Howdy! The 60's band, "The Royal Guardsmen", responsible for the hits "Snoopy vs. the Red Baron" and "Snoopy's Christmas" are back and making music again after 40+ years!Come over to facebook and "like" their band page and you'll be elligible for monthly giveaways, the next of which is on Dec. 5th for their new live cd, "Beaglemania!" Stay up to date regarding tour dates,history and links to "Royal Guardsmen" trivia.Thanks,hope to see you there!Come see us at facebook dot com/theroyalguardsmen
I ADORE Jan and Dean.....Jan is my fave. Yes, Jan and Dean clowned around in thier act and much of thier songs were fun BUT that dosent mean they didnt take music seriously....you can have fun while still takeing your job serious, one dosent exclude the other. Any way I think they should be in the Rock N Roll hall of Fame but when Jan was alive now it would be slapping him in the face., IMO
Man, this California sound is just so awesome. Jan and Dean were right up there with the Beach Boys in terms of a killer vocal sound, production and perhaps, on occasion as here, in songwriting. For a kid like me living in New Jersey, it just was mind blowing to experience the California vibe completed in the late 60's with the Doors. Finally made it to California as an adult but that's a story for another day. Enjoy and rock on.
From 1965-67, I was a 15-17 old kid, east coast Australia, Cronulla Beach. Worked five and a half days at a small grocery, ($35 a week, plus half saturday, all the free fruit I could eat), walked 200 hundred yards from home to the water before and after work, even in winter, (it was bloody cold, could'nt afford a 'wetsuit', just a T-shirt), swam and surfed, (I could'nt ride to save my life!), after work, each day.
this is such crap. why did they make everyone lip synch in all of these old talk shows? These days people get scoffed at for this. what a joke, and you could tell they were kindah miffed at this shit. Jan and Dean are still super Bitchin' though.
@kdj29 I'll bet that it was better for the fans because the p.a. systems couldn't have been so great then. I'm actually glad that they didn't record live on those shows there's no telling how they would have sounded. Lol
I think that the worst time that Jan and Dean had to lip sync was right after Jan's accident when they were making a come back.
This was pre Segregation, pre Haight, pre MLK Jr., and all the awful assassinations that were to come, the horrors of Vietnam. It's all about the " wonder bread folk next door"- stiff, young, empty, inexperienced and trying to figure it out from our brain dead, soulless parents in the early 60's..it was innocent and fun, clueless and silly, but still it defined many of our adolescent lives before reality and acid and Hendrix hit us.
Some Rock n Roll history for you: This clip is from a 1965 episode of the Dean Martin Show on NBC. Back then, NBC also had a hit show called Hullabaloo, where rock stars of the day came and sang their biggest hits. So back in 1965 Dean Martin's comment that Jan "treats the casualties on Hullabaloo" was just a joke referring to that other show and, per his intro, the fact that Jan was studying medicine at the time.
@Athabina Brian Wilson did not write and produce this song. Brian had nothing to do with this song. Jan Berry produced all of Jan & Dean's hits from 1963-1966. Jan produced this one and also co-wrote it. No Brian Wilson.
@pjsman5252 according to history-of-rock com, Brian gave the music to this song to Jan & Dean, who in turn added lyrics. Also The subtle falsetto in the line, "Surf City, here we come," was sung by Brian Wilson.
@MrPeterNeedham Not true. Brian gave a unfinshed song called surfing woodie. Later became Surf City. Jan Berry,Don Altfeld,Roger Christian. Jan wrote the Music . Brian Wilson had nothing to do with this song.
History of ROck aslo says three people died with Jan in the car accident. That is another non Truth.
@ngnnick1967 ok, so you are differentiating "giving an unfinished song" and "co writing it"... Brian wikipedia org wiki/Brian_Wilson also claims that Brian co-wrote the song. Anyone with proof that this is not true should edit and correct this to set the record straight.
@MrPeterNeedham The thing about wikipedie is it is just stuff people write in. Go look it up under ascap. The unfinshed song that had partial lyrics was surf city originally surfin woodie.
@ekocentric Jan and Dean were first. Actually, Jan and Arnie did Jennie Lee in 1958. Then Jan & Dean did Baby Talk in 1959.Both top 10 hits and both influenced the Beach Boys sound. The Beach Boys came out in 1961.
@pjsman5252 OMG. Are you kidding? I wonder when they met? The had to have met early on to collaborate. Isn't it amazing though? How in the world could kids make music like that? Most musicians aren't that lucky right "out of the gate."
@ekocentric Jan and Brian met in 1962. I think Lou Adler introduced them. Brian showed Jan an unfinished song and Jan and Brian wrote Surf City together. Brian had some great ideas and Jan was a great producer. Jan taught Brian how to make cleaner tracks and Brian shared some song ideas with Jan. They wrote 12 songs together. 6 of them were major hits. Jan & Dean and the Beach Boys also played concerts together. I think Jan and Brian meeting each other was a major event in rock n roll history.
@ekocentric Arnie joined the Navy, I believe. Being a rock star was not his cup of tea. Also, it seems he couldn't work with Jan anymore. Jan then recruited Dean and the rest is history.
@pjsman5252 I'll bet that Arnie baby spent the rest of his life doing interviews like ex Beatles drummer Pete Best who has been seen over the years talking about how he used to be one of them.
