Summary

"Narrow-minded hypocrisy courtesy of Roy Clark’s ‘Do You Believe This Town’" is an article that delves into the social commentary of Roy Clark's 1968 song, which exposes the hypocrisy and prejudice in a small town, reflecting the broader societal issues of the time.

Abstract

The article examines Roy Clark's song "Do You Believe This Town," released in July 1968, which serves as a poignant critique of the hidden prejudices and hypocrisy within a rural community. The song's narrative reveals how the town's leaders, including the mayor and the chief of police, engage in duplicitous behavior, preaching brotherly love while foreclosing on widows' homes and even condoning arson. The release of the song coincided with a period of significant social upheaval in the United States, marked by the assassinations of Martin Luther King Jr. and Robert F. Kennedy, racial tensions, and the Vietnam War. Despite its modest chart performance, the song marked a turning point in Clark's career, leading to his most commercially successful period and a collaboration with producer Joe Allison. The article also notes the song's relevance in challenging authority and the irony of Clark's liberal values contrasting with his public persona as a comedic entertainer on shows like "Hee Haw." The piece concludes by acknowledging the songwriting team of Joe Nixon and Charlie Williams, who also penned other successful tracks for Clark, and the song's enduring legacy through various covers and compilations.

Opinions

The author suggests that Roy Clark's song was ahead of its time in critiquing societal issues, particularly given the context of 1968, a year marked by significant political and social unrest.
Clark's musical versatility and willingness to tackle serious themes are seen as underrated aspects of his career, overshadowed by his comedic television persona.
The article implies that the song's message about hypocrisy and intolerance remains relevant, as it challenges listeners to question the actions and motives of those in positions of power.
The author expresses admiration for Clark's risk-taking in his musical choices, such as his collaboration with Candi Staton and his rendition of "The Thrill Is Gone," which could have alienated his conservative audience.
There is a hint of criticism towards the mainstream country music audience of the time for potentially overlooking the depth of Clark's artistry in favor of his comedic roles.
The piece also subtly critiques the music industry's "rural purge," which may have contributed to the song's limited commercial success despite its important message.
The author seems to appreciate the depth of the song's lyrics and the craftsmanship of the songwriters, Joe Nixon and Charlie Williams, whose work contributed significantly to Clark's discography.

Narrow-minded hypocrisy courtesy of Roy Clark’s ‘Do You Believe This Town’

Decked out in a dark gray striped suit, Roy Clark clings to a Gibson Byrdland sunburst hollow body electric guitar for the cover of “Urban, Suburban: The Fantastic Guitar of Roy Clark,” distributed in June 1968 as the musician’s ninth album and debut on Dot Records. The all-instrumental project sold moderately well, charting at No. 43 C&W. Photography by Jerry White / Universal Music Group / Discogs user “Road Worrier”

“Do You Believe This Town” was Roy Clark’s overlooked July 1968 social commentary on covert rural prejudice, recorded several months before Jeannie C. Riley’s much-ballyhooed “Harper Valley P.T.A.” A nameless pastoral community is not as it seems. Town pillars, from the mayor to the chief of police, are knee-deep in hypocrisy. The church deacon “preaches brotherly love every Sunday, and forecloses loans on widows’ homes every Monday.” The final verse is even more scathing — “Do you believe they burned a house down yesterday…if the folks who lived there had a-known their place, they could still be hangin’ around.” The summer of 1968 was rife with the assassinations of Martin Luther King and Robert F. Kennedy, racial unrest, and a draft that transformed optimistic high school graduates into damaged Vietnam vets. Authority was no longer unchallenged. Good guys wore black.

Joining Buck Owens as co-host of the long-running Nashville showcase Hee Haw the following year, who would have surmised that Clark embraced liberal hippie values? He actually sat in with First Lady of Southern Soul Candi Staton for a hair-raising Gibson Byrdland guitar attack on B.B. King’s “The Thrill Is Gone,” risky for a picker courting a conservative audience over 50 years ago.

Slamming into a brick wall at No. 53 C&W, the 2009 Country Music Hall of Famer’s plea for tolerance was not for naught. “Do You Believe This Town” launched the most commercially rewarding chapter of the lightning fast axeman’s career on Randy Wood’s Dot Records [third single “Yesterday When I Was Young,” a dramatic rendering of the French ballad, became Clark’s biggest pop crossover smash] as well as a five-year collaboration with producer Joe Allison. The many-sided Allison previously shepherded Willie Nelson’s first major label deal on Liberty Records and penned Jim Reeves’ country standard “He’ll Have to Go.”

