Teddy Bear (Red Sovine song)
Encyclopedia
"Teddy Bear" is a song made famous by country music
singer Red Sovine
. Released in 1976, the song was the title track to Sovine's album released that same year.
truck driver
. "Teddy Bear," released during the height of the citizens' band radio
craze of the mid-1970s, is titled after the song's main character, a young paraplegic
boy whose semitrailer truck-driving father had been killed in a road accident
, and is left with a CB radio to keep him company.
In the song, the little boy gets on the CB radio and asks for somebody to talk to him. The narrator (also an over-the-road truck driver) answers "Teddy Bear's" call, and listens as the boy tells a heart-rending tale. Aside from his health and the father being deceased, his mother has been forced into the workplace to provide a meager income. Teddy Bear then says his wish had been to go for a ride in a semitractor trailer truck (he and his mother were to have joined the father on the road that summer) and is resigned to never getting to realize his dream.
The narrator is so taken by his tale that he decides to risk being late with his delivery to answer the boy's dream. However, when he arrives at the boy's home ("Jackson Street, 229"), numerous truck drivers — who also have been listening to Teddy Bear's call — are lined up at the boy's home, giving him rides in their trucks. The boy thoroughly enjoys his experience.
At the end of the day, the truckers take up a collection for Teddy Bear's mother. Later, his mother ("Mama Teddy Bear") goes on the air to express her gratitude, telling them Teddy Bear's dream had just come true. She offers a special prayer
to the truckers for their act of kindness. The song has also been recorded by Hank Hill
(Mike Judge
), Ferlin Husky
, Boxcar Willie
, Australian country singer Nev Nicholls and in German language by Austrian singer Jonny Hill as "Ruf Teddybär eins-vier".
Not long after "Teddy Bear" peaked in popularity, singer Diana Williams (who was signed to Capitol Records
) released a song called "Teddy Bear's Last Ride." This story, told from the point-of-view of a friend of Teddy Bear's mother (who cared for the lad while the mother was at work), suggests that the boy's paraplegia is part of a terminal health condition, one that eventually kills him. The song's ending has a group of truck drivers attending the boy's funeral, with one of the semitrailer trucks serving as the hearse. This song was also recorded by Nev Nicholls.
Sovine's follow-up-of-sorts to "Teddy Bear" is "Little Joe" (the tale of a truck driver's dog, who saves his master's life after an accident). In this song, in which Teddy Bear is a character, Sovine says that there was a miracle and that the boy — now older and apparently healthy — could now walk. Teddy Bear is instrumental in helping reunite Little Joe with his now-blinded master. This song was also recorded by Ferlin Husky and Dave Dudley
.
Neither song reached the Billboard magazine Hot Country Singles
Top 40.
In addition, "Teddy Bear" was a crossover hit, peaking at No. 40 on the Billboard Hot 100
.
"Teddy Bear" was certified gold for sales of 1 million units by the Recording Industry Association of America
The song charted in the United Kingdom
five years after its original release, in 1981, peaking at #4 on the UK Singles Chart
.
Country music
Country music is a popular American musical style that began in the rural Southern United States in the 1920s. It takes its roots from Western cowboy and folk music...
singer Red Sovine
Red Sovine
Woodrow Wilson Sovine , better known as Red Sovine, was an American country music singer associated with truck driving songs, particularly those recited as narratives but set to music...
. Released in 1976, the song was the title track to Sovine's album released that same year.
Story of Red Sovine's song Teddy Bear
The song — actually, a recitation with an instrumental backing — was one of Sovine's many recordings that saluted the AmericanUnited States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
truck driver
Truck driver
A truck driver , is a person who earns a living as the driver of a truck, usually a semi truck, box truck, or dump truck.Truck drivers provide an essential service to...
. "Teddy Bear," released during the height of the citizens' band radio
Citizens' band radio
Citizens' Band radio is, in many countries, a system of short-distance radio communications between individuals on a selection of 40 channels within the 27-MHz band. Citizens' Band is distinct from the FRS, GMRS, MURS and amateur radio...
craze of the mid-1970s, is titled after the song's main character, a young paraplegic
Cripple
A cripple is a person or animal with a physical disability, particularly one who is unable to walk because of an injury or illness. The word was recorded as early as 950 AD, and derives from the Proto-Germanic krupilaz...
boy whose semitrailer truck-driving father had been killed in a road accident
Car accident
A traffic collision, also known as a traffic accident, motor vehicle collision, motor vehicle accident, car accident, automobile accident, Road Traffic Collision or car crash, occurs when a vehicle collides with another vehicle, pedestrian, animal, road debris, or other stationary obstruction,...
, and is left with a CB radio to keep him company.
In the song, the little boy gets on the CB radio and asks for somebody to talk to him. The narrator (also an over-the-road truck driver) answers "Teddy Bear's" call, and listens as the boy tells a heart-rending tale. Aside from his health and the father being deceased, his mother has been forced into the workplace to provide a meager income. Teddy Bear then says his wish had been to go for a ride in a semitractor trailer truck (he and his mother were to have joined the father on the road that summer) and is resigned to never getting to realize his dream.
