Black Denim Trousers

Album

Hard to Find Jukebox Classics: 1956

Label

Capitol Records

Genre

-Pop

Duration

8:00

Composer(s)

Jerry Leiber;Mike Stoller

Entered Chart

Sep 24, 1955

Peak Date

Oct 29, 1955

Released

1955

Recorded

Unknown

Catalog #

Capitol 3219

B-Side

"Some Night in Alaska"

Written by the team of Jerry Lieber and Mike Stoller, better known for writing hits for Elvis, this much recorded 1950s uptempo track was described by Desmond Carrington half a century later as a '50s anthem about speed, which sums it up accurately. Certainly it is not an ode to sartorial elegance: He never washed his face And he never combed his hair He had axle grease embedded Underneath his fingernails although it just might have been the song that inspired "Leader of the Pack." >> This song tells the story of a guy who loves his motorcycle more than anything in the world, including his girl, Mary Lou. He meets his doom when he goes for a ride and is cleaned out by a diesel truck. When the wreckage clears, all that's left of him is his black denim trousers and motorcycle boots. Vaughn Monroe and The Cheers released competing versions of this song in late 1955, with the version by The Cheers proving more popular (#6 in the US; Monroe's peaked at #38). The Cheers recorded it with an orchestra conducted by Les Baxter as "Black Denim Trousers"; Monroe's was titled "Black Denim Trousers And Motorcycle Boots."

He wore black denim trousers and motorcycle boots
And a black leather jacket with an eagle on the back
He had a hopped-up 'cicle that took off like a gun
That fool was the terror of Highway 101

Well, he never washed his face and he never combed his hair
He had axle grease imbedded underneath his fingernails
On the muscle of his arm was a red tattoo
A picture of a heart saying "Mother, I love you"

He had a pretty girlfriend by the name of Mary Lou
But he treated her just like he treated all the rest
And everybody pitied her and everybody knew
He loved that doggone motorcycle best

He wore black denim trousers and motorcycle boots
And a black leather jacket with an eagle on the back
He had a hopped-up 'cicle that took off like a gun
That fool was the terror of Highway 101

Mary Lou, poor girl, she pleaded and she begged him not to leave
She said "I've got a feeling if you ride tonight I'll grieve"
But her tears were she'd in vain and her every word was lost
In the rumble of an engine and the smoke from his exhaust

Then he took off like the Devil and there was fire in his eyes!
He said, "I'll go a thousand miles before the sun can rise"
But he hit a screamin' diesel that was California-bound
And when they cleared the wreckage, all they found

Was his black denim trousers and motorcycle boots
And a black leather jacket with an eagle on the back
But they couldn't find the 'cicle that took off like a gun
And they never found the terror of Highway 101