Farmer John (song)

"Farmer John" is a song written by Don "Sugarcane" Harris and Dewey Terry, and first recorded by the two as the American R&B duo Don and Dewey, in 1959. Although the original version of the composition did not receive much attention, it was reinvigorated by the garage rock band the Premiers, whose raving cover version was released in 1964. The song's raw and partying atmosphere was immensely popular, reaching number 19 on the Billboard Hot 100. Following the group's national success, several additional interpretations of "Farmer John" were released, making the tune a classic of garage rock.

"Farmer John"
Single by Don and Dewey
B-side"Justine"
ReleasedFebruary 1959
Recorded1959
GenreR&B
Length2:30
LabelSpecialty
Songwriter(s)
Don and Dewey singles chronology
"Koko Joe"
(1958)		 "Farmer John"
(1959)		 "Fiddlin' the Blues"
(1959)

In 1965, Swedish rock band Hep Stars released a version of "Farmer John" that reached number one on the Swedish sales charts.

Original version

Don and Dewey penned "Farmer John", a simplistic tune about marrying a farmer's daughter, in early 1959, and first recorded their original rendition in January 1959.[1] The duo's R&B song was much more subdued than the Premiers' later interpretation, with hushed trumpet instrumentals providing backdrop to Don and Dewey's vocal harmonies. It was released as a single in February 1959 on Specialty Records; however, the song did not receive much attention and failed to chart.[2] "Farmer John", along with a number of the pair's material including "I'm Leaving It Up to You" and "Big Boy Pete", was recognized only when another artist covered the song.[3]

The Premiers version
"Farmer John"
Single by The Premiers
from the album Farmer John Live!
B-side"Duffy's Blues"
ReleasedMay 1964
Recorded1964, Stereo Masters, Hollywood, California
Genre
Length2:12
Label
  • Faro
  • Warner Bros.
Songwriter(s)
  • Harris
  • Terry
Producer(s)
The Premiers singles chronology
"Farmer John"
(1964)		 "Get Your Baby"
(1965)

Featuring brothers Lawrence Perez on lead guitar and John Perez on drums, the Premiers were established as many garage rock bands were, practicing in their garage. The group had the opportunity to record "Farmer John" when the mother of the brothers arranged an audition with record producer Billy Cardenas, who was instrumental in promoting several Chicano groups.[4] As Lawrence Perez recalled, Cardenas recommended to the Premiers to cover "Farmer John", saying "He wanted to do it more East L.A.-style, or 'Louie Louie'-type. At the time, the 'Louie Louie'-type rhythm and sound was happening, so we tried to base the beat and sound towards that".[5] As it so happens, "Louie Louie", had like "Farmer John" begun as a single released by a Los Angeles-based African-American R&B musical act (in this case Richard Berry), before the Kingsmen's classic rendition propelled to number two on the Billboard Hot 100. For that reason, the Premiers' cover was marked by the same kind of unpolished adolescence that garnered the Kingsmen national success.[5][6]

Although the band is credited with recording the song live at the Rhythm Room in Fullerton, California on the single's label, the Premiers actually entered Stereo Masters Studios in Hollywood to record "Farmer John". Cardenas delivers the unusual spoken word intro asking if anyone has seen "Kosher Pickle Harry", before the song breaks into a simplistic, but catchy, three-chord melody.[7] The key to closely resembling a live performance of "Farmer John" was supplied by members of the all-girl Chevelles Car Club, who provided the majority of the vibrant audience noise. Co-producer Eddie Davis, quoted in The West Coast East Side Sound, Volume 3 compilation album, recollected "We had a party at the studio and had all the kids come down. Everybody was having a good time and we put the record on -- in those days they had three-track recording -- and while everybody was having a party we recorded the crowd on top of it".[8] This live party sound was employed by Cardenas and Davis on an earlier recording, the Blendells cover of Little Stevie Wonder's "La La La La La," which reached number 62 on the national charts in 1964.[5]

"Farmer John" was originally released on Davis's independent record label, Faro Records, but was soon licensed by Warner Bros. Records, and distributed nationally in September 1964. It became the Premiers one and only Top 40 single, as it charted at number 19 on the Billboard Hot 100.[9] In the following month, the band appeared on the television program American Bandstand, where Dick Clark announced that the group would be featured on his Caravan of Stars national tour.[10] An alternate version of the song, which appears on the Premiers only album, Farmer John Live!, features crowd sounds that nearly drown out the vocals. Though further success eluded the group, "Farmer John" had become a staple in the repertoire of numerous garage rock bands, inspiring cover versions of the tune over the years.[11] In 1972, the composition was included on the well-known compilation Nuggets: Original Artyfacts from the First Psychedelic Era, 1965–1968.[12]

