Statler Brothers – Flowers On The Wall

I have heard this called a psychedelic Country song… CMT named it one of the 100 greatest Country songs of all-time. You know when the Muppets cover you…you have a hit. I remember it early on as a kid and in more modern times when Bruce Willis was mouthing the words it in Pulp Fiction.

Lew DeWitt, the original tenor for The Statler Brothers, wrote “Flowers on the Wall. He described it: “We took gospel harmonies and put them over in country music.” However, it did crossover to the pop charts.

Buoyed by interest from the country fans, folk listeners began to demand that rock stations play Flowers On The Wall. In December, the song appeared on Billboard’s Hot 100. Nine weeks later, it had peaked at #4 in the Billboard 100 and #2 in the Billboard Country Charts in 1966.

All together the Statler Brothers had 66 songs in the top 100, 33 in the Top Ten and 4 number 1’s in the Billboard Country Charts. Flowers On The Wall was their only top 10 Billboard 100 hit.

In 1966 it won the Grammy Award for Best Contemporary Performance-Group (Vocal or Instrumental.)

From Songfacts

Written by Statler Brothers singer Lew DeWitt, this song is about a guy who has been left lonely and nearly catatonic by the one he loves. He’s in a pretty bad spot, counting flowers on the wall and playing solitaire with a deck that’s missing a card.

This appears on the soundtrack to the movie Pulp Fiction. Bruce Willis is singing along to the song, which is playing on his car radio, just before he runs over Marsellus Wallace at an intersection. There’s another Bruce Willis connection to the song as well: Willis mentions spending his suspension “Smoking cigarettes and watching Captain Kangaroo” in Die Hard With A Vengeance. 

 

Flowers On The Wall

I keep hearin’ you’re concerned about my happiness
But all that thought you’re givin’ me is conscience I guess
If I was walkin’ in your shoes, I wouldn’t worry none
While you ‘n’ your friends are worried about me I’m havin’ lots of fun

Countin’ flowers on the wall
That don’t bother me at all
Playin’ solitaire till dawn with a deck of fifty-one
Smokin’ cigarettes and watchin’ Captain Kangaroo
Now don’t tell me I’ve nothin’ to do

Last night I dressed in tails, pretended I was on the town
As long as I can dream it’s hard to slow this swinger down
So please don’t give a thought to me, I’m really doin’ fine
You can always find me here, I’m havin’ quite a time

Countin’ flowers on the wall
That don’t bother me at all
Playin’ solitaire till dawn with a deck of fifty-one
Smokin’ cigarettes and watchin’ Captain Kangaroo
Now don’t tell me I’ve nothin’ to do

It’s good to see you, I must go, I know I look a fright
Anyway my eyes are not accustomed to this light
And my shoes are not accustomed to this hard concrete
So I must go back to my room and make my day complete

Countin’ flowers on the wall
That don’t bother me at all
Playin’ solitaire till dawn with a deck of fifty-one
Smokin’ cigarettes and watchin’ Captain Kangaroo
Now don’t tell me I’ve nothin’ to do

Don’t tell me I’ve nothin’ to do

Author: Badfinger (Max)

Power Pop fan, Baseball fan, old movie and tv show fan... and a songwriter, bass and guitar player.

20 thoughts on “Statler Brothers – Flowers On The Wall”

  1. My dad loved this song, so of course I liked it and heard it a lot as a kid. I never thought of it as psychedelic. Interesting. The lyrics are great. They make you listen from the start and paint a scene anyone can readily visualize.

    Liked by 2 people

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    1. The Captain Kangaroo mention got my attention as a kid…and kept it.
      I think it was just so different than some of the other country songs at the time…I didn’t know it crossed over as well as it did to #4.

      Liked by 1 person

      Reply

      1. I don’t think I ever saw a Captain Kangaroo as a kid, but he was on in Canada and I was aware of him. there was a Canadian equivalent too, Uncle Bobby. think I used to watch him when I was likely 2,3 years old but don’t really remember it

        Liked by 1 person

      2. The Captain would goof around and then introduce cartoons and skits. He retired in the mid 80s… I would imagine most countries would have their own version.

        Like

  6. The Statler Brothers are one group that could sing the phone book and it would sound good. I like the bits of trivia about Bruce Willis and had forgotten those parts in the movies. Interesting and cool about how well they did on different charts. Thanks for bringing this old gold — with video! — back today.

    Liked by 1 person

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