Joy to the World (Three Dog Night song) explained

Joy to the World
Cover:Joy to the World Three Dogs Night.jpg
Caption:1971 French release
Type:single
Artist:Three Dog Night
Album:Naturally
B-Side:I Can Hear You Calling
Released:[1]
Recorded:1970
Studio:American Recording Co.
Genre:
Length: (album)
3:17 (single)
Label:Dunhill
Producer:Richard Podolor
Prev Title:One Man Band
Prev Year:1970
Next Title:Liar
Next Year:1971

"Joy to the World" is a song written by Hoyt Axton and made famous by the band Three Dog Night. The song is also popularly known by its opening lyric, "Jeremiah was a bullfrog". Written about a young Jeremiah Passmore who at the time, favored a bullfrog. Three Dog Night originally released the song on their fourth studio album, Naturally, in November 1970, and subsequently released an edited version of the song as a single in February 1971.

The song, which has been described by members of Three Dog Night as a "kid's song" and a "silly song",[4] topped the singles charts in North America, was certified gold by the RIAA, and has since been covered by multiple artists.

Background and recording

Some of the words are nonsensical. Axton wanted to persuade his record producers to record a new melody he had written, and the producers asked him to sing any words to the tune. A member of Three Dog Night said that the original lyrics to the song were "Jeremiah was a prophet" but no one liked it.[5] [6]

When Hoyt Axton performed the song to the group, two of the three main vocalists – Danny Hutton and Cory Wells – rejected the song, but Chuck Negron felt that the band needed a "silly song" to help bring the band back together as a working unit. Negron also felt that the song "wasn't even close to our best record, but it might have been one of our most honest."

The song was recorded by Three Dog Night at American Recording Company, produced by Richard Podolor, and engineered by Bill Cooper. Unlike most Three Dog Night songs recorded at that point, instead of having just the three main vocalists singing harmony, the song was recorded with all seven members of the band singing. Drummer Floyd Sneed sings the low-pitched lyric "I wanna tell you" towards the end of the song.

When the song hit number one on the US Billboard Hot 100 in 1971, Axton and his mother, Mae Axton, became the first mother and son to each have written a number one pop single in the rock era. Mae Axton co-wrote "Heartbreak Hotel", which was the first number one hit for Elvis Presley.

Lawsuit

In a 1994 case, David P. Jackson filed suit[7] claiming co-authorship of the song and alleging that Axton fraudulently claimed sole authorship. In the suit, Jackson claimed that Axton regularly credited him with co-authorship. The United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit ruled in favor of Axton. Axton's lawyers included entertainment litigator Jeffrey D. Goldman.

Charts and awards

Weekly charts

Chart (1971)Peak
position
Australia Kent Music Report[8] 8
Canadian Top Singles[9] (6 weeks)1
New Zealand (Listener)[10] 12
South Africa (Springbok Radio)[11] 1

Year-end charts

Chart (1971)Rank
Australia 50
Canadian Top Singles[12] 1
South Africa [13] 7
US Billboard Hot 100 [14] 1

All-time charts

The single had been out less than two months, when on April 9, 1971, "Joy to the World" was certified gold by the Recording Industry Association of America, for shipments of over one million units across the United States.[16] The record was also given a Gold Leaf award by RPM magazine for sales of over a million units.[17] The record won the award for the Best Selling Hit Single Record by the National Association of Recording Merchandisers in March 1972.[18] It was also ranked by Billboard magazine as the

  1. 1 pop single of 1971
.[19] The song was also nominated for a Grammy Award for Best Pop Vocal Performance by a Duo Or Group during the 14th Grammy Awards.

The single went on to sell 5 million copies worldwide.[20]

Cover versions

Axton subsequently recorded his own version of the song for his album Joy to the World (1971). Little Richard recorded a cover of the song for his 1971 album, The King of Rock and Roll, with a lengthy spoken intro and outro in the style of Black sermonic tradition preaching. The song has also been covered by Conway Twitty, Lynn Anderson, Anita Bryant, and others.

