Jeebus, we're into May already. Time flies.
#41
February 1960 - RCA 47-7704 - El Paso-Numero Dos / That's Good, That's Bad
A month after dropping the live record our boys took their first swipe at "El Paso" which had been a big hit for Marty Robbins the previous September. They'd have another go at it a bit later on a Western Themed lp, but to my ears, they nailed it the first time.
B side is a bit that as near as I can figure was originated by future Hee Haw star Archie Campbell about the relativity of what is good or not in today's modern society called "That's Good, That's Bad".
It's interesting that there was a time when it was perfectly acceptable to do somebody else's comedy routine. At least Archie gets credited and hopefully made a few bucks in royalties for this B side.
June 1960 - RCA 47-7744 - Sink the Bismark / He'll Have to Go
If you've got a better memory than I then you may remember Johnny Horton from H&JP #39 and his penchant for doing songs based on history.
Well, since the Battle for New Orleans was a winner he opted for something a bit more in recent memory and wrote one about the German warship, the Bismarck and the Allied effort to sink it early on in WWII. Even more puzzling as to why there needed to be such a song is that it became a Top Ten hit. "Sink the Bismarck" was not one of Horton's finest moments except for maybe his bankbook.
Homer & Jethro adapt the song from it's inspiring true tale of the hunt for the deadly menace of the Atlantic and to one that is more likely truer to their war time experiences.
We won anyway.
For the B side the boys take on Jim Reeves dreary doormat/cuckold fetish classic "He'll Have to Go".
It never ceases to amaze me that way that some of these alleged sad and romantic classic songs take a seriously toxic relationship and immortalize it in a gilt frame of backing vocals and strings.
For fuck sakes Jim, grow a pair and dump her already.
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