EVERY Billboard #1 hit discussion thread 1958-Present

I didn't care much for the Carpenters, and I cannot remember their version of PMP at all. I accepted the Beatles' version for what it was since they covered quite a number of songs during the earlier period of their career. Always preferred the originals, though.

"Beechwood 4-5789," charting at #17 the following September, remains my favorite Marvelettes hit, especially for that subtle roughness in the lead's voice.

 

That gets to me, too.

 

If you've heard this unusual <stereo> version, you lose the roughness sensation a bit, but it sure is clean!

 

I have that nice cd too.

 

That's definitely not true. Whoever wrote that probably got confused between that very famous Belafonte recording and his rather less-famous cover of "Midnight Special' (1962), on which Dylan does appear (on harmonica). That is often cited as Dylan's first commercially-released recording, although that's also probably wrong. Carolyn Hester's 1961 album is probably Dylan's real first appearance on record.

 

This should give you a chuckle...

https://www.amazon.com/Dick-Bartley...&keywords=Dick+Bartley+Collector's+Essentials

 

Thanks for clearing that up. I've always been curious about this.

 

Starting with the Motown 25 hype and continuing through its present incarnation as a property of Universal/MCA, Motown has steadfastly claimed that the Miracles' (fronted by Smokey Robinson, one of Motown's vice presidents) "Shop Around" was its first #1 hit. While it went to #1 on the r&b charts, it stalled at #2 pop. It WAS the Motown family's first million-seller, but its first #1 was courtesy of the Marvelettes, who were quickly pushed into the background when the Supremes, after four years of trying, finally hit big in 1964.

 

You have the knack of prodding my memory banks, and of thinking about related things... like the many Girl Groups that made it big in the early '60s. Another Motown favorite was Martha & The Vandellas (they later added Reeves to the group's name) In checking my database, it doesn't look like these gals ever made it to #1 either — "Dancing in the Street" stalled at #2, being outdone by "Baby Love" and the true monster, "Leader of the Pack." According to Casey Kasem (IIRC), The Supremes were, the first artist or group to have five #1 hits in a row. I don't recall if this was ever bettered, but I remember writing decades ago that The Kingston Trio might have been the first (only) group to have a large number of albums on Billboard at the same time. The differential here is singles versus albums, of course, and I don't know if any of these Motown females except The Supremes had much success in the album market. It was another matter with the likes of (Little) Stevie Wonder, Marvin Gaye and Smokey Robinson, though... oh yeah, and the Four Tops too. OMG, what a great time it was to be listening to the radio!

 

Yes, the Supremes were the first with five consecutive chart toppers. That record now belongs to Whitney Houston with 7 in a row.

 

I also like the extended stereo mix from "The Motown Box" with a running time of 3:04 instead of 2:20 from the mono single version:

The Motown Box - Various Artists | Songs, Reviews, Credits | AllMusic »

 

Well, that depends on if you tend to ignore the R&B chart.

 

I've never seen this box before... unusual that it includes stereo, I think. The Motown boxes I have are 100% mono.

 

Next is "The Lion Sleeps Tonight" by the Tokens, #1 from December 18 1961 - January 12, 1962.

 

This live version from a PBS fund raising special has almost 7 million views, and for good reason. Quite easily the original Tokens version was the most popular song among my classmates during my senior year.

 

It was a tiny bit before when I became a serious Top 40 listener, but I quickly became acquainted with it.

I wish there was a multi-label Best of Tokens disk, and they could include the mono version of The Lion Sleeps for good measure.

It was a great song, worthy of being a hit again much later - Robert John

 

Is there a preferred CD collection other than the 1999 Taragon release?

 

Sounds great. I loved the song as a kid, but this is a real improvement over the hit version.

 

That version by Robert John was sung by many of my friends in groups when we went walking around (as teens do/did) in my last year of school, good memories.

 

The Tokens would bring this same version back to the charts in 1994 (#51), when it was featured in "The Lion King." It's one of my 7-year-old niece's favorite songs, thanks to the miracle of DVD and her inexhaustible appetite for repeated viewings. I wish I could tolerate Reel 2 Real's "I Like to Move It" from "Madagascar" as well.

 

Not surprising this fun record hit the top. Great vocals, including the female back-up. Kid appeal through the roof - I was 7 when this came out and it's still enjoyable 55 years later.

 

And the winners keep coming. Quite a streak here.

 

I certainly remember The Lion Sleeps tonight being on the radio at this time. But my most vivid memory of it is a few years later when I was in college (67-71). It seemed that this song was always on the car radio when there were at least 4-6 of us riding somewhere, and we all sang along very loudly~!

 

I had the Robert John single when I was a kid (several years after it was a hit), and didn't realize it was a cover until years later.

I can take or leave "Lion" (probably just that I got burned out on it long ago), but I love their other big hit, "Tonight I Fell In Love". Their Intercourse album is a very fascinating and underappreciated outing, sort of a missing link between classic doo-wop and post-Beatles sunshine pop. Original copies fetch crazy sums on eBay, but it's available on CD (or at least has been at times).

 

The Tokens updated their own hit a few years later