Mexican Joe (song)
Encyclopedia
"Mexican Joe" is 1953 single by Jim Reeves
. Accompanying Jim Reeves on "Mexican Joe" were the Circle O Ranch Boys and was Jim Reeves' debut single on the country charts. "Mexican Joe" hit number one on the country charts for six weeks with a total of twenty six weeks on the chart .
on the piano, "Mexican Joe" was a rollicking, Western swing-influenced tale of a bandito
and drifter who engages in a lifestyle of women, carousing and gambling.
Reeves — an announcer on KWKH-AM
in Shreveport, Louisiana
in the early 1950s — had released several singles prior to "Mexican Joe," but none attained the level of national success needed to reach any of Billboards country music component charts
in use at the time. "Mexican Joe" became Reeves' first major success nationally and would eventually pave the way to superstardom.
As was the case with several of Reeves' early national hits, "Mexican Joe" differed greatly from the smooth ballads — recorded in the style of the Nashville sound
, in contrast to those early novelty hits — that he later recorded and made famous, including "Four Walls
" and "He'll Have to Go
."
Jim Reeves
James Travis Reeves , better known as Jim Reeves, was an American country and popular music singer-songwriter. With records charting from the 1950s to the 1980s, he became well-known for being a practitioner of the Nashville sound...
. Accompanying Jim Reeves on "Mexican Joe" were the Circle O Ranch Boys and was Jim Reeves' debut single on the country charts. "Mexican Joe" hit number one on the country charts for six weeks with a total of twenty six weeks on the chart .
Song background
Featuring "Big" Red Hayes on the fiddle and Floyd CramerFloyd Cramer
Floyd Cramer was an American Hall of Fame pianist who was one of the architects of the "Nashville sound." He popularized the "slip note" piano style where an out-of-tune note slides effortlessly into the correct note...
on the piano, "Mexican Joe" was a rollicking, Western swing-influenced tale of a bandito
Outlaw
In historical legal systems, an outlaw is declared as outside the protection of the law. In pre-modern societies, this takes the burden of active prosecution of a criminal from the authorities. Instead, the criminal is withdrawn all legal protection, so that anyone is legally empowered to persecute...
and drifter who engages in a lifestyle of women, carousing and gambling.
Reeves — an announcer on KWKH-AM
KWKH
KWKH is a classic country music radio station serving Shreveport, Louisiana. The 50-kilowatt station broadcasts at 1130 kHz. Formerly owned by Clear Channel Communications and Gap Central Broadcasting, it is now owned by Townsquare Media....
in Shreveport, Louisiana
Shreveport, Louisiana
Shreveport is the third largest city in Louisiana. It is the principal city of the fourth largest metropolitan area in the state of Louisiana and is the 109th-largest city in the United States....
in the early 1950s — had released several singles prior to "Mexican Joe," but none attained the level of national success needed to reach any of Billboards country music component charts
Hot Country Songs
Hot Country Songs is a chart published weekly by Billboard magazine in the United States.This 60-position chart lists the most popular country music songs, calculated weekly mostly by airplay and occasionally commercial sales...
in use at the time. "Mexican Joe" became Reeves' first major success nationally and would eventually pave the way to superstardom.
As was the case with several of Reeves' early national hits, "Mexican Joe" differed greatly from the smooth ballads — recorded in the style of the Nashville sound
Nashville sound
The Nashville sound originated during the late 1950s as a sub-genre of American country music, replacing the chart dominance of honky tonk music which was most popular in the 1940s and 1950s...
, in contrast to those early novelty hits — that he later recorded and made famous, including "Four Walls
Four Walls (song)
"Four Walls" is a country song published in 1957 by Marvin Moore and George Campbell, written by Winifred J. Bartly in 1957.Jim Reeves’ recording is the best known; it has been recorded by other artists, including Bing Crosby and Willie Nelson...
" and "He'll Have to Go
He'll Have to Go
"He'll Have to Go" is an American country and pop hit recorded on October 15, 1959 by Jim Reeves. The song, released in the fall of 1959, went on to become a massive hit in both genres early in 1960.-Background:...
."