Bob Wills is still the King

Subject: Bob Wills is still the King
From: Wesley S
Date: 15 May 07 - 01:26 PM

I drove from Ft Worth to Austin and back over the weekend. On the way I rediscovered via my CD player that yes - Bob Wills is still the King. Could any music be more suitable for a drive like that? There have been a lot of pretenders to the throne - but there are some days where the music of Bob Will {and Western Swing in general} is just plain perfect.

Subject: RE: Bob Wills is still the King
From: beardedbruce
Date: 15 May 07 - 01:30 PM

No arguement from me.

Subject: RE: Bob Wills is still the King
From: Schantieman
Date: 15 May 07 - 01:52 PM

Do you remember all thoise wickets he took for Warwickshire and England? And that mop of curly hair?

A fine fast bowler.

S

Subject: RE: Bob Wills is still the King
From: GUEST,Jim
Date: 15 May 07 - 02:52 PM

I love his music, but feel that he overdoes the vocal interjections. The occasional, "Ahaaaa!" is all right; I do it when I play a Western Swing tune, but I think Bob overdoes it.
I love the Merle Haggard tribute album. I also love the Hillbilly Jazz album with Vassar et al and I must admit, I have a Texas Playboys CD in my car right now.

Subject: RE: Bob Wills is still the King
From: Scoville
Date: 15 May 07 - 03:55 PM

I love his music, but feel that he overdoes the vocal interjections. The occasional, "Ahaaaa!" is all right; I do it when I play a Western Swing tune, but I think Bob overdoes it.

Agreed, but oh, well.



Unfortunately, I've always thought that the song itself, "Bob Wills is Still the King", is one of the big disappointments in country music. Wills was the king of Western swing, for crying out loud; why commemorate him with such a dull, plodding, mediocre song? Bocephus blew it on that one.

Subject: RE: Bob Wills is still the King
From: Wesley S
Date: 15 May 07 - 04:11 PM

I feel the same way about the yodels of Jimmie Rogers. Every once and awhile is great but every single song??

Subject: RE: Bob Wills is still the King
From: Q (Frank Staplin)
Date: 15 May 07 - 04:12 PM

Just got another cd to add to my collection. Seldom heard here in the frozen lands.

Subject: RE: Bob Wills is still the King
From: lesblank
Date: 15 May 07 - 04:15 PM

Bocephus didn't write it -- Waylon did and a hell of a job he did , too   !!!

Subject: RE: Bob Wills is still the King
From: Scoville
Date: 15 May 07 - 04:17 PM

You're right--brain spasm. I blame Bocephus for everything.

It's still an unforgivably boring song, though. Ought to be covered by somebody else who can put some swing in it.

Subject: RE: Bob Wills is still the King
From: Bainbo
Date: 15 May 07 - 05:07 PM

I can never play my Bob Wills box set all in one go for that very - Ahaaaa! - reason.

There are a few Bob Wills vids on Youtube, and are the exact visual equivalent. Some great swinging music and vocals ... but then you see Bob swaggering towards the microphone, and you know what's coming next.

Still love those songs, though. Get With It!

Subject: RE: Bob Wills is still the King
From: GUEST,Art Thieme
Date: 15 May 07 - 09:27 PM

I've been told he sold his nightclub to Jack Ruby.

Art

Subject: RE: Bob Wills is still the King
From: M.Ted
Date: 16 May 07 - 02:40 PM

Spade Cooley was the original King of Western Swing--

Subject: RE: Bob Wills is still the King
From: Wesley S
Date: 16 May 07 - 02:49 PM

Didn't Spade Cooley die in jail?

Subject: RE: Bob Wills is still the King
From: Ron Davies
Date: 16 May 07 - 10:11 PM

It seems that technically Spade Cooley was not in prison when he died. Granted leave for a benefit concert, he died of a heart attack backstage.

But he sure as hell deserved to die in prison. Stomped, burned his wife with cigarettes, and strangled her--while forcing their 14-year-old daughter to watch.





Back to Bob Wills:

A word in favor of Bob Wills' interjections: It seems to me from my reading--especially San Antonio Rose, by Charles Townsend--that Bob's interjections, in addition to being popular, often had a role to play in the songs. Bob's heyday was the Depression--and many of the songs were about lost love, hard times or something similar. He wanted to entertain, and make people smile. So the interjections, especially in the slower songs, undercut the sometimes depressing message of a song--and lifted the mood. After all, virtually all his music was geared to dancing.

I love to hear Bob's interjections--anytime. Though I realize I may be in the minority --Jan also agrees with Bob's critics.

Subject: RE: Bob Wills is still the King
From: M.Ted
Date: 16 May 07 - 10:11 PM

He died in 1969 in Northern California immediately after playing for a benefit concert put on by the Oakland County Sheriff--he was incarcerated at the time, life in prison for murdering his estranged wife in a particularly brutal fashion, in 1961. The trial was a media circus, as befits a fallen idol.

Subject: RE: Bob Wills is still the King
From: Ron Davies
Date: 16 May 07 - 10:23 PM

Re: lifting the mood: check Cotton Patch Blues, Brain Cloudy Blues, and Time Changes Everything.

