Convoy (song)
This article needs additional citations for verification. (March 2022) |
"Convoy" | ||||
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Single by C. W. McCall | ||||
from the album Black Bear Road | ||||
B-side | "Long Lonesome Road" | |||
Released | November 1975 | |||
Recorded | 1975 | |||
Genre | ||||
Length | 3:49 | |||
Label | MGM | |||
Songwriter(s) |
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Producer(s) |
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C. W. McCall singles chronology | ||||
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"Convoy" is a 1975
The song received newfound popularity with its use during the 2022 Freedom Convoy.[5][6][7] In a call with WRIF's Drew & Mike Show shortly before he died, Fries expressed enthusiasm over the Freedom Convoy's use of his song "only because his biggest hit [was] getting a second life."[8][9]
Plot
This section needs additional citations for verification. (February 2023) |
The song consists of three types of interspersed dialogue: a simulated
The conversation is between "Rubber Duck", "Pig Pen", and "Sodbuster", primarily through Rubber Duck's side of the conversation. The narration and CB chatter are by McCall.[12]
At the beginning of the song, Rubber Duck is the "front door" (the leader) of three semi-trailer trucks (tractor and semi-trailer) when he realizes they have a convoy. Following the Rubber Duck, Pig Pen brings up the rear (the "back door") in a "'Jimmy' haulin' hogs" (a truck powered by a two-stroke Detroit Diesel engine-A.K.A. Screamin' Jimmy, after Detroit Diesel's then-owner General Motors[13]-with a livestock semi-trailer loaded with live pigs). The two other trucks are a Kenworth pulling logs, and a cab-over Peterbilt with a "reefer" (refrigerated trailer) attached; the lyrics are unclear which one of the two the Rubber Duck was driving (the sequel song "'Round the World with the Rubber Duck" more strongly implies he indeed is driving the Peterbilt,[14] which would be consistent with McCall's previous songs and commercials portraying him as a bread truck driver[15]).
The convoy begins at night on June 6 on "I-one-oh" (
The song's running gag has Rubber Duck complaining about the smell of the hogs that Pig Pen is hauling. He repeatedly asks the offending driver to "back off" (slow down). By the end, Pig Pen has fallen so far back, when Rubber Duck is in New Jersey, Pig Pen got detached from the convoy between Tulsa and Chicago and ended up in Omaha, Nebraska (a reference to the headquarters of American Gramaphone, which released the song, as well as Bozell & Jacobs, who created the C. W. McCall character; Omaha is infamous for its slaughterhouses, which a truck with cargo like the hogs hauled by Pig Pen would likely head to).
Chart history
Weekly charts
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Year-end charts
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Sequel
McCall's "
Remakes and covers
- In 1976, a parody by Laurie Lingo & The Dipsticks entitled "Convoy GB" made #4 on the UK singles chart. The name "Laurie Lingo" is a pun; in the UK, a large truck is known as a "lorry", and thus "lorry lingo" would be "truck slang". The act actually consisted of BBC Radio 1 DJs Dave Lee Travis and Paul Burnett with "The Dipsticks" being the Top of the Pops vocalists The Ladybirds. The parody used the same tune, but altered the song's lyrics to take place in the UK, with dialogue featuring Travis and Burnett as truckers "Superscouse" and "Plastic Chicken".
- McCall himself recorded a new version of the song with saltier lyrics for the soundtrack of the 1978 film Convoy. McCall also made two additional re-recordings of the original song, one for his 1990 album The Real McCall: An American Storyteller, and the other for the 2003 Mannheim Steamroller album American Spirit.[citation needed]
- Another parody, "Chat Room", was produced by Bob Rivers.[38]
- In 1981, rap artist Blowfly recorded a dirty rap version of the song on his album Rappin Dancing and Laughin. This seven-minute version, describes an all-black convoy of strikebreakers delivering Blowfly's album to New York City, concludes with a list of vulgar slang terms arranged in alphabetical order and a dialogue between Blowfly and his alter ego, Clarence Reid.[citation needed]
- In 1990, Karen and Wade Sheeler recorded a parody called "Car Phone", which later appeared on the Dr. Demento 25th Anniversary Collection.[39]
- In 2000, television commercial featuring actor William Shatnerperforming the song with altered lyrics about the company's services.
- In 2010, country-rap artist Colt Ford recorded the song for his 2010 album Chicken & Biscuits.[citation needed]
- The Spanish group Mocedades did the song with the translated title Aire in their 1982 studio album Amor de Hombre.[40] The Spanish lyrics for this song were written by Fernando De Diego.[41]
Paul Brandt version
The song was
Brandt also recorded a Christmas version called "Christmas Convoy", which appears on the 2006 holiday album A Gift. In this version, the convoy helps Santa deliver his toys after a bad storm.
References
- ^ "100 Greatest Country Songs of All Time". Rolling Stone. June 1, 2014. Retrieved October 30, 2017.
- ^ Whitburn, Joel (2004). The Billboard Book Of Top 40 Country Hits: 1944-2006, Second edition. Record Research. p. 220.
