| The Battle Of New Orleans |
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| CATEGORIES ABOUT THE BATTLE OF NEW ORLEANS | |
| 1959 singles | |
| battle of new orleans, the | |
| billboard hot 100 number-one singles | |
| bill haley songs | |
| grammy award for song of the year | |
| songs about the military | |
"The Battle of New Orleans" is the name of a song written by Jimmie Driftwood . The song details the 1815 Battle Of New Orleans from the perspective of an American fighting alongside Andrew Jackson against British forces, but the tone is lighthearted. It has been recorded by many artists, but the one most often associated with this song is Johnny Horton . His version, released as a single in 1959 , topped the Billboard Hot 100 . HISTORY The melody has its roots in a well-known American Fiddle Tune ''The 8th of January'', which was the date of the Battle of New Orleans. Jimmy Driftwood, a school principal in Arkansas with a passion for History , set a historical account of the battle to this music in an attempt to get students interested in learning history. It worked, and Driftwood became well known in the region for his historical songs. He was "discovered" in the late 1950s by Don Warden , and eventually signed to a recording contract by RCA, for whom he recorded 12 songs in 1958 , including ''The Battle of New Orleans''. ''The Battle of New Orleans'' is often played during North America n sporting events, and is commonly heard during home games of the NHL 's Calgary Flames . OTHER VERSIONS Covers and remakes As noted, Johnny Horton's 1959 version is the best-known. Horton also recorded an alternative version for release in British Commonwealth countries which had more favourable lyrics toward the British. The word "British" was replaced with "Rebels" along with a few other differences. Many other artists have recorded this song. Notable versions include the following:
Parodies "The Battle of Kookamonga"
Country parodists Homer And Jethro had a hit when they parodied "The Battle of New Orleans" with their song "The Battle of Kookamonga." The single was released in 1959 and featured production work by Chet Atkins . In this version, the scene shifts from a battleground to a campground, with the combatants being the Boy Scouts and the Girl Scouts. Other parodies
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