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.
When It's Springtime In Alaska
Johnny Horton Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Been out prospectin' for two years or so.
Pulled into Fairbanks, the city was a-boom.
So I took a little stroll to the Red Dog sea-loon.
As I walked in the door, the music was clear.
The purtiest voice I had heard in two years.
The song she was singin' made a man's blood run cold.
(When it's springtime in Alaska it's forty below.)
It was Redhead Lil who was singin' so sweet.
I reached down and took the snow packs off my feet.
I reached for the gal who was singin' the tune.
We did the eskeemo hop all around the sea-loon.
With a caribou crawl and a grizzly bear hug.
We did our dance on a kodiak rug.
The song she kept singin' made a man's blood run cold.
When it's springtime in Alaska it's forty below.
I was as innocent as I could be.
I didn't now Lil was Big Ed's wife-to-be.
He took out his knife and he gave it a throw.
When it's springtime in Alaska I'll be six feet below.
(When it's springtime in Alaska he'll be six feet below.)
The lyrics of Johnny Horton's song When It's Springtime In Alaska tell the story of a man who has been out prospecting for two years and pulls into Fairbanks, an Alaskan city that is booming. Taking a stroll to a sea-loon called the Red Dog, he hears a woman, Redhead Lil, singing with the "purtiest voice" he has heard in two years. She is performing a song that makes his blood run cold - "When It's Springtime in Alaska, it's forty below".
Despite having just come in from a blizzard, the man takes the snow packs off his feet and joins Redhead Lil on the dance floor, doing the "eskeemo hop" and the "caribou crawl and a grizzly bear hug" on a "kodiak rug". But as the man is enjoying himself, he is unaware that Redhead Lil is actually Big Ed's future wife. When Big Ed discovers an innocent man dancing with his future wife, he throws his knife at him and promises that when it's springtime in Alaska again, he will be buried six feet below.
The song reflects the harsh realities of life in Alaska, where temperatures can be extremely low, and one must be cautious in all their dealings, including interactions with others. It is also a cautionary tale about the consequences of getting involved with someone who is taken, especially in a place like Alaska where people may take their relationships seriously.
Line by Line Meaning
I mushed from Point Barrow through blizzard of snow.
I traveled by dogsled through a snowstorm in Point Barrow.
Been out prospectin' for two years or so.
I have been searching for gold for the past two years.
Pulled into Fairbanks, the city was a-boom.
Arrived at the thriving city of Fairbanks.
So I took a little stroll to the Red Dog sea-loon.
I took a walk to the Red Dog Saloon.
As I walked in the door, the music was clear.
Upon entering, I heard the music distinctly.
The purtiest voice I had heard in two years.
The most beautiful voice I had heard in a long time.
The song she was singin' made a man's blood run cold.
The song she sang was so chilling that it sent shivers down my spine.
When its springtime in Alaska it's forty below.
Even during spring in Alaska, the temperature can drop as low as forty degrees below zero.
It was Redhead Lil who was singin' so sweet.
The singer was a woman named Redhead Lil.
I reached down and took the snow packs off my feet.
I removed the snow from my feet upon entering the saloon.
We did the eskeemo hop all around the sea-loon.
We danced the Eskimo hop around the saloon.
With a caribou crawl and a grizzly bear hug.
We danced with a caribou crawl and a grizzly bear hug.
We did our dance on a kodiak rug.
The dance took place on a Kodiak bear rug.
The song she kept singin' made a man's blood run cold.
The song she sang was so chilling that it sent shivers down my spine.
When it's springtime in Alaska it's forty below.
Even during spring in Alaska, the temperature can drop as low as forty degrees below zero.
I was as innocent as I could be.
I was unaware of the events that would soon take place.
I didn't now Lil was Big Ed's wife-to-be.
I was unaware that Lil was engaged to Big Ed.
He took out his knife and he gave it a throw.
Big Ed threw a knife.
When it's springtime in Alaska I'll be six feet below.
As a result of Big Ed throwing the knife, I will be six feet under when spring comes around again.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: Tillman Franks
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.