"Barbara Ann" is a song written by Fred Fassert that was first recorded by the Regents as "Barbara-Ann". Their version was released in 1961 and reached on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. The most famous cover version was recorded in 1965 by the Beach Boys, issued as a single from their album Beach Boys' Party! with the B-side "Girl Don't Tell Me".
The Beach Boys recorded their version on September 23, 1965. Dean Torrence of Jan and Dean is featured on lead vocals along with Brian Wilson. Torrence is not credited on the album, but Carl Wilson is heard saying "Thanks, Dean" at the song's conclusion. Capitol rush-released "Barbara Ann" as a single after the relatively poor performance of the group's previous disc, "The Little Girl I Once Knew". The song entered the Billboard Hot 100 chart the week ending January 1, 1966. The week ending January 29, the song leaped from to and was in position to replace "We Can Work It Out" by The Beatles as the next song. However, "My Love" by Petula Clark unexpectedly vaulted into the position the week ending February 5, 1966. Consequently, "Barbara Ann" peaked at on the US Billboard Hot 100 and at in the UK in January 1966. It also topped the charts in Germany, Switzerland and Norway. It was The Beach Boys' biggest hit in Italy, reaching. Variations of the Beach Boys' recording have seen release. A version without the party sound effects can be found on the Hawthorne, CA album. The group sang the song as an encore on their Live in London album. As a solo artist, Brian has a rendition on his live albumLive at the Roxy Theatre, and in 2001, performed it himself, with the ensemble, on An All-Star Tribute to Brian Wilson. In 1987, the group re-recorded the song as "Here Come the Cubs" with re-written lyrics about the Chicago Cubs. It became the team's official theme that year, replacing "Go, Cubs, Go". The Who perform "Barbara Ann" in the film The Kids Are Alright with Keith Moon on vocals. Moon, a massive Beach Boys fan but a notoriously limited singer, plays and sings much to the delight of his fellow band members. An earlier version by them was released on the Ready Steady WhoEP in 1966.
2005 - My Ocardial Infarction an episode of Scrubs, the fictional A cappella band "Hibbleton" performs a brief rendition of the song in a contest with "The Worthless Peons".
