Number one singles that have been (almost) completely forgotten

Non rock songs from the "rock" era really have nowhere to go. I guess some markets may have a classic country station, but not around here. Of course, we also don't have a jazz station and I'm not sure if we even have an oldies station anymore. The light rock station my wife listens to has 70s Sundays (or maybe it's weekends). Since I avoid top 40 stations like the plague, I can't comment on how far back they dip, but I'd wager it's not more than a decade. I think "urban" (R&B + Hip-hop + dance) stations are even more focused on the present.

My point is that, if you want to know what former number 1 hits aren't getting a lot of terrestrial airplay these days, it's pretty much the majority of them, at least outside of major markets with more saturated airwaves. I think to be "forgotten" you need to add in lack of exposure in commercials, movies, TV shows, etc. [Note: I wouldn't add in satellite, however. Those guys will play anything. I heard that unfunny even then RFK impersonator doing "Wild Thing" on the 60s channel recently! Talk about a song that never should have been played again after 1968.]

 

Don't hear this in Chicago but on a road trip (North Carolina?) a few years ago I recall hearing this on radio complete with an interview tape with the singer about how they originally pitched the song to Cher.

 

If one goes simply by radio play or often memory, it seems like the late 50s and most of the 60s, was dominated by only a dozen classic rock groups. Truth is, after years ago seeing a friends record collection of thousands from the 60's, those dozen or so greats, are just a drip in a bucket as far as what was really being played day after day, over a decade.

There were so many groups that had a few mild hits, many instrumental hits, easy listening and crooners STILL had tons of hits, and all kinda music, that had very little to do with rock was being played day in day out.

Problem is, most of even US, tend to forget that stuff and assume a couple dozen groups were all that matter.

 

I remember 'Billy Don't Be A Hero' well, and Alvin Stardust was a huge star who had a fair number of hits: a slightly darker, more edgy Gary Glitter, which sounds like a mighty odd thing to write now. I know Mungo Jerry and Chicory Tip by name at least: I might well recognise them if I could bother to check YouTube.

'Shaddup Your Face' was a huge hit and most people who followed the charts at the time could sing it now.

I'm not sure that these are obscure number ones at all!

 

Very true. But the sad fact is that even the majority of people who lived through that era first-hand are comfortable hearing only those same few artists and their biggest hits recycled endlessly on Oldies radio.

I know this point has been debated to death here by forum members who don't understand why radio stations (be they Oldies or Classic Rock) don't play deeper cuts, B-sides etc. Sure, that would be great for them (and me too), but they don't get that MOST people are not like them at all (that is to say, music freaks with broad tastes).

The rueful conclusion I've reached is that to the average listener, music is simply a pleasant background diversion, and anything that isn't instantly familiar to them is by definition "unpleasant." Yes, it's hard for us to believe that anyone could stand to hear the same 300 or songs played over and over again...but that's why they call it "mass taste."

Also true. The Top 40 charts of the 1960s were very eclectic; many and diverse genres co-existed peacefully — a far cry from today's fragmented playlists.

More to the point of this thread, a vast number of #1 hits that were rock have gone missing, too. Unless you have satellite, you're not going to hear them on the commercial airwaves at all. They've simply vanished.

 

Muzak hasn't used disks in quite some time. It's all satellite delivered (via Dish Network), I get many of their channels on my Dish account. Their 50's & 60's oldies channel is quite good BTW.

 

Any number 1 by Gary Glitter!

 

I never hear McCartney's late 70's and 80's number 1 songs, like Coming Up, With A Little Luck, Say Say Say or Pipes of Peace, all of which were number 1 in the UK or the US.

 

Junior's Farm
Sally G
I still like both of those songs...

 

'First Time' by Robin Beck anyone? No, I've forgotten it as well...

 

US#1 hits forgotten:

Connie Francis - My Heart Has A Mind Of His Own
Johnny Rivers - Poor Side Of Town
Helen Reddy - Angie Baby
Sylvers - Boogie Fever
Mary MacGregor - Torn Between Two Lovers
Alan O' Day - Undercover Angel

I rarely ever hear these songs on any oldies radio, internet station or otherwise.

