Wildwood Weed

"Wildwood Weed" is a 1974 hit song written by Don Bowman and recorded by Jim Stafford. It was the fourth of four U.S. Top 40 singles from his eponymous debut album. Musically, the song takes its inspiration from The Carter Family's instrumental recording "Wildwood Flower". The lyrics in the verses are spoken, rather than sung.

"Wildwood Weed"
Single by Jim Stafford
from the album Jim Stafford
B-side"The Last Chant"
ReleasedJuly 1974
LabelMGM Records
Songwriter(s)Don Bowman
Producer(s)P. Gernhard and Roland Kent LaVoie
Jim Stafford singles chronology
"My Girl Bill"
(1974)		 "Wildwood Weed"
(1974)		 "Your Bulldog Drinks Champagne"
(1975)

The song is a story about farmers who take a sudden interest in a common wildflower on their farm and soon discover and enjoy its hallucinogenic and mind-altering properties after one of them begins to chew on one. They begin to cultivate the plant in earnest; however, federal agents raid their property and destroy their crop. Nevertheless, the men are undeterred by the destruction of their plants, as they have saved a supply of seeds, overlooked by the agents.

"Wildwood Weed" reached number seven on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100, number five on Cash Box[1] and number three on the Canadian pop singles chart.[2] It was a crossover hit onto the Adult Contemporary charts of both nations (reaching number two in Canada),[3] as well as the U.S. Country chart.

However, some AM radio stations banned the song because of its reference to marijuana.

Chart performance

References
  1. "Cash Box Top 100 8/31/74". Tropicalglen.com. 1974-08-31. Retrieved 2017-05-17.
  2. "Image : RPM Weekly - Library and Archives Canada". Bac-lac.gc.ca. Retrieved 2017-05-17.
  3. "Image : RPM Weekly - Library and Archives Canada". Bac-lac.gc.ca. Retrieved 2017-05-17.
  4. "Adult Contemporary Music Chart". Billboard. 1974-08-24. Retrieved 2017-05-17.
  5. "Item Display - RPM - Library and Archives Canada, Top 200 Singles of 1974". Collectionscanada.gc.ca. Retrieved 2016-12-12.
  6. "Top 100 Hits of 1974/Top 100 Songs of 1974". Musicoutfitters.com. Retrieved 2015-05-28.
  7. "The CASH BOX Year-End Charts: 1974". Archived from the original on 2016-10-09. Retrieved 2016-12-12.
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