The Girls From Petticoat Junction: "If You Could Only Be Me" Music Video

[lonehorseman09]

You can here merideth mcrae in there the most. gunilla hutton was billy jo for the first 2 seasons. she eventually went to Hee Haw.

[stomp919]

How much acid did these chicks drop. Scary time to be that age with all that brain frying acid around.

[chuckcollins]

@stomp919 At least this time they did not smash their guitars or bite the heads off of any animals.

[stomp919]

@chuckcollins Yea man being a Black Sabbath fan I can dig it.

[MegaJimbob28]

A cd of their music just came out recently.this tune is on it.

[ddenuci]

TV's Sam Drucker, Frank Cady (0:42) is still kickin at 96. Everybody's favorite general store owner.

[chuckcollins]

R.I.P. Sid Melton 1916 - 2011....He's driving that big Chrysler in the sky now and fixing up God's house real good.

[20alphabet]

One thing I always disliked about tv sitcom personalities performing music is how fake it was. A Mamas and Papas lip-synct soundalike spoof, gimme a break.

[nauort23]

Are they trying to make fun of Lawrence Welk by obviously covering up Betty Jo's pregnancy with their guitars--the way LW made the Lennon Sisters hide their pregnancies when they performed on his show during this same era? That's what it looks like.

[jed6271]

Mopar alert - nice shot of the 1968 Chrysler hardtop driving, including the instrument panel shot from inside the car.

[roach4946]

man the dude driving has big ears, just like dumbo the elephant

[chuckcollins]

@roach4946 Shhh.  Sid Melton is still alive at 91. He might hear you with those ears and run you down.

[englandmadethewest]

Pat Woodel. What a babe ! However she and her mate can't play the guitar. Check out John Cleese in the car and a cameo from Joe Kennedy

[bxktd]

@englandmadethewest Pat Woodel was a total babe with an incredible singing voice, but she is not in this video. She had left the show at this point and was replaced with another doll, Lori Saunders who is the brunette in this video.

[Sheri451]

They were really singing a song that was popular then called Up Up and Away In My Beautiful Balloon.

[keithcop]

Thanks for posting this Chuck, PJ and the girls mean so much to so many.

[nanlisa]

The Hooterville Supremes.

[storrs19]

It is indeed an excellent version of this song and is available on the "Lost Jukebox" cd series, volume 31. That series is chocked full of wonderful lost gems of this variety.

[cmulwee001]

This song is from the 1968 episode "The Singing Sweethearts", so is the footage.

Possibly one of the last episodes with Bea Benederet. Originally recorded by Spanky And our Gang, for their self titled debut album a year earlier. Can't decide which version is better, they're BOTH great records.

[arkady714]

I was a child and only had a chance to see this show when its reruns first went into syndication on local TV...remember "local TV?" Decades later I watch this clip and realize just how beautiful these three women were. My favorite is the brunette. Who is she?

[bxktd]

@arkady714 Lori Saunders and she was total doll

[arkady714]

@bxktd Thanks, man. And, yes, she was an absolute doll.

[chuckcollins]

@arkady714 Still is and always will be.

[arkady714]

@aTellerOfTruths Her being a liberal was a turn off? Well, it's good to know that some guys are still young enough that they'd deal with the politics after a decent shag. Best if luck, though.

[nanlisa]

The Hooterville Supremes.

[darrylhaynes]

they are all dead.

[jjpmstd]

They saved a lot of money by recording these videos on location at the Spaghetti Western Studios in Calabria, Italy.

In the uncensored version, their tassels may go in different directions, but even those are still out-of-sync with the groovy syncopations, man.

No extra charge, pardner.

I like them because, Sam Drucker likes'em, an' so does Mr.Haney.

Arnold Ziffle likes'em, toom but Arnold likes everything.

'Nuff said.

[cmulwee001]

In the video the girls appear to be singing a different song then what is heard here.



[chuckcollins]

@cmulwee001 It is intended to represent the girls musical talents in video form rather than to be a lip-synched performance.

The next video I post of them will simply be a montage of scenes set to their wonderful music.

