During 1960, Horton had two other successes with "North to Alaska" for John Wayne's movie, North to Alaska, and "Sink the Bismarck". Horton is a member of the Rockabilly Hall of Fame.
Johnny Horton had several top ten songs in the late 50's and early 60's and was on the verge of becoming one of the top stars of the 60's when he met with tragedy.
He was born John Gale Horton in Los Angeles in 1925. He was raised in Tyler, Texas. Horton worked in the fishing industry in Alaska and California, and attended Seattle University. He worked for a while as a carpenter, and played basketball at Baylor University. He worked at a local radio station in East Texas and at the Hometown Jamboree in California. He did some recording with little success for the Abbott, Mercury, and Dot labels and picked up the nickname the Singing Fisherman. Horton became a regular on the Louisiana Hayride.
Johnny married Billie Jean Jones, the widow of country music legend Hank Williams. He sang country songs and signed a recording contract with Columbia, where he would achieve his greatest success. Some of his first hits included Honky Tonk Man, I'm A One-Woman Man in 1956, Coming Home in 1957 and All Grown Up in 1958. He topped the country charts in 1959 with When It's Springtime In Alaska.
Johnny Horton then began to record a series of saga songs that crossed over to the pop charts. He covered Jimmy Driftwood's The Battle Of New Orleans in 1959. The song topped the country charts and it reached number one on the pop charts, where it remained for a solid six weeks. The song was a tribute to the final battle of the War of 1812. He also recorded Sink The Bismarck in 1960, a song that was suggested by the film of the same title; it went top ten country and pop. Johnny Horton was a star. He sang the title song for the John Wayne movie North To Alaska and it too made the top ten in both charts during the same year.
On November 5, 1960, while North To Alaska was still climbing the charts, Horton was killed in an automobile accident in Milano, Texas following an appearance at the Skyline Club in Austin. He is buried in Hillcrest Cemetary in Haughton, LA.
Following Horton's death some of his earlier hit songs made the charts once again. Albums of his recordings were compiled and issued in the 50's, 60's, 70's and 80's, and they are still selling.
His biography was published in 1983 under the title Your Singing Fisherman.
Hooray for That Little Difference
Johnny Horton Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
The Lord made the woman and He made the man
He made 'em equal and He made 'em free
With very little difference, but enough for me
But Hooray for that little difference, hooray
For that little difference, hooray
For that little difference, I think it's a-here to stay
Now man decided that he wanted to fly
He built him a plane and he took to the sky
Woman decided that she'd fly too
With very little difference in what they can do
But Hooray for that little difference, hooray
For that little difference, hooray
For that little difference, I think it's a-here to stay
We got preacher, gangsters and petty thieves
We got doctors, lawyers and the Indian chiefs
When we face the truth about the human plan
There's very little difference 'tween the woman and a man
But Hooray for that little difference, hooray
For that little difference, hooray
For that little difference, I think it's a-here to stay
In Johnny Horton's song "Hooray for That Little Difference," the lyrics explore the concept of equality and the subtle distinctions between men and women. The song acknowledges that although the Lord created both men and women equal and free, there are still small differences that exist between them. However, these differences are celebrated and appreciated rather than used to create divisions.
The song highlights the idea that despite these differences, humans have managed to accomplish incredible feats. Man's desire to fly led to the invention of planes, and women also embraced this ambition. This equal ambition and ability to fly symbolizes the unity and shared capabilities between men and women.
The lyrics further emphasize that humanity encompasses a variety of individuals from different backgrounds and professions, ranging from preachers and doctors to gangsters and Indian chiefs. Despite the diversity, the song suggests that there is little difference between a woman and a man when one examines the larger picture of the human experience.
Overall, the song's message promotes equality and unity while celebrating the uniqueness of each gender. It encourages appreciation for the little differences that exist and implies that these differences are not meant to create divisions but rather to enhance the overall human experience.
Line by Line Meaning
Well, a long time ago in a foreign land
In ancient times in a distant place
The Lord made the woman and He made the man
God created both women and men
He made 'em equal and He made 'em free
He made them with equal value and freedom
With very little difference, but enough for me
With small distinctions, but they matter to me
But Hooray for that little difference, hooray
Celebrating the significance of those small distinctions
For that little difference, hooray
Cheering for the importance of those slight disparities
For that little difference, I think it's a-here to stay
Believing that those subtle differences will endure
Now man decided that he wanted to fly
Men desired to take to the skies
He built him a plane and he took to the sky
They constructed airplanes and soared above
Woman decided that she'd fly too
Women also aspired to fly
With very little difference in what they can do
The capabilities between them are quite similar
We got preacher, gangsters and petty thieves
We have religious leaders, criminals, and minor criminals
We got doctors, lawyers and the Indian chiefs
We have medical professionals, legal professionals, and tribal leaders
When we face the truth about the human plan
When we confront the reality of human existence
There's very little difference 'tween the woman and a man
The disparities between women and men are quite negligible
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: A. Inman
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Sanguis
on I Hate Niggers
John Gale "Johnny" Horton did NOT write or sing the song "I Hate Niggers". That song was by Johnny Rebel and not written or released for some years after Johnny Horton died.