The Premiers - Farmer John (1964)

When brothers John and Lawrence Perez decided to start playing music in 1962, they recruited neighborhood friends George Delgado and Frank Zuniga and formed this band. All of them came from East Los Angeles, specifically San Gabriel, and their band started out by holding rehearsals in the Perez brothers’ backyard. After a short period, neighbors and friends began forming crowds at their rehearsals, liking what they heard, and the group got the attention of a popular East L.A. manager, Billy Cardenas. Cardenas remade the still-teenaged boys’ attire by dressing them in matching suits. He also got them some gigs at local venues, opening for names like Chris Montez. When it came time to record, Cardenas wanted to capture to spirit of “Louie Louie,” which had recently become a huge hit for The Kingsmen.

He presented them with this song, written and first recorded by rock and roll duo Don and Dewey. Although the band was hesitant to record the song, they eventually warmed up to it and released it on Faro Records in the summer of 1964. It was misleadingly labeled as having been recorded “live” at the Rhythm Room in Fullerton, California, but was actually recorded at Stereo Masters in Hollywood, California. Much like the Beach Boys’ Party! album that would be recorded in 1965, this song had the “live audience” qualities overdubbed. In this case, the girls heard on the song had come into the studio from The Chevelles car club. The song reached number nineteen on the US charts and led to the band touring with acts such as The Supremes, The Crystals, Cannibal & the Headhunters, The Dave Clark Five, and many others. They even opened for The Rolling Stones, The Kinks, and The Zombies in Alabama and the Southeast United States.

When the band toured the racially segregated Southern USA, they were never really sure if they were supposed to use the “Whites Only” or “Blacks Only” bathrooms, as they were of Mexican heritage. Unfortunately, the war in Vietnam prematurely ended the band when Frank Zuniga was drafted during their second tour and later Lawrence Perez was drafted into the conflict, as well. Luckily, both members survived the war.



The Premiers - Farmer John (1964)

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Lyrics:

Has anybody seen Kosher Pickle Harry?
(No!)

If you see him, tell him that Herbert is looking for him.
(Who’s Herbert?!)
(Herbert who?!)

Okay, ladies and gentlemen, here we go: The Premiers!
(Yeah!)

Farmer John
I'm in love with your daughter
The one
With the champagne eyes
She knows that I love her
Ever since she showed me those eyes

Farmer John
Someday I will marry
The one
With the champagne eyes
She won't accept my hand
She won't wear my wedding band

One more time

I dig the way she walks
(Yeah!)
The way she talks
(Yeah!)
She really knocks me out
(Yeah!)
When she starts moving slow

Now let me hear ya

Farmer John
I'm in love with your daughter
The one
With the champagne eyes
With the champagne eyes
With the champagne eyes
With the champagne eyes…