Sea Cruise Explained
"Sea Cruise" is a song written and originally recorded by Huey "Piano" Smith and His Clowns in 1959. However, this track was not released until 1971.
The best known version was recorded by Frankie Ford and released in 1959, with Ford’s voice dubbed over Smith's original backing track (which featured ship's bell and horn sound-effects, boogie woogie piano, and a driving horn section and a shuffle beat that later influenced ska music).
It peaked at number 14 on the Billboard Hot 100 and sold over one million copies, earning a gold disc.
Original release
Sea Cruise |
Type: | single |
Artist: | Frankie Ford with Huey "Piano" Smith and Orchestra |
B-Side: | Roberta |
Released: | 1959 |
Recorded: | 1958 |
Studio: | Cosimo (New Orleans, Louisiana)[1] |
Genre: | Rock and roll |
Length: | 2:10 (A-side) 2:00 (B-side) |
Label: | Ace Records |
Prev Title: | Cheatin' Woman |
Prev Year: | 1958 |
Next Title: | Alimony |
Next Year: | 1959 |
The song was first released by Frankie Ford in 1959, sung over Smith's original backing track.[2] On the Billboard charts, it reached number 14 in the Hot 100 and number 11 on the Hot R&B Sides.[3] Released on Ace Records, it sold over one million copies, gaining gold disc status.[4] The single included ship's bell and horn sound-effects, as well as boogie piano, a driving horn section and a shuffle beat that later influenced ska music.
Smith version
Sea Cruise |
Artist: | Huey "Piano" Smith and His Clowns |
Released: | 1959 |
Label: | Ace Records |
Although it was recorded in 1959 Smith’s recording was not released until the 1971 Ace Records compilation Huey "Piano" Smith's Rock & Roll Revival![5]
Cover versions
It was later also covered by:
- Charlie Drake released a comedy version of the song in the UK in 1959
- Jackie Edwards released a ska version in 1964
- Mickie Most covered the song in 1964 Columbia DB 7180
- Herman's Hermits covered the song in 1965 on the album Introducing Herman's Hermits.[6]
- The Hondells covered the song in the 1960s, as seen on a Scopitone film.[7]
- Freddy Cannon covered it in a 1968 single released by "We Make Rock'N Roll Records" #1604[8]
- Shakin' Stevens and the Sunsets covered the song on their album, I'm No J.D. 1971 which was released again in 1981 as "Shakin' Stevens & The Sunsets".
- The Houseshakers in Demolition Rock (1972) (available on CD Contours Of Rock 'n' Roll Raucous Records).
- Sha Na Na on The Night Is Still Young[9] and Golden Age Of Rock 'n' Roll (both 1972).
- Jerry Lee Lewis in 1973 for his album The Session...Recorded in London with Great Artists.[10]
- Commander Cody and His Lost Planet Airmen covered the song in 1973.
- Johnny Rivers recorded a studio version in 1971 and covered it in 1974 on the album Last Boogie in Paris.[11]
- The Glitter Band covered the song on their album, Hey! (1974).[12]
- John Fogerty covered it on his self-titled 1975 solo album.[13]
- Nicky Hopkins covered it in 1975 on the album No More Changes.[14]
- The Beach Boys, recorded c. 1976 for initial inclusion on 15 Big Ones (released on the 1981 compilation album Ten Years of Harmony featuring a vocal by Dennis Wilson)[15]
- Robert Gordon and Link Wray covered the song on their 1977 album Robert Gordon with Link Wray.
- Johnny Hallyday on his C'est la vie album (1977).
- Rory Gallagher performed the song live in 1978–1979. The version from Wiesbaden, Germany, May 6, 1979, was included on his DVD At Rockpalast. Another version from December 1979 was released on Notes from San Francisco.
- Showaddywaddy covered the song on their 1979 album Crepes & Drapes.[16]
- Billy "Crash" Craddock[17] covered it in 1980 on the album Changes.
- Rico Rodriguez recorded an instrumental version in 1980 with The Specials.
- Don McLean on his 1981 album Believers
- Glenn Frey recorded the song on his first solo album, No Fun Aloud, in 1982, after having performed it with Eagles on the same year of their breakup, 1980.
- Anne Murray performed the song in her 1983 TV special Anne Murray: Caribbean Cruise.
- The Kidsongs Kids covered the song on their 1986 video "What I Want to Be!".
- Cliff Richard covered it on his 1990 live album and then again with the Shadows on their 2009 album Reunited.
- Dion covered the song in 1990 on the album The Adventures of Ford Fairlane.[18]
- American R&B and boogie-woogie pianist and singer Little Willie Littlefield recorded a version for his 1997 album The Red One.
- Jimmy Buffett covered the song on the 1995 album . It also appeared on M.O.M. – Music for our mother ocean – Vol 3 in 1999, and Jimmy's Live in Mansfield, MA CD released in 2004.
- Status Quo Covered the song as a B-Side on their 1999 single, "The Way It Goes."[19] [20]
- In 1976 actress Jill Clayburgh performed the song on Saturday Night Live (season one, episode 15), backed by the US Coast Guard’s a cappella group The Idlers.
- Yo La Tengo recorded the song for their covers album Yo La Tengo Is Murdering the Classics.
