The song was written by band member Guitarist Ron Elliott and Bob Durand. Sylvester “Sly Stone” Stewart (of Sly and the Family Stone fame) produced it. In 1965, the song rose to #8 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100, #7 on Cash Box, #4 in Canada, and #10 in Australia. The Beau Brummels released it on their 1965 album Introducing the Beau Brummels and as a single. There have been covers by The Young Rascals, Them, Nils Lofgren, The Smithereens, and Frank Black.
The Beau Brummels formed in San Francisco, California, in 1964. Original members were Sal Valentino (lead vocals), Ron Elliott (lead guitar), Ron Meagher (bass guitar), Declan Mulligan (rhythm guitar, bass, harmonica), and John Petersen (drums). They took their name from George Bryan Brummell, the dandy and arbiter of men’s fashion and friend to the future King George IV. They wanted to appear to be British, which is the opposite of groups such as The Nashville Teens, who were British and wanted to appear to be American. So it goes…
