King of the Road (song)
King of the Road is the title of a recorded in 1965 by Roger Miller country songs, which is one of the evergreens of country music and as a road song still receives frequent airplay.
Genesis
Roger Miller was taken in January 1964 when founded in February 1961 label Smash Records, where Jerry Kennedy took care of him. Discovered Roger Miller of Shelby Singleton, who had announced that Miller had previously been released by RCA. As Miller incurred in just four minutes song Dang Me on July 18, 1964 reached the first rank of the country charts, he was worried about further follow- hits, which he recorded on a credit card application. Overall, it took six weeks to complete the piece.
November 3, 1964 gathered around Roger Miller 's proven session band of the Columbia Recording Studios in Nashville, consisting of the producers of the song Jerry Kennedy ( electric guitar), Harold Bradley (guitar), Ray Edenton (rhythm guitar), Bob Moore (bass guitar) and Buddy Harman (drums). For the characteristic snap of the fingers provide next to Kennedy nor Buddy Killen and Thumbs Carlisle. Miller sings and accompanies herself on the electric guitar, dominated by the chord sequence GC -D7 -G.
Song content
While touring through the Midwest Miller discovered outside of Chicago a sign for " Trailers for Sale or Rent " ( Trailer for Sale or Rent) campaigned that he just in his new song einbaute as worn clothes and shoes, wagons and mild shares ( " handouts ").
The song about a homeless man who stayed in cheap or not closed caravans and as a hobo on freight trains, not paying taxes and had picked up cigarette butts smokes, paints a picture of an entire generation of nomadic, excluded from the society people. So bring two hours sweeping work with the broom about "four bits" (50 cents) a, then what is enough for one night in a nearly 9 m² rooms.
Success
The hymn to the unbound life on road and rail was first released on the album The Return of Roger Miller, published in January 1965. After extensive airplay, it was decided to publish King of the Road / Atta Boy Girl in the same month as a single ( Smash 1965).
The single reached on 25 March 1965 first rank of the country charts, the position she held for five weeks. With a rank 4 on the pop charts of the title proved the crossover potential. In Britain, the piece reached number one. Miller received for it in May 1965 his first gold record, and in August 1966 a first check of $ 160,000 royalties from his music publisher Tree Publishing.
The single sold within the first 18 days since publication of 550,000, a total of 2.5 million copies worldwide. The plate was chosen as the most played single of the year for " music box plate 1965".
Statistics and awards
In 1965, Roger Miller was equal to 5 Grammy Awards, namely Best Contemporary Rock ' n Roll Single, Best Contemporary Vocal Performance, Best Country & Western Recording, Best Country Vocal Performance and Best Country Song as well as numerous awards from the music magazine Billboard. The album The Return of Roger Miller received the NARAS Award for Best Country & Western Album of the Year 1965. Roger Miller has had, according to BMI register 198 compositions by copyright, of which 11 received a BMI Award, also King of the Road.
Cover versions
The popularity of the title comes in its more than 300 versions expression. Jody Miller brought in April 1965 under the title Queen of the House a response song out. Among the numerous versions of the written by Hans Bradtke German version Bin is just a Tramp by Bill Ramsey, which was produced on April 1, 1965 by Heinz Gietz. Dean Martin ( August 1965 ), Jerry Lee Lewis ( November 1965 ), Statler Brothers (30 November 1965) or even Boney M. (on the published on July 28, 1978 LP Nightflight to Venus) have taken up the song.