Kansas City Bomber (song)
Encyclopedia
"Kansas City Bomber" is a song by Phil Ochs
, a U.S.
singer-songwriter
best known for the protest song
s he wrote in the 1960s.
In 1972, record producer Lee Housekeeper asked Ochs to write the theme song for the film Kansas City Bomber
, a film about roller derby
starring Raquel Welch
. Although Ochs enjoyed watching the sport on television, composing the song proved difficult, as Ochs was suffering from writer's block
. At last, he made a demo
, on which Mickey Dolenz of The Monkees
sang back-up vocals.
Months later, Ochs was traveling in Australia. Housekeeper told him the film's producers liked his demo, but it was not exactly what they were looking for. Ochs decided to make a new recording of the song, backed by the Australian rock band Daddy Cool
.
Ultimately, the film's producers chose not to use the Ochs song in the soundtrack. Nevertheless, he convinced his record company, A&M Records
, to release it as a single
. The record sold poorly.
In the only known review of "Kansas City Bomber", Record World
wrote that "progressives will find this a moody change of pace." Billboard
included the single in its "Also Recommended" column.
In 2001, writer Mark Brend described "Kansas City Bomber" as "unremarkable". Biographer Michael Schumacher wrote in 1996 that the song "was neither an admirable work nor an embarrassment".
Many Ochs fans never heard "Kansas City Bomber" before it was included in 1988's The War Is Over: The Best of Phil Ochs
. The song was also included in the 1997 collection American Troubadour
.
Phil Ochs
Philip David Ochs was an American protest singer and songwriter who was known for his sharp wit, sardonic humor, earnest humanism, political activism, insightful and alliterative lyrics, and haunting voice...
, a U.S.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
singer-songwriter
Singer-songwriter
Singer-songwriters are musicians who write, compose and sing their own musical material including lyrics and melodies. As opposed to contemporary popular music singers who write their own songs, the term singer-songwriter describes a distinct form of artistry, closely associated with the...
best known for the protest song
Protest song
A protest song is a song which is associated with a movement for social change and hence part of the broader category of topical songs . It may be folk, classical, or commercial in genre...
s he wrote in the 1960s.
In 1972, record producer Lee Housekeeper asked Ochs to write the theme song for the film Kansas City Bomber
Kansas City Bomber
Kansas City Bomber is a 1972 American drama film released by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, directed by Jerrold Freedman and starring Raquel Welch.- Plot summary :The film is an inside look at the world of co-ed Roller Derby, then a popular league sport....
, a film about roller derby
Roller derby
Roller derby is a contact sport played by two teams of five members roller skating in the same direction around a track. Game play consists of a series of short matchups in which both teams designate a scoring player who scores points by lapping members of the opposing team...
starring Raquel Welch
Raquel Welch
Jo Raquel Tejada , better known as Raquel Welch, is an American actress, author and sex symbol. Welch came to attention as a "new-star" on the 20th Century-Fox lot in the mid-1960s. She posed iconically in a animal skin bikini for the British-release One Million Years B.C. , for which she may be...
. Although Ochs enjoyed watching the sport on television, composing the song proved difficult, as Ochs was suffering from writer's block
Writer's block
Writer's block is a condition, primarily associated with writing as a profession, in which an author loses the ability to produce new work. The condition varies widely in intensity. It can be trivial, a temporary difficulty in dealing with the task at hand. At the other extreme, some "blocked"...
. At last, he made a demo
Demo (music)
A demo version or demo of a song is one recorded for reference rather than for release. A demo is a way for a musician to approximate their ideas on tape or disc, and provide an example of those ideas to record labels, producers or other artists...
, on which Mickey Dolenz of The Monkees
The Monkees
The Monkees are an American pop rock group. Assembled in Los Angeles in 1966 by Robert "Bob" Rafelson and Bert Schneider for the American television series The Monkees, which aired from 1966 to 1968, the musical acting quartet was composed of Americans Micky Dolenz, Michael Nesmith and Peter Tork,...
sang back-up vocals.
Months later, Ochs was traveling in Australia. Housekeeper told him the film's producers liked his demo, but it was not exactly what they were looking for. Ochs decided to make a new recording of the song, backed by the Australian rock band Daddy Cool
Daddy Cool (band)
Daddy Cool is an Australian rock band formed in Melbourne in 1970 with the original line-up of Wayne Duncan , Ross Hannaford , Ross Wilson and Gary Young . Their debut single "Eagle Rock" was released in May 1971 and stayed at number 1 on the Australian singles chart for ten weeks...
.
Ultimately, the film's producers chose not to use the Ochs song in the soundtrack. Nevertheless, he convinced his record company, A&M Records
A&M Records
A&M Records is an American record label owned by Universal Music Group that operates under the mantle of its Interscope-Geffen-A&M division.-Beginnings:...
, to release it as a single
Single (music)
In music, a single or record single is a type of release, typically a recording of fewer tracks than an LP or a CD. This can be released for sale to the public in a variety of different formats. In most cases, the single is a song that is released separately from an album, but it can still appear...
. The record sold poorly.
In the only known review of "Kansas City Bomber", Record World
Record World
Record World magazine was one of the three main music industry trade publications in the United States, along with Billboard and Cash Box magazines. It was founded in 1946 under the name Music Vendor, but since 1964 changed it to Record World, under the ownership of Sid Parnes and Bob Austin, both...
wrote that "progressives will find this a moody change of pace." Billboard
Billboard (magazine)
Billboard is a weekly American magazine devoted to the music industry, and is one of the oldest trade magazines in the world. It maintains several internationally recognized music charts that track the most popular songs and albums in various categories on a weekly basis...
included the single in its "Also Recommended" column.
In 2001, writer Mark Brend described "Kansas City Bomber" as "unremarkable". Biographer Michael Schumacher wrote in 1996 that the song "was neither an admirable work nor an embarrassment".
Many Ochs fans never heard "Kansas City Bomber" before it was included in 1988's The War Is Over: The Best of Phil Ochs
The War Is Over: The Best of Phil Ochs
The War Is Over: The Best of Phil Ochs was a 1988 compilation of Phil Ochs' works on A&M Records recorded between 1967 and 1970. With varying amounts of tracks from the albums, between two and five, from each album except Gunfight At Carnegie Hall , it paints a portrait of Ochs' later works that...
. The song was also included in the 1997 collection American Troubadour
American Troubadour
American Troubadour is a 1997 British 2-CD set that presented a portrait of singer-songwriter Phil Ochs' later career, featuring selections from each of the five albums he recorded for A&M Records, from various non-album single sides and from a performance Ochs gave on March 13, 1969, in Vancouver,...
.