Musical Impersonations (on Wax)

Merle Haggard‘s tough-as-nails image, at times, belied his comic gifts, particularly his superb abilities as a mimic, represented here on this clip from The Glen Campbell Goodtime Hour TV show, possibly from 1969:

Haggard’s impersonations in the following order –

Marty Robbins, Hank Snow, Buck Owens & Johnny Cash

Enough people have noticed that The Fut‘s one-off 45 “Have You Heard the Word” (1969) so closely resembles The Beatles‘ sound that more than a few folks have speculated out loud that John, Paul, George and/or Ringo had a hand in its creation.  Maurice Gibb of The Bee Gees (it may or may not surprise you) is to blame for an ersatz Beatle novelty tune that is very much along the lines of that same year’s ‘Masked Marauders‘ hoax.  According to Richie Unterberger‘s Unreleased Beatles, the resemblance to Lennon was close enough that Yoko Ono attempted to register the copyright for “Have You Heard the Word” on behalf of Lenono Music:

“Have You Heard the Word”

(Maurice Gibb &) The Fut (1969)

Ten years earlier, Chubby Checker‘s first national hit – 1959’s “The Class” – had announced upfront on the 45 label that within the record’s grooves one would find the future ‘Twist’ singer “imitating” Fats Domino, The Coasters, Elvis Presley, and “The Chipmonks“:

“The Class”

Chubby Checker (1959)

One 45Cat contributor makes this observation —

What’s interesting, in hindsight, is that “The Class” was the B-side even though it’s not only fun as a novelty but has a lot of energy and appeal; it was a bit different than the usual quirky fare in those days. Some time and work must have went into its production, yet the more conventional “Schooldays” was the label’s original choice to plug (in other words, playing it safe).  If Chubby hadn’t had his first hit with this one, you have to wonder if “The Twist” would have even been recorded and, if it had, if anyone would have noticed.  Kal Mann may have been a blatant commercial writer and producer, but when he scored, it was great sonic fun, deserving of more recognition than he’s ever gotten.

Scottish singer Andy Stewart also does a nifty Elvis impression at the 1:55 mark in “Donald Where’s Your Troosers” — released 1960 in the UK (the following year in the US):

“Donald Where’s Your Troosers”

Andy Stewart (1960)

“Hollywood Party” — the oldest recording of an impersonation, possibly — features Florence (“impersonator”) Desmond covering such notables as Janet Gaynor, Zasu Pitts, Jimmy Durante, Greta Garbo, Tallulah Bankhead & Marlene Dietrich on a disc issued in 1932 by His Master’s Voice.

“A Hollywood Party”

Florence Desmond (1932)

Wait a second!  Ann Penn also recorded for His Master’s Voice, who released a two-sided disc three years earlier in Australia — “Out in the New Mown Hay” b/w “Impersonations” from 1929.

“Impersonations”

Ann Penn (1929)

Hold it right there:   Edison Bell UK released a disc in 1912 by Mr. Vernon Watson that features impersonations of George Formby (Sr.), Wilkie Bard, and George Robey. 

Stage and screen star, Sammy Davis, Jr., gained fame through his gift for mimicry (and, yes, for his multiple threats as a dancer, musician, singer and actor).  In 1961, Reprise went “all in” with an album, Impersonating (retitled Imitations! Impressions! Impersonations! for the Netherlands market) whose cover would boast of 20 prominent persons impersonated by Davis, including James Cagney, Jimmy Stewart, Jerry Lewis, Dean Martin, Tony Bennett, Mel Torme, Ray Charles, Louis Armstrong, Billy Eckstine, and Huckleberry Hound = as on “Sonny Boy“:

“Sonny Boy”

Sammy Davis, Jr. (1961)

The following year, Davis joined forces with his two A-list pals, Frank and Dean, for a live set at Chicago’s Villa Venice that includes “Impressions By All Three.”

Undated EP –

AUSTRALIA

For some reason, this full-page ad from Billboard‘s January 14, 1967 issue for Spyder Turner‘s version of “Stand By Me” fails to mention James Brown —

Turner’s impersonations begins around the 2:00 mark:

“Stand By Me”

Spyder Turner (1967)

Rich Little was a television fixture in my youth, who also released a few singles over the course of his career, with 1968 single “That’s Life” being the best of the bunch:

“That’s Life”

Rich Little (1968)

The year before, Little had issued “Canada (A Centennial Song)” — a “seldom-heard parody of Bobby Gimby‘s ‘Centennial Song’ [with] Rich Little imitating Lester B. Pearson and John Diefenbaker,” according to the person who posted this audio clip.  Little would also record 1971’s “The Draft” for Mercury Records and 1982’s “President’s Rap” (which “borrows” from Tom Tom Club’s “Genius of Love“) for Boardwalk Entertainment.

Speaking of impersonations, Ray Stevens once did his level best to emulate the sound of bagpipes on 1969 B-Side “Bagpipes That’s My Bag“:

“Bagpipes That’s My Bag”

Ray Stevens (1969)

America’s #1 musical family, The Rhodes Kids, issued a live album — recorded at the Las Vegas Hilton in the early 1970s, most likely — that featured a medley of “Impressions“:  Donny Osmond‘s “Sweet & Innocent” (Brett Rhodes); Johnny Cash‘s “Folsom Prison” (Ron Rhodes); Louis Armstrong’s “Hello Dolly” (Gary Rhodes) & Tom Jones‘ “She’s a Lady” (Mark Rhodes).

