Gitarzan

Album

Gitarzan

Label

Monument Records

Genre

Novelty

Duration

0:00

Composer(s)

Ray Stevens (aka Harold Ragsdale), Bill Everette

Entered Chart

Apr 5, 1969

Peak Date

May 31, 1969

Released

January 6, 1969

Recorded

Unknown

Catalog #

Monument 45-1131

B-Side

Bagpipes-That's My Bag

Ray Stevens recalled the story behind this saga of a guitar playing jungle king during an interview with Bart Herbison of Nashville Songwriters Association International: "'Guitarzan' was a title given to me by Bill Justice. A lot of people probably don't remember Bill Justice. He was a wonderful musician and arranger. ... I (was staying) at the Continental Hotel on Sunset across from the apartment Bill rented to live and work. He found out I was staying across the street and called and said, "Let's have breakfast in the morning." At that breakfast he said, 'I've got a great song title for you, man. You need to write this song.' I said, 'What is it, Bill?' He said, 'Guitarzan, man. Ha-ha-ha.' I thought, 'Well, this is a funny thing.'" "On the plane back to Nashville, I scribbled some notes, got home and finished writing the song, and we recorded it out at Bradley's Barn. It was one of the first records cut out there." Stevens was all set to record an album for Monument with the label's founder Fred Foster. Though Foster didn't like this song, Monument national promotion director Mike Sheppard saw its potential as the lead single. Stevens recalled: "He (Foster) said, 'No, man. Let's not put that out.' Mike Sheppard was standing there with me, and he said, 'Fred, it's a smash! It's a smash!' I said, 'Fred, put this out. Trust me. If it's not a hit … .' He said, 'I want to produce all your future records if it's not a hit.' I said, 'You got it! Deal!' Of course it came out and it was a monster, but I'll never forget. Maybe Fred was trying to take me in another direction."

He's free as the breeze
He's always at ease
He lives in the jungle and hangs by his knees
As he swings through the trees
With a trapeze in his B.V.D.s

He's got a union card and he's practicing hard
To play, the guitar, gonna be a big star
Yeah, he's gonna go far
And carry moonbeams home in a jar
He ordered Chet's guitar course C.O.D.
Makes A and E and he's working on B
Dig C & W and R & B and even the chimpanzees agree
That one day soon he'll be a celebrity
Get it, get it, get it, get it

Gitarzan, he's a guitar man
He's all you can stand
Give him a hand, Gitarzan

He's got a girl named Jane
With no last name
Kinda homely and plain
But he loves her just the same
'Cause she kindles the flame
And it drives him insane
When he hears her say
She really does her thing
It's her claim to fame
Come on sing one Jane
Baby, baby, oh baby

Baby, oh baby
(How about that, that's it from Jane, yeah
(Thank you, folks)

They've got a pet monkey
He likes to get drunky and sing boogie woogie
And it sounds real funky
Come on, your turn boy
Sing one monkey, you go

(Let's hear it for the monkey)

On Saturday night they need some excitement
Jane gets right and the monkey gets tight
And their voices unite
In the pale moonlight
And it sounds all right

Yeah, it's dynamite, it's out of sight
Let's hear it right now
Baby, baby oh baby, baby
Shut up baby, I'm trying to sing
Baby
Get it, get it, get it, get it

Gitarzan, and his jungle band
They're all you can stand
Give him a hand, Gitarzan (hey baby)

Gitarzan, and his jungle band
They're all you can stand
Give him a hand, Gitarzan