October 26, 1999
The great folk music singer-songwriter and actor Hoyt Axton passed away on this day in Victor, Montana, suffering a fatal heart attack at the age of 61.
Born Hoyt Wayne Axton on March 25th, 1938 in Duncan, Oklahoma, he relocated to Southern California in the early 60’s, quickly establishing himself as a good folk and blues singer – but an even better songwriter.
Within a couple of years, his songs were being recorded by a number of great groups or artists, including The Kingston Trio, Steppenwolf, Three Dog Night, Ringo Starr, Elvis Presley and others, and many of them became big hits.
Here are some of the best-known songs recorded by others which he penned.
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[Note] Some audio song files may not play on smartphones, tablets or connected devices. A laptop, desktop PC or Mac may be required for optimal enjoyment.
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JOY TO THE WORLD
Three Dog Night
(Single Version)
[1971]
L.A.’s Three Dog Night made a career of recording well-chosen songs written by successful songwriters such as Harry Nilsson, Randy Newman, Laura Nyro, Paul Williams, Russ Ballard, Dave Loggins, Leo Sayer, John Hiatt and Allan Toussaint.
But none was bigger than this one written by Axton. Also known as “Jeremiah Was A Bullfrog” here’s Joy To The World from their 1971 album Naturally.
https://youtu.be/uoxnO20XcKQ
Besides reaching #1 on the Billboard Hot 100 – where it remained for 6 consecutive weeks beginning on April 17th of ’71 – it also became the biggest single of that year on Billboard’s annual ranking, trumping other huge hits like Maggie May by Rod Stewart and Carole King‘s It’s Too Late.
[Note] Based on the success of JTTW, Axton founded the Jeremiah Records label in 1978.
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NO NO SONG
Ringo Starr
[1975]
A trademark of almost all of Hoyt Axton’s later songs was the element of his humor, which is most evident on this song recorded by Ringo Starr, for inclusion on his 1974 solo album Goodnight Vienna.
Co-written with David Jackson, No No Song (with backup vocals by Nilsson) was released as a single in late January of 1975; entering the Hot 100 on February 8th and peaking at #3 (for 2 weeks) on April 5th of ’75.
https://youtu.be/sSeroAm-w1Q
[Note] ‘No No Song’ was a double-sided charting single by Starr, with the B-side, titled Snookeroo, written by Elton John and Bernie Taupin, with John providing backup vocals and piano.
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GREENBACK DOLLAR
The Kingston Trio
[1963]
One of the earliest Axton-penned songs of significance was recorded by the famed San Francisco folk group The Kingston Trio (with lead vocals by John Stewart) as part of their November, 1962 album for Capitol Records called New Frontier. Released as a single (1963 • #20) the track was titled Greenback Dollar.
https://youtu.be/7KM5AYMgYKg
[Note] Stewart (above-left) became the new lead vocalist of the Kingston Trio in 1961, replacing original member Dave Guard. Stewart would write the huge number one hit by The Monkees, Daydream Believer (1967 • 4 weeks) and also score a big hit single of his own called Gold (1979 • #5) with Stevie Nicks on backup vocals and guitar from Lindsay Buckingham.
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THE PUSHER
Steppenwolf
[1968]
One of the most sobering songs written by Axton was a powerful, drug-themed number called The Pusher.
Suggested by many to be from a voice of experience, Axton’s song attempts to differentiate between the soft-core peddler of hallucinogens such as marijuana, versus a seller of dangerous hard-core drugs like heroin.
First recorded by the late-60’s Canadian rock band Steppenwolf, it, plus the group’s 1968 debut hit Born To Be Wild, was part of the great music soundtrack from 1969’s cult classic film, Easy Rider.
https://youtu.be/KerinNPPmrw
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NEVER BEEN TO SPAIN
Three Dog Night
[1971]
After the success of their version of Axton’s ‘Joy To World’, Three Dog Night again turned to one of his songs for their next album called Harmony – the slower tempo, contemplative Never Been To Spain.
Released in December of ’71, NBTS peaked at #5 on Billboard on February 12, 1972.
https://youtu.be/OVJkn4BHL-8
[Note] ‘Never Been To Spain’ was later recorded by Elvis (a live version), Cher, Waylon Jennings and Ike & Tina Turner.
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Axton only placed one song on the Hot 100 as a vocalist – 1974’s When The Morning Comes (with backup vocals from Linda Ronstadt) – which stalled at #54.
But his face was well known in the 60’s through 80’s with many TV and film appearances, such as in the TV shows Bonanza, I Dream of Jeannie, Dukes Of Hazzard and WKRP In Cincinnati, plus the movies The Black Stallion (1979) and Gremlins (1984).
He also sang commercial jingles, such as Head For The Mountains in the Busch beer commercials in the 80’s, The Ballad of Big Mac – touting the famous burger chain onscreen with a spot he filmed for them in 1969 – and also an ad for Pizza Hut in 1985.
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BONUS TRAK!
HEARTBREAK HOTEL
Elvis Presley
[1956]
As noted earlier, Hoyt Axton’s ‘Never Been To Spain’ was covered by Elvis, but it wasn’t the first song to be recorded by the King Of Rock & Roll with the name “Axton” on the disc’s label.
Mae Boren Axton, the mother of Hoyt Axton, was a 30 year-old songwriter who had read a newspaper article about a man who had killed himself and left the suicide note – “I walk a lonely street.” Based on the story, Mae Axton, along with songwriting partner Tommy Durden, co-wrote Heartbreak Hotel.
Through Elvis’ manager, Colonel Tom Parker, she presented the song to Presley at the annual Country Music Disc Jockey Convention in Nashville, Tennessee in November of 1955, after Parker’s prized client had just signed a contract with his new record label RCA Victor.
Axton then offered Elvis a third of the royalties if he made ‘Heartbreak Hotel’ his first single on RCA – which he accepted (which is why “Presley” is listed on the record’s label as the song’s third writer).
EP would record the song on January 10th, 1956 and it was released by RCA 17 days later.
https://youtu.be/IpnP_4o_4ng
Presley’s RIAA certified double platinum-selling debut hit for RCA was #1 for eight weeks on Billboard in 1956. It was simultaneously inside the Top 5 on three different music charts – Pop, Country & Western, and Rhythm & Blues, and is ranked at #45 on Rolling Stone magazine’s “500 Greatest Songs of All Time.”
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DEEP TRAK!
SKID ROW
Jerry Lee Lewis
[1964]
Mae Axton wrote another great song – recorded by rock’n’roll pioneer Jerry Lee Lewis – called Skid Row. Apart from ‘Heartbreak Hotel, it’s likely her most notable.
In 1963 “The Killer” had left his original label, Sun Records, to record for Smash Records (part of Mercury). With Mercury until 1977, he cut this track in 1964.
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Produced & Written By: Rick Murray Hunter / HouseoftheHits.com
Songs Source: The Music Vault of HouseoftheHits, Inc.
Billboard® Chart Data: Joel Whitburn’s Record Research (eBook Editions)
Record Sleeve & Label Graphics: Courtesy of 45cat
