I remember hearing this song performed by everybody and their mother back in the day. It seemed like Ed Sullivan, “The Godfather” of the television variety show back in the 50’s, 60’s and 70’s, had some movie or TV star sing this tune just about every other week. It was classic Americana as imagined by Broadway.
Like so much American myth making it synthesized the past and turned it into a big money stage production, and a successful one at that, although the movie was something of a flop. Some bright producer thought that casting Lee Marvin and Clint Eastwood as leads might add some authenticity, in spite of the fact that neither could sing.
Oh well, it was one of Hollywood’s last gasp attempts to cash in and bring back the good old days, before the industry was taken over by a bunch of Hippie punks and counter culture heroes. Having said that, it’s still a heck of tune, if it had been in Oklahoma (the stage play not the state) it would have become legendary, or at least remembered!
Mark
Like so much American myth making it synthesized the past and turned it into a big money stage production, and a successful one at that, although the movie was something of a flop. Some bright producer thought that casting Lee Marvin and Clint Eastwood as leads might add some authenticity, in spite of the fact that neither could sing.
Oh well, it was one of Hollywood’s last gasp attempts to cash in and bring back the good old days, before the industry was taken over by a bunch of Hippie punks and counter culture heroes. Having said that, it’s still a heck of tune, if it had been in Oklahoma (the stage play not the state) it would have become legendary, or at least remembered!
Mark