1-2-3 (Len Barry song)

"1-2-3"
"1-2-3"
Single by Len Barry
from the album 1-2-3
B-side	"Bullseye"
Released	October 1965
Genre	Blue-eyed soul; pop;
Length	2:24
Label	Decca; Brunswick;
Songwriters	John Madara; David White; Len Barry;
Producers	John Madara; David White;
Len Barry singles chronology
Licensed audio
	"1-2-3" on YouTube

"1-2-3" is a 1965 song recorded by American blue-eyed soul singer Len Barry, who co-wrote it with John Madara and David White. The latter two produced the recording. The chorus and accompaniment were arranged by Jimmy Wisner. The single was released in 1965 on the American Decca label.^[1]

At the time, the writers were sued by Motown, which claimed that the song was a reworking of the Holland–Dozier–Holland composition "Ask Any Girl", released by the Supremes the year before as the B-side of their single "Baby Love". The writers of "1-2-3" denied the claim but, after two years of litigation, they agreed to give the Motown writers 15% of the song's writing and publishing royalties,^[2] and Holland–Dozier–Holland are listed as co-authors by BMI.^[3]

The personnel on the original recording included Vinnie Bell, Bobby Eli, and Sal DiTroia on guitars; Joe Macho on bass; Artie Butler on percussion; Leon Huff on piano; Artie Kaplan on sax; Bill Tole and Roswell Rudd on trombones; Lee Morgan on trumpet; Fred Hubbard on clarinet; and Bobby Gregg on drums.^[4]

"1-2-3" reached number 2 in the US Billboard chart ("I Hear a Symphony" by the Supremes kept it from the number 1 spot).^[5] "1-2-3" also went to number 11 on the Billboard R&B chart.^[6] Overseas, the song peaked at number 3 on the UK Singles Chart.^[7] In addition, it was also a Top 10 hit in Ireland, where it went to number 8.^[8] It sold over 1.75 million copies, and was awarded a gold disc.^[9]

Charts

Chart performance for "1-2-3"
Chart (1965–1966)	Peak position
Canada Top Singles (RPM)^[10]	3
France (IFOP)^[11]	40
Ireland (IRMA)^[12]	8
New Zealand (Lever Hit Parade)^[13]	6
South Africa (Springbok Radio)^[14]	4
UK (NME)^[15]	1
UK (Record Retailer)^[16]	3
US Billboard Hot 100^[5]	2
US Cash Box Top 100^[17]	1
US Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs (Billboard)^[6]	11

Covers

In 1980, the disco/dance group Salazar, peaked at number 60 on the US Billboard Hot Dance/Disco chart with their version of the song.^[18]

In 1994, it was sampled in Edwyn Collins' single "A Girl Like You",^[19] becoming the singer's biggest solo hit.^[20]

References

^ "Decca 31827". 45cat.com. 31 July 1965. Retrieved 9 September 2011.
^ "1 - 2 - 3". Songfacts.com. Retrieved 19 January 2015.
^ "1-2-3". Repertoire.bmi.com. Archived from the original on 2 June 2014. Retrieved 19 January 2015.
^ "Soulful Detroit: Happy Birthday Len Barry". soulfuldetroit.com.
^ ^a ^b "Billboard Hot 100 – Week of November 20, 1965". Billboard. Retrieved 9 April 2019.
^ ^a ^b Whitburn, Joel (2004). Top R&B/Hip-Hop Singles: 1942–2004. Record Research. p. 49.
^ Roberts, David (2006). British Hit Singles & Albums (19th ed.). London: Guinness World Records Limited. p. 43. ISBN 1-904994-10-5.
^ "Irish charts archive – Len Barry". IRMA. Retrieved 9 January 2020.
^ Murrells, Joseph (1978). The Book of Golden Discs (2nd ed.). London: Barrie and Jenkins Ltd. p. 186. ISBN 0-214-20512-6.
^ "Top RPM Singles: Issue 5629." RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved 2 September 2018.
^ "Toutes les Chansons N° 1 des Années 70" (in French). InfoDisc. Retrieved 22 December 2019.
^ "The Irish Charts – Search Results – Len Barry". Irish Singles Chart. Retrieved September 2, 2018.
^ "Flavour of New Zealand – search lever". Flavourofnz.co.nz. Retrieved 9 April 2019.
^ "SA Charts 1969–1989 (As presented on Springbok Radio/Radio Orion) – Acts B". The South African Rock Encyclopedia. Retrieved 1 September 2018.
^ Rees, Dafydd; Lazell, Barry; Osborne, Roger (1995). Forty Years of "NME" Charts (2nd ed.). Pan Macmillan. p. 160. ISBN 0-7522-0829-2.
^ "Artist Chart History Details: Len Barry". The Official Charts Company. Archived from the original on 15 June 2011. Retrieved 8 August 2010.
^ "Cash Box Top 100" (PDF). Cash Box. 27 November 1965. p. 4. Retrieved 24 January 2025.
^ Whitburn, Joel (2004). Hot Dance/Disco: 1974-2003. Record Research. p. 226.
^ "Edwyn Collins's A Girl Like You sample of Len Barry's 1-2-3 - WhoSampled". WhoSampled. Retrieved 19 January 2015.
^ "secondhandsongs.com". Secondhandsongs.com. Retrieved 13 September 2014.

