Mr. Custer

Larry Verne

About Mr. Custer

"Mr. Custer" is a march novelty song, sung by Larry Verne, and written by Al De Lory, Fred Darian, and Joseph Van Winkle. It was a No. 1 song in the United States in 1960, topping the Billboard Hot 100 singles chart for the issue dated October 10, 1960, and remained there for one week. It also reached No. 1 in Canada, September 12, 1960. It is a comical song about a soldier's plea to General Custer before the climactic Battle of the Little Bighorn against the Sioux, which he did not want to fight. In 1964, Verne recorded and released a sequel novelty song entitled "Return of Mr. Custer," which used the same melody and music arrangement but failed to chart. "Mr. Custer" was also a No. 12 success in the UK Singles Chart for Charlie Drake in 1960, his third such chart hit. Novelty/country singer-songwriter Ray Stevens covered this song for his 1969 album Gitarzan. 


Year:
2007
3:07
112 
#3

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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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Larry Verne

Larry Vern Erickson (February 8, 1936 – October 8, 2013) was an American novelty song vocalist. more »

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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.
Chart Performance
The 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.
Comedy Theme
The 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.
Artistic Team
The song was written by Al De Lory, Fred Darian, and Joseph Van Winkle.
Later Usage
"Mr. Custer" was used in an episode of the television series 'The Wonder Years' years after its release.
Music Video
A memorable music video was produced for the song, with Larry Verne seen in a Military Uniform, poking fun at the historical event.
Behind the Artist
Larry 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.
Parody
The 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.
Vinyl Record
The song was released by Era Records as a vinyl record, a typical music medium during that era.
Versatility
In addition to its success in the U.S. and UK, the song was also issued in several foreign languages, including German and Dutch.
Song Duration
"Mr. Custer" runs for a duration of approximately 3 minutes and 12 seconds.
Grammy Award
Al De Lory, one of the songwriters of "Mr. Custer", would later go on to win a Grammy Award for Best Instrumental Arrangement in 1971.
Cover Versions
The 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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    Mr. Custer

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