EVERY Billboard #1 hit discussion thread 1958-Present

Discussion in 'Music Corner' started by alphanguy, Jan 29, 2016.

  1. Grant

    Grant Life is a rock, but the radio rolled me!

    I thought Nicolette Larson would be bigger.
     
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  2. sunspot42

    sunspot42 Forum Resident

    Location:
    San Francisco
    Yeah, her too. She had the connections and everything. Not sure where it all went wrong, although I played the rest of the album that "Lotta Love" came off of on Spotify, and nothing grabbed me quite the way that single did. So it could have been down to song selection.

    A big problem for all of these women singers operating broadly in what we'd now call the Yacht Rock genre is that Linda Ronstadt was like the female Godzilla of Yacht Rock. It became almost impossible for other acts to gain the space needed to forge a broadly-successful career, given that Ronstadt was a) prolific, b) an almost-unbeatable vocalist and c) gorgeous. Apart from Stevie Nicks, I can't think of anybody else who even came close over on that side of the rock fence.

    However, there was room for women in other genres. Donna Summer had already proven it in disco, Heart in hard rock, Grace Slick was still plugging away with Jefferson Whatever in whatever genre they'd morphed into