Speedy Gonzales (song)

{{about|the song|the cartoon character|Speedy Gonzales|other uses|Speedy Gonzales (disambiguation)}}

{{Infobox song

| name = Speedy Gonzales

| cover =

| alt =

| type = single

| artist = David Dante

| album =

| B-side = K-K-K-Katy

| released = April 1961

| recorded = 1961

| studio =

| venue =

| genre = Pop

| length = 2:28

| label = RCA Victor

| writer = Buddy Kaye, Ethel Lee, David Hill

| producer = Hugo & Luigi

| prev_title =

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}}

"Speedy Gonzales" is a 1961 song by David Hess (RCA 8056),{{cite web|url=http://www.bsnpubs.com/dot/dotstoryc.html |title=Dot Records Story, Part 3 |website=Bsnpubs.com |date=1999-11-10 |access-date=2016-09-26}} who recorded it under the name David Dante, about Speedy Gonzales, "the fastest mouse in all Mexico". It was written by Buddy Kaye, Ethel Lee and Dante/Hess. The David Dante original version briefly entered the U.S. Music Vendor chart in April 1961.

Pat Boone version

{{Infobox song

| name = Speedy Gonzales

| cover =

| alt =

| type = single

| artist = Pat Boone

| album = Pat Boone's Golden Hits Featuring Speedy Gonzales

| B-side = The Locket

| released = May 19, 1962

| recorded = 1962

| studio =

| venue =

| genre = Pop

| length = 2:30

| label = Dot

| writer = Buddy Kaye, Ethel Lee, David Hill

| producer = Randy Wood

| prev_title =

| prev_year =

| next_title =

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}}

The song was popularized in the United States as a 1962 single by Pat Boone.Norwegiancharts.com Pat Boone The Boone version peaked at the No. 6 Billboard Hot 100 position in 1962 during a total chart run of 13 weeks, doing better in many national charts in Europe, where it sold a million copies. The female voice ("La-la-la...") on this song was of Robin Ward.{{cite web|url=http://www.euronet.nl/users/wvbrecht/boone.htm |title=Pat Boone |access-date=2008-03-11 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080424040336/http://www.euronet.nl:80/users/wvbrecht/boone.htm |archive-date=2008-04-24 }} It also incorporated Mel Blanc voicing Speedy Gonzales as he did in the Warner Brothers cartoons.

Dante's version details a demand from a girl named Consuela to Speedy to stop roving about and take care of his neglected household. Boone's song adds a spoken introduction stating that he was wandering between some old adobe haciendas on a moonlit night in Mexico, where he heard the voice of a Mexican girl calling to Speedy, and Mel Blanc's inserts replace a recurring line from Dante's lyrics.

Warner Bros. Pictures sued Boone and Dot Records for $850,000 over Blanc's performance of Speedy's voice on Boone's record without their authorization. The case was later dropped.

=Charts=

Pat Boone version

class="wikitable sortable"

!Chart (1962)

!Peak
position

Argentina{{cite magazine|date=17 November 1962|title=Hits of the World|url=https://worldradiohistory.com/Archive-All-Music/Billboard/60s/1962/Billboard%201962-11-17.pdf|magazine=Billboard|page=30|issn=0006-2510}}

|align="center"|1

Australia (Kent Music Report){{Cite web|url=https://rateyourmusic.com/list/jwjstone/4bc_official_top_40___19_august_1962___brisbane_qld_australia/|title=4BC Official Top 40 - 19 August 1962 - Brisbane QLD Australia - RYM/Sonemic}}{{deprecated source|certain=y|date=November 2024}}

|align="center"|3

France (IFOP){{cite web | url=http://www.infodisc.fr/Tubes_Artiste_Choisi.php | title=InfoDisc : Les Chansons (Auteur, Compositeur, Classements, Ventes, Certifications, les Tops, les N° 1...) }}

|align="center"|8

Ireland (Evening Herald){{Cite web|url=https://www.ukmix.org/showthread.php?31291|title=Irish Top Ten 1959-1962|website=UKMIX Forums|date=7 March 2006 }}

|align="center"|4

Sweden (Kvällstoppen){{Cite book|last=Hallberg|first=Eric|title=Eric Hallberg presenterar Kvällstoppen i P 3: Sveriges radios topplista över veckans 20 mest sålda skivor 10. 7. 1962 - 19. 8. 1975|publisher=Drift Musik|year=1993|pages=243|isbn=9163021404|location=}}

| style="text-align:center;"|1

Sweden (Tio i Topp){{Cite book |last1=Hallberg |first1=Eric |title=Eric Hallberg, Ulf Henningsson presenterar Tio i topp med de utslagna på försök: 1961 - 74 |last2=Henningsson |first2=Ulf |publisher=Premium Publishing |year=1998 |isbn=919727125X |location= |pages=313}}

| style="text-align:center;"|1

{{singlechart|Billboardhot100|6|song=Speedy Gonzales|artist=Pat Boone |accessdate=2 January 2021}}

