The cast of the classic sit-com record a novelty record.
The Beverly Hillbillies was one of the biggest shows of the 1960s, running from 1962 – 1971 and barely changing its ‘fish out of water’ plot of the country bumpkin family the Clampetts who strike oil, become vastly rich and move to Beverly Hills while retaining their down-home ways. It might have been essentially the same joke week after week, but the show was genuinely funny and good-natured, and still holds up today.
There were assorted tie-ins produced, including comic books and novels, and in 1965 a novelty LP appeared, featuring the entire cast alongside bluegrass musicians Lester Flatt and Earl Scruggs, who were regular guest stars on the show. As you might expect, the LP was more comedy than country, with gimmicky numbers for all the stars. The ‘best’ of these songs was arguably Vittles, performed by Granny Clampett – or more accurately Irene Ryan, the veteran actress who played the show’s most beloved character.
If you are not a fan of the show, then Vittles might be a baffling experience – or it might not, as it’s a wacky country number that – like the best novelty tunes – is silly and infectious.
And as a bonus clip, here’s Irene Ryan performing Lieber and Stoller’s Woman on The Hollywood Palace in 1969, as well as cracking jokes with Roy Rogers and Dale Evans.
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