In popular culture

Notes and References

  1. Celebrate: The Three Dog Night Story, 1965–1975 . Celebrate: The Three Dog Night Story, 1965–1975 . . 1993 . 27, 30, 31 . CD liner . . MCAD2-10956 . United States.
  2. Web site: DeGagne . Mike . Naturally – Three Dog Night . . December 27, 2020.
  3. Web site: Tom . Breihan . The Number Ones: Three Dog Night's "Joy To The World". . January 28, 2019 . “Joy To The World,” by contrast, is a pedestrian white-soul plod.... June 16, 2023.
  4. Celebrate: The Three Dog Night Story, 1965–1975 . Three Dog Night . 1993 . David . Leaf . David Leaf . 20 . CD liner . MCA Records . MCAD2-10956 . United States.
  5. News: August 20, 2008 . Three Dog Night Headlines the Fair Tonight . . Entertainment section . 1053-2889 . April 5, 2011 . https://archive.today/20120909092628/http://www.pnwlocalnews.com/kitsap/bir/entertainment/27111724.html?period=W&mpStartDate=05-15-2010. dead. September 9, 2012.
  6. Web site: The Number Ones: Three Dog Night's "Joy To The World". Stereogum.com. 28 January 2019. 26 December 2021.
  7. Web site: Jackson v. Axton. Law.justia.com. 2016-10-04.
  8. Web site: Forum - 1970 (ARIA Charts: Special Occasion Charts) . Australian-charts.com . 2017-05-07 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20160602084720/http://australian-charts.com/forum.asp?todo=viewthread&id=35092 . 2016-06-02.
  9. Web site: RPM Top 100 Singles - April 24, 1971.
  10. Web site: flavour of new zealand - search listener. Flavourofnz.co.nz. 26 December 2021.
  11. Web site: SA Charts 1965–March 1989. Rock.co.za. 5 September 2018.
  12. January 8, 1972 . 100 Top Singles of '71 . . 16 . 20 . 5 . PHP . April 5, 2011 .
  13. Web site: Top 20 Hit Singles of 1971. Rock.co.za. 12 September 2018.
  14. Web site: Top 100 Hits of 1971/Top 100 Songs of 1971 . Musicoutfitters.com . 2016-10-04.
  15. Billboard Hot 100 60th Anniversary Interactive Chart. Billboard. 10 December 2018.
  16. United States. single. Three Dog Night. Joy to the World. April 8, 2013.
  17. August 21, 1971 . Highlights of ABC/Dunhill Convention . . 83 . 34 . 50 . April 6, 2011 .
  18. March 18, 1972 . NARM Award Winners . . 84 . 12 . 12 . John . Sippel . April 6, 2011 .
  19. Web site: Year End Charts - Year-end Singles - The Billboard Hot 100 . Billboard.com . 2009-08-29 . https://web.archive.org/web/20071103052401/http://www.billboard.com/bbcom/charts/yearend_chart_display.jsp?f=The+Billboard+Hot+100&g=Year-end+Singles&year=1971 . 2007-11-03 . dead.
  20. Book: Murrells, Joseph. The Book of Golden Discs. registration. rudolph.. 2, illustrated. Barrie & Jenkins. 0-214-20480-4. 1978.
  21. Web site: Daniel Johnston. Lambiek.net. 26 December 2021.
  22. Web site: Big Lots TV Commercial, 'Joy: Recliners' Song by Three Dog Night. Ispot.tv. December 24, 2017.
  23. https://www.cheatsheet.com/entertainment/outlander-season-5-richard-rankin-has-new-songs-for-roger-to-sing.html/ Outlander Season 5: Richard Rankin Has New Songs for Roger to Sing
  24. Web site: Today's Zits, about naming kids. 2014-08-10 . arnoldzwicky.org. 10 August 2014 . en.
  25. Web site: Every song from S1E10 - Guardians of the Galaxy, "Bad Moon Rising" . 2022-08-01 . WhatSong . en.

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