Gitarzan
1969 single by Ray Stevens
| "Gitarzan" | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Single by Ray Stevens | ||||
| from the album Gitarzan | ||||
| B-side | "Bagpipes - That's My Bag" | |||
| Released | January 6, 1969 | |||
| Genre | Pop | |||
| Length | 3:15 3:00 (7" version) | |||
| Label | Monument | |||
| Songwriter(s) | Ray Stevens, Bill Everette | |||
| Producer(s) | Fred Foster, Ray Stevens, Jim Malloy | |||
| Ray Stevens singles chronology | ||||
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"Gitarzan" is a novelty song released by Ray Stevens in 1969 about a character who lives in a jungle and forms a musical band with his female partner, Jane, and their pet monkey. The song features Tarzan's jungle calls, scat singing, and a funky boogie-woogie, a quote from the song "Swinging on a Star", with the line "Carrying moonbeams home in a jar" superimposed over an insistent G Major ostinato, and a melody from Martha and the Vandellas' "Honey Chile" in its chorus. The song reached #8 on the Billboard Hot 100 on 31 May 1969 and #10 in Canada in May 1969. It did best in New Zealand, where it reached #2.[1] The music and lyrics were written by Stevens with a title supplied by Bill Justis. Justis is officially credited as Bill Everette.
Cover versions
A cover version was recorded by country music parodist Cledus T. Judd on his tribute album Boogity, Boogity - A Tribute to the Comedic Genius of Ray Stevens in 2007. Judd's cover features Keith Urban and Heidi Newfield (former lead singer of Trick Pony). An earlier cover appeared on Ralph's World's Green Gorilla, Monster and Me! (a children's music album) in 2006.
Animatronic robot band The Rock-afire Explosion performed the song on the "Fatz for President" showtape, created in June 1983 for Showbiz Pizza Place.[2] This cover version, styled "Guitarzan", was arranged by the band's creator, inventor Aaron Fechter.
References
- v
- t
- e
- 1,837 Seconds of Humor
- This Is Ray Stevens
- Even Stevens
- Gitarzan
- Have a Little Talk with Myself
- Everything Is Beautiful
- Unreal!!!
- Turn Your Radio On
- Losin' Streak
- Nashville
- Boogity Boogity
- Misty
- Just for the Record
- Feel the Music
- There Is Something on Your Mind
- Be Your Own Best Friend
- Shriner's Convention
- One More Last Chance
- Don't Laugh Now
- Me
- He Thinks He's Ray Stevens
- I Have Returned
- Surely You Joust
- Crackin' Up!
- I Never Made a Record I Didn't Like
- Beside Myself
- Funny Man
- #1 With a Bullet
- Osama—Yo' Mama: The Album
- The Best of Ray Stevens (1967)
- The Best of Ray Stevens (1968)
- Greatest Hits (1983 Ray Stevens album)
- Greatest Hits, Vol. 1 (Ray Stevens album)
- Greatest Hits, Vol. 2 (Ray Stevens album)
- His All-Time Greatest Comic Hits
- The Very Best of Ray Stevens
- 20th Century Masters – The Millennium Collection: The Best of Ray Stevens
- "Jeremiah Peabody's Polyunsaturated Quick-Dissolving Fast-Acting Pleasant-Tasting Green and Purple Pills"
- "Ahab the Arab"
- "Gitarzan"
- "Along Came Jones"
- "Sunday Mornin' Comin' Down"
- "Have a Little Talk with Myself"
- "I'll Be Your Baby Tonight"
- "Everything Is Beautiful"
- "All My Trials"
- "The Streak"
- "Misty"
- "Indian Love Call"
- "Young Love"
- "You Are So Beautiful"
- "In the Mood"
- "I Need Your Help Barry Manilow"
- "Shriner's Convention"
- "Mississippi Squirrel Revival"
- "Would Jesus Wear a Rolex"
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