Home | Songs By Year | Songs from 1966
Somethin' Stupid
Buy Somethin' Stupid now from AmazonFirst, read the Wikipedia article. Then, scroll down to see what other TopShelfReviews readers thought about the song. And once you've experienced the song, tell everyone what you thought about it.
Wikipedia article
"'Somethin' Stupid'", or "'Something Stupid'", is a song written by C. Carson Parks. It was originally recorded in 1966 by Parks and his wife Gaile Foote, as Carson and Gaile. A 1967 version by Frank Sinatra and his daughter Nancy Sinatra became a major international hit, reaching number one on both the 'Billboard' Hot 100 chart and the UK Singles Chart. In 2001, a cover version by British vocalist Robbie Williams and Australian actress Nicole Kidman reached number one in the UK Singles Chart.
Carson and Gaile version
In the early 1960s, Carson Parks was a folk singer in Los Angeles. He was an occasional member of The Easy Riders, and also performed with The Steeltown Three, which included his younger brother Van Dyke Parks. In 1963, he formed the Greenwood County Singers, later known as The Greenwoods, who had two minor hits and included singer Gaile Foote. Before the Greenwoods disbanded, Parks and Foote married and, as Carson and Gaile, recorded an album in 1966 for Kapp Records, 'San Antonio Rose', which included the song "Something Stupid". The recording was then brought to the attention of Frank Sinatra.Rob Finnis and Tony Rounce, 'Booklet with CD "You Heard It Here First"', Ace Records CDCHD1204, 2008
Frank and Nancy Sinatra version
The most successful and best-known version of "Somethin' Stupid" was issued in 1967 as a single by Nancy Sinatra and Frank Sinatra and subsequently appeared on Frank's album 'The World We Knew'. Frank had played Parks' recording to his daughter's producer, Lee Hazlewood, who recalled "He asked me, 'Do you like it?' and I said, 'I love it, and if you don't sing it with Nancy, I will.' He said, 'We're gonna do it, book a studio.'" Their rendition was recorded on February 1, 1967, after Frank had finished his collaboration with Antonio Carlos Jobim earlier in the day. Al Casey played guitar on the recording and Hal Blaine was the drummer.Blaine, Hal and David Goggin, Hal Blaine and the Wrecking Crew: The Story of the World's Most Recorded Musician, MixBooks, Emeryville, California, 1990 p.xx Hazlewood and Jimmy Bowen were listed as the producers of the single, with arrangement by Billy Strange.
The single spent four weeks at number 1 on the US 'Billboard' Hot 100 chart and nine weeks atop the easy listening (now adult contemporary) chart, becoming Frank's second gold single as certified by the RIAA and Nancy's third.Whitburn, Joel (1996).'The Billboard Book of Top 40 Hits', 6th Edition (Billboard Publications) In Norway the single qualified for silver disc. It was the first and only instance of a father-daughter number-one song in America. Nancy Sinatra was quoted as sarcastically saying, "Some people call (Something Stupid) the Incest Song, which I think is, well, very sweet!" . The single also reached number 1 on the UK Singles Chart the same year. It was also nominated for the Record Of The Year at the 10th Grammy Awards, losing to the 5th Dimension's upbeat hit song "Up, Up And Away".
Usage in popular culture
In episode 21 of 'The Simpsons' third season, Sideshow Bob and Selma Bouvier (voiced by Kelsey Grammer and Julie Kavner, respectively) perform the Frank and Nancy Sinatra version as a karaoke.In the 'Breaking Bad' spin-off series 'Better Call Saul', episode seven of season four is titled after the song, with the opening montage containing an original rendition performed by Lola Marsh. The song is again used in a montage in episode nine of season five.
In the Channel 4 series 'Peep Show' series 1, episode 2, the Peters and Lee version of the song is quoted in dialogue and plays during the closing credits.
