Billy Bayou Explained

Billy Bayou
Written:	1958

"Billy Bayou" is a song written by Roger Miller.

Song background

It's a slightly comic song about a larger-than-life character, having adventures in America in the 1800s.

Chart performance

"Billy Bayou" was released as a 1958 single by Jim Reeves, where the recording spent a total of 25 weeks on the country chart and was his fourth release to reach No. 1, where it stayed for five weeks.^[1] It also reached number 9 peak position on Italy's FIMI National Charts in 1958. In Canada, the song reached number 4 on the CHUM Charts.^[2] The B-side of "Billy Bayou" titled "I'd Like to Be", which peaked at number eighteen on the country chart.

Cover versions

The song has been covered by other artists, including:

• Burl Ives
• Charley Pride
• Doug Kershaw

Notes and References

1. Book: Whitburn, Joel. The Billboard Book Of Top 40 Country Hits: 1944–2006, Second edition. Joel Whitburn. 2004. Record Research. 285.
2. Web site: CHUM Hit Parade – January 5, 1959.