- Dueling Banjos
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"Dueling Banjos" Single by Eric Weissberg and Steve Mandell B-side "Reuben's Train" Released 1973 Format 7-inch 45rpm Recorded 1972 Genre Country Length 2:10 Label Warner Bros. Records K 16223 Writer(s) Arthur "Guitar Boogie" Smith, Don Reno, arranged by Eric Weissberg, Steve Mandell Producer Joe Boyd Eric Weissberg singles chronology "Dueling Banjos"
(1973)"Reuben's Train"
(1973)"Dueling Banjos" is an instrumental composition by Arthur "Guitar Boogie" Smith. The song was composed in 1955 by Smith as a banjo instrumental he called "Feudin' Banjos", which contained riffs from "Yankee Doodle". Smith recorded it playing a four-string plectrum banjo and accompanied by five-string bluegrass banjo player Don Reno. The version by Eric Weissberg and Steve Mandell went to #2 for four weeks on the Hot 100 in 1973 and topped the adult contemporary chart for two weeks the same year.[1]
The song was made famous by the 1972 film Deliverance, which also led to a successful lawsuit by the song's composer, as it was used in the film without his permission. A cover of the song by Steve Ouimette (using electric guitars, bass, and drums) was released as downloadable content for the video game Guitar Hero World Tour.
Contents
Use in Deliverance
In Deliverance, a scene depicts Billy Redden playing it opposite Ronny Cox, who joins him on guitar. Redden plays "Lonnie"—a mentally challenged inbred, but extremely gifted banjo player. (Redden could not actually play the banjo. A local musician, Mike Addis, reached around from behind Redden; this was disguised using careful camera angles.[2]) Two young musicians, Ron Brentano and Mike Russo, had originally been signed to play their adaptation for the film, but instead it was performed by the others.[3]
"Dueling Banjos" was arranged and performed for the film by Eric Weissberg and Steve Mandell and was included on its soundtrack.[4] When he was not acknowledged as the composer by the filmmakers, Smith sued and eventually won, receiving songwriting credit as well as royalties.
Chart performance
Chart (1973) Peak
positionCanadian RPM Top Singles 2 Canadian RPM Adult Contemporary Tracks 1 Canadian RPM Country Tracks 9 U.S. Billboard Hot 100 2 U.S. Billboard Easy Listening 1 U.S. Billboard Hot Country Singles 5 See also
References
- ^ Joel Whitburn (1996). The Billboard Book of Top 40 Hits, 6th Edition (Billboard Publications)
- ^ Heldenfels, Rich (2009-11-05). "Body double plays banjo". Akron Beacon Journal. http://www.ohio.com/entertainment/mailbag/69264542.html. Retrieved 2009-11-06.
- ^ James Dickey, Gordon Van Ness (2005). The One Voice of James Dickey (University of Missouri Press)
- ^ Don Reno biography - Don Reno website (archived 2008)
Categories:- 1973 singles
- Eric Weissberg songs
- Billboard Adult Contemporary number-one singles
- Songs from films
- Instrumental duets
- 1955 songs
- RPM Adult Contemporary number-one singles
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