{{Infobox song | name = Chippewa Town | cover = File:Chippewa Town Single by Ed Ames.png | caption = 1970 vinyl record for commercial use | alt = | type = single | artist = [[Ed Ames]] | album = | B-side = Sing Away the World | released = June 1970 | recorded = | studio = RCA's Music Center of the World, [[Hollywood, California]] | venue = | genre = {{hlist|[[Pop folk|Folk-pop]]<ref name="Cashbox Review" />|[[easy listening]]<ref name="EasyListening" />|[[country music|country]]<ref name="Country" />}} | length = 2:44 | label = [[RCA Victor Records|RCA Victor]] | writer = {{hlist|[[Howard Greenfield]] | [[Neil Sedaka]]}} | producer = [[Jim Foglesong]] | prev_title = [[Think Summer]] | prev_year = 1970 | next_title = Sweet, Sweet Reason | next_year = 1970 }}
"'''Chippewa Town'''" is a 1970 song written by [[Howard Greenfield]] and [[Neil Sedaka]]. It was most notably performed by [[Ed Ames]], who released it as a single in mid 1970. His version reached the US adult-oriented charts and received a positive reception. Another version was released by actor [[Lon Satton]] in April 1971.
== Background and release == American singer [[Ed Ames]] enjoyed brief pop success in 1967 and 1968, charting several singles.<ref name="CashboxCharts2" /> As sales decreased he switched his style to message songs in 1969 with "[[Changing, Changing]]" and the LP ''[[A Time for Living, a Time for Hope]]''.<ref name="Billboard Review">{{cite magazine |title=Album Reviews: A Billboard Pick |magazine=[[Billboard (magazine)|Billboard]] |date=February 22, 1969 |page=51 |url=https://www.worldradiohistory.com/hd2/IDX-Business/Music/Billboard-Index/IDX/1969/Billboard%201969-02-22-OCR-Page-0051.pdf#search=%22a%20time%20for%20living%20a%20time%20for%20hope%20ed%20ames%22 |access-date=May 24, 2026}}</ref> In mid 1970 Ames changed his song style again, choosing Sedaka's "Chippewa Town" for his next single.<ref name="Liner Notes" /> The song was noted by critics as "offer[ing] a contemporary semi-folk glimpse of the present state of the redman."<ref name="Record World Review2">{{cite magazine|url=https://www.worldradiohistory.com/Archive-All-Music/Record-World/60s/69/Record-World-1969-11-01.pdf |title=Record World Singles Reviews: "Four Stars" (Second Review of "Leave Them a Flower") |magazine=[[Record World]] |volume=24 |issue=1168 |page=8 |date=June 13, 1970 |access-date=May 24, 2026 |via=worldradiohistory.com}}</ref> Before the Indian-themed song, Ames had already acted in a few shows with the same topic, notably 1964's [[Daniel Boone (1964 TV series)|''Daniel Boone'']].<ref name="Cashbox Review" />
The single was produced by [[Jim Foglesong]], and arranged by [[Perry Botkin Jr.]]. The [[B-side]] written by [[Barry Mann]] and Andy Badale became the title track for his subsequent album ''[[Sing Away the World]]'', while "Chippewa Town" remained a non-album track.<ref name="Liner Notes">{{cite journal |last1=Ames |first1=Ed |title="Chippewa Town"/"Sing Away the World" (7" single Information) |journal=[[RCA Records|RCA Victor]] |date=June 1970 |id=47-9864}}</ref> The song received programming from [[easy listening]] and [[country music|country]] radio stations in the summer of 1970, and was a pick for adult-oriented stations.<ref name="Country">{{cite magazine |title=Programming Aids (Country) |magazine=[[Billboard (magazine)|Billboard]] |date=July 18, 1970 |page=23 |url=https://www.worldradiohistory.com/hd2/IDX-Business/Music/Billboard-Index/IDX/1970/1970-07-18-Billboard-Page-0040.pdf#search=%22chippewa%20town%20ed%20ames%22 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20260524111747/https://www.worldradiohistory.com/hd2/IDX-Business/Music/Billboard-Index/IDX/1970/1970-07-18-Billboard-Page-0040.pdf#search=%22chippewa%20town%20ed%20ames%22 |archive-date=May 24, 2026 |access-date=May 24, 2026}}</ref>
== Critical reception == {{Music ratings | rev1 = [[Billboard (magazine)|''Billboard'']] | rev1Score = ''Positive'' (Spotlight)<ref name="Billboard Review Single" /> | rev2 = [[Cashbox (magazine)|''Cashbox'']] | rev2Score = ''Positive'' (Pick of the Week)<ref name="Cashbox Review" /> | rev3 = ''[[Record World]]'' | rev3Score = ''Positive'' (Sleeper of the Week)<ref name="Record World Review" /> }}