External links

"1-2-3" at Discogs (list of releases)

[1] "Decca 31827". 45cat.com. 31 July 1965. Retrieved 9 September 2011.

[2] "1 - 2 - 3". Songfacts.com. Retrieved 19 January 2015.

[3] "1-2-3". Repertoire.bmi.com. Archived from the original on 2 June 2014. Retrieved 19 January 2015.

[4] "Soulful Detroit: Happy Birthday Len Barry". soulfuldetroit.com.

[Hot100-5] "Billboard Hot 100 – Week of November 20, 1965". Billboard. Retrieved 9 April 2019.

[Whitburn-6] Whitburn, Joel (2004). Top R&B/Hip-Hop Singles: 1942–2004. Record Research. p. 49.

[British_Hit_Singles_&_Albums-7] Roberts, David (2006). British Hit Singles & Albums (19th ed.). London: Guinness World Records Limited. p. 43. ISBN 1-904994-10-5.

[8] "Irish charts archive – Len Barry". IRMA. Retrieved 9 January 2020.

[The_Book_of_Golden_Discs-9] Murrells, Joseph (1978). The Book of Golden Discs (2nd ed.). London: Barrie and Jenkins Ltd. p. 186. ISBN 0-214-20512-6.

[sc_Canadatopsingles_-10] "Top RPM Singles: Issue 5629." RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved 2 September 2018.

[11] "Toutes les Chansons N° 1 des Années 70" (in French). InfoDisc. Retrieved 22 December 2019.

[sc_Ireland2_Len_Barry-12] "The Irish Charts – Search Results – Len Barry". Irish Singles Chart. Retrieved September 2, 2018.

[13] "Flavour of New Zealand – search lever". Flavourofnz.co.nz. Retrieved 9 April 2019.

[14] "SA Charts 1969–1989 (As presented on Springbok Radio/Radio Orion) – Acts B". The South African Rock Encyclopedia. Retrieved 1 September 2018.

[15] Rees, Dafydd; Lazell, Barry; Osborne, Roger (1995). Forty Years of "NME" Charts (2nd ed.). Pan Macmillan. p. 160. ISBN 0-7522-0829-2.

[16] "Artist Chart History Details: Len Barry". The Official Charts Company. Archived from the original on 15 June 2011. Retrieved 8 August 2010.

[17] "Cash Box Top 100" (PDF). Cash Box. 27 November 1965. p. 4. Retrieved 24 January 2025.

[18] Whitburn, Joel (2004). Hot Dance/Disco: 1974-2003. Record Research. p. 226.

[19] "Edwyn Collins's A Girl Like You sample of Len Barry's 1-2-3 - WhoSampled". WhoSampled. Retrieved 19 January 2015.

[20] "secondhandsongs.com". Secondhandsongs.com. Retrieved 13 September 2014.

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