[cmulwee001]

@chuckcollins

That's great. Never knew these girls recorded albums! I just listened to The Spanky And Our Gang original of this tune and it'd great too!

[cmulwee001]

@chuckcollins

Well these girls DID indeed have musical talent. Their voices were nothing short of angelic! Meredith did many solos on Petticoat Junction, and Linda did some wonderful duets with mike. Linda's rich alto, worked very well with Meredith's soprano range. Not sure what kind of voice Lori had as she never(?) sang solo.(

One of Linda's best vocals is her duet with Mike singing "Hello World" in the "Hawaii Calling" episode.

Some think that song may be a PJ original, but I doubt it.

[ginger1961]

@cmulwee001 They are singing Up, Up and Away"

[cmulwee001]

@ginger1961

Thank you. I knew they did a version of that song.  Trivia:Up Up And Away, forever associated with The 5th Dimnsion, was originally recorded by The Sunshine Company,that's a very little know fact.

The song herd here, "If You Could Only Be Me" is quite a pretty song.

[ginger1961]

@cmulwee001

They are singing "Up, Up, and Away."

[wordwench]

@Beattlebob: Not to quibble, but you are wrong about this, or there is a typo on your album.

look for the website "lost jukebox" and search for # 22:

Carl D'errico is a friend of mine. He and his wife were the ones who gave me the heads-up on this song in the first place.

Cheers.

[amunar777]

Thank you so much...you are the best

[beattleBob]

The radio announcer name is Ted Swift as played by Dick Crawford

[amunar777]

Does anyone know what episode and season of PJ this segment is from where they sing this song...Thank you.

[beattleBob]

@amunar777 This Petticoat Junction episode was from Season 6, episode 2: The Swinging Sweethearts. Original airdate: Saturday October 5, 1968. Plot summary: Friends and family coax Betty Jo into appearing on live TV as part of the "The Swinging Sweethearts."

[amunar777]

the song was released 1966. The original is done by Spanky & The Gang...I love this song...I downloaded it from Itunes...it's on the Collection Hits of Spanky & The Gang.

[ridgerunner721601]

Why were they showing Alf Monroe driving around? Was he going to the Douglas place to help Ralph do some 'carpentry' work? LOL

[chuckcollins]

@ridgerunner721601 That is a curious question as to why he and Ralph never appeared on this show. You would have thought that Uncle Joe would have tried to "renovate" the place and Kate would bring in the Monroe's to fix the resulting chaos.

[ridgerunner721601]

@chuckcollins LOL....Very true!!! I don't think Kate would have put up with their "work" for very long though.....ha ha. Everytime Oliver tried to fire them though, Ralph would start crying and Lisa would start blaming Oliver. I miss good TV shows like Petticoat Junction and Green Acres. I don't even watch all that reality garbage that passes for good TV nowadays.

[bxktd]

@chuckcollins I think Uncle Joe would have been the one that would have brought in the Monroe Brothers, which would have resulted in chaos.

As much as I liked both shows, I don't think that they really complimented each other that well after the first season of Green Acres. PJ Hooterville was a believable real place, whereas GA Hooterville was totally surreal. The shows just seemed to go in different directions after season one of Green Acres.

[CarolinaNIM]

@ridgerunner721601 That's not Alf. That's a talent scout, played by Casey Kasem, who was passing through the valley when he heard the girls do the song on a radio show for charity.

[matman8540]

Sid Melton, at that time, was a semi-regular on "Green Acres". He was the Mr. Douglas' handyman with his sister aka Alf & Ralph. I think his last actual role was as Sophia's late husband Sal on "Golden Girls". But he was a very busy character actor in TV for over 30 years.

[Sheri451]

When I was little, they used to show Petticoat Junction in the afternoon, I remember eating supper and watcing PJ . I got an awful surprise one day when I turned it on and a DIFFERENT Billie Jo was on. I ran to my next door neighbors house and he was watching it too, Yes Gunilla was Billie Jo on his TV too. Meredith MacRae was the prettiest Billie Jo. And I don't remembr the first two actress that played Billie Jo and Bobbie Jo. They never showed seasons one or two until TV Land started.

[bxktd]

@Sheri451

Jeannine Riley played the first Billie Jo and Pat Woodell played the first Bobbie Jo. Ironically, the first two seasons that were never aired in syndication when I grew up are the only ones available on DVD. Season 2 is available to watch free online.

I've never seen a Gunilla Hutton episode, but Jeannine Riley was my favorite Billie Jo, as much as I love Meredith. The writers didn't do much with Pat's Bobbie Jo character and she doesn't even appear in several season 2 episodes.

[dh1173]

@Sheri451 when TVLAND was TVLAND (not what its become now, much like Nick-At-Nite, but that's ANOTHER discussion!) they showed the COLOR episodes seasons 3-7 ONLY beginning with Gunilla Hutton as Billie Jo 1965-66. Gunilla was missed a number of episodes due to illness, so many fans probably wouldn't remember her.

[jbird11368]

@dh1173 I remember seeing an interview on TV with Gunilla Hutton and she said she missed a few episodes of Petticoat Junction because she was doing a Broadway play as an understudy and when the actress she backed up left, Gunilla had the role full-time, thus the hiring of Meredith MacRae as Billie Joe. She stayed from 1967 to the show's end in 1970. Also, both ladies who preceded Meredith as Billie Joe Bradley, Jeannine Riley (1963-65) and Gunilla Hutton (1965-66) would wind up on "Hee Haw".

[dh1173]

@jbird11368 You're right!! Gunilla missed episodes 82-88 due to illness but in the latter half of the season she missed 3 to 4 episodes because of the play. Yes, that is ironic that BOTH Billies ended up on HEE HAW. Also, Jeannine Riley & Lori Saunders were on DUSTY TRAIL which was a "Gilligan's Island" set in the old west starring no less Bob "Gilligan" Denver himself!

[bxktd]

At 2:02, it looks like Linda caught Meredith off guard just for a split second when she put her hand on Meredith's shoulder to help her get back up. I'm guessing by the expression that she probably just forgot and it wasn't edited out. or reshot.

Oh, and if anyone has Wheeling, WV, please post.

[chuckcollins]

@bxktd Actually that look of "surprise" was scripted because Billie Joe was showing concern and alarm due to Betty Joe's movement..  She and Bobby Joe were attempting to sing and to physically cover Betty Joe's "condition" for fear it would cause a national panic or something. Totally incomprehensible now, but if you lived back then, it was important.

[EJDW]

Robert Picardo was about 14 when this was made

[parkman35]

This is KPXY the voice of the valley... Pixley!

[buddyeagle]

I love it. Wow! Fantastic song. In yout face British Invasion. U.S.A. Got talet.

[wilmoer]

Lori Saunders should have been triplets.

[bxktd]

Does anyone know who the old man is at 1:36 that's sitting next to Bea?

[dh1173]

@bxktd That's Dr. Brewster aka Regis Toomey

[bxktd]

I was born about the time this TV series was winding down and I love this show. About 15 years after the show was cancelled, I first found it, and was instantly captivated by Linda Kaye Henning (Betty Jo) and her "sunshine smile" as someone else put it. Today, it'd be a tough choice between her and Lori Saunders- Wow, is she beautiful!

[bxktd]

Beautiful sound from 3 beautiful women.

Did the PJ girls release any albums during the 60s? Anybody know if any of their songs are available for purchase or dowload?

[J4J0k3r]

I had such fond memories of this show as a kid, watching it in syndication every weekday at 3:00 PM on channel 69, Allentown. I had such a school boy crush on Betty Jo, that I don't think I ever really forgave Steve for marrying her lol

Thanks for uploading!

[chuckcollins]

@J4J0k3r You're quite welcome. My whole life I have been compelled to watch anything that Linda Kaye Henning ever appeared in. Her beautiful sunshine smile always made it worthwhile.

