The Royal Guardsmen had a million seller in 1966 with “Snoopy vs. the Red Baron”; I guess I have been reminded of it since the local paper has been running some of the “Classic” Peanuts comic strips featuring Snoopy riding his Sopwith Camel into combat, always with the battle cry: “Curse You, Red Baron!”
The Red Baron was a real person – Manfred von Richtofen, who is credited with 80 air victories during the First World War – and his name is referenced in the song (though never in the comic strip as far as I know). The Royal Guardsmen followed that hit with “The Return of the Red Baron” and “Snoopy’s Christmas” and managed to release four albums with Snoopy/aircraft themes in the mid-1960’s, which also featured other novelty songs that had been released earlier by different bands. They had other original songs as well; their first single, “Baby Let’s Wait” eventually made the Top 40 when it was re-released after the “Snoopy” hits.
