MovieChat Forums > The Horror of Party Beach (1964) Discussion > 'The Wagoner's Lad' (Song Sung by the Sl...

'The Wagoner's Lad' (Song Sung by the Slumber Party Girls)

posted 18 years ago by Phoenix_279700
4 replies | jump to latest

I just discovered something, fans (some of you probably knew): Del Tenney did not invent that song after all - it's for real !

It's called "The Wagoner's Lad", recorded in 1928 by Buell Kazee. It was based on old-time appalachian folk ballads, but in the 60s folk singer Joan Baez rediscovered it - and that must be why Del used it in his spectacular 1964 "Horror-Monster-Musical". There are lots of good sites with the lyrics - here's one:

http://www.ibiblio.org/jimmy/folkden-wp/?m=199711.

I love these lyrics - what a beautiful song this must be ! And now that I think of it, I've seen this before: "Randall McMurphy" sings it in the novel, One Flew Over The Cuckoo's Nest. But ... do the pajama girls just butcher this song, or what ???

[–] bjordan396 18 years ago

Wow, Phoenix, that's some good research. As I type this, I am watching our beloved bad film for the first time with the subtitles. I never understood what Tina said about cocktail after Hank scolded her about drinking. Also, I'm eager to see the subtitles for the two walking girls' conversation. Hee!
Now that you have started a new thread concerning the slumber party (OK, the song being sung there but anyways....), I'd like to point out some discepancies about said party. Maybe it's just me but although the newscaster said 20 girls were murdered. It looked to me like about ten to twelve girls were in attendance. Plus, atleast three girls were carried off. And one girl did survive. And another thing, we saw two hot dog monsters and one moss monster enter the front door and two moss monsters enter the back door. How could five monsters slaughter all those girls. I mean, wouldn't you think they would have the common sense to run, or atleast hide?? Also, notice how two hot dog monsters enter the room but are nowhere to be seen during the slaughter? Finally, (I know...I analyze this to death) notice how the one girl wearing a pajama pants outfit is showed laying on the floor mutilated but is later shown being carried off. This is one of the same girls screaming when a monster grabs her (outdoors) during the montage scene. Just some things that I have noticed during my seemingly hundredth viewing of this fun little movie.

[–] Phoenix_279700 18 years ago

(Sunday 4/30)

Hi, Bjordan ! So you're just seeing the subtitles for the first time - aren't they a great pleasure bonus ? I started the same way you did: I ignored the subtitles at first (Subtitles ? I speak English, don't I - "vat do I's needs subtitles fer ?"), but soon caught on to their use - especially to get the Del Aires' mega-hit lyrics !

Back to finish this post tomorrow ... (Major vote rigging hit the Bottom 100 List again last week. There's a thread about this on the Manos board, and while viewing all those terrible numbers, I lost track of the time - oops !)

------------------------------------------

(Monday 5/1)
Hello again, back to finish ......

Re: The Slumber Party:

Yes indeed, that "slumber party" is one great big glorious mess, Bjordan. And now that we have the DVD, the discrepancies are much easier to catch. We see the monsters get the same girl, not twice but three times ! (You meant the girl with the long blonde hair, right ? Boy, either Del Tenney really wanted to save on cast fees, or else (Gasp !) he had a horrible fetish for blondes !)

I myself can make only two guesses about this scene, and they're both pretty lame:

1. The girls were easy to kill because they let it happen on purpose, as just punishment for their TERRIBLE singing. (Ridiculous explanation: they make me want to scream, all right, but I wouldn't want them dead !)
2. The monster's plan of attack was so brilliant - they staged a cunning "pincers" movement from all sides at once - the girls had no way out. (Ummm ... aren't the "monsters" supposed to be jellyfish ? They have no brains at all !)

Re: The Subtitles:

Bjordan and all you owners of this DVD, don't you think DarkSky did a terrific job on the subtitles ? The most amazing example comes right at the start of "Just Wigglin' 'n' Wobblin'" (Second of the Del Aires' "mega-hits"): someone speaks these words - "Well I was the one tellin' ya what the cats were puttin' down !" - in just 2.5 seconds ! That's about 300 words per minute - wow ! But even DarkSky can't do the impossible:

1. "The Wagoner's Lad" subtitles are a big mess. ("Waging her flag ?" I knew that couldn't be right.) But that wasn't DarkSky's fault - the pajama girls are just terrible singers !
2. Folks, did you really expect subtitles for the two walking girls ? Impossible, for DarkSky or anyone else - or to quote you, Bjordan: "Heee !"

[–] bjordan396 18 years ago

Hey Phoenix,
It's funny that you mentioned the other blonde girl at the slumber party. Actually there are two blondes at the slumber party...the one you mentioned with the long hair who we see getting her hair brushed by another girl (I think she's cute, by the way) and the other one has shorter hair and wears a floral pajama pants outfit. Both of them approach Libby when she takes the phone call from Elaine. And I think you surmise correctly about your suspicion on Del Tenny's fetish for blondes. Both of these girls are carried off into the water by the hot dog monsters. They are also both shown screaming helplessly in the newspaer headline/pool slaughter scene. So both of them are attacked more than once. Again Phoenix, I think you are onto something with your theory. Speaking of girls in this movie, check out the new thread that I started. I know who you will mention in your response.
And the subtitles are fantastic....especially the Del Aires lyrics. I watched COTLC again the other day and I still can't believe these two movies were a double bill. It's quite a juxtaposition and a rather entertaining one at that.

[–] dbrockskk1 10 years ago

where on earth did you get the idea that Del Tenney "invented" that song? It's been around forever as you found out.

suzycreamcheese RIP Heath Ledger 1979-2008