Ten Bubblegum Songs: Beach Baby (#3)
By Four Walls
@FourWalls (62060)
United States
November 19, 2017 8:04pm CST
Well, poo, I had to work today. If that's not bad enough, here's another bubblegum song for you. 
Fear not, the top two are really good songs, and in fact we may have a "debate" as to whether or not they constitute "bubblegum." Meanwhile, here's today's song.
#3: Beach Baby - First Class
Yeah, I LIKE this song. My affection for this one is probably related to two things: one, it was a hit just as I started to listen to rock and roll (well, as opposed to nothing but country and western); and two, I was living in Daytona Beach, about three blocks away from the ocean, at the time.
Now for some fun trivia, courtesy of your friends at Wiki "If you give $3 we could keep this site going for years, but we'll ask you again in three months" Pedia: the lead singer on this song, Tony Burrows, is more or less the king of one-hit wonders. He also sang lead on "Love Grows (Where My Rosemary Goes)," "My Baby Loves Lovin'," and "Gimme Dat Ding." Plus, he also sang lead on the Brotherhood of Man's song "United We Stand" (they were a two hit wonder). You'd think after that kind of track record no band that wanted any prolonged success would get near this guy! 
Oh, well, those are all pretty good songs, and this one is one that I have very fond memories of.
Beach Baby
Written by John Carter and Gillian Shakespeare
Recorded by First Class
Released as a single, 1974
We took the car and drove to San Jose:
Fear not, the top two are really good songs, and in fact we may have a "debate" as to whether or not they constitute "bubblegum." Meanwhile, here's today's song.
#3: Beach Baby - First Class
Yeah, I LIKE this song. My affection for this one is probably related to two things: one, it was a hit just as I started to listen to rock and roll (well, as opposed to nothing but country and western); and two, I was living in Daytona Beach, about three blocks away from the ocean, at the time.
Now for some fun trivia, courtesy of your friends at Wiki "If you give $3 we could keep this site going for years, but we'll ask you again in three months" Pedia: the lead singer on this song, Tony Burrows, is more or less the king of one-hit wonders. He also sang lead on "Love Grows (Where My Rosemary Goes)," "My Baby Loves Lovin'," and "Gimme Dat Ding." Plus, he also sang lead on the Brotherhood of Man's song "United We Stand" (they were a two hit wonder). You'd think after that kind of track record no band that wanted any prolonged success would get near this guy!
Oh, well, those are all pretty good songs, and this one is one that I have very fond memories of.
Beach Baby
Written by John Carter and Gillian Shakespeare
Recorded by First Class
Released as a single, 1974
We took the car and drove to San Jose:
HQ-Video. First Class - Beach Baby, a hit in 1974. The song was produced with singer Tony Burrows, but he didn't perform on TV. Check out wikipedia for more ...
6 people like this
6 responses
@asfarasiknow (3341)
• Bournemouth, England
20 Nov 17
Tony Burrows was banned for a time by Top of the Pops after appearing as a singer with three different groups on the same episode! I hated this song when I was 13 but like it now. They released follow-up singles and albums but with less success. I had no idea that this was a big hit in America.
3 people like this
@FourWalls (62060)
• United States
20 Nov 17
That's a very "American"-sounding song, referencing Los Angeles, San Jose, "the clean-cut all American male," etc. I think people in the US were probably surprised to learn these guys weren't Americans.
One day TOTP will have to have Ace, Squeeze, Mike + the Mechanices, and Paul Carrack on so Carrack can beat Burrows' record!
1 person likes this
@JohnRoberts (109857)
• Los Angeles, California
20 Nov 17
I have no recollection of this song at all. Just never heard of it. In 1974, I had left pop...I mean top 40 for hard album rock stations.
2 people like this
@Srbageldog (7716)
• United States
20 Nov 17
I had no idea he was the same vocalist on those other songs! I dig this song, I like "Love Grows (Where My Rosemary Goes)" more, though.
1 person likes this
@teamfreak16 (43421)
• Denver, Colorado
20 Nov 17
Now I'm going to have "Rosemary" in my head for the rest of the day.
1 person likes this
@FourWalls (62060)
• United States
20 Nov 17
Trust me, it's better than having "Gimme Dat Ding" there.
Provided to YouTube by Warner Music Group Gimme Dat Ding · The Pipkins Gimme Dat Ding! ? 1970 Chrysalis Copyrights Ltd., a BMG Company Keyboards: Roger Green...
1 person likes this
@FourWalls (62060)
• United States
21 Nov 17
@teamfreak16 -- you listen to that and you realize just why parents made fun of the kids' music back then.....
1 person likes this
@teamfreak16 (43421)
• Denver, Colorado
21 Nov 17
@FourWalls - I actually listened to the entire song. You're right. It could be much worse.
1 person likes this
@dgobucks226 (34343)
•
25 Nov 17
Like your write up not so much this song. Ah, Ah, Ah, Ah, Ah, Ah.....Do, do, do, do, do, do.....Beach Baby out....
1 person likes this
