Ten Songs You Might Not Know Were Covers (Vol. 5): Barbara Ann (#4)

Tweet

Looking at the weather map, there are watches and warning all over the place, from floods to blizzards. That’ll make you want to dream about summer and the beach. To help, here’s a summertime favorite....and you may not know it was a cover! #4: Barbara Ann For most of the past six decades Beach Boys music usually means “summer fun.” There was a happy quality to their music that still radiates when you hear it. “Barbara Ann” is one of their classic hits, so closely identified with the Beach Boys that when Keith Moon decided to “do a Beach Boys song” this is the song he “did.” (If you’ve ever heard Moon’s version, “did” is about all you can say about it!) Well.... In addition to the fact that Jan & Dean’s Dean Torrence did the lead vocals on the Beach Boys’ song, it was a cover. Chuck Fassert’s brother, Fred, wrote the song and named it after their sister. Chuck’s group, the Regents, recorded it and had a hit with it in 1961. While the 1961 Regents version did very well (it made the top 15 on the chart), when the Beach Boys came along and covered it the Regents’ rendition more or less faded into obscurity. But I’m sure the Fassert family didn’t care as they cashed the checks. I hope Fred gave Barbara Ann a cut! Barbara Ann Written by Fred Fassert Originally recorded by the Regents, 1961 Famously covered by the Beach Boys, 1965 You got me rockin’ and a-reelin’: