History Repeats Itself

Not to be confused with Historic recurrence.

"History Repeats Itself" is a 1966 narrated song written and recorded by Buddy Starcher. It became his greatest hit, reaching number 39 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100^[2] and number two on the Country singles chart.

"History Repeats Itself"
Single by Buddy Starcher
from the album History Repeats Itself
B-side	"Sniper's Hill"
Released	March 1966
Genre	Country spoken word
Label	Boone Records
Songwriter(s)	Buddy Starcher, Minnie Pearl
Producer(s)	Chuck Glaser[1]
Orange vinyl issue
Special disc jockey record

"History Repeats Itself"
Single by Cab Calloway
B-side	"After Taxes"
Released	March 1966
Genre	Pop
Label	Boom Records
Songwriter(s)	Buddy Starcher, Minnie Pearl
Producer(s)	Bob Thiele
Cab Calloway singles chronology
"Little Child" (1956) "History Repeats Itself" (1966)

The lyrics recount the Lincoln–Kennedy coincidences urban legend, set to the tune of "Battle Hymn of the Republic" in the beginning, and "America the Beautiful" during the lyrical portion.

Lyrical content

The song begins with the conclusion of the chorus of "Battle Hymn of the Republic." The lyrics recount curious coincidences and parallels (several of them false) between the careers and deaths of Presidents Abraham Lincoln and John F. Kennedy. These had begun attracting attention in the US mainstream press in 1964 (the year after Kennedy's assassination).^[3]

Starcher also recorded a "Part 2," as there are too many similarities to be recounted in just one song.

Just a few of the noted similarities shared by both presidents include: Being elected in years ending in '60, both concerned with civil rights issues. Both first ladies lost a child while in the White House. Both presidents were shot in the back of the head on a Friday, in the presence of their wives. Their assassins were born in years ending '39, and both espousing radical ideologies. Their successors were both southern senators named Johnson, both born in years ending in '08.

Several of these similarities are false, for example Booth was born in 1838, while Lee Oswald was born in 1939.

Cover version

"History Repeats Itself" was covered by Cab Calloway, charting concurrently with Starcher's version and debuting on the charts one week later. In 1967 it was also covered in Dutch by Gerard de Vries as De Geschiedenis Herhaalt Zich.^[4]

Chart history

Buddy Starcher original

Chart (1966)	Peak position
U.S. Billboard Hot 100[5]	39
U.S. Hot Country Singles[6]	2
U.S. Cash Box Top 100[7]	40

Cab Calloway cover

Chart (1966)	Peak position
U.S. Billboard Hot 100[8]	89
U.S. Cash Box Top 100[9]	82

Parody

A parody of this recording, "Great Men Repeat Themselves", described purported coincidental similarities between President Lyndon Johnson and the superhero Batman. Both Homer and Jethro^[10] and Ben Colder^[11] recorded versions of the parody.

See also

• Lincoln–Kennedy coincidences