Judy in Disguise (with Glasses) by John Fred & His Playboy Band

Album: Agnes English (1968)

Charted: 3 1

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Songfacts®:

This is a parody of "Lucy In The Sky With Diamonds," which The Beatles released a year earlier. Instead of the psychedelic sound of the Beatles song, "Judy in Disguise" is bubblegum pop, but with similarly obtuse lyrics. According to John Fred, John Lennon loved the song. Said Fred: "When I met John Lennon, that's the first thing he asked me. He thought it was great. He said the first thing he was going to do when he got home was write a song called 'Froggy in a Pond with Spectacles.'"
John Fred Gourrier was a star baseball and basketball player for Southeastern Louisiana University, where he went on scholarship. This was his only hit, but he did have some popular, non-parody songs in Louisiana with titles like "Up and Down," and "She Shot a Hole in My Soul." His song "Shirley" also did well locally, and was a #6 hit in the UK for Shakin' Stevens in 1982.

Following "Judy In Disguise (with Glasses)," Fred got a deal with UNI records, who also signed the unknown talents Neil Diamond and Elton John. His follow-up song was "Hey, Hey Bunny," which failed to chart. With the label putting most of their efforts into Elton John, Fred's career stalled. He worked for a record company for a while, in the early '80s returned to music, once again touring the south. He died on April 15, 2005 at age 63 due to complications from a kidney transplant.
John Fred came up with this song when he was touring southern states in 1967 behind his minor hit "Agnes English." He explained to One Shot magazine that he was looking for material for a follow up song when he found inspiration in the crowd. Said Fred: "We were playing in Florida and the girls at the time had these big old sunglasses. One of the guys was hustling this chick. She took off these glasses and she could stop a clock. I said, 'That's it.' That's what gave me the idea. I said, 'She's kind of in disguise.'"
At first, the girl in this song was named Beverly, but Fred changed it to Judy because it was much easier to sing and went along with the "Lucy" from the song he was parodying.
The lyric, "Cross your heart with a living bra" was very strange, but this was a strange song. Fred was writing lyrics while watching TV, and he cribbed the line from a Playtex commercial.
This song was also recorded by Tommy Roe.
Not everybody appreciated the fact that it was a parody. The comedian Dickie Henderson (1922-85) used it in his stand up routines, quoting the lyrics to ridicule '60s popular music. His favorite lines were: "Lemonade pie with a brand new car" and "Cross your heart with your living bra." >>>
Suggestion credit:
Alexander Baron - London, England, for above 2

Comments: 54

Del from ConnecticutI realize now I'm wrong, but I always thought Judy in disguise was an insult to the story teller's new girlfriend (unnamed) who shared the same bad traits as the previous girlfriend (Judy). In other words the singer might be saying: "you act just as badly as Judy did - in fact, 'Judy in disguise' is what you are!!"
Judyinthesky from AustinMy name is Judy & 1967 is the year I graduated high school, all these years I did not know “Judy in Disguise” was actually written about a gal named Beverly. Every time I walked around the University of Texas campus in 1967 I was pointed out as Judy in disguise. I wore glasses ever since my eye doctor told me if I didn’t wear the glasses I was prescribed in fourth grade I would become a wallflower! Wish I would’ve become a Wallflower, as in Jacob Dylan’s band! “Judy in Disguise” is truly a One Hit Wonder” and I am going to keep on wearing my bracelets, and my glasses. John Fred a fabulous song writer, of course
“Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds” more sophisticated.
Stacia from MhkI believe the lyric "Rara" should be "Rah-rahs," they were a term in the early 1960s for saddle shoes, you can find old news articles with the term. (I'm looking at one right now from 1965 pronouncing "Rah-rahs are out!") As others said, "with your living bra" should be "with your live-in bra," which was used on old Playtex Cross Your Heart bra commercials; that style of bra came out in the 1960s and were hugely popular for being comfortable (hence, the "live-in bra"). Personally I think there's another line that's incorrect, I think the lyric is "taking everything in sight / except for the strings of my kite" but that's not a hill I'll die on.
Billy B from ArI use to lay on the floor after school watching tv hoping to see the playtex commercial with the “full figured” girl ! Oh yeah! Best part of the day LoL!
Lee Arnold from Chicago Ill“Judy Ellem from Kensington, California
This song was written for me in 63 by the same songwriter that wrote Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds.”

