1966Released
2:59

Did You Know?

Interesting facts and trivia about Sloop John B - Stereo / Remastered. By Songfacts®.

"Sloop John B" is a traditional West Indies tune about a sunken boat. It was adapted in 1951 by Lee Hays of the Weavers (as "The John B Sails") and revived in 1960 by Lonnie Donegan. The Beach Boys' folk music buff, Al Jardine, turned Brian Wilson onto the Kingston Trio's recording of the song. For their updated version, Wilson added elaborate vocals and a 12-string guitar part. He also changed some of the lyrics, including "This is the worst trip since I've been born" to "...I've ever been on" as a wink to acid culture.

The song was popularized by The Kingston Trio, who adapted it from a version in poet Carl Sandburg's 1927 songbook The American Songbag. The Kingston Trio's version stays true to the song's Calypso roots, and was released on their first album in 1958. Eight years later, The Beach Boys changed the title to "Sloop John B," and came away with a hit. Their debt to The Kingston Trio goes far beyond this song: The Beach Boys adopted the group's striped, short-sleeved shirts and wholesome persona as well.

This was the biggest hit from The Beach Boys landmark album Pet Sounds. The album was the brainchild of Brian Wilson, who got the title when Beach Boy Mike Love suggested dogs were the only creatures that would like it. To keep the animal theme, Wilson put some barking dogs on the album. With Wilson at the controls, the album was recorded at United Western Recorders in Los Angeles, in the studio known as "Western 3." Wilson coaxed a big sound out of the little room, which measured just 14' x 34'.

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Song Analysis

Key, BPM (tempo) and time signature of Sloop John B - Stereo / Remastered.
G♯Key
MajorMode
4/4Time Signature
126BPM

Album

The album Sloop John B - Stereo / Remastered is released on.

Released By

The record label that has released Sloop John B - Stereo / Remastered.
Capitol Records
© 2001 Capitol Records Inc.
℗ 2001 Capitol Records Inc.

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