# Does anyone remember Hoyt Axton from Gremlins? Did you know he was as a songwriter and singer? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [April 20, 2015, 2:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anyone-remember-hoyt-axton-from-gremlins-did-you-know-he-was-as-a-songwriter-and-singer/718088 "2015-04-20T02:37:30Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![aceplace57](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aceplace57/32/3500_2.png) [@aceplace57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aceplace57)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2015, 2:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anyone-remember-hoyt-axton-from-gremlins-did-you-know-he-was-as-a-songwriter-and-singer/718088/1 "2015-04-20T02:37:30Z")
[Here he is in Gremlins.](http://cdn.moviestillsdb.com/sm/737c9211bfca3b7db310560d3a297128/gremlins.jpg) A lot of people have forgetten he was a songwriter and singer. He wrote two of Three Dog Nights biggest hits. _Never Went to Spain_ and _Joy to the World_. He recorded and toured for years. I especially love his two appearances with a very young and very cute Linda Ronstadt. This most of been just after she left the Stone Poneys. [Lion in Winter](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ya2dSRcqLBE) [When the Morning Comes](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dcK0yGa7JP8&list=PL67E8427335DD99E5) My favorites he did was [Greenback Dollar](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I6MG2abVe6g) and [Della and the Dealer](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EVyzQY8W--g). ---
**Author:** ![Kropotkin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kropotkin/32/18045_2.png) [@Kropotkin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kropotkin)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2015, 3:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anyone-remember-hoyt-axton-from-gremlins-did-you-know-he-was-as-a-songwriter-and-singer/718088/2 "2015-04-20T03:01:39Z")
And he wrote “Snowblind Friend,” which was a hit for Steppenwolf. His mother, Mae Boren Axton, co-wrote “Heartbreak Hotel.” He was in Gremlins?:eek: ---
**Author:** ![Kropotkin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kropotkin/32/18045_2.png) [@Kropotkin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kropotkin)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2015, 3:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anyone-remember-hoyt-axton-from-gremlins-did-you-know-he-was-as-a-songwriter-and-singer/718088/3 "2015-04-20T03:09:29Z")
:smack: not to mention he wrote “The Pusher,” huge hit for Steppenwolf and featured in “Easy Rider” ---
**Author:** ![scabpicker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/scabpicker/32/8268_2.png) [@scabpicker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/scabpicker)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2015, 3:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anyone-remember-hoyt-axton-from-gremlins-did-you-know-he-was-as-a-songwriter-and-singer/718088/4 "2015-04-20T03:13:54Z")
Yep, knew that about him. The first time I saw him was as Shirley Muldowney’s dad in _Heart Like a Wheel_. ---
**Author:** ![aceplace57](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aceplace57/32/3500_2.png) [@aceplace57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aceplace57)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2015, 3:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anyone-remember-hoyt-axton-from-gremlins-did-you-know-he-was-as-a-songwriter-and-singer/718088/5 "2015-04-20T03:27:50Z")
He was very talented. A drug problem messed him up. He wrote about it in songs like _Cocaine_. ---
**Author:** ![Ranger\_Jeff](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ranger_jeff/32/2065_2.png) [@Ranger\_Jeff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ranger_Jeff)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2015, 3:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anyone-remember-hoyt-axton-from-gremlins-did-you-know-he-was-as-a-songwriter-and-singer/718088/6 "2015-04-20T03:42:22Z")
He also wrote “City Of New Orleans”. I understood he played slide guitar for Arlo Guthrie’s recording of it. The thing that struck me was that it was said that he used a straight razor for a slide. ---
**Author:** ![Cub\_Mistress](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ea666f/32.png) [@Cub\_Mistress](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cub_Mistress)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2015, 3:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anyone-remember-hoyt-axton-from-gremlins-did-you-know-he-was-as-a-songwriter-and-singer/718088/7 "2015-04-20T03:46:35Z")
I knew Hoyt Axton as a singer/songwriter first, and was surprised to see him in Gremlins. ---
**Author:** ![74westy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/74westy/32/3950_2.png) [@74westy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/74westy)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2015, 3:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anyone-remember-hoyt-axton-from-gremlins-did-you-know-he-was-as-a-songwriter-and-singer/718088/8 "2015-04-20T03:47:20Z")
> [@Ranger\_Jeff](#): > > He also wrote “City Of New Orleans”. I understood he played slide guitar for Arlo Guthrie’s recording of it. The thing that struck me was that it was said that he used a straight razor for a slide. That was Steve Goodman. Axton wrote Boney Fingers which was a helluva good drunken party song and No No Song which was a bit of a hit for Ringo Starr. Didn’t know he was in Gremlins but I remember him in Heart Like a Wheel. ---
**Author:** ![cochrane](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cochrane/32/10441_2.png) [@cochrane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cochrane)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2015, 3:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anyone-remember-hoyt-axton-from-gremlins-did-you-know-he-was-as-a-songwriter-and-singer/718088/9 "2015-04-20T03:48:15Z")
He also wrote “The No-No Song,” which was a minor hit for Ringo Starr. [Here’s Ringo, performing with the Smothers Brothers.](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iVGerWFYotQ&feature=youtube_gdata_player) EDIT - ninja’d! ---
