In 1988, “Kokomo” was a cultural phenomenon. The Beach Boys’ first #1 since “Good Vibrations,” the unlikely hit single (off the Cocktail soundtrack) sold over a million copies. Inexplicably, this week’s Entertainment Weekly Summer Music Issue has a three page feature about the song.
“It has a transporting power,” rhapsodizes 23-year-old indie rock favorite Adam Green, who does a bare-bones cover of the tune [with Ben Kweller] on the B side of his single “Jessica.” He first heard it when he was 7. “I’d never been to the tropics at that point, but it had that feeling. It had a huge effect on me.”
Adam Green & Ben Kweller – “Kokomo” (MP3 link removed)
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The lovers, the dreamers, and me.
Huge at 4th grade graduation – along with some Whitney Houston jawn, “Paradise City”, and one other laughable tune, maybe Kylie’s “Locomotion”???
I have to admit I never got the song when i was in Junior High, but now, in the fullness of time, it has grown on me to mean tropical summery lagniappe and serendipity. This untaxing and breezy hit is a classic of sorts. Then again, don’t mind me, I think Bonnie Tyler’s Total Eclipse of the Heart was genius and Kajagoogoo’s Too Shy was worse than We Built this City.
hmm… I was hoping that this version would make me forget how little I like Mike Love, but it just reminds me of him. This was the song that the weird christian rap band at my high school would cover when they wanted to show off their pipes. Creepy.
but this version is ok.
According to the article, the song was written by the unlikely trio of (Mamas and the Papas’) John Phillips, Scott McKenzie (who wrote 1967′s “San Francisco – Be Sure to Wear Flowers In Your Hair”) and Doris Day’s son Terry Melcher, who produced the first Byrds album and was friends with Charles Manson. Mike Love also contributed some lyrics and the “Aruba, Jamaica…” part.
ive got the most kickass bat mitzvah karaoke jam cassette tape of “kokomo” as interpreted by my best friends and me. i do believe theres a boyz II men-esque spoken word breakdown, in which i tell my friend elizabeth that she is a tool. except that im pretty sure i wasnt aware of the term “tool” at age 12. so it was something like that. bumhole maybe.
adam green sucks. i hate that the strokes are at the level where they can choose any coke-buddy as their opener instead of needing a crowd-pleaser to sell tickets… not that theres anything wrong with coke buddies.
there nothing like doing one of the worst Beach Boys songs for a cover… why? why? WHY????
The link…it ain’t workin’…you could make me really happy if you can fix it. thankx a lot.
This may very well be the greatest site on earth, but I must echo the above guy’s plea.
It would be most appreciated if this link could be restored.
Our heart is still bleeding!
hey karen your a fucking idiot, adam green is better than anything you will ever amount to be.
A thousand thankyou’s for putting this back up.
hello my fellow christian friends…adam green poops on me and it tastes so gooood! Hes the best boyfriend ever. I love you baby!
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Good site. Thanks!!!
Good site. Thanks!!!
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