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Although David Gardner, a.k.a Dave Gardner and Brother Dave Gardner(comedy name), released numerous albums for RCA and Capitol Records between the mid-50’s and early 70’s, it was his act as a comedian that initially grabbed the attention of RCA Records artist & producer, Chet Atkins (which then resulted in a comedy album interspersed with a couple of songs – Rejoice, Dear Hearts! 1959/1960).
A Tennessee native, Gardner studied drumming from the age of 13 and after a one-semester term as a Southern Baptist ministerial student at Union University in his hometown of Jackson, Tennessee, he began a musical career as a drummer and occasional vocalist. After a pair of demo singles for Decca Records around 1956, he had a 1958 Top-20 hit on OJ Records with debut single, White Silver Sands.
Today’s song, a very different offering to anything else he released, was the single that followed his debut 45. Backed with Love Is My Business, Mad Witch is in a realm of its own!! Fuelled with the charge of a runaway train, backing vocals shape this locomotive tune as snarly, heralding lyrics chug out a tale of fire, brimstone and the devils wife, the Mad Witch! Check it out above and (if you dare) cast your peepers on the lyrics below..
Mad Witch
Ho-dee-oh-ho-ho, ho-dee-oh-hey
The devil’s wife the old mad witch
She’s a riding me
I felt the bit surge in my mouth
Froth begin to flow
Her leather across my sweated back
Was whiter than the snow
The devil’s wife the old mad witch
She used to ride a broom
Now every night she leaves the earth
And rides me to the moon
Ho-dee-oh-ho-ho, ho-dee-oh-hey
The devil’s wife the old mad witch
She’s a riding me
There she makes a devil’s sign
Waves her magic wand
He throws open the fiery gates
Tells her to ride on
Saw the burning brimstone
Saw the fiery cave
Every soul that burns there
Is branded the devil’s slave
Ho-dee-oh-ho-ho, ho-dee-oh-hey
The devil’s wife the old mad witch
She’s a riding me
We’re headed back to earth again
These words I heard her say
Your soul belongs to the devil man
You can never change your way
Saw the burning brimstone
Saw the fiery cave
Know that I’m the devil’s wife
Now ride into your grave
Ho-dee-oh-ho-ho, ho-dee-oh-hey
The devil’s wife the old mad witch
She’s a riding me
I felt the bit surge in my mouth
Froth begin to flow
Her leather across my sweated back
Was whiter than the snow
The devil’s wife the old mad witch
She used to ride a broom
Now every night she leaves the earth
And rides me to the moon
Ho-dee-oh-ho-ho, ho-dee-oh-hey
The devil’s wife the old mad witch
She’s a riding me
We’re headed back to earth again
These words I heard her say
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