Mr. Custer

"Mr. Custer"
"Mr. Custer"
Single by Larry Verne
from the album Mister Larry Verne
B-side	"Okeefenokee Two Step"
Released	1960
Genre	Novelty
Length	3:04
Label	Era
Songwriter(s)	Al De Lory; Fred Darian; Joseph Van Winkle;

"Mr. Custer" is a march novelty song, sung by Larry Verne, and written by Al De Lory, Fred Darian, and Joseph Van Winkle.

Background[]

It is a comical song about a soldier's plea to General Custer before the climactic Battle of the Little Bighorn against the Sioux, to allow him to stay behind, because he had a bad dream about the battle.^[1]

Chart performance[]

It was a No. 1 song in the United States in 1960, topping the Billboard Hot 100 singles chart for the issue dated October 10, 1960, and remained there for one week. On the US Hot R&B Sides chart, it went to No. 9.It also reached No. 1 in Canada, September 12, 1960. In 1964, Verne recorded and released a sequel novelty song titled "Return of Mr. Custer," which used the same melody and music arrangement, but it failed to chart.

Chart history[]

Weekly charts[]

Larry Verne

Chart (1960)	Peak position
Canada	1
U.S. Billboard Hot 100^[2]	1
U.S. Billboard Hot R&B Sides^[3]	9
U.S. Cash Box Top 100^[4]	3

Charlie Drake

Chart (1960-61)	Peak position
New Zealand (Lever Hit Parade)^[5]	7
UK Singles (OCC)^[6]	12

Ted Lune

Chart (1960)	Peak position
New Zealand (Lever Hit Parade)^[7]	4

Year-end charts[]

Chart (1960)	Rank
U.S. Billboard Hot 100^[8]	42
U.S. Cash Box ^[9]	26

Sequel[]

A follow-up record, "Return of Mr. Custer (Please Mr. Sittin' Bull)" was released in 1964.^[10]

Cover versions[]

"Mr. Custer" was also a No. 12 success in the UK Singles Chart for Charlie Drake in 1960, his third such chart hit.^[11]
Novelty/country singer-songwriter Ray Stevens covered this song for his 1969 album Gitarzan.

References[]

^ Bronson, Fred (1992). The Billboard Book of Number One Hits - revised & enlarged. New York: Billboard Books. pp. 76. ISBN 0-8230-8298-9.
^ Joel Whitburn's Top Pop Singles 1955–1990 - ISBN 0-89820-089-X
^ Whitburn, Joel (2004). Top R&B/Hip-Hop Singles: 1942-2004. Record Research. p. 603.
^ Cash Box Top 100 Singles, October 8, 1960
^ Flavour of New Zealand, 10 November 1960
^ "Official Charts Company". Officialcharts.com. 1960-11-02. Retrieved 2021-02-06.
^ Flavour of New Zealand, 24 November 1960
^ Musicoutfitters.com
^ Cash Box Year-End Charts: Top 100 Pop Singles, December 24, 1960
^ Demented Music Database: Return Of Mr. Custer - Larry Verne
^ Roberts, David (2006). British Hit Singles & Albums (19th ed.). London: Guinness World Records Limited. p. 167. ISBN 1-904994-10-5.

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[billboard-1] Bronson, Fred (1992). The Billboard Book of Number One Hits - revised & enlarged. New York: Billboard Books. pp. 76. ISBN 0-8230-8298-9.

[2] Joel Whitburn's Top Pop Singles 1955–1990 - ISBN 0-89820-089-X

[3] Whitburn, Joel (2004). Top R&B/Hip-Hop Singles: 1942-2004. Record Research. p. 603.

[4] Cash Box Top 100 Singles, October 8, 1960

[5] Flavour of New Zealand, 10 November 1960

[6] "Official Charts Company". Officialcharts.com. 1960-11-02. Retrieved 2021-02-06.

[7] Flavour of New Zealand, 24 November 1960

[8] Musicoutfitters.com

[9] Cash Box Year-End Charts: Top 100 Pop Singles, December 24, 1960

[10] Demented Music Database: Return Of Mr. Custer - Larry Verne

[British_Hit_Singles_&_Albums-11] Roberts, David (2006). British Hit Singles & Albums (19th ed.). London: Guinness World Records Limited. p. 167. ISBN 1-904994-10-5.

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