Laughing (The Guess Who song)

1969 single by The Guess Who

"Laughing"

Cover of the 1969 German single

Single by The Guess Who
from the album  Canned Wheat
B-side| "Undun"
Released| July 1969
Recorded| 1969 at RCA Studio A, New York, New York
Genre| Pop rock[1]
Length| 2:39
Label| RCA Victor
Songwriter(s)| Randy Bachman, Burton Cummings
Producer(s)| Jack Richardson
The Guess Who singles chronology
| "These Eyes"
(1968)  | "Laughing" / "Undun"
(1969)  | "No Time"
(1969)

|
|

"Laughing" is a popular song by Canadian rock band The Guess Who. It peaked at #1 on the Canadian Singles Chart for a single week[2] and at #10 on the United States' Billboard Hot 100, becoming the band's second single to reach the Top 10 on the latter.[3] It became their second of three gold records in the United States and also made the Top 20 on singles charts in New Zealand and South Africa.

It appeared on their 1969 album, Canned Wheat, and was released as a single that year. It sold more than 350,000 copies in the first three weeks of release.[4]

## Critical reception

[edit]

Dave Bist of The Montreal Gazette has written that "These Eyes" and "Laughing" gave its audience the impression that the group only made music for the money. "Undun", the group's third "biggie", and "No Time", he wrote, changed that impression.[5]

## Promo video

[edit]

A rare black and white music video for the song exists.[6]

## Personnel

[edit]

* Burton Cummings \- lead vocals, keyboards, rhythm guitar
* Randy Bachman \- lead guitar, backing vocals
* Jim Kale \- bass, backing vocals
* Garry Peterson \- drums

## Chart performance

[edit]

### Weekly charts

[edit]

| Chart (1969)  | Peak
position

|

Canada RPM Top Singles  | 1
Canada RPM Adult Contemporary[7] | 3
New Zealand[8] | 19
South Africa (Springbok Radio)[9] | 20
U.S. Billboard Hot 100 | 10
U.S. Cash Box Top 100  | 4

### Year-end charts

[edit]

| Chart (1969)  | Rank

|

Canada[10] | 30
U.S. Billboard Hot 100[11] | 96
U.S. Cash Box Top 100[12] | 84

## Cover versions

[edit]

The song has been covered by saxophonist Dave Pell.[13]

## Uses in popular culture

[edit]

An edited version of the song is used in an Instagram post by film director Todd Phillips as foreground music of a camera test for 2019's Joker, featuring Joaquin Phoenix starring as the DC Comics character The Joker.[14]

It was also used in trailers for the 2017 horror film Jigsaw; the sequel/soft-reboot of the Saw film series.

## References

[edit]

1. ^ Dave Marsh; John Swenson (12 October 1983). The new Rolling stone record guide. Random House/Rolling Stone Press. p. 208. ISBN 978-0-394-72107-1.
2. ^ The Guess Who, "Laughing" Canadian Chart Position Retrieved March 6, 2015
3. ^ The Guess Who, "Laughing" U.S. Chart Position Retrieved March 6, 2015
4. ^ "Guess Who: 15 minutes to success". The Montreal Gazette. July 21, 1969. Retrieved April 2, 2011.
5. ^ Bist, Dave (January 24, 1970). "Guess Who is another great Canadian pop group". The Montreal Gazette. Retrieved April 2, 2011.
6. ^ "THE GUESS WHO - LAUGHING - ( PROMO VIDEO )". YouTube. 24 August 2016. Archived from the original on 2021-12-06.
7. ^ "Item Display - RPM - Library and Archives Canada". Collectionscanada.gc.ca. 1969-12-13. Retrieved 2020-08-05.
8. ^ "flavour of new zealand – search listener". Flavourofnz.co.nz. Retrieved 2016-10-02.
9. ^ "SA Charts 1965–March 1989". Retrieved 5 September 2018.
10. ^ "Item Display - RPM - Library and Archives Canada". Collectionscanada.gc.ca. Retrieved 2016-10-02.
11. ^ "Top 100 Hits of 1969/Top 100 Songs of 1969". Musicoutfitters.com. Retrieved 2016-10-02.
12. ^ "Cash Box YE Pop Singles - 1969". Archived from the original on 2013-03-05. Retrieved 2020-05-23.
13. ^ Jason Ankeny. "Mah-Na-Mah-Na - Dave Pell Singers, Dave Pell | Songs, Reviews, Credits". AllMusic. Retrieved 2016-10-02.
14. ^ "Todd Phillips on Instagram: "Camera test (W/ Sound). Joker."".

## External links

[edit]

* The Guess Who - Laughing on YouTube

* v
* t
* e

The Guess Who

* Rudy Sarzo
* Laurie MacKenzie
* Garry Peterson
* Derek Sharp
* Leonard Shaw

* Chad Allan
* Randy Bachman
* Burton Cummings
* Carl Dixon
* Terry Hatty
* Greg Leskiw
* Donnie McDougall
* Domenic Troiano
* Bill Wallace
* Kurt Winter
* Jim Kale

Studio albums|

* Shakin' All Over
* Hey Ho (What You Do to Me!)
* It's Time
* Wheatfield Soul
* Canned Wheat
* American Woman
* Share the Land
* So Long, Bannatyne
* Rockin'
* Artificial Paradise
* #10
* Road Food
* Flavours
* Power in the Music
* The Way They Were

Live albums|

* Live at the Paramount

Compilations|

* The Best of The Guess Who
* Wild One
* The Best of The Guess Who Volume II
* Anthology

Singles|

* "Shakin' All Over"
* "Tossin' and Turnin'"
* "Hey Ho, What You Do to Me"
* "Hurting Each Other"
* "Believe Me"
* "Clock on the Wall"
* "His Girl"
* "These Eyes"
* "Laughing"
* "Undun"
* "No Time"
* "American Woman"
* "No Sugar Tonight/New Mother Nature"
* "Hand Me Down World"
* "Share the Land"
* "Hang On to Your Life"
* "Albert Flasher"
* "Rain Dance"
* "Sour Suite"
* "Heartbroken Bopper"
* "Guns, Guns, Guns"
* "Runnin' Back to Saskatoon"
* "Follow Your Daughter Home"
* "Glamour Boy"
* "Star Baby"
* "Clap for the Wolfman"
* "Dancin' Fool"

Related articles|

* Discography
* Jack Richardson

Authority control databases |

* MusicBrainz work

|

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