1, 2, 3, Red Light (song)

"1, 2, 3, Red Light" is a song written by Sal Trimachi and Bobbi Trimachi and was recorded by 1910 Fruitgum Company for their 1968 album, 1, 2, 3, Red Light.^[2] The song charted highest in Canada, going to number 1 on the RPM 100 national singles chart in 1968.^[3] In the same year in the US, it went to number 5 on the Billboard Hot 100 and was on the charts for 13 weeks.^[4]

"1, 2, 3, Red Light"
Single by 1910 Fruitgum Company
from the album 1, 2, 3, Red Light
B-side	"Sticky Sticky"
Released	July 1968
Genre	Bubblegum pop garage rock[1]
Length	1:55
Label	Buddah
Songwriter(s)	Sal Trimachi, Bobbi Trimachi
Producer(s)	Super K Productions
1910 Fruitgum Company singles chronology
"May I Take a Giant Step (Into Your Heart)" (1968) "1, 2, 3, Red Light" (1968) "Goody Goody Gumdrops" (1968)

The song went to number 2 in South Africa,^[5] number 3 on the New Zealand charts, and in Australia it reached number 7. It was named the number 39 song of 1968 on the Cashbox charts. The song was certified as a gold disc in September 1968.^[6]

Chart performance

Weekly charts Chart (1968) Peak position Australia 7 Canadian RPM Top Singles[3] 1 New Zealand 3 South Africa[5] 2 Spain (Promusicae)[7] 23 US Billboard Hot 100[8] 5 US Cashbox Top 100[9] 3

Year-end charts Chart (1968) Rank Canada[10] 42 US Billboard Hot 100[11] 48 US Cash Box Top 100[12] 39

Certifications

Certifications for "1, 2, 3, Red Light"

Region	Certification	Certified units/sales
United States (RIAA)[13]	Gold	1,000,000^
^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.

Cover versions

• Ohio Express released a cover version of the song on their 1969 album, Chewy, Chewy.^[14]
• Talking Heads played the song at some of their early shows and a live version can be found on the bootleg Gimme Heads.^{[15][importance?]}
• Welsh band The Pooh Sticks covered the song in 1988 and released it on Fierce Recordings as part of a 5-disc series of one-sided seven inch singles, artisticly scratched on their B sides.

References

1. Stanley, Bob (13 September 2013). "Bubblegum is the Naked Truth: The Monkees". Yeah Yeah Yeah: The Story of Modern Pop. Faber & Faber. p. 275. ISBN 978-0-571-28198-5.
2. Kathleen C. Fennessy. "1, 2, 3 Red Light - 1910 Fruitgum Company | Songs, Reviews, Credits". AllMusic. Retrieved 1 October 2016.
3. "Item Display - RPM - Library and Archives Canada". Collectionscanada.gc.ca. Archived from the original on 29 July 2012. Retrieved 1 October 2016.
4. "Artist Search for "1910 fruitgum company"". AllMusic. Retrieved 1 October 2016.
5. Brian Currin (25 May 2003). "South African Rock Lists Website - SA Charts 1965 - 1989 Acts (0-9)". Rock.co.za. Retrieved 1 October 2016.
6. "Song artist 912 - 1910 Fruitgum Co". Tsort.info. Retrieved 1 October 2016.
7. Salaverri, Fernando (2015). Sólo éxitos 1959–2012 (1st ed.). Spain: Fundación Autor-SGAE. ISBN 978-84-8048-866-2.
8. Joel Whitburn's Top Pop Singles 1955-2002
9. "CASH BOX Top 100 Singles, September 28, 1968". Archived from the original on 12 August 2014. Retrieved 27 February 2017.
10. "Image : RPM Weekly". Library and Archives Canada. 17 July 2013.
11. "Top 100 Hits of 1968/Top 100 Songs of 1968". www.musicoutfitters.com.
12. "CASH BOX Year-End Charts: 1968 Top 100 Pop Singles, December 28, 1968". Archived from the original on 9 October 2016. Retrieved 27 February 2017.
13. "American single certifications – Nineteen Ten Fruitgum Company – 1, 2, 3, Red Light". Recording Industry Association of America. Retrieved July 4, 2024.
14. "Chewy, Chewy - Ohio Express | Songs, Reviews, Credits". AllMusic. Retrieved 1 October 2016.
15. Mark Allender. "Gimme Heads - Talking Heads | Songs, Reviews, Credits". AllMusic. Retrieved 1 October 2016.