Harry the Hairy Ape

It is more difficult for someone to make a career out of novelty records, but there have been a few.  Ray Stevens started with “Ahab the Arab” (it hit #5 in 1962) and had a series of other hits later in the 1960’s and into the 1970’s:  “Harry the Hairy Ape”, “Gitarzan”, “Santa Claus Is Watching You”, “The Streak”, etc.  He did some serious songs also, notably “Everything Is Beautiful”. 

(March 2013)