James21832 Posted June 16, 2004 Report Posted June 16, 2004 Can anyone tell me who sang the song about Ronald Reagan in the late sixties. I think the name was "Drugstore Truck Driving Man"
Tenacious_Peaches Posted June 16, 2004 Report Posted June 16, 2004 I found this, but I'm not sure I see the Reagan connection. There can't possibly be 2 songs with that same name, can there? Hope this helps. DRUG STORE TRUCK DRIVIN MAN Written by Roger McGuinn and Gram Parsons He's a drug store truck drivin man He's a head of the Ku Klux Klan When summer rolls around He'll be lucky if he's not in town Well he's got him a house on the hill He plays country records till you've had your fill He's a fireman's friend, he's an all night DJ But he sure does think different from the records he plays He's a drug store truck drivin man He's a head of the Ku Klux Klan When summer rolls around He'll be lucky if he's not in town Well he don't like the young folks I know He told me one night on his radio show He's got him a medal he won in the war Weighs five hundred pounds and sleeps on his floor He's a drug store truck drivin man He's a head of the Ku Klux Klan When summer rolls around He'll be lucky if he's not in town He's been like a father to me He's the only DJ you can hear after three I'm an all night musician in a rock 'n' roll band And why he don't like me, I can't understand He's a drug store truck drivin man He's a head of the Ku Klux Klan When summer rolls around He'll be lucky if he's not in town
Tybalt Posted June 16, 2004 Report Posted June 16, 2004 The Reagan connection is that on a live recording of this song it is introduced with words something like ".. This song is dedicated to our Governor...Ronald Ray-Gun...... Zap"
scott Posted June 16, 2004 Report Posted June 16, 2004 This is off topic, but Tybalt, your name is after the Romeo and Juliet character right? I've been trying to place your name for a while and I just figured it out.
Tybalt Posted June 16, 2004 Report Posted June 16, 2004 Yes scott, Tybalt is Juliet's cousin, the spoiler in the play. He kills Romeo's friend Mercutio, and then Romeo kills him in revenge. I chose the screen name while listening to music from the R&J ballet by Prokofiev (Op.64). It's some of my favorite classic music, especially the Dance of the Knights. I have no affiliation with click:the enterprenurial alt band out of Birmingham, England and won't make judgments pro or con about their music. I only wish they hadn't beaten me to the punch with the name. Back on subject:The artists would be the Byrds. During his time as Governor of California, political opponents sometimes attempted to associate Ronald Reagan with the KKK. These accusations were bogus.
scott Posted June 16, 2004 Report Posted June 16, 2004 Holy crap Batman! Prokofiev's Romeo and Juliet ballet is my favorite classical composition too! No freakin' way dude. (I'm totally serious too, that songs awesome )
James21832 Posted June 17, 2004 Author Report Posted June 17, 2004 Outstanding... this would be the song. I never made the coralation of Reagan to this song either. But, when he passed on, the song came into my head and I couldn't loose it. I was thinking Country Joe McDonald & The Fish, would never thought about The Byrds. Many Thanks...
Tybalt Posted June 18, 2004 Report Posted June 18, 2004 James21832 -- I don't have the Woodstock soundtrack handy, but it looks the "Ronald Ray-Gun" intro I mentioned was from when Joan Baez performed the song there. It's the track just before Country Joe & the Fish on the record.
bazooka Posted June 18, 2004 Report Posted June 18, 2004 Drug Store Truck Drivin Man from the " Dr. Byrds and Mr. Hyde" album is really about Nashville radio personality Ralph Emery, and McGuinn & Parsons's reaction to the way he treated their music. A Byrd Watcher review helps explain the whole Byrds/Baez/Reagan chain. This nickname is one thing that did stick with the later "Teflon President" for quite a while.
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