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(Is This the Way to) Amarillo

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"(Is This the Way to) Amarillo"
Song
B-side"Love Is A Friend Of Mine"

"Is This The Way To Amarillo" is a song written by Neil Sedaka and Howard Greenfield, referring to Amarillo, Texas, USA. It is about a man travelling to Amarillo to find his girlfriend. The reason that Amarillo was chosen for the song was because it was the only place name that Sedaka could think of that rhymed with "willow" and "pillow". The song was originally to be titled, "Is This The Way To Pensacola" referring to Pensacola, Florida, but Sedaka felt that Amarillo worked better than Pensacola.[1]

Written by two North Americans about a US city, the song was first released in Europe, where it became much more famous than it has ever been in the United States.

The song was recorded by Tony Christie and released in the UK in November 1971, initially reaching number 18 in the UK Singles Chart. However, it was a substantially bigger hit at that time across Continental Europe, notably in Germany and Spain where it made number one. In Germany, the song's chorus is widely adapted as a chant by football and hockey fans even today. Following its re-issue in 2005 - when it reached number one in the UK - the song gained even greater popularity. In 2006 it was played at the World Cup Final in Berlin and was also played by The Central Band of the Royal British Legion on Centre Court at Wimbledon before the start of the Men's Singles final.

Neil Sedaka version

"(Is This the Way to) Amarillo"
Song
B-side"The Leaving Game"

In the United States, a version by the writer of the song Neil Sedaka made to number 44 in the Billboard charts in 1977, and the title was shortened to "Amarillo".

Covers and charity spoofs

In 2002, Tony Christie's version was used in the British comedy series Peter Kay's Phoenix Nights. The song was re-released on 14 March 2005 to raise money for the Comic Relief charity, with an accompanying video. The song reached number 1 in the UK chart and remained there for 7 weeks selling over a million copies, becoming the UK's best-selling single of 2005.

BBC One's This Week used this parody of Kay's video, starring presenter Andrew Neil, for its opening titles in the run-up to the 2005 election.

On 13 May 2005, another spoof video of the song made by the Royal Dragoon Guards stationed in Iraq was emailed so frequently it crashed a server at the Ministry of Defence. The spoof was entitled "Is This The Way To Armadillo" , and is visible here [2].

On 6 August 2006, Riverton Rover Crew also did an award winning spoof of the Tony Christie video available here [3].

On 2 July 2005, Peter Kay, joined by the crowd, sang an excerpt of this song a cappella, before introducing The Who at Live 8's London concert. Before this, at the 4 May, 2005 concert by Queen + Paul Rodgers at the Manchester Evening News Arena, Kay and his regular co-star Paddy McGuinness led the crowd in an impromptu rendition while they introduced the band's encore. The pair were later invited back on stage to take a bow with the band at the end of the show.

Other cover versions, re-issues etc.

The Dutch singer Albert West covered the song in 2005, making the Dutch charts. After the successful re-release of the song in the UK, Tony Christie re-recorded it with the Hermes House Band; this version charted in Germany in 2005. There is also a version by The Les Humphries Singers and a version in German by Roberto Blanco. There was also a 1971 version on the MGM label (K 14360) by a band called English House. It was produced by Terry Slater. The A-side was "Music Is The Voice Of Love" composed by Terry Slater and Phil Everly.

Football
  • In the early 1970s, following their run to the final in the Texaco Cup, Airdrieonians F.C. would sing to the tune of "Amarillo", changing the last line to "Airdrie for the Texaco Cup". This song was revived by Airdrie fans following the release of Peter Kays version.
  • Since the late 1990s, the Scottish Premier League club Falkirk F.C. have played Amarillo after a goal scored by the club at home. This precedes the re-release by Christie and Peter Kay and was highlighted when Tony Christie was added to the line-up of performers at the Big In Falkirk music concert to perform the song with the Falkirk playing staff and manager after the club won promotion to the SPL in the summer of 2005
  • The English Football team, Bolton Wanderers F.C. (Peter Kay's hometown club) have had Amarillo as their 'Goal' song since the 2004/05 Premier League season (although I Feel Good is still used on occasion). One version of the song sung by fans replaces the fourth line of the chorus with "El Hadji Diouf will spit on you", although this line has been seldom used since Diouf left the club. The song is also frequently used by Christie's local side, Doncaster Rovers F.C.
  • Birmingham City Football Club's version was "Is This The Way To Hammer Villa" after beating them 5-0 over two games in their first season back in the top flight.
Boxing
  • Bolton boxer Amir Khan used the song when he was walking to the ring in his last amateur fight against Mario Kindelan which took place in his home town.
Darts
Others


References

  1. ^ http://www.thefreelibrary.com/Is+This+the+way+to+Pensacola%3f+Record+columnist+Tam+Cowan+finds+it...-a0133940082
  2. ^ http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ld1DTmXesTo
  3. ^ http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-1579618392759470098&q=amarillo
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