 

I'm tempted to add Sex Pistols "God Save The Queen".

 

The one which has a little kid singing about finding a nickle

 

Do you work for Muzak?

 

All of the following hit #1 in Canada, never heard them on the radio (not even Finkleman's 45s):
Four Seasons-Save It For Me
Jay & the Americans-Let's Lock the Door
Kingsmen-Jolly Green Giant
Four Seasons-Bye Bye Baby
Gary Lewis & the Playboys-Save Your Heart For Me
Eddie Rambeau-My Name Is Mud
Roy Orbison-Ride Away
Billy Joe Royal-I Knew You When
Little Caesar & the Consuls-You Really Gotta Hold On Me
Dave Clark 5-At the Scene
The Vogues-Magic Town
The Supremes-Love Is Here & Now You're Gone
Lulu-The Boat That I Row
Paul Revere & the Raiders-I Had A Dream
Bobby Vinton-Please Love Me Forever
Dave Dee, Dozy, etc.-Zabadak
Herman's Hermits-I Can Take Or Leave Your Loving
Young-Holt Unlimited-Soulful Strut
Tom Jones-Without Love
Osmonds-Yo-Yo
Frank Mills-Love Me Love Me Love
Osmonds-Down By The Lazy River
Royal Scots Dragoon Guards-Amazing Grace
Jimmy Castor-Troglodyte
Lobo-I'd Love You To Want Me
Carol Douglas-Doctor's Orders
Kiss-Shout It Out Loud
Shaun Cassidy-That's Rock n' Roll
Diesel-Sausalito Summernight
Jon & Vangelis-The Friends Of Mr. Cairo

 

I hear tons of these songs on Satellite Radio.

 

A lot of the adult contemporary chart number ones have disappeared into time including a few like Andy Russell's "It's Such A Pretty World Today," Orsa Lia's "I Never Said I Love You," and John Gary's "Gone" that have never even made it to CD. Also, a lot of the non-crossover to the pop chart R&B number ones of the seventies/eighties up to late 1992 have vanished. When's the last time you heard "Break It To Me Gently" by Aretha Franklin or "Do Me Again" by Freddie Jackson? On the country side it's even worse. You have an artist like George Strait who's had 44 chart toppers and 84 top tens to date but how many of them really get played as a recurrent anymore? Even the more recent hits of his have dropped off the radar almost as fast as they left the chart after peaking.

 

If the Glee cast had ever managed to land one of their 189 Hot 100 Chart entries at the top we would have an undisputed winner.

 

I wonder if I should be grateful that I've only (again, knowingly) heard about six of these tunes.

 

The Martian Hop

 

No. I'm a Dish subscriber who listens to Muzak channels via my TV. I also get Sirius the same way, however it's the Muzak channel that does oldies best. Keep in mind all the Muzak channels now use the original recordings by the original artists. If some business still uses antique Muzak equipment instead of satellite receivers I'd be surprised.

 

Tellingly, his fourth (out of five) number one single didn't even make it to his career-roundup 'The Hits' compilation.

 

I would say no, you shouldn't. There are some very fine examples of 60s Top 40 hits on that list. Not every one of them is great, but there are few out-and-out-stinkers.

Having said that, I'm compelled to ask the person who posted this list whose charts he is going by in stating that every one of these songs reached #1 in Canada. Without looking up to confirm, I'm fairly certain that the Supremes song is the only one on the entire list that made #1 on the Billboard Hot 100 in the United States.

Perhaps some of them could have achieved #1 on a local radio station's chart, but I'd be very surprised to learn they hit #1 nationally.

 

Thanks for that....I have a running argument with a friend that he claims there was a hit song cover of Baby I love your Way. I had never heard it in my life and called BS on that. So this is what he was referring to. It may be the worst #1 song ever.

 

There are modern DVD/mp3 disc based types of playback devices featuring current Muzak tracks from popular artists past and present.