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"Liar, Liar"
Single by the Castaways
B-side"Sam"
Released1965
RecordedMarch 2nd 1965
GenreGarage rock
Length1:55
LabelSoma
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s)Timothy D. Kehr
The Castaways singles chronology
"Liar, Liar"
(1965) 		"Goodbye Babe"
(1965)
Music video
The Castaways – "Liar Liar" on YouTube

"Liar, Liar" is a song written by Jim Donna and Dennis Craswell.[1] It was originally recorded by American garage rock band the Castaways in 1965. It Reached number 12 on the Billboard hot 100 and number 1 locally.

History

"Liar, Liar" was written by Jim Donna on a napkin[2] in his parents' house, drummer Dennis Craswell and Donna's sister Joanne helped Donna write it. It took 2 hours to write but after that it was completed.[3] Donna and Craswell took it to the other members of The Castaways and they liked it. The song was recorded on March 2, 1965. The song was showed off to Soma Records founder and President Amos Heilicher and he liked it and signed The Castaways on a contract.[4]

"Liar, Liar" was the first and only hit single by the Castaways. The song peaked at number 12 on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1965.[5] The producer for the track was Timothy D. Kehr. Guitarist Robert Folschow contributed the distinctive falsetto vocal on "Liar, Liar" and Dick Roby did the scream on the song.

The Castaways performed "Liar, Liar" in the 1967 beach party film It's a Bikini World. The song also appears on the 1972 compilation album Nuggets: Original Artyfacts from the First Psychedelic Era, 1965–1968. It also appeared in the movie's Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels and Good Morning, Vietnam.

Debbie Harry version

"Liar, Liar"
Single by Debbie Harry
from the album Married to the Mob[6]
Released1988
Recorded1988
GenreRock and roll
Length3:01
LabelReprise
Songwriter(s)
  • James Donna
  • Denny Craswell
Producer(s)Michael Chapman
Debbie Harry singles chronology
"In Love with Love"
(1987) 		"Liar, Liar"
(1988) 		"I Want That Man"
(1989)

"Liar, Liar" was recorded by American singer Debbie Harry for the soundtrack to the 1988 film Married to the Mob and produced by Mike Chapman. It was their first collaboration since the 1982 Blondie album The Hunter. The following year, the two would team up again for Harry's album Def, Dumb and Blonde. A music video, co-directed by Adam Bernstein, was produced to promote the single.[7] The song debuted and peaked at number 14 on Billboard's Modern Rock Tracks chart for the week ending September 10, 1988.[8]

Track listings

A. "Liar, Liar" – 3:01
B. "Queen of Voudou" (performed by the Voodooist Corporation) – 3:39
A. "Liar, Liar" (extended version) – 5:45
B1. "Liar, Liar" (7″ version) – 3:01
B2. "Liar, Liar" (instrumental) – 4:50

Charts

Chart performance for "Liar, Liar" (the Castaways version)
Chart (1965) Peak
position
US Billboard Hot 100[5] 12
Chart performance for "Liar, Liar" (Debbie Harry version)
Chart (1988) Peak
position
US Alternative Airplay (Billboard)[8] 14

References

  1. ^ "secondhandsongs.com". secondhandsongs.com. Retrieved February 23, 2021.
  2. ^ "The Castaways Turned 'Liar, Liar' into Garage Rock Gold: Interview". April 2023.
  3. ^ "Jordan resident tells story of his band the Castaways and their runaway hit 'Liar, Liar'". April 28, 2022.
  4. ^ "The Castaways | Interview | "Liar, liar, pants on fire"". February 11, 2023.
  5. ^ a b Whitburn, Joel (2013). Top Pop Singles 1955–2012 (14th ed.). Menomonee Falls, Wisconsin: Record Research. p. 148. ISBN 978-0-89820-205-2.
  6. ^ "www.allmusic.com". allmusic.com. Retrieved April 5, 2023.
  7. ^ Che, Cathy (1999). Deborah Harry: Platinum Blonde. Cornwall: MPG Books Ltd. p. 126.
  8. ^ a b "Debbie Harry Chart History (Alternative Airplay)". Billboard. Retrieved May 14, 2022.
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