Wooly Bully
single
CoverWooly Bully.jpg
ArtistSam the Sham and the Pharaohs
AlbumWooly Bully
B-sideAin't Gonna Move
Released1965
Recorded1964
StudioPhillips Recording, Memphis, Tennessee
GenreGarage rock[1][2] · rock and roll[3]
LabelXL 906, MGM K13322
WriterDomingo Samudio
ProducerStan Kesler
Prev year1964
Next year1965

"Wooly Bully" is a song originally recorded by rock and roll band Sam the Sham and the Pharaohs in 1964. Based on a standard 12-bar blues progression, it was written by the band's frontman, Domingo "Sam" Samudio. It was released as a single on the small Memphis-based XL label (#906) in 1964 and was picked up in 1965 by MGM. The song was recorded at Sam C. Phillips Recording Studio at 639 Madison Avenue in Memphis, the successor to Phillips' original Sun Studio.[4]

Chart history

"Wooly Bully" was the band's first and biggest hit song. It became a worldwide success, selling three million copies and reaching No. 2 on the American Hot 100 chart on June 5–12, 1965. They were kept from reaching the top spot by The Beach Boys' "Help Me, Rhonda"[5] and The Supremes' "Back in My Arms Again".[6] "Wooly Bully" went to No. 31 on the Hot Rhythm & Blues Singles chart.[7] The song also reached No. 2 on the Canadian CHUM Charts.[8]

The song was the first American record to sell a million copies during the British Invasion and was influenced by the British rock sound which was mixed with traditional Mexican-American conjunto rhythms.[9][10] It stayed in the Hot 100 for 18 weeks, the longest time for any song in 1965, and was nominated for a Grammy Award. It was named Billboard's number-one song of the year despite never reaching No. 1 on a weekly Hot 100, making this the first occurrence of such an event on the Hot 100.[11][12] On August 5, 1965, the single was certified as gold by the RIAA.[13] It was later included on the band's 1965 album Wooly Bully.

Title and lyrics

"Wooly Bully" is a reworking of the 1962 tune "Hully Gully Now" on the Dallas-based Gay Shel label by Big Bo & The Arrows (vocal by Little Smitty), which was based on Junior Parker's "Feelin' Good". The song was given the green light after Samudio rewrote the lyrics to replace "Hully Gully" with "Wooly Bully" and a few additional lyrical changes. Samudio retained the "watch it, watch it now" refrain from the original version.[14]

The lyrics of "Wooly Bully" were hard to understand; in consequence, some radio stations banned the song.[15] The lyrics describe a conversation between "Mattie" and "Hattie" concerning the "Wooly Bully" (a creature which Mattie describes as "a thing she saw [that] had two big horns and a wooly jaw" – that is, an American bison) and the desirability of developing dancing skills, although no attempt is made to synthesize these divergent topics. The warning "Let's not be L-7" means "Let's not be square", from the shape formed by the fingers making an L on one hand and a 7 on the other.[16] Sam the Sham underscores the Tex-Mex nature of the song by counting out the rhythm in Spanish and English ("Uno! Dos! One, two, tres, cuatro!"), and the characteristic simple organ riffing, with a tenor saxophone solo in the middle. According to Samudio, "The count down part of the song was also not planned. I was just goofing around and counted off in Tex-Mex. It just blew everybody away, and actually, I wanted it taken off the record. We did three takes, all of them different, and they took the first take and released it."[17]

Charts

Weekly charts

Chart (1965–66)Peak position
Argentina (CAPIF)[18]4
Austria (Disc Parade)[19]3
Australia (Kent Music Report)[20]22
Belgium (Ultratop 50 Flanders)[21]1
Belgium (Ultratop 50 Wallonia)[22]3
Canada (CHUM Chart)[8]2
Denmark (Danmarks Radio)[23]10
France (SNEP)[24]5
Finland (Mitä Suomi Soittaa?)[25]18
Mexico (Audiomusica)[26]1
Netherlands (Veronica Top 40)[27]1
Netherlands (Single Top 100)[28]1
Norway (VG-lista)[29]7
Philippines (DZBI)[30]1
South Africa (Springbok Radio)[31]2
Sweden (Kvällstoppen)[32]2
Sweden (Tio i Topp)[33]3
Switzerland (Schweizer Hitparade)[34]2
Rhodesia (Lyons Maid)[35]4
UK (Disc Weekly Top 30)[36]13
UK (Melody Maker Pop 50)[37]9
UK (New Musical Express Top 30)[38]11
UK (Record Retailer Top 50)[39]11
UK (Record Retailer Top R&B Singles)[40]1
US (Billboard Hot 100)[5]2
US (Billboard Hot Rhythm & Blues Singles)[7]31
US (Cash Box Top 100)[41]2
US (Record World 100 Top Pops)[42]1
West Germany (Musikmarkt)[43]2