I've been reading about Jan today and he seemed to be a little bit hard to keep up with. Unfortunately I think that that type of person has a better chance at getting their material out there to the public.
@melbea03 I have the original record and also youtube has a Brian Wilson interview.
Clearly, on the record it says J.Berry/ B.Wilson as the writers. In the interview with Brian, he talks about writing Surf City WITH Jan Berry. But it did start out as Brian's idea.
While they were the clown prince's of surf and rock and roll, history shows that Jan Berry was a very talented composer and producer. Brian Wilson has even stated that Jan taught him a thing or two. It's sad to think what might have been if not for the accident.
To ANY critics : this track should be taken in its good & proper context. FACTS : it reached # 3 in the USA in Summer 1964, & was J & D's 5th biggest-ever hit, out of over 30 they had. It was a FUN SONG .. & it introduced the outrageously-lovable motif of Drop-Out Surf / Drag Senior-Citizens (I'm one). To all hard-core way-back fans who adore this novelty theme of Little Old Ladys & Grannies, be sure to check out Carson Robison's 1956 RockaBilly Hit "Rockin & Rollin With Grandmaw" .. awesome !!
I have come to the humble, and brutally honest conclusion
that Jan and Dean suck really bad, and were part of the genesis
of the manufactured band. (ie. new kids on the block)
If you watch the remastered T.A.M.I. show where these guys actually host the whole thing, you see the charade in full black n white. They look annoyed through the whole thing and are very bad talents in general. The rest of the Tami show (minus Lesley gore) is AMAZING.
@freqazoidiac They were just medical students (I think!) having a laugh and it was fun while it lasted - not to be taken too seriously and definitely not to be scrutinized too finely.
@1960sbabe yeah, you are right, and good to see in that context. I got pretty annoyed with the way they acted in the T.A.M.I. show. I understand Jan was a good composer! Somedays, somethings just get a bit out of hand. cheers
@1960sbabe At the time, Jan was in med school and Dean was working on a degree in graphic design (after switching from architecture). You're right--neither of them thought they'd ever be in the music business for decades. Yet Jan was a terrific producer/arranger and was planning to set up his own label at the time he had the accident. Probably a big reason they aren't in the Hall of Fame is because they didn't write serious music!
@freqazoidiac Brian Wilson has made it clear that Jan and Dean's first records inspired his writing on the first Beach Boys albums. Jan and Dean formed in 1958 where The Beach Boys formed in 1961.
Yeah, I do understand the lineage. I do think it just comes down to taste and the perceived development and direction of the artists. Nice for you to point out those details though, like most of us music fans here I do enjoy the trivial aspects.
So no one else here were annoyed by Jan and Dean hosting the TAMI show?
@freqazoidiac I wasn't annoyed. They could have done a lot worse than Jan & Dean as hosts--plus they were one of the top ten singles-selling artists of 1964 as well as being the most popular duo of that year. Not too shabby for a couple of guys who were full-time students! I think the reason they don't get a lot of respect is the fact that they didn't take themselves too seriously. They were studying for other careers anyway and figured if they got a few years out of music, it would be fun.
Yes, I saw them on Lloyd Thaxton TV tearing apart the set . I really liked that show. I just watched the T.A.M.I show on PBS. Jan & Dean were the MC'S. A rare show to watch on TV.
I remember when Pasadena's Colorado Blvd., was just full of elderly ladies driving Hudsons, Edsels and Buick Lasalles. They thought I was a dangerous foreign punk in my 1960 Renault 4CV as I sped from signal to signal changing lanes .
1964 Dodge Coronet 426 max wedge [ not the hemi ] superstock dodge. if you had a mint original today it would be worth around $200,000. - how much will todays cars be worth in 50 years???
They were considered the Crown Prince of Rock and Roll. I remember watching them on Lloyd Thaxton TV show in 1965 and thought they were the coolest! They did "Rock and Roll Music" on stage. Super Cool!
Cool! I have a piece of that show on audio--you saw it on TV? Did you see Jan & Dean break Lloyd's set? LOL! Unfortunately, all of the video for the Lloyd Thaxton Show got erased :-( I wish Lloyd had had the foresight to save all that stuff!
Tomkes100 is a Film Historian *AND* a Rock & Roll/Doo Wop Historian!!! WOW!!!!!!!! It's possible Tomkes100 relates to Jan because of the massive brain damage he suffered... after all, look at TOMKEs100's SPELLING! Blimey!!!
the man who knows... he claims he has known 1,000 stars. and yet, he is here on YouTube, watching Counting Crows videos!!! HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA
joe y thanksfor the e mail to me. they were great hese guts this song is immortal. i lived thru those years. they make em like this no more. look at rap and hip hop. hey Jan&Dean in their prime were tops . take it from me. i as there. thats why im a doo wop/roclnroll historian. thNKS AGAIN. tomkes THE MAN WHO KNOWS NO bs HERE FOLKS.
The joke behind this tune is that at the time SoCal used car salesman would claim the cars they were selling had only been driven by "little old ladies in Pasadena" (considered a retirement community at the time), so the cars had never been "pushed". In this song, the proverbial "little old lady from Pasadena" was a hot-rodder!
