Need artist/title to ray Stevens-type '70s song

[Tom]

I had always thought this was a late '70s Ray Stevens song about
killing yourself after being dumped or cheated on...thought it was
pretty odd. But I loved it as a kid and wore the 45 record out. Yet
no one knows the artist and title. Google searches turned up nothing.
I even asked several local radio stations. Even several "expert"
sites yielded no leads. I searched Stevens' site, but no luck. I
finally asked the Dr. Demento site and was referred here after they
were stumped. He was an American singer, sounded a bit country, and
the song sounded like the typical Stevens humor. Here's most of what
lyrics I remember:

start of song:
"In your garage, I will start up my Dodge
And I put [or stick] my head in the exhaust.
When the doctors arrive and try to revive,
They'll say "sorry we tried but we lost."

chorus:
"And I said "ha ha ha ha, you'll be so sorry! I got the last laugh on
you!"
x2

Near the end...
"Up on the hill, near the Hollywood sign,
Is a great place to end the whole show.
I leave you a note, tied to my throat,
Then I jump from the top of the 'O.' "
repeat chorus 4x?

Does anyone have any idea what this is?
Please help!
Tom

[Jeff Morris]

Post by Tom
I had always thought this was a late '70s Ray Stevens song about
killing yourself after being dumped or cheated on...thought it was
pretty odd. But I loved it as a kid and wore the 45 record out.
[...]
"And I said "ha ha ha ha, you'll be so sorry! I got the last laugh on
you!"

There's a song on Ray Stevens's Shriner's Convention LP called "The Last
Laugh" that I'm sure is what you're looking for. I don't think that LP
has come out on CD. Maybe that song was the B-side of the "Shriner's
Convention" 45?

[Tom]

Post by Jeff Morris

Post by Tom
I had always thought this was a late '70s Ray Stevens song about
killing yourself after being dumped or cheated on...thought it was
pretty odd. But I loved it as a kid and wore the 45 record out.
[...]
"And I said "ha ha ha ha, you'll be so sorry! I got the last laugh on
you!"

There's a song on Ray Stevens's Shriner's Convention LP called "The Last
Laugh" that I'm sure is what you're looking for. I don't think that LP
has come out on CD. Maybe that song was the B-side of the "Shriner's
Convention" 45?

That jogs my memory a bit--I remember having the Shriner's 45, so it
may be what I'm looking for. As luck has it, Ray's site doesn't have
the Last Laugh lyrics, and I can't find them anywhere else on the net.
I tried Amazon and B&Ns music sections to maybe hear a clip, but it's
not on the CDs. I can't even find a Shriner's Convention CD.
Ebay auctions turned up nil. Anyway, I don't have a record player
anymore.
The "Last Laugh" album is out on CD, but oddly enough that song isn't
on it!
So, at least I may have a title. Would anyone out there be able to
confim this?

[R H Draney]

Post by Tom

Post by Jeff Morris

Post by Tom
I had always thought this was a late '70s Ray Stevens song about
killing yourself after being dumped or cheated on...thought it was
pretty odd. But I loved it as a kid and wore the 45 record out.
[...]
"And I said "ha ha ha ha, you'll be so sorry! I got the last laugh on
you!"

There's a song on Ray Stevens's Shriner's Convention LP called "The Last
Laugh" that I'm sure is what you're looking for. I don't think that LP
has come out on CD. Maybe that song was the B-side of the "Shriner's
Convention" 45?

That jogs my memory a bit--I remember having the Shriner's 45, so it
may be what I'm looking for. As luck has it, Ray's site doesn't have
the Last Laugh lyrics, and I can't find them anywhere else on the net.
I tried Amazon and B&Ns music sections to maybe hear a clip, but it's
not on the CDs. I can't even find a Shriner's Convention CD.
Ebay auctions turned up nil. Anyway, I don't have a record player
anymore.
The "Last Laugh" album is out on CD, but oddly enough that song isn't
on it!
So, at least I may have a title. Would anyone out there be able to
confim this?

I happen to have the LP, and from looking around I can confirm that it was never
released on CD...but someone about two months ago posted a bunch of Ray Stevens
on alt.binaries.mp3.comedy and this album was among that flood, so I've got an
MP3 of the song I didn't have to fire up the turntable to get...and it's very
definitely the song you listed the lyrics for in your original post...I'll take
the disk with me today to a place where I can get better bandwidth for uploading
than my dialup here at home and re-post just that track for you...watch for a
header starting "ATTN Tom:"...r

[t***@gmail.com]

I have been trying to figure this out for years too ! I always thought it was on the best of ray stevens album!!

[russ]

We may need just a little more information before we can try to help
you.
Russ

Post by t***@gmail.com
I have been trying to figure this out for years too ! I always thought it was on the best of ray stevens album!!

[RH Draney]

Post by russ

Post by t***@gmail.com
I have been trying to figure this out for years too ! I always thought it was on the best of ray stevens album!!

We may need just a little more information before we can try to help
you.

I checked Google Groups when this popped up yesterday...seems the
original thread was crossposted here from rec.music.rock-pop-r+b.1970s
in 2003...the thread in its original home identified the song wanted as
Ray's "The Last Laugh" from the Shriner's Convention album (apparently
still not available on CD)....r