- ^ "Item Display – RPM – Library and Archives Canada". Collectionscanada.gc.ca. Archived from the original on October 20, 2012. Retrieved September 17, 2011.
- ^ "Country Singer C.W. McCall of 'Convoy' Fame Dies at 93". Yahoo Sports. April 4, 2022. Retrieved May 5, 2023.
- ^ Barnett, Betsy (March 2, 2022). "We Got Us a Convoy: The Colorado Freedom Convoy Heads East on I70 on Thursday". Kiowa County Independent. Retrieved April 12, 2022.
- ^ Unterberger, Andrew (April 4, 2022). "Forever No. 1: C.W. McCall's 'Convoy'". Billboard. Retrieved April 12, 2022.
- ^ "Country music star C.W. McCall dies at 93". MSN. April 12, 2022. Retrieved April 12, 2022.
- ^ Dukes, Billy (February 17, 2022). "'Convoy' Singer C.W. McCall Is in Hospice". Taste of Country. Retrieved March 24, 2023.
- ^ "Drew And Mike – February 9, 2022 – The Drew and Mike Show". February 10, 2022. Retrieved March 24, 2023.
- ^ Ochs, Meredith (June 6, 2017). "How A Trucker's Protest Anthem Became A '70s Hit". NPR. Retrieved May 4, 2023.
- ^ Moore, Addie (April 28, 2020). "How C.W. McCall's 'Convoy' Became a Cultural Phenomenon". Wide Open Country. Retrieved May 5, 2023.
- ^ Unterberger, Andrew (April 4, 2022). "Forever No. 1: C.W. McCall's 'Convoy'". Billboard. Retrieved May 5, 2023.
- ^ Jensen, James. "Detroit Diesel - North American Diesel icon". Dieselduck.info.
- ^
"'Round The World With The Rubber Duck". The Works of C.W. McCall : Rubber Duck. TechRen Enterprises. Archived from the original on May 18, 2009. Retrieved March 9, 2009.
...And them cab-over Petes don't float.
- ^ Ligo, Joe (May 19, 2021). "The 1970s Trucking Craze Can Be Traced Back to a Regional TV Commercial for Bread". The Drive. Retrieved December 12, 2023.
- ^ "National Top 100 Singles for 1976". Kent Music Report. December 27, 1976. Retrieved January 11, 2022 – via Imgur.
- ^ C.W. MCCALL - CONVOY - austriancharts.at Retrieved 2023-04-28
- ^ "RPM Country Playlist - January 17, 1976" (PDF).
- ^ "RPM Top Singles - January 24, 1976" (PDF).
- ^ "RPM Pop Music Playlist - January 17, 1976" (PDF).
- ^ C.W. MCCALL - CONVOY - germancharts.de Retrieved 2023-04-28
- ^ C.W. MCCALL - CONVOY - lescharts.com Retrieved 2023-04-28
- ^ irishcharts.com - C.W. McCall - ConvoyRetrieved 2023-04-28
- ^ C.W. MCCALL - CONVOY - charts.nz Retrieved 2023-04-28
- ^ CW MCCALL | full Official Chart History Retrieved 2023-04-28
- ^ "C.W. McCall Chart History (Hot Country Songs)". Billboard.
- ^ "C.W. McCall Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard.
- ^ "C.W. McCall Chart History (Adult Contemporary)". Billboard.
- ^ "Cash Box Top 100 1/31/76". Tropicalglen.com. Archived from the original on October 20, 2018. Retrieved October 30, 2017.
- ^ "National Top 100 Singles for 1976". Kent Music Report. December 27, 1976. Retrieved January 15, 2022 – via Imgur.
- ^ "Forum - 1970 (ARIA Charts: Special Occasion Charts)". Australian-charts.com. Archived from the original on June 2, 2016. Retrieved May 7, 2017.
- ^ "Top Singles – Volume 26, No. 14 & 15, January 08 1977". RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Archived from the original on March 19, 2016. Retrieved March 24, 2017.
- ^ "The Official New Zealand Music Chart". THE OFFICIAL NZ MUSIC CHART.
- ^ "Top 100 Hits of 1976/Top 100 Songs of 1976". Musicoutfitters.com. Retrieved October 30, 2017.
- ^ "Cash Box YE Pop Singles - 1976". Tropicalglen.com. Archived from the original on October 20, 2018. Retrieved October 30, 2017.
- ^ Christy, Richard (February 18, 1977). "Record Reviews". The Kingston Whig-Standard (Kingston, Ontario, Canada). p. 42.
- ^ C.W. McCall – 'Round The World With The Rubber Duck, retrieved April 28, 2023
- ^ "The Bob Rivers Show with Bob Spike and Joe". Archived from the original on October 23, 2011. Retrieved October 21, 2011.
- ^ "Sheeler and Sheeler: Car Phone". Retrieved August 27, 2017.
- ^ "Álbumes originales de Mocedades: Amor de hombre". mocedades.com. Archived from the original on August 24, 2014. Retrieved January 27, 2022.
- ^ "Album: Amor de hombre de Mocedades en Los40.com". Archived from the original on August 27, 2014. Retrieved August 24, 2014.
- Allmusic. Retrieved August 17, 2011.