Kokomo (song)
"Kokomo" is a song by the American rock band the Beach Boys from the 1988 film Cocktail and album Still Cruisin'. Written by John Phillips, Scott McKenzie, Mike Love, and Terry Melcher, the song was released as a single on July 18, 1988, by Elektra Records and became a number one hit in the U.S. and Australia.
"Kokomo" | ||||
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Single by the Beach Boys | ||||
from the album Cocktail and Still Cruisin' | ||||
B-side | "Tutti Frutti" performed by Little Richard | |||
Released | July 18, 1988 | |||
Recorded | March 22, April 5–6, 1988 | |||
Genre | Pop | |||
Length | 3:35 | |||
Label | ||||
Songwriter(s) | ||||
Producer(s) | Terry Melcher | |||
The Beach Boys singles chronology | ||||
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Music video | ||||
"Kokomo" on YouTube |
The lyrics describe two lovers taking a trip to a relaxing place on Kokomo, a utopic island off the Florida Keys. In addition to the fictional Kokomo, the song also makes references to many real Caribbean islands, including Aruba, Bahamas, Jamaica, Bermuda, Martinique, and Montserrat.
Recording
"Kokomo" was recorded on March 22 and April 5–6, 1988 with production by Terry Melcher, who had previously produced the band's "Rock 'n' Roll to the Rescue" (1986) and "California Dreamin'" (1986).[1] It was created through overdubbing parts onto the band's demo for the song.[2]
The recording featured every member of the group except Brian Wilson, who did not attend the sessions. In his 1991 memoir Wouldn't It Be Nice: My Own Story, it was stated that Wilson was unable to contribute to the song because he was committed to recording his first solo album, and his bandmates deliberately did not inform him of the session date until it was too late.[3] According to biographer Mark Dillon, "Available session-date information does not substantiate this claim, however."[3]
Mike Love stated that Wilson was not on "Kokomo" because Eugene Landy, Wilson's therapist-turned-collaborator, refused to "let Brian sing on it unless Landy was a producer and co-writer" and Melcher did not "feel he needed Landy since he had produced some number-one records. It was pathetic of Landy to do that, but he controlled Brian completely at that time."[2] The group later recorded a Spanish-language version of "Kokomo" with participation from Wilson.[2]
Music video
The video for "Kokomo" was filmed at the then-recently opened Grand Floridian Resort at Walt Disney World in Florida. Although they had not played these instruments on the recording, Mike Love is seen playing saxophone, while actor and occasional Beach Boys live guest John Stamos is shown playing steel drum.[2]
Release
After being released as a single in 1988, the song was included on the soundtrack album for the movie Cocktail as well as the 1989 Beach Boys album Still Cruisin'.
"Kokomo" was nominated for the Grammy Award for Best Song Written Specifically for a Motion Picture or Television in 1988, but lost to Phil Collins' "Two Hearts" (from the film Buster).[4] "Two Hearts" and Carly Simon's "Let the River Run" from Working Girl jointly beat it for the Golden Globe Award for Best Original Song.
In popular culture
- "Kokomo" is featured in the American workplace comedy Space Force as the song that main character General Naird (portrayed by Steve Carell) sings at the end of the series premiere when faced with a stressful situation. It is again used at the end of the season 2 finale, in which it is sung by the main cast when they discover a large asteroid headed toward Earth.[5]
Track listings
3-inch CD single
- "Kokomo" – 3:34
- "Tutti Frutti" performed by Little Richard – 2:23
- "Hippy Hippy Shake" performed by The Georgia Satellites – 1:45
7-inch single
- "Kokomo" – 3:34
- "Tutti Frutti" performed by Little Richard – 2:23
12-inch maxi
- "Kokomo" – 3:34
- "Tutti Frutti" performed by Little Richard – 2:23
- "Hippy Hippy Shake" performed by The Georgia Satellites – 1:45
Personnel
Per Mark Dillon[2] and engineer Keith Wechsler.[6]
The Beach Boys
- Al Jardine – vocals
- Bruce Johnston – vocals
- Mike Love – vocals
- Carl Wilson – vocals
Additional musicians
- Chili Charles – percussion
- Jim Keltner – drums
- Milton and Mike (surnames unknown) – steel drums
- Van Dyke Parks — accordion
- Joel Peskin – saxophone
Charts and certifications
Weekly charts
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Year-end charts
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Certifications
Country | Certification | Date | Sales certified |
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France[26] | Silver | 1989 | 200,000 |
U.S.[27] | Platinum | January 10, 1989 | 1,000,000 |
References
Citations
- Dillon 2012, p. 261.
