Single:
La Grange entered the Australian singles chart* on 15 April 1974 and peaked at #21.
Album:
The song is on Tres Hombres with entered the Australian albums chart* on 6 May 1974 and peaked at #36.
Songwriters:
Billy Gibbons, Dusty Hill, Frank Beard
Producer:
Bill Ham
Record label of Australian release:
London
*Kent Music Report / Australian Chart Book. See About.
BONUS CLIP BELOW: Charlie Brown & the Peanuts gang
Wikipedia:
The song refers to a brothel on the outskirts of La Grange, Texas (later called the “Chicken Ranch”). The brothel is also the subject of the Broadway play and film The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas.
Read more: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/La_Grange_(song)
Songfacts:
“The Chicken Ranch,” or Miss Edna’s Boarding House in La Grange, was probably the oldest establishment in Texas, catering to the oldest profession. It was closed down by a zealous TV reporter from Houston, who couldn’t find enough vice and corruption to report in Houston. He challenged the governor about why it continued to operate in fairly plain sight. The governor had no choice but to order the sheriff to close it.
Miss Edna’s girls had weekly visits from the local doctors, so they were “clean.” The girls spent their money in La Grange and when a new hospital was needed, Miss Edna gave the first and largest donation.
Read more: www.songfacts.com/facts/zz-top/la-grange
Lyrics:
Rumour spreadin′ ’round
In that Texas town
About that shack outside La Grange
And you know what I′m talkin’ about
Just let me know
If you wanna go
To that home out on the range
They got a lot of nice girls
Click for full lyrics
This song is also on our Spotify playlist Bang a Gong – the 70s
Find more songs to enjoy: Bang a Gong song finder
BONUS CLIP
Charlie Brown & the Peanuts gang playing La Grange.
New to Bang a Gong? Click HERE to learn more about us.