Culture news and discussion on TalkFuse.
On This Day in 1969, Sonny James Was No. 1 With a Tragic Love Song Written by the Big Bopper and Previously Recorded by George Jones
On 16 July 1969, Sonny James was three weeks into a country-chart run at number one with “Running Bear”, a tragic love song written by the Big Bopper. The song’s success illustrates the enduring appeal of melodramatic teenage tragedy records, even as it crossed from a 1959 pop hit into country music.
“Running Bear” tells of two Indigenous teenagers from warring tribes who drown while trying to reach each other across a river. The Big Bopper declined to record the serious song himself and gave it to Johnny Preston, whose 1959 version included backing vocals from George Jones; Preston’s release was delayed by copyright issues after the Big Bopper died in the 1959 plane crash that also killed Buddy Holly and Ritchie Valens.
In short
- Sonny James topped the country chart with “Running Bear” in July 1969.
- The song was first a 1959 hit for Johnny Preston.
- Its tragic storyline reflects a popular teenage-ballad trend.
Explained simply
"Running Bear" is a song about two Indigenous teenagers from warring tribes who attempt to swim across a river to be together but drown in the attempt. The song exemplifies a style of melodramatic love tragedy that proved particularly popular in American popular music during the 1950s and 1960s. This type of emotionally intense storytelling repeatedly appealed to audiences across different musical genres and generations.
The song was written by the Big Bopper, a musician and songwriter in early rock and roll. Rather than recording it himself, the Big Bopper gave the song to Johnny Preston, whose 1959 pop recording became a hit; that version featured backing vocals from George Jones, a prominent country singer. The song thus bridges pop and country music, with later country artists continuing to record it with success.
The Big Bopper died in a 1959 plane crash that also killed Buddy Holly and Ritchie Valens, a tragedy that marked a significant moment in rock and roll history. Despite his early death, his songwriting has had an enduring legacy in American popular music. "Running Bear" exemplifies how compositions from music's foundational era continue to find new audiences and performers across generations and genres.