And Dean Martin, whose eponymous, freewheeling variety series ranked among the Nielsen Top Ten on NBC, submitted a version that closed side one of his I Take a Lot of Pride in What I Am LP. Martin’s producer Jimmy Bowen literally went to town, commissioning an obtrusive orchestra and girl group oohing, aahing, and chanting “yeah, yeah, yeah!” A stripped down remix of the original multi-track masters would be revelatory. For that matter, Clark’s original country folk take, driven by acoustic guitars, a dobro, bass, and drums, is in dire need of a sonic upgrade. Only a needle drop source is available. The founding Rat Pack crooner paid an additional tip of the hat by singing Clark’s first hit — “The Tips of My Fingers” — on My Woman, My Woman, My Wife in 1970.

As far as video material, a clip of Clark lip-synching to the studio master in Hee Haw’s debut season is all that survives. The 60-minute cornpone variety series built a nearly 30-year legacy in spite of being cancelled by CBS after two seasons of compelling ratings [the network’s “rural purge” paved the way for syndication]. Clark also depicted “Cousin Roy” on The Beverly Hillbillies, gamely participated in sketches with Flip Wilson, and guest-hosted The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson. His reputation as a stocky, happy-go-lucky comic consequently overshadowed his stellar musical credentials as a vocalist, songwriter, and instrumentalist [see his acoustic run through of “Malagueña” as Odd Couple Tony Randall and Jack Klugman sit incredulously]. A similar pitfall happened to Jerry Reed. In The Encyclopedia of Country & Western Music, Rick Marschall likened Clark’s voice to a “permanently hoarse tenor, and the emotion he brings to heart-songs sounds like every drop of feeling has been wrung out for the task.”

Nashville songwriters Joe Nixon and Charlie Williams are guilty as charged for “Do You Believe This Town.” A subsequent A-side by the duo, “Right or Left at Oak Street,” garnered more encouraging chart placement for Clark, narrowly missing the Top 20 by one slot. “Oak Street” also refused to pursue an insipid ear candy route, chronicling a husband’s tortuous decision about whether to leave his family or remain stuck “in the same old routine…I don’t know which takes more courage, the staying or the running away.” Williams’ history with Clark stretched back to his formative years with Capitol. Written in tandem with outlaw country forerunner Bobby Bare, the scarce “Through the Eyes of a Fool” landed snugly in the Top 40 in 1963. Of all his Clark contributions, 1970’s Top Five “I Never Picked Cotton” prevails as the most fondly remembered and has turned up on innumerable greatest hits compilations. The dusk of the disco decade found Williams still capable of authoring gold records as evidenced by Gene Watson’s “Farewell Party.”

Do You Believe This Town [Lyrics]

Joe Nixon and Charlie Williams © Attache Music, BMI

The woman next door has gone to the P.T.A., And stopped to see her best friend’s husband on the way, The folks down the street have a different faith, So everybody’s puttin’ them down, Do you believe this town?

Deacon Jones preaches brotherly love every Sunday, And forecloses loans on widows’ homes every Monday, But the smart guys say it’s the only way, To keep the economy sound, Do you believe this town?

Do you believe they voted this town dry, Well, you won’t believe it when I tell you why, The mayor and his cousin and the chief of police, Have got the bootleggin’ all nailed down, Do you believe this town?

Do you believe they burned a house down yesterday, You won’t believe the reason that they gave, If the folks who lived there had a-known their place, They could still be hangin’ around, Do you believe this town?

A dizzying silhouette of Roy Clark mapping out a guitar solo became the cover of “Do You Believe This Roy Clark,” a play on the No. 53 C&W title cut released in October 1968 on Dot Records. Clark’s 10th album, the follow-up to “Urban, Suburban,” charted slightly better at No. 34 C&W. Photography by Jerry White / Universal Music Group / Discogs users “Avenette” and “WolfXCIX”

The rear LP jacket of the 12-song “Do You Believe This Roy Clark,” produced by Joe Allison. Among the tracks are a Johnny Cash cover [“I Still Miss Someone”], Waylon Jennings’ then-recent stomper “Only Daddy That’ll Walk the Line,” and Eddy Arnold’s “Make the World Go Away.” Photography by Jerry White / Universal Music Group / Discogs users “Avenette” and “WolfXCIX”

Joe Nixon and Charlie Williams composed Roy Clark’s “Do You Believe This Town,” produced by Joe Allison with Harold Bradley of the esteemed Nashville A-Team aiding Clark in the acoustic guitar department. Here is the official 45 single dropped by Dot Records in July 1968. Image Credit: 45Cat user “Shoestring” / Universal Music Group

Distributed in February 1971 by Dot Records, “The Best of Roy Clark” was the rural TV comedian’s second hits compilation [Capitol’s “Roy Clark’s Greatest!” holds the debut distinction]. The 11-song LP, with “Do You Believe This Town” sequenced as track three, landed snugly in the Billboard C&W Top Twenty [No. 15] and experienced a little pop action, too [No. 176]. Photography by Gabbi Rona / Universal Music Group / Discogs user “Trachi”