Yellow Balloon
Encyclopedia
"Yellow Balloon" was a Top 30 hit single
in the Billboard
Hot100
by The Yellow Balloon, included on the group's 1967 self-titled album. It was classified as in the sunshine pop
genre.
, a very talented Los Angeles
singer/songwriter/producer Torrence had worked with previously. One of the songs Zekley gave Torrence was called Yellow Balloon and Torrence went on to record it.
Zekley was proud of the song, but didn't like Torrence's recording, so Zekley shopped the song to different labels. Among those who Zekley visited was Ken Handler of Canterbury Records, who was very excited about the song and immediately set about having it recorded. Handler had Zekley do the lead vocals, and brought in noteworthy studio musicians to add the rest. The results were magnificent, full of circular keyboard lines and a slight tremolo
effect on the guitar.
, in direct competition to Torrence's version of the single; under the duo's name Jan & Dean, even though Jan Berry was not on the recording, having been in a recent near fatal accident. The Yellow Balloon's version placed at #25 May 20, 1967 on Billboard's Pop-100 charts, while Jan & Dean's version placed at #111. This was due largely to the fact that many disc jockeys around the United States played only the Yellow Balloon version of the song. In 1967, Laramy Smith produced Don Grady
's Canterbury record company release title "Just Happens To Be Fun " composed by Smith and then went on to produce for Davey Jones.
There was a lot of excitement with the single (the B-side
was the song played backwards, entitled "Noollab Wolley"), along with fervor for the band make an album and perform at various shows. The problem was that there was no actual The Yellow Balloon
band. Quickly, Handler elicited the help of Canterbury recording artist Don Grady
, a former Mouseketeer, better known at the time as the character Robbie Douglas of the TV series My Three Sons
. Grady knew several other musicians, Alex Valdez (lead vocals), Paul Kanella (lead guitar
), Don Braucht (bass guitar
), and Forrest "Frosty" Green (keyboards
), and they were brought in to record the self-titled album. Zekley produced the album and co-wrote eight of the eleven tracks.
The Yellow Balloon album has long been considered a sunshine pop
classic, it's the "Yellow Balloon" song that's become the legend.
Hit single
A hit single is a recorded song or instrumental released as a single that has become very popular. Although it is sometimes used to describe any widely-played or big-selling song, the term "hit" is usually reserved for a single that has appeared in an official music chart through repeated radio...
in the Billboard
Billboard (magazine)
Billboard is a weekly American magazine devoted to the music industry, and is one of the oldest trade magazines in the world. It maintains several internationally recognized music charts that track the most popular songs and albums in various categories on a weekly basis...
Hot100
Billboard Hot 100
The Billboard Hot 100 is the United States music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine. Chart rankings are based on radio play and sales; the tracking-week for sales begins on Monday and ends on Sunday, while the radio play tracking-week runs from Wednesday...
by The Yellow Balloon, included on the group's 1967 self-titled album. It was classified as in the sunshine pop
Sunshine pop
Sunshine pop is a subgenre of pop music originating in the United States, mainly the state of California, in the mid-1960s. Sunshine pop, by nature, is cheerful and upbeat music which is characterised by warm sounds, prominent vocal harmonies, as well as sophisticated productions...
genre.
Music and lyrics
In late 1966, when Dean Torrence of Jan & Dean needed some songs for a new album, he enlisted the help of Gary ZekleyGary Zekley
Gary Zekley was a former West Coast record producer and songwriter associated with 1960s, 1970s and 1980s bands and songs in the bubblegum, rock and roll, sunshine pop, and surf genres....
, a very talented Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
singer/songwriter/producer Torrence had worked with previously. One of the songs Zekley gave Torrence was called Yellow Balloon and Torrence went on to record it.
