Speedy Gonzales

Album: Pat Boone's Greatest Hits (1962)
Charted: 2 6
Play Video

Songfacts®:

  • This novelty song was originally recorded by an American singer named David Dante, whose real name was David Hess (he also recorded as David Hill). Dante wrote the song with the songwriters Buddy Kaye and Ethel Lee.

    Pat Boone heard the song on a trip to the Philippines, where he was performing. Upon returning to America, he recorded the song and it became an unlikely hit: backed by "The Locket," it peaked at #6 in US and made #2 UK. The song's original singer, David Hess, later appeared in a number of horror movies, including The Last House on the Left and Swamp Thing.
  • Speedy Gonzales is a cartoon character - the fastest mouse in Mexico - who first appeared in 1953. The Boone record includes the voice of Speedy, Mel Blanc (1908-89), whose voice appears in the cartoon also, and who was renowned for voicing comic animation characters. In the song as in the cartoon, Speedy is an unusual mouse, whose vices include drinking with "a floozy named Flo."
  • When Elton John released "Crocodile Rock" in 1972, the similarity of his "la, la, las" prompted a lawsuit by the publisher of "Speedy Gonzales" that was settled out of court.

    Boone would later cite Elton's appropriation as an example of a rock artist copying him. Boone took a lot of flak for recording songs by R&B acts, and was shunned by Rock and Roll Hall of Fame even though he was one of the most successful artists of the early rock era. >>
    Suggestion credit:
    Alexander Baron - London, England, for above 2
  • In the liner notes to the 1995 60-track CD box set Pat Boone: His Greatest Hits and Finest Performances, which marked the first time the original recordings of all his significant hits were collected in a single box set (what usually is reissued as his pre-1960 material are actually post-1960 stereo re-records), Boone said: "I heard the song myself in the Philippines in a little nightspot. I got a copy of the record, took it home and played it for [Dot Records owner] Randy Wood, who said, 'Oh no. That was already out on RCA and it was a bomb.' I said, 'Randy, that's a hit song.' I wheedled and pleaded for a year, but he wouldn't ever let me do it. Finally, we were going to record something else and we only had two songs. I said, 'Randy, we need a third song. Let me do 'Speedy Gonzales.'' He finally agreed and sent me to his house to get the record I'd given him. Randy had hundreds of 45s all over his house and I asked his housekeeper to help me look for it. We spent a couple of hours looking, but I could not find it. As I was leaving, the housekeeper said, 'Mr. Wood gave me some records and they're in the back of my closet. Do you want to look at those?' There it was, the very last 45 on the bottom of the stack. The next night we recorded it." (Thanks to Gary Theroux, who wrote these liner notes.)
  • The singer of the "La la La" parts was Jackie Ward. The following year, under the name of Robin Ward, she had a #14 US hit with "Wonderful Summer."
  • The spoken intro doesn't appear on the original version. On Boone's recording, he opens by setting the scene:

    It was a moonlit night in old Mexico
    I walked alone between some old adobe haciendas
    Suddenly, I heard the plaintive cry of a young Mexican girl
    You better come home, Speedy Gonzales
  • The lyric is loaded with Mexican stereotypes, as Speedy is portrayed as a dimwitted, destitute drunk who loves enchiladas and chili peppers. Boone didn't see it as derogatory. "They might think it was a little denigrating but anyone who knew anything about me knew I wouldn't be looking down my nose at anybody," he told Goldmine. "Certainly this was a colorful, funny record about a fictional person called Speedy Gonzales."
  • This song was a departure for Boone, who had been doing mostly ballads and standards in the previous few years. It was the last of his 17 US Top 10 hits.
  • According to Boone, Israeli Prime Minster Benjamin Netanyahu loves this song. "He was at MIT at college when my record 'Speedy Gonzales' was a big hit," Boone told Songfacts. "It became one of his favorite records then. Whenever we are together, he says, 'Hello Speedy, come on in!' - into his office in Jerusalem."

