Bubble Gum Pop
The song “Sugar Sugar” was written by legendary songwriter, singer, and record producer Jeff Barry (e.g., “Da Doo Ron Ron,” Then He Kissed Me,” Chapel of Love) and Canadian singer/songwriter Andy Kim (e.g., “Rock Me Gently). It was recorded by The Archies, who were fictional teenagers on the cartoon series The Archie Show. (The TV show was based on the archie comics. The song, also produced by Jeff Barry, first came out on the 1969 album Everything’s Archie. The singers were Ron Dante, Toni Wine, and Andy Kim. The song was released on the Calendar label and then the Kirshner label in 1969 and ended up being one of the surprise international hits of that year. It helped that there was a TV show promoting it. Also, Post Cereals put millions of the records on the back of the Super Sugar Crisp cereal boxes. The song went to #1 on the Billboard Hot 100 as well as in the U.K., Austria, Belgium, Canada, Germany, Ireland, Norway, and Spain. It went to #2 in Switzerland and Denmark, #3 in The Netherlands, and #5 in Australia. Not too shabby for cartoon singers.
Some covers have been done by Wilson Pickett, Ike and Tina Turner, Tom Jones, and Bob Marley. Andy Kim recorded a version in 1980, with it credited to “Baron Longfellow.”