- Dillon 2012, p. 264.
- Dillon 2012, p. 263.
- "Grammy Award". metrolyrics.com. Archived from the original on August 21, 2009. Retrieved January 7, 2010.
{{cite web}}
: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link) - Dumaraog, Ana (February 20, 2022). "Space Force Season 2 Ending Song: Why Everyone Sings The Beach Boys". screenrant.com. Retrieved March 14, 2022.
- Brown, Scott; Endleman, Michael (May 28, 2004). "Kokomo". Entertainment Weekly. Archived from the original on April 23, 2021. Retrieved December 1, 2009.
- "The Beach Boys – Kokomo". ARIA Top 50 Singles.
- "The Beach Boys – Kokomo" (in Dutch). Ultratop 50.
- Canada Top Singles (November 12, 1988) RPM Magazine
- "Eurochart Hot 100 Singles" (PDF). Music & Media. Vol. 6, no. 17. April 29, 1989. pp. 30–31. Retrieved May 27, 2021.
- "The Beach Boys – Kokomo" (in French). Les classement single.
- "Billboard". Allmusic. Retrieved April 7, 2008.
- "Nederlandse Top 40 – week 17, 1989" (in Dutch). Dutch Top 40. Retrieved May 27, 2021.
- "The Beach Boys – Kokomo" (in Dutch). Single Top 100. Retrieved May 27, 2021.
- "The Beach Boys – Kokomo". Top 40 Singles.
- "The Beach Boys – Kokomo". Singles Top 100.
- "The Beach Boys – Kokomo". Swiss Singles Chart.
- "Cash Box Top 100 Singles" (PDF). Cash Box. Vol. LI, no. 16. November 5, 1988. p. 2. Retrieved June 2, 2021.
- "Offiziellecharts.de – The Beach Boys – Kokomo". GfK Entertainment charts. Retrieved 27 March 2019.
- Hope, Carolyn (February 13, 2017). "Barry's Hits of All Decades Pop rock n roll Music Chart Hits". Hitsofalldecades.com. Retrieved October 9, 2018.
- "1988 The Year in Music & Video: Top Pop Singles". Billboard. 100 (52): Y-20. December 24, 1988.
- "Billboard Top 100 – 1988". Retrieved October 3, 2016.
- "Cash Box Year-End Charts: Top 100 Pop Singles, December 31, 1988". Tropicalglen.com. December 31, 1988. Archived from the original on July 14, 2014. Retrieved October 9, 2018.
- 1989 Australian Singles Chart aria.com (Retrieved August 19, 2008)
- "Eurochart Hot 100 1989" (PDF). Music & Media. Vol. 6, no. 51. December 23, 1989. p. 6. OCLC 29800226. Retrieved January 17, 2020 – via World Radio History.
- Elia Habib, Muz hit. tubes, p. 156 (ISBN 2-9518832-0-X)
- U.S. certifications riaa.com (Retrieved August 19, 2008)
Bibliography
- Dillon, Mark (2012). Fifty Sides of the Beach Boys: The Songs That Tell Their Story. ECW Press. ISBN 978-1-77090-198-8.
Further reading
- Diaz, Johnny (September 23, 2019). "Where is 'Kokomo?' People are still searching for The Beach Boys' tropical island getaway". Sun-Sentinel.
- Shoup, Brad (July 23, 2018). ""Kokomo" Is 30: The Strange Backstory To The Beach Boys' Last Cultural Gasp". Stereogum.
- Havers, Richard (November 5, 2020). "The Origins Of 'Kokomo': What's In A Name". UDiscover Music.
- Kielty, Martin (July 24, 2018). "30 Years Ago: The Beach Boys Release Their Last No. 1, 'Kokomo'". Ultimate Classic Rock.