(The Hit Hammer is where I'm reviewing each #1 song on the Billboard Hot 100. Starting from when the chart started in 1958 and eventually working my way to the present. To see my inspiration and more information about this blog, please CLICK HERE)
The Archies - "Sugar, Sugar"
Hit Number 1: September 20, 1969
Stay at Number 1: 4 Weeks
This is something that would have always bugged me. Can you imagine writing or recording a song, and then that song becomes a massive hit? Of course everyone would sign up for that, but how about that song you wrote/recorded is credited as being by some fictional band from a cartoon? That sounds stupid, but that's exactly what happened in the later half of 1969. The Archies were a fictional band from a cartoon called The Archie Show which followed the adventures of five teenagers and their bubblegum pop band. They had different real-life songs that were released as singles, and those who recorded the singles hardly got any credit, since all the credit went to the cartoon band. Most of the singles weren't big on the charts, with some peaking in the middle half of the Hot 100. Then you've got "Sugar, Sugar", which went on to become the highest ranked single from 1969.
"Sugar, Sugar" was a product of Jeff Barry, who has already appeared in this blog with a couple other productions, and Andy Kim. Kim was a young up-and-comer in the music industry, and by the time "Sugar, Sugar" hit, Kim had already gotten to #9 on the Hot 100 with a cover of the Ronettes' "Baby, I Love You". (His version is a 7) Kim was also one of the voices we hear on "Sugar, Sugar", as him and Toni Wine supplied backup vocals to Ron Dante's lead vocals. (Yes, the voice you hear is not Archie Andrews. It's Ron Dante) Bubble gum music was doing everything it could to try and break through, but it was still battling with the tail end of the psychedelic weirdness that people for some reason were still trying to hang onto. It was time for some kind of change in music. The fictional Archies group were a key part of the change we were about to see.
The Archies first became a thing all the way back in 1941, when they were created as a comic strip.. Their TV show didn't come along until 1968, and America got an even better look at the teenagers, and their different personalities. The cutesy, albeit somewhat corny, TV show became pretty popular after its first episode aired on the usual Saturday morning cartoons. They first came on TV right in the heart of the psychedelic era, and in retrospect, it had to have seemed like a surprise that "Sugar, Sugar" became so popular. Not only were the people watching this show likely kids who never bought music, but the people who did buy music at this time were entranced in their (all together now) psychedelic haze. Bubble gum music was one of the last things that people would have wanted to listen to at this time. Or so you'd think.
As I said, the Archies didn't have many chart successes. But when teenagers and maybe some adults heard that catchy, fun sing-a-long tune on their TV while their young siblings/children were watching it, they had to know what it was. The song was first released as a single on the minor Calendar label, and it achieved some moderate success. It wasn't until the song was released on Don Kirschner's label (who managed the real musicians that voiced the Archies) that the song blew up. Kirschner thought it could be a good idea to tell the promotion men to not reveal the name of the band to radio personnel. The Archies were having a tough time making it very high on the charts, and he wanted to see how well one of their singles could do if people didn't know it was by a fictional band.
Needless to say, that worked out beautifully. But maybe it would have still had the same result, even if the name was revealed. I get that bubble gum music is often made fun of a lot, and sometimes rightfully so, but "Sugar, Sugar" is one of the most glorious things to come out of the genre. The big appeal here is not in any fancy music production, or any outstanding vocals or harmonies. This is a rare instance of simplicity taking a song to the next level, and its catchy, colorful attire makes "Sugar, Sugar" one of the best aging songs of the 1960's. The song's main hook along with the clear fun the studio musicians are having make it an irresistible jam that's hard not to like. The song's also a banger. Everybody knows this song, and it's a safe bet that almost everyone can't resist the urge to sing along with it. Fictional band or not, when you have the kinds of hooks and the kinds of positive vibes that "Sugar, Sugar" has, it's hard not to imagine this becoming a hit.
"Sugar, Sugar" wouldn't be the start of any pop-stardom for the Archies though, and the TV Show ended before the song even hit #1. They left us with an awesome jam though that still sounds fresh, even today. Though this is the end of the Archies, we will hear from Andy Kim again in this blog. And that time, his song will actually be credited as being by him.
GRADE: 9/10
JUST MISSED:
For the third time, CCR was stuck at #2. This time with another great swamp rock banger, "Green River", which was unable to dethrone "Sugar, Sugar". It's an 8.
ANOTHER JUST MISSED:
Oliver's gloopy, somewhat meaningless ballad "Jean" also peaked at #2 behind "Sugar, Sugar". It's a 4.
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