Red Foley's war effort.

April 9, 2008 8:15 PM

Just the other day I was thinking about World War 2-era propaganda songs, so of course I gave a listen to Smoke On the Water. Say what? You didn't know it was about kickin' Hitler's ass? Or Hirohito's? Guess you weren't listening well enough when ol' Red Foley sang: "...there'll be nothing left but vultures to inhabit all that land, when our modern ships and bombers make a graveyard of Japan..." I tell you, they just don't write songs like that anymore, friends. Anyway, by 1951 Red was looking forward to Peace in the Valley.

More from Red Foley:

Hot Rod Race: What a cool little guitar solo!
Pin Ball Boogie : Complete with pinball sound effects!
Crazy Little Guitar Man: As might be expected, this live TV spot features some slick plucking from stringman Speedy Haworth. Nice!
Freight Train Boogie: Another live spot. Jumping little tune!

posted by flapjax at midnite (19 comments total)

Well I had no idear.
posted by nola at 8:20 PM on April 9, 2008

Excellent post; thanks for reminding everyone that country music wasn't always about repackaging generic pop music with rhinestones and a little steel guitar.
posted by TedW at 8:21 PM on April 9, 2008

If only that one was the first song every guitar kid learned to play.
posted by kuujjuarapik at 8:23 PM on April 9, 2008

Whoopee-Ti Yi Yo! It's nice to see some Red Foley love here.
posted by Slack-a-gogo at 8:28 PM on April 9, 2008

From the wiki: His daughter from his second marriage to Judy Martin (née Eva Alaine Overstake) is Shirley Lee Foley, who has been married to actor/singer Pat Boone since 1953. Shirley and Pat's daughters are Cherry, Lindy, Laury and singer Debby Boone.

I don't know whether to thank you or shoot you. How about, "Shoot, thank you."?

Yooooou light up my liiiiiife...
posted by not_on_display at 8:30 PM on April 9, 2008

His daughter ... has been married to actor/singer Pat Boone since 1953.

Hey, kids, you know? Whaddayagonnado?
posted by flapjax at midnite at 8:33 PM on April 9, 2008 [2 favorites]

Whenever I show off my 78rpm collection, Foley's Atomic Power is always one of the first discs I spin.
posted by The White Hat at 8:36 PM on April 9, 2008

"Tennessee Saturday Night" is a hell of a tune.
posted by Roman Graves at 9:47 PM on April 9, 2008

If only to increase the true (non-Morrissette) irony level to such extremes that heads will be esploding throughout the MetaVerse, I give you A Very Japanese Version of 'Smoke on the Water' (the other one).
posted by wendell at 10:07 PM on April 9, 2008

Very cool--it reminds me of the music in the documentary Atomic Cafe.
posted by LarryC at 10:29 PM on April 9, 2008

^wendell: I give you A Very Japanese Version of 'Smoke on the Water' (the other one).

[previously] Two Smoke on the Water posts in a couple of weeks time, each tied together in a weird way? MeFi's been on a good tear.
posted by not_on_display at 10:32 PM on April 9, 2008

Needs more Jole Blon!
posted by PeterMcDermott at 11:40 PM on April 9, 2008

Hot Rod Race later morphed into Hot Rod Lincoln. Nice post.
posted by fixedgear at 2:37 AM on April 10, 2008

True conversation with a co-worker a long time back in Japan:

coworker: "You like lock and loll?"
me: ?
coworker: Duh duh duh... duh duh duh-duh-
me: Duh duh duh...
us: DUH DUH...

*chaos of air guitar and bad singing ensues*

Thanks, I had no idea.
posted by Durn Bronzefist at 5:23 AM on April 10, 2008

flapjax, you make the best music posts. Thanks for this.
posted by LN at 5:59 AM on April 10, 2008 [1 favorite]

Whenever I show off my 78rpm collection, Foley's Atomic Power is always one of the first discs I spin.

Impressive. You can find that tune, along with "When Jesus Hits Like an Atom Bomb" on the Atomic Cafe soundtrack.
posted by jonp72 at 7:48 AM on April 10, 2008

Cut him some slack. At the time he was suffering from Hillbilly Fever.
posted by damn dirty ape at 12:11 PM on April 10, 2008

Hey fantastic post, as always! Did you guys see what the lead guitar guy was playin' on Freight Train Boogie!?
posted by snsranch at 5:08 PM on April 10, 2008

Something very strange about a guy in a cowboy hat singing a navy song.

War makes strange bedfellows.
posted by salishsea at 11:42 PM on April 10, 2008