Why do people make this stuff up?
Suzy from U.s.Judy turns out to be a Joey..
Old Guy from TorontoShe is just like the gal in "She ain't pretty she just looks that way".
All dolled up looking fine, swoops in a takes you for everything except for them strings.
and BTW, "Cross Your Heart with a Living Bra" was an actual brand at the time that "lifts and separates". It was one of the most successful ad campaigns until that time.
Excellent tunage.
Joe Paulick from UsaAll these people trying to put their own interpretation on this song crack me up! John Fred said he wrote the song watching all the commercials on TV back then which included the new "live in bra". It's a bunch of commercials blended together, nothing more!
Tigerjag from TexasI alway thought that the next-to-last line was "you made me laugh about ya" and I still do. Most of the lyrics, I just sang with whatever might fit.

I was in junior high and loved this song so much. A friend in Louisiana had turned me on to John Fred & His Playboy Band and sent me this 45. She had seen them several times, mostly in parks or local talent shows. I think I sent her a Fever Tree record (a Houston band) or possibly a 13th Floor Elevators record. Not just a Houston band but from Spring Branch, my part of town. We exchanged several records, but Judy in Disguise was my very favorite.
Pressplaythe strength of this song is not the lyrics or the parody, it is the driving music. that opening riff is one of the greatest ever in pop music
Sky from Tampa Bay, FloridaThis is a song about a groovy girl who has it all but underneath she is sad and her glasses represent her outwardly appearance yet if you take her glasses off, it exposes the true woman who wants love not materialism....paradox.
Bazza from Adelaide, AustraliaMy Interpretation of this song differs from most of the comments I have read, partly because none of the comments I read mentions a Roll On, a Roll On ( UK Interpretation, as I was born there ), Is a Girdle, and coupled with Living Bra gives me the impression the song is about a Girl who disguises her figure by wearing a Girdle, and I assume the Living Bra. In other words, if you were a young Man, and you saw a slim young girl, and you looked like you were going to get intimate with here, when she undressed , you would get the shock of your life is she wasn't slim like she appeared, in other words she was in Disguise by appearing to look slim when she actually wasn't.
AnonymousIt's obvious that the sung lyrics are:

Come to me tonight, come to me tonight..
I've taken every thing in sight
Unzipper the strings of my kite...

