Two of the '70s' most popular fads, the novelty song and the CB craze, combined to give Bill Fries, better known as C.W. McCall, a number one hit with "Convoy" in December of 1975.

But "Convoy" did have a slight serious side to it. It was written partially to express truckers' anger over a strike that was ongoing at the time, as well as the high cost of fuel, the speed limit, and border tolls that were imposed on truck drivers from state to state.

But it was its catchy chorus, sung by angelic-voiced backup girls, that gave "Convoy" its one full week of number one stardom (number two in the U.K.), not to mention all the tongue-twisting trucker lingo that was rambled out in between.

Written by McCall and Chip Davis, the song boasts of a fleet of rigs rebelling against the "bears" (the police) and then "crashing the gate doing 98," waving the flag in support of the blue-collar workforce and its resistance against the absurdity of the law. Listeners fell in love with the tune's countrified candor more than they did its message.

In the early '70s, Bill Fries was employed by an ad agency in Nebraska when he created the character of C.W. McCall for a baking company based out of Iowa. After recording &"The Old Home Filler-Up an' Keep on Truckin' afe" for a commercial, MGM began distributing the song and then signed McCall to a record deal.

After "Wolf Creek Pass" went to number 40 in June of 1975, McCall wrote "Convoy" later that same year, climbing from number 82 to number one in less than six weeks.

Among the numerous novelty songs that raided the airwaves throughout the 1970s, few managed to reach the all-important number one spot as did McCall's claim to fame. ~ All Music