| "Kokomo" | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 Spanish single artwork | ||||
| Single bythe Beach Boys | ||||
| from the albumCocktailandStill Cruisin' | ||||
| B-side | "Tutti Frutti" (performed byLittle Richard) | |||
| Released | July 8, 1988[1] | |||
| Recorded | March 22, April 5–6, 1988 | |||
| Genre | ||||
| Length | 3:35 | |||
| Label | ||||
| Songwriters | ||||
| Producer | Terry Melcher | |||
| The Beach Boys singles chronology | ||||
| ||||
| Music video | ||||
| "Kokomo" onYouTube | ||||
"Kokomo" is a song by the American rock bandthe Beach Boys from the 1988 filmCocktail and albumStill Cruisin'. Written byJohn Phillips,Scott McKenzie,Mike Love andTerry Melcher, the song was released as a single in July 1988 byElektra Records and became a number-one hit in the US and Australia. It was the band's first original top-20 single in 20 years, their first number-one hit in 22 years and their final top-40 hit.[6]
The lyrics describe two lovers taking a trip to a fictional place called Kokomo. Not much about it is described except for its location off theFlorida Keys and comparisons to other real destinations in theCaribbean islands such asAruba,Jamaica,Bahamas,Martinique andMontserrat, as well asKey Largo, Florida, and theNorth Atlantic island ofBermuda. BesidesKokomo, Indiana, USA, there have only been real-world places that assumed the name "Kokomo", inspired by the song; these include a Kokomo Beach at the Casa Marina Resort inKey West,[7] which is no longer called Kokomo Beach, and a Kokomo Beach on the island ofCuraçao,[8] which still bears the name.
The verse of the song came from a demo by John Phillips (formerly ofthe Mamas & the Papas) and Scott McKenzie (best known for his 1967 song "San Francisco (Be Sure to Wear Flowers in Your Hair)", which Phillips wrote). The Beach Boys' Mike Love added the chorus which lists the names of islands and suggested that Phillips change the lyrics from past tense to present tense, transforming the tone of the song from melancholic to inviting.[6]
"Kokomo" was recorded on March 22 and April 5–6, 1988, with production byTerry Melcher, who had previously produced the band's "Rock 'n' Roll to the Rescue" (1986) and "California Dreamin'" (1986).[9] It was created through overdubbing parts onto the band's demo for the song.[10]
The recording featured every current member of the group exceptBrian Wilson, who did not attend the sessions. In his 1991 memoirWouldn't It Be Nice: My Own Story, Brian Wilson claims he was unable to contribute to the song because he was committed to recording hisfirst solo album and his bandmates deliberately did not inform him of the session date until it was too late.[11] According to biographer Mark Dillon, "Available session-date information does not substantiate this claim, however."[11]
Mike Love stated that Brian was not on "Kokomo" becauseEugene Landy, Brian Wilson's therapist-turned-collaborator, refused to "let Brian sing on it unless Landy was a producer and co-writer," and Melcher did not "feel he needed Landy since he had produced some number-one records. It was pathetic of Landy to do that, but he controlled Brian completely at that time."[10] According to a 2018 article inStereogum, "When [Brian] first heard the song on the radio, he didn’t even recognize it as a Beach Boys tune."[6] The group later recorded a Spanish-language version of "Kokomo" with participation from Brian.[10]
The video for "Kokomo" was filmed at the then-recently openedGrand Floridian Resort atWalt Disney World in Florida. Although they had not played these instruments on the recording, Mike Love is holding a saxophone, Al Jardine is playing tambourine, Carl Wilson is playing guitar, and Bruce Johnston is playing bass, with touring drummer Mike Kowalski in his usual role, and actor and occasional Beach Boys live guestJohn Stamos is playing steel drum.[10]
In 2011,NME ranked the video as the 17th worst of all time, commenting, "It was as if Mike Love had taken the 'Beach Boys' name straight out of Brian Wilson's hands and we were forced to watch footage ofTom Cruise mixing upBloody Marys. Thanks guys."[12]
After being released as a single in 1988, the song was included on the soundtrack album for the movieCocktail as well as the 1989 Beach Boys albumStill Cruisin'.
"Kokomo" was nominated for theGrammy Award for Best Song Written Specifically for a Motion Picture or Television in 1988, but lost toPhil Collins's "Two Hearts" (from the filmBuster).[13][14][better source needed] In a tie vote, "Two Hearts" andCarly Simon's "Let the River Run" fromWorking Girl beat "Kokomo" for theGolden Globe Award for Best Original Song.[15]
Despite its commercial success, "Kokomo" has attracted mostly negative reviews from music writers.[16] Jimmy Guterman ofRolling Stone wrote that the song "sets the pattern for the new, passion-free songs" onStill Cruisin',[17] while theRolling Stone album guide called it a "joyless ditty".[18] In a 1998 piece, Steve Simels ofStereo described it as "insipid".[19]Blender stated the song was "perhaps most kindly described as a Beach Boys–influenced song with the Beach Boys singing on it".[20]Cash Box called it a "snappy little throw-back of a tune" with "a real islands-vibe andhooky chorus."[1]
Since its release, "Kokomo" has become notorious for its negative critical reception.[21] It has appeared on several worst songs of all time lists, such asBlender's top 50 worst songs,[22]Dallas Observer's ten worst songs by great artists,[23] andForbes' worst lyrics of all time.[24] Tom Breihan ofStereogum wrote: "Peoplehate 'Kokomo.' The Beach Boys' improbable late-career hit has a reputation as a monument to mediocrity. To this day, it serves as a textbook cautionary tale of a once-beloved group poisoning its own legacy and goodwill by making smarmy '80syuppie pablum."[21] In a retrospective dubbing the song the "worst summer song ever",MEL Magazine's Tim Grierson wrote: "A lot of us have taken immense delight in hating this 1988 smash."[25] Both Breihan and Grierson attribute their personal dislike of Mike Love as a possible factor for their negative opinion of the song.[21][25]
DrummerJim Keltner, who played on "Kokomo", attributed the critical disdain to the song being "just sooo syrupy pop ... But while the critics killed it with their words, they couldn't kill the 'hitness' of it. It's just a bona fide hit record, that's all there is to it."[16]
"Kokomo" was introduced to younger audiences when it was covered byJim Henson's Muppets on the albumMuppet Beach Party in 1993. The Beach Boys' lyrics were changed from "gave me a tropical contact high" to the more family-friendly phrase "under a tropical island sky" for the Muppets' rendition.
The Muppets characters, includingKermit the Frog, appeared in a music video for their rendition of the song, directed byBrian Henson and filmed in Los Angeles.
In 1988, the Beach Boys performed "Kokomo" and other songs on the sixth episode of season two of the American television sitcomFull House. This occurred due to their relationship withJohn Stamos, who played Uncle Jesse on the show, as well as the success of the song that year (with Stamos appearing in the video).[26]
3-inch CD single
7-inch single
12-inch maxi
Per Mark Dillon,[10] engineer Keith Wechsler,[27] and AllMusic.[28]
The Beach Boys
Additional musicians
Production staff
Weekly charts[edit]
| Year-end charts[edit]
|
| Region | Certification | Certified units/sales |
|---|---|---|
| Australia (ARIA)[56] | Platinum | 70,000^ |
| France (SNEP)[57] | Silver | 200,000* |
| New Zealand (RMNZ)[58] | 2× Platinum | 60,000‡ |
| United Kingdom (BPI)[59] | Silver | 200,000‡ |
| United States (RIAA)[60] | Platinum | 1,000,000^ |
* Sales figures based on certification alone. | ||
Citations
Bibliography