Personnel

Chart positions
Chart (1964) Peak

position

US Cash Box Top 100[13] 19
US Billboard Hot 100[14] 19

Hep Stars version
"Farmer John"
Single by the Hep Stars
B-side"Donna"
ReleasedMarch 1965
RecordedDecember 1964
StudioBorgarskolan, Stockholm
Genre
Length1:52
LabelOlga
Songwriter(s)
  • Harris
  • Terry
Producer(s)Åke Gerhard
The Hep Stars singles chronology
"Summertime Blues"
(1965)		 "Farmer John"
(1965)		 "Cadillac"
(1965)

Swedish rock band Hep Stars recorded "Farmer John" as a single in late 1964.[15] The band most likely did not derive their rendition of the song from The Premiers, which, despite being a sizable hit in the US, did not chart in Sweden. They presumably got their inspiration from British beat group the Searchers, who had recorded the track for their debut album Meet The Searchers in 1963.[16] Both covers are extremely similar to each other, with both featuring the drum-roll intro along with the distinct harmonies and vocalizations not found on the Premiers version.[17] Although the rendition heavily relies on the Searchers version of the track, the Hep Stars heard it through a Finnish rock band first before listening to other versions.[18] The Hep Stars version is notably much more quicker and raw than both previous counterparts.[18]

"Farmer John" originates in one consequtive six-hour recording session in late December 1964 when they cut three singles, "A Tribute to Buddy Holly", "Summertime Blues" and "Farmer John" along with their respective B-Sides, "Bird Dog", "If You Need Me" and "Donna".[19] However, none of these tracks would be issued for another approximately three months, with the exception of "A Tribute to Buddy Holly" which was released in February of that year.[20] "A Tribute To Buddy Holly" first failed to garner any attention, but after an appearance on Swedish television show Drop-In on the 23rd of March 1965 it quickly rose through the charts, peaking at number five on Kvällstoppen.[21] Following this, Olga Records rush-released three singles simultaneously in late March of 1965, those being "Summertime Blues", "Farmer John" and their rendition of "Brand New Cadillac", retitled "Cadillac" which had been recorded in February of that year.[22]

"Farmer John" entered Kvällstoppen on April 27th, at a position of number 10.[23] The following week it entered the top-5, at number 5.[23] It slowly progressed up the charts the following week, reaching number 4.[23] The week after it reached number 2.[23] On May 25, it had reached number 1, a position it held for 4 consecutive weeks before being replaced by "Bring It On Home to Me" by the Animals on June 22nd.[24] It exited the top-5 on July 6, and left the top-10 on the 20th.[23] It was last seen on August 24th at a position of 20, but later re-entered the chart four weeks later at number 18 for a week.[23] In total, the single spent 19 weeks on Kvällstoppen, of which 12 were in the top-10, 9 were in the top-5 and 4 were at number 1.[23] It fared similarly well on Tio I Topp as well, spending 12 weeks on that chart, reaching number one.[25]

Bruce Eder of AllMusic describes the song as a pale imitation of the Premiers original, but a satisfaction for their home-grown audience.[26] Although not issued on an album, it is featured on the 1996 remaster of the group's debut album We and Our Cadillac.[27] A live version was featured on their 1965 live album Hep Stars On Stage.[28]

Personnel
  • Svenne Hedlund – lead vocals
  • Christer Pettersson – drums, backing vocals
  • Janne Frisk – guitar, backing vocals
  • Benny Andersson – keyboards
  • Lennart Hegland – bass guitar