Jan & Dean 's greatest hit Little Old Lady from Pasadena . I lived thru those years . im a rocknroll/doo wop historian and i can tell you this ranks high up. they never sang better. catchy tune and beat and a title we soon forget. thanks guys. TOMK
I was a kid in the 60's (born in 1960) and until 1969 had lived in Anaheim (born there). My sister is 7 years older and I c an remember my mother's 59 Chevy, with custom glass packs barreling down the road with this song blasting. She wasn't an old lady then but this brings back MANY MEMORIES! My friends and I saw Jan & Dean, with the Belair Bandits in 1979 @ The Circle Star in NO CA (since torn down). Jan was sketchy but considering what happened they still rocked;-)
@yourmoment Yeah, Jan & Dean did that a lot! I have a video of them doing Sidewalk Surfin' on Dick Clark's show in 1964. Dean deliberately stopped lip-synching during a video close-up of his face; Jan laughed and pointed at him, saying "That's you!" Meanwhile, the song track continued to roll!
You can't imagine what it was like to live in Southern California in the 60s and hear these songs. I felt like I lived in the center of the universe. This song will make me feel good when I'm 100 years old.
I can IMAGINE.. in fact I DID as a child in London.. but NEVER thought I'd get there, in those days few Brits got to the States as it was £5 to one Dollar! In the end I saw 21 states, but my VERY favourite was always California !
The intro to this is really interesting. Frank Sinatra (the 'Chairman') must have allowed Dean Martin to let Jan & Dean Torrance appear - after the kidnapping incident. Thanks for posting - Jimbo
Yes, I'm pretty sure. Brian doubled with Jan and Tony(Matadors) on Surf City.Brian sang on the album version of Deadman's Curve and did some parts on Drag City.But he had nothing to do with the Little Old Lady. You are right that Brian has an amazing falsetto. Brian was/is a great singer and producer. Jan Berry was pretty damn good himself.They were a potent team in the studio when they did work together.
AT LEAST ELVIS,WILLIE NELSON,KRIS KRISTOFFERSON,GEORGE JONES,JIMI HENDRIX,fred durst,tony bennet,all served thier country not like scammers like springsteen,etc.
Beach Boys did 'catch a wave' Brian Wilson did sing on Surf city, and Dead mans curve. Not little ole lady, I'm pretty sure. About the hall of Fame. I love Jan and Dean. Some people feel because they were not great instrument players, nor wrote most of their music, plus their music mostly was fun music, they do not qualitify. I disagree
Neither of them were draft dodgers ..... in fact Jan released an anti-draft dogder song called "Universal Coward" - making a mockery of the song The Universal Soldier.
actually The Beach Boys did and Brian Wilson invited Jan and Dean to perform with them in 1963 and Brian Wilson gave them "Surf City" partially written and he helped them with vocals so actually railbuggy and the GarfieldVsSnoopy it was the Beach Boys. Sorry
Actually Jan and Arnie released Jennie Lee in 58 or 59 and then Jan and Dean released Baby Talk in 59 so I would say Jan and Dean were recording before The Beach Boys.
actually at one of the first performances of the Beach Boys, they had to back up Jan & Dean. J&D started out well before the BBs. Fact. Both great of course
cool super cool!
gayguy666999 4 days ago
Jan and Dean are to the 1960's as Andrew and Ben (MGMT) are to the 2000's?
agadez13 3 weeks ago
I've alway's loved them!!!!!I Thought they were the greatest!!!!!!
taichilvr 1 month ago
Howdy! The 60's band, "The Royal Guardsmen", responsible for the hits "Snoopy vs. the Red Baron" and "Snoopy's Christmas" are back and making music again after 40+ years!Come over to facebook and "like" their band page and you'll be elligible for monthly giveaways, the next of which is on Dec. 5th for their new live cd, "Beaglemania!" Stay up to date regarding tour dates,history and links to "Royal Guardsmen" trivia.Thanks,hope to see you there!Come see us at facebook dot com/theroyalguardsmen
dualshowman007 2 months ago
i love pasedina
journeyangel1 2 months ago
こんな楽しい曲あったﾖﾅ!まさにﾌﾞﾗｲｱﾝ･ｻｳﾝﾄﾞ､ｼﾞｬﾝ&ﾃﾞｨｰﾝ､"ﾊﾟｻﾃﾞｨﾅのおばあちゃん”～ｻｰﾌｨﾝ･ﾎｯﾄﾛｯﾄﾞは白人至上主義ﾎﾟｯﾌﾟ
blackandtanful 2 months ago in playlist YouTube Mix for Jan & Dean
A Top 5 hit for Jan & Dean in the summer of 1964.
mkl62 2 months ago
I ADORE Jan and Dean.....Jan is my fave. Yes, Jan and Dean clowned around in thier act and much of thier songs were fun BUT that dosent mean they didnt take music seriously....you can have fun while still takeing your job serious, one dosent exclude the other. Any way I think they should be in the Rock N Roll hall of Fame but when Jan was alive now it would be slapping him in the face., IMO
rockinrobintweets 3 months ago
Thank you for this posting...... certainly takes one back to younger days!! Excellent!
