| "Barbara-Ann" | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 Side A of the US single | ||||
| Single bythe Regents | ||||
| from the album Barbara-Ann | ||||
| B-side | "I'm So Lonely" | |||
| Released | March 1961 (1961-03) | |||
| Recorded | 1958 (1958) | |||
| Genre | ||||
| Length | 2:15 | |||
| Label | Gee | |||
| Songwriter | Fred Fassert | |||
| Producer | Louis Cicchetti | |||
| The Regents singles chronology | ||||
| ||||
"Barbara Ann" is a song written byFred Fassert that was first recorded bythe Regents as "Barbara-Ann". Their version was released in 1961 and reached No.13 on theBillboard Hot 100 chart.[1] A more well-known version of the song was recorded bythe Beach Boys for their 1965 in-house live albumBeach Boys' Party! In December, "Barbara Ann" was issued as a single with the B-side "Girl Don't Tell Me", peaking at No. 2 in the U.S. and No. 3 in the UK.[1]
The Regents' original version was featured in the 1973 filmAmerican Graffiti and later included on thesoundtrack album. The Regents' version was ranked number 986 among the greatest singles ever made inDave Marsh's bookThe Heart of Rock & Soul (1989).[2]
| "Barbara Ann" | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 U.S. picture sleeve | ||||
| Single bythe Beach Boys | ||||
| from the albumBeach Boys' Party! | ||||
| B-side | "Girl Don't Tell Me" | |||
| Released | December 20, 1965 (1965-12-20) | |||
| Recorded | September 23, 1965 (1965-09-23)[3] | |||
| Studio | Western, Hollywood | |||
| Genre | Rock and roll,doo-wop | |||
| Length |
| |||
| Label | Capitol | |||
| Songwriter | Fred Fassert | |||
| Producer | Brian Wilson | |||
| The Beach Boys singles chronology | ||||
| ||||
| Licensed audio | ||||
| "Barbara Ann" onYouTube | ||||
The Beach Boys recorded their version in 1965. Dean Torrence ofJan and Dean is featured on lead vocals along withBrian Wilson. Torrence is not credited on the album, butCarl Wilson is heard saying "Thanks, Dean" at the song's conclusion.[4] Capitol'sAl Coury rush-released "Barbara Ann" as a single without informing the band, after the relatively poor performance of the group's previous disc, "The Little Girl I Once Knew".[5]
The song entered theBillboard Hot 100 chart the week ending January 1, 1966. The week ending January 29, the song leaped from No. 15 to No. 2 and was in position to replace "We Can Work It Out" bythe Beatles as the next No. 1 song. However, "My Love" byPetula Clark unexpectedly vaulted into the No. 1 position the week ending February 5, 1966. Consequently, "Barbara Ann" peaked at No. 2 on the USBillboard Hot 100 (No. 1 inCash Box andRecord World) and at No. 3 in the UK in January 1966. It also topped the charts in Germany, Switzerland and Norway. It was the Beach Boys' biggest hit in Italy, reaching No. 4.
Cash Box said the Beach Boys apply a "distinctive, easy-going style complete with plenty harmony and counterpoint portions".[6]Record World called it a "sweet Beach Boy tribute" to "that certain girl".[7]
Variations of the Beach Boys' version of the song have been released. A version without the party sound effects can be found on theHawthorne, CA album. The group sang the song as an encore on theirLive in London album. As a solo artist, Brian has a rendition on his live albumLive at the Roxy Theatre, and in 2001 performed it himself, with the ensemble, onAn All-Star Tribute to Brian Wilson.
In 1987, the group re-recorded the song as "Here Come the Cubs" with re-written lyrics about theChicago Cubs.[8] It became the team's official theme that year, replacing "Go, Cubs, Go".[9]
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The Who recorded "Barbara Ann" on theReady Steady WhoEP in 1966.[10]
The song was performed live on 27 July 1977 in rehearsals atShepperton Studios for the filmThe Kids Are Alright withKeith Moon on vocals. Moon, a massive Beach Boys fan but a notoriously limited singer, plays and sings much to the delight of his fellow band members.[11][12]
The song was parodied as "Bomb Iran" by various musicians, includingVince Vance and the Valiants, during the 1979Iran hostage crisis.[13]
On April 17, 2007, at an appearance inMurrells Inlet, South Carolina during the 2008 presidential election campaign, U.S. SenatorJohn McCain responded to a question from an audience member about military action against Iran by referring to "That old, eh, that old Beach Boys song, 'Bomb Iran'," and then singing the parody chorus, "Bomb, bomb, bomb, bomb, anyway, ah ..."[14]
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Weekly charts
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