"Sweet Pea" is a bubblegum pop song written and performed by Tommy Roe. It was produced by Gary S. PaxtonTommy Roe, "Sweet Pea" single release Retrieved July 16, 2014 and featured on his 1966 album, Sweet Pea.Tommy Roe, Sweet Pea Retrieved July 16, 2014. In the lyrics, the singer spots a girl at a dance whom her friends call "Sweet Pea." There's no explanation of how she got this nickname. After dancing with her, he suggests they go for a walk where he tells her he loves her and wants her to be his girl.YouTube.com "Sweet Pea by Tommy Roe" Retrieved Feb. 5, 2024
The song contains a drum break saturated in reverb at the start of the recording and each time before the song modulates to a new key.
Chart performance The song reached number 1 in Canada,Tommy Roe, "Sweet Pea" Canadian Chart Position Retrieved July 16, 2014. number 1 in New Zealand, number 7 in Australia, and number 8 on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1966.Tommy Roe, "Sweet Pea" Billboard Chart Position Retrieved July 16, 2014. It ranked number 44 on Billboard magazine's Top Hot 100 songs of 1966.
Other versions The Ventures included an instrumental version on their 1966 album, Wild Things!The Ventures, Wild Things! Discogs.com, Retrieved May 29, 2015 Roger Williams made it the B-side to his single "Love Me Forever" in April 1967.Roger Williams, "Sweet Pea" single release, 45cat.com, Retrieved July 16, 2014 Friar Tuck recorded it as the B-side to his single "Alley-Oop" in May 1967.Friar Tuck, "Sweet Pea" single release, 45cat.com, Retrieved July 16, 2014. Manfred Mann released it as a single in May 1967 that reached number 36 in the United Kingdom.Manfred Mann, "Sweet Pea" Chart Position Musicvf.com, Retrieved July 16, 2014. Donald Lautrec put out a single in 1967.Donald Lautrec, "Sweet Pea" single release Retrieved July 16, 2014. Gang Starr sampled Roe's version on their 1989 song "Movin' On" from the album No More Mr. Nice Guy. Big Audio Dynamite's song "Rush" samples the drum break from Roe's "Sweet Pea". The 2007 re-release of Cub's 1993 album Betti-Cola featured a cover of the song.
In media Samantha Morton performs a frenetic dance to the tune in the 1999 film Jesus' Son.Jesus' Son "Sweet Pea" clip Retrieved May 15, 2015. The song is also played in the background in two episodes of the Hulu drama mini series, The Girl from Plainville (2022).
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