1-2-3 (Len Barry song)

Source: Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.

"1 - 2 - 3"
John Madara, David White, Len Barry
Producer(s)John Madara, David White
Len Barry singles chronology
"Lip Sync (to the Tongue Twisters)"
(1965)
"1 - 2 - 3"
(1965)
"Like a Baby"
(1966)

"1 - 2 - 3" is a 1965 song recorded by American

Ask Any Girl" released by The Supremes as the B-side to their single "Baby Love" the year before. They denied the claim, but after two years of litigation, agreed to give the Motown writers 15% of the song's writing and publishing royalties.[3] Holland-Dozier-Holland are listed as co-authors by BMI.[4]

The personnel on the original recording included

Leon Huff on piano; Artie Kaplan on sax; Bill Tole and Roswell Rudd on trombones; Lee Morgan on trumpet; Fred Hubbard on clarinet; and Bobby Gregg on drums.[5]

"1-2-3" reached number 2 in the US Billboard chart ("I Hear a Symphony" by The Supremes kept it from the number 1 spot).[6] "1-2-3" also went to number 11 on the Billboard R&B chart.[7] Overseas, the song peaked at number 3 on the UK Singles Chart.[8] In addition, it was also a Top 10 hit in Ireland, where it went to number 8.[9] It sold over 1.75 million copies, and was awarded a

gold disc.[10]

Chart performance

Chart (1965–66) Peak
position
Canada RPM Top Singles[11] 3
France (IFOP)[12] 40
Ireland (IRMA)[13] 8
New Zealand (Lever Hit Parade)[14] 6
United Kingdom (Record Retailer)[15] 3
United Kingdom (
NME)[16]
1
South Africa (Springbok Radio)[17] 4
United States (Billboard Hot 100)[18] 2
United States (Billboard R&B Singles Chart)[18] 11
United States (Cash Box Top 100) 1

See also

References

  1. ^ "Decca 31827". 45cat.com. 31 July 1965. Retrieved 9 September 2011.
  2. ^ Len Barry: 1 - 2 - 3 at Discogs (list of releases)
  3. ^ "1 - 2 - 3". Songfacts.com. Retrieved 19 January 2015.
  4. ^ "1-2-3". Repertoire.bmi.com. Archived from the original on 2 June 2014. Retrieved 19 January 2015.
  5. ^ "Soulful Detroit: Happy Birthday Len Barry". soulfuldetroit.com.
  6. ^ "Top 100 Songs - Billboard Hot 100 Chart". Billboard. Retrieved 9 April 2019.
  7. ^ Whitburn, Joel (2004). Top R&B/Hip-Hop Singles: 1942-2004. Record Research. p. 49.
  8. .
  9. ^ "Irish charts archive - Len Barry". IRMA. Retrieved 9 January 2020.
  10. .
  11. ^ "Item Display - RPM - Library and Archives Canada". Collectionscanada.gc.ca. 8 November 1965. Retrieved 2 September 2018.
  12. ^ "Toutes les Chansons N° 1 des Années 70" (in French). InfoDisc. Retrieved 22 December 2019.
  13. ^ "The Irish Charts – Search Results – Len Barry". Irish Singles Chart. Retrieved September 2, 2018.
  14. ^ "flavour of new zealand - search lever". Flavourofnz.co.nz. Retrieved 9 April 2019.
  15. The Official Charts Company. Archived from the original
    on 15 June 2011. Retrieved 8 August 2010.
  16. .
  17. ^ "SA Charts 1965–March 1989". Retrieved 1 September 2018.
  18. ^
    Allmusic
    . Retrieved 4 August 2010.

External links