The hype from London is…what, exactly? We're supposed to care if watery Michael Phelps adds 7 Gold medals to the 8 he's already won? We should be surprised if a group of under-age Chinese gymnasts cheat and win? There's going to be some heartwarming human interest story to counter the ethnic rage, potential terrorism and moronic self-important nationalism that marks this forgettable 4-year event? Let's be honest. How many Olympic gold medalists can you name? And if you can actually think of memorable Olympic moments…including cutie-pies Olga Korbut and Nadia Comaneci...doesn't it also include what happened to the Israeli athletes in Munich? That's the real Olympic spirit for you...if you want to talk about a fucking torch that doesn't ever go out...this world is now dominated by psychos who scapegoat Jews. Are the Jews threatening world annihilation? Was it the leader of Israel or IRAN who declared that a race he didn't like should be "wiped off" the face of the Earth? Is anyone concerned that the London Olympics, the entire fucking country of England, could face a catastrophe because of a few Jews OR a few radical Muslims?
Nevermind. Let's escape into nostalgia and novelty.
While most websites wobble and vibrate about the Olympics, THIS blog headlines THE OLYMPICS and "Western Movies," a tune that could be relevant for today's culture because it may still hold the record for most gunshots on a hit single! Come on, hip-hop homey, try and beat it!
Time travel to...August, 1958. This is when our one-shot wonder group makes their only Top 10 appearance via Demon records. PS, they are not actually singing about "Western Movies," but TV shows. The idiot lead singer grumbles and slurs about how "Broken Arrow" has "broken my heart," and his baby would rather watch Wyatt Earp, "Cheyenne," and "Have Gun Will Travel" than suck his jive.
Today, reality shows are a plague. In 1958, there was a rage for cowboy shows. It was incredible. ABC's Sunday night line-up was "Maverick," "Lawman" and "Colt 45." Monday night? "Restless Gun" and "Tales of Wells Fargo." Tuesday night? "Cheyenne," "Sugarfoot," "Wyatt Earp," and "The Rifleman." Wednesday night? "Wagon Train" and "Bat Masterson." Thursday night? "Zorro," "Yancy Derringer," "Rough Riders" and "Jefferson Drum." Friday night? "Buckskin," "Rin Tin Tin," and Walt Disney who gave us Davy Crockett and Texas John Slaughter. Saturday night? "Wanted Dead or Alive," "Cimarron City" "Have Gun Will Travel" and "Gunsmoke." THAT'S A LOT OF WESTERNS!!!
The year before The Olympics started complaining, there was also the now-canceled "Broken Arrow," "Tombstone Territory," "Colt 45," and "Adventures of Jim Bowie." Saturday morning's syndicated kiddie classics and/or re-runs included "Roy Rogers," "The Lone Ranger," "Cisco Kid," "Annie Oakley," "Wild Bill Hickok" and many others. And while the soul men's "Western Movies" tune was roiling on the charts, the networks were readying even more westerns for 1959: "The Rebel," "Riverboat," "The Texan," "The Rifleman," "Laramie," "Wichita Town," "Law of the Plainsman," "Man from Blackhawk," "The Deputy," and, oh yes, the premieres of "Rawhide" and "Bonanza."
All those rednecks…interfering with the love life of some black guys!
"I call my baby on the telephone
To tell her half my head was gone
I just got hit by a great big brick
She says thanks for reminding me about that Maverick"
Following their novelty hit, The Olympics only grazed the Top 100 with 1959's "(Baby) Hully Gully." They kept going...nowhere. In 1965, they released "Good Lovin'" which became a monster hit the following year for The Rascals. No, 1965 was not a good year for The Olympics. In fact group member Charles Fizer was killed during the Watts riots. The band's lead singer Walter Ward did keep the group touring. In fact, he and the band performed at one of those multi-group shows, "Doo Wop Spectacular" in November of 2066. He died a month later. Who knows, like The Persuasions or The Marcels, there may well be a group called The Olympics singing "Western Movies" at a broken down theme park in Florida on this very hellishly hot day!
PS trivia fans, Walter Ward's "Well Baby Don't Go" (B-side of the beloved "Western Movies") was covered by John Lennon on "Some Time in New York City," and another version turned up on the posthumous Lennon "Anthology" CD.
Your double-barreled download is both The Olympics version, and the budget no-name cover version that circulated on the album "Pops for Tots" and probably a 45 rpm from Promenade or Tops or one of the other companies doing 3-songs-per-side cheapie 45's. See how much of the lyrics you can make out besides "Mahhhhhhh baby love da west-on moooo-veees" and Mr. Bassman grunting (he's supposedly singing "Bam, bam, shoot 'em up Pow.) and dig all those gunshots…
WESTERN MOVIES: "Pops for Tots" Cover Version
WESTERN MOVIES: The original from THE OLYMPICS Instant download, listen on line, no dumbass capcha codes, links taking you to an idiot website where you can play video games, or extortion demands that you wait 30 seconds or pay off some sleazy Euro-trash conman who is using some Putin-smelling site in Croatia or Russia to fuck copyright owners and the economy of your country.
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