{{singlechart|West Germany|1|song=Speedy Gonzales|artist=Pat Boone |songid=8627|year=1962}}

Kumbia All Starz version

{{Infobox song

| name = Speedy Gonzales

| cover =

| alt =

| type = single

| artist = A.B. Quintanilla y Los Kumbia All Starz

| album = Ayer Fue Kumbia Kings, Hoy Es Kumbia All Starz

| released = June 22, 2007

| recorded = 2006

| studio =

| venue =

| genre = Cumbia

| length = 3:24

| label = EMI Latin

| writer = Buddy Kaye, David Hess, Ethel Lee

| producer = A.B. Quintanilla

| chronology = A.B. Quintanilla y Los Kumbia All Starz

| prev_title = Parece Que Va a Llover

| prev_year = 2007

| next_title = Mami/Anoche No Dormí

| next_year = 2007

}}

"Speedy Gonzales" by A.B. Quintanilla y Los Kumbia All Starz is the third single from the album Ayer Fue Kumbia Kings, Hoy Es Kumbia All Starz. The song was covered in Spanish.

=Personnel=

Written by Buddy Kaye, David Hess, and Ethel Lee
Produced by A.B. Quintanilla III
Lead vocals by Pee Wee
Background vocals by Roque Morales and Memo Morales
Intro by A.B. Quintanilla III

Other versions

=English-language versions=

In 1965, Soupy Sales recorded the song on his album "Soupy Sales Sez Do The Mouse"
Recorded in English, but with a Cantonese spoken section: "墨西哥女郎" ("Mexican Girl") by The Fabulous Echoes featuring Tang Kei Chan (鄧寄塵) (Hong Kong, 1965)
In 1969, the song was recorded by the Hep Stars and became their last singleOldham, A, Calder, T & Irvin, C: "ABBA: The Name of the Game", page 227. Sidgwick & Jackson, 1995
In 1973, the song was recorded by the Navajo Sundowners on their album "Navajo Sundowners, Volume 3, and re-released in 1974 on Volume 8.{{cite AV media

|title=Navajo Sundowners, Volume 3

|author=Navajo Sundowners

|publisher=Canyon Records Productions

|type=compact cassette

|year=1973

|oclc=43190235

}}{{cite AV media

|title=Navajo Sundowners, Volume 8

|author=Navajo Sundowners

|publisher=Canyon Records Productions

|type=compact cassette

|year=1974

|oclc=39281030

}}

Recorded by The Wurzels on their 1975 album The Wurzels Are Scrumptious and later featured as a B-Side to their single Give Me England in 1977.
In 1977, Charo and the Salsoul Orchestra included the song on the album Cuchi Cuchi
In 1980, Lena Zavaroni included the song on her album Songs Are Such Good Things
In 2002, the Belgian band Swoop had a hit with their version.
In 2014, the Ubisoft-based band Los Pimientos Locos recorded this song for the game Just Dance 2015.

= Other-language versions =

In Spanish: Manolo Muñoz, The Sacados
In Spanish: Klasse (Venezuelan band) (1987){{cite web|url=http://www.rockhechovenezuela.com/klasse.htm |title=Klasse |access-date=2015-03-31 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304062807/http://www.rockhechovenezuela.com/klasse.htm |archive-date=2016-03-04 }}
In German ("Kleiner Gonzales"): Rex Gildo, Caterina Valente with her brother Silvio Francesco, Dalida, and Lou van Burg
In French ("Le Petit Gonzales"): Danyel Gérard, Dalida, Jean Chabrier and Pierre Lalonde
In Serbo-Croatian ("Mali Gonzales"): Dušan Jakšić (1963)
In Italian: Johnny Dorelli, Peppino Di Capri, Catullo e gli Enigmisti (Nuova Enigmistica Tascabile, N. 424) (1962)
In Greek: "Kakosalesi" by Yannis Miliokas (1986)
In Norwegian: "Fisking i Valdres" (Fishing in Valdres) by Viggo Sandvik (1988)
In Hungarian: János Koós
In Korean: 바람둥이 아가씨 by The Key Boys (1964)
In Estonian: "Viimane vaatus" ("Last act") by Anne Veski (1983)
In Czech: "Speedy Gonzales" Hana Ulrychová (1971)
In Finnish: "Hiiri Gonzales" by Erkki Liikanen (1962)