54mayford 3 months ago
i hang out with dean torrance on the REGS!!
golddigger069 3 months ago
Ah the days when ten miles to the gallon and no seat belts was nothing to be ashamed of.
drex23100 4 months ago
Man, this California sound is just so awesome. Jan and Dean were right up there with the Beach Boys in terms of a killer vocal sound, production and perhaps, on occasion as here, in songwriting. For a kid like me living in New Jersey, it just was mind blowing to experience the California vibe completed in the late 60's with the Doors. Finally made it to California as an adult but that's a story for another day. Enjoy and rock on.
joemysteryguitar 5 months ago
peel rubber granny!!!!!!!!!!!!
hotrodtrucker88 5 months ago
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PF Sloan (singer/ songwriter) supposedly did the high notes (falsetto) on this song and not Dean Torrance.
songbuff61 6 months ago
Comment removed
songbuff61 6 months ago
My Grandma was born about 8 miles south of Pasadena, and man was she ever a lead foot, so naturally this song title was one of her nicknames.
She lived the past thirty years in Atlanta, when driving there you gotta know how put peddle to metal. Lost her last year...miss you Grammy.
RCRamone1971 7 months ago
i saw them when i was like 3 or 4 years old (i'm 24 now)... my first concert <3
any time i mention them, everyone stares at me like i'm an idiot and they say "who?"
it's so sad because their music was a big part of my childhood.
spongebobbette23 7 months ago
Does anyone know where these two are now-a-days?
jacknash711 8 months ago
@jacknash711 Yeahh Dean still lives in HB. Ive met Dean a couple times and i had a class with his daughter. They are very nice people
dandybrandybee 7 months ago
@jacknash711 We lost Jan Berry March 26, 2004. Dean is still liveing and rockin on.
rockinrobintweets 3 months ago
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Jan & Dean belong in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.
They had many hits, fans and helped to create sounds that were legendary.
J&D and the Beach Boys created the California surf sound that helped to define the 1960's.
I shake my head at some of the acts already in the Hall.
Many did not do half of what Jan & Dean did.
George Vreeland Hill
GeorgeVreelandHill 8 months ago
The oldies never get old!
JOSECHETATRIBUTE 8 months ago
It's hard not to wonder how famous they might have become if Jan had not
been in that devastating car crash.
chipperwayne5 8 months ago
9 people are grannies from Pasadena
llabful 9 months ago 6
From 1965-67, I was a 15-17 old kid, east coast Australia, Cronulla Beach. Worked five and a half days at a small grocery, ($35 a week, plus half saturday, all the free fruit I could eat), walked 200 hundred yards from home to the water before and after work, even in winter, (it was bloody cold, could'nt afford a 'wetsuit', just a T-shirt), swam and surfed, (I could'nt ride to save my life!), after work, each day.
The mates were great, the girls were OH!
Do it again ?.
In a heartbeat.
twinstu50 10 months ago
It's ironic that Jan was in his second year of medical school when he had his life altering accident.
ekocentric 10 months ago
i love your voice dean.........
sagebrushed 10 months ago
@sagebrushed This was the first time that I noticed that he could REALLY dance. I remember doing every dance that he did in this video.
ekocentric 10 months ago
I'm singing this song in my show chior!! FUN! :)
Marggyemintine 10 months ago
this is such crap. why did they make everyone lip synch in all of these old talk shows? These days people get scoffed at for this. what a joke, and you could tell they were kindah miffed at this shit. Jan and Dean are still super Bitchin' though.
kdj29 10 months ago
@kdj29 I'll bet that it was better for the fans because the p.a. systems couldn't have been so great then. I'm actually glad that they didn't record live on those shows there's no telling how they would have sounded. Lol
I think that the worst time that Jan and Dean had to lip sync was right after Jan's accident when they were making a come back.
ekocentric 10 months ago
This song was written by Don Altfeld, Jan Berry, and Roger Christian.
67Stu 10 months ago
my favorite duo with a great sound
MsWayster 11 months ago
I used to get The Beach Boys & Jan & Dean confused.
Fartingbellybutton 11 months ago
who does their backing singing, "sounds like the beach boys at times"
jim5608 1 year ago
@jim5608 The backing singers are Phil Sloan and Steve Barri( the fantastic baggies).
pjsman5252 1 year ago
ITS THE LITTLE OLD LADY FROM PASADINAAAAaaaa!!!
checkmate585 1 year ago
hahahhahaha
jan3max 1 year ago
a new level for lip synking......how utterly pathetic
kenzfartzen 1 year ago
a new level for spelling...how utterly pathetic (lip syncing)
lexi531 11 months ago
This has been flagged as spam show
a new level for spelling...how utterly pathetic (lip syncing)
lexi531 11 months ago
This was pre Segregation, pre Haight, pre MLK Jr., and all the awful assassinations that were to come, the horrors of Vietnam. It's all about the " wonder bread folk next door"- stiff, young, empty, inexperienced and trying to figure it out from our brain dead, soulless parents in the early 60's..it was innocent and fun, clueless and silly, but still it defined many of our adolescent lives before reality and acid and Hendrix hit us.
tabacblonde 1 year ago
Form the days when singers could sing!
AbuAvital 1 year ago
I can think of a better video to go with this song, than those two 'dancing'.
