The Combine Harvester
1975 novelty song, a hit for Brendan Grace in Ireland
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"The Combine Harvester" is a novelty song which was a number one hit for Brendan Grace in Ireland in 1975 and then also for The Wurzels in the UK in 1976. Written by Brendan O'Shaughnessy, the song is a parody of Melanie Safka's 1971 hit "Brand New Key", with rustic lyrics replacing the original theme of roller-skating.[2]
Released1975
LyricistBrendan O'Shaughnessy (new lyrics)
| "The Combine Harvester" | |
|---|---|
| Single by Brendan Grace | |
| Released | 1975 |
| Genre | |
| Composer | Melanie Safka |
| Lyricist | Brendan O'Shaughnessy (new lyrics) |
| "The Combine Harvester" | |
|---|---|
| |
| Single by The Wurzels | |
| B-side | "The Blackbird" |
| Released | May 1976[1] |
| Genre | |
| Length | 3:03 |
| Label | Solo, EMI[1] |
| Producers | Tommy Ellis, Bob Barratt[1] |
| Official Audio | |
| "The Combine Harvester (Brand New Key)" on YouTube | |
In the UK the song was released by The Wurzels, a band from Somerset with a rustic West Country style which they called "Scrumpy and Western". It reached number one on 12 June 1976 and stayed there for two weeks.[1]
Charts
| Chart (1975) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Irish Singles Chart | 1 |
| Chart (1976) | Peak position |
| UK Singles Chart | 1 |
| Chart (1976) | Peak position |
| Australia (Kent Music Report)[3] | 97 |
Certifications
| Region | Certification | Certified units/sales |
|---|---|---|
| United Kingdom (BPI)[4] | Silver | 250,000^ |
|
^ Shipments figures based on certification alone. | ||
