Judy in Disguise (With Glasses)

"Judy in Disguise (With Glasses)"
blue side-A label
Solid center variant of the UK single
Single by John Fred & His Playboy Band
from the album Agnes English
B-side"Out of Left Field"
ReleasedOctober 1967
Genre
Length2:55
LabelPaula
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s)
  • John Fred Gourrier
  • Andrew Bernard

"Judy in Disguise (With Glasses)" is a song that was a hit for the Louisiana-based John Fred & His Playboy Band in late 1967. It was jointly composed by Fred and bandmate Andrew Bernard. Billboard magazine noted that it was recorded not in New York, Los Angeles, or Nashville, but "in a small studio in Tyler, Texas."[2]

Arrangements and content

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The song features strings, brass, a sitar, piano, bass, guitar, drums, breathing sounds, and dissonant string sounds. Its title is a play on, and a mondegreen of, the Beatles song "Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds" which Fred had initially believed was "Lucy in disguise with diamonds" upon first hearing the song.)[3][4]

The other members of the Playboy Band did not like the unusual slow abrupt ending with Fred intoning the final line, "I guess I'll just take your glasses."[5]

Chart performance

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In January 1968, the song reached No. 1 in the US and became a gold record. It also hit No. 1 in Germany,[6] Switzerland,[7] and Australia,[8] and No. 3 in both Canada[9] and the United Kingdom.[10]

Anthony Swete version

[edit]
"Judy Disfrazada"
Song by Anthony Swete
from the album Anthony Swete
B-side"Doblame, Modelame"
Released1968
LabelGroove GS-8005
Songwriter(s)J. Fred-A. Bernard

Anthony Swete recorded a version that was a hit in Argentina in 1968. It stayed on the charts for more than two months.

Background

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Anthony Swete's version of "Judy in Disguise" was released as "Judy Disfrazada". Backed with "Doblame, Modelame" ("Bend Me, Shape Me"), written by Scott English and Larry Weiss, it was released on Groove GS-8005 in 1968.[36][37]

Chart

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As shown by Cash Box in the March 16 issue, Swete's version debuted at No. 10 on the Argentina's Best Sellers chart.[38] It peaked at No. 5 on April 20.[39][40] It was still in the chart at No. 17 on May 25.[41] If there was any further chart action for the single in the following week, it could not be shown as Cash Box replaced Argentina's Best Sellers chart with the Brazil's Best Sellers (Rio de Janeiro) chart.[42] On June 8, the Argentina's Best Sellers chart was back. There was no further chart action shown for the single in the top 20 range.[43]

With Billboard, the chart progress of "Judy Disfrazada" showed a debut at No. 4 in the Buenos Aires Top Ten on the week of April 6, 1968.[44] There was another version of "Judy Disfrazada" by Bárbara y Dick in the same chart. It was at No. 7.[45] From April 13 to May 4, there was no Buenos Aires Top Ten category in Billboard Hits of the World section so further progress isn't shown.[46][47][48][49] The Argentina section was now included in the May 11 issue. There was no charting of Swete's single in the top ten range.[50]

Appearances

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"Judy in Disguise" was included on Anthony Swete's self-titled album, released on Clan Celentano BF ES LP 7021 in 1970.[51]

Other versions

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Gary Lewis and the Playboys recorded a version which was released on their Now! album, released on Liberty LST-7568 in 1968. Reviewed in the June 1 issue of Cash Box, "Judy in Disguise" and "Young Girl" were noted as the album's highlights.[52]

