Farmer John (song)

"Farmer John" is a song written by Don "Sugarcane" Harris and Dewey Terry, and first recorded by the two as the American R&B duo Don and Dewey, in 1959. Although the original version of the composition did not receive much attention, it was reinvigorated by the garage rock band the Premiers, whose raving cover version was released in 1964. The song's raw and partying atmosphere was immensely popular, reaching number 19 on the Billboard Hot 100. Following the group's national success, several additional interpretations of "Farmer John" were released, making the tune a classic of garage rock.

Original version

Don and Dewey penned "Farmer John", a simplistic tune about marrying a farmer's daughter, in early 1959, and first recorded their original rendition in January 1959.^[1] The duo's R&B song was much more subdued than the Premiers' later interpretation, with hushed trumpet instrumentals providing backdrop to Don and Dewey's vocal harmonies. It was released as a single in February 1959 on Specialty Records; however, the song did not receive much attention and failed to chart.^[2] "Farmer John", along with a number of the pair's material including "I'm Leaving It Up to You" and "Big Boy Pete", was recognized only when another artist covered the song.^[3]

The Premiers version

"Farmer John"
Single by The Premiers
from the album Farmer John Live!
B-side	"Duffy's Blues"
Released	May 1964
Format	7" single
Recorded	1964, Stereo Masters, Hollywood, California
Genre	Garage rock R&B
Length	2:12
Label	Faro Warner Bros.
Songwriter(s)	Don "Sugarcane" Harris, Dewey Terry
Producer(s)	Billy Cardenas, Eddie Davis
The Premiers singles chronology
"Farmer John" (1964) "Get Your Baby" (1965)
"Farmer John" (1964) "Get Your Baby" (1965)

Featuring brothers Lawrence Perez on lead guitar and John Perez on drums, the Premiers were established as many garage rock bands were, practicing in their garage. The group had the opportunity to record "Farmer John" when the mother of the brothers arranged an audition with record producer Billy Cardenas, who was instrumental in promoting several Chicano groups.^[4] As Lawrence Perez recalled, Cardenas recommended to the Premiers to cover "Farmer John", saying "He wanted to do it more East L.A.-style, or 'Louie Louie'-type. At the time, the 'Louie Louie'-type rhythm and sound was happening, so we tried to base the beat and sound towards that".^[5] As it so happens, "Louie Louie", had like "Farmer John" begun as a single released by a Los Angeles-based African-American R&B musical act (in this case Richard Berry), before the Kingsmen's classic rendition propelled to number two on the Billboard Hot 100. For that reason, the Premiers' cover was marked by the same kind of unpolished adolescence that garnered the Kingsmen national success.^[5][6]

Although the band is credited with recording the song live at the Rhythm Room in Fullerton, California on the single's label, the Premiers actually entered Stereo Masters Studios in Hollywood to record "Farmer John". Cardenas delivers the unusual spoken word intro asking if anyone has seen "Kosher Pickle Harry", before the song breaks into a simplistic, but catchy, three-chord melody.^[7] The key to closely resembling a live performance of "Farmer John" was supplied by members of the all-girl Chevelles Car Club, who provided the majority of the vibrant audience noise. Co-producer Eddie Davis, quoted in The West Coast East Side Sound, Volume 3 compilation album, recollected "We had a party at the studio and had all the kids come down. Everybody was having a good time and we put the record on -- in those days they had three-track recording -- and while everybody was having a party we recorded the crowd on top of it".^[8] This live party sound was employed by Cardenas and Davis on an earlier recording, the Blendells cover of Little Stevie Wonder's "La La La La La," which reached number 62 on the national charts in 1964.^[5]

"Farmer John" was originally released on Davis's independent record label, Faro Records, but was soon licensed by Warner Bros. Records, and distributed nationally in September 1964. It became the Premiers one and only Top 40 single, as it charted at number 19 on the Billboard Hot 100.^[9] In the following month, the band appeared on the television program American Bandstand, where Dick Clark announced that the group would be featured on his Caravan of Stars national tour.^[10] An alternate version of the song, which appears on the Premiers only album, Farmer John Live!, features crowd sounds that nearly drown out the vocals. Though further success eluded the group, "Farmer John" had become a staple in the repertoire of numerous garage rock bands, inspiring cover versions of the tune over the years.^[11] In 1972, the composition was included on the well-known compilation Nuggets: Original Artyfacts from the First Psychedelic Era, 1965–1968.^[12]

Other versions

• In August 1963, the Searchers featured "Farmer John" on their debut album Meet the Searchers. The album peaked at number two on the UK Album Charts.^[13]
• Danish rock band the Defenders issued the song on their debut single on Sonet Records, in 1964.^[14]
• The Invictas' version of "Farmer John" was released on their album A-Go-Go, in 1965.^[15]
• Swedish beat group the Hep Stars, who were popular for covering several American hits, released "Farmer John" on a single, on Olga Records, in 1965.^[16]
• Detroit-based garage rock group the Tidal Waves released the composition on their first single on SVR Records, in May 1966. It was immensely popular regionally, reaching the Top 10 on several radio charts and number 79 on Cashbox.^[17]
• The Matadors recorded a Czech-speaking interpretation of the tune for their debut single on Supraphon in 1966.^[18]
• Neil Young has performed the song live, and later revisited "Farmer John" on his album Ragged Glory in September 1990.^[19]

References