There are times in your life when you realize, in the moment, that this is something you will remember forever. Pieces of time that will travel with you to the end. Memories preserved in lucite and kept in a dark room away from the harmful effects of the sun. Singing Sam: The Gorilla Man of Wall Drug is one of those precious moments.
You see, families think it is a great idea to drag their kids to Wall Drug. It’s a “historical” tourist trap known for cheap coffee, free ice water, old fashioned donuts, and a thriving bumper sticker industry. However, the real attractions of Wall Drug are the animatronic atrocities out back in Wall Drug’s “alley.” They eat quarters, dance jigs, and sing songs. And this very back alley is where I met Singing Sam.
The Gorilla Man was more a shag rug wearing a cheap suit than a gorilla. He was pinheaded with a lower jaw made up of, what seemed to be, a paper plate covered in hair from the local barber. This monstrosity would move his broomstick arms up and down on a fake piano while a sun warped record playing “Pop Goes the Weasel” spun its nightmarish tune.
Be warned, the video embedded below may cause the wetting of your trousers.
The video provided above shows Sam at his worst and most terrifying. It appears that he may have caught fire several times at different stages of his life and was simply left to burn. Roadside America shows Sam in happier, yet still horrifying, times.
Unless you can go back in time, you will never get to experience the Wall Drug Singing Sam in person. He has been replaced by a less terrifying version that may have come straight from the defunct Showbiz Pizza restaurants. I do not have the heart to link to the new Gorilla. It makes me sad when the history of America is destroyed.
But the memory of that hot summer day in the South Dakota badlands will stay with me. I may not remember names, faces, or your occupation, but I will remember the original Singing Sam: The Best Horrifying Gorilla Man of Terror.
EDIT: A second Singing Sam: The Gorilla Man exists in 1880 Cowboy Town in Buffalo Ridge, SD! See what Singing Sam would look like in less melted times below.
Interesting place Wall Drug, the things that stuck in my memories were the buffalo in the courtyard and the elephant out there as well. I saw the new Sam when I was there. He must not of been as memorable to me, but then the old Sam… I could see why he was memorable. Wow.
Yeah, totally feel you. I’m glad I got a some pictures the original creepy animatronics at Wall Drug. When I show them to people, they can hardly believe such a place existed.
Yes, it’s creepy, fine. I’m not going to argue. But I prefer to think of it as “prairie psychadelic.” Growing up in South Dakota…man, that was the family vacation! So for us Dakotans, Sam holds a special place in our collective consciousness.
Prairie psychedelic. I love it! Might have to finally make the trip to 1880 Cowboy Town this year.