CRAZY ALLIGATOR (TX rockabilly rarity) IRVIN RUSS 45

$ 89

$ 89 Sold For

Oct 26, 2007 Sold Date

Oct 19, 2007 Start Date

$ 6 Start price

18 Number Of Bids

USA Country Of Seller

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Description

CRAZY ALLIGATOR
Rockabilly rarity !

Here's the true story behind one of the rarest of Texas rockabilly records from the Dallas area : Irvin Russ and "Crazy Alligator." The single was released in August of 1959 on the little Felco Records label (home of Bobby Taylor and Bobby Lumpkin –aka Bobby Crown). As the press release at the time told us :

IRVIN RUSS was born June 17th, 1934 in Lafayette, Georgia. You might say he is a genuine Southerner. Irvin attended Lafayette High School where he was popular among the student body for his unique style of playing and singing. Irvin's ardent love for music caused him to go into debt for $275 to get his first electric guitar. When scolded by his dad, he said "well, I might as well go first class'"

This paid dividends for soon Irvin was singing professionally over local WMOC radio in Covington and WBBQ in Augusta, Ga. Prior to his enlistment in the armed forces Irvin was already recording for a major label and his songs have been well received. Many of today's well known recording artists have made hits of several of his original songs.

Currently Irvin makes Dallas, Texas his home where he was encouraged by friends in the entertainment field to resume his career after discharge from the service. He personally contacted Felco Recording Co. and immediately signed a new contract.

This record is an idea built upon a few of the lyrics from the then recent hit song "Battle Of New Orleans" by Johnny Horton.

Horton sang;
We fired our cannon 'til the barrel melted down.
So we grabbed an alligator and we fought another round.
We filled his head with cannon balls, and powdered his behind
And when we touched the powder off, the gator lost his mind…..

In this song, it's the Alligator singing how they made him crazy. It's a flimsy excuse for a song, but plenty of fun. It's flipped with "My Imagination."