Subject: RE: Bob Wills is still the King
From: Big Al Whittle
Date: 17 May 07 - 04:10 AM

Anybody got the word for the waylon Jennings tribute - all I can remember is the line When you cross that old Red River, Bob Wills is still the king.

Subject: Lyr Add: BOB WILLS IS STILL THE KING (W Jennings)
From: M.Ted
Date: 17 May 07 - 10:39 AM

BOB WILLS IS STILL THE KING
(Waylon Jennings)
As recorded by Waylon Jennings on "Nashville Rebel" (1972)

The honky-tonks in Texas were my natural second home,
Where you tip your hat to the ladies and the Rose of San Antone.
Well, I grew up on music we call western swing.
It don't matter who's in Austin; Bob Wills is still the king.

I can still remember the way things were back then.
In spite of all the hard times, I'd live it all again.
Just to hear the Texas Playboys and Tommy Duncan sing
Makes me proud to be from Texas where Bob Wills is still the king.

You can see the Grand Ol' Opry in Nashville, Tennessee.
It's the home of country music; on that we all agree,
But when you cross that ol' Red River, Hoss, that just don't mean a thing,
'Cause once you're down in Texas, Bob Wills is still the king.

If you ain't never been there, then I guess you ain't been told
That you just can't live in Texas unless you got a lot o' soul.
It's the home of Willie Nelson, the home of western swing,
And he'll be the first to tell you, Bob Wills is still the king.

Subject: RE: Bob Wills is still the King
From: M.Ted
Date: 17 May 07 - 10:51 AM

Here is a fairly detailed bio of the great Texan--How detailed? you can taste the dust and feel the sunBob Wills Bio at Oldies.com

Subject: RE: Bob Wills is still the King
From: Wesley S
Date: 17 May 07 - 11:08 AM

I once read that Duane Allman said that the Allman Brothers Band got the idea for their twin guitar leads after listening to Bob Wills and his twin fiddles.

Subject: RE: Bob Wills is still the King
From: Wesley S
Date: 17 May 07 - 11:25 AM

Someone at my office has heard that there will be a movie about Spade Cooley called "Shame On You". It will be directed by Dennis Quaid and star Quade as Spade and Katie Holms as his wife.

Subject: RE: Bob Wills is still the King
From: wysiwyg
Date: 17 May 07 - 11:28 AM

If Bob Wills is still the King, can I get a visa to his kingdom?

~S~

Subject: RE: Bob Wills is still the King
From: Big Al Whittle
Date: 17 May 07 - 12:22 PM

Thank you!

Subject: RE: Bob Wills is still the King
From: M.Ted
Date: 17 May 07 - 01:02 PM

Thanks telling us about the movie, WesleyS--it could be very interesting.

Subject: RE: Bob Wills is still the King
From: Wesley S
Date: 17 May 07 - 01:37 PM

Will "The Charlie Poole Story" be next?

Subject: RE: Bob Wills is still the King
From: Mooh
Date: 17 May 07 - 03:43 PM

Asleep At The Wheel did a tribute album which I listen to often. Very much recomended.

Peace, Mooh.

Subject: RE: Bob Wills is still the King
From: Wesley S
Date: 17 May 07 - 03:53 PM

I've got it in the car right now Mooh.

Subject: RE: Bob Wills is still the King
From: Stringsinger
Date: 17 May 07 - 04:41 PM

I heard that Tom DeLay was King of Texas.

Take it away, Leon!

Subject: RE: Bob Wills is still the King
From: M.Ted
Date: 17 May 07 - 07:54 PM

I just listened to a version of "Bob Wills is Still the King" by Asleep at the Wheel with Clint Black(in the Bob Wills style), and then a live Waylon version, (in the "Outlaw" style)--amazing how different two versions of the same song can be--

Subject: RE: Bob Wills is still the King
From: Mooh
Date: 18 May 07 - 09:08 AM

Wow, usually when I mention that record nobody knows it! Glad to be among like minded folks.

Peace, Mooh.

Subject: RE: Bob Wills is still the King
From: IanC
Date: 18 May 07 - 11:02 AM

King of what?

... the only King I ever acknowledged was King Len of Reach.

;-)

Subject: RE: Bob Wills is still the King
From: GUEST,Muskrat
Date: 18 May 07 - 02:34 PM

During one of his first recording sessions under his own name, Bob's vocal interjections bothered producer Art Satherly enough that he asked Bob to (though probably not his expression) cool it.

"Pack 'em up, boys," Wills told his band "We're going home."

They, and Bob's exhortations, stayed.

Subject: RE: Bob Wills is still the King
From: Big Al Whittle
Date: 18 May 07 - 03:57 PM

Yesterday I bought a country music sampler to do my exercise biking to. By coincidence there are two Spade Cooley trax on it. I'd never heard of the bloke til reading this thread.

Curious name - in England, Spade is racist abuse these days - although it was in common usage when I as a lad.

Subject: RE: Bob Wills is still the King
From: M.Ted
Date: 18 May 07 - 04:29 PM

Donnell Clyde Cooley was fond of poker. Check this--CMT Spade Cooley Bio. Western Swing is about as good as music gets, and Spade Cooley was about as good as Western Swing gets. Bob Wills was at the top too, of course, but remembers him--