The early 1960s was a vibrant time for music, and topping the charts in November 1961 was Jimmy Dean’s iconic country ballad, “Big Bad John.” This powerful song, with its deep baritone and narrative of a heroic mine worker, resonated deeply with audiences. However, its immense popularity also paved the way for a humorous spin-off, a parody that took the tale of a larger-than-life figure in a decidedly different direction. This is the story of “Big Bad Bruce,” a song conceived as a light-hearted poke at “Big Bad John,” penned by Randy Sparks of the renowned folk group, The New Christy Minstrels.
Randy Sparks himself recounted the genesis of “Big Bad Bruce” in an email from 2009. Inspired by the ubiquity of “Big Bad John,” Sparks crafted his parody as a bit of good-natured fun. He found that audiences, particularly gay men, readily enjoyed the humorous take. However, he also noticed that some lesbians in his audiences were less amused, highlighting the evolving sensitivities around humor and stereotypes even in the early 60s. Sparks, reflecting on the era, acknowledged a general societal ignorance about what was considered truly appropriate, emphasizing that his intent was purely comedic. He would often introduce the song by jokingly stating his folk singer obligation to perform “work songs,” suggesting that not all occupations were as traditionally masculine as mining, and that his song would be about a hairdresser.
Interestingly, Sparks even performed “Big Bad Bruce” privately for Jimmy Dean himself. Dean, perhaps understandably, took offense to the parody of his “masterpiece.” Sparks, in turn, apologized and assured Dean that he had no plans to record the song commercially. Despite this assurance, the story of “Big Bad Bruce” took several unexpected turns.
The late Casey Anderson, upon hearing Sparks perform “Big Bad Bruce,” requested permission to record it. Sparks declined, explaining the concept of “Special Material” – songs intended for live performance but not necessarily for formal publication or recording. He also foresaw potential copyright issues with Acuff-Rose, the publishers of “Big Bad John,” even before the landmark Two-Live Crew court case that solidified parody rights. Sparks had consciously kept his song unpublished to maintain its “Special Material” status. However, Anderson, disregarding Sparks’ wishes and copyright concerns, proceeded to record a version, merely changing the name and slightly altering the narrative.
Later, Sparks discovered another recording by Steve Greenberg, coinciding with a version by four college students in Florida. Upon learning of the Florida recording, Sparks consulted a copyright attorney, ready to defend his work. However, he was informed that Acuff-Rose had already granted a license for the parody to the Florida group. Furthermore, the lawyer discovered the song had only generated minimal earnings, and the publishers intended to remove it from the market, rendering any legal action against the Florida group financially pointless. Despite his initial anger, Sparks seemed to take the situation with a philosophical shrug, acknowledging that being “stolen from” was almost a backhanded compliment to his creative work.
“Big Bad Bruce,” despite its initial popularity in Sparks’ live shows, didn’t align with the burgeoning success of The New Christy Minstrels. As the group soared to fame in 1962, “Big Bad Bruce,” the parody born from the shadow of “Big Bad John,” was largely left behind. Sparks, looking back, humorously suggested there might be a strange kind of pioneering accolade in having created a song that others felt compelled to misappropriate. His original intention was simply to entertain, and for most audiences, “Big Bad Bruce” delivered on that comedic promise.
Adding another layer to the story, Tom Pickles, a music historian who wrote liner notes for New Christy Minstrels reissues, revealed in 2018 that Sparks did, in fact, record “Big Bad Bruce” with the New Christy Minstrels in 1962. Intended for their second album, “In Person,” the track was ultimately omitted. Pickles speculates this decision might have been influenced by Jimmy Dean’s disapproval or concerns about the song’s squeaky-clean image conflicting with the group’s regular appearances on Andy Williams’ television show. While Columbia Records (now Sony) reportedly still possesses the master recording, it remains unreleased, leaving “Big Bad Bruce” as a fascinating footnote in the history of “Big Bad John” and the world of song parodies, a humorous echo of a country music giant.
