Theme from The Dukes of Hazzard (Good Ol' Boys)
Encyclopedia
"Theme from The Dukes of Hazzard (Good Ol' Boys)" is a song made famous by country music
singer Waylon Jennings
. Recognizable to fans as the theme to the CBS
comedy adventure television series The Dukes of Hazzard
, the song became a No. 1 hit on the Billboard magazine Hot Country Singles
chart in 1980.
, was tapped to serve in the same capacity for The Dukes of Hazzard (which premiered on CBS in 1979 and was based on Moonrunners). Jennings wrote the theme song for the show, eventually cutting two versions; in addition to the television version, he recorded a slightly different version for commercial sale and radio airplay.
The differences between the television theme version and the commercially available recording are as follows:
Most of Jennings' greatest hits and various artists compilations containing "Theme From The Dukes of Hazzard (Good Ol' Boys)" feature the commercial version.
, peaking at number 21. It also appeared on several other music charts. The song was certified platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America
for sales over 2 million.
on their demo For Sale by Owner but has never been featured on any of their full-length albums.
Rapper Lil Wyte
sampled the song on his song "Comin' Yo Direction" off his album Doubt Me Now
.
is known for singing "Good ol' Boys" at the Dukefests, which honor the show, and his late father.
Along with Willie Nelson
and Ben Jones (Cooter in the show), Waylon Jennings sang the song in an extended version.
Alvin and the Chipmunks
covered the song while driving The General Lee
for their 1982 album The Chipmunks Go Hollywood
.
In 2006, John Schneider
(Bo Duke
), Tom Wopat
(Luke Duke
), and Catherine Bach
(Daisy Duke) made a music video, as seen on the 7th Season DVD of the series.
In the The Dukes of Hazzard film adaptation
(2005), a recording of Waylon Jennings was used in one scene, also, as heard on the soundtrack, by Willie Nelson
(Uncle Jesse in the film).
In the 2007 film, The Dukes of Hazzard: The Beginning
, country singer John Anderson
sings the theme.
Nike
used the song in an advertising campaign featuring NFL star Randy Moss
and NBA star Jason Williams
, who were teammates in the same high school in rural Belle, West Virginia
.
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 Waylon Jennings
Waylon Jennings
Waylon Arnold Jennings was an American country music singer, songwriter, and musician. Jennings began playing at eight. He began performing at twelve, on KVOW radio. Jennings formed a band The Texas Longhorns. Jennings worked as a D.J on KVOW, KDAV and KLLL...
. Recognizable to fans as the theme to the CBS
CBS
CBS Broadcasting Inc. is a major US commercial broadcasting television network, which started as a radio network. The name is derived from the initials of the network's former name, Columbia Broadcasting System. The network is sometimes referred to as the "Eye Network" in reference to the shape of...
comedy adventure television series The Dukes of Hazzard
The Dukes of Hazzard
The Dukes of Hazzard is an American television series that aired on the CBS television network from 1979 to 1985.The series was inspired by the 1975 film Moonrunners, which was also created by Gy Waldron and had many identical or similar character names and concepts.- Overview :The Dukes of Hazzard...
, the song became a No. 1 hit on 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...
chart in 1980.
Song history
Jennings, who had served as the narrator for the 1975 movie MoonrunnersMoonrunners
Moonrunners is a 1975 film starring James Mitchum, and the precursor to The Dukes of Hazzard television series. Mitchum had co-starred with his famous father, Robert Mitchum, in the similar drive-in favorite Thunder Road eighteen years earlier, which also focused upon moonshine-running bootleggers...
, was tapped to serve in the same capacity for The Dukes of Hazzard (which premiered on CBS in 1979 and was based on Moonrunners). Jennings wrote the theme song for the show, eventually cutting two versions; in addition to the television version, he recorded a slightly different version for commercial sale and radio airplay.
