Joy to the World (Hoyt Axton song)
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| "Joy to the World" | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Single by Three Dog Night | ||||
| from the album Naturally | ||||
| B-side | "I Can Hear You Calling" | |||
| Released | February 1971[1] | |||
| Format | 7" 45 RPM | |||
| Recorded | 1970 at American Recording Co. | |||
| Genre | Rock | |||
| Length | 3:17 | |||
| Label | Dunhill | |||
| Writer(s) | Hoyt Axton | |||
| Producer | Richard Podolor[1] | |||
| Certification | Gold (RIAA) | |||
| Three Dog Night singles chronology | ||||
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"Joy to the World" is a song written by Hoyt Axton, and made famous by the band Three Dog Night. The song is also popularly known by its opening words, "Jeremiah was a bullfrog". Three Dog Night originally released the song on their fourth studio album, Naturally in November 1970 (see 1970 in music) and subsequently released an edited version of the song as a single in February 1971 (see 1971 in music).[1]
The song, which has been described by members of Three Dog Night as a "kid's song" and a "silly song",[2] topped the main singles charts in North America, was certified gold by the RIAA, and has since been covered by multiple artists.
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[edit] Background and recording
Some of the words are nonsensical. Axton wanted to convince his record producers to record a new melody he had written and the producers asked him to sing any words to the tune. A member of Three Dog Night said that the original lyrics to the song were "Jeremiah was a prophet" but "no one liked that".[3]
When Hoyt Axton performed the song to the group, two of the three main vocalists – Danny Hutton and Cory Wells – rejected the song, but Chuck Negron felt that the band needed a "silly song" to help bring the band back together as a working unit. Chuck also feels that the song "wasn't even close to our best record, but it might have been one of our most honest."[2]
The song was recorded by Three Dog Night at American Recording Company, produced by Richard Podolor, and engineered by Bill Cooper.[1] Unlike most Three Dog Night songs recorded at that point, instead of having just the three main vocalists singing harmony, the song was recorded with all seven members of the band singing.[2]
[edit] Charts and awards
| Chart (1971) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Canadian Top Singles[4] | 1 |
| Germany (Media Control AG)[5] | 17 |
| Netherlands (Mega Single Top 100)[6] | 25 |
| UK Singles (Official Charts Company)[7] | 24 |
| US Billboard Hot 100[8] | 1 |
| Year-End Chart (1971) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Canadian Top Singles[9] | 1 |
The single had been out less than two months, when on April 9, 1971 "Joy to the World" was certified gold by the Recording Industry Association of America, with sales of over 500,000 units sold.[10] The record was also given a Gold Leaf award by RPM magazine for sales of over a million units.[11] The record won the award for the Best Selling Hit Single Record by the National Association of Recording Merchandisers in March 1972.[12]
[edit] Covers
- The fact this song shares its title with the Christmas carol "Joy to the World" has led to numerous artists combining the two songs in various ways. In the 1990s, Chuck Negron recorded the carol and playfully included a few lyrics from the Three Dog Night/Hoyt Axton song — coming to a full stop in mid-song for the line "Jeremiah was a bullfrog." The refrain of Axton's song was also included in Mariah Carey's recording of the carol for her 1994 Merry Christmas album.
- The Supremes and Four Tops recorded a duet version of the song in 1971, yet it remained unreleased until 2009.
- Little Richard covered the song on 1971's The King of Rock and Roll
- Nardcore punk band, Ten Foot Pole covered the song for their debut album, Swill.
- Eurodance crew Orlando covered the song for the 2002 Dancemania compilation Speed 10.
- Straight No Chaser, a US a capella group, covered the song for their 2010 album "With a Twist," along with other covers.
[edit] Popular culture references
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This section does not cite any references or sources. Please help improve this section by adding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. (September 2009) |
In an episode of the TV series Sex and the City, Carrie Bradshaw (played by Sarah Jessica Parker) and her friend Jeremiah (played by Samuel Ball) sing the "Jeremiah was a bullfrog" part of this song on the way home to Carrie's after a party.
The song was also featured in an episode of the sitcom Friends when Phoebe, Monica and Chandler have gone to a karaoke evening hosted by Phoebe's new boyfriend, Mike. Chandler stands up and opens with the line "Jeremiah was a bullfrog".
It was also referenced in a cartoon from The Far Side, where a frog says to his two friends, "Yeah, I remember Jerry. He was a good pal of mine...you know, I never understood a word he said, but he always had some mighty fine wine," parodying the first lines of the song.
