I believe the heading says it all. When I think of John Stamos I think of a) "have mercy"...and b) Kokomo. Neither of which are pretty thoughts. Let me tell you all about Kokomo.
Kokomo has got nothing to do with the Beach Boys...really, they didn't write it and as for playing on the recording, that's another story too.
Kokomo came together when producer Terry Melcher was hired to work on a song with the Beach Boys for the movie "Cocktail" starring Tom Cruise. Not only was Kokomo responsible for creating a comeback to commercial success for The Beach Boys, but also for Mercher who had gone into seclusion after leasing a property he owned to Roman Planski and Sharon Tate. The same property at which Sharon Tate and four others were murdered by Charles Manson.
The song was written by Melcher, John Phillips of The Mama's and The Papa's, Mike Love and Scott McKenzie. Coincidentally Phillips daughter Chynna was a member of Wilson Phillips along with Brian Wilsons two daughters Carrie and Wendy.
The Beach Boys are known for their vocal harmonies and this is pretty much all you get out of the Beach Boys on the Kokomo recording. Session musician Jim Keltner was brought in to play the drums and Ry Cooder was hired on guitar. Van Dyke Parks was also called in for the recording. It was his job (not the Beach Boys job) to make it sound like a legitimate Beach Boys track. He also plays the accordian on the track. Interestingy, Kokomo was released in the summer of 98 and did nothing on the charts until the movie "Cocktail " was released a few months later.
2012 will possibly the last time the Beach Boys tour and I for one would like to see the Beach Boys playing their music and not have the tour turned into some nostalgic circus featuring John Stamos and the song Kokomo.
God Only Knows. Check it
