Jose Jimenez - The Astronaut (live)

Couldn't' find a single post on this track. Although not a song, it did reach
#19 in 1961 and is still missing from a US CD in its single form. Does
anyone have it on an import? What is considered to be the single length?
Part 1 and/or Part 2?

Agree with Paul's timings. I downloaded a version of this song (claiming to be Part 1 & Part 2) from iTunes in 2005 that runs 6:22, but the 1st 43 seconds of this version aren't part of the 45 (including an introductory marching song). I assume this is on an album somewhere?

So, yeah, there are indeed "significant chunks" missing.

Jon O.

Doubt there is one on CD. Maybe if a novelty compilation is upcoming soon, there will be.

Is the album version just a combination of the Parts I and II that appear on the 45? I've never heard the 45. Are there any differences between the 45 and LP?

Also, how did this make the Top 40? It's not even a song. Was this track actually getting airplay in 1961 or did it make it all the way up to #19 based strictly on sales of the 45? I can't imagine somebody playing this on the radio. That seems so odd to me.

This "song" has appeared on a number of novelty compilations (including imports) but it is always a chopped up, edited version that doesn't match the original. I think it's likely that any new novelty compilations would likewise use this edited version given that the original is super long. Given representations made on the packaging of certain cds, it also appears that some cd compilers are under the mistaken belief that the chopped up version-- which has been retreaded in some form at least a half dozen times that I have seen-- is the full original. So, it's too bad, but I'm not sure anybody's actually out there looking for the original anymore.

I don't think this will ever be available on cd unless somebody releases the original 1961 Jose Jimenez album in full. I suppose that's possible but given that this recording is also not considered to be very PC in some circles, I can also see that album remaining buried in the vaults. The best chance would have been the "Best of" album that came out in the '90s (and is available on Bill Dana's Home Page), but even that contains a chopped up version.

I doubt that any of the re-issue companies that pride themselves on dusting off original versions (e.g., Eric Records) would ever pick this up for a compilation given that it is not an actual song. Really wouldn't fit on one of those compilation cds.

JL328 wrote: Also, how did this make the Top 40? It's not even a song. Was this track actually getting airplay in 1961 or did it make it all the way up to #19 based strictly on sales of the 45? I can't imagine somebody playing this on the radio. That seems so odd to me.

This record got quite a bit of airplay back in 1961. For example, it made it to #1 on WHIL in Boston and to #2 on KRLA in Los Angeles. The Jose Jimenez character was very popular at the time and radio stations played stuff like this a lot more back then. Really, this record is no different than other spoken-word hits (from Johnny Standley in the 1950s to Cheech & Chong in the 1970s). I still think it's pretty funny even in this day and age.