Year-end charts

Chart (1965)Peak position
Belgium (Ultratop 50 Flanders)[44]15
Netherlands (Veronica Top 40)[45]6
France (SNEP)[24]35
UK (Record Retailer)[46]91
US (Billboard Hot 100)[11]1
US (Cash Box Top 100)[47]2
West Germany (Musikmarkt)[48]4

Awards

In 2009, the original 1965 release of the song on the MGM label by Sam the Sham and the Pharaohs was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame.[49]

Commercial usage

Starting in the 2025–26 season, the Utah Mammoth of the National Hockey League, began using Wooly Bully as their win song. Wooly Bully is played at the conclusion of every home game where Utah wins, in regulation or overtime.[50]

References

  1. ^ Talevski, Nick (April 7, 2010). Rock Obituaries - Knocking On Heaven's Door. Omnibus Press. p. 398. ISBN 978-0-85712-117-2. Retrieved October 16, 2015.
  2. ^ Marsh, Dave (1989). The Heart of Rock & Soul: The 1001 Greatest Singles Ever Made. Plume. p. 57. ISBN 0-452-26305-0.
  3. ^ Morales, Ed (April 29, 2009). The Latin Beat: The Rhythms And Roots Of Latin Music From Bossa Nova To Salsa And Beyond. Da Capo Press. p. 291. ISBN 978-0-7867-3020-9. Retrieved October 16, 2015.
  4. ^ "Sam Phillips Recording Service". scottymoore.net. Retrieved 15 May 2024.
  5. ^ "The Hot 100: Week of June 5, 1965". Billboard.com. Retrieved January 8, 2012.
  6. ^ "The Hot 100: Week of June 12, 1965". Billboard.com. Retrieved February 6, 2012.
  7. ^ Whitburn, Joel (2004). Top R&B/Hip-Hop Singles: 1942-2004. Record Research. p. 510.
  8. ^ "Chum Hit Parade - Week of June 28, 1965". Chum Tribute. CHUM Chart. June 28, 1965. Archived November 1, 2025 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved January 22, 2026.
  9. ^ Hartman, Gary (2008), The history of Texas music, Texas A&M University Press, ISBN 9781603440028
  10. ^ "MGM has boom months", Billboard. Vol. 77, no. 39, September 25, 1965, p. 10
  11. ^ "Year-End Charts, Billboard Hot 100 Songs". Billboard. 2021-12-02. Retrieved 2021-12-02.
  12. ^ Trust, Gary & Caulfield, Keith (2021-12-02). "The Year In Charts 2021: Dua Lipa's 'Levitating' Is the No. 1 Billboard Hot 100 Song of the Year". Billboard. Retrieved 2021-12-02.
  13. ^ "RIAA Gold & Platinum Searchable Database – Wooly Bully". Recording Industry Association of America. Retrieved 16 October 2015.
  14. ^ Feldman, Christopher G. (2000). The Billboard Book of #2 Singles. Watson-Guptill. p. 79. ISBN 0-8230-7695-4.
  15. ^ Zollo, Paul (15 October 2021). "Behind the Song: "Wooly Bully" by Sam The Sham & The Pharoahs". American Songwriter
  16. ^ "L-7". Green’s Dictionary of Slang. Retrieved October 23, 2021.
  17. ^ "Sam The Sham". ClassicBands.com. Retrieved January 8, 2012.
  18. ^ Anon. (September 11, 1965). "Hits of the World" (PDF). Billboard. p. 37. Archived October 25, 2025 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved January 22, 2026. – via WorldRadioHistory.
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  20. ^ Kent, David (2005). Australian Chart Book 1940–1969. Australia: Australian Chart Book. ISBN 0-646-44439-5.
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  23. ^ Anon. (December 4, 1965). "Hits of the World" (PDF). Billboard. p. 30. Archived October 25, 2025 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved January 22, 2026. – via WorldRadioHistory.
  24. ^ Ferment, Fabrice (2001). 40 ans de tubes 1960-2000: Les meilleures ventes de 45 tours & CD Singles [40 Years of Hits 1960-2000: Bestselling 45 RPM & CD Singles Hardcover – October 23, 2001] (in French). 1st ed. France: Larivière. ISBN 978-291-42056-03.
  25. ^ Nyman, Jake (2005). Suomi soi 4: Suuri suomalainen listakirja (in Finnish). Helsinki: Tammi. ISBN 978-951-31-2503-5.
  26. ^ Anon. (August 28, 1965). "Hits of the World" (PDF). Billboard. p. 30. Archived October 25, 2025 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved January 22, 2026. – via WorldRadioHistory.
