The Iconic No. 1 Hit That Came From a Cartoon Band (and No, It’s Not Gorillaz)

The Archies had one of the best built-in promotional outlets of any band of their era. They appeared on their very own Saturday morning cartoon, meaning that their single “Sugar, Sugar” was guaranteed massive exposure.

Unfortunately, they couldn’t really capitalize on that with a big tour because, well, technically, they didn’t exist. Here’s how a producer and some studio pros anonymously delivered one of the biggest bubblegum hits ever.

An Act with No Demands

Don Kirshner had tried the gambit once before. The music impresario was one of the figureheads behind The Monkees, a group that was created solely for the purpose of a television show. They were a huge hit, but the group members soon complained about the control Kirshner had over their careers.

What if Kirshner could pull off something similar and not have to worry about such complaints? The Archie Show, a cartoon based on the beloved Archie comics, gave him his opportunity. In the show, the fictional teenagers created a band, and Kirshner stepped in to produce their music.

He contracted some top writers, singers, and instrumentalists to bring this nonexistent band to life. The Archies’ self-titled debut album yielded a minor hit in “Bang-Shang-A-Lang” in 1968. A year later, the cartoon crooners would deliver a runaway No. 1 single.

Sweetness Overload

Kirshner didn’t fool around when it came to the artists behind The Archies. Andy Kim, who’d go on to have some big hits as a solo artist, got the ball rolling with the writing of “Sugar, Sugar.” He then received help from Jeff Barry, one of the most prolific and productive songwriters of the era.

Ron Dante took lead vocals, singing as Archie. Toni Wine added the vocals for both Betty and Veronica. “Sugar, Sugar,” with its ridiculously catchy chorus, seemed a no-brainer to be a hit. But many radio stations had resisted playing previous Archies’ records, since there was no chance of the band touring to promote the music.

As a result, Kirshner and company had the idea to send the record to stations without any information about the performers. Once the song made it on the air, they could reveal that it was the work of studio pros acting as the fictional band. In that manner, “Sugar, Sugar” went to No. 1 in 1969.

Behind the Lyrics of “Sugar, Sugar”

Songwriters Kim and Barry managed to create something that appealed to the kids who watched the cartoon. Copious references to candy and sugar likely ignited the sweet tooth of every youngster tuned in waiting for breakfast.

They add just enough of an adult edge to keep it viable for the adults in the audience. “I just can’t believe the loveliness of loving you,” our hero Archie sings. “I just can’t believe it’s true.” Later, there’s even a flower-power nod: “Like the summer sunshine, pour your sweetness over me.”

The Archies added a follow-up Top 10 with the song “Jingle Jangle”. For a few years after the cartoon went off the air, the fictional band stayed afloat, even releasing a Christmas album. “Sugar, Sugar” remains a classic, a pop gem that’s plenty animated even when you take Archie, Veronica, and Betty out of the picture.

Photo by Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images