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Several sources have stated the song had originally been offered to The Monkees, although songwriters Barry and Kim deny this. Only after most of the DJs liked the song were they told that it was performed by a cartoon group. Upon its initial release, Kirshner had promotion men play it for radio station executives without telling them the name of the group (due to the disappointing chart performance of the Archies’ previous single, “Feelin’ So Good (S.k.o.o.b.y-D.o.o.)”, which only went to number 53 on the Billboard Hot 100 charts). The song was initially released in late May 1969, on the Calendar label (the same label as the two previous Archies singles), achieving moderate chart success in the early summer in some radio markets, and was re-released mid-July 1969, on the Kirshner label, when it then attained massive success nationwide by late summer/early fall. Together they provided the voices of the Archies using multitracking. Ron Dante’s lead vocals were accompanied by those of Toni Wine and Andy Kim. The album is the product of a group of studio musicians managed by Don Kirshner. “Sugar, Sugar” by the Archies was produced by Jeff Barry, and the song was originally released on the album Everything’s Archie. The song became a hit again in 1970 when rhythm and blues and soul singer Wilson Pickett took it back onto the charts. It was also number one on the UK Singles chart in that same year for eight weeks.
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This version reached number one in the US on the Billboard Hot 100 chart in 1969 and remained there for four weeks. It was originally recorded by the virtual band the Archies. “Sugar, Sugar” is a song written by Jeff Barry and Andy Kim.
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