Origins: Okie from Muskogee Parody (John Denver)

Subject: Origins: Okie from Muskogee Parody (John Denver?)
From: GUEST
Date: 12 Oct 14 - 10:13 AM

I just found a site with a lot of Denver, Boise and Johnson stuff, and one of the recordings caught my attention. It's John Denver singing the Merle Haggard song, "Okie from Muskogee" back in 1971. As far as I know, John never recorded the song on any of his albums.

What's more interesting is that John actually sang a parodied version of the song. He began with the original verses, but the last two verses he sang are:

Now, everytime I see those hippie peace freaks,
It really makes me feel like I'm a man.
If I had my way I'd join the Ku-Klux
And I'd burn them with their draft cards in their hands.

I'm proud to be an Okie from Muskogee;
I'm proud to be a redneck from the South.
Everywhere those Wallace voters know me -
"Love me, or I'll punch you in the mouth!"

OK, I know John Denver is an Okie and sorta leftie, but I don't think he could write ironic parody like that. So who was it that wrote those verses? It's indeed very witty! Could it be Tom Paxton? Denver once said he would turn to Paxton every time he wanted some satirical stuffs.

Any idea?

Subject: RE: Origins: Okie from Muskogee Parody (John Denver)
From: GUEST,#
Date: 12 Oct 14 - 11:45 AM

Patrick Sky recorded the song on his album "Songs That Made America Famous." I don't think it had anything to do with John Denver.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mWf2uhqD35o

Subject: RE: Origins: Okie from Muskogee Parody (John Denver)
From: GUEST,Peter Laban
Date: 12 Oct 14 - 12:58 PM

Merle Haggard!

Subject: RE: Origins: Okie from Muskogee Parody (John Denver)
From: GUEST,#
Date: 12 Oct 14 - 01:08 PM

I can't believe Merle Haggard wrote the parody.

Subject: RE: Origins: Okie from Muskogee Parody (John Denver)
From: GUEST,#
Date: 12 Oct 14 - 01:35 PM

http://www.wirz.de/music/skyfrm.htm

The parody was written by Patrick hisself.

Subject: RE: Origins: Okie from Muskogee Parody (John Denver)
From: Jason Xion Wang
Date: 12 Oct 14 - 01:46 PM

As a fan of both Patrick Sky and John Denver, I've also noticed this...

Patrick is one of the few who could match Tom Paxton's talent when it comes to satires. It surely sounds like a Patrick Sky composition. John Denver surely does have a sense of humor, but I also don't think he cold write something like this.

Problem is: Patrick's parody was first released on "Songs That Made America Famous" - 1973. John Denver's performance is two years earlier. So there is no possibility that John learnt it from Patrick's record.

Maybe John knew Patrick personally? I don't know, sounds plausible.

Subject: RE: Origins: Okie from Muskogee Parody (John Denver)
From: GUEST,#
Date: 12 Oct 14 - 01:57 PM

Where can one hear Denver's version?

Subject: RE: Origins: Okie from Muskogee Parody (John Denver)
From: GUEST
Date: 12 Oct 14 - 02:05 PM

Well, I'd say Paxton is the greatest topical satirist; Sky and Lehrer are match-ups. Another talent is George Brown iirc, who wrote several of Chad Mitchell Trio's best known satires (Lizzie Bordon, John Birch Society, etc). And don't forget Ochs, who's got the Draft Dodger Rag.

Subject: RE: Origins: Okie from Muskogee Parody (John Denver)
From: GUEST
Date: 12 Oct 14 - 02:12 PM

Sorry... I meant Michael Brown.

John Denver's version is in the link given by GUEST. I think John also sang it (with Patrick's verses, of course) on a TV show. Look up YouTube and you'll probably find it.

Subject: RE: Origins: Okie from Muskogee Parody (John Denver)
From: GUEST,#
Date: 12 Oct 14 - 02:18 PM

Thanks. Just listened.

Subject: Lyr Add: Okie from Muskogee Parody (Patrick Sky)
From: Jason Xion Wang
Date: 12 Oct 14 - 11:28 PM

OKIE
(Patrick Sky)

I'm proud to be an Okie from Muskogee.
Said, I'm proud to be a redneck from the South.
Everywhere I go, the Wallace voters know me -
Said, love me or I'll punch you in the mouth!

Now, the way we get our kicks down in Muskogee
Is to beat up everyone who isn't white.
Well, it's muscatel and honky-tonks and ripple.
Yes, we like living free and being right.

Now, every time I see them hippie peace creeps,
You know, it really makes me feel like I'm a man.
Yes, if I had my way I'd join the Ku-Klux
And I'd burn them with their draft cards in their hands.

Well, so come on you good men who love America
And would like to keep our good clean country free.
From them commie marijueena [sic] smoking preverts [sic]
Who fill their engines up with STP.

I said, I'm proud to be an Okie from Muskogee.
Said, I'm proud to be a redneck from the South.
Everywhere I go, the Wallace voters know me -
Said, love me or I'll punch you in the mouth!

As sung by Patrick Sky in "Songs That Made America Famous", 1973 (recorded in 1971).


As a member of the Mitchell Trio, John Denver was a regular at folk festivals back in the 60's. It's highly possible that John knew Patrick Sky personally so that he could learn his song before it was officially released.

Jason

Subject: RE: Origins: Okie from Muskogee Parody (John Denver)
From: GUEST,Jon Doeringer
Date: 11 Mar 16 - 04:53 PM

Thanks for the lyrics. I thought I posted something to this page, a year or so ago?
There was a band that recorded this song in the early 70's? I had finally found their name - and posted it here. Maybe I didn't? I can't find their name, now. I came here so I could tell someone else the band's name. Oh well...
I'd never heard Patrick Sky or John Denver do it. This song was a minor radio hit, at the time. Perfect for FM, and their lefty listeners! One semi-hit wonders?

Subject: RE: Origins: Okie from Muskogee Parody (John Denver)
From: GUEST,#
Date: 11 Mar 16 - 05:42 PM

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OimAEdj7Qa0

Same but not from the Youngbloods.

Subject: RE: Origins: Okie from Muskogee Parody (John Denver)
From: GUEST,Gerry
Date: 11 Mar 16 - 11:38 PM

I can confirm that John Denver knew Patrick Sky – as far back as February 1967, when The Mitchell Trio was on the bill with Sky at a WBAI fundraiser, along with Pete Seeger, Tom Paxton, and Judy Collins.