WaterCottage 1 year ago
Probably the worst lip sync I have ever seen, but the song is still FANTASTIC!
samandtab12 1 year ago
One of the Greatest on one of the Greatest 's show.
unclebillmusic 1 year ago
Yikes
cfkane1000 1 year ago
They're singing about my grandmother
Snidely1000 1 year ago
>> titostacos: "the casualties on Hullabaloo"?
Some Rock n Roll history for you: This clip is from a 1965 episode of the Dean Martin Show on NBC. Back then, NBC also had a hit show called Hullabaloo, where rock stars of the day came and sang their biggest hits. So back in 1965 Dean Martin's comment that Jan "treats the casualties on Hullabaloo" was just a joke referring to that other show and, per his intro, the fact that Jan was studying medicine at the time.
BigDumbApe1 1 year ago
Great 60s memories!
LAwoman1956 1 year ago
"the casualties on Hullabaloo"?
titostacos 1 year ago
Comment removed
BigDumbApe1 1 year ago
To me that sounds like the beach boys sound track. There are too many voices to be them + sounds a lot like brian wilson
krumbolt1 1 year ago
To me that sounds like the beach boys sound track. There are too many voices to be them + sounds a lot like brian wilson
krumbolt1 1 year ago
I neverunderstood why Jan and Dean sounded so much like the Beach Boys. The similarities are uncanny.
Minacious 1 year ago
@Minacious That's because Brian Wilson wrote and produced this song for Jan and Dean; notice Brian's unique vocal background.
Athabina 1 year ago
@Athabina Brian Wilson did not write and produce this song. Brian had nothing to do with this song. Jan Berry produced all of Jan & Dean's hits from 1963-1966. Jan produced this one and also co-wrote it. No Brian Wilson.
pjsman5252 1 year ago 11
@pjsman5252 according to history-of-rock com, Brian gave the music to this song to Jan & Dean, who in turn added lyrics. Also The subtle falsetto in the line, "Surf City, here we come," was sung by Brian Wilson.
MrPeterNeedham 1 year ago
@MrPeterNeedham Not true. Brian gave a unfinshed song called surfing woodie. Later became Surf City. Jan Berry,Don Altfeld,Roger Christian. Jan wrote the Music . Brian Wilson had nothing to do with this song.
History of ROck aslo says three people died with Jan in the car accident. That is another non Truth.
ngnnick1967 1 year ago
@ngnnick1967 ok, so you are differentiating "giving an unfinished song" and "co writing it"... Brian wikipedia org wiki/Brian_Wilson also claims that Brian co-wrote the song. Anyone with proof that this is not true should edit and correct this to set the record straight.
MrPeterNeedham 1 year ago
@MrPeterNeedham The thing about wikipedie is it is just stuff people write in. Go look it up under ascap. The unfinshed song that had partial lyrics was surf city originally surfin woodie.
ngnnick1967 1 year ago
@ngnnick1967 go to go granny go .com put all the words together . Should be enlightning.
ngnnick1967 1 year ago
@pjsman5252 you are so right.
fran9860 10 months ago
@pjsman5252 Who came out first, Jan and Dean or the Beach Boys? I was a little young when they came out. They seemed sort of inter changeable.
ekocentric 10 months ago
@ekocentric Jan and Dean were first. Actually, Jan and Arnie did Jennie Lee in 1958. Then Jan & Dean did Baby Talk in 1959.Both top 10 hits and both influenced the Beach Boys sound. The Beach Boys came out in 1961.
pjsman5252 10 months ago
@pjsman5252 OMG. Are you kidding? I wonder when they met? The had to have met early on to collaborate. Isn't it amazing though? How in the world could kids make music like that? Most musicians aren't that lucky right "out of the gate."
ekocentric 10 months ago
@ekocentric Jan and Brian met in 1962. I think Lou Adler introduced them. Brian showed Jan an unfinished song and Jan and Brian wrote Surf City together. Brian had some great ideas and Jan was a great producer. Jan taught Brian how to make cleaner tracks and Brian shared some song ideas with Jan. They wrote 12 songs together. 6 of them were major hits. Jan & Dean and the Beach Boys also played concerts together. I think Jan and Brian meeting each other was a major event in rock n roll history.
pjsman5252 10 months ago
@pjsman5252 By the way, whatever happened to Arnie???
ekocentric 10 months ago
@ekocentric Arnie joined the Navy, I believe. Being a rock star was not his cup of tea. Also, it seems he couldn't work with Jan anymore. Jan then recruited Dean and the rest is history.
pjsman5252 10 months ago
@pjsman5252 I'll bet that Arnie baby spent the rest of his life doing interviews like ex Beatles drummer Pete Best who has been seen over the years talking about how he used to be one of them.
I've been reading about Jan today and he seemed to be a little bit hard to keep up with. Unfortunately I think that that type of person has a better chance at getting their material out there to the public.
ekocentric 10 months ago
@pjsman5252 brian wrote surf city
melbea03 7 months ago
@melbea03 I have the original record and also youtube has a Brian Wilson interview.
Clearly, on the record it says J.Berry/ B.Wilson as the writers. In the interview with Brian, he talks about writing Surf City WITH Jan Berry. But it did start out as Brian's idea.
pjsman5252 1 month ago
I'd rather have a brand new shiney red 68 1\12 Mustang 428 cj
1967mustanggta 1 year ago
Ha, introduced by Dean Martin, badass!
