If you attended grade school during the 60's, you probably heard "Chicken Fat" several times a week. Well, it's available today on mp3 at Otis Fodder's amazing and wonderful 365 Days Project.
A song written by Meredith Wilson of "Music Man" fame. It was commissioned by John Kennedy for his new Youth Fitness Program. A copy of this record was sent to every school in the U.S. with the idea that it would be played over the P.A. every morning while students did calisthenics.
(After today, try here, but you'll want to investigate the Archive Page anyway.)
It's sung by Robert Preston, also of "Music Man" fame.
I'm somewhat amazed they found a copy of the record that wasn't scratched, worn and chalk dusted within an inch of its life on one of those classic 4 speed school record players. If you're too young to have had first hand exposure to this treat, download it anyway and annoy a baby boomer with it.
(Insert snarky Natalie Maines joke here.)
Article comments
— go to most recent comments1 - Tom Johnson
That was evil, man, EVIL. The second I read that title, that stupid song popped into my head and memories of the embarassing exercise routine we were forced to go through while listening to this awful song over and over . . .
2 - Eric Olsen
Though I was born in '58, I do not remember such a thing. I do remember Wo Fat from Hawaii Five-O though.
3 - Tom Johnson
It won't go away . . . chorus keeps repeating in my head . . . "Go you chicken fat go! Go you chicken fat go! Go you chicken fat go! Go you chicken fat go! Go you chicken fat go! Go you chicken fat go!"
I knew I should have just stayed in bed this morning.
4 - Bill Sherman
Oh man, I remember this from gym class, too. (Deep shudder. . .)
5 - acp
I need to get this song on CD if it is available? Sounds sick I know but my sister absolutely adores her memorys and happened to bring it to mind a couple months ago!
6 - Suzeiki
send that chicken fat back to the chickens, and don't be chicken again.....
i hated that song
i woke up this morning with it in my head and wondered if the entire thing were real or imaginary.
i guess it was real
7 - HW Saxton Jr.
I remember this demonic ditty from back
in grade school. A local Horror movie
host(Seymour)in L.A. back in the early
1970's used to use this on his weekly
TV show once in a while. He would loop
some footage of Godzilla jumping up and
down and play this damn tune so that it
looked as though the Big G was actually doing exercise to it.What a great gag &
what an annoying song.
8 - Mike Fehn
I'm the Executive Producer of a morning show in Evansville, IN. Chicken Fat recently came to our attention...and we're about to make it a new segment on our show by getting local schools involved. Problem is we don't have the actual steps to the routine. If anyone has them could you please pass them along to me. Thanks.
mfehn@14wfie.com
9 - Ev
In a small town in Northern NY that @#$! record was played as recently as the early 90's in gym class...it was ghastly.
10 - Donna
Oh Lord love a duck!! I cannot believe I found this!! I was JUST telling a co-worker, who is Japanese, about how young americans back in the 60's were tortured with the Chicken Fat song! It is one of those songs that just sticks with you, doesn't it?! But torture me some more!! I would just LOVE to have it to play to my now grown children! That way I can reminisce about the good old days when--though forced to excercise--this is what kept me so slim and trim!!!
11 - Tom
I NEED a copy of the Chicken Fat song for a class!!!!!
Help!
ASAP!!!
Tom
12 - boozer
here
13 - Eric Olsen
ASAP is relative
14 - Hazy Dave
Thanks, boozer. I believe Tom already found what he needed, but if you have the bandwidth available, maybe the next Seeker can be rewarded by the joy and horror of Robert Preston exhorting Kennedy Youth to shed that excess poultry poundage.
15 - Hazy Dave
I just noticed the Natalie Maines reference has not aged well. Insert snarky Michael Moore joke, instead.
16 - Whitewatermom
Oh Boozer, thank you so much!!! I just loved this song in gym class, it brings back such wonderful memories and blots out the horrid green gym uniform!!! This kept me thin and trim back then.
lol Now I can share it with my grandkids!!
17 - Kathy
For anyone interested you can order the Chicken Fat CD from:
http://store.teachchildren.com/chickenfatcd.html
I ordered mine and it is the same one we worked out to in grade school.
Kathy
18 - Ralph Marshburn
"Chicken fat on you, Batman!" shouted Robin.
"Chicken fat on YOU, Robin!" replied Batman.
19 - kelsey
Ha...My science teacher makes us listen to this song and go along with it every MORNING ...
20 - PGX - 13
"Just give that chicken fat back to the
chickens and don't be chicken again..."
Aaaah yes, poultry in motion.
21 - Marsh
The Chicken Fat song. Is this a a hive-mind thing or what? For the last few days I was thinking about that song. Back in the 60s it was an everyday event. One particular exercise routine in the song has really helped me burn sugar, and strengthen my knee, so I have no complaints. Also since a recent article in the Wash.Post about kids needing not only cardio, and strengthening exercises but impact routine to strengthen bones, this oldie may make a significant comeback.
Thanks for the song, my overweight 10yr old will soon be on his way to the Twilight Zone. Peace
22 - ben
I have come across a copy of the original that doesen't appear to be used at all.
$800
No. Really. Is it worth anything?
23 - DrPat
It's the Zeitgeist... I recieved an eMail from my mom this morning saying one of my grandnieces got a record for Christmas, and "Remember that Chicken Fat song? It's on her record." ARGGH!
24 - Terri
Some things just never die! The second I clicked on that like and the music started it took me back to Jr. High School and I sat at my desk cracking up - listened to the whole dang thing!
I'm going to email it to my sisters so they can also enjoy this trip down memory lane :)
25 - scott
check out chickenfatkids.com