The differences between the television theme version and the commercially available recording are as follows:
- TV theme — The third verse contains the lyric: "Fightin' the system like two modern-day Robin Hoods." (along with the "Yee-haw!" by characters BoJohn Schneider (television actor)John Richard Schneider III is an American actor and singer. He is best known for his portrayal of Bo Duke in the 1980s American television series The Dukes of Hazzard, and as Jonathan Kent on Smallville, a 2001 television adaptation of Superman.Alongside his acting career, Schneider performed as a...
and Luke DukeTom WopatTom Wopat is an American actor and singer. He first achieved fame as Luke Duke in the long-running 1979 television series The Dukes of Hazzard, along with John Schneider. He also played Jeff, one of Cybill Shepherd's ex-husbands in the TV series Cybill.-Life and career:Wopat was born in Lodi,...
, although it is in fact Bo's vocal used twice). The television verse features a banjo that does not appear on the radio version.
- Single/album version — A musical bridge follows the first verse and refrain. After the second refrain, Jennings makes a tongue-in-cheek reference about how his mother doesn't understand "why they keep showing my hands and not my face on TV" (a statement to the opening shot in the theme where Jennings is shown, below the neck, playing the guitar), before fading out.
Most of Jennings' greatest hits and various artists compilations containing "Theme From The Dukes of Hazzard (Good Ol' Boys)" feature the commercial version.
Chart performance
"Theme From The Dukes of Hazzard (Good Ol' Boys)" became Jennings' twelfth number-one country hit overall (tenth as a solo recording act) in November 1980. The song spent seventeen weeks on the Billboard country singles charts, and became his biggest hit on the Billboard Hot 100Billboard 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...
, peaking at number 21. It also appeared on several other music charts. The song was certified platinum 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...
for sales over 2 million.
Chart performance
| Chart (1980) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| New Zealand Singles Chart | 26 |
| Canadian RPM Country Tracks | 2 |
| U.S. Billboard Hot 100 | 21 |
| U.S. Billboard Hot Country Singles | 1 |
| U.S. Cashbox Top 100 | 22 |
Other versions
The song was covered by the Swedish Lo-fi-group LoosegoatsLoosegoats
Loosegoats was a Swedish lo-fi rock group formed in 1994 by Christian Kjellvander, Johan Hansson, Jens Löwius and Mårten Löfvander. They released their first mini CD, Small Lesbian Baseball Players, in May 1995. Shortly thereafter Mårten left and got replaced by Anders Tingsek.In 1996 Jens left the...
on their demo For Sale by Owner but has never been featured on any of their full-length albums.
Rapper Lil Wyte
Lil Wyte
Patrick Lanshaw , better known by his stage name Lil Wyte, is an American rapper from Memphis, Tennessee. He is a member of the rap collective Hypnotize Minds.- Early life :...
sampled the song on his song "Comin' Yo Direction" off his album Doubt Me Now
Doubt Me Now
-Credits:*All songs produced by DJ Paul & Juicy J.*Except "Players In Da Atmosphere" which was also produced by Carlos "Six July" Brody.*Cover Design and layout by Nakita Moore....
.
Other artists
Waylon Jennings' son Shooter JenningsShooter Jennings
Waylon Albright "Shooter" Jennings is an American singer-songwriter active in the country music and Southern rock genres as well as making his first foray into psychedelic rock in 2009...
is known for singing "Good ol' Boys" at the Dukefests, which honor the show, and his late father.
Along with Willie Nelson
Willie Nelson
Willie Hugh Nelson is an American country music singer-songwriter, as well as an author, poet, actor, and activist. The critical success of the album Shotgun Willie , combined with the critical and commercial success of Red Headed Stranger and Stardust , made Nelson one of the most recognized...
and Ben Jones (Cooter in the show), Waylon Jennings sang the song in an extended version.
Alvin and the Chipmunks
Alvin and the Chipmunks
Alvin and the Chipmunks is an American animated music group created by Ross Bagdasarian, Sr. in 1958. The group consists of three singing animated anthropomorphic chipmunks: Alvin, the mischievous troublemaker, who quickly became the star of the group; Simon, the tall, bespectacled intellectual;...
covered the song while driving The General Lee
The General Lee
The General Lee is the modified Dodge Charger driven by the Duke cousins Bo and Luke in the television series The Dukes of Hazzard. It is known for the chases and stunts, especially high jumps, in almost every episode, and for having the doors welded shut, leaving the Dukes to climb in and out...
for their 1982 album The Chipmunks Go Hollywood
The Chipmunks Go Hollywood
The Chipmunks Go Hollywood is a 1982 album by Alvin and the Chipmunks, released by RCA Records.- Side one :#"Eye of the Tiger" #"Tomorrow"...
