Johnny Horton - "The Battle of New Orleans
Hit Number 1: June 1, 1959
Stay at Number 1: 6 Weeks
In 1959, you had a lot of what you might expect. There were teen idols, rock and roll, and R&B, primarily. But the top song of the year didn't fit in at all to what was being played in the year, so it blows my mind that something like "The Battle of New Orleans" could even have such an achievement. But, it defied the odds and stayed at the top of the Billboard Hot 100 for 6 weeks! I wish I could go back in time and ask some people of 1959 what was so intriguing about this song, but obviously I can't do that, so the best I can do is sit here typing about the song and wonder why people loved it so much.
Johnny Horton, of course, was a pretty big figure in country music. Most of his songs were about American folklore and historic things, just like this song right here. He seemed to try to put some humorous twist on these songs, almost turning some of his songs into novelty-type songs. You know when you listen to "The Battle of New Orleans", that you're in for a treat when you're immediately greeted to a banjo playing "Dixie". And it turns into a freaking whirlwind from that point on.
"The Battle of New Orleans" is a song about, well, "The Battle of New Orleans". It's sung from the point of view of a soldier who fought in the battle, and how him and his comrades and General Andrew Jackson were able to fend off the British, and send them "down the Mississippi to the Gulf of Mexico". Despite the humorous sound to the song, the event proved to pretty deadly, especially from the side of the British, as they lost many men in the battle. The Americans had lost several of their own too. But Horton delivers it like a song that you and your drunk friends would sing around a campfire.
I have to admit that the song is a bit fun, and it sure gets stuck in your head. (At least PLEASE tell me it's not just me) But I can't ignore the cheesiness of the song, and that they're almost mocking a battle to where many lives were lost. But that's music for you sometimes, and it sure sparked Horton's career. However, Horton's fame would prove to be short-lived, as he died in a car accident in 1960 at the height of his popularity. Despite all that, he's still a key figure in country music, and to me will always be known as "The Battle of New Orleans" guy.
GRADE: 4/10
THE TWOS:
Bobby Darin's "Dream Lover" peaked at #2 behind "The Battle of New Orleans". It's a 9. (Bobby Darin will soon show up in this blog)
Lloyd Price was also stuck behind "The Battle of New Orleans" at the #2 spot with his fun and lively "Personality". It's also a 9. (How did people prefer "The Battle of New Orleans" over these 2 songs?)
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