Peak
1
Weeks
20
Score
5,837
Chart Year
1955
"The Ballad of Davy Crockett" was written by George Bruns (not Burns!) and Thomas W. Blackburn, both of them artists working at Disney Studios. There were actually three versions released close together: one by actor Fess Parker, this one by actor/singer Bill Hayes, and one by singer/actor Tennessee Ernie Ford (most memorable today as "Cousin Ernie" from the TV series I Love Lucy). Since Hayes' version went #1, we'll award the crown to him. Of course, this song existed to market Disney's 1955 film Davy Crockett, King of the Wild Frontier, which was based on the already-successful Disney TV series Davy Crockett. In fact, Disney was doing everything it could to stir up "Crockett fever," including marketing coonskin caps. Of course, the Disneyland theme park had "Davy Crockett explorer canoes" in the Tom Sawyer's island area as well. This song, and the coonskin cap that became its emblem, are briefly referenced in the film Back to the Future, which is after all set partly in 1955. What! Did you think that Davy Crockett was a myth, a mere American folk legend akin to Paul Bunyan? For your information, he was a noted frontiersman, soldier and politician, who served in the Texas Revolution and died at the battle of the Alamo. Not to mention serving as a member of the US House of Representatives for two terms, Tennessee's 9th district 1827-1831, and Tennessee's 12th district 1833-1835. OK, we'll grant you that, kind of like an early American frontier Chuck Norris, the tales about him got a little tall - we'll forgive you if you're skeptical about ursine slaughter at age three. But he was a real man whose real signature is on real US government documents and whose real ashes are somewhere in the Alamo vicinity (Santa Anna was sloppy with his grave-marking), and even has a real town in Texas named after him. Oh, the actor... we mean singer... Bill Hayes is also better known for his role as "Doug Williams" on the NBC TV soap opera Days of Our Lives.
Davy, Davy Crockett, the king of the wild frontier Born on a mountain top in Tennessee The greenest state in the land of the free Raised in the woods so he knew every tree And kilt him a bar when he was only three Davy, Davy Crockett, the king of the wild frontier He fought single-handed through the Injun War Till the Creeks was whipped and peace was in store And while he was handling this risky chore He made himself a legend for evermore Davy, Davy Crockett, the king of the wild frontier Oh, when he lost his love his grief was gall In his heart he wanted to leave it all And lose himself in the forests tall But he answered instead his country's call Davy, Davy Crockett, the choice of the whole frontier He went off to Congress and served a spell Fixing up the Government and laws as well Took over Washington so we heered tell And patched up the crack in the Liberty Bell Davy, Davy Crockett, serving his country well When he come home his politicking done While the big western march had just begun He packed his gear and his trusty gun And lit out grinning to follow the sun Davy, Davy Crockett, leading the pioneer His land is biggest and his land is best From grassy plains to the mountain crest He's ahead of us all meeting the test Following his legend right into the West Davy, Davy Crockett, the king of the wild frontier King of the wild frontier
| Week | Chart Date | Position | Points |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Feb 16, 1955 | 22 | 104 |
| 2 | Feb 23, 1955 | 9 | 117 |
| 3 | Mar 2, 1955 | 6 | 120 |
| 4 | Mar 9, 1955 | 3 | 123 |
| 5 | Mar 16, 1955 | 1 | 125 |
| 6 | Mar 23, 1955 | 1 | 125 |
| 7 | Mar 30, 1955 | 1 | 125 |
| 8 | Apr 6, 1955 | 1 | 125 |
| 9 | Apr 13, 1955 | 1 | 125 |
| 10 | Apr 20, 1955 | 2 | 124 |
| 11 | Apr 27, 1955 | 2 | 124 |
| 12 | May 4, 1955 | 4 | 122 |
| 13 | May 11, 1955 | 4 | 122 |
| 14 | May 18, 1955 | 4 | 122 |
| 15 | May 25, 1955 | 4 | 122 |
| 16 | Jun 1, 1955 | 6 | 120 |
| 17 | Jun 8, 1955 | 9 | 117 |
| 18 | Jun 15, 1955 | 12 | 114 |
| 19 | Jun 22, 1955 | 14 | 112 |
| 20 | Jun 29, 1955 | 15 | 111 |