- Gemmy Industries covered this song for their novelty toy Rocky the Singing Lobster in 2000
Song in other media
See also
- List of 1950s one-hit wonders in the United States
Notes and References
- Web site: Broven. John. Cosimo Matassa. Ace Records. September 12, 2014. August 19, 2024. August 21, 2024. https://web.archive.org/web/20240821012334/https://acerecords.co.uk/news/2014/cosimo-matassa. live.
- News: Frankie Ford, Singer of 'Sea Cruise,' Dies at 76 . August 20, 2019 . The New York Times . September 30, 2015 . August 21, 2024 . https://web.archive.org/web/20240821012334/https://www.nytimes.com/2015/10/01/arts/music/frankie-ford-singer-of-sea-cruise-dies-at-76.html . live .
- Frankie Ford Chart History . Billboard . August 20, 2019 . March 16, 2018 . https://web.archive.org/web/20180316110912/https://www.billboard.com/music/frankie-ford . live .
- Book: Murrells, Joseph. 1978. The Book of Golden Discs. 2nd. Barrie and Jenkins . London. 114. 0-214-20512-6. registration.
- Web site: Huey "Piano" Smith – Huey "Piano" Smith's Rock & Roll Revival!. 1971. discogs. October 24, 2017. October 25, 2017. https://web.archive.org/web/20171025075845/https://www.discogs.com/Huey-Piano-Smith-Huey-Piano-Smiths-Rock-Roll-Revival/master/726835. live.
- Web site: Herman's Hermits – Introducing Herman's Hermits . 1965 . discogs . April 30, 2015 . April 7, 2015 . https://web.archive.org/web/20150407012334/http://www.discogs.com/Hermans-Hermits-Introducing-Hermans-Hermits/master/219161 . live .
- Web site: The Hondells "Sea Cruise". https://web.archive.org/web/20111209235856/http://scopitones.blogs.com/scopitonescom/2008/02/the-hondells-se.html . December 9, 2011 .
- Web site: Freddy Cannon Record Label Shots . Colorradio.com . April 30, 2015.
- Web site: Sha Na Na* – The Night Is Still Young . 1972 . discogs . April 30, 2015 . April 30, 2015 . https://web.archive.org/web/20150430165642/http://www.discogs.com/Sha-Na-Na-The-Night-Is-Still-Young/master/425605 . live .
- Web site: The Session -Jerry Lee Lewis. allmusic.com. April 3, 2023. April 15, 2023. https://web.archive.org/web/20230415024122/https://www.allmusic.com/album/the-session-mw0000650415. live.
- Web site: Johnny Rivers And His L. A. Boogie Band – Last Boogie in Paris . 1974 . discogs . April 30, 2015 . January 14, 2015 . https://web.archive.org/web/20150114101928/http://www.discogs.com/Johnny-Rivers-And-His-L-A-Boogie-Band-Last-Boogie-In-Paris/master/355149 . live .
- Web site: www.allmusic.com. allmusic.com. April 3, 2023. December 10, 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20211210094100/https://www.allmusic.com/album/hey%21-mw0000017870. live.
- Web site: John Fogerty – John Fogerty . 1975 . discogs . April 30, 2015 . April 4, 2015 . https://web.archive.org/web/20150404072058/http://www.discogs.com/John-Fogerty-John-Fogerty/master/222482 . live .
- Web site: Nicky Hopkins – No More Changes (Vinyl, LP) . 1975 . discogs . April 30, 2015 . January 17, 2016 . https://web.archive.org/web/20160117063750/http://www.discogs.com/Nicky-Hopkins-No-More-Changes/release/2428351 . live .
- http://www.beachboyscollections.com/albumsort.htm
- Web site: Showaddywaddy – Crepes & Drapes (Vinyl, LP) at Discogs . 1979 . discogs . July 21, 2015 . January 17, 2016 . https://web.archive.org/web/20160117063750/http://www.discogs.com/Showaddywaddy-Crepes-Drapes/release/4064765 . live .
- Web site: Archived copy . August 17, 2009 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20110718133908/http://music.ca.music.yahoo.com/library/default.asp?m=alyrics&tid=527448 . July 18, 2011 .
- Web site: Various – The Adventures Of Ford Fairlane (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack) . 1990 . discogs . April 30, 2015 . January 17, 2016 . https://web.archive.org/web/20160117063750/http://www.discogs.com/Various-The-Adventures-Of-Ford-Fairlane-Original-Motion-Picture-Soundtrack/master/70747 . live .
- http://www.statusquo.co.uk/records/singles9.htm
- Web site: Status Quo – The Way It Goes (CD) . 1999 . discogs . April 30, 2015 . February 3, 2015 . https://web.archive.org/web/20150203044357/http://www.discogs.com/Status-Quo-The-Way-It-Goes/release/1546567 . live .
- Book: Leszczak . Bob . Who Did It First?: Great Rock and Roll Cover Songs and Their Original Artists . Rowman & Littlefield . 2014 . 978-1442233218 . 187 . October 28, 2020 . November 6, 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20231106043803/https://books.google.com/books?id=4egLBAAAQBAJ&q=%22Sea+Cruise%22+%22American+Graffiti%22&pg=PA187 . live .