Season 302 - Bobs & Bills

It's worse than that, even. That song was originally "Achin', Breakin' Heart," and was regularly performed by George Jones for many years before Billy Ray Cyrus covered it.

Edit ".................before Billy Ray Cyrus ruined it."

 
Last edited:
I think I can hazard an assumption that you've not heard of Billy Edd Wheeler, either. He is a singer/songwriter who is far more obscure than he deserves to be. Chances are you've heard a few of his songs covered by others without knowing it. He spanned the genres of folk and country; someone of his ilk these days would probably be classed as Americana. He wrote many humorous songs that were considered "novelty"--I never understood why a song automatically becomes a novelty just because it has some funny bits--but he also wrote some songs that were serious enough to be controversial, such as "Mississippi Madness," which was about the murder of the three civil rights activists in that state in 1964.

His song "Coal Tattoo" was covered by the Kingston Trio, Judy Collins, and others.

"Ode to the Little Brown Shack" is one of his alleged "novelty" songs, and is one of his most popular and widely covered. It was also covered by Bobby Bare, so here's a two-for-one!

 
Edit ".................before Billy Ray Cyrus ruined it.



In fairness to Billy Ray Cyrus, this is a totally different song. Another group did do "Achy breaky heart" before him, can't think of their name, but the single went nowhere, and they actually called it "Don't tell my heart" I think.
 
This song was written and performed by Bill Mumy, know as Billy Mumy when he was younger.

 
...I never understood why a song automatically becomes a novelty just because it has some funny bits...

Tin Pan Alley had three main divisions of music: Dance, Ballad, and Novelty. Lack of imagination, I think!
 
Greetings,

Tons of fantastic choices. Great theme!


Ciao
 
Greetings,

A little Bob Seger - the perfect song for my week "Against the Wind".


Ciao

 
Hi, Steve! I bring you a little Bob Hope, from 1939 ... well, Shirley Ross sang it with him, but I don't think you included "Shirleys" in with the Bobs and the Bills.
 
Bill Callahan is one of my favourite songwriters
but he's such a unique writer, singer and player -
I've always been too scared to try and record anything by him
until now. Thanks for hosting the week, Steve.
 
Whistle while you pluck. First female Billie
and since this is my 3rd entry I offer up a
double whammy for someone else to take up
Bobbie Gentry: Ode to Billy Joe
 
Ah! You live with a jobfinder too, then! :rulez:

I've got the evening to myself tonight. I'd love to get my third vid done and then catch up on my Netflix shows but I've got a list of chords a mile long too!
 
Phew. 24 hours in and I reckon we have had 27 entries from 18 Seasonistas. Some Bills & Bobs I had never heard of (but should have done) and some I had forgotten about (and shouldn't have). This is going so well.
So far I have kept up, but things get trickier as the week goes on - I have to fit in a Tom Russell concert, a performance with a uke group at an anti-fracking benefit evening, and a night away in a pub which brews its own beer. Don't expect too many intelligible comments that night.
 
Top Bottom