53. Duane Eddy – Ballad of Paladin (1962)

Duane Eddy’s “Ballad of Paladin” (1962) brings a familiar television Western theme into the world of instrumental guitar. At No. 53 in our Best Western Songs countdown, it offers a different kind of storytelling: the melody carries the action, while Eddy’s guitar takes the leading role. The song appears at No. 53 in Dave’s Music Database’s presentation of the Western Writers of America Top 100.

Ballad of Paladin: from television to twang

Johnny Western, Richard Boone, and Sam Rolfe wrote “The Ballad of Paladin.” Its connection is to Have Gun – Will Travel, the television Western starring Boone as Paladin. Johnny Western sang the familiar vocal theme. Eddy’s 1962 recording, however, is an instrumental interpretation. That distinction matters: this is the guitarist’s treatment of the tune, rather than the vocal performance heard on television.

The original RCA Victor single, catalog number 47-8047, pairs “The Ballad of Paladin” with “The Wild Westerners.” Its credits identify Lee Hazlewood as producer and Bob Thompson as arranger. Together, those details place the record firmly within Eddy’s RCA period and give this Western pairing a clear identity of its own.

The 1962 RCA recording

Contemporary coverage helps explain the record’s appeal. In its June 23, 1962 issue, Billboard Music Week reviewed Eddy’s single as an energetic instrumental. The review specifically noted the orchestral backing, including strings and timpani. As a result, the arrangement is more than a guitar simply repeating a television melody: the supporting ensemble supplies a dramatic setting around it.

That combination gives “Ballad of Paladin” its place in this series. The tune already belongs to the television West, and Eddy gives it another musical voice. Instead of following a sung narrative, listeners can follow the theme itself. The recording also shows how a Western song can move between formats while keeping its connection to the character and setting that made it familiar.

Finding Ballad of Paladin on CD

For a later CD collection, Bear Family Records’ official catalog lists Deep in the Heart of Twangsville: The Complete RCA Victor Recordings, a six-CD box set, catalog number BCD 16271. “The Ballad of Paladin” appears as track two on disc two, immediately after “The Wild Westerners.” This is a retrospective collection, separate from the original 1962 single.

Continue the countdown with No. 52: The Highwaymen’s “The Last Cowboy Song”, then hear Eddy’s “Ballad of Paladin” below.