Speedy Gonzales (song)

Last updated
"Speedy Gonzales"
Single by David Dante
B-side "K-K-K-Katy"
ReleasedApril 1961
Recorded1961
Genre Pop
Length2:28
Label RCA Victor
Songwriter(s) Buddy Kaye, Ethel Lee, David Hill
Producer(s) Hugo & Luigi

"Speedy Gonzales" is a 1961 song by David Hess (RCA 8056), [1] who recorded it under the name David Dante, about Speedy Gonzales, "the fastest mouse in all Mexico". It was written by Buddy Kaye, Ethel Lee and Dante/Hess. The David Dante original version briefly entered the U.S. Music Vendor chart in April 1961.

Contents

A totally different song with the same title was made in 1973 by the Swedish left wing prog group Nationalteatern (written by Anders Melander).(Source: CD Nationalteaterns Greatest Hits MNW MNWCD-168).

Pat Boone version

"Speedy Gonzales"
Single by Pat Boone
from the album Pat Boone's Golden Hits Featuring Speedy Gonzales
B-side "The Locket"
Released1962
Recorded1962
Genre Pop
Length2:30
Label Dot
Songwriter(s) Buddy Kaye, Ethel Lee, David Hill
Producer(s) Randy Wood

The song was popularized in the United States as a 1962 single by Pat Boone. [2] The Boone version peaked at the No. 6 Billboard Hot 100 position in 1962 during a total chart run of 13 weeks, doing better in many national charts in Europe, where it sold a million copies. [3] The female voice ("La-la-la...") on this song was of Robin Ward. [3] It also incorporated Mel Blanc voicing Speedy Gonzales as he did in the Warner Brothers cartoons.

Dante's version details a demand from a girl named Consuela to Speedy to stop roving about and take care of his neglected household. Boone's song adds a spoken introduction stating that he was wandering between some old adobe haciendas on a moonlit night in Mexico, where he heard the voice of a Mexican girl calling to Speedy, and Mel Blanc's inserts replace a recurring line from Dante's lyrics.

Warner Bros. Pictures sued Boone and Dot Records for $850,000 over Blanc's performance of Speedy's voice on Boone's record without their authorization. The case was later dropped.

Charts

Pat Boone version

Chart (1962)Peak
position
Argentina [4] 1
Australia (Kent Music Report) [5] 3
Belgium (Ultratop 50 Flanders) [6] 1
Belgium (Ultratop 50 Wallonia) [7] 7
France (IFOP) [8] 8
Ireland (Evening Herald) [9] 4
Netherlands (Dutch Top 40) [10] 1
Norway (VG-lista) [11] 1
Sweden (Kvällstoppen) [12] 1
Sweden ( Tio i Topp ) [13] 1
UK Singles (OCC) [14] 2
US Billboard Hot 100 [15] 6
West Germany (Official German Charts) [16] 1

Kumbia All Starz version

"Speedy Gonzales"
Single by A.B. Quintanilla y Los Kumbia All Starz
from the album Ayer Fue Kumbia Kings, Hoy Es Kumbia All Starz
ReleasedJune 22, 2007
Recorded2006
Genre Cumbia
Length3:24
Label EMI Latin
Songwriter(s) Buddy Kaye, David Hess, Ethel Lee
Producer(s) A.B. Quintanilla
A.B. Quintanilla y Los Kumbia All Starz singles chronology
"Parece Que Va a Llover"
(2007)
"Speedy Gonzales"
(2007)
"Mami/Anoche No Dormí"
(2007)

"Speedy Gonzales" by A.B. Quintanilla y Los Kumbia All Starz is the third single from the album Ayer Fue Kumbia Kings, Hoy Es Kumbia All Starz . The song was covered in Spanish.

Personnel

Other versions

English-language versions

Other-language versions

See also

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