Ebony Hillbillies play as a part of MTA Underground
December 25, 1963 www.amazon.com thefilmarchived.blogspot.com The theme song “The Ballad of Jed Clampett” was written by producer and writer Paul Henning and originally performed by bluegrass artists Flatt and Scruggs. The song was sung by Jerry Scoggins (backed by Flatt and Scruggs) over the opening and end credits of each episode. It was #44 on the music charts in 1962 and a #1 country hit. Flatt and Scruggs also had another Billboard country top ten hit with the comic “Pearl, Pearl, Pearl,” an ode to the feminine charms of Miss Pearl Bodine who was featured in the episode “Jed Throws a Wingding,” the first of several Flatt and Scruggs appearances on the show. The six main cast members participated on a 1963 Columbia Records soundtrack album which featured original song numbers in character. Additionally, Ebsen, Ryan and Douglas each made a few solo recordings following the show’s success, including Ryan’s 1966 novelty single, “Granny’s Miniskirt”. The series generally featured no country music beyond the bluegrass banjo theme song, although country star Roy Clark and the team of Flatt and Scruggs occasionally played on the program. Pop singer Pat Boone appeared on one episode as himself, with the premise that he hailed from the same area of the country as the Clampetts (Boone is, in fact, a native of Jacksonville, Florida although he spent most of his childhood in Tennessee). The 1989 film UHF featured a “Weird Al” Yankovic parody music video, “Money for Nothing …
Video Rating: 4 / 5
45 comments
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robbiedaug
February 6, 2012 at 7:44 pm (UTC 0) Link to this comment
Hmm…Is that how strange i look as a white guy playing the blues?
SethKessel
February 6, 2012 at 8:07 pm (UTC 0) Link to this comment
Very nice. I met the banjo player in the subway a few days ago. I missed them playing but he told me the name of the band.
drkviolin2010
February 6, 2012 at 9:06 pm (UTC 0) Link to this comment
String music is in Africa.Very prevalent very strong .Can you say Kora,Riti,Goteraney.Duh!!!
drkviolin2010
February 6, 2012 at 10:02 pm (UTC 0) Link to this comment
String music is in Africa.Very prevalent very strong .
drkviolin2010
February 6, 2012 at 10:38 pm (UTC 0) Link to this comment
It is good to see the african strings bands the blues originated from one race of people?Where did the blue come in “Blue Grass”?No one want to give black people any credit when it comes to string bands ,jug bands,bluegrass ,old time etc.when they take from us it is borrow w/o credit,instead of steal.These brotha ‘s play how they play .They are wonderful.You are just ignorant!!!
jdbush49
February 6, 2012 at 10:39 pm (UTC 0) Link to this comment
Makes me smile and gives me hope. Serous toe-tappin,’ duck-headin’ joyousness.
konvict63
February 6, 2012 at 10:42 pm (UTC 0) Link to this comment
Humans are grounded by their surroundings not by race
ohohenio
February 6, 2012 at 10:51 pm (UTC 0) Link to this comment
@rickallison2223 Not true. String instruments come out of Africa.
KOUNTRYMYWAY1
February 6, 2012 at 11:40 pm (UTC 0) Link to this comment
I like it guys. Makes me proud to be Black Country Singer/songwriter.
I really, really love it.
abiwhale57
February 7, 2012 at 12:14 am (UTC 0) Link to this comment
This is so wondrous ~ Makes me want to dance and play along!
ThomasAthanasius
February 7, 2012 at 12:28 am (UTC 0) Link to this comment
@rickallison2223
Um, you may want to check out the history of the banjo . . .
sheyla2003
February 7, 2012 at 12:46 am (UTC 0) Link to this comment
correction.. those are african american billies xP
BHAF4163
February 7, 2012 at 1:14 am (UTC 0) Link to this comment
Music it has no color….. Awesome playing guys!!!!!
iluvharpokitty
February 7, 2012 at 1:31 am (UTC 0) Link to this comment
Would love to see you guys at the washboard festival in Logan ohio in the summer sometime.
rickallison2223
February 7, 2012 at 1:58 am (UTC 0) Link to this comment
String music has roots in Western Europe, not Africa…
Good try, though.