  27. ^ "Wooly Bully" (in Dutch). Dutch Top 40. Archived November 8, 2025 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved January 22, 2025.
  28. ^ "Sam The Sham And The Pharaohs - Wooly Bully" (in Dutch). Single Top 100. Archived November 27, 2024 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved January 22, 2026.
  29. ^ "Sam The Sham and the Pharaohs - Wooly Bully (song)" (in Norwegian). VG-Lista. Archived February 22, 2025 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved January 22, 2026.
  30. ^ Anon. (February 19, 1966). "Hits of the World" (PDF). Billboard. p. 41. Archived October 25, 2025 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved January 22, 2026. – via WorldRadioHistory.
  31. ^ "SA Charts 1965 – 1989: Acts S". The South African Rock Encyclopedia. Springbok Radio. 2000. Archived from the original on July 24, 2018. Retrieved January 22, 2026.
  32. ^ Barnes, Ken (1992). Archeology (1966-1976) (CD). United States: Fontana. 314 512 936-2.
  33. ^ Hallberg, Eric (1993). Eric Hallberg presenterar Kvällstoppen i P3 [Eric Hallberg Presents Kvällstoppen on P3] (in Swedish). 1st ed. Stockholm: Drift. ISBN 9-789-16-302-14-04.
  34. ^ Anon. (November 6, 1965). "Hits of the World" (PDF). Billboard. p. 51. Archived September 1, 2025 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved January 22, 2026. – via WorldRadioHistory.
  35. ^ Kimberley, C (2000). Zimbabwe: Singles Chart Book. Zimbabwe. p. 55. OCLC 499262382
  36. ^ Anon. (July 31, 1965). "Disc Weekly Top 30". Disc Weekly. p. 12.
  37. ^ Anon. (August 7, 1965). "Pop 50". Melody Maker. p. 2.
  38. ^ Anon. (July 16, 1965). "NME Top Thirty" (PDF). New Musical Express. p. 5. Archived October 20, 2025 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved January 22, 2026. – via WorldRadioHistory.
  39. ^ "Wooly Bully by Sam The Sham & The Pharaohs". Official Charts Company. Archived November 14, 2025 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved January 22, 2026.
  40. ^ Anon. (July 24, 1965). "Britain's Top R&B Singles" (PDF). Record Mirror. p. 11. Archived November 4, 2025 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved January 22, 2026. – via WorldRadioHistory.
  41. ^ Anon. (June 19, 1965). "Cash Box Top 100" (PDF). Cash Box. p. 4. Archived December 16, 2025 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved January 22, 2026. – via WorldRadioHistory.
  42. ^ Anon. (June 12, 1965). "100 Top Pops" (PDF). Record World. p. 4. Archived November 8, 2025 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved January 22, 2026. – via WorldRadioHistory.
  43. ^ "Wooly Bully" (in German). Offizielle Deutsche Charts. Archived September 2, 2024 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved January 22, 2026.
  44. ^ "Jaaroverzichten 1965" [Year Overview 1965] (in Dutch). Ultratop 50. Archived January 4, 2025 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved January 22, 2026.
  45. ^ "Top 100-Jaaroverzicht van 1965" [Top 100 Annual Review of 1965] (in Dutch). Dutch Top 40. Archived September 12, 2025 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved January 22, 2026.
  46. ^ "Top 100 best-selling singles of 1965". Record Retailer. January 5, 1966. p. 11.
  47. ^ Anon. (December 25, 1965). "Top 100 Chart Hits of 1965" (PDF). Cash Box. p. 14. Archived September 22, 2025 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved January 22, 2026. – via WorldRadioHistory.
  48. ^ "Top 100 Single-Jahrescharts 1965" [Top 100 Singles Year Charts 1965] (in German). Offizielle Deutsche Charts. Archived January 19, 2025 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved January 22, 2026.
  49. ^ "GRAMMY Hall Of Fame | Hall of Fame Artists | GRAMMY.com". grammy.com
  50. ^ "Instagram". www.instagram.com. Retrieved 2026-04-08.
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