Andy Griffith "What It Was, Was Football" Single Of The Day

Greetings from Asheville, where good music, and sometimes comedy can always be found.  Today’s Single Of The Day falls into the latter, a vintage piece of backwoods comedy that became a top ten hit.

Deacon Andy Griffith was unknown, nationally in 1953, when the small North Carolina-based Colonial label (same label that later released George Hamilton IV’s hit “A Rose And A Baby Ruth”) released his bit, “What It Was, Was Football”.  The routine tells of a bumpkin who’s trying to figure out this contest between two teams, using what he calls some kind of pumpkin and being played on what he describes a cow pasture.  The record became a sensation in the Carolinas, and soon, Capitol Records came knocking.  Capitol purchased the master and re-released it on their label, and soon, the record wasn’t just a regional hit, it was a national hit.

While it failed to chart country (despite some country airplay), it did make the pop charts, debuting in January, 1954, and climbed as high as nine, becoming Andy’s only top ten hit on either the pop or country charts.

Of course, once the single became a national sensation, Andy Griffith, himself, soon was a star, appearing on television, Broadway, and the movies, before achieving legendary status, thanks to his “The Andy Griffith Show”.

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Andy Griffith "What It Was, Was Football" Single Of The Day