Personnel
Vocalists* Frank Sinatra - vocals
* Nancy Sinatra - vocalsSinatra, Frank. "Somethin' Stupid". Frank Sinatra Sessionography. https://sinatrafamily.com/session/-/-/-/-/0/Somethin'%20Stupid
Leaders
* Claus Ogerman - conductor
* Billy Strange - arranger,Sinatra, Frank. "This Town". Frank Sinatra Sessionography. https://sinatrafamily.com/session/-/-/-/-/0/This%20Town conductor
Instrumentalists
* Hal Blaine - drums
* Glen Campbell - guitar
* Alvin Casey - guitar
* Roy Caton - trumpet
* Victor Feldman - percussion
* Carol Kaye - electric bass
* Bill Miller - piano
* Oliver Mitchell - trumpet
* Donald Owens - piano
* Ralph Pea - string bass
Chart history
Weekly charts
Year-end charts
All-time charts
Certifications
Ali Campbell and Kibibi Campbell version
In 1995, Ali Campbell and his daughter Kibibi Campbell covered the hit as a duet. As a suggestion to the version of Frank Sinatra and Nancy Sinatra was used, based on this part of the Musikrichting was adapted in the cover. After its release on the studio album 'Big Love', it can also be found on the compilation 'Silhouette'.
Music video
The music video was shot in New York City. Ali Campbell and his daughter spend an afternoon in the city. They relax on the bench in the park, also walk through the city center, look through a sightseeing telescope, watch jugglers and fire breathers in a circus, figure skaters and stroll.Charts
Robbie Williams and Nicole Kidman version
{{Infobox song
| name = Somethin' Stupid
| cover = Robbie Williams and Nicole Kidman - Somethin Stupid - CD single cover.jpg
| alt =
| type = single
| artist = Robbie Williams and Nicole Kidman
| album = Swing When You're Winning
| released =
| recorded =
| studio =
| genre =
| length = 2:50
| label = Chrysalis
| writer = C. Carson Parks
| producer =
* Guy Chambers
* Steve Power
| chronology = Robbie Williams
| prev_title = Better Man
| prev_year = 2001
| next_title = Mr. Bojangles/I Will Talk and Hollywood Will Listen
| next_year = 2002
| misc =
}}
British singer Robbie Williams recorded a cover version of "Somethin' Stupid" as a duet with Australian actress Nicole Kidman. The song appeared on Williams' 2001 album, 'Swing When You're Winning', and was released as the album's lead single on December 10, 2001, topping the UK Singles Chart at the end of the year. The song was Christmas number one in the United Kingdom, and Williams' fifth number one overall. The single sold 400,000 copies to earn a gold certification from the British Phonographic Industry. The accompanying music video was directed by Vaughan Arnell.
The song was the 30th-best-selling single of 2001 in the UK. It also gave Williams another number-one hit in New Zealand, earning a gold certification, and charted inside the top 10 in several European countries. In Australia, it became Williams' fourth top-10 single, earning a gold certification for over 35,000 copies sold.
