Those of you of a certain age know the classic Gene Pitney tune (The Man Who) Shot Liberty Valance. Movie fans will also know that the 1962 John Ford movie by that name featured John Wayne, Jimmy Stewart, Lee Marvin, Vera Miles and Lee Van Cleef.
However, what you may not know about Liberty is that the song was never in the movie. Written by Burt Bachrach and Hal David, the song follows the basic plotline of the story – bully gets his due. However, due to some churn, the movie was released before the song was recorded.
I saw the movie many years ago and had forgotten the supposed mystery of who really did shoot Liberty Valance. Listen here and key on the lyrics at 2:20 mark where Pitney sings “Everyone heard two shots ring out.”
Some group dubbed the Western Writers of America ranked the song Man Who Shot Liberty Valance at Number 36 on their all time best western songs. That seems a little low to me. Then again, perhaps that weird Chinese sounding violin intro to Liberty turned off some of its listeners. Ghost Riders in the Sky was voted Number 1. Since it is Two for Tuesday here is that one too: