Frankie Laine, born Francesco Paolo LoVecchio (30 March 1913 – 6 February 2… Read Full Bio ↴Frankie Laine, born Francesco Paolo LoVecchio (30 March 1913 – 6 February 2007), was an American singer and one of the more successful hit-makers of the late 1940s and early 1950s. Laine has had worldwide sales of over 250 million disks, and has earned 21 gold records. Originally a rhythm and blues influenced jazz singer, his energetic, passionate style has led some to consider him the first of the blue-eyed soul singers. Eventually he expanded to such varied genres as popular standards, gospel, folk, country, rock 'n' roll, and a hard-driving (and slightly campy) form of western/Americana.
... Throughout the 1950s, Laine enjoyed a second career singing the title songs of Hollywood films and television shows, including: Gunfight At OK Corral, 3:10 To Yuma, Bullwhip, and Rawhide. His rendition of the title song for Mel Brooks' 1974 movie Blazing Saddles won an Oscar nomination for Best Song, and his recording of "Rawhide" for the television series of the same name has become a classic of the genre.

The Kid's Last Fight
Frankie Laine Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

THE KID'S LAST FIGHT
WRITER BOB MERRILL

It was Tiger Wilson versus Kid McCoy In the summer of 'ninety-three Now the Kid was everybody's pride and joy Just as game as a kid could be And his darlin' Bess was in the second row She was prayin' with all her might Sayin, "Kid, we need that little bungalow Oh, you've just gotta win tonight" Come on, Kid, come on, Kid Let's hit him with a left and a right Go on, Kid, go on, Kid But how were they to know it was the Kid's last fight (But how were they to know it was the Kid's last fight) Now the Kid had fever to the very bone But nobody would ever guess He was in there fightin' on his heart alone Cause he just had to win for Bess Oh, the Kid was battered, the Kid was floored But the count never got to ten Though his brain was reelin' when the people roared He was up on his feet again Come on, Kid, come on, Kid Let's hit him with a left and a right Go on, Kid, go on, Kid But how were they to know it was the Kid's last fight (But how were they to know it was the Kid's last fight) Said the Tiger, scowlin', don't you know you're through I can whip you just like a child I'm gonna take the fight and take your woman too When he heard that the Kid went wild Said the Kid, "For that I'll tear you limb from limb" And he sprang like an angry colt He said a punch a-flyin at the Tiger's chin Knocked him out like a thunderbolt Come on, Kid, come on, Kid Let's hit him with a left and a right Go on, Kid, go on, Kid But how were they to know it was the Kid's last fight (But how were they to know it was the Kid's last fight) To the crowd that saw it there was little doubt That the Kid was a champ that night But the champ would never have another bout 'Twas the fever that won the fight Gather round, I'm bettin' even money folks There's a bell soundin' way up high And the champ is climbin' through the golden ropes Of the Big Ring up in the sky Come on, Kid, come on, Kid Let's hit him with a left and a right Go on, Kid, go on, Kid But how were they to know it was the Kid's last fight

Overall Meaning

The Kid's Last Fight is a classic boxing song that tells the story of a fighter named Kid McCoy who enters his final bout, unaware that he is already ill with a fever that will soon take his life. At the start of the song, we hear that it's the summer of 'ninety-three and Kid McCoy is set to go up against Tiger Wilson. The Kid is a crowd favorite, and his girlfriend Bess is among the spectators cheering him on. The stakes are high - Bess and The Kid are hoping to win enough prize money to afford a little bungalow.

As the fight goes on, we learn that The Kid is not well. He is fighting on just sheer willpower and determination to win for Bess. He is battered and knocked down by Tiger Wilson, but he continues to get up and fight, determined to come out on top. When he hears Wilson threaten to take Bess from him, The Kid goes into a frenzy and manages to knock Wilson out with a powerful punch.

In a tragic twist, we find out in the final stanza that The Kid was actually fighting with a fever all along. Though he won the fight, the fever took him soon after, and he never fought again. The song ends with a poignant image of The Kid climbing through the golden ropes of the Big Ring up in the sky, his fighting days over.

The Kid's Last Fight is a powerful story about the price of glory and the sacrifices that fighters make for their loved ones. It's also a beautiful tribute to the bravery and dedication of boxers.

Line by Line Meaning

It was Tiger Wilson versus Kid McCoy
The fight was between Tiger Wilson and Kid McCoy.

In the summer of 'ninety-three
The fight happened in the summer of 1893.

Now the Kid was everybody's pride and joy
Kid McCoy was a very popular and beloved fighter.

Just as game as a kid could be
Kid McCoy was brave and determined, just like a kid.

And his darlin' Bess was in the second row
Kid McCoy's girlfriend Bess was sitting in the second row.

She was prayin' with all her might
Bess was praying very hard for Kid McCoy to win.

Sayin, 'Kid, we need that little bungalow
Bess and Kid McCoy wanted to win the fight so they could buy a bungalow together.

Oh, you've just gotta win tonight'
Bess was urging Kid McCoy to win the fight, no matter what.

Come on, Kid, come on, Kid
The crowd was cheering Kid McCoy on.

Let's hit him with a left and a right
The crowd was encouraging Kid McCoy to use his boxing skills to defeat Tiger Wilson.

Go on, Kid, go on, Kid
The crowd wanted Kid McCoy to keep fighting and not give up.

But how were they to know it was the Kid's last fight
No one could have predicted that this would be Kid McCoy's final fight.

Now the Kid had fever to the very bone
Kid McCoy was very sick with a fever.

But nobody would ever guess
Despite his illness, no one could tell how sick Kid McCoy really was.

He was in there fightin' on his heart alone
Kid McCoy's determination and love for Bess were driving him to fight, despite his illness.

Cause he just had to win for Bess
Kid McCoy's love for Bess was his main motivation for winning the fight.

Oh, the Kid was battered, the Kid was floored
Kid McCoy was getting hit hard by Tiger Wilson and knocked down.

But the count never got to ten
Despite being knocked down, Kid McCoy was able to get up before the referee counted to ten.

Though his brain was reelin' when the people roared
Kid McCoy was feeling dizzy and disoriented from the blows, but he could hear the crowd cheering him on.

He was up on his feet again
Kid McCoy was able to stand up and keep fighting.

Said the Tiger, scowlin', don't you know you're through
Tiger Wilson thought he had Kid McCoy beaten and told him so.

I can whip you just like a child
Tiger Wilson was boasting that he could beat Kid McCoy easily.

I'm gonna take the fight and take your woman too
Tiger Wilson threatened to not only defeat Kid McCoy, but also steal Bess from him.

When he heard that the Kid went wild
Kid McCoy was furious when he heard Tiger Wilson's threat.

Said the Kid, 'For that I'll tear you limb from limb'
Kid McCoy vowed to destroy Tiger Wilson for threatening Bess.

And he sprang like an angry colt
Kid McCoy attacked Tiger Wilson with the fury of a wild animal.

He said a punch a-flyin' at the Tiger's chin
Kid McCoy hit Tiger Wilson with a powerful punch.

Knocked him out like a thunderbolt
Kid McCoy's punch was so strong that it knocked Tiger Wilson out cold.

To the crowd that saw it there was little doubt
Everyone who saw the fight knew that Kid McCoy was the clear winner.

That the Kid was a champ that night
Kid McCoy proved himself to be a true champion in that fight.

But the champ would never have another bout
Unfortunately, Kid McCoy would never fight again due to his illness.

'Twas the fever that won the fight
Kid McCoy's illness ultimately caused him to win the fight, but at a great cost.

Gather round, I'm bettin' even money folks
Someone is calling out to the crowd to make a bet.

There's a bell soundin' way up high
There is a bell ringing in the distance.

And the champ is climbin' through the golden ropes
Kid McCoy is ascending to heaven, represented by a boxing ring with golden ropes.

Of the Big Ring up in the sky
This golden ring in the sky represents heaven.

Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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Comments from YouTube:

@clivejohnstone8368

3y↑3

My first record l bought played it on my brothers graophpne 1955 God bless Frankie l am 82 now but still have a teardrop in my eye whene l here this song

@trunk39able

10y↑7

My gran had this on a 78. We all used to dance around to this as kids. Brilliant.

@wizzer350

12y↑2

There is no doubt that Franie Laine was the Neil Diamond of the 50's. There were few songs that he recorded that I didn't like. Finding this song REALLY brought back some great memories. Thank you to who ever posted it. I listen to it tow or three times a week.

@heyesal

14y↑1

Have not heard this for over 50 years. Just as I remembered it on the old 78 record. Thank you markalson1938,

@Turk510

15y↑2

OMG! I have not heard this song in maybe 40 years!! I love it. If I remember, it's on an album called "Command Performance". Thanks for posting. :-)

@TheDADDYBAILEY

12y↑2

Must be all of 50 years since I last heard this song . Great memories

@rafhenlow

13y↑4

A song from my childhood. I was beginning to think it was a figment of my imagination.

@markalson1938

12y↑5

memories are our greatest treasure

@brianhudson9910

3y↑1

Wow
Haven't heard this for 40 years
My kids asked me to sing it them before they went to bed
Memories

@John_Cole_Collections

10y↑3

Reminds of a friend that's now gone.. I miss you John.. Take it easy mate..