In The X-Files television series, the song was referenced in the episode "Detour". Agent Mulder demands Agent Scully sing to him when they find themselves lost in a forest while attempting to capture a seemingly invisible predator. After declaring that she is unable to carry a tune, Scully proceeds to sing "Jeremiah was a bullfrog... Was a good friend of mine... Never understood a single word he said... But I helped him drink his wine...". Scully again sings a few lines to their son in the season nine episode "William".
The song was sung by a child in the bath in The Big Chill. The original Three Dog Night recording is then later played as the closing credits roll.
The song is the opening song for Raise Your Voice, and the closing song for The Big Chill. It is also found in 28 Days during one of the flashbacks of the main character's mother being drunk.
Two early-1970s clips of then-Chicago Bears coach Abe Gibron singing the song were used on NFL Films' 1981 documentary on "The NFL's Best Ever Coaches" and was recycled into 1985's "The Best of Football Follies".
The Three Dog Night version is on the game Karaoke Revolution Volume 3.[citation needed]
The Green Bay Bullfrogs mascot is named Jeremiah.
This song substituted for Queen's "We Are the Champions" at the end of Super Bowl XXXII at Qualcomm Stadium in San Diego, California when the Denver Broncos won their first world championship.
This song was played as the ending song at the end of the former Finding Nemo Disney on ice show.
| Preceded by "Just My Imagination (Running Away with Me)" by The Temptations |
Billboard Hot 100 number-one single April 17, 1971 (6 weeks) |
Succeeded by "Brown Sugar" by The Rolling Stones |
[edit] References
- ^ a b c d (1993) Album notes for Celebrate: The Three Dog Night Story, 1965–1975 by Three Dog Night, pp. 27, 30, 31 [CD liner]. United States: MCA Records (MCAD2-10956).
- ^ a b c Leaf, David (1993). Album notes for Celebrate: The Three Dog Night Story, 1965–1975 by Three Dog Night, p. 20 [CD liner]. United States: MCA Records (MCAD2-10956).
- ^ "Three Dog Night Headlines the Fair Tonight". Bainbridge Island Review: Entertainment section. August 20, 2008. ISSN 27111724. http://www.pnwlocalnews.com/kitsap/bir/entertainment/27111724.html?period=W&mpStartDate=05-15-2010. Retrieved April 5, 2011.
- ^ "100 Singles" (PHP). RPM Vol. 15 (No. 15). May 29, 1971. http://www.collectionscanada.gc.ca/rpm/028020-119.01-e.php?&file_num=nlc008388.5189&type=2&interval=20&PHPSESSID=m89iq841abagb37ld9c0fdc1f3. Retrieved April 5, 2011.
- ^ "Die ganze Musik im Internet: Charts, News, Neuerscheinungen, Tickets, Genres, Genresuche, Genrelexikon, Künstler-Suche, Musik-Suche, Track-Suche, Ticket-Suche – musicline.de" (in German). Media Control Charts. PhonoNet GmbH.
- ^ "Dutchcharts.nl – Three Dog Night – Joy To The World" (in Dutch). Mega Single Top 100. Hung Medien / hitparade.ch.
- ^ "Archive Chart" UK Singles Chart. Official Charts Company.
- ^ "Three Dog Night Album & Song Chart History" Billboard Hot 100 for Three Dog Night. Prometheus Global Media.
- ^ "100 Top Singles of '71" (PHP). RPM Vol. 16 (No. 20): 5. January 8, 1972. http://www.collectionscanada.gc.ca/rpm/028020-119.01-e.php?&file_num=nlc008388.7590&type=2&interval=20&PHPSESSID=m89iq841abagb37ld9c0fdc1f3. Retrieved April 5, 2011.
- ^ Gold & Platinum Searchable Database.
- ^ "Highlights of ABC/Dunhill Convention". Billboard Vol. 83 (No. 34): 50. August 21, 1971. http://books.google.com/books?id=vwgEAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA50&dq=%22Joy+to+the+World%22+Dunhill&hl=en&ei=GBedTcKAGMbSgQey64D8Bg&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=1&ved=0CC0Q6AEwAA#v=onepage&q=%22Joy%20to%20the%20World%22%20Dunhill&f=false. Retrieved April 6, 2011.
- ^ Sippel, John, ed. (March 18, 1972). "NARM Award Winners". Billboard Vol. 84 (No. 12): 12. http://books.google.com/books?id=jCgEAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA12&dq=%22Joy+to+the+World%22+Dunhill&hl=en&ei=mxedTe-lG4fQgAebppSJBw&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=6&ved=0CEEQ6AEwBQ#v=onepage&q=%22Joy%20to%20the%20World%22%20Dunhill&f=false. Retrieved April 6, 2011.
[edit] External links
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