Rickresource Rickenbacker Forum

Back in October 61 Jimmy dean had a US number one and a UK 2 with this song. He had one more TOP 10 hit in US and a small hit in UK different song.

This is the one he will always be remembered for provided you are a certain age of course.


http://s57.yousendit.com/d.aspx?id=14F7CECZHE7AQ17H90WDY824QK

What is unique about this one though is this is the Uncensored version the hit version had a certain line changed. Today of course it would not mean a thing though US TV is still more restrictive than UK I understand.

A really nice one Roy, thanx a lot... but naturally, not being a native English speaker, i'll ask a stupid question... yes... which line?

I would guess it was where he said, paraphrasing, " here is buried one hell of a man".

Spot on Stan originally it was recorded as "Here lies a HELL of a man -Big John"

But was recalled and that line was changed to
"Here lies a BIG BIG man - Big John"

How time change eh.

Anyone remember the parody song that was a hit some months later.

I wish i could... remember
Heard this line but didn't think it could be regarded as something that should be censored... how time changes, really...

Jimmy Dean certainly produced a HELL of a good breakfast sausage...

Back then, wasn't there also a censored version of "Green Back Dollar" (the word damn being changed)?

Interesting song indeed, if you try to search it in google:
"Jimmy Dean's popular 1950 song is translated into a feature length movie about a young couple who elopes to escape the girl's evil stepfather."
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And looks like there was a number of parodies - which one do you mean, Roy?
Casey Anderson "Sweet Sidney" from "The Bag I'm In" Atco LP 33-149, 1962
The Country Gentlemen "Big Bruce" Rebel 263, 45 rpm, 1966
Faux Pas "Big John" on "Live At Nino's" Pizza LP 1001, 1967
Steve Greenberg "Big Bruce" Trip 3000, 45rpm, 1969 The only one to "chart," making the Billboard Chart at #97 in July of 1969
Ben Colder "Big Sweet John" on "Have One On Ben Colder" MGM LP 4629, 1969 and "Eskimos, Mean Old Queens, and Little Bitty Steers" (2002)
Elmer Fudpucker (aka Hollis Champion) "Big Bad Bruce" on "Elmer Fudpucker at the Nudist Colony" Vulgar LP 69, mid 60's
Chuck Mason "Big Bad Bruce" on "A One Man Show" Paka Records LP 16032, 60's
Hudson & Pickett "Big Bad John" on "The Hollyweird Squares" Dore LP 334, 1972

Roy, correct me if I'm wrong but about the same time Jimmy came out with Big Bad John, Tennessee Ernie Ford had 16 Tons? The tunes always seemed similar to me, at least in delivery.

Sheena you are probably on wrong Jimmy Dean or song, Big Bad John was released in 1961 not 1950.

Stan the song sixteen tons was released 6 years before Jimmy Dean's song, personally I don't make the connection.


Come on you guys what was the parody it made number 34 in 62 in UK but did not make top 40 stateside.

Sixteen Tons was one of the first number 1 hits of the rock era, after Bill Haley's Rock Around The Clock. If I'm not mistaken, I think it was the second or third #1 Billboard hit of the rock era.

Andrew

Number one in November 1955 in US and made number one in UK in January 56.

Oh Google, looks like you've cheated me?! There MUST be a mistake somewhere in the dates, Roy, i don't mean you're wrong of course, since it's clear it's the same song and the same Jimmy Dean - the reviewer of the movie sure makes reference to "hell of a man" story...
Speaking of 16 tons etc... i've heard a theory that a great number of songs is actually based on Louis Armstrong's "Go down Moses"... anyway, the similarities can be found almost anywhere if you try to compare any pair of songs - there's only 7 notes + 5 half-tones...

The Kinks "Plastic man" was banned from radio airplay here in the UK in 1970 (or thereabouts) because of the word "bum"... He had plastic legs that reached up to his plastic bum.

"you know that it would be untrue,
you know that i would be a liar,
if i was to say to you:
girl, we couldn't get much..." etc.
Mmmm... but i'm dying to know what was the "Big bad John" parody...