NWpowerhouse85 1 year ago
While they were the clown prince's of surf and rock and roll, history shows that Jan Berry was a very talented composer and producer. Brian Wilson has even stated that Jan taught him a thing or two. It's sad to think what might have been if not for the accident.
gates69 1 year ago
Esta cancion esta RiFando por ser muy pero muy fainosa!!
betomas 1 year ago
J.C. Penny's still sell clothes like that
6sen 1 year ago 2
@6sen Sears also
melostmo 1 year ago
best beach boys clone
Nakkinak 1 year ago
To ANY critics : this track should be taken in its good & proper context. FACTS : it reached # 3 in the USA in Summer 1964, & was J & D's 5th biggest-ever hit, out of over 30 they had. It was a FUN SONG .. & it introduced the outrageously-lovable motif of Drop-Out Surf / Drag Senior-Citizens (I'm one). To all hard-core way-back fans who adore this novelty theme of Little Old Ladys & Grannies, be sure to check out Carson Robison's 1956 RockaBilly Hit "Rockin & Rollin With Grandmaw" .. awesome !!
colindominy 1 year ago 2
A tribute to lead footed Grannys everywhere :D
MrPinksBane 1 year ago
this song is pure fun
theillfrisch 1 year ago 3
Assuming singers can act is a major mistake and generally foolish.
RowBadMovies 1 year ago
thats music not like the crap they play on the radio and tv now days
DRGAS339 1 year ago
I have come to the humble, and brutally honest conclusion
that Jan and Dean suck really bad, and were part of the genesis
of the manufactured band. (ie. new kids on the block)
If you watch the remastered T.A.M.I. show where these guys actually host the whole thing, you see the charade in full black n white. They look annoyed through the whole thing and are very bad talents in general. The rest of the Tami show (minus Lesley gore) is AMAZING.
freqazoidiac 1 year ago
@freqazoidiac They wrote their songs.
sageofsuccess 1 year ago
@freqazoidiac Well ,pal you are way wrong. Your opinion is way off base.
ngnnick1967 1 year ago
@ngnnick1967 Well, Lappy, your opinion is valid, to you. I will just assume we can agree to disagree. It's an old argument.
freqazoidiac 1 year ago
@freqazoidiac They were just medical students (I think!) having a laugh and it was fun while it lasted - not to be taken too seriously and definitely not to be scrutinized too finely.
1960sbabe 1 year ago
@1960sbabe yeah, you are right, and good to see in that context. I got pretty annoyed with the way they acted in the T.A.M.I. show. I understand Jan was a good composer! Somedays, somethings just get a bit out of hand. cheers
freqazoidiac 1 year ago
@1960sbabe At the time, Jan was in med school and Dean was working on a degree in graphic design (after switching from architecture). You're right--neither of them thought they'd ever be in the music business for decades. Yet Jan was a terrific producer/arranger and was planning to set up his own label at the time he had the accident. Probably a big reason they aren't in the Hall of Fame is because they didn't write serious music!
galoon 1 year ago
@freqazoidiac Brian Wilson has made it clear that Jan and Dean's first records inspired his writing on the first Beach Boys albums. Jan and Dean formed in 1958 where The Beach Boys formed in 1961.
clydebarrow34 1 year ago
@clydebarrow34
Yeah, I do understand the lineage. I do think it just comes down to taste and the perceived development and direction of the artists. Nice for you to point out those details though, like most of us music fans here I do enjoy the trivial aspects.
So no one else here were annoyed by Jan and Dean hosting the TAMI show?
freqazoidiac 1 year ago
@freqazoidiac I wasn't annoyed. They could have done a lot worse than Jan & Dean as hosts--plus they were one of the top ten singles-selling artists of 1964 as well as being the most popular duo of that year. Not too shabby for a couple of guys who were full-time students! I think the reason they don't get a lot of respect is the fact that they didn't take themselves too seriously. They were studying for other careers anyway and figured if they got a few years out of music, it would be fun.
galoon 1 year ago
I first heard this song on the cartoon Animaniacs(the spoof title was Little Old Slappy from Pasadena).
CC927 1 year ago
1960 Renault 4CV??What is that??Original owner of a '68 Dodge Super Bee.THE song of the ages!!
1949man 1 year ago
tami is great but wut up with the widescreen here? it's 4am so don't no one get mad
preciousjey 1 year ago
Yes, I saw them on Lloyd Thaxton TV tearing apart the set . I really liked that show. I just watched the T.A.M.I show on PBS. Jan & Dean were the MC'S. A rare show to watch on TV.
BeachBoysJanDean1 1 year ago
I remember when Pasadena's Colorado Blvd., was just full of elderly ladies driving Hudsons, Edsels and Buick Lasalles. They thought I was a dangerous foreign punk in my 1960 Renault 4CV as I sped from signal to signal changing lanes .
sperrico 1 year ago
The clown princes of rock 'n' roll. I have a 2007 Mustang and it is great to buy fine US made cars again.
willbgood65 1 year ago 2
1964 Dodge Coronet 426 max wedge [ not the hemi ] superstock dodge. if you had a mint original today it would be worth around $200,000. - how much will todays cars be worth in 50 years???
davesintampa 1 year ago 2
Ha, absolutely nothing!
