The Statler Brothers – The Movies

“The Movies”, a song written by Lew Dewit, was recorded by The Statler Brothers for the Mercury label, on October 19, 1976, in the U.S. Recording Studio, 12 Music Circle Sq., Nashville, TN, in the same recording session, two other songs were also recorded: “You could be comiming to me” and “You comb her hair every morning”. In the recording session The Statler Brothers, they were accompanied by: Don Reid (lead vocal), Harold Reid (bass vocal), Phil Balsley (baritone vocal), Lew DeWitt (tenor vocal), Jerry Kennedy (guitar and dobro), Billy Sanford, Ray Edenton and Chip Young (rhythm guitar), Harold Bradley (bass guitar), Bob Moore (bass), Buddy Harman, and Willie Ackerman (drums), Hargus Pig Robbins (piano), Charlie McCoy (harmonica and vibes), strings arranged by Cam Mullins: Martha McCrory and Byron Bach (cello), Marvin Chantry and Gary Vanosdale (viola), Brenton Banks, George Binkley, Solie Fott and Shelly Kurland (violin). With the production of Jerry Kennedy, the song was released in January 1977, and on March 5, 1977, it reached # 10 on the US Top Country Albums charts, remaining on the charts for a total of 10 weeks. On Canadian RPM Country Tracks charts, peaked at # 15.

The song was included on Statler Brothers’ 16th studio album, Country America Loves (Mercury 1977), the album was released in January 1977, and reached # 10 on the US Top Country Albums charts on March 5 , 1977, and remained on the charts for a total of 14 weeks.

The Statler Brothers – The Movies lyrics

There’s lots of things in this old world fancy cars and pretty girls
And something I like more than sunny skies
The grandest thing I’ve ever seen are pictures on a movie screen
Wolfman you’re a fright alright but sure a sight for sore eyes
It’s a world of kings and queens up there on that movie screen
It’s a picnic Crossin’ River Kwai
The movies are great medicine thank you Thomas Edison
For giving us the best years of our lives

Citizen Kane Caine Mutiny Mutiny on the Bounty
The Bounty Hunters and Hunters and the Sting
Thunder Road and Road to Rio Rio Grande and Grand Hotel
Tell them Willie Boy was here with bride of Frankenstein and Shane
I love anything that moves dancin’ feet to horses hoofs
Payton Place to Dorothy’s trip to Oz
Tom Mix to David Hedison thank you Thomas Edison
For giving us the best years of our lives

I love Captain Blood and Elmer Fudd and Charlie Chan
Ben Ben Hur The Way We Were True Grit and Music Man
Thunderball and Walking Tall and Jaws and Jesse James
Doctor No and Vertigo and Singing in the Rain singing in the rain
Blood and Sand and Santa Fe Dunaway and Gataway Mexicali Rose and Rose Marie
Blackboard Jungle Jungle Jim Jim Thorpe All American
An American In Paris Paris Blues Blue Hawaii
I’m Teacher’s Pet on Ship of Fools the movies were my special school
I’m the Gradute of Twelve o’clock High
The movies are great medicine I thank you Tommy Edison
For giving us the best years of our lives
One flew over the cocoo’s nest the movies are the craziest
I’ll be a movie nut until I die
The movies are great medicine thank you Tommy Edison
For giving us the best years of our lives (Roy Rogers)
You gave us the best years of our lives