Barbara Ann
| "Barbara-Ann" | |
|---|---|
| Single by The Regents | |
| B-side | "I'm So Lonely" |
| Released | 1961 |
| Format | 7" vinyl |
| Recorded | 1961 |
| Genre | Doo-wop |
| Label | Gee |
| Writer(s) | Fred Fassert |
| Producer(s) | Louis Cicchetti |
"Barbara Ann" is a song written by Fred Fassert that was first recorded by the Regents as "Barbara-Ann". Their version was released in 1961 and reached #13 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. The most famous cover version was recorded in 1965 by the Beach Boys, issued as a single from their album Beach Boys' Party! with the B-side "Girl Don't Tell Me".
The Beach Boys version
| "Barbara Ann" | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Single by The Beach Boys | ||||
| from the album Beach Boys' Party! | ||||
| B-side | "Girl Don't Tell Me" | |||
| Released | December 20, 1965 | |||
| Format | 7" vinyl | |||
| Recorded |
September 23, 1965 United Western Recorders, Hollywood, California | |||
| Genre | Rock and roll, doo-wop | |||
| Length |
| |||
| Label | Capitol 5561 | |||
| Writer(s) | Fred Fassert | |||
| Producer(s) | Brian Wilson | |||
| The Beach Boys singles chronology | ||||
| ||||
The Beach Boys recorded their version on September 23, 1965, five days after actress and model Barbara Anne Feldon made her first television appearance on Get Smart. Dean Torrence of Jan & Dean is featured on lead vocals along with Brian Wilson. Torrance is not credited on the album, but Carl Wilson is heard saying "Thanks, Dean" at the song's conclusion.[1]
The song entered the Billboard Hot 100 chart the week ending January 1, 1966. The week ending January 29, the song leaped from #15 to #2 and was in position to replace "We Can Work It Out" by The Beatles as the next #1 song. However, "My Love" by Petula Clark unexpectedly vaulted into the #1 position the week ending February 5, 1966. Consequently, "Barbara Ann" peaked at #2 in the US Billboard Hot 100 (#1 in Cash Box and Record World) and at #3 in the UK in January 1966.[2] It also topped the charts in Germany, Switzerland and Norway. It was The Beach Boys' biggest hit in Italy, reaching #4.
Variations of the Beach Boys' recording have seen release. A version without the party sound effects can be found on the Hawthorne, CA album. The group sang the song as an encore on their Live in London album. As a solo artist, Brian has a rendition on his live album Live at the Roxy Theatre, and in 2001, performed it himself, with the ensemble, on An All-Star Tribute to Brian Wilson.
In 1987, the group re-recorded the song as "Here Come the Cubs" with re-written lyrics about the Chicago Cubs.[3] It became the team's official theme that year, replacing "Go, Cubs, Go".[4]
Personnel
- The Beach Boys
- Al Jardine: backing vocals, guitar
- Bruce Johnston: backing vocals
- Mike Love: backing vocals
- Brian Wilson: lead vocals, bass
- Carl Wilson: backing vocals, guitar
- Dennis Wilson: backing vocals
- Additional musicians and production staff
- Hal Blaine: "his famous ashtray"
- Dean Torrence: lead vocals
Chart positions
| Chart | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Austrian Singles Chart[5] | 1 |
| Belgian Singles Chart[6] | 11 |
| Dutch Albums Chart[7] | 17 |
| German Singles Chart[8] | 1 |
| Italian Singles Chart[9] | 5 |
| Norwegian Singles Chart[10] | 1 |
| Swiss Singles Chart | 1 |
| UK Singles Chart[11] | 3 |
| US Billboard Hot 100[2] | 2 |
Other versions
- 1962 – Jan & Dean
- 1966 – The Who, Ready Steady Who
- 1975 – Martin Cicus (as "Marylène", with French lyrics)
- 1989 – Blind Guardian, Follow the Blind
"Bomb Iran"
The song was parodied as "Bomb Iran" by various musicians, including Vince Vance and the Valiants, during the 1979 Iran hostage crisis.[12]
"Banana Song"
A parody of the song, known as the Banana Song, was performed by the Minions from the Despicable Me film franchise in the viral promotion for Despicable Me 2.
References
- ↑ Show 20 - Forty Miles of Bad Road: Some of the best from rock 'n' roll's dark ages. [Part 1] : UNT Digital Library
- 1 2 "The Beach Boys - Chart History". Billboard.com. Retrieved 19 October 2014.
- ↑ BEACH BOYS - Here Come The Cubs (1987 Cubs Radio Theme Song)
- ↑ Zarefsky, Marc (October 5, 2007). "'Go, Cubs, Go' a staple in Chicago". MLB.com. Major League Baseball Advanced Media, L.P. Retrieved September 12, 2016.
- ↑ "austriancharts.at The Beach Boys – Barbara Ann". Hung Medien (in German). Archived from the original (ASP) on October 18, 2014. Retrieved April 14, 2013.
- ↑ "ultratop.be The Beach Boys – Barbara Ann" (ASP). Hung Medien. Ultratop. Retrieved August 23, 2012.
- ↑ "dutchcharts.nl The Beach Boys – Barbara Ann". Hung Medien. MegaCharts. Archived from the original (ASP) on November 8, 2012. Retrieved April 14, 2013.
- ↑ "German Singles Charts". mountvernonandfairway.de. Retrieved 13 November 2007.
- ↑ "Italian Singles Charts". mountvernonandfairway.de. Retrieved 13 November 2007.
- ↑ "norwegiancharts.com The Beach Boys – Barbara Ann". Hung Medien. VG-lista. Archived from the original (ASP) on March 7, 2016. Retrieved April 14, 2013.
- ↑ "Beach Boys". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 13 June 2013.
- ↑ Declain McCullagh (April 22, 2007). McCain's 'Bomb Iran' song was anti-Muslim? News.com. Accessed 2007-11-05.
