Fun, Fun, Fun

Single by the Beach Boys From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Fun, Fun, Fun

"Fun, Fun, Fun" is a song by the American rock band the Beach Boys from their 1964 album Shut Down Volume 2. Written by Brian Wilson and Mike Love, it is one of their early songs that defined the idyllic pop aesthetic later dubbed the "California myth".[5] It was released as a single in February, backed with "Why Do Fools Fall in Love", and reached number five in the U.S. charts.

Quick Facts Single by the Beach Boys, from the album Shut Down Volume 2 ...
"Fun, Fun, Fun"
Thumb
Single by the Beach Boys
from the album Shut Down Volume 2
B-side"Why Do Fools Fall in Love"
ReleasedFebruary 3, 1964
RecordedJanuary 1 and 8–9, 1964
StudioUnited Western Recorders, Hollywood
Genre
Length2:16
LabelCapitol
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s)Brian Wilson
The Beach Boys singles chronology
"Little Saint Nick"
(1963)
"Fun, Fun, Fun"
(1964)
"I Get Around"
(1964)
Audio sample
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Lyrics and inspiration

Summarize
Perspective

The song was written by Brian Wilson and Mike Love. The lyrics are partly inspired by events from Dennis Wilson's life.[6][7] Love stated that his lyrics were modeled after Chuck Berry's 1964 song "Nadine".[8][dubious discuss] Russ Titelman recalled that he visited Brian while he was working on the song, and that its original lyric was "Run, Run, Run".[9]

The lyrics describe a teenage girl who deceives her father so she can go hot-rodding with his Ford Thunderbird. At the end, her father discovers her deception and takes the keys from her. Near the end of the song, the song's narrator suggests that the girl accompany him, so that they may "have fun, fun, fun" engaging in other activities, "now that Daddy took the T-Bird away."[1]

According to Salt Lake City radio manager Bill "Daddy-O" Hesterman of KNAK, an early promoter of the Beach Boys who brought them to Utah for appearances and concerts, the song was inspired by an incident involving Shirley Johnson, the station owner's daughter.[10] Johnson had borrowed her father's 1963 Thunderbird, which had a University of Utah parking sticker, ostensibly to go study at the University library. Instead, she went to Shore's Drive In, a hamburger shop on the corner of 33rd South and 27th East. When the deception came to light, her driving privileges were revoked. In 2007, Johnson told KSL News that she was complaining loudly about the incident at the radio station, where she worked as a part-time secretary, when the Beach Boys happened to be there for an interview. Hesterman said that Brian Wilson and Love, amused by the incident, jotted down the beginnings of the song as he took them to the airport that afternoon.[11]

Composition

The opening electric guitar introduction of the song was based on Berry's "Johnny B. Goode",[12][13] and the track's punctuated drum fills were inspired by the work of Phil Spector.[1] Musicologist Philip Lambert noted that the initial two phrases of the song are based on almost the same chord progression as the first two phrases of "Da Doo Ron Ron", and are melodically similar.[14]

Recording

The song was recorded on January 1, 1964, at United Western Recorders Studio 3. Vocals and additional overdubs followed on either January 8 or 9.[15] An earlier session was cancelled by band manager Murry Wilson, as he had felt dissatisfied with the song. Brian rescheduled the session after discovering what happened.[7]

The stereo and mono mixes stem from the same recording but have a significant difference: the fadeout on the stereo mix fades out early into the song's outro, with the instruments fading away before the vocals (and an overdubbed drum part). The mono mix, as heard on the 45 as well as mono copies of Shut Down Volume 2 has an extended outro.[citation needed]

Release

The "Fun, Fun, Fun" single backed with "Why Do Fools Fall In Love?" was released in the United States in February 1964. Cash Box described it as "a contagious steady rock beat" song with a "great teen arrangement."[16] The single peaked at the number-five spot on the Billboard chart. In the United Kingdom, the single was released in March 1964 through Capitol Records, but failed to chart.[citation needed] In Australia, the single peaked at the number-six position, which was the band's highest charting single in Australia at that time. In West Germany, the single became their first single to chart in the country when it peaked at the number-49 position.

Status Quo version

Quick Facts from the album Don't Stop, B-side ...
"Fun, Fun, Fun"
Single by Status Quo and The Beach Boys
from the album Don't Stop
B-side"Mortified" (Status Quo)
ReleasedFebruary 19, 1996 (1996-02-19)[17]
Length
  • 4:03 (album version)
  • 3:05 (short version)
LabelPolyGram
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s)Pip Williams
Status Quo singles chronology
"When You Walk in the Room"
(1995)
"Fun, Fun, Fun"
(1996)
"Don't Stop"
(1996)
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The song was covered in 1996 by the then-current lineups of the Beach Boys and Status Quo, with a new verse written for the song. The Beach Boys sang mainly backing vocals, with Status Quo's Francis Rossi performing the lead vocal for the entire song, except the new verse, which was sung by Mike Love. It was released under PolyGram Records as a single in the United Kingdom. The single, featuring another artist on the B-side, peaked at number 24 on the UK Singles Chart.[18]

Personnel

Track details courtesy of session archivist Craig Slowinski.[15][19]

The Beach Boys

Additional musicians

Charts

More information Chart (1964), Peak position ...
Beach Boys version
Chart (1964) Peak
position
Australian Singles Chart[20][better source needed] 6
Canada CHUM Chart[21] 6
Belgium (Ultratip Bubbling Under Wallonia)[22]Tip
New Zealand (Lever Hit Parade)[23] 8
US Billboard Hot 100[24]5
West Germany (GfK)[25]49
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More information Chart (1996), Peak position ...
Status Quo version
Chart (1996) Peak
position
Europe (Eurochart Hot 100)[26] 43
Germany (GfK)[27]81
Scotland (OCC)[28]21
UK Singles (OCC)[18]24
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References

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