[onemooners]

@J4J0k3r man know what u mean

[krumlee]

Was that really Bea Benaderet at 1:36 or a double? She was gravely ill with lung cancer around the time this was made in 1968.

[krumlee]

Was that really Bea Benaderet at 1:36 or a double? She was gravely ill with lung cancer around the time this was made in 1968.

[scottsdaleglenn]

@krumlee

Hi, You're right that Bea was very ill. It's the last scene of her last full PJ episode. In the next episode, she only had a quick walk through scene, then just talked off camera when Betty Jo had the baby.

Bea went into the hospital a few weeks after the scene at 1:36 was filmed.

[krumlee]

Is that really Bea Benadaret at 1:36 or a double? I think this was made when she was gravely ill with lung cancer.

[chuckcollins]

@krumlee Maybe it was her stunt double.

[phlashba]

I remember the on-stage scene SO vividly as a child --- they were trying to hide Bobby Joe's pregnancy. Do you happen to have that scene with the original "Up, Up and Away" audio? CHEERS

[phlashba]

Sorry, I meant "Betty JOE"

[chuckcollins]

@phlashba Be sure and see my other wonderful video featuring The Girls From Petticoat Junction!

[2nicks]

Sid Melton played a talent agent on this ep and heard the PJ girls singing on the radio! Mr. Melton also played Alf Monroe on Green Acres!

[neatoauctions]

The intolerable caterwauling in this video would be far more palatable if that chimp-eared goof driving the Chrysler had not been added. That said: the dark-eyed brunette is inarguably the prettiest thing that ever drew a breath my sweet pretty angel.

[chuckcollins]

Shhh. Sid Melton is still alive at 89. He might hear you with those ears and run you down.

[GentleWill]

An unusual opening and credit roll for a Petticoat Junction Episode. I would say it would be to promote Chrysler vehicles, but at the time this aired, the 69 Chryslers would have been out and they are using a 68 here.

[minnowtrappermd]

Yeph

[krumlee]

Is that Sid Melton driving the 1968 Chrysler at the beginning of this?

[brotherkevin1]

@krumlee I do not know who sid melton is, but that is the DR. from start trek voyager, trying to remember what else he was in recently

[chuckcollins]

@brotherkevin1 I don't think Robert Picardo ever made it to Hooterville unless it was in a very private holodeck adventure.

[Dietpepsivanilla]

@krumlee Yes

[RJRanke]

The girls had beautiful voices and I used to love(at different times)Lori Saunders and Meredith MacRae.

[Xervosh23]

That dark-haired girl was amazing. Wow!

[htrrz]

That's Lori Saunders, she has her own web site, and she is a great person.

[jimalda]

Nice post. We used to get in out pajamas and watch this show. Did you know that Sam Drucker (Frank Cady) is still alive but sadly most of the rest of the folks in this clip are gone.

[chuckcollins]

Mr. Cady just celebrated his 94th(!) birthday a few weeks ago.

And I bet you had to get in your pajamas since Petticoat Junction always ran at the ridiculously late hour of 9:30. Must have been due to all the "adult" content that it featured?!!

[bxktd]

@jimalda

That's not entirely accurate.

Lori Saunders, Linda Kaye Henning, Mike Minor, Frank Cady, and Sid Melton are all very much alive.

Bea Benadaret and Edgar Buchannan have long since passed away. Sadly, Meredith MacRae left this world far too soon about 10 years ago.

On Green Acres, the only ones still around are Tom Lester (Eb), Sid Melton, (Alf), the actress the played his sister (Ralph), and Frank Cady (Sam Drucker)

[wordwench]

Did any one mention who wrote the song? Carl D'Errico- who had a big hit co-writing "It's My life" for The Animals.

[beattleBob]

@wordwench The name is Carol, (not Carl) D'Errico . AND this song co-written with Roger Atkins and first appeared on the Spanky and Our Gang debut album: Spanky and Our Gang released August 1, 1967. It was track #6 on side 1 of the LP.

[keithcop]

I am so amazed there is so much positive love coming for the PJ girls. They're appeairng in L.A. in October, hope to see you at the mini-reunion.

