Jimmy Dean painted heroic portrait

Big Joh ... Big Johhhn ... Big Bad John."

Jimmy Dean's passing Sunday at 81 brought that lyric back to mind and some good memories.

Growing up in Brooklyn, N.Y., and buying 45 RPMs at the record store for less than a buck is one of them.

"Big John ... Big Johhhn ... Big Bad John."

If "Big Bad John," Dean's 1961 hit wasn't the first 45 RPM record I bought as a kid, it was among the first.

"PT 109," his 1962 hit about JFK's World War II heroism, was part of that collection.

Think I played "Big John" so much the needle cut a  groove in it.

I loved that song.

The lyrics painted a big portrait for a kid like me.

A heroic portrait.

"He stood 6 foot 6 and weighed 245

"Kinda broad at the shoulder and narrow at the hip

"And everybody knew ya didn't give no lip to Big John."

It's funny to read how Dean became better known for his sausages than his music.

Not to me.