ExUSSailor 1 year ago
Luv 2 have a hemi cuda now, should have hung on to some cars from my youth.....ah good days.
buffspringfield 2 years ago 2
this is a classic oldie for all time
rockdoowop5060 2 years ago 22
They were considered the Crown Prince of Rock and Roll. I remember watching them on Lloyd Thaxton TV show in 1965 and thought they were the coolest! They did "Rock and Roll Music" on stage. Super Cool!
BeachBoysJanDean1 2 years ago 2
Cool! I have a piece of that show on audio--you saw it on TV? Did you see Jan & Dean break Lloyd's set? LOL! Unfortunately, all of the video for the Lloyd Thaxton Show got erased :-( I wish Lloyd had had the foresight to save all that stuff!
galoon 1 year ago
I am too young to have experienced this live but this video is really good. Back when music had class.
TheClevy 2 years ago
...ps...this vid's especailly meaningfull to me - I now work on Colorado Boulevard...in Pasadena CA!
Tubedonline 2 years ago 3
do you know the little old lady from there? XD
dingoatratorg 2 years ago
Anyone old to remember the commercial: "Put a Dodge in your garage honey." .... and grandma burned out! LOL
Tubedonline 2 years ago 2
Good stuff!
travelsam4 2 years ago
Tomkes100 is a Film Historian *AND* a Rock & Roll/Doo Wop Historian!!! WOW!!!!!!!! It's possible Tomkes100 relates to Jan because of the massive brain damage he suffered... after all, look at TOMKEs100's SPELLING! Blimey!!!
the man who knows... he claims he has known 1,000 stars. and yet, he is here on YouTube, watching Counting Crows videos!!! HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA
SigEdForever 2 years ago
joe y thanksfor the e mail to me. they were great hese guts this song is immortal. i lived thru those years. they make em like this no more. look at rap and hip hop. hey Jan&Dean in their prime were tops . take it from me. i as there. thats why im a doo wop/roclnroll historian. thNKS AGAIN. tomkes THE MAN WHO KNOWS NO bs HERE FOLKS.
tomkes100 2 years ago
Old lady visited the nip n' tuck dudes and now shes back -going cougar!
IanHunedoara8 2 years ago
I didn't realize some singers lipsynched on Hollywood Palace.
irvingklaw57 2 years ago
and they still dooooooooooooooooooooooo!
mydeardiaries 2 years ago 2
ummm i belive jan and dean wrote some of the beach boys song.
gtofan2005 2 years ago
This song and Surf City, two of their best. Great surf music from California.
songwriter77 2 years ago
The joke behind this tune is that at the time SoCal used car salesman would claim the cars they were selling had only been driven by "little old ladies in Pasadena" (considered a retirement community at the time), so the cars had never been "pushed". In this song, the proverbial "little old lady from Pasadena" was a hot-rodder!
proken58 2 years ago
Jan & Dean 's greatest hit Little Old Lady from Pasadena . I lived thru those years . im a rocknroll/doo wop historian and i can tell you this ranks high up. they never sang better. catchy tune and beat and a title we soon forget. thanks guys. TOMK
tomkes100 2 years ago
I was a kid in the 60's (born in 1960) and until 1969 had lived in Anaheim (born there). My sister is 7 years older and I c an remember my mother's 59 Chevy, with custom glass packs barreling down the road with this song blasting. She wasn't an old lady then but this brings back MANY MEMORIES! My friends and I saw Jan & Dean, with the Belair Bandits in 1979 @ The Circle Star in NO CA (since torn down). Jan was sketchy but considering what happened they still rocked;-)
joeyron1 2 years ago
let's take a blast to the past!!!!!
mydeardiaries 2 years ago
Like the song, but what a hokey video, lip sinked too
rusty44mag 2 years ago
Yep but at least they made fun of themselves lip sinking. It's not like they thought they were fooling anyone.
yourmoment 2 years ago
@yourmoment Yeah, Jan & Dean did that a lot! I have a video of them doing Sidewalk Surfin' on Dick Clark's show in 1964. Dean deliberately stopped lip-synching during a video close-up of his face; Jan laughed and pointed at him, saying "That's you!" Meanwhile, the song track continued to roll!
galoon 1 year ago
Jan and Dean r the best!!!!. Can't stand the Beach Boys!!!!. Even though it's a long time ago, i can't get over the Beach Boys stealing their sound.
mags9158 2 years ago
Sounds like great granny! She was old LA
ThaGrimReefer420 2 years ago
Dean had a skateboard in the guitar case....no guitar.....usually...ha
mozelly1963 2 years ago
Haha He never touched his guitar
XourRat 2 years ago
Did the old lady from Pasadena ever choose the old ladies from Anaheim Azusaa...or did they stake out different areas. OC old ladies rule!
nitrate6971 2 years ago
You can't imagine what it was like to live in Southern California in the 60s and hear these songs. I felt like I lived in the center of the universe. This song will make me feel good when I'm 100 years old.
AZHappy 2 years ago 2
I can IMAGINE.. in fact I DID as a child in London.. but NEVER thought I'd get there, in those days few Brits got to the States as it was £5 to one Dollar! In the end I saw 21 states, but my VERY favourite was always California !