[chuckcollins]

That's the biggest show in the world, bar none! It totally outranks Comic-con! The list of celebrities is just too huge to comprehend. It would take a week for me to even start to meet half of the people I would be desperate to see. But the Girls From Petticoat Junction would certainly be the VERY first on my list!!

[keithcop]

I went. The girls couldn't have been nicer! Look for a book on PJ in '10.  : >

[chuckcollins]

I know Linda and Lori were there, but which of the other sisters was there? I hope you got some nice pictures with them, too. That would be quite the keepsake.

[keithcop]

Gunilla Hutton was there too.

[chuckcollins]

I wasn't sure if perhaps due to her appearance on the DVD that Pat Woodell had also shown up. I really WOULD kick myself for not going if that had been the case.

[htrrz]

The blonde is Meredith Macrae (daughter of singer/actor Gordon Macrae) she was the third blonde to play the oldest sister, Bette Jo

[scottsdaleglenn]

Hi Keithcop. I wish I could have attended the show. I live in Scottsdale, so it's a little less than 6 hours drive, but time didn't permit. Glad to hear the girls were nice. I can't wait to see the book. Who told you it was due out in '10?

[keithcop]

I'm one of the writers, scott! lol

[doosriradha]

can you please tell wht you are talking about ..also who are you..below you say you are a writer..did you write for this tv show petticoat junction

[keithcop]

One of the writers of the book about the show.

[DRIVEIN101]

Wonderful song by three of television's most wonderful ladies!

[stopthemachine]

Wow. A season 6 episode with Bea Benadaret! I think this is just about her last episode, sadly. The show died when she did...

[scottsdaleglenn]

Hi stopthemachine. You are so right. This was Bea's last full episode, filmed in the summer of 1968. In the next episode "Only a Husband" Bea appeared for about 25 seconds. That's all. She was too ill.

Thanks Chuckcollins for a great video!

[stopthemachine]

Yes, if my memory serves me correctly, in "Only a Husband" she basically just makes a cameo. In "The Valley Has a Baby," her lines were audio only--at the end, there is a double for Bea. I wonder if she knew by this episode that she was terminally ill? I have a feeling she didn't because the season 5 finale, "Kate's Homecoming," it was assumed by all that she was indeed going to return to the show's 6th season, which she did--albeit briefly...

[scottsdaleglenn]

Hi, When Bea did "Kate's Homecoming" in the spring of 1968 she was optimistic about her health. The trade journals all said that her lung cancer was cured. Her doctors knew it was terminal, When the filming for season 6 began in the summer of 1968, the cancer had "re-appeared". She did the first 2 episodes entirely, then "Only..." then "The Valley..." from her hospital bed because she was so sick already.

We all love the girls from PJ. Chuck, will you post "Up Up and Away" soon? Thanks.

[scottsdaleglenn]

Oops. Sorry Chuck.  You already posted "Up Up and Away" Thanks, Glenn

[chuckcollins]

And receiving an avalanche of viewings! One of the most popular videos I've ever posted. It's good to know that other people enjoy good entertainment like this, too.

[WhiteCamry]

Have you the track of the GfPJ singing "Thirty Days Hath September"? Someone posted it about six months ago but it's since disappeared.

[chuckcollins]

No. But there is definitely more to come from these cheerful chaunteusses!

[IDLERACER]

This is o.k. but I still prefer the original version by Spanky & Our Gang. It was on the flipside of "Making Every Minute Count."

[chuckcollins]

Ms. McFarlane has always been a favorite of mine from back then. It's amazing how much Katrina Leskanich looks and sounds like she could be her daughter.

[RoyFive]

Never knew that--I'll have to look for it. I'm a major fan of this show, but I also loved S & OG.

[circa1960]

I just seen one this early Sunday morning. Uncle Joe signed the girls to play live and Billie Jo and Bobbie Jo were trying to hide Betty Jo's tummy.

[uncleroyhoggins]

Lori Saunders is so hot!

[chuckcollins]

There wasn't a single programme back in the 60's that had girls who were more beautiful than these six.