It wasn't uncommon in those days for artists to "misquote" their own lyrics to avoid censorship.
Kev from Rogers, ArI remember when this came out, but I quickly forgot about it. Some 40 years later, it just suddenly popped into my head, and I found it on YouTube. It's amazing how memories can stay latent for decades, and then just suddenly come back.
Judy Ellem from Kensington, CaliforniaThis song was written for me in 63 by the same songwriter that wrote Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds.
Heather from Miami FloridaCantelope is can't elope eyes. A rara is rare jewelery. Strings in my kite is from Puff The Magic Dragon. Circus of horrors is to much makeup. Ashes is to much smoking.
Rosie from ConnecticutWas there ever a version of the lyrics that started with "Here comes Judy coming down the beach, got your glasses on …." My friend is looking for sheet music with this intro. Thank you !!!
Judy from Houston TxThe Find A Grave website has 15 of April as his death day. His memorial number on that site is #10788601.
My 1st name is Judy, I wear glasses, have always loved the song, love the ending of the song, and, yes, I'm in disguise.
Ed from Asheville, NcDid I miss a comment? No one mention the parody title Judy in Disguise with Glasses vs. Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds (Beatles)?
Kevin Gourrier from MiamiThe song had no hidden meanings. Just a bunch of thoughts worded together to sound catchy.
John Fred wrote the song sitting on the beach in Fort Lauderdale Florida ,when the Jacky O glasses were popular.
Music was in Fred's blood and a true Louisiana legend.
After his music career he was a outstanding little league baseball coach.
RIP John Fred - His Grandson Jon Gourrier is 11 and has written his first album and is a star pitcher on a Little League team in Miami.
JF legend has been passed on.
Thecharlie from Huntsville, AlRah rahs are b&w saddle oxford shoes which cheerleaders used to wear. "Rah, rah!" Get it?
Don from Menifee, CaThis song has some of the most clever lyrics ever written...
...............
Pies, chimney swift, sparrow and kite are types of birds...
Bird is slang for a young woman...
...............
strings is synonymous with threads...
threads is slang for clothes...
"unzipper the strings of my kite"
unzipper the clothes of my woman...
...............
a chimney swift is a swift flying migratory bird...
John Fred combined chimney swift and sparrow into a chimney sweep sparrow...
"a-chimney sweep sparrow with guys"
describes Judy as a girl who moves quickly from guy to guy... A floozy.....
...............
"Circus of Horrors" is a 1960 British horror film, in which a plastic surgeon transforms disfigured girls into beautiful circus performers...
"a-circus of a-horrors" along with "you make me a life of ashes"
describe Judy as a hideous femme fatale...
Ken from Louisville, KyThis was NOT the group's only charted single. They had a minor hit with the song "Agnes English".
Barry from Sauquoit, NyOn January 14th 1968, "Judy In Disguise (With Glasses)" by John Fred and the Playboy Man peaked at #1 (for 2 weeks) on Billboard's Hot Top 100 chart; it had entered the chart on November 19th, 1967 and spent 16 weeks on the Top 100...
The two weeks it was at #1 the record it held out of the top spot was "Chain of Fools" by Aretha Franklin (and it never did make #1)...
Note: "Hey Hey Bunny" did make the Top 100, it entered the chart on February 18th, 1968 at position #89 and peaked at #57.
Rotunda from Tulsa, OkWhat a fun song! I was 8 years old when this was #1 in 1968 & me and my 4 brothers loved its wildness. Such strange lyrics. And I've always wondered about that "moaning" that goes on in the song. I know there must have been lots of sexual innuendo throughout the lyrics, but that moaning! Oh, why was that in there? Anyone know? Perhaps something kinky was going on in the recording studio? Moaning...
Raunchy from Tulsa, OkHere on the last day of 2013, I heard this song again on an oldies radio station & it brought back good memories. I was having a ball in college in 1968, despite all the anti-war riots & political demonstrations on many college campuses. This wild song gave us some refuge from all that dissension. I always wondered about that MOANING going on in the mid-part of the song. What was it for? What was going on in the recording studio? Hmmmm? Maybe we shouldn't know???!!!
Johnny Palazzotto from Baton Rouge, LaRah rah's are shoes. Club Louisianne released "The Unreleased Masters" on John Fred in 2002. cd available at www.LouisianasMusic.com
Sam Williams from Sherman Oaks, CaHas Anyone ever noticed how explicit this song is? I mean the Lyrics "Come to me tonight" and "Unzipper the strings of my kite" are obviously laced with Sexual innuendo and not to mention the pornographic sound effects that come before the first and last choruses. I'm surprised American radio stations didn't catch that when they heard the song.
Coy from Palestine, TxThis song was recorded at Robin Hood Studios in Tyler, Texas (still open and owned by Robin Hood Brians). Robin Hood Studios is where Joe Stampley and the Uniques, The Five Americans, Mouse and the Traps and even ZZ Top (first three albums) all recorded. It is legendary in Texas.
Jack from Longview , TxHere are some of what I thought the lyrics were (that are different from what you already got):
Take a look at fame in sight
And sit with the strings of my kite.
Judy in disguise
It's what you're aimin' for
The secondth of a holiday
Well that's what you are
You made me a laugh of matches
Guess I'll just take your glasses
Coy from Palestine, TxNeil Diamond and Elton John weren't "unknowns" when signed by UNI?? Diamond had previously had a string of hit records with Bang Records and Elton John had a hit album in England. John Fred and the Playboy Band were a great group of professionals and had a very tight band. "Judy in Disquise" knocked the Beatles out of the number one spot on the charts. But since "Judy" was a novelty song no one would take the band serious. They were great live and really a blue eyed soul group bordering on jazz.
Gerry from N. Massapequa, NyHave you noticed that the extended part of the bridge/"middle 8" in "Judy" (with the moaning over the ascending note) is similar (in a very abbreviated way) to the bridge in Led Zeppelin's "Whole Lotta Love"?
Allen from Newark, CaI found a referece for the kite line that actually makes sense. " and zip up the strings of my kite."

