Ask “Mr. Music”
Jerry Osborne



FOR THE WEEK OF MAY 14, 2001

DEAR JERRY: When it comes to the '50s and '60s hits, I consider myself pretty knowledgable. This being said, there are a few songs that are included in both “The Flying Saucer” and “Flying Saucer the 2nd” that stump me.

I know it's a formidable task, but if you would be so kind as to identify all the songs used in both of those Buchanan & Goodman hits I promise to clip and save that column forever.
—Deke L. Kellman, Huntsville, Ala.

DEAR DEKE: It's a deal, now sharpen your scissors.

Let's begin with “The Flying Saucer, Parts 1 and 2” (Luniverse 101), a Top 3 hit in 1956, and eventual million-seller:

With comics Bill Buchanan and Dickie Goodman posing as radio news reporters, their questions are humorously answered with snippets from the following mid-'50s hits. The artist featured is shown in parenthesis.

Part 1: “Open Up That Door” (instrumental opening) (Nappy Brown); “The Great Pretender” (Platters); “I Want You to Be My Girl” (Frankie Lymon and the Teenagers); “Long Tall Sally” (Little Richard); “Poor Me” (Fats Domino); “Heartbreak Hotel” (Elvis Presley); “Earth Angel” (Penguins); “I Hear You Knocking” (Smiley Lewis); “Tutti Frutti” (Little Richard); “The Magic Touch” (Platters); “The Great Pretender” (Platters).

Part 2: “Band of Gold” (Don Cherry); “Ain't It a Shame” (Fats Domino); “Band of Gold” (Don Cherry); “Don't Be Angry” Nappy Brown; “Blue Suede Shoes” (Carl Perkins); “Maybellene” (Chuck Berry); See You Later Alligator” (Bill Haley and His Comets); “My Prayer” (Platters).

As for “Flying Saucers the 2nd,” you are not alone. Read on:


DEAR JERRY: I recently found the 1950s Buchanan and Goodman hits “The Flying Saucer” and “Flying Saucer the 2nd.”

I can identify all the songs in “The Flying Saucer,” but two of the snippets in “Flying Saucer the 2nd” have me baffled.

The first is “I wonder why nobody don't like me, or is it the fact that I'm ugly?” The second is “Shut your mouth, go away!”

— Brian Schneider, Madison, Wisc.

DEAR DEKE & BRIAN: Okay space cadets, here they are, in order of course: “Young Blood” (Coasters); “Little Darlin'” (Diamonds); “Mama Look At Bubu” (Harry Belafonte); “So Rare” (Jimmy Dorsey and His Orchestra); “Little Darlin'” (Diamonds); “A White Sport Coat” (Marty Robbins); “Mama Look At Bubu” (Harry Belafonte); “All Shook Up” (Elvis Presley); “Bye Bye Love” (Everly Brothers); “Come Go with Me” (Dell-Vikings); “Bye Bye Love” (Everly Brothers); “Gone” (Ferlin Husky).

Brian, both lines that stump you are from the same Harry Belafonte song, ““Mama Look At Bubu,” a Top 15 hit in the spring of 1957 (RCA Victor 6830). On some copies, the title reads: “Mama Look a Boo-Boo (Shut You Mouth — Go Away).”

Some other novelty break-in hits by Dickie Goodman, with and without Bill Buchanan, include: “Buchanan & Goodman on Trial” (1956); “The Creature (From a Science Fiction Movie)” (1957); “Santa and the Satellite” (1957); “The Touchables” (1961); “The Touchables in Brooklyn” (1961); “Santa and the Touchables” (1961); “Ben Crazy” (1962); “Batman and His Grandmother” (1966); “On Campus” (1969); “Luna Trip” (1969); “Watergrate” (1973); “Energy Crisis” (1974); “Mr. President” (1974) “Mr. Jaws” (1975); and “Kong” (1977).

As the titles indicate, most break-ins are inspired by real news events. Other than “The Flying Saucer” and “Mr. Jaws,” both of which went Top 5, none of these became what would be considered a big hit.

The brilliant Dickie Goodman made a long career of musical humor, but died tragically of a self-inflicted gunshot wound, November 6, 1989.

IZ ZAT SO? First pressings of Buchanan & Goodman's “The Flying Saucer” are titled “Back to Earth.” These copies can sell for around $200, about 10 times more than those reading “The Flying Saucer.”






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