Chart positions
Chart (1965) Peak

position

Sweden (Kvällstoppen)[23] 1
Sweden (Tio I Topp)[25] 1
Norway (VG-lista)[29] 4

Other versions
  • In August 1963, the Searchers featured "Farmer John" on their debut album Meet the Searchers. The album peaked at number two on the UK Album Charts.[30]
  • Danish rock band the Defenders issued the song on their debut single on Sonet Records, in 1964.[31]
  • The Invictas' version of "Farmer John" was released on their album A-Go-Go, in 1965.[32]
  • Detroit-based garage rock group the Tidal Waves released the composition on their first single on SVR Records, in May 1966. It was immensely popular regionally, reaching the Top 10 on several radio charts and number 79 on Cashbox.[33]
  • The Matadors recorded a Czech-speaking interpretation of the tune for their debut single on Supraphon in 1966.[34]
  • Neil Young has performed the song live, and later revisited "Farmer John" on his album Ragged Glory in September 1990.[35]
  • Los Lobos released a cover version of the song as a single in 1981 [36] and have performed the song [37] many times over the years.
  • The Delmonas released a version of the song on their eponymous 1989 album.[38]
  • Billy Childish used the Premiers' version of the tune as the basis for a new song Davey Crockett, released by Thee Headcoats on their 1990 album The Kids Are All Square.[39]
  • Hinds released a cover of Thee Headcoats' version of the tune in 2015.[40]
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References
  1. Vera, Bill (1991). "Jungle Hop (CD booklet)". Specialty Records. Missing or empty |url= (help)
  2. Sieger, John. "Sieger on Songs". urbanmilwaukee.com. Retrieved December 13, 2015.
  3. Dahl, Bill. "Don & Dewey - Biography". allmusic.com. Retrieved December 13, 2015.
  4. Bush, John. "The Premiers - Biography". allmusic.com. Retrieved December 14, 2015.
  5. Unterberger, Richie. "LINER NOTES FOR THE PREMIERS' FARMER JOHN". richieunterberger.com. Retrieved December 14, 2015.
  6. Kaye, Lenny (1998). "Nuggets: Original Artyfacts from the First Psychedelic Era, 1965–1968 (CD booklet)". Rhino Records. Missing or empty |url= (help)
  7. Planer, Lindsay. "Farmer John Review". allmusic.com. Retrieved December 16, 2015.
  8. Sarabande, Varese (1999). "The West Coast East Side Sound, Volume 3 (CD booklet)". Saranbe Records. Missing or empty |url= (help)
  9. Guerrero, Mark. "1960s Chicano Rock Hit Makers". markguerrero.net. Retrieved December 16, 2015.
  10. Guerro, Mark. "Fifty Years Of 'Farmer John': A Hit That Opened The Door For Chicano Rock". npr.org. Retrieved December 16, 2015.
  11. "The Premiers - Farmer John Live!". Hispanic News. Retrieved December 16, 2015.
  12. Reid, Graham (2012-12-14). "Various Artists, Nuggets Remastered". NZ Herald. NZ Herald News. Retrieved December 16, 2015.
  13. Hoffmann, Frank W.; Hoffmann, Lee Ann (1983). The Cash Box Singles Charts, 1950-1981. Scarecrow Press. ISBN 978-0-8108-1595-7.
  14. "The Hot 100 Chart". Billboard. Retrieved 2020-06-21.
  15. "The Hep Stars - Farmer John". www.thehepstars.se. Retrieved 2020-06-21.
  16. Tobler, John (2012). Abba - Uncensored on the Record. Coda Books Ltd. ISBN 978-1-908538-23-9.
  17. "Sixties Brit pop: Lulu, Searchers, Wynter - By Tom Von Malder". knox.villagesoup.com. Retrieved 2020-06-21.
  18. Palm, Carl Magnus (2009-10-28). Bright Lights, Dark Shadows: The Real Story of ABBA. Omnibus Press. ISBN 978-0-85712-057-1.
  19. Hep Stars, 1964–1969, EMI Svenska AB/Olga 7C1 38-35956/7, double album liner notes
  20. "The Hep Stars - A Tribute To Buddy Holly". www.thehepstars.se. Retrieved 2020-06-21.
  21. "A TRIBUTE TO BUDDY HOLLY av HEP STARS". NostalgiListan (in Swedish). Retrieved 2020-06-21.
  22. "The Hep Stars - Cadillac". www.thehepstars.se. Retrieved 2020-06-21.
  23. "FARMER JOHN av HEP STARS". NostalgiListan (in Swedish). Retrieved 2020-06-21.
  24. "Låtarna från Kvällstoppen 22 juni 1965". NostalgiListan (in Swedish). Retrieved 2020-06-21.
  25. "The Hep Stars - Top 10 Chart". www.thehepstars.se. Retrieved 2020-06-21.
  26. "Hep Stars | Biography & History". AllMusic. Retrieved 2020-06-21.
  27. "The Hep Stars - We And Our Cadillac". Discogs. Retrieved 2020-06-21.
  28. "The Hep Stars - Hep Stars On Stage". www.thehepstars.se. Retrieved 2020-06-21.
  29. "Farmer John". VG-lista 2020 (in Norwegian Bokmål). Retrieved 2020-06-21.
  30. Starrett, Dave. "'Meet The Searchers' - from long-time fan, Dave Starrett". mikependersearchers.com. Retrieved December 16, 2015.
  31. "Covers of Farmer John". secondhandsongs.com. Retrieved December 16, 2015.
  32. "B". badcatrecords.com. Retrieved December 15, 2015.
  33. "Tidal Waves". cicadelic.com. Retrieved December 15, 2015.
  34. Deming, Mark. "The Matadors - Biography". allmusic.com. Retrieved December 16, 2015.
  35. "Ragged Glory". neilyoung.com. Archived from the original on January 31, 2016. Retrieved December 16, 2015.
  36. "Discogs Website". discogs.com. Retrieved February 6, 2019.
  37. "Los Lobos Setlist Stats". setlist.fm. Retrieved February 6, 2019.
  38. https://www.allmusic.com/album/the-delmonas-mw0000844898
  39. https://listen.sdpb.org/post/fifty-years-farmer-john-hit-opened-door-chicano-rock
  40. https://faroutmagazine.co.uk/hinds-davey-crockett-thee-headcoats-cover/
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