Peak
4
Weeks
17
Score
2,545
Chart Year
1974
Beach Baby" is yet another Billboard hit by a one-hit-wonder band... but hold on. Doesn't the lead vocalist sound familiar? That's because he's Tony Burrows, a session singer who performed for a number of small bands, including on Edison Lighthouse's "Love Grows (Where My Rosemary Goes)," The Pipkins' "Gimme Dat Ding," and Brotherhood of Man's "United We Stand," amongst many others. Not such a one-hit-wonder now, is he? "Beach Baby" sounds like it's the lost Beach Boys hit with the overproduction of Blood Sweat & Tears on a coffee binge. But it's written by John Carter (also here on backing vocals) and his wife/ collaborator Gillian Shakespeare. Carter-Shakespeare collaborated on a number of hits and John Carter was a record producer for many marquee pop acts in the '60s, including Herman's Hermits and The Ivy League. There is no doubt that they were certainly trying to milk the last wave of nostalgia out of surfer music with this hit, since it was enjoying a brief renaissance in the mid-1970s. Burrows's first band was The Kestrels. Never heard of them? They included Roger Greenaway and Roger Cook, who would go on to form the legendary songwriting team. They also sang backup for British talent such as Benny Hill. How about now? Oh, and Burrows' second band was The Ivy League, who morphed into The Flower Pot Men. Never heard of them either? Two of The Flower Pot Men, Jon Lord and Nick Simper, would go on to become part of Deep Purple. How about now? Carter's work extends to not just writing and producing songs, but commercial jingles as well. Amongst them are commercials for Vauxhall, British Caledonian and Rowntree.
Do you remember back in old L.A. (Wo-oh-oh) When everybody drove a Chevrolet (Wo-oh-oh) Whatever happened to the boy next door, Suntanned, crewcut, all-American Male? Remember dancing at the high school hop The dress I ruined with the soda pop? I barely recognized the girl next door With beatup sneakers and a pony tail CHORUS: Beach Baby, Beach Baby, give me your hand Give me something that I can remember Just like before, we can walk by the shore in the moonlight. Beach Baby, Beach Baby, there on the sand From July to the end of September Surfin' was fun, we'd be out in the sun every day. Oooh. I never thought that it would end Oooh. And I was everybody's friend Long hot days, Blue sea haze Juke box plays, but now it's fading away. We could'nt wait for graduation day We took my car and drove to San Jose That's where you told me that you'd wear my ring I guess you don't remember anything! CHORUS Vocal Harmonies and Stylings Beach Baby, Beach Baby, Beach Baby ETC.
| Week | Chart Date | Position | Points |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Jul 20, 1974 | 74 | 52 |
| 2 | Jul 27, 1974 | 74 | 52 |
| 3 | Aug 3, 1974 | 65 | 61 |
| 4 | Aug 10, 1974 | 50 | 76 |
| 5 | Aug 17, 1974 | 40 | 86 |
| 6 | Aug 24, 1974 | 31 | 95 |
| 7 | Aug 31, 1974 | 25 | 101 |
| 8 | Sep 7, 1974 | 20 | 106 |
| 9 | Sep 14, 1974 | 16 | 110 |
| 10 | Sep 21, 1974 | 12 | 114 |
| 11 | Sep 28, 1974 | 5 | 121 |
| 12 | Oct 5, 1974 | 4 | 122 |
| 13 | Oct 12, 1974 | 4 | 122 |
| 14 | Oct 19, 1974 | 26 | 100 |
| 15 | Oct 26, 1974 | 28 | 98 |
| 16 | Nov 2, 1974 | 52 | 74 |
| 17 | Nov 9, 1974 | 98 | 28 |