Joe Jones

And right now, we're up to January 1964 and The Rivieras hit number five with a surf tune called California Sun.

But oddly, the song was originally recorded and released by a New Orleans R&B singer named Joe Jones in 1961.

You may recognize the name Joe Jones and voice from his number three hit, You Talk Too Much.

Let's enjoy some California Sun.

[singing] I'm gonna go back out on the coast.

[instrumental music]

There you go, Louisiana man singing about the California sun.

That was Joe Jones with California Sun, a number 89 hit, uh, for him in 1961, but it was the Rivieras that made it a classic in 1964.