Whatever Happened to Randolph Scott
Western Music
The Lone Writer  

Western Song: Whatever Happened to Randolph Scott

“Whatever Happened to Randolph Scott” is a song written by Harold Wilson Reid and Don Reid. Moreover, their singing group, Statler Brothers, first released it in 1973. It was also part of the mentioned group’s compilation album, The Best of the Statler Brothers, in 1975 under Mercury Records.

Members of Western Writers of America included this song in the Top 100 Western songs of all time.

Table of Contents

About The Song

It became one of The Statler Brother’s hit songs during their career. It’s as if the song asked a question that many fans asked themselves about their favorite Western film and TV actors, whom they haven’t seen or heard on the big screen for a while. Its lyrics mentioned Tex Ritter, Gene Autry, Roy Rogers, and many more. Randolph Scott specifically inspired the song, and it’s evident with the repetition of his name in the lyrics and the title itself.

Aside from becoming a tribute to the well-known Western movie and TV stars, the song was also a complaint about the status and quality of modern movies.

The Best Of The Statler Brothers Tracklist

Here are the songs included in The Statler Brother’s compilation album, The Best Of The Statler Brothers:

  • Bed Of Rose’s
  • Whatever Happened To Randolph Scott?
  • Do You Remember These?
  • Carry Me Back
  • Flowers On The Wall
  • The Class Of ’57
  • I’ll Go To My Grave Loving You
  • Pictures
  • Thank You World
  • New York City
  • Susan When She Tried

Listen to Whatever Happened to Randolph Scott (The Statler Brothers Version)

Whatever Happened to Randolph Scott? Lyrics

[Instrumental]

Everybody knows when you go to the show
You can't take the kids along
You've gotta read the paper and know the code
Of G, PG and R and X

And you gotta know what the movie's about
Before you even go
Tex Ritter's gone and Disney's dead
And the screen is filled with sex

Whatever happened to Randolph Scott
Ridin' the trail alone
Whatever happened to Gene and Tex
And Roy and Rex the Durango Kid

Oh whatever happened to Randolph Scott
His horse plain as could be
Whatever happened to Randolph Scott
Has happened to the best of me

[Instrumental]

Everybody's tryin' to make a comment
About our doubts and fears
True Grit's the only movie
I've really understood in years

You've gotta take your analyst along
To see if it's fit to see
Whatever happened to Randolph Scott
Has happened to the industry

Whatever happened to Johnny Mack Brown
And Alan Rocky Lane
Whatever happened to Lash Larue
I'd love to see them again

Whatever happened to Smiley Burnett
Tim Holt and Gene Autry
Whatever happened to all of these
Has happened to the best of me

Whatever happened to Randolph Scott
Has happened to the industry.

[Instrumental]

2 thoughts on “Western Song: Whatever Happened to Randolph Scott

  1. Dale

    Randolph Scott may be done, but his image is still around, it is on the Raiders uniform, as their logo. The patch may be out of place but the face used Randolph Scott.

  2. P J Sanders

    Great song!

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