Punk band Frank Xerox and the Copy Cats a.k.a. the Speedometors recorded a version of "Judy in Disguise". It was backed with "Rock Show" and released on Arista ARIST 160 in 1980.[53][54]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ a b Breihan, Tom (October 26, 2018). "The Number Ones: John Fred And His Playboy Band's "Judy In Disguise (With Glasses)"". Stereogum. Retrieved June 14, 2023. With "Judy In Disguise"...Fred came up with a dizzily silly novelty song that made fun of the Beatles' psychedelic surrealism...Instead, it's a big, stiff, bouncy R&B song with strings and horns...
  2. ^ Gross, Mike. "'Backyard Studios'—New Sound Frontier." Billboard, 27 April 1968, 1.
  3. ^ Kasser, Tom (July 2013). Lucy in the Mind of Lennon. Oxford: Oxford University Press. ISBN 978-0-19-974760-3.
  4. ^ "Seven things you didn't know about "Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds"". blog.oup.com. Oxford University Press. July 9, 2013. Retrieved November 29, 2015.
  5. ^ Bronson, Fred (1997). Billboard Book of Number One Songs. Billboard Books. ISBN 9780823076413.
  6. ^ a b "John Fred & His Playboy Band – Judy in Disguise (With Glasses)" (in German). GfK Entertainment charts.
  7. ^ a b "John Fred & His Playboy Band – Judy in Disguise (With Glasses)". Swiss Singles Chart.
  8. ^ a b "GGo-Set National Top 40 - 20 March 1968". www.poparchives.com.au.
  9. ^ a b "Top RPM Singles: Issue 100165." RPM. Library and Archives Canada.
  10. ^ a b "John Fred and the Playboy Band: Artist Chart History". Official Charts Company.
  11. ^ "Every AMR Top 100 Single in 1968". www.top100singles.net.
  12. ^ "John Fred & His Playboy Band – Judy in Disguise (With Glasses)" (in German). Ö3 Austria Top 40.
  13. ^ "John Fred & His Playboy Band – Judy in Disguise (With Glasses)" (in Dutch). Ultratop 50.
  14. ^ "John Fred & His Playboy Band – Judy in Disguise (With Glasses)" (in French). Ultratop 50.
  15. ^ Timo (August 13, 2015). "Sisältää hitin: Levyt ja esittäjät Suomen musiikkilistoilla vuodesta 1960: Artistit JEA - JOP". Sisältää hitin. Retrieved July 27, 2020.
  16. ^ "InfoDisc : Les Tubes de chaque Artiste commençant par F" (in French). InfoDisc. Select "John FRED & HisPLAYBOY Band" from the artist drop-down menu. Retrieved July 27, 2020.
  17. ^ "Indice per Interprete: F" (in Italian). Hit Parade Italia. Creative Commons. Retrieved July 27, 2020.
  18. ^ "The Irish Charts – Search Results – Judy in Disguise With Diamonds". Irish Singles Chart. Retrieved December 7, 2019.
  19. ^ "All Japan Pop 20 charts 1967-1970". UKMIX Forums. Retrieved July 27, 2020.
  20. ^ "Nederlandse Top 40 – John Fred & His Playboy Band" (in Dutch). Dutch Top 40.
  21. ^ "John Fred & His Playboy Band – Judy in Disguise (With Glasses)" (in Dutch). Single Top 100.
  22. ^ "flavour of new zealand - search listener". www.flavourofnz.co.nz. Retrieved July 27, 2020.
  23. ^ "John Fred & His Playboy Band – Judy in Disguise (With Glasses)". VG-lista.
  24. ^ "SA Charts 1965–March 1989". Retrieved December 22, 2019.
  25. ^ "Listas de superventas: 1968". July 27, 2020.
  26. ^ "The Hot 100 Chart". Billboard. 2 January 2013. Retrieved July 27, 2020.
  27. ^ "Cash Box Top 100 1/27/68". cashboxmagazine.com. Retrieved July 27, 2020.
  28. ^ "AMR Top Singles of 1968". www.top100singles.net.
  29. ^ "Jaaroverzichten 1968". Ultratop. Retrieved July 27, 2020.
  30. ^ Canada, Library and Archives (July 17, 2013). "Image: RPM Weekly". www.bac-lac.gc.ca. Retrieved July 27, 2020.
  31. ^ "Top 20 Hit Singles of 1968". Retrieved December 22, 2019.
  32. ^ "Swiss Year-End Charts 1968 - swisscharts.com". swisscharts.com. Retrieved July 27, 2020.
  33. ^ "Sixties City - Pop Music Charts - Every Week of the Sixties".
  34. ^ "Top 100 Hits of 1968/Top 100 Songs of 1968". www.musicoutfitters.com. Retrieved July 27, 2020.
  35. ^ "Cash Box Year-End Charts: Top 100 Pop Singles, December 28, 1968". Archived from the original on October 9, 2016. Retrieved December 21, 2019.
  36. ^ Second Hand Songs - Doblame, Moldeame by Anthony Swete
  37. ^ 45Cat - Anthony Swete - Discography, Argentina
  38. ^ Cash Box, March 16, 1968 - Page 80 Cash Box Argentina, Argentina's Best Sellers, This Week 10, Last Week _
  39. ^ Cash Box, April 20, 1968 - Page 77 Cash Box Argentina, Argentina's Best Sellers, This Week 5, Last Week 6
  40. ^ Cash Box, April 27, 1968 - Page 61 Cash Box Argentina, Argentina's Best Sellers, This Week 6, Last Week 5
  41. ^ Cash Box, May 25, 1968 - Page 55 Cash Box Argentina, Argentina's Best Sellers, This Week 17, Last Week 11
  42. ^ Cash Box, June 1, 1968 - Page 58
  43. ^ Cash Box, June 8, 1968 - Page 69 Cash Box Argentina, Argentina's Best Sellers
  44. ^ Billboard, April 6, 1968 - Page 45 Billboard HITS OF THE WORLD, BUENOS AIRES, This Week 4, Last Week _
  45. ^ Billboard, April 6, 1968 - Page 45 Billboard HITS OF THE WORLD, BUENOS AIRES, This Week 7, Last Week 8
  46. ^ Billboard, April 13, 1968 - Page 55 Billboard HITS OF THE WORLD
  47. ^ Billboard, April 20, 1968 - Page 51 Billboard HITS OF THE WORLD
  48. ^ Billboard, April 27, 1968 - Page 53 Billboard HITS OF THE WORLD
  49. ^ Billboard, May 4, 1968 - Page 53 Billboard HITS OF THE WORLD
  50. ^ Billboard, May 11, 1968 - Page 51 Billboard HITS OF THE WORLD, Argentina
  51. ^ Popsike - LP 33 Anthony Swete ?– Anthony Swete Italy 1970 Clan Celentano Funk / Soul
  52. ^ Cash Box, June 1, 1968 - Page 40 Cash Box Album Reviews, Pop Best Bets
  53. ^ My Life's a Jigsaw, Wednesday 27 April 2011 - Frank Xerox And The Copy Cats - Judy In Disguise (1978)
  54. ^ Offizielle Deutsche Charts - FRANK XEROX AND THE COPY CATS, JUDY IN DISGUISE SINGLE
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