BearZest 2 years ago
BearZest: Exhange rate has never been £5 to one Dollar. In the sixties is was about £1 = 2.50 dollars.
wilson1111619 2 years ago
The intro to this is really interesting. Frank Sinatra (the 'Chairman') must have allowed Dean Martin to let Jan & Dean Torrance appear - after the kidnapping incident. Thanks for posting - Jimbo
djimi66 2 years ago
love the city of pasadena mr taz
fr25nu25 2 years ago
I had to sing for my spring concert LOL it is a funny song to me!
CoolFlower181 2 years ago
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JanAndDeanMusic 2 years ago
Always enjoyed this song - reminded me of my neighbor who drove far too long. She only stopped when DMV yanked her licence at 95...
Angelique041247 2 years ago
Simpy amazing background vocals by Brian Wilson. No one has had a better falsetto than him.
broyomama 2 years ago 2
Brian Wilson actually had nothing to do with this song. The falsetto is by Phil Sloan and Bones Howe.
pjsman5252 2 years ago
Are you positive? It sounds just like Brian's voice, and everything I have read on this states it was him.
broyomama 2 years ago
Yes, I'm pretty sure. Brian doubled with Jan and Tony(Matadors) on Surf City.Brian sang on the album version of Deadman's Curve and did some parts on Drag City.But he had nothing to do with the Little Old Lady. You are right that Brian has an amazing falsetto. Brian was/is a great singer and producer. Jan Berry was pretty damn good himself.They were a potent team in the studio when they did work together.
pjsman5252 2 years ago
Back when Detroit built cars so bad ass that people wrote songs about them...
McCall72 2 years ago 34
@McCall72 do you have a cock in your mouth?
Ninja2Nasty 1 year ago
@McCall72 +1 million
83shovel 1 year ago
wow i always thought this was a beach boys song, ill have to look these guys up
Hellooli 2 years ago 4
deannnn martinnn!
94carmela94 2 years ago
Looks like a predessor to Milli Vanilli!
bigbadredsox 2 years ago
Why does he carry a guitar all the time?
BJORT 2 years ago
why is he only carrying a guitar?!?!? LMAO
Kayla7748 2 years ago
Where can I find the sheet music for JAn & Deans hits?
Freyja1133 2 years ago
gosh they r awesome
uluvmeluvu9496 2 years ago
One of Jan and Dean's best!
63splitwindowcoupe 2 years ago 2
I wonder what year this was taped in?
pitts40 2 years ago
AT LEAST ELVIS,WILLIE NELSON,KRIS KRISTOFFERSON,GEORGE JONES,JIMI HENDRIX,fred durst,tony bennet,all served thier country not like scammers like springsteen,etc.
scorzeny45 2 years ago
when did they ever serve in the military?
Freyja1133 2 years ago 2
shut up
Lonestarry 2 years ago
Beach Boys did 'catch a wave' Brian Wilson did sing on Surf city, and Dead mans curve. Not little ole lady, I'm pretty sure. About the hall of Fame. I love Jan and Dean. Some people feel because they were not great instrument players, nor wrote most of their music, plus their music mostly was fun music, they do not qualitify. I disagree
foka24a4 2 years ago
I heard that they made the song "Jennie Lee" about the famous stripper, Jennie Lee (The Bazoom Girl). Is that true?
LeanaJoH76 2 years ago
Yes.
Soapking1965 2 years ago
This comment has received too many negative votes show
DRAFT DODGERS.
scorzeny45 3 years ago
dont blame them! I would too.
mdefil23 2 years ago 2
Dean was in the Army Reserves...get your facts straight.
bluemax79 2 years ago
irrelevant
binturong4 2 years ago
This was supposed to be a reply to draft dodger comment below.
binturong4 2 years ago
Neither of them were draft dodgers ..... in fact Jan released an anti-draft dogder song called "Universal Coward" - making a mockery of the song The Universal Soldier.
wjb4341 2 years ago
Watch your local speed traps...And don't frak'n drink and drive...!
Chameleon Web's are watching U???
Just a warning, but I'm sure your 2 drunk to C the difference!
Peace...
ChameleonWeb 3 years ago
we sang this song in quior :)
amy027 3 years ago
go granny go! reminds me of my gran from Lompoc!
kpjlaw 3 years ago
So who came out first, Jan & Dean or the Beachboys?
railbuggy 3 years ago
Jan & Dean.
GarfieldVsSnoopy 3 years ago
actually The Beach Boys did and Brian Wilson invited Jan and Dean to perform with them in 1963 and Brian Wilson gave them "Surf City" partially written and he helped them with vocals so actually railbuggy and the GarfieldVsSnoopy it was the Beach Boys. Sorry
bayareagooner 3 years ago
Actually Jan and Arnie released Jennie Lee in 58 or 59 and then Jan and Dean released Baby Talk in 59 so I would say Jan and Dean were recording before The Beach Boys.
SCBronco 3 years ago 3
Jan and Dean did it first. Wiki it
ozzyluvr1 3 years ago
actually at one of the first performances of the Beach Boys, they had to back up Jan & Dean. J&D started out well before the BBs. Fact. Both great of course
mahkindofmusic 2 years ago
happy
passerbyk 3 years ago
Very cool!
snoops71 3 years ago
i think i live down the street from her
luckysod04 3 years ago
They should be in the Rock n Roll Hall of Fame.
SCBronco 3 years ago