A rousing game of the ten-pin variant known as duckpin made me wonder recently how many songs have been written in celebration of the sport of bowling — an all-ages balm for these fun-starved times.
In “Bowling U.S.A.,” Wayne Kent, lead singer of The Blue Flames, exalts in one of America’s favorite pastimes while bravely confessing a physical frailty that (he claims) makes it impossible for him to even hoist the ball:
“Bowling U.S.A.”
The Blue Flames (1960)
Tip of the hat to 45Cat contributor mickey rat, whose research reveals indie label, Strand, to have once been a subsidiary company of Consolidated Frybrook Industries, founded in 1958 by Canadian entrepreneur, Jack Kent Cooke, who would go on to own a number of media outlets and professional sports teams, including the Washington [Pig]skins, as well as – at one point – the Chrysler Building.
Written by Lou Stallman & Sid Jacobson
Listed below are a number of notable bowling-related songs that include links to streaming audio – another public service from those tireless researchers at Zero to 180:
“Bowling Alley“ Harry Harden & His Musette Orchestra [1941]
“The Bowling Song” Dick Leibert at the Hammond Organ [1950]
“Bowling Alley Polka” Gene Wisniewski [1952]
“The Bowling Song” Joe Montgomery [1957]
“Gotta Go Bowling” Guy Goodwin [1960]
“Bowling U.S.A.” The Blue Flames [1960]
“Let’s Go Bowling” Tommy Barnes Orchestra [1961]
“Tenpin Bowling” Bryan Davies [Australia] [1962]
“Bowling Twist” The Kili Jacks [Belgium] [1962]
*
“Bowling” Piero Umiliani [Italy] [1962]
“Bowling Alley Blues” The Flintstones [1962]
“Bowling Twist” Sam Thomas & the Valaneers [1963]
“Bowling Ball Blues” Mack Fields [1964]
“Let’s Go Bowling” Bert Kaempfert [1964]
“Let’s Go Bowling” Fred Baca [1965]
“Left Hand Bowling Ball” Dubb Pritchett [1965]
“Bowling Alley, Oop” The Cavemen [196?]
“Bowling Beat” Luis Enriquez [Italy] [1966]
“Bowling Pop” Jacky Noguez et Son Orchestre [France] [1967]
“Bowling Brings Out the Swinger in You” The Twilights [Australia] [1967]
Australia – 1969
*
“The Bowling Song” Don Lewis [1968]
“Bowling Alley Polka” Eddie Olinski Orchestra [1972]
“Bowling Alley” Lord Funny [1974]
“Let’s Go Bowling” The Telefones [1980]
“Bowling with Bedrock Barney” The Dickies [1980]
“Crayola Bowling” Stick Figures [1981]
“Take the Skinheads Bowling” Camper Van Beethoven [1985]
“The Bowling Ball” Carl F. Becker [1985]
“L.G.B.” Let’s Go Bowling [1988]
“Bowling Ball Gardens” The Halibuts [1994]
“Bowling Machine” Thee Michelle Gun Elephant [Japan] [1996]
“Bowling and Beer” Da Yoopers [1999]
*
“The Bowling Song” Asleep at the Wheel [2001]
“Let’s Go Bowling” Camera Obscura [2001]
“Bowling Song” Stephen Lynch [2002]
“Bowling with Mark E. Smith” The Ik Jan Cremers [2007]
“Red Bowling Ball Ruth” The White Stripes [2011]
“Laser Cat Bowling” Parry Gripp [2012]
“Miss Marlene” Donald Fagen [2012]
“Making Out in the Bowling Alley” Brave Combo [2012]
“Beer Frame Judy” Mike J. Laneside & the Front Four [2013]
“Bowling Trophies” Foxygen [2013]
“Teddy’s Bowling Alley” Charly Fasano with Lucero [2014]
“Bowling Dub” Beat Pharmacy [2015]
“Fat Raccoon Holding a Bowling Ball” Juan Sanchez [Sweden] [2015]
“Let’s Go Bowling” Ramirez Exposure [Spain] [2015]
“Bowling Dub” Beat Pharmacy [2015]
“Bowling Alley” Mentana [Canada] [2016]
“Bowling Barmy” Toy Dolls [UK] [2016]
“Bowling Lanes” Steve Haley [2017]
“Cosmos Bowling” ohyeahsumi [2017]
“Betty Goes Bowling” Marta Woodhull [2017]
“Bowling Balls” Insane Clown Posse [2018]
“Bowling With Mr. G” Monkey [2018]
“Bowling” Brother Moses [2018]
“Bowling Alley” Alright Gandhi [Europe] [2018]
“Let’s Go Bowling” Kuwata Keisuke & The Pin Boys [Japan] [2019]
“Bowling” Edward Hoagland [2019]
“Veux-Tu Jouer Au Bowling?” Bleu Jeans Bleu [Canada] [2019]
“Bad Pin” Temporex [2021]
“Bowling” BeatLoud [2021]
“Bowling Pins” Gift of Gab 2022
*
(1964)
*“Laser Cat Bowling“
Parry (“Raining Tacos“) Gripp (2012)
*
Bowling Alone –
Don’t Do It!
Once we bowled in leagues, usually after work – but no longer, noted Robert Putnam in his seminal 1995 essay, “Bowling Alone: America’s Declining Social Capital,” a sobering assessment of the many ways to which our social structures have atrophied since the 1950s. Putnam, who would develop this thesis into a book-length treatment, Bowling Alone: The Collapse and Revival of American Community, was kind enough to comment by email in 2015 from Harvard when informed about Zero to 180’s discography of bowling-related songs. “Love the sounds,” enthused Putnam, who closed the message with “may all your balls be strikes!”
9 Responses
Thanks for a great listing!!!! I will have a blast listening! What’s the best way to share the info with other would be fans?
Take this web link below and shout it from every rooftop:
http://www.zeroto180.org/?p=15859
Thanks for asking, Jeri!
GREAT list! Thanks for putting it together! Here’s one you missed:
https://youtu.be/Cw-2_hxtJn4
There is another song from a band called da yoopers called bowling and beer it not a bad listen as well love alot of these songs u posted
Miss Marlene by Donald Fagen, a Grammy Winner and R & R Hall of Famer.
Not exactly about bowling, but the Traveling Wilburys song “My Baby” has the following stanza.
She’s got a body for business
Got a head for sin
She knocks me over like a bowling pin
Bleu Jeans Bleu may be singing about curling, not bowling.
Yes, indeed – I saw the video! Song included on this list to wind up the catalogers.
Oh look at this. My song “Bowling” made it on the list! Very cool!