Bony Moronie

"Bony Moronie" is Larry Williams' third single, released in 1957. Williams' original peaked at #14 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart and #4 on the U.S. R&B chart.

The song has been covered many times. Among those who have covered the song are John Lennon for his 1975 album, Rock 'n' Roll, Joni Mitchell as a medley with Big Yellow Taxi during her 1970 concert in Amchitka for Greenpeace. The Who as a 1971 live performance included on their 1994 compilation Thirty Years of Maximum R&B, Dr. Feelgood on their 1974 album, Down by the Jetty, Johnny Winter on his 1975 album, 'Captured Live!, Showaddywaddy and Julie Covington for the 1977 Amnesty International benefit show The Mermaid Frolics. In 1975, a cover of the song by Australian band Hush was a number one single on the Australian charts.

The song was featured, among others, in the 1983 movie Christine.

The song is the first track on the Johnny Winter album Captured Live!.

Les Habits Jaunes made a French cover version entitled "Miss Boney Maronie" in 1965.

The Who played a cover of the song live at their Young Vic Rehearsals in 1971.

Art Neville mentions "Bony Moronie" in "Let's Rock", a single he recorded for Specialty Records in 1958.

James Taylor mentions the song in "Suite for 20 G", a song on his album Sweet Baby James.

Cannibal & the Headhunters mention the song in their version of "Land of a Thousand Dances" .

Wilson Pickett mentions the song in "Land of 1000 Dances", a song on his album The Exciting Wilson Pickett.

Frankie Avalon mentions the song in his 1958 song "DeDe Dinah".

Ritchie Valens mentions "Bony Moronie" in his song "Ooh! My Head", and also covers the song on his eponymous debut album.

Ray Charles mentions the song in his cover of the song "Shake A Tail Feather."

Echo and the Bunnymen mention "Bony Moronie" in their song "My Kingdom."

Patti Smith mentions "Bony Moronie" in her song "Land" (1975): "Do you know how to pony like Bony Moronie".

Chris Berman used to mention the song when Lawrence Maroney appeared in NFL highlights.

Lyrical content

The singer claims that his eponymous girlfriend is "as skinny as a stick of macaroni."

Spanish version

The song was translated into Spanish by Enrique Guzmán and Manny Martinez, who renamed it "Popotitos".

Originally released as a single in 1961 by Guzman's and Martinez's band Los Teen Tops, "Popotitos" was also covered by a wide range of Spanish-speaking artists such as Ricky Martin and Miguel Ríos. The song was recorded by Argentinian rock/pop group Serú Girán in 1982, which introduced "Popotitos" to younger generations, and made it a hit again across Latin America.

Charts

• #4 (U.S. Billboard R&B)
• #14 (U.S. Billboard Hot 100)
• #45 (B-side (Billboard Hot 100))
• #11 UK Singles Chart^[1]

References