**Author:** ![wedgehed](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/8edcca/32.png) [@wedgehed](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wedgehed)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2015, 4:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anyone-remember-hoyt-axton-from-gremlins-did-you-know-he-was-as-a-songwriter-and-singer/718088/10 "2015-04-20T04:01:57Z")
_My, My, My, My, MITCHELL!_ 😃 ---
**Author:** ![panache45](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/panache45/32/64_2.png) [@panache45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panache45)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2015, 4:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anyone-remember-hoyt-axton-from-gremlins-did-you-know-he-was-as-a-songwriter-and-singer/718088/11 "2015-04-20T04:37:37Z")
> [@Cub\_Mistress](#): > > I knew Hoyt Axton as a singer/songwriter first, and was surprised to see him in Gremlins. This. I saw \*Gremlins \*so long ago, I barely remember it, especially who was in it. But I do know Axton was a singer/songwriter. ---
**Author:** ![eschereal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eschereal/32/18939_2.png) [@eschereal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/eschereal)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2015, 4:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anyone-remember-hoyt-axton-from-gremlins-did-you-know-he-was-as-a-songwriter-and-singer/718088/12 "2015-04-20T04:52:40Z")
> [@Ranger\_Jeff](#): > > He also wrote “City Of New Orleans”. I understood he played slide guitar for Arlo Guthrie’s recording of it. The thing that struck me was that it was said that he used a straight razor for a slide. I think you may be confusing that with his performance of _Battle of New Orleans_, which he also did not write. ---
**Author:** ![Encinitas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/ee7513/32.png) [@Encinitas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Encinitas)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2015, 4:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anyone-remember-hoyt-axton-from-gremlins-did-you-know-he-was-as-a-songwriter-and-singer/718088/13 "2015-04-20T04:56:12Z")
He was wonderful in The Black Stallion. ---
**Author:** ![Manduck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/manduck/32/256_2.png) [@Manduck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Manduck)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2015, 4:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anyone-remember-hoyt-axton-from-gremlins-did-you-know-he-was-as-a-songwriter-and-singer/718088/14 "2015-04-20T04:56:42Z")
> [@wedgehed](#): > > _My, My, My, My, MITCHELL!_ > > 😃 You might be thinking of Joe Don Baker? ---
**Author:** ![TheInimitableMaven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/b19c9b/32.png) [@TheInimitableMaven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TheInimitableMaven)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2015, 4:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anyone-remember-hoyt-axton-from-gremlins-did-you-know-he-was-as-a-songwriter-and-singer/718088/15 "2015-04-20T04:56:48Z")
In addition to his _Gremlins_ and _The Black Stallion_ appearances, Hoyt was also in **[an episode of _WKRP In Cincinnati_ titled “I Do…I Do For Now”](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ohuLkKXiKhU)**. ---
**Author:** ![wedgehed](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/8edcca/32.png) [@wedgehed](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wedgehed)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2015, 5:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anyone-remember-hoyt-axton-from-gremlins-did-you-know-he-was-as-a-songwriter-and-singer/718088/16 "2015-04-20T05:00:00Z")
> [@Manduck](#): > > You might be thinking of Joe Don Baker? Don’t we all? ---
**Author:** ![eschereal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eschereal/32/18939_2.png) [@eschereal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/eschereal)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2015, 5:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anyone-remember-hoyt-axton-from-gremlins-did-you-know-he-was-as-a-songwriter-and-singer/718088/17 "2015-04-20T05:31:45Z")
Did Hoyt write _I’m a Good Ol’ Rebel_? ---
**Author:** ![scabpicker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/scabpicker/32/8268_2.png) [@scabpicker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/scabpicker)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2015, 6:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anyone-remember-hoyt-axton-from-gremlins-did-you-know-he-was-as-a-songwriter-and-singer/718088/18 "2015-04-20T06:55:36Z")
> [@eschereal](#): > > Did Hoyt write _I’m a Good Ol’ Rebel_? It doesn’t seem so. Ry Cooder credits it to “Traditional”, and Axton’s version is included on [_Songs of the Civil War_](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Songs_of_the_Civil_War), which is comprised of period pieces. ---
**Author:** ![Lucky\_13](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lucky_13/32/13209_2.png) [@Lucky\_13](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lucky_13)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2015, 7:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anyone-remember-hoyt-axton-from-gremlins-did-you-know-he-was-as-a-songwriter-and-singer/718088/19 "2015-04-20T07:07:09Z")
> [@Manduck](#): > > You might be thinking of Joe Don Baker? No, Joe Don Baker played Mitchell in the movie of the same name. Hoyt Axton performed the theme song. Here’s a [clip](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bBuRvsLK1Pc) from the movie, with the song used as the soundtrack of a not-very-sexy love scene. (wish we still had the vomiting smiley) ---
**Author:** ![WotNot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/e19b73/32.png) [@WotNot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WotNot)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2015, 8:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anyone-remember-hoyt-axton-from-gremlins-did-you-know-he-was-as-a-songwriter-and-singer/718088/20 "2015-04-20T08:58:47Z")
> [@eschereal](#): > > I think you may be confusing that with his performance of _Battle of New Orleans_, which he also did not write. He also did not write _Cocaine_, too. This whole thread feels weird to me. Anyone remember that Glen Campbell guy from _True Grit_? 😃 [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anyone-remember-hoyt-axton-from-gremlins-did-you-know-he-was-as-a-songwriter-and-singer/718088.md?page=2)