@bindagr

15y↑2

The Statler Brothers covered this song too. The first time I heard it was when they did it on their variety show. Later I found that I had the original on an old Frankie Lane album that had been gathering dust.

@davepage8080

1y↑1

Yes it was also covered by Billy Cotton!

@markmarkofkane8167

Listened this on an old 78 back in the early 70's.

@williamgable7554

2y↑1

Love it!!!

@shilo39

13y

Thank you for posting this ,I have been seaching for for years. I cant recall the other side was it Hey Joe.

@markalson1938

15y

Yes it was on "Command Performance" Album but before that it was a top 20 hit in 1954. The flip side was "long Distance Love" which was on the album also.

@MrS3lee

Reminds me of my Dad. Love it.....

@markalson1938

13y

@shilo39 Now I'm not sure what was on the flip side in the UK but here in thr U.S. it was "Long Distance Love". This was also the last recording that Frankie worked with his long time friend Carl Fisher as he doed shortly after this record was made.

@philipnorris6542

Good stuff, I definitely approve.

@candw87

13y

@markalson1938 Billy Cotton was one of our pre-war best Big Bands ever- He opened with a loud call of WAKIE WAKIE and ended with his signature tune of Somebody Stole My Gal -His son Billy Cotton Junior became head of B B C Entertainment in 1947 -he stayed for several years

@bindagr

15y

True. The reason I held onto Command Peformance was because it includes "Rose, Rose I Love You" a song my parents recalled to me when they learned I was dating a Chinese girl named Rose.

@markalson1938

11y

I have never heard the Statler Brothers do this song, in fact I've never heard anyone do it. If you have this record please post it. I looked YT clips of the Statler Brothers and no one else has put it on. I would love to hear it.

@WildRampage

12y

@markalson1938 It was on the Statlers Brothers 10th Anniversary Album

@markalson1938

14y

@WildRampage I always liked the Statlers but I never heard them sing this, in fact I have never heard anyone else but Frankie sing this song.

@markalson1938

15y

The Statler Brothers did it in the 90's almost 40 years after Frankie's hit recording. The Album you found it on was "Command Performance" This Album was made after Frankie sang before The Queen Of England. But only two of the song on this album did he sing at this concert and this wasn't one of them.

@dogstomate

Good try, the Statler Brothers did it in Jan 1 1980, and to me the Statler's did a better job with that song.

@candw87

13y

@markalson1938 He made many 78 Recordings of Traditional Army Songs but as not sung by the Troops

@Averismama

11y

The Statler Brothers did a cover of this song that was pretty amazing, too.

@tonynewton2250

Yes, The Statler Brothers were very good too, but does anyone know if another vocal group released this in the 1950s too? Toby..

@WildRampage

14y

I like the statlers version much better, but I can never find it anywhere

@markalson1938

15y

No "Comand Performance" has never been puton a CD. Soe of his later Columbia have been so maybethey will do iin the future.

@markalson1938

13y

@rafhenlow Isn't funny how things from your childhood mean more to you now than when you were a child and took them for granted.

@markalson1938

15y↑1

Your dad has lots of company. It seems like all the great singers are now up there in the choir. I'm sure Frankie will tell your Dad, That he was right all along and Frankie just didn't know the words.

@spockywockydoodah7839

You don't know how to reply to comments, do you?

@divvy1400yam600

14y↑2

I bet on the Tiger and if he had kept his mouth shut I would have won a packet. I have never forgotten that.

@greghwqkdhrw7196

my grandad song

@Richard40171

12y

Merrill was notorious for awful novelty songs ("Doggie in the Window," "I'd Have Baked a Cake," etc. though he also established himself as a competent composer/lyricist on B'way (CARNIVAL, etc.). Laine replaced the other "Frankie" in popularity for a while and I think Frank appeared in a TV show snapping a whip a la "Mule Train," in playful mockery. Frank of course survived that momentary eclipse and dominated the Billboard charts with his classic albums for the rest of the decade.

@alanfox7312

the last few weeks on BBC TV and last few months on pick TV see loads of documentaries about Muhammad Ali the song reminder of it

@markalson1938

13y↑2

@tonyWen1 I had never heard of Billy Cotton so I looked him up. He was a British Big Band leader of the 30's and 40's and way before the so called British invasion of the 60's in music so I guess he never made it over here to the U.S. I spent 3 years in England in the early 70's but he was long gone by then. I found some of his stuff on YT and he was very good.

@davepage8080

Yes Billy Cotton recorded this song at the same time as Frankie Laine!

@Turk510

15y

Any idea if "Command Performance" was ever issued as a CD? I'd love to get hold of it. If memory serves, "Gandy Dancers' Ball" was also on the LP; another great but little known song of his.