At the 1963 Grammy Awards, an unexpected album won the most coveted award of the year. The First Family was a comedy album written by Bob Booker and Earle Doud and performed by Vaughn Meader which poked fun at the Kennedys, colloquially known as America’s royal family. JFK was president at the time, but the album was still a hit.
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The First Family was the first, and so far the only, comedy or spoken word album to win Album of the Year at the Grammys. At the time, it was the fastest selling record in the history of the industry, making it to No. 1 on the Billboard 200 and staying there for 12 weeks.
A mighty feat for work that essentially teased the President of the United States. But, apparently, it was recognized as being all in good fun. Seemingly, it helps to have a sense of humor in politics.
The album gained so much popularity due to massive airplay. WINS, a New York AM radio station, played it profusely. It became so popular that it sold 7.5 million copies in its first year. Unprecedented for any album in the 1960s, but a comedy album? Almost unheard of.
Satirical Comedy Album About the Kennedys Gained Massive Popularity Despite Initial Opposition
When The First Family was in production, many opposed the idea of a comedy album parodying the president. JFK was generally a beloved political figure, even in his own time, and some felt that the record would be in poor taste.
Specifically, ABC-Paramount Records executive James Hagerty felt that the album would be “degrading the presidency” and that “every Communist country in the world would love this record.”
Instead, America loved it. People were reciting their favorite lines and eating up the lore they learned about the Kennedys. The material referenced the Kennedys’ athleticism and family togetherness, JFK’s rocking chairs and Jackie Kennedy’s decorating. Vaughn Meader was also proficient at mimicking the president, as his own New England accent was similar to JFK’s Harvard intonation.
Allegedly, the president himself gave the album as Christmas gifts, according to a recollection in an obituary for Meader. Once, JFK greeted a Democratic National Committee by saying, “Vaughn Meader was busy tonight, so I came myself.”
Safe to say, not only did the American public love the good-natured ribbing of one of the country’s most powerful families, but the family itself was in on the joke. However, after JFK’s assassination, the album and its sequel were pulled from shelves and destroyed out of respect. They remained out of print until a 1999 reissue.
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