Mr. Custer
Larry Verne
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(that famous day in history the men of the 7th cavalry went riding on) (and from the rear a voice was heard) (a brave young man with a trembling word rang loud and clear) What am I doin' here? Please Mr. Custer, I don't want to go Hey, Mr. Custer, please don't make me go I had a dream last night about the comin' fight Somebody yelled "attack!" And there I stood with a arrow in my back. Please Mr. Custer, I don't want to go (forward ho!) aw Look at them bushes out there They're moving and there's a injun behind every one Hey, Mr. Custer-you mind if I be excused the rest of the afternoon? Hey charlie, duck yer head! Hm, you're a little bit late on that one, charlie Ooh, I bet that smarts! (they were sure of victory, the men of the 7th cavalry, as they rode on) (but then from the rear a voice was heard) (that same brave voice with the trembling word rang loud and clear) What am I doin' here? Please Mr. Custer, I don't want to go Listen, Mr. Custer, please don't make me go There's a redskin a-waitin' out there, just fixin' to take my hair A coward I've been called 'cause I don't want to wind up dead or bald Please Mr. Custer, I don't want to go (forward ho) aw I wonder what the injun word for friend is Let's see friend kemo sabe, that's it Kemo sabe! Hey out there, kemo sabe! Nope, that itn't it Look at them out there They're runnin' around like a bunch of wild Indians Heh, heh, heh Nah, this ain't no time for jokin'
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Written by: A. DELORY, F. DARIAN, J. VANWINKLE
Lyrics © SPIRIT MUSIC GROUP
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
13 facts about this song
Historical Background"Mr. Custer" is a novelty song which was released in 1960 by Larry Verne.
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Chart PerformanceThe song reached number one on Billboard Hot 100 in the United States, remaining there for one week. It also charted at number 9 on UK Singles Chart in the same year.
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Comedy ThemeThe song is a comedic, first-person account of a soldier's thoughts before fighting in the famous Battle of Little Bighorn in 1876, an encounter involving the Sioux tribe and the U.S. 7th Cavalry under the command of Lieutenant General George Armstrong Custer.
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Artistic TeamThe song was written by Al De Lory, Fred Darian, and Joseph Van Winkle.
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Later Usage"Mr. Custer" was used in an episode of the television series 'The Wonder Years' years after its release.
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Music VideoA memorable music video was produced for the song, with Larry Verne seen in a Military Uniform, poking fun at the historical event.
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Behind the ArtistLarry Verne's career did not start as a musician. He was originally a builder by profession but later transitioned to music due to his love for it.
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ParodyThe song was issued as a parody, as it presents the Battle of Little Bighorn from a humorous perspective, focusing on a cowardice infantryman who is reluctant to get into the battle.
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Vinyl RecordThe song was released by Era Records as a vinyl record, a typical music medium during that era.
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VersatilityIn addition to its success in the U.S. and UK, the song was also issued in several foreign languages, including German and Dutch.
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Song Duration"Mr. Custer" runs for a duration of approximately 3 minutes and 12 seconds.
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Grammy AwardAl De Lory, one of the songwriters of "Mr. Custer", would later go on to win a Grammy Award for Best Instrumental Arrangement in 1971.
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Cover VersionsThe song was covered by several artists and bands, including Charlie Drake who renamed it as "Mr. Custer I Don't Wanna Go".
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Citation
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