Written by Robert Benson
The Story of Mr. Custer- by Larry Verne
Some musical acts are chosen for their uncanny musical talents, either vocally or as an expert musician. But to be selected because you spoke with a southern drawl is as unique as the number one hit for Larry Verne in 1960, “Mr. Custer.”
Let’s explore the history of this quirky, novelty tune:
To explain the full story, we must travel back in time to Sunday, June 25, 1876. In a historic battle at Little Big Horn, 700 US troops, under the command of General George Custer, fought more than 3,000 Sioux Indians; who were loyal to Chief Sitting Bull. Ultimately, within half-an-hour of Custer’s famous attack, he and all of his troops lay dead.
Fast-forward eighty-four years to October 10, 1960 and a kooky ditty about a soldier’s comical plea to General Custer that he didn’t want to fight, was the #1 hit on the Billboard charts.
This beloved classic was developed by three friends who worked in the music industry in Hollywood, California. The three, Fred Darian, Al DeLory and Joe Van Winkle were busy dubbing music at Gold Star Studios when DeLory came up with, “Mr. Custer, I don’t want to go” and the line “Forward, ho!” Someone else added the sound effect of an arrow piecing the air and as Fred Darian explained, “Mr. Custer was not a song you just sat down and wrote. It was a succession of incidents that brought it about; we just developed it as we went along.”
The three writers first met at Coffee Dan’s, which was a Hollywood hot spot that was near Wallich’s Music City at Sunset and Vine. They formed a vocal group called the Balladeers and they rented a small office on Sunset. Across the hall was a photographer’s office where Larry Verne worked developing pictures.
“We use to go to lunch together and we’d all kick different lines around and throw ideas back and forth,” said Verne.
“They invited me to the recording studio where they were going to make a sample of the song,” explained Verne. “But when we got there, they said, ‘okay, Larry, you go in the booth and do it!’ It was definitely a spur of the moment thing.”
The song was in its infancy form until they coaxed Verne into the studio, where a two-hour session with a guitar, bass, drums, background vocals and background noises by all three songwriters.
“Everybody turned it down,” recalled Van Winkle. “I mean everybody. I don’t think we missed any of the majors or independent record companies."
Finally, Bob Keene of Del-Fi Records gave the trio a $300 advance so he could release the record. After it didn’t get released, Darian called Keene and inquired as to when the song would be released.
The four-and-a-half minute track was not as funny as Keene first thought, so he didn’t seem too interested in releasing the cut. In fact, the original dub was slowly wearing out, so they went back to Gold Star to produce another version. Luckily, the owner of Era Records was in the hallway listening and asked if they wanted him to release it. Ten months after the song was originally recorded, a shortened version of “Mr. Custer” was released. Darian credits the late DJ Bob Crane with being the first to play the song on the radio.
All in all, “Mr. Custer” spent a total of thirteen weeks on the Billboard Top 100. A follow-up single (again written by Darian, DeLory and Van Winkle) did not fare so well, peaking at number seventy-five on the charts.
Larry Verne released one LP, and, other than doing some background vocals for a few years, quit the music business to work in motion pictures as a construction foreman and assistant set art director.
Larry Verne Vinyl
45 RPM
COLLECTABLES $3-5 1980’s
ERA $10-20 1960-1964
Picture Sleeves
ERA (3034 "Mr. Livingston") $15-25 1960
EPs: 7–inch
ERA (104 "Hi-Lites from Mister Larry Verne") $20-30 1960
(Promotional issue only, not issued with special cover.)
Please Mr. Custer - Larry Verne
Mr. Custer Lyrics
(That famous day in history the men of the 7th Cavalry went riding on)
(And from the rear a voice was heard)
(A brave you man with a trembling word rang loud and clear)
What am I doin' here?
Please Mr. Custer, I don't wanna go
Hey, Mr. Custer, please don't make me go
I had a dream last night about the comin' fight
Somebody yelled "attack!"
And there I stood with a arrow in my back.
Please Mr. Custer, I don't wanna go (forward Ho! )--aaww
SPOKEN: Look at them bushes out there
They're moving and there's a injun behind every one
Hey, Mr. Custer-you mind if I be excused the rest of the afternoon?
HEY CHARLIE, DUCK YER HEAD!
Hmm, you're a little bit late on that one, Charlie
Hooh, I bet that smarts!
(They were sure of victory, the men of the 7th Cavalry, as they rode on)
(But then from the rear a voice was heard)
(That same brave voice with the trembling word rang loud and clear)
What am I doin' here?
Please Mr. Custer, I don't wanna go
Listen, Mr. Custer, please don't make me go
There's a redskin a'waitin' out there, just fixin to take my hair
A coward I've been called cuz I don't wanna wind up dead or bald
Please Mr. Custer, I don't wanna go (forward HO)--aaww
SPOKEN: I wonder what the injun word for friend is
Let's see-friend-- kemo sabe, that's it
KEMO SABE!, HEY OUT THERE-KEMO SABE!
Nope, that itn't it
Look at them durned injuns
They're runnin' around like a bunch of wild Indians-heh, heh, heh
Nah, this ain't no time for jokin'
