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Fun Autry Fact:

According to a 1948 Life magazine article, "if [Gene's records] were all shipped to one place, [they] would make up a freight train solid with Western songs and be more than a mile long."

Album Information

The Cowboy Is a Patriot

Buy It Now

Released:
October 29, 2002

Label:
Varèse Sarabande Records

In 1942, Gene Autry promoted America's war efforts through his nationally broadcast weekly radio program with patriotic songs, public service announcements, dramatic re-enactments, and Wrigley's Gum commercials. Gene heard his country's call to arms and enlisted into the Army Air Corps during his live Melody Ranch Radio Show broadcast on July 26, 1942. From that point, through the duration of World War II, Singing Cowboy Gene Autry became Sgt. Gene Autry and broadcast weekly from military bases around the country and the South Pacific.

The Cowboy Is a Patriot is a two-disc set. Disc one features 24 classic Patriotic tunes as well as wartime and Wrigley's announcements from the 1940s. Disc two is a special bonus disc of the complete July 26, 1942, Gene Autry's Melody Ranch Radio Show. The booklet features detailed liner notes by James E. Wise, Jr., author of the book Stars in Khaki: Movie Actors in the Army and Air Services, and rare World War II era photos from Gene Autry's personal collection. Listening to this collection truly creates a window to the feelings and emotions of World War II America.

Track Listing

Disc One

  1. Announcement: "Scrap Rubber Drive" (1:33)
    Broadcast 06/14/1942
  2. Any Bonds Today? (1:34)
    (Irving Berlin)
    Broadcast 06/14/1942
  3. Doublemint® Gum Commercial: "Peak Efficiency" (1:29)
    Broadcast 07/05/1942
  4. I'll Wait for You (1:57)
    (Gene Autry/Fred Rose)
    Broadcast 07/05/1942
  5. Doublemint® Gum Announcement: "Sgt. Gene Autry" (1:12)
    Broadcast 08/16/1942
  6. There's a Star Spangled Banner Waving Somewhere (1:54)
    (Paul Roberts/Shelby Darnell)
    Broadcast 08/16/1942
  7. U.S. Air Force (0:48)
    (Robert Crawford)
    Gene Autry and The Melody Ranch Trio
    Broadcast 08/16/1942
  8. Announcement: "Army Air Forces Recruitment" (1:09)
    Broadcast 11/15/1942
  9. Silver Wings in the Moonlight (1:57)
    (Gene Autry/Fred Rose/Johnny Marvin)
    Broadcast 11/15/1942
  10. Doublemint® Gum Commercial: "Chewing Gum Is in Demand" (2:13)
    Broadcast 11/15/1942
  11. It's a Long Way to Tipperary (1:49)
    (Jack Judge/Harry H. Williams)
    Broadcast 11/15/1942
  12. I Sent a Letter to Santa (To Watch Over Daddy for Me) (2:28)
    (Larry Stock/Vincent Rose/Jack Meskill)
    Broadcast 11/15/1942
  13. Announcement: "WAAC Recruitment" (0:47)
    Broadcast 12/13/1942
  14. When They Sound the Last All Clear (1:49)
    (Hugh Charles/Lewis Elton)
    Broadcast 12/13/1942
  15. Praise the Lord and Pass the Ammunition (1:44)
    (Frank Loesser)
    Broadcast 12/13/1942
  16. Doublemint® Gum Commercial: "Rationing" (1:51)
    Broadcast 12/13/1942
  17. Announcement: "Don't Spill American Blood" (2:31)
    Broadcast 12/20/1942
  18. With a Pack on His Back (And a Girl on His Mind) (1:36)
    (Jimmy Dupre/Robert "Duke" Leonard/Herman C. Mahr)
    Broadcast 12/20/1942
  19. When the Lights Go on Again (All Over the World) (2:36)
    (Eddie Seiler/Sol Marcus/Bennie Benjamin)
    Broadcast 02/21/1943
  20. This Is the Army, Mr. Jones (2:30)
    (Irving Berlin)
    Broadcast 01/17/1943
  21. Comin' in on a Wing and a Prayer (1:41)
    (Harold Adamson/Jimmy McHugh)
    Broadcast 05/02/1943
  22. Announcement: "Aviation Cadet Recruitment" (2:11)
    Broadcast 05/02/1943
  23. There'll Be Jubilation Bye and Bye (1:45)
    (Ernie Burnett/Jack Meskill)
    Broadcast 07/04/1943
  24. Announcement: "Voluntary Induction" (1:23)
    Broadcast 07/04/1943
  25. Doublemint® Gum Commercial: "Feel Better, Work Better" (1:20)
    Broadcast 07/12/1943
  26. I'm Comin' Home Darling (1:40)
    (Eddie Dean/Carl Hoefle)
    Broadcast 07/12/1943
  27. No Letter Today (2:00)
    (Frankie Brown)
    Broadcast 04/21/1946
  28. Military Medley: The Marines' Hymn / The Caisson Song / Anchors Away / U.S. Air Force (2:37)
    (Traditional/Brig. Gen. Edmund L. Gruber/George Lottman/A.H. Miles/Domenico Savino/Arthur Zimmerman/Robert Crawford)
    Broadcast 12/07/1947
  29. Don't Bite The Hand That's Feeding You (1:55)
    (Thomas Hoier/James Morgan)
    Broadcast 12/7/47
  30. My Buddy (3:01)
    (Gus Kahn/Walter Donaldson)
    With Special Introduction, Pearl Harbor Day
    Broadcast 12/07/1947
  31. Yankee Doodle Boy (1:08)
    (George M. Cohan)
    Broadcast 07/04/1948
  32. The Bible on the Table and the Flag Upon the Wall (1:59)
    (George J. Bennett/Paul Cunningham/Leonard Whitcup)
    Broadcast 03/06/1949
  33. America, the Beautiful (3:26)
    (Katherine Lee Bates/Samuel A. Ward)
    With Special Introduction, Independence Day
    Broadcast 07/02/1949
  34. God Bless America (3:18)
    (Irving Berlin)
    With Special Introduction, Pearl Harbor Day
    Broadcast 12/06/1953

