with his forehead.
He knocked himself out, and fell out of the tower onto the ground.
One of the churchgoers said, 'My God! Who is that?'
Another said, 'I don't know his name, but his face rings a bell.'"
I heard a well-meaning idiot tell it as follows...
"This Irishman had lost his arms in a card game in the Gulf War...
the first Gulf War... when George senior was in office.
Not the present war. The other one.
When he came home his old job as a hen teaser was taken,
and he had to support his wife and three kids...
one of each...ha ha ha.
"Anyhoo, after walking the streets all day with no luck
he saw a priest and a rabbi walk into a bar,
and thought "Is this some kind of a joke?"
"He went up to the priest
and asked him for a job in his church,
because his wife was really sick with the screaming meemies,
and his kids were eating pictures of food out of magazines.
"The priest said, "We do need a bell ringer...but your arms...
You don't seem to have any. Your sleeves are floppy and all."
The armless guy insisted, "I can do it, I tell you".
The rabbi whispered, "He'll probably work cheap".
(At this point in the story, people were trampling each other to get out the door, and others were leaping from windows, but the jokester was in his glory, and didn't notice.)
"The days went by and finally it was Sunday...Nine AM,
The guy was up in the tower trying to figure out what to do.
He couldn't pull the rope.
It wouldn't do any good to wrap his legs around the bell.
A loud gong could make him walk funny for life.
"The townspeople were already coming to the church.
He had to do something fast,
so he ran at the gigantic bell and rammed it with his head.
The bell rang, but it knocked him unconscious.
He fell over the railing, out of the tower,
and landed on the ground in front of the churchgoers.
"An old lady wearing a hat with a chicken on it said
"My goodness! Who is that?"
The kindly old priest knelt down with tears in his eyes and said,
"I don't know his name, but his face rings a bell"."
When nobody laughed,
the jokester looked around and found himself alone,
except for one man.
That was me. I loved it.
Jack Blanchard
The Jack Blanchard & Misty Morgan Home Page: http://jackandmisty.com
Restoration and mastering studio: 407 330 1611.
CD Baby: http://cdbaby.com/cd/jackmisty
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TODAY IN COUNTRY MUSIC HISTORY
compiled by Bill Morrison
Charlie Lamb, journalist/publisher/artist manager, born Knoxville, TN 1921.
Eddie Adcock, Bluegrass/Banjo/Guitar, born Scottsville, VA 1938.
Leon Everette, born Aiken, SC 1948.
Johnny Cash released his first single "Hey Porter," on Sun Records 1955.
Ray Price topped the charts with the Ralph Mooney penned "Crazy Arms" 1956.
Kathy Mattea born Cross Lanes, WV 1959.
Porter Howell, "Little Texas," born Longview, TX 1964.
Capitol Records released Buck Owens' album "Buck Owens, Ruby" 1971.
Allison Moorer, born Mobile, AL 1972.
Glen Campbell's #1 hit "Rhinestone Cowboy" charted 1975.
Don Williams' single "You're My Best Friend," went to #1 in 1975.
C. E. Moody, age 87, "The Georgia Yellow Hammers," died 1977.
Buck Owens married Jennifer Smith 1979.
J. W. Gallagher, guitar maker for Doc Watson and others, died 1979.
Randy Travis topped the charts with "I Told You So" 1988.
Capitol Records released Buck Owens & Ringo Starr's single "Act Naturally" 1989.
Liberty Records released "The Best of Gail Davies" 1991.
John Lee Hooker, age 83, died in California, 2001.
Courtesy Bill Morrison: http://www.talentondisplay.com/countrycalMAR.html
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In response to many requests, YES I am on Facebook and you are welcome to become a friend—UNLESS you are one of those that posts photos of your grandkids or your pet cat every other day. I don't have the time or interest for that. SO—if that's what you do on Facebook.. just forget me !
I'm the Doug Davis with the photos of the guitars.
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THOUGHT FOR THE DAY:
A bumble bee is considerably faster than a John Deere tractor.
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