Surprise twist sold producer on ‘Wild Weekend’
This week in 1968: LBJ was on hand to watch Lockheed Galaxy, the worlds’ largest plane, roll off the assembly line in Georgia; 48 G.I.s were killed in an ambush near Saigon; an oil tanker carrying 5.7 million gallons split in half in San Juan Harbor; and a singer from Columbia, S.C., had his 25th hit record.
According to Bill Anderson, his record producer Owen Bradley was not immediately impressed with his 1968 hit song “Wild Weekend.” Anderson commented, “I walked into Owen Bradley’s office that day and sang him the first verse of “Wild Weekend,” the song about the guy going away for the weekend with a little blond blue-eyed darlin’”
Owen said “You can’t cut that.”
“I told him to wait until I sang him the second verse. After I did, he told me again that I still could not record that song.”
I told him to wait just a minute because I wasn’t finished and I sang him the last verse which is actually about the guy going away with his wife. Owen then slammed his fist down on his desk and said, “That great. Let’s cut it.”
Anderson continued, “Owen Bradley and I had a real trust for each other. He trusted me enough to let me sing the rest of that song, and then to realize that I had not tried to steer him wrong. I had all the respect in the world for him and I think right then he gained a little respect for me.”
Anderson’s single “Wild Weekend” made the country charts March 16, 1968, and peaked at No. 2. It was his 25th charted song and was on the charts for 18 weeks.
Between 1958 and 1991, Anderson placed 80 songs on the country music charts—including seven No. 1s. He also charted duets with Jan Howard and Mary Lou Turner.
Anderson joined The Grand Ole Opry in 1961 and was inducted into The Country Music Hall Of Fame in 2001.
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