The Boll Weevil

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Brook Benton

About The Boll Weevil

The Boll Weevil Song and 11 Other Great Hits is a studio album released by Brook Benton in 1961 on Mercury LP record MG 20641 (mono) and SR 60641 (stereo). The album appeared on Billboard's album charts in 1961 for thirteen weeks, reaching position number 70. The orchestrations were done by Stan Applebaum, who also conducted the orchestra on the sessions. Following the significant popularity of Benton's hit The Boll Weevil Song, Mercury quickly arranged sessions which largely rely on American Caucasian folk music for material, although Benton took composition credit for most the songs. The result is a mix of R&B and pop. Allmusic reviews the album favorably, but reviewer Greg Adams wishes the rest of the album had the "fire" contained in the title track. 


Year:
1984
2:38
64 
#1

Lyrics currently unavailable…


Brook Benton

Brook Benton (September 19, 1931 – April 9, 1988) was an American singer and songwriter who was popular with rock and roll, rhythm and blues, and pop music audiences during the late 1950s and early 1960s, when he scored hits such as "It's Just A Matter Of Time" and "Endlessly", many of which he co-wrote. more »

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Genre »
Pop
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15 facts about this song

Creation Era
"The Boll Weevil Song" was recorded and released by American artist Brook Benton in 1961.
Chart Success
The song quickly rose to popularity, reaching number 2 on the Billboard Hot 100 and number 1 on the Billboard R&B chart.
Song Duration
"The Boll Weevil Song" has a runtime of approximately 2 minutes and 32 seconds.
Genre Labeling
The song is categorized as a traditional blues song, often associated with the folk-blues genre.
Songwriting Credits
The song was written by Brook Benton and Clyde Otis.
Legacy
"The Boll Weevil Song" became one of Benton's signature songs.
Poetic Imagery
The song is known for its use of metaphor — comparing life's hardships to a destructive cotton pest, the boll weevil.
Cinematic Appearance
The song featured in the 1961 movie "For the Love of Mike"
Song’s Concept
This song personifies a boll weevil pest as a wandering, homeless creature. This representation makes the song both amusing and poignant.
Unorthodox Recording
During the recording, a fly joined the process, creating a buzz that ended up being integrated into the final mix of the song.
Humorous Interview
Brook Benton humorously claimed in an interview that the song was dedicated "to 25 million cotton pickers".
Million Seller
"The Boll Weevil" was Benton's 2nd million seller after his 1959 hit "It's Just a Matter of Time".
Cover Versions
Numerous artists have covered "The Boll Weevil Song", including Tennessee Ernie Ford, Johnny Mann Singers, and Oscar McLollie.
Vinyl Format
Like many songs of its era, the original release of "The Boll Weevil Song" was on a 45 RPM vinyl record.
Lesser Known Fact
Despite its popularity in the United States, "The Boll Weevil Song" did not chart in the UK.

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