On This Day in 1972, Donna Fargo Was at No. 1 with a Song Inspired by the Cute Nickname Her Husband Called Her
On 14 October 1972, Donna Fargo began a three-week run at No. 1 on the country chart with “Funny Face”. The song was a tribute to her husband and manager, Stan Silver, and its success followed her debut hit, “The Happiest Girl in the Whole U.S.A.”
Silver’s nickname for Fargo inspired the title; she called him “Fuzzy Face” because he wore a beard. Fargo initially wrote 16 verses for the song but shortened it to two after her debut hit showed that simple songs could succeed. “Funny Face” also reached No. 5 on the Hot 100 and helped make Fargo the first woman in country music to release two consecutive million-selling singles.
- “Funny Face” topped the country chart for three weeks in 1972.
- Donna Fargo wrote it for her husband, Stan Silver.
- It reached No. 5 on the Hot 100.
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Donna Fargo was a country singer whose first major hit was “The Happiest Girl in the Whole U.S.A.” Her husband, Stan Silver, was also her manager, and the couple drew on their private jokes and affection in her songwriting.
“Funny Face” took its name from Silver’s nickname for Fargo; she called him “Fuzzy Face” because of his beard. Fargo first wrote many verses for the song, then cut it down to two, helping create the simple style that followed her debut hit.
The song crossed from country radio into the wider pop charts. Its success made Fargo the first woman in country music to release two consecutive singles that each sold a million copies.
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