Today’s classic song of the day is a blast of summer fun by a group called the Rivieras. The song is “California Sun;” released in January of 1964, it peaked at #5 on the Billboard Hot 100, just before the Beatles invaded our sunny shores.
“California Sun” was written by Henry Glover, a pro who’d been penning tunes for over a decade. Some of his hits for other artists included “Peppermint Twist” for Joey Dee and the Starlighters, “Let the Little Girl Dance” by Billy Bland, and “Drown in My Own Tears” for Ray Charles.
Glover’s song “California Sun” was first recorded in 1961 by R&B singer Joe Jones; his version only hit #89 on the Billboard Hot 100. The song was then covered two years later by the Rivieras, a group of clean cut young kids from South Bend, Indiana. (Why a bunch of midwestern teens recorded a song about having fun in California is a mystery to me.)
The Rivieras, originally called the Playmates, consisted of Marty “Bo” Fortson on vocals and guitar, Joe Pennell on guitar, Otto Nuss on that very prominent organ, Doug Gean on bass guitar, and Paul Dennert on drums. Bo and Joe quit the band to join the Marine Corps shortly after the single was released and the other members of the band were pressured by their parents to drop out and focus on their education. The group officially broke up in 1966. They only had this one hit.
