This “Stand Out Single” original Columbia label gave the A-side the historically incorrect spelling “Sink the Bismark,” although the German battleship’s name is properly spelled Bismarck.
Johnny Horton’s “Sink the Bismark” / “The Same Old Tale the Crow Told Me” was issued by Columbia Records as single 4-41568 on January 18, 1960, at a fascinating point in Horton’s career. The record paired one of his most dramatic historical story songs with a lighthearted country novelty number, demonstrating the remarkable range of material he could handle.
This “Stand Out Single” was by a favorite of my mother.
The single “Oh Lonesome Me” / “I Can’t Stop Loving You” by Don Gibson, released in 1958, is one of the most iconic and influential records in country music history. Both tracks were written by Don Gibson himself and recorded in a single session on December 3, 1957, at RCA Studio B in Nashville, Tennessee, produced by Chet Atkins.
