On This Day: Hank Jr. & The Simpsons Team for Hilarious “Canyonero” Jingle
It’s rare that a fake commercial in a cartoon becomes so iconic that it embeds itself into popular culture, but that’s what happened when Hank Williams Jr. teamed up with long-running animated series The Simpsons to launch the fictional “Canyonero” sport utility vehicle.
Episode 15 of Season 9 of The Simpsons titled “The Last Temptation of Krust” originally aired on February 22nd, 1998, and featured a commercial jingle for the Canyonero as famous Simpsons character Krusty The Clown gives Bart Simpson a ride. As the vehicle snakes through rugged Southwestern canyons, Hank Jr. can be heard singing…
“Can you name the truck with four wheel drive, Smells like a steak and seats thirty five? Canyonero! Canyonero! Well, it goes real slow with the hammer down, It’s the country-fried truck endorsed by a clown, Canyonero! Canyonero!”
The writers and producers of The Simpsons thought the premise of The Canyonero and the commercial was so hilarious, they decided to extend it and add the rest to the end of the episode.
“12 yards long, 2 lanes wide, 65 tons of American pride! Canyonero! Canyonero! Top of the line in utility sports, Unexplained fires are a matter for the courts! Canyonero! Canyonero! She blinds everybody with her super high beams, She’s a squirrel-squashin’, deer smackin’ drivin’ machine, Canyonero! Canyonero! Canyonero! Whoa, Canyonero!”
The Canyonero’s debut in 1998 was also the first appearance of Hank Williams Jr. on the animated series. The reception was so positive from the audience, The Canyonero became an official part of The Simpsons universe, and Hank Jr. was invited back a second time to appear in Season 10, Episode 15 called “Marge Simpson in: “Screaming Yellow Honkers,” first airing 25 years ago today, February 21st, 1999. In this episode, Homer buys a Canyonero and it becomes the central theme of the story.
The Canyonero would go on to make numerous other appearances in The Simpsons, including on Billboards and such throughout the series. But it was the barrel-chested voice of Hank Jr. and the writing of The Simpsons staff that sent the Canyonero into American comedic lore.
February 21, 2024 @ 12:25 pm
When you posted your article on Silverada and folks were commenting on the Silverado, I was singing this Canyanero jingle in my head. I had no idea Hank Jr was a part of it.
February 21, 2024 @ 3:33 pm
Incredible! I never knew this or heard the song. But, I also never intentionally watched an episode of The Simpsons. Strange bedfellows I must admit.
February 21, 2024 @ 4:41 pm
90’s Simpsons was peak television.
February 21, 2024 @ 5:46 pm
It was. I don’t watch it anymore, but the first 15 years were so good.
February 21, 2024 @ 6:20 pm
I used to watch the Tracy Ullman show just to see the shorts. Then they launched the full show on Sunday night in December, 1989 (along with It’s Garry Shandling’s Show, joined by In Living Color in the spring). Unfortunately all I owned was a 12″ black & white TV (ironic considering I was watching a cartoon and a show called In Living Color).
Those first ten seasons were as good as any sitcom I’ve seen. My favorite is the softball episode. Best corporate softball team ever assembled.
February 21, 2024 @ 8:22 pm
I remember watching TV on 80’s CRT TV’s when I was a kid in the 90’s and it was all there was. I own 10+ vintage TV’s now because I like that warm glow of a CRT for a movie (or youtube video thru Chromecast)
February 22, 2024 @ 1:47 am
Had no idea this was Bocephus!
February 22, 2024 @ 5:44 am
I had to check it out on YouTube as I stopped watching the Simpsons after the first 4-5 seasons.
Definitely a funny moment. Something Bocephus would have totally been fine with by 1998.
February 22, 2024 @ 8:21 am
Homer: [goes to use the toilet, stops himself] Whoops! Sorry, son — I didn’t know you, Jay Leno and monkey were bathing a clown.
Krusty: Well, they are. So make with the loofah or get out!
Love this episode… xD
February 22, 2024 @ 10:29 am
I’d loved to see what The Simpsons Hank Jr. character would look like .
February 22, 2024 @ 11:29 am
Canyonero was formerly Mike and the Moonpies, right?
February 22, 2024 @ 6:50 pm
Lurleen opened for them.
February 23, 2024 @ 7:45 am
Hopefully she sang her hits like Your Wife Don’t Understand You, Bagged Me a Homer and Bunk With Me Tonight and Stand By Your Manager. I hate when artists don’t play their hits.
Easy to see why Homer’s boyhood dream was to manage a beautiful country music singer.
February 22, 2024 @ 7:11 pm
Love novelty songs that are performed as a serious work and Canyonero ranks pretty high.