The narrator is so taken by his tale that he decides to risk being late with his delivery to answer the boy's dream. However, when he arrives at the boy's home ("Jackson Street, 229"), numerous truck drivers — who also have been listening to Teddy Bear's call — are lined up at the boy's home, giving him rides in their trucks. The boy thoroughly enjoys his experience.
At the end of the day, the truckers take up a collection for Teddy Bear's mother. Later, his mother ("Mama Teddy Bear") goes on the air to express her gratitude, telling them Teddy Bear's dream had just come true. She offers a special prayer
Prayer
Prayer is a form of religious practice that seeks to activate a volitional rapport to a deity through deliberate practice. Prayer may be either individual or communal and take place in public or in private. It may involve the use of words or song. When language is used, prayer may take the form of...
to the truckers for their act of kindness. The song has also been recorded by Hank Hill
Hank Hill
Henry Rutherford "Hank" Hill Age 50 animated series King of the Hill. Hank lives in Arlen, Texas and works at the fictional Strickland Propane selling propane and propane accessories. Hank's voice is provided by series creator Mike Judge. The Economist named Hank Hill as one of the wisest people...
(Mike Judge
Mike Judge
Michael Craig Judge is an American animator, film director, writer and voice actor, best known as the creator and star of the animated television series Beavis and Butt-head , King of the Hill , and The Goode Family .He also wrote, directed and in some instances produced the films Beavis and...
), Ferlin Husky
Ferlin Husky
Ferlin Eugene Husky was an early American country music singer who was equally adept at the genres of traditional honky honk, ballads, spoken recitations, and rockabilly pop tunes...
, Boxcar Willie
Boxcar Willie
Boxcar Willie, born as Lecil Travis Martin was an American country music singer, who sang in the "old-time hobo" music style, complete with dirty face, overalls, and a floppy hat...
, Australian country singer Nev Nicholls and in German language by Austrian singer Jonny Hill as "Ruf Teddybär eins-vier".
Fate of "Teddy Bear"
The post-song fate of Teddy Bear is unclear, as two different singles — one of which was released by Sovine — have conflicting stories about the boy's future.Not long after "Teddy Bear" peaked in popularity, singer Diana Williams (who was signed to Capitol Records
Capitol Records
Capitol Records is a major United States based record label, formerly located in Los Angeles, but operating in New York City as part of Capitol Music Group. Its former headquarters building, the Capitol Tower, is a major landmark near the corner of Hollywood and Vine...
) released a song called "Teddy Bear's Last Ride." This story, told from the point-of-view of a friend of Teddy Bear's mother (who cared for the lad while the mother was at work), suggests that the boy's paraplegia is part of a terminal health condition, one that eventually kills him. The song's ending has a group of truck drivers attending the boy's funeral, with one of the semitrailer trucks serving as the hearse. This song was also recorded by Nev Nicholls.
Sovine's follow-up-of-sorts to "Teddy Bear" is "Little Joe" (the tale of a truck driver's dog, who saves his master's life after an accident). In this song, in which Teddy Bear is a character, Sovine says that there was a miracle and that the boy — now older and apparently healthy — could now walk. Teddy Bear is instrumental in helping reunite Little Joe with his now-blinded master. This song was also recorded by Ferlin Husky and Dave Dudley
Dave Dudley
Dave Dudley , born David Darwin Pedruska, was an American country music singer best-known for his truck-driving country anthems of the 1960s and 1970s and his semi-slurred baritone. His signature song was "Six Days on the Road," and he is also remembered for "Vietnam Blues," "Truck Drivin'...
.
Neither song reached the Billboard magazine Hot Country Singles
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...
Top 40.
Chart success
"Teddy Bear" was the last of three Billboard Hot Country Singles No. 1 hits during Sovine's 25-year recording career, and his first since 1966's "Giddyup Go." Released in June 1976, the song climbed to #1 in five weeks.In addition, "Teddy Bear" was a crossover hit, peaking at No. 40 on the Billboard Hot 100
Billboard Hot 100
The Billboard Hot 100 is the United States music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine. Chart rankings are based on radio play and sales; the tracking-week for sales begins on Monday and ends on Sunday, while the radio play tracking-week runs from Wednesday...
.
"Teddy Bear" was certified gold for sales of 1 million units by the Recording Industry Association of America
Recording Industry Association of America
The Recording Industry Association of America is a trade organization that represents the recording industry distributors in the United States...
The song charted in the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
five years after its original release, in 1981, peaking at #4 on the UK Singles Chart
UK Singles Chart
The UK Singles Chart is compiled by The Official Charts Company on behalf of the British record-industry. The full chart contains the top selling 200 singles in the United Kingdom based upon combined record sales and download numbers, though some media outlets only list the Top 40 or the Top 75 ...
.
Chart positions
| Chart (1976) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| U.S. Billboard Hot Country Singles | 1 |
| U.S. Billboard Hot 100 | 40 |
| Canadian RPM Country Tracks | 1 |
| Canadian RPM Top Singles | 49 |
| UK singles charts | 4 |
Sources
- Roland, Tom, "The Billboard Book of Number One Country Hits" (Billboard Books, Watson-Guptill Publications, New York, 1991 (ISBN 0-82-307553-2)
- Whitburn, Joel, "Top Country Songs: 1944-2005," 2006.