Doo Wop

The Olympics recorded the golden oldie “Western Movies” in the summer of 1958, and the record was a hit and went to  #8 on the Billboard Hot 100 and #7 on the R&B chart. It mixes some  doo wop harmonies with background gunshots and ricochet sound effects. The song tells the story of a man who lost his girl to Westerns on TV; he just can’t compete with them for her attention. This was not an unusual taste, since in the 1950s, Western-theme films and shows were very popular. The lyrics mention Wyatt Earp, Cheyenne, Wagon Train, Jim Bowie, Sugarfoot, Maverick, and Broken Arrow.

The Olympics consisted of lead singer Walter Ward, Eddie Lewis (tenor and Ward’s cousin), Charles Fizer (baritone), Walter Hammond (baritone).  (Shortly after “Western Movies,” Fizer left for a while and they replaced him with Melvin King. And over the years, there were numerous other personnel changes.) They were from Los Angeles and  high school buddies. They originally called themselves The Challengers but changed their name when they found out another group already had that one.

The Olympics’ song “(Baby) Hully Gully” was a minor hit in 1960 and started the hully gully dance craze. Their  1965 song “Good Lovin'” charted for them, but it was a #1 Billboard Hot 100 recording for the cover by The Rascals. So goes the music business.

Here are the lyrics to “Western Movies” by The Olympics:

“To save my soul I can’t get a date
Baby’s got it tuned on channel eight
Now Wyatt Earp and the Big Cheyenne
They’re comin’ through the TV shootin’ up the land

Ah, um, my baby loves the Western movies
My baby loves the Western movies
Bam, bam, shoot ’em up pow
Ah, um, my babe loves the Western Movies

I call my baby on the telephone
To tell her half of my head was gone
I just got hit by a great big brick
She says thanks for reminding me about Maverick

Ah, um, my baby loves the Western movies
My baby loves the Western movies
Bam, bam, shoot ’em up pow
Ah, um, my babe loves the Western Movies

Well, there’s Jeremy Roller and Old Cochise
Jim Hardy, Jim Bowie and Sugarfoot
They all have gun that will travel
Give me back my boots and saddle uh huh

Ah, um, my baby loves the Western movies
My baby loves the western movies
Bam, bam shoot ’em up pow
Ah um, my baby loves the Western movies

Here’s the story of the certain Wagon Train Mccord
A broken arrow has broken my heart
A Jefferson Thomas with Bat Masterson
Unties my baby and the fight was won

Ah, um, my baby loves the Western movies
My baby loves the western movies
Bam, bam shoot ’em up pow
Ah um, my baby loves the Western movies”

For More Golden Oldies Music

The Daily Doo Wop Rec Room has daily featured doo wop, rock and roll, R&B, or rockabilly songs that were hits during the first era of rock and roll (that is, from about 1952 until the British invasion in 1964). After a song is featured, it then goes into the juke box. You are welcome to listen to any of the 40+ selections there. Every weekend, there is a Golden Oldies Juke Box Saturday Night, and the juke box is full of song requests from the 1950s and 1960s.

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