Still pretty weird but makes more sense than unzipper
Allen from Newark, CaIf you search lyrics for this song there seems to be two different versions, for at least three of the lines.

1) unzipper the strings of my kite Vs. except for the strings of my kites
2) chilly sweet sparrow with guise Vs. Chimney sweep sparrow with guise
3) you made me laugh about ya Vs. You made me a life of ashes.

There doesn't seeem to be any agreement from site to site and each site has different combinations of these choices.
to me 'Except for the strings of my kite 'makes more sense, but it sounds like he is saying 'unzipper' which doesnt make any sense.

I think "chilly sweet sparrow "makes more sense than "chimney sweep sparrow".

and niether "made me laugh about ya" or "made a life of ashes"
rhymes with take your glasses. I dont think either is right.
"Laugh about ya" makes more sense, but "ashes" comes closer to rhyming with glasses..
Allen from Newark, CaA really great more recent version of the song is available on Youtube at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uweF6V-cv1M along with two of his other songs,

This was recorded by John Fred and his band later in his life.

this was released by the Lousiana music hall of fame. What a wonderful career he had making music through his whole life, even if he only had this one song that made the national charts.
Allen from Newark, CaWikipedia defines Rah-Rah as a skirt warn by cheerleaders which became a popular style
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rah-rah_skirt
I always heard Rah-Rahs as a slang for a girls breasts, Maybe she has matured a bit since the last time he saw her... ??? Maybe thats why she's in disguise

I have no idea what he means by unzipper the strings of my kite. Anybody got any idea
Amanda from Gretna, Vti just realized i heard this song so much when i was little....and never understood what he said...still a good song
Rod from Gainesville, FlTHIS IS one of the catchiest, irrepresible songs ever written.I love it every time i hear it.....I love the Beatles connexion..it is way cool.
Karen from Manchester, NhI remember being a very young child hearing this for the first time and thinking it was hilarious (hey, mentioning a bra in a song is hysterical to a 4-year-old). My sister (who is 13 years older than I) had made up hand motions for the song for me, including making glasses with her hands every time "...with glasses" came up in the song. I remember being thrilled when, for my 11th birthday, my sister gave me all of her 45s, with her original pressing of this included! I still have it, with its pink cameo label.
Ekristheh from Halath, United StatesA deceptively simplistic-sounding piece of work. It even manages a takeoff of the "ascending strings" from A Day in the Life. Years later, I'm still laughing.
Robert from Denver, CoWhen the John Fred wrote this song, he thought that the Beatles song went "Lucy in disguise with diamonds". That lyric was not intended as part of the parody and by the time he found out how the Beatles song actually went, it was too late to change it. He still considers it a testament to his own stupidity. This is straight from his mouth.
Adrian from Bogalusa, LaYou need to buy "The History of John Fred and His Playboy Band" There are so many good songs that would have been hits has they been promoted. You can read all the posts here you care to but you need to see the big picture. As catchy as Judy in Disguise is,it is by no means his best. Listen to "Up and Down, Sometimes You Just Can't Win, Agnes English and She Shot A Hole In My Soul". Amazing stuff was going on in Baton Rouge at the time.
Judy from New Orleans, LaTo Jerry in Brooklyn: Back in the 60's rara's meant your saddle oxfords or the two tone shoes guys wore. The fraternity types. Button down shirts hanging out over starched white jeans. Dreamy! At least back then. Of course, this is if my memory serves me right. Any other guesses out there?
Robbie from Augusta, GaSara , ever heard of a parody?
Darrell from Eugene, United StatesThe buzzing sound that is at the beginning of the song and toward the end sounds just like my Jack LaLanne Juicer.
Joe from Ilton, MaWasn't the name of the band John Fred and his Playboy Band (to distinguish him from Gary Lewis and the Playboys)?
Gerry from New Orleans, LaFirst off, to Jerry in Brooklyn. A "rara" is actually "rahs-rahs", which was a type of shoe worn by southern girls in the '60's. I guess it was shortened to rhyme with the "living bra" line in the song.