.
In 2006, John Schneider
John Schneider (television actor)
John Richard Schneider III is an American actor and singer. He is best known for his portrayal of Bo Duke in the 1980s American television series The Dukes of Hazzard, and as Jonathan Kent on Smallville, a 2001 television adaptation of Superman.Alongside his acting career, Schneider performed as a...
(Bo Duke
Bo Duke
Beauregard "Bo" Duke is a fictional character in the American television series The Dukes of Hazzard, which ran from 1979 to 1985. He was played by John Schneider. The name of Beauregard may have been chosen after the famous Confederate General P.G.T. Beauregard.Bo and his cousin Luke Duke live in...
), Tom Wopat
Tom Wopat
Tom Wopat is an American actor and singer. He first achieved fame as Luke Duke in the long-running 1979 television series The Dukes of Hazzard, along with John Schneider. He also played Jeff, one of Cybill Shepherd's ex-husbands in the TV series Cybill.-Life and career:Wopat was born in Lodi,...
(Luke Duke
Luke Duke
Lucas K. "Luke" Duke is a fictional character in the American television series The Dukes of Hazzard which ran from 1979 to 1985. Luke was played by Tom Wopat....
), and Catherine Bach
Catherine Bach
Catherine Bach is an American actress. She is known for playing Daisy Duke in the television series The Dukes of Hazzard and Margo Dutton in African Skies.-Career:...
(Daisy Duke) made a music video, as seen on the 7th Season DVD of the series.
In the The Dukes of Hazzard film adaptation
The Dukes of Hazzard (film)
The Dukes of Hazzard is a 2005 comedy film based on the American television series of the same name. The film was directed by Jay Chandrasekhar and released on August 5, 2005 by Warner Bros. Pictures...
(2005), a recording of Waylon Jennings was used in one scene, also, as heard on the soundtrack, by Willie Nelson
Willie Nelson
Willie Hugh Nelson is an American country music singer-songwriter, as well as an author, poet, actor, and activist. The critical success of the album Shotgun Willie , combined with the critical and commercial success of Red Headed Stranger and Stardust , made Nelson one of the most recognized...
(Uncle Jesse in the film).
In the 2007 film, The Dukes of Hazzard: The Beginning
The Dukes of Hazzard: The Beginning
The Dukes of Hazzard: The Beginning is a prequel to the 2005 theatrical-release film The Dukes of Hazzard. An edited version of the film debuted on the ABC Family cable television channel on March 4, 2007. 'R'-rated and unrated versions were released on DVD March 13.- Plot :Bo Duke is arrested for...
, country singer John Anderson
John Anderson (musician)
John David Anderson is an American country music artist with a successful career that has lasted more than 30 years...
sings the theme.
Nike
Nike, Inc.
Nike, Inc. is a major publicly traded sportswear and equipment supplier based in the United States. The company is headquartered near Beaverton, Oregon, which is part of the Portland metropolitan area...
used the song in an advertising campaign featuring NFL star Randy Moss
Randy Moss
Randy Gene Moss is a former American football wide receiver. He was drafted by the Minnesota Vikings in the first round of the 1998 NFL Draft...
and NBA star Jason Williams
Jason Williams
Jason Williams is the name of:*Jason Williams , NBA basketball player from the University of Florida*Jay Williams , basketball player from Duke University...
, who were teammates in the same high school in rural Belle, West Virginia
Belle, West Virginia
Belle is a town in Kanawha County, West Virginia, along the Kanawha River. The population was 1,259 at the 2000 census. Belle was incorporated on December 13, 1958 by the Kanawha County Circuit Court...
.
See also
- Whitburn, Joel, "Top Country Songs: 1944-2005," 2006.
- Whitburn, Joel, "Top Pop Singles: 1955-2006," 2007.