Montego Bay (song)
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| "Montego Bay" | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Single by Bobby Bloom | ||||
| from the album The Bobby Bloom Album | ||||
| B-side | "Try a Little Harder" | |||
| Released | September 1970 | |||
| Genre | Bubblegum pop[1] | |||
| Length | 2:53 | |||
| Label | L&R Records | |||
| Songwriter(s) | Jeff Barry, Bobby Bloom | |||
| Producer(s) | Jeff Barry | |||
| Bobby Bloom singles chronology | ||||
| ||||
| Music video | ||||
| Bobby Bloom – Montego Bay • TopPop on YouTube | ||||
"Montego Bay" is a song co-written and performed by Bobby Bloom about the city in Jamaica of the same name. The song was a top ten hit for Bloom in the Fall of 1970 on both sides of the Atlantic. It reached No. 3 on the UK Singles Chart,[2] No. 5 on the Canadian RPM 100 Singles Chart,[3] No. 7 on the Australian Go-Set Singles Chart and No. 8 on the US Billboard Hot 100. The song was co-written and produced by Jeff Barry. In the master tape of the song, Bloom breaks into a chorus of "Oh, What a Beautiful Mornin'" at the end of the recording. The song features a whistler, as well as Jamaican instruments in a calypso style.
Weekly charts
| Chart (1970) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Argentina (CAPIF) [4] | 7 |
| Australia (Kent Music Report)[5] | 9 |
| Australia (Go-Set) | 7 |
| Austria (Hitradio Ö3)[6] | 12 |
| Belgium (Ultratop 50 Flanders)[7] | 12 |
| Belgium (Ultratop 50 Wallonia)[8] | 44 |
| Canada RPM Adult Contemporary[9] | 15 |
| Canada RPM Top Singles[10] | 5 |
| France (IFOP)[11] | 43 |
| Ireland (IRMA)[12] | 14 |
| Netherlands (Dutch Top 40)[13] | 2 |
| Netherlands (Single Top 100)[14] | 17 |
| New Zealand (Listener)[15] | 12 |
| Singapore Rediffusion, Singapore[16] | 1 |
| South Africa (Springbok)[17] | 5 |
| UK Singles Chart[18] | 3 |
| US Billboard Hot 100[19] | 8 |
| US Billboard Easy Listening | 18 |
| US Cash Box Top 100[20] | 6 |
- Freddie Notes & the Rudies cover
| Chart (1970) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| UK Singles Chart[21] | 45 |
- Sugar Cane cover
| Chart (1978) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| UK Singles Chart[22] | 54 |
- Jon Stevens cover
| Chart (1980) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| New Zealand (RIANZ)[23] | 1 |
- Quarrington/Worthy cover
| Chart (1980) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Canada RPM Adult Contemporary[24] | 15 |
- Allniters cover
| Chart (1983) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Australia (Kent Music Report)[25] | 19 |
- Amazulu cover
| Chart (1986–1987) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Canada Top Singles (RPM)[26] | 6 |
| Ireland (IRMA)[12] | 14 |
| South Africa (Springbok)[27] | 16 |
| UK Singles Chart[28] | 16 |
| US Billboard Hot 100[29] | 90 |
Year-end charts
| Chart (1970) | Rank |
|---|---|
| Australia[30] | 84 |
| Canada[31] | 77 |
| UK[32] | 41 |
Jon Stevens version
| "Montego Bay" | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Single by Jon Stevens | ||||
| from the album Jezebel | ||||
| B-side | "Sha La La" | |||
| Released | January 1980 | |||
| Genre | Pop rock | |||
| Label | CBS | |||
| Songwriter(s) | B. Bloom, J. Barry | |||
| Producer(s) | Jay Lewis | |||
| Jon Stevens singles chronology | ||||
| ||||
In January 1980, New Zealand recording artist Jon Stevens released a version as a single. It peaked at No.1 in New Zealand, allowing Stevens to replace himself at No.1,[33] and stayed there for two weeks.[23]
Track listing
Vinyl, 7-inch, 45 RPM
- "Montego Bay" 2:50
- "Sha La La" 4:25
Charts
| Chart (1980) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| New Zealand (RIANZ)[34] | 1 |
Year-end charts
| Chart (1980) | Position |
|---|---|
| New Zealand (RIANZ)[35] | 43 |
Other recordings
- (1970) Freddie Notes & The Rudies – (Trojan Records)
- (1971) The Bar-Kays on their album Black Rock
- (1978) Sugar Cane – a minor UK disco hit for the U.S. male/female vocal group. Highest position in UK Singles Chart – No. 54
- (1983) Allniters – a Top 20 hit for an Australian ska band.
- (1986) Amazulu – reached No. 16 in the UK and No. 6 in Canada and was a minor hit in the U.S. in September 1986