Comments: 6

  • Richard D. Kaye from Los Angeles, CaElton John (through his management office) paid a six-figure settlement in US dollars to Budd Music Corp. (original publisher of Speedy Gonzales) to avoid a lawsuit and to keep 100% of the publishing rights to "Crocodile Rock."
  • Barry from Sauquoit, NyOn this day in 1962 {August 9th} "Speedy Gonzales"* by Pat Boone peaked at #2 {for 4 weeks} on the United Kingdom's National Music Express chart, for the four weeks it was at #2, the #1 record for those four weeks was "I Remember You" by Frank Ifield...
    And as noted above, across the pond, "Speedy Gonzales" reached #6 on the U.S.A. Billboard's Top 100 chart...
    Between 1955 and 1962 Pat Boone had twenty-seven records on the UK Singles chart, twelve made the Top 10 with one reaching #1, "I'll Be Home", for five weeks in June of 1956...
    He came close to having a thirteenth U.K. Top 10 record when his "The Main Attraction" peaked at #12 in 1962...
    Patrick Charles Eugene Boone celebrated his 86th birthday two months ago on June 1st, 2020...
    * Besides the above "Speedy Gonzales", he had three other records peak at #2 on the U.K. Singles chart, "Don't Forbid Me" for five weeks in March of 1957, "A Wonderful Time Up There" for one week in May of 1958, and "Love Letter In The Sands" for seven non-consecutive weeks in August of 1957...
    And from the 'For What It's Worth' department, the remainder of the UK's Top 10 on August 9th, 1962:
    At #3. "I Can't Stop Loving You" by Ray Charles
    #4. "A Picture of You" by Joe Brown
    #5. "Don't Ever Change" by The Crickets
    #6. "Here Comes That Feeling" by Brenda Lee
    #7. "Guitar Tango" by The Shadows
    #8. "Things" by Bobby Darin
    #9. "Come Outside" by Mike Sarne with Wendy Richards
    #10. "Little Miss Lonely" by Helen Sharpiro
  • Jennifur Sun from Ramona:Loved old Speedy, and this song always made me laugh. I hope that those of Mexican decent didn't get insulted by it however.
  • Barry from Sauquoit, NyOn June 10th 1962, "Speedy Gonzales" by Pat Boone entered Billboard’s Hot Top 100 chart at position #70; six weeks later on July 22nd, 1962 it would peak at #6 {for 3 weeks} and it stayed on the chart for 13 weeks...
    As stated above it reached #2 in the United Kingdom; that was on August 5th, it was at #2 for 4 weeks, and the #1 record for those 4 weeks was "I Remember You" by Frank Ifield...
    "Speedy Gonzales" was his 18th and last Top 10 record, with six reaching #1, "Ain't That a Shame" {1955}, "I Almost Lost My Mind" {1956}, "Don't Forbid Me" {1957}, "Love Letters in the Sand" {1957}, "April Love" {1957}, and "Moody River" {1961}...
    Charles Eugene Boone celebrated his 81st birthday nine days ago on June 1st {2015}.
  • Elmer H from Westville, OkOh yes, I recall "Speedy Gonzales" climbing the charts in summer 1962. It was a great summer for rock & roll with "Speedy Gonzales" as a great song to dance to. After all, it was a summer for giant dance hits like "The Wah-Watusi" by The Orlons, "Party Lights" by Claudine Clarke, "Gravy (for my Mashed Potatoes) by Dee Dee Sharp, Chubby Checker's "Dancin' Party" & others. Quite a change of pace for Pat Boone though, but a success on the charts. In 1962 I was almost a teenager & I recall this song was popular with a lot of younger kids who were just getting into record-buying. Whenever I hear Elton John's "Crocodile Rock" it reminds me of this Pat Boone hit because of the vocal refrain "la-la-la-la-la-la-laaaaa." Kinda stupid sounding, but what the heck----it was 1962 & it was FUN!
  • Eisso from Groningen, NetherlandsBefore the vuvuzela-aera, Dutch soccerfans used to play this all the time on brass instruments on the tribunes
see more comments

Editor's Picks

Tim McIlrath of Rise Against

Tim McIlrath of Rise AgainstSongwriter Interviews

Rise Against frontman Tim McIlrath explains the meanings behind some of their biggest songs and names the sci-fi books that have influenced him.

Guy Clark

Guy ClarkSongwriter Interviews

Vince Gill, Emmylou Harris and Lyle Lovett are just a few of the artists who have looked to Clark for insightful, intelligent songs.

Graham Nash

Graham NashSongwriter Interviews

Graham Nash tells the stories behind some of his famous songs and photos, and is asked about "yacht rock" for the first time.

Julian Lennon

Julian LennonSongwriter Interviews

Julian tells the stories behind his hits "Valotte" and "Too Late for Goodbyes," and fills us in on his many non-musical pursuits. Also: what MTV meant to his career.

The Real Nick Drake

The Real Nick DrakeSong Writing

The head of Drake's estate shares his insights on the late folk singer's life and music.

Goodbye, Hello: Ten Farewell Tour Fake-Outs

Goodbye, Hello: Ten Farewell Tour Fake-OutsSong Writing

The 10 biggest "retirement tours" that didn't take.