Old Hippie
"Old Hippie" is a song written by David Bellamy, and recorded by American country music duo The Bellamy Brothers. It was released in April 1985 as the first single from their album Howard & David.
| "Old Hippie" | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Single by The Bellamy Brothers | ||||
| from the album Howard & David | ||||
| B-side | "Wheels" | |||
| Released | April 1985 | |||
| Recorded | March 1985 | |||
| Genre | Country, country pop, country rock, urban cowboy | |||
| Length | 4:03 | |||
| Label | MCA/Curb 52579 | |||
| Songwriter(s) | David Bellamy | |||
| Producer(s) | Emory Gordy Jr. and Jimmy Bowen | |||
| The Bellamy Brothers singles chronology | ||||
| ||||
The song reached No. 2 on the Billboard Hot Country Singles chart in July 1985[1] and No. 1 on the RPM Country Tracks chart in Canada.[2] In June 2014, Rolling Stone magazine ranked "Old Hippie" 95th in their list of the 100 greatest country songs.[3]
Content
The song is about the unnamed title character, an aging hippie who uses marijuana, listens to the Woodstock-influenced rock music of the late 1960s, the Murder of John Lennon in 1980, and for years refuses to let go of his lifestyle, despite societal changes around him. It is also explained that, sometime prior to Woodstock, he was drafted to Vietnam and forced to "become a man while he was still a boy." Afterward, he began waiting for something good to happen in his life, before adopting his way of life. Eventually, the man does change, taking up such interests as jogging while staying away from parties and nightclubs.
Sequel(s)
A decade after the song's release, the brothers recorded a sequel song titled "Old Hippie (The Sequel)".[4] The song follows the same unnamed title character 10 years after the original. Just as with "Old Hippie," the sequel sees the man—now with a thinning hairline—continuing to struggle with his memories of Vietnam and changes in society, only with updated references. Howard and David re-visited the "Old Hippie" character once again on their 1996 holiday release, "Tropical Christmas." The chorus in the "Old Hippie Christmas" version goes, "It's an Old Hippie Christmas, weather's cold and hearts are warm. Mama smokes the turkey, while Daddy smokes the farm. It's an Old Hippie Christmas, just full of yuletide fun. Jesus must've been a hippie, peace and love to everyone..."
Chart performance
| Chart (1985) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| US Hot Country Songs (Billboard)[5] | 2 |
| Canadian RPM Country Tracks | 1 |
See also
References
- The Bellamy Brothers Chart History
- "RPM Country Tracks". Archived from the original on 2012-10-20. Retrieved 2010-10-31.
- https://www.rollingstone.com/music/pictures/100-greatest-country-songs-of-all-time-20140601/95-bellamy-brothers-old-hippie-1985-0243162
- Johnson, Karen (May–June 1995). "The Bellamy Brothers: Snake Rattle & Roll". Tampa Bay Magazine. 10 (3): 51.
- "The Bellamy Brothers Chart History (Hot Country Songs)". Billboard.