This song known for it's famous line "Jeremiah was a
bullfrog" was written by Hoyt Axton and started out as a melody he wanted
his producers to record.When
he performed it he was asked to put words to it and so it ended up with
just nonsense lyrics that he put together at the time.It Was released on his 1971 album Joy
to the World and later appeared on the reissue Joy to the World/
Country Anthem.The song
was passed to the group Three Dog Night who only recorded it simply to
complete the tracks for their Naturally album but when it was
released in 1971 they were abroad on tour and were astounded to hear that
it had gained so much popularity that it had gone to No. 1 on the singles
charts where it stayed for six weeks.In fact, it had proven to be such a huge hit that Billboard
Magazine named it the 1971 Single of the Year and it has since been
listed as No. 100 in Billboard's "Greatest Songs of All Time".This single version was not quite
the same as later versions that have appeared on their other album releases
as the mono version has a minute long guitar solo in the bridge.The song has been recorded or
referred to by several other artists such as Ten Foot Pole and Mariah
Carey, including it being interwoven with the well-known Christmas carol of
the same name.It has also
been used and/or mentioned in several television shows and movies such as Amazon
Women on the Moon, The Big Chill, Drowning Mona, Ella Enchanted, Forrest
Gump, Friends, Joy Junction, Malcolm in the Middle, the NFL's Best Ever
Coaches, Raise Your Voice, Riding in Cars With Boys, Sex and the City, 28
Days and The X Files.It has even been parodied in The Far Side and referenced in
the video games Animal Crossing: Wild World and The Elder Scrolls
IV: Oblivion.