Disc Two

  1. Announcer: Eddy Dunn; Opening Theme: Back in the Saddle Again (0:51)
    (Gene Autry/Ray Whitley)
  2. Let Me Ride Down in Rocky Canyon (1:21)
    (Fred Rose/Gene Autry/Ray Whitley)
    Gene Autry
  3. Sketch: "Going Away Present" (1:49)
  4. Idaho (2:11)
    (Jesse A. Stone)
    Virginia Vass
  5. Doublemint® Gum Commercial: "Alert at Our Work" (1:10)
  6. Tears on My Pillow (2:58)
    (Gene Autry/Fred Rose)
    Gene Autry
  7. I'll Trade My Horse and Saddle for a Pair of Wings (1:23)
    (Dick Reinhart)
    Jimmie Dean, Eddie Dean and Johnny Bond
  8. Drama: "Why Gene Enlisted" (7:51)
  9. Gene Autry Is Sworn Into the United States Army Air Forces By Col. Edward F. Shaffer (3:27)
  10. Private Buckaroo (2:35)
    (Charles Newman/Allie Wrubel)
    Sgt. Gene Autry
  11. Doublemint® Gum Commercial: "Helps You Feel Better" (1:02)
  12. God Must Have Loved America (1:47)
    (Gene Autry/Fred Rose)
    Sgt. Gene Autry
  13. Sign Off Announcement; End Theme: Back in the Saddle Again (0:59)
    (Gene Autry/Ray Whitley)

Notes & Background Information

The masters used for this package are from Gene Autry's personal Radio archives.

All tracks are from Gene Autry’s Melody Ranch Radio Show

Arrangement: Carl Cotner
Melody Ranch Cast: Gene Autry, Johnny Bond, Eddie Dean, Jimmie Dean, Eddy Dunn, Shorty Long (Horace Murphy), Dick Reinhart, Virginia Vass

Compilation Producers: Cary E. Mansfield and Karla Buhlman
Executive Producer: Jackie Autry
Digital Remastering: Bob Fisher, Pacific Multimedia Corp.
Notes: James E. Wise, Jr.
Art Direction: Bill Pitzonka
Graphics, Art Design, and Photo Restoration: Howard Levine, www.cdsphoto.com

This collection is dedicated to those who served in the Armed Forces.

This compilation (P) 2002 Autry Qualified Interest Trust and The Autry Foundation, Released through the courtesy of Gene Autry Entertainment, Inc. (C) 2002 Varèse Sarabande Records, Inc. Manufactured by Varèse Sarabande Records, Inc., 11846 Ventura Blvd., Suite 130, Studio City, CA 91604. Distributed by Universal Music and Video Distribution, 10 Universal City Plaza, Universal City, CA 91608. Unauthorized duplication is a violation of applicable laws. Printed in the U.S.A.

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