Billy Bayou

Jim Reeves

About Billy Bayou

"Billy Bayou" is a song written by Roger Miller that was released as a 1958 single by Jim Reeves. It's a slightly comic song about a larger-than-life character having adventures in America in the 1800s. Reeves' recording spent a total of 25 weeks on the country chart and was his fourth release to reach No. 1, where it stayed for five weeks. There is a song on the B-side of "Billy Bayou" titled "I'd Like to Be", which peaked at number eighteen on the country charts. The song has been covered by other artists, including Burl Ives and Doug Kershaw.  


Year:
2002
2:02
35 

 The easy, fast & fun way to learn how to sing: 30DaySinger.com

Back about eighteen hundred and some
A Louisiana couple had a red-headed son
No name suited him, Jim, Jack or Joe
They just called him Billy Bayou

Billy, Billy Bayou, watch where you go
If you're walkin' on quicksand, walk slow
Billy, Billy Bayou, watch what you say
A pretty girl'll get you one of these days

Billy was a boy, kinda big for his size
Red hair and freckles and big blue eyes
Thirteen years from the day he was born
Billy fought the battle of the little big horn

Billy, Billy Bayou, watch where you go
If you're walkin' on quicksand, walk slow
Billy, Billy Bayou, watch what you say
A pretty girl'll get you one of these days

One sad day Billy cried ho ho
I can lick the feathers off of gee-ron-imo
He started off, the chief got mad
This nearly ended our Louisiana lad

Billy, Billy Bayou, watch where you go
If you're walkin' on quicksand, walk slow
Billy, Billy Bayou, watch what you say
A pretty girl'll get you one of these days

One day in eighteen seventy-eight
A pretty girl walked through Bill's front gate
He didn't know whether to stand there, or run
He wound up married 'cause he didn't either one

Billy, Billy Bayou, watch where you go
If you're walkin' on quicksand, walk slow
Billy, Billy Bayou, watch what you say
A pretty girl'll get you one of these days

A pretty girl'll get you one of these days

 The easy, fast & fun way to learn how to sing: 30DaySinger.com


Jim Reeves

James Travis "Jim" Reeves (August 20, 1923 – July 31, 1964) was an American country and popular music singer-songwriter. With records charting from the 1950s to the 1980s, he became well known as a practitioner of the Nashville sound (a mixture of older country-style music with elements of popular music). Known as "Gentleman Jim", his songs continued to chart for years after his death. Reeves died at age 40 in the crash of a private airplane. He is a member of both the Country Music and Texas Country Music Halls of Fame. more »

13 fans

Written by: ROGER MILLER

Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind


12 facts about this song

Release Data
"Billy Bayou" was released in 1958 on the album "Songs to Warm the Heart" by Jim Reeves.
Songwriter
The song "Billy Bayou" was written by an iconic country singer-songwriter, Roger Miller.
Chart Performance
The song managed to reach number 1 on the US Country chart (Billboard Hot Country Songs Chart) in 1959.
Genre
"Billy Bayou" is mainly classified under the genres of country and Nashville sound.
Cover versions
In addition to Jim Reeves, "Billy Bayou" was also recorded by several other country musicians, such as Red Sovine.
Label
The song was released under the label RCA Victor.
Influence
Jim Reeves's rendition of "Billy Bayou" helped to inspire a more mellow, smooth style of country music that contrasted with the raw sounds of honky-tonk country.
Posthumous Success
Even after the death of Jim Reeves in a plane crash in 1964, his songs including "Billy Bayou" continued to chart well.
Recognition
Writer Roger Miller won a Grammy Award in 1965 for his songwriting work but this was mainly for his song "Dang Me", not "Billy Bayou".
Music Video
Unfortunately, "Billy Bayou" does not have an official music video due to it being released in an era prior to the music video boom.
Musical Style
The song is notable for its up-tempo, catchy melody and folksy, narrative lyrics, which paint a vivid picture of the Southern United States.
Influence of Roger Miller
Roger Miller, the songwriter for "Billy Bayou", would go on to have a substantial country music career of his own, including hits like "King of the Road".

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    Billy Bayou

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    Top Hot 100 Songs 1958

    Billboard #95


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