Which Beach Boys hit is a Bahamian folk song from Nassau?

Which Beach Boys hit is a Bahamian folk song from Nassau? Sloop John B. The song began as a traditional Bahamian folk song associated with Nassau, originally known as “The John B. Sails.”

Richard Le Gallienne published a transcription in 1916, and versions circulated under titles including “I Want to Go Home” and “The Wreck of the John B.” The lyrics tell of a troubled voyage involving drunkenness, arrests, and a desperate wish to leave the vessel. The Kingston Trio’s 1958 recording helped bring the folk song to the attention of a wider American audience.

Al Jardine introduced the song to the Beach Boys, and Brian Wilson transformed it into a polished folk-rock production for Pet Sounds. The Beach Boys recorded the backing track in July 1965 and released their version in 1966 as the album’s second single. It reached No. 3 in the United States and became one of the group’s best-known recordings. Despite its bright harmonies, the lyrics retain the original song’s unhappy voyage narrative.