Throwing back to the week of May 14, 1955, we find the country in the throes of Davy Crockett mania. That week, not one but two versions of ‘The Ballad of Davy Crockett’ made it to the top five.
Slots one through three were taken by songs familiar by now to anyone reading this blog: Perez Pablo’s ‘Cherry Pink & Apple Blossom White,‘ Georgia Gibbs’ ‘Dance With Me Henry (Wallflower),’ and Les Baxter’s ‘Unchained Melody.’ And in the fourth spot was the most popular version of ‘The Ballad of Davy Crocket,’ recorded by Bill Hayes.
That left the #5 spot to Fess Parker, the actor who portrayed Crockett in a five-episode miniseries for Disney. Nine years later he would play another American frontiersman, Daniel Boone. Alas, that show’s theme song was performed by somebody else.
Born on a mountain top in Tennessee
Greenest state in the land of the free
Raised in the woods so’s he knew every tree
Killed himself a bear when he was only three
[Refrain]
Davy, Davy Crockett
King of the wild frontier
[Verse 2]
In 1813, the Creeks uprose
Adding redskin arrows to the country’s woes
Now Indian fighting is something he knows
So he shoulders his rifle and off he goes
[Refrain]
Davy, Davy Crockett
The man who don’t know fear
[Verse 3]
Off through the woods, he’s a-marching along
Making up yarns and singing a song
Itchy for a fighting and a writing a wrong
He’s rangy as a bear and twice as strong
[Refrain]
Davy, Davy Crockett
The buckskin buccaneer
[Verse 4]
He fought single-handed through the Indian war
‘Til the Creeks was whipped and the peace was in store
And while he was handling this risky chore
He made himself a legend forever more
[Refrain]
Davy, Davy Crockett
King of the wild frontier
[Verse 5]
He gave his word and he gave his hand
That his Indian friends could keep their land
And the rest of his life he took to stand
That justice was due every redskin band
[Refrain]
Davy, Davy Crockett
Holding his promise dear
[Verse 6]
He went off to Congress and served a spell
Fixing up the government and laws as well
Took over Washington so we here’d tell
And patched up the crack in the Liberty Bell
[Refrain]
Davy, Davy Crockett
Seeing his duty clear
[Verse 7]
When he’d come home, his politicking done
The big western march had just begun
So he packed his gear and his trusty gun
And lit out a-grinning to follow the sun
[Refrain]
Davy, Davy Crockett
Leading the pioneer
[Verse 8]
He heard of Houston and Austin and so
To the Texas plains he just had to go
Where freedom was fighting another foe
And they needed him at the Alamo
[Refrain]
Davy, Davy Crockett
The man who don’t know fear
[Verse 9]
His land is biggest and his land is best
From grassy plains through the mountain’s crest
He’s ahead of us all, meeting the test
Following his legend into the West
[Refrain]
Davy, Davy Crockett
King of the wild frontier
Meet Me In Montauk 
These lyrics have not aged well!
I can still see my brother as a young child running around with his coon skin hat that was a popular toy for kids way back when 😊