Around this same general time period, impressionist Arthur Blake appears to have pressed his own full-length album for sale at live shows — a disc that features impersonations of Zazu Pitts, Sophie Tucker, Raymond Burr, Barbara Stanwyck, Bette Davis, Eleanor Roosevelt, Marilyn Monroe, Hedda Hopper, Mae West, Louella Parsons, Tallulah Bankhead, and Ethel Barrymore, as well as Lionel Barrymore, Noel Coward, Raymond Burr, Orson Welles, Edward G. Robinson, Peter Lorre, Clifton Webb, and Jimmy Stewart.  Summer of 1971 found Blake “performing at the Crown & Anchor in Provincetown, Massachusetts,” according to Discogs.

The Fantastic Baggys — an L.A.-based surf band created by P.F. Sloan and Steve Barri — closed their 1964 debut album with a two-part surf celebration/mockfest “Surfin’s Back Again” + “Surf Impersonations“:

“Surfin’s Back Again” + “Surf Impersonations”

The Fantastic Baggys (1964)

Starday‘s 1963 live Big “D” Jamboree LP (recorded at Ed McLemore’s Sportatorium in Dallas, with Horace Logan as Master of Ceremonies) includes Frankie Miller impersonating Johnny Cash in a send-up of “I Walk the Line“:

“I Walk the Line (Pull the Twine)”

Frankie Miller (1963)

1963 also saw the release of Starday’s Country & Western Confidential (A Backstage Expose), an entire album of impersonations by Gene Martin — with Flatt & Scruggs, The Bluegrassmen, Wayne Raney, Webb Pierce, Johnny Cash, Cowboy Copas, Tex Ritter, Eddy Arnold, Bill Monroe, and Roy Acuff all making an appearance.

Seven years prior, Leon Payne had recorded “Two by Four” — a “love duet” inspired by Kitty Wells’ and Red Foley’s big hit, “One by One” — in which Payne (rather than an “unbilled gal singer” per Cash Box‘s April 7, 1956 review) sang both parts:

“Two By Four”

Leon Payne (1956)

Starday Trivia: 1964’s Special 38th Birthday Edition of Grand Ole Opry Country Music Festival LP — a 17-song various artists compilation album sponsored by Kroger and released on Starday — includes a track by The Willis Brothers that appears to be exclusive to this disc:  “Impersonations of Country Music Stars“

A search of this website reveals a bonus history bit from last August that marveled at Hardrock Gunter‘s very convincing impression of Hank Williams on 1951’s answer song, “My Bucket’s Been Fixed“:

“My Bucket’s Been Fixed”

Hardrock Gunter (1951)

Which, of course, brings to mind Zero to 180’s prior celebration of Thumbs Carllile‘s pitch-perfect impersonations of the top country jazz guitarists of the day in his delightful musical roll call “Springfield Guitar Social“:

“Springfield Guitar Social”

Thumbs Carlisle (1958)

Hey, check out Terry Fell‘s “Hillbilly Impersonations” of Hank Williams, Hank Snow, Red Foley, Ernest Tubb, T. Texas Tyler, Roy Acuff, and Lefty Frizzell, among others:

“Hillbilly Impersonations”

Terry Fell (195?)

France‘s Jean Valton is renowned for his impersonations of Fernand Raynaud, Jean Richard, Darry Cowl, Eddie Constantine, and Jean Nohain, et al., and this single-sided promotional disc enjoys distinction of being underwritten by the insecticide, Fly-Tox, whose active ingredient was DDT, a chemical compound “discontinued in the United States,” according to the EPA’s website.

Bonus TV Performance

Rich Little as Johnny Cash

“Orange Blossom Special” (1972)

Q:  What other musical impersonations do you think should be included in this piece?

“My Next Impersonation”

Jerry Reed (1969)

Recording date:  November 20 1969
RCA Victor Studio – Nashville, TN
Jerry Reed:  Guitar & vocals
Bill Sanford:  Guitar
Pete Wade:  Guitar
Henry Strzelecki:  Bass
William Ackerman or Jimmy Isbell:  Drums
Larry Butler:  Piano
Chet Atkins & Felton Jarvis:  Producers
Strings overdubbed on December 11, 1969

*               *               *

“My Next Impersonation”
[written by Shel Silverstein]

Now for my first impersonation friends,
I would like to do for you
A simple lovin’ family man
With a simple attitude
See him loved by friends and neighbors,
See the self-respect he gains
See him warm, see him tender…watch him change

Now for my next impersonation,
I’d like to do a restless man
Who now holds wine and night-life
In his inexperienced hands
See him jugglin’ all the pieces,
As he tries to grab ’em all
See him tempted, see him falter…watch him fall

But stick around friends cause the best is yet to come
When ya see my impression of a man who’s a steady cryin, nail chewin’…chain smokin’ bum
Well friends I see you have seen enough…and you’re ready to go
So let me hear one rousin’ cheer as I…close my show
With a portrait of a wasted fool, who let his world slip by
See him crawl, see him crumble…hear him cry

And for my last impersonation…watch him die