- County Fair
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"County Fair" Single by The Beach Boys from the album Surfin' Safari A-side Ten Little Indians Released November 26, 1962 Format 7-inch single Recorded September 6, 1962
Capitol StudiosGenre Rock Length 02:15 Label Capitol Writer(s) Brian Wilson
Gary UsherProducer Nik Venet The Beach Boys singles chronology "409"/"Surfin' Safari"
(1962)"Ten Little Indians"/"County Fair"
(1962)"Surfin' USA"/"Shut Down"
(1963)"County Fair" is a song written by Brian Wilson and Gary Usher for the American rock band The Beach Boys. It was originally released as the second track on their 1962 album Surfin' Safari. On November 26th of that year, it was released as the B-side to The Beach Boys' third single, "Ten Little Indians".[1] The same single was released in the UK in January 1963.[2]
The melody of "County Fair" was later recycled into the song I Do.[3]
Contents
Composition
"County Fair" was the second song Brian Wilson and Gary Usher wrote together. In the song, the singer takes his girlfriend to the county fair, where she leaves him for a stronger man; one who can ring the bell on a high striker game. The song culminates in the tag, as the girl leaves the singer, calling him a loser. The song is in verse-chorus form, though the choruses consist of spoken-word narration of the girlfriend and a carnival barker over an organ melody.[4]
Recording
"County Fair" was recorded by The Beach Boys on September 6, 1962, during the last recording session for their first album, Surfin' Safari. Nik Venet produced the session at Capitol Studios.[5]
Musicians
- Andrea Carlo - voice of girlfriend
- Mike Love - vocals
- David Marks - guitar
- Nik Venet - carnival barker
- Brian Wilson - bass guitar, organ, vocals
- Carl Wilson - guitar, vocals
- Dennis Wilson - drums, vocals
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- per Keith Badman[6]
Reception
"Ten Little Indians" charted at #49 on the Billboard Hot 100.[7] This was the lowest placement of any Beach Boys single until "Bluebirds Over the Mountain" in 1968.[8] The single did not chart in the UK.[9]
See also
- The Beach Boys
- Surfin' Safari
- List of songs by The Beach Boys
Notes
- ^ Elliott, Brad: "Surf's Up! The Beach Boys On Record 1961-1981", page 15. Popular Culture Ink, 1991.
- ^ Doe, Andrew G.: "INDEX." Bellagio 10452. Retrieved on 2011-08-08.
- ^ Doe, Andrew G. & Tobler, John: "Brian Wilson and The Beach Boys: The Complete Guide to their Music", page 9. Omnibus Press, 2004.
- ^ Lambert, Philip: Inside the Music of Brian Wilson, page 49. Continuum Publishing, 2007.
- ^ Doe, Andrew G.: "gigs6162." Bellagio 10452. Retrieved on 2011-08-08.
- ^ Badman, Keith: The Beach Boys, page 25. Backbeat Books, 2004.
- ^ Billboard: "Ten Little Indians - The Beach Boys". Billboard.com. Retrieved on 2011-08-08.
- ^ Billboard: "The Beach Boys Album & Song Chart History". Billboard.com. Retrieved on 2011-08-08.
- ^ Doe, Andrew G.: "INDEX." Bellagio 10452. Retrieved on 2011-08-08.
Surfin' Safari track listing Surfin' Safari · County Fair · Ten Little Indians · Chug-A-Lug · Little Girl (You're My Miss America) · 409 · Surfin' · Heads You Win - Tails I Lose · Summertime Blues · Cuckoo Clock · Moon Dawg · The ShiftCategories:- 1962 songs
- The Beach Boys songs
- Songs written by Gary Usher
- Songs written by Brian Wilson
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