Song #37: "Mr. Custer" by Larry Verne

Date: Oct 10, 1960
Weeks: 1

Ah, a novelty song. For some reason these rarely reach the top of the charts, although I'm starting to think it was a lot easier to top the charts in the early 60s than it was after the Beatles came along, so there seem to be more novelty songs back in the early part of the list.

As a novelty song, it gets a pass from me on music quality (which is basic guitar strumming) and singing quality (which is bad, but deliberately so; it's part of the joke). So I guess that leaves me to judge the lyrics, and specifically judge how funny they are.

I guess the gist is that the singer is in Custer's army, being surrounded by the Sioux at the Battle of Little Bighorn. The joke is that the guy singing the song is a coward, who asks to be excused and whines "Please, Mr. Custer, I don't want to go." It's broad humor, but it's kind of funny. I think the idea is kind of funny, anyway. The specific jokes may not be quite so entertaining, but the concept is worth a chuckle or two.

Is it racist? Well, the opening stereotypical Indian whooping "war cry" sure suggests so. However, other than further periodic war cries, it doesn't seem to have much else to say about Indians. The song doesn't exactly throw its sympathies behind Custer, preferring to portray his men as reluctant and cowardly. The singing character makes a handful of other racist comments, but since he's portrayed as an idiot it's hard to think the song is sympathetic toward him. In particular, at the end he makes a crack about how the Sioux are "running around like a bunch of wild Indians." Then he laughs lamely at his own joke, which makes it clear that we're supposed to think he's an idiot.

The funny thing is that around the Internet I can find people claiming to be "the most un-politically correct guy alive" who love the song, and people claiming Native American ancestry who also think it's funny.

My verdict: Don't like it. I'm glad I know the song exists. I got a chuckle out of it, once I realized it wasn't as racist as it initially appeared to be. But it's only good for a listen or two before it kind of wears itself out.