Pistol Packin’ Mama

Al Dexter (1905–1984)

 “Pistol Packin’ Mama,” the first country song I ever heard, is said to be the first crossover country hit of World War II. (I heard it about the same time as I heard “There’s a Star-Spangled Banner Waving Somewhere”—definitely from the same period.) Al Dexter had a big hit with this, and later in the same year Bing Crosby and the Andrews Sisters put the songs in the number one spot. 

According to The New York Times of October 11, 1943, after the Yankees took back the world championship from the Cardinals, “songs boomed across Yankee Clubhouse in boisterous victory demonstration, including ‘Pistol Packin’ Mama’ which the team had adopted as their marching chorus for this year.”

The same person writing both words and music was already common in country music. Anyway, it made a big impression on me when I was about five years old. I found the idea of a woman waving a gun around most compelling.