| Barbara-Ann | |
| Type: | single |
| Artist: | the Regents |
| Album: | Barbara-Ann |
| B-Side: | I'm So Lonely |
| Label: | Gee 1065 |
| Producer: | Louis Cicchetti |
| Next Title: | Runaround |
| Next Year: | 1961 |
"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 No.13 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. A more well-known version of the song was recorded by the Beach Boys for their 1965 in-house live album Beach 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. The Regents' original version was featured in the 1973 film American Graffiti and later included on the soundtrack album.
| Barbara Ann | |
| Cover: | Beach Boys - Barbara Ann.jpg |
| Caption: | U.S. picture sleeve |
| Type: | single |
| Artist: | the Beach Boys |
| Album: | Beach Boys' Party! |
| B-Side: | Girl Don't Tell Me |
| Released: | 1965 |
| Recorded: | 1965 |
| Studio: | Western, Hollywood |
| Genre: | Rock and roll, doo-wop |
| Label: | Capitol |
| Producer: | Brian Wilson |
| Prev Title: | The Little Girl I Once Knew |
| Prev Year: | 1965 |
| Next Title: | Sloop John B |
| Next Year: | 1966 |
The Beach Boys recorded their version in 1965. Dean Torrence of Jan and Dean is featured on lead vocals along with Brian Wilson. Torrence is not credited on the album, but Carl Wilson is heard saying "Thanks, Dean" at the song's conclusion.[1] Capitol's Al 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".[2]
The song entered the Billboard Hot 100 chart the week ending January 1, 1966. The week ending January 29, the song leaped from to and was in position to replace "We Can Work It Out" by The Beatles as the next song. However, "My Love" by Petula Clark unexpectedly vaulted into the position the week ending February 5, 1966. Consequently, "Barbara Ann" peaked at on the US Billboard Hot 100 (in Cash Box and Record World) and at 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 .
Cash Box said the Beach Boys apply a "distinctive, easy-going style complete with plenty harmony and counterpoint portions."[3] Record World called it a "sweet Beach Boy tribute" to "that certain girl."[4]
Variations of the Beach Boys' version of the song have been released. 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. It became the team's official theme that year, replacing "Go, Cubs, Go".[5]
The Who recorded "Barbara Ann" on the Ready Steady Who EP in 1966.[6]
The song was performed live on 27 July 1977 in rehearsals at Shepperton Studios for the film The Kids Are Alright with Keith 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.[7] [8]
See main article: Bomb Iran. The song was parodied as "Bomb Iran" by various musicians, including Vince Vance and the Valiants, during the 1979 Iran hostage crisis.[9]
On April 17, 2007, at an appearance in Murrells Inlet, South Carolina during the 2008 presidential election campaign, U.S. Senator John 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 ..."[10]
Weekly charts
| Chart (1965–66) | Peak position | |
|---|---|---|
| Australia | 2 | |
| Austrian Singles Chart[11] | 1 | |
| Belgian Singles Chart[12] | 11 | |
| Canada RPM Top Singles[13] | 2 | |
| Finland (Soumen Virallinen)[14] | 19 | |
| Dutch Albums Chart[15] | 17 | |
| German Singles Chart | 2 | |
| New Zealand (Listener)[16] | 3 | |
| Swiss Singles Chart | 1 | |
| Norwegian Singles Chart[17] | 1 | |
| South Africa (Springbok Radio SA Top 20)[18] | 2 | |
| UK Singles Chart[19] | 3 | |
| US Billboard Hot 100[20] | 2 | |
| US Cash Box Top 100[21] | 1 |
Year-end charts
| Chart (1966) | Rank |
|---|---|
| US Billboard Hot 100[22] | 79 |
| US Cash Box[23] | 44 |