PotterPossum1989
February 7, 2012 at 2:42 am (UTC 0) Link to this comment
@ciskoepike47 Summed up very nicely.
ciskoepike47
February 7, 2012 at 3:07 am (UTC 0) Link to this comment
See also: Otis Taylor ‘Recapturing the Banjo’ and the Carolina Chocolate Drops. Old Time is what they play, ‘hillbilly’ is what Ralph Peer (The Bristol Sessions, Jimmy Rogers, the Carter Family) of RCA would have called it, if he didn’t see who was playing it.
ciskoepike47
February 7, 2012 at 3:10 am (UTC 0) Link to this comment
See also: Otis Taylor ‘Recapturing the Banjo’ and the Carolina Chocolate Drops. Old Time is what they play, ‘hillbilly’ is what Ralph Peer (The Bristol Sessions, Jimmy Rogers, the Carter Family) of RCA would have called it, if he did’t see who was playing it.
troynov1965
February 7, 2012 at 4:06 am (UTC 0) Link to this comment
what a great band !
davidfbetts
February 7, 2012 at 4:09 am (UTC 0) Link to this comment
If anyone reading this sees these guys playing,could you go up to the banjo player.Norris,and say a big HALLO from Dave Betts over here in the UK..Thanks
sofranza
February 7, 2012 at 4:44 am (UTC 0) Link to this comment
@ciller1985
With Africa came great music….music that we may call “American”
CHEREEOUTTENgf
February 7, 2012 at 5:40 am (UTC 0) Link to this comment
My happiness Asian Beauties **lushfmlk.info**
jannetmcmorrow
February 7, 2012 at 6:21 am (UTC 0) Link to this comment
Latino wives alone and try to chat her ** sarafox.info **
zcraig11
February 7, 2012 at 6:43 am (UTC 0) Link to this comment
I Love Y’all
perugia20
February 7, 2012 at 7:36 am (UTC 0) Link to this comment
I just saw this group today, playing in a NYC subway station. They are great, and got an enthusiastic crowd response. Thanks for the video. I was wishing I had my camera.
SeanMBryans
February 7, 2012 at 8:16 am (UTC 0) Link to this comment
Granny was so hilarious – Irene Ryan had that character down pat. Thanx for posting.
GeorgeVreelandHill
February 7, 2012 at 8:51 am (UTC 0) Link to this comment
This show never gets tiring.
What a classic.
George Vreeland Hill
MrReilly067
February 7, 2012 at 9:33 am (UTC 0) Link to this comment
Well doggies!…Cleverly well written episode that was.
kennethcraig6812
February 7, 2012 at 10:18 am (UTC 0) Link to this comment
that there looks like a monkey ha haa
OddCommunications101
February 7, 2012 at 11:11 am (UTC 0) Link to this comment
@goatman8 you couldn’t be any more right
slowpoke96Z28
February 7, 2012 at 11:31 am (UTC 0) Link to this comment
this is the day jethro and skipper meet…
candied catfish?? strangely intriguing.
and donna douglas. the finest of her time…
jeremywplr39
February 7, 2012 at 11:50 am (UTC 0) Link to this comment
its haulerious
tanorama6666
February 7, 2012 at 12:06 pm (UTC 0) Link to this comment
@ohsnapitsme59 i meant the song…..its still the same just without the voice XP
ohsnapitsme59
February 7, 2012 at 12:15 pm (UTC 0) Link to this comment
@tanorama6666 No it’s not. In the original version, besides different music, there is a man singing…”Now listen to a story ’bout a man name Jed, Poor mountaineer barely kept his family fed” etc.
toonful
February 7, 2012 at 1:07 pm (UTC 0) Link to this comment
@tanorama6666 was it really? i’m sure glad they changed it,howdy,& have a great day/life.
goatman8
February 7, 2012 at 1:11 pm (UTC 0) Link to this comment
one of the funniest tv shows ever to air
hulliscorrupt
February 7, 2012 at 1:54 pm (UTC 0) Link to this comment
They drove next door!?
tanorama6666
February 7, 2012 at 2:52 pm (UTC 0) Link to this comment
@Teflon65 omg dude..this was the original theme song >_>
willybartlett
February 7, 2012 at 3:43 pm (UTC 0) Link to this comment
LOL
muttley25able
February 7, 2012 at 4:00 pm (UTC 0) Link to this comment
love them
PunkRockDiva1979
February 7, 2012 at 4:46 pm (UTC 0) Link to this comment
HAHAHAH @ Granny & Jed at the tv think it was a washer
Teflon65
February 7, 2012 at 5:21 pm (UTC 0) Link to this comment
This must be an episode that fell into the public domain, because the opening theme is different.
Nakita
February 14, 2012 at 3:58 pm (UTC 0) Link to this comment
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