Song Lyric Sunday/Song of the Day: Pat Boone, “Speedy Gonzales”

Song Lyric Sunday, Song of the Day 2 Minutes

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This week, Jim decided to give us a list of Mexican-related words (Burrito, Fajita, Mexican, Tequila), since Tuesday is the ever-popular celebration of Cinco de Mayo, which is a big deal practically everywhere except in Mexico.

So how did I come up with today’s song? Simple: Every Mexican restaurant I’ve been to has an express lunch called the “Speedy Gonzales,” named for the Warner Brothers cartoon that was voiced so convincingly by The Man of a Thousand Voices, Mel Blanc.

The song was written by Buddy Kaye, Ethel Lee, and David Hess (né Dante), who was also the first person to record it. His version appeared briefly on the Hot 100 in April 1961. Pat Boone issued the song in 1962, joined on the record by Blanc and Robin Ward, a session singer who had a hit record in 1963 called “Wonderful Summer” and a successful career that included appearances on many of The Partridge Family’s records. Boone’s cover peaked at #6 on the Hot 100, where it spent 13 weeks. It was an international Top 10 hit, reaching #1 in several European countries and becoming a million seller.

The lyrics courtesy of LyricsMode.com:

Spoken: It was a moonlit night in old Mexico. I walked alone between some old
Adobe haciendas. Suddenly, I heard the plaintive cry of a young Mexican girl.

You better come home, Speedy Gonzales
Away from tannery row
Stop alla your a-drinkin’
With that floozie named Flo
Come on home to your adobe
And slap some mud on the wall
The roof is leakin’ like a strainer
There’s loadsa roaches in the hall

Speedy Gonzales, why don’tcha come home?
Speedy Gonzales, how come ya leave me all alone?

Spoken in a male Mexican accent: “Hey, Rosita-I hafta go shopping downtown
For my mudder-she needs some tortillas and chili peppers. ”

Your doggy’s gonna have a puppy
And we’re runnin’ outta coke
No enchiladas in the icebox
And the television’s broke
I saw some lipstick on your sweatshirt
I smelled some perfume in your ear
Well if you’re gonna keep on messin’
Don’t bring your business back a-here

Mmm, Speedy Gonzales, why don’tcha come home?
Speedy Gonzales, how come ya leave me all alone?

Spoken in a male Mexican accent: “Hey, Rosita-come queek-down at the cantina
They giving green stamps with tequila!! ”

And that’s Song Lyric Sunday and Song of the Day for May 3, 2020.

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Published by John Holton

I'm a writer and blogger who writes and blogs about things that interest me.

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22 thoughts on “Song Lyric Sunday/Song of the Day: Pat Boone, “Speedy Gonzales””

  1. Pingback: The Mother’s Day 2020 Week That Was – The Sound of One Hand Typing

    1. They were better, because when we started watching cartoons all they had were the ones they had done for our parents. Hanna-Barbera were making cartoons for TV, but they didn’t insult our intelligence. (Much, anyway.) I don’t know what cartoons kids watch these days, and I’m not sure I want to…

      Liked by 1 person

    1. He set the original record for having a hit on the Hot 100: 220 weeks (almost 4 years) where he had at least one record there. That’s incredible.

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  7. It been a long time since i seen that catroon,and the tune was (to seal for Tony the Tiger)Great! as well.🙂

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  8. Good song John, thanks for joining in again. The Fastest Mouse in all Mexico. In 1999, Cartoon Network pulled Speedy Gonzales re-runs from the air after deciding they were too offensive. The network reinstituted him three years later after fans protested.

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  9. Poor Daffy and Sylvester…they never win. I love Speedy and how I now want to watch Bug Bunny and the gang. This song, I never heard of, but it is funny..I love it. Mel Blanc was so good with all his voices.

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    1. Don’t forget Yosemite Sam. I think he makes an appearance, or at least someone like him. Mel Blanc was a genius. There were some cartoons where he provided all the voices. How did he keep all the voices straight? Not to mention characters?

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  11. Hi John – certainly remembered Speedy … and particularly loved the 2nd one – the cartoon – took me back a few decades; but I did enjoy Pat Boone’s recordings … take care – Hilary

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    1. Pat takes a lot of grief (some of which is deserved), but you can’t deny that he has a great voice, can’t take away the fact that he had an incredible string of hit records, or that, even at 86, he’s still willing to take a chance at something new. Back in the days when Fats Domino and Little Richard couldn’t get on Top 40 radio (theirs were considered “race records”), he covered their songs. I have a lot of respect for him.

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