Zekley was proud of the song, but didn't like Torrence's recording, so Zekley shopped the song to different labels. Among those who Zekley visited was Ken Handler of Canterbury Records, who was very excited about the song and immediately set about having it recorded. Handler had Zekley do the lead vocals, and brought in noteworthy studio musicians to add the rest. The results were magnificent, full of circular keyboard lines and a slight tremolo
Tremolo
Tremolo, or tremolando, is a musical term that describes various trembling effects, falling roughly into two types. The first is a rapid reiteration...
effect on the guitar.
Release and aftermath
The single was released under the group name The Yellow BalloonThe Yellow Balloon
The Yellow Balloon was an American sunshine pop band, produced by Gary Zekley. The group is notable for featuring Don Grady of Mouseketeers and My Three Sons fame. Other band members hailed from Oregon and Arizona...
, in direct competition to Torrence's version of the single; under the duo's name Jan & Dean, even though Jan Berry was not on the recording, having been in a recent near fatal accident. The Yellow Balloon's version placed at #25 May 20, 1967 on Billboard's Pop-100 charts, while Jan & Dean's version placed at #111. This was due largely to the fact that many disc jockeys around the United States played only the Yellow Balloon version of the song. In 1967, Laramy Smith produced Don Grady
Don Grady
Donald Michael Agrati , better known as Don Grady, is an American composer, musician and actor. He is remembered both as one of Mickey Mouse's original Mouseketeers, and as Robbie Douglas, from My Three Sons. His sister was also an actress, billed as Lani O'Grady...
's Canterbury record company release title "Just Happens To Be Fun " composed by Smith and then went on to produce for Davey Jones.
There was a lot of excitement with the single (the B-side
A-side and B-side
A-side and B-side originally referred to the two sides of gramophone records on which singles were released beginning in the 1950s. The terms have come to refer to the types of song conventionally placed on each side of the record, with the A-side being the featured song , while the B-side, or...
was the song played backwards, entitled "Noollab Wolley"), along with fervor for the band make an album and perform at various shows. The problem was that there was no actual The Yellow Balloon
The Yellow Balloon
The Yellow Balloon was an American sunshine pop band, produced by Gary Zekley. The group is notable for featuring Don Grady of Mouseketeers and My Three Sons fame. Other band members hailed from Oregon and Arizona...
band. Quickly, Handler elicited the help of Canterbury recording artist Don Grady
Don Grady
Donald Michael Agrati , better known as Don Grady, is an American composer, musician and actor. He is remembered both as one of Mickey Mouse's original Mouseketeers, and as Robbie Douglas, from My Three Sons. His sister was also an actress, billed as Lani O'Grady...
, a former Mouseketeer, better known at the time as the character Robbie Douglas of the TV series My Three Sons
My Three Sons
My Three Sons is an American situation comedy. The series ran from 1960 to 1965 on ABC, and moved to CBS until its end on August 24, 1972. My Three Sons chronicles the life of a widower and aeronautical engineer named Steven Douglas , raising his three sons.The series was a cornerstone of the CBS...
. Grady knew several other musicians, Alex Valdez (lead vocals), Paul Kanella (lead guitar
Lead guitar
Lead guitar is a guitar part which plays melody lines, instrumental fill passages, guitar solos, and occasionally, some riffs within a song structure...
), Don Braucht (bass guitar
Bass guitar
The bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
), and Forrest "Frosty" Green (keyboards
Keyboard instrument
A keyboard instrument is a musical instrument which is played using a musical keyboard. The most common of these is the piano. Other widely used keyboard instruments include organs of various types as well as other mechanical, electromechanical and electronic instruments...
), and they were brought in to record the self-titled album. Zekley produced the album and co-wrote eight of the eleven tracks.
The Yellow Balloon album has long been considered a sunshine pop
Sunshine pop
Sunshine pop is a subgenre of pop music originating in the United States, mainly the state of California, in the mid-1960s. Sunshine pop, by nature, is cheerful and upbeat music which is characterised by warm sounds, prominent vocal harmonies, as well as sophisticated productions...
classic, it's the "Yellow Balloon" song that's become the legend.