Jim Stafford: “Cow Patti” (1981)
Self-taught on guitar, fiddle, piano, banjo, organ and harmonica, James Wayne Stafford did alright for himself.
Best known for a trio of 1974 hits, “Spiders and Snakes”, “My Girl Bill” and “Wildwood Weed”, his true musical talents enabled him to parlay his relatively brief comedic country success into a 30-year headlining gig at his own theater in Branson, Missouri.
From the “Any Which Way You Can” soundtrack comes “Cow Patti”, probably a parody of Lorne Greene’s “Ringo” from 1964. (Also “Ringo” was a gunfighter ballad which had nothing to do with the Beatles’ drummer.)
Shame that over the years a parody song can be like a stick of gum that loses its parody flavor when the original object of parody has faded from memory.
“Hello Muddah, Hello Fadduh!” comes to mind, as does the work of Spike Jones, and this brilliant Pat Donohue parody tune too.
Every Moment Has A Song 