Track listings
'UK and Australian CD single'# "Somethin' Stupid" 2:51
# "Eternity" (orchestral version) 5:32
# "My Way" (live at the Albert Hall) 7:00
# "Somethin' Stupid" (video)
'UK cassette single'
# "Somethin' Stupid" 2:51
# "Eternity" (orchestral version) 5:32
# "My Way" (live at the Albert Hall) 7:00
'UK DVD single'
# "Somethin' Stupid" (video) 3:08
# "Let's Face the Music and Dance" (audio) 2:36
# "That's Life" (audio) 3:07
'European CD single'
# "Somethin' Stupid" 2:51
# "My Way" (live at the Albert Hall) 7:00
Credits and personnel
Credits are taken from the 'Swing When You're Winning' album booklet.'Studios'
* Recorded at various studios
* Mixed at Capitol Recording Studios (Los Angeles) and Air Lyndhurst Studios (London, England)
* Mastered at The Mastering Lab (Los Angeles) and Metropolis Mastering (London, England)
'Personnel'
* C. Carson Parks writing
* Robbie Williams vocals
* Nicole Kidman vocals
* Mitch Dalton guitars
* Dave Catlin-Birch bass
* Ralph Salmins drums
* Frank Ricotti percussion
* Steve Sidwell trumpet, arrangement, conducting
* Simon Gardner trumpet
* Paul Spong trumpet
* London Session Orchestra orchestra
* Gavyn Wright concertmaster
* Guy Chambers production
* Steve Power production
* Al Schmitt vocal recording
* Charlie Paakkari assistant engineering
* Steve Genewick assistant engineering
* Steve Price assistant engineering
* Rupert Coulson assistant mix engineering
* Ricky Graham assistant mix engineering
* Mike Ross-Trevor orchestral engineering
* Richard Flack Pro Tools
* Doug Sax mastering (The Mastering Lab)
* Tony Cousins mastering (Metropolis)
Charts
Weekly charts
{|class="wikitable sortable"
!Chart (20012002)
!Peak
position
|-
|-
|-
|-
|-
|Canada (Nielsen SoundScan)
|align="center"|25
|-
|Croatia (HRT)
|align="center"|8
|-
|Czech Republic (IFPI)
|align="center"|2
|-
|-
|Europe (Eurochart Hot 100)
|align="center"|1
|-
|-
|-
|Greece (IFPI) 'See' Best 'column'.
|align="center"|4
|-
|-
|-
|-
|-
|-
|-
|Poland (ZPAV)
|align="center"|1
|-
|Portugal (AFP)
|align="center"|1
|-
|Romania (Romanian Top 100)
|align="center"|9
|-
|-
|-
|-
|-
|}
Year-end charts
{|class="wikitable sortable"
!Chart (2002)
!Position
|-
|Australia (ARIA)
|align="center"|58
|-
|Austria (3 Austria Top 40)
|align="center"|5
|-
|Belgium (Ultratop 50 Flanders)
|align="center"|71
|-
|Belgium (Ultratop 50 Wallonia)
|align="center"|79
|-
|Europe (Eurochart Hot 100)
|align="center"|8
|-
|France (SNEP)
|align="center"|93
|-
|Germany (Official German Charts)
|align="center"|20
|-
|Ireland (IRMA)
|align="center"|98
|-
|Italy (FIMI)
|align="center"|17
|-
|Netherlands (Dutch Top 40)
|align="center"|76
|-
|Netherlands (Single Top 100)
|align="center"|42
|-
|Switzerland (Schweizer Hitparade)
|align="center"|14
|-
|UK Singles (OCC)
|align="center"|147
|}
Certifications
}}
Release history
Other versions
*In 1967, Motown released the first of three albums featuring duets by Marvin Gaye and Tammi Terrell. This album was entitled 'United', and its 4th track was "Somethin' Stupid". This version appears on the soundtrack of the 2015 film 'Legend', starring Tom Hardy as the Kray Twins.
*In 1967, The Lennon Sisters released their album (Somethin Stupid) and also performed it on a 1967 episode of The Lawrence Welk Show.
*In 1967, Sacha Distel translated the lyrics into French, with the title 'Ces mots stupides' (These Stupid Words), and released a recording with Joanna Shimkus. This version has since been covered by many artists.
*Also in 1967, Paul Mauriat released an instrumental cover.
*In 1970, Cass Elliot and John Davidson performed the song live on 'The John Davidson Show'.
*In 2008, Ruth Jones and Rob Brydon performed the song in character as Nessa and Bryn in BBC sitcom Gavin & Stacey.
*In 2013, a duet by Michael Bubl and Reese Witherspoon appeared on Bubl's album 'To Be Loved'.
*In 2018, the band Lola Marsh were commisioned by 'Better Call Saul' music supervisor Thomas Golubi to make a cover of the song for the season 4 episode 'Something Stupid'.
*In 2022, a duet by South African singers Ike Moriz and Monique Hellenberg was released as a single on 11 January.
References
Buy Somethin' Stupid now from Amazon
<-- Return to songs from 1966