The single received a positive critical reception upon its release. ''[[Cashbox (magazine)|Cashbox]]'' believed that the single was "Right in line with the Indian image he has presented on TV."<ref name="Cashbox Review">{{Cite magazine |last= Albert |first= George |date=June 13, 1970 |title=Record Reviews: ''Picks of the Week'' |url=https://www.worldradiohistory.com/Archive-All-Music/Cash-Box/70s/1970/CB-1970-06-13.pdf |magazine=[[Cash Box|Cashbox]] |issue=40 |volume=XXX |page=26 |access-date=May 24, 2026 |via=worldradiohistory.com}}</ref> ''[[Record World]]'' put the single in its "Sleepers of the Week" section, saying that "Ames sings about American Indian life", and that the "star will do well with this song".<ref name="Record World Review">{{cite magazine|url=https://www.worldradiohistory.com/Archive-All-Music/Record-World/70s/70/RW-1970-06-13.pdf |title=Record World Singles Reviews: "Sleepers of the Week" |magazine=[[Record World]] |volume=25 |issue=1200 |page=1 |date=June 13, 1970 |access-date=May 19, 2026 |via=worldradiohistory.com}}</ref> They said that it "is sure to add some new fans to his already vast following."<ref name="Record World Review2" /> ''[[Billboard (magazine)|Billboard]]'' magazine stated that "Potent [[ballad]] material from the pen of Neil Sedaka and Howard Greenfield is served up in an exceptional and commercial performance by Ames." They believed that there was "Much sales and chart potential here!"<ref name="Billboard Review Single">{{cite magazine | date= June 13, 1970 | title= Singles Reviews: Special Merit Spotlight | url= https://www.worldradiohistory.com/Archive-All-Music/Billboard/70s/1970/Billboard%201970-06-13.pdf | magazine= [[Billboard (magazine)|Billboard]] | page= 84 | volume= 82 | issue= 24 | access-date= May 24, 2026}}</ref>
== Chart performance == "Chippewa Town" became a minor easy-listening success while missing the [[Billboard Hot 100|pop charts]].<ref name="CashboxCharts2">{{Cite book |last=Downey |first=Pat |url=https://archive.org/details/cashboxpopsingle00down/page/6/mode/2up |title=Cash box pop singles charts, 1950-1993 |date=1994 |publisher=Libraries Unlimited |isbn=1-56308-316-7 |location=Englewood, Colo. |pages=6 |url-access=registration |access-date=May 14, 2026}}</ref> It entered the ''[[Billboard (magazine)|Billboard]]'' [[Adult Contemporary (chart)|Easy Listening]] chart in the issue dated June 27, 1970, reaching number 36 during a three-week run on it.<ref name="EasyListening">{{Cite book |last=Whitburn |first=Joel |url=https://archive.org/details/joelwhitburnpres0000whit/page/10/mode/2up |title=Joel Whitburn presents Billboard top adult songs, 1961-2006 |date=2007 |publisher=Menomonee Falls, Wis. : Record Research Inc. |isbn=978-0-89820-169-7 |pages=10 |url-access=registration |access-date=May 24, 2026}}</ref> It debuted on the ''[[Record World]]'' Top Non-Rock chart in the issue dated July 18, 1970, peaking at number 33 during a one-week appearance on it.<ref name="Record World Chart">{{cite magazine|url=https://www.worldradiohistory.com/Archive-All-Music/Record-World/70s/70/RW-1970-07-18.pdf |title=Record World Singles Chart: Top Non-Rock |magazine=[[Record World]] |volume=25 |issue=1205 |page=38 |date=July 18, 1970 |access-date=May 24, 2026 |via=worldradiohistory.com}}</ref> It was his final charting single.<ref name="EasyListening" />
== Charts == {| class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center" |- |+Chart peaks for "Chippewa Town" by Ames |- ! Chart (1970) ! Peak<br />position |- ! scope="row" | US [[Adult Contemporary (chart)|''Billboard'' Easy Listening]]<ref name="EasyListening" /> | style="text-align:center;"|36 |- ! scope="row" | US [[Record World|''Record World'' Top Non-Rock]]<ref name="Record World Chart" /> | style="text-align:center;"|33 |- |} ==References== {{reflist}}
{{Ed Ames}}
{{authority control}}
[[Category:1970 songs]] [[Category:1970 singles]] [[Category:1971 singles]] [[Category:RCA Victor singles]] [[Category:Ed Ames songs]]