My first exposure to John Fred and his Playboy Band was in June, 1966 when I was 13 years old and they were the opening act for Herman's Hermits at a concert in New Orleans' City Park Stadium. They started out with a blistering version of Sam & Dave's "Hold On I'm Coming" and then launched into their original material. By the end of their set thirty minutes later, I and others were hooked. Even though I was too young to get into the lounges they played at, I hung around outside just so I could at least hear them play. And every now and then, they played some youth club dances so I was able to see them as well. They had a #1 song (pre-"Judy") along the Gulf Coast in 1967 called "Up & Down" that was also steadily rising on the R&B charts. But, when it was discovered that they were white, it was quickly pulled from black stations' playlists. This is documented in the book that comes with the "Absolutely the Best of John Fred & His Playboy Band" CD. This was when they made the decision to change from "Blue-Eyed Soul" to pop. But make no mistake, this was a very tight band and they deserved better than what they got. I guess that's just the breaks of the business. I'm just glad I got a chance to see and hear them when I did. Those were quite some times. R.I.P. John Fred Gourrier.
Sara from Nashville, TnI first heard this song on the radio yesterday, and I thought that he was saying "in the sky" instead of "in disguise". Being a really big Beatles fan, I didn't like the song because of all the similarities between this song and Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds. I love that song and I think it's crazy that somebody tried to copy it! Marshmallow pies to lemonade pies, kaleidoscope eyes to cantaloupe eyes and diamonds to glasses... GEE, THAT'S ORIGINAL!!! And I must disagree with Zola... but suit yourself. But nothing is better than the original.
Jerry from Brooklyn, Ny"Keep a-wearing your bracelets and your new rara"? Anybody out there who can tell me what a "rara" is?
Fyodor from Denver, CoI heard Fred say in an interview that the first time he heard Lucy In The Sky w/Diamonds he THOUGHT it was "Lucy in disguise" (he might have misheard it cause he was in the shower or something) which he thought was a very cool idea, so when he found out it wasn't that, he decided to write a song based on what he originally thought he heard. I suppose the arrangement parodies the psychedelic sounds and orgasmic moans of Sgt. Pepper, but lyrically it has nothing to do with The Beatles but rather describes a woman's fascination with cosmetics and jewelry, which was what Fred thought The Beatles' song was about when he first misheard it.
Howard from St. Louis Park, MnThe song was originally titled "Beverly in Disguise" but John Fred changed it to the familiar title. Like me, he was very big into sports, since his father, fred Gourrier played in Detroit Tigers farm system. One of John Fred's post Playboy Band acheivements was when he wrote the song "Baseball at the Box" for the successful LSU baseball team.
Steve from Salt Lake City, UtHeres an interesting factoid!

In 1958,at age 17 John Fred recorded the song, "Shirley",an uptempo shuffle beat tune using the same musicians that Fats Domino had just wrapped up a session with, recording the Fats hit, "Whole Lotta Lovin'"
During the last few minutes of remaining session time,the band learned John Freds song & recorded it & did a quick yet tight take.
It was a minor hit in Louisianne.
He made a follow up,using the Jordainaires as back up singers on a decent ballad 45.

He & his own band,the Playboys paid a lot of dues as a popular party band till their big Top 40 moment!
Their follow up singles, "Agnes English" & "What Is Happiness" were minor but good tunes!

RIP John
Brandon from Ocala, FlHis name: John Fred Gourrier not Gournier. The strings on this song are top-notch.
Zola from Dublin, OhMuch better and more fun than the Beatles song

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