Still looking at songs my parents liked, today’s classic song of the day is “Jean” by Oliver. The song, the theme to the movie The Prime of Miss Jean Brody, was released as a single in August of 1969. It was a huge hit, peaking at #2 on both the Billboard Hot 100 and Cash Box Top 100, and #1 on Billboard’s Adult Contemporary chart. It also hit #1 in Canada and was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Original Song. (It lost to the Bacharach/David tune, “Raindrops Keep Falling on My Head,” from the movie Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid.)
“Jean” was a beautiful ballad written by poet Rod McKuen. (It fits that a song that starts with “roses are red” was written by a poet.) Mr. McKuen released his own version of the song earlier in 1969 but it failed to chart. It was Oliver’s version that made it into the movie and onto the charts.
Oliver was the stage name of William Oliver Swofford, a cat from North Carolina. After shortening his name to sound less British and fit on 45 RPM record labels, he broke into the public consciousness with another soundtrack cover, “Good Morning Starshine” from the musical Hair. That one peaked at #3 on the Hot 100, just one position shy of what “Jean” later reached.
“Jean” was the last of Oliver’s big hits, although a few minor ones followed. He toured for a few more years and contributed his background vocals and guitar to albums for a few of his friends, including folksinger Steve Goodman, the guy who wrote “City of New Orleans.” Mr. Swofford passed away in 2000 of lymphoma; he was just 54.
And here’s your bonus video of the day, Oliver performing “Jean” live on The Ed Sullivan Show on October 12, 1969. My mother probably watched it.
