PT-109 (song)
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| "PT-109" | ||
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| Single by Jimmy Dean | ||
| from the album Portrait Of Jimmy Dean | ||
| Released | 1962 | |
| Format | 45 | |
| Recorded | 1962 | |
| Genre | Pop | |
| Label | Columbia | |
| Writer(s) | Marijohn Wilkin and Fred Burch | |
| Chart positions | ||
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PT-109 was a song by Jimmy Dean about the adventures of John F. Kennedy and the crew of the PT-109. The boat was famous even before Kennedy ran for office because it was cut in two after being rammed by a Japanese destroyer, after which came a survival story, and rescue by native islanders Biuku Gasa and Eroni Kumana by canoe, though the islanders were not included in this version of the story.
In 1961 Dean had recorded Big Bad John, a song that would become his biggest hit ever, and echoed at the end of PT-109. It went to number one on the country and pop charts. He had five more top forty songs in 1962. PT-109 was his biggest hit in 1962, reaching the top ten as Kennedy was still president. It peaked at #3 on the country chart and peaked at #8 on the pop chart.[1] It was one of the few military themed singles of the 1960s, along with the Ballad of the Green Berets.
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[edit] Today
In 2006, the song was largely forgotten, but the 1961 single was still available on download sites such as Napster. It was also incorporated into one of a series of PT-109 videos posted on Google Video and Youtube with updated images and references as interest in the story resurfaced with the finding of the wreck of the PT-109 in 2002.
[edit] Lyrics
Excerpt:
[D] In forty-three, they [G] put to sea
[D] Thirteen men and [A7] Ken-ne-[D]dy
Aboard the P. T. [G] 109
To [D] fight the brazen [A7]ene-[D] my
And off the Isle of [G] OLASANA
[D] In the straits be-[A7] yond the [D] "ROO"
A Japanese destroyer [G] in the night
[D] Cut the One-O-[A7] Nine in [D] two.
[edit] Reviews
- Amazon: "I also loved the song, "PT 109". Of course as a little guy I had no understanding of who JFK was but this story song helped. If you like good old fashioned story songs this album is for you!"
[edit] Notes
[edit] External Links
| Parts of the story of John F. Kennedy's PT-109 |
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Ships: PT-109 • PT-109 Loss Report • PT 59 • PT Boat • Elco • Japanese destroyer Amagiri • Fubuki class destroyer • Tokyo Express People: John F. Kennedy • Arthur Reginald Evans • Coastwatchers • Biuku Gasa and Eroni Kumana • Andrew Jackson Kirksey and Harold W. Marney • Max Kennedy • Places: Solomon Islands • Kolombangara • Gizo • Kennedy Island • Lumbari Island • Rendova Island • Tulagi Battles:Battle of Blackett Strait • Solomon Islands campaign • Battle of Vella Gulf • PT-109-bilia PT 109 (film) The Search for Kennedy's PT 109 PT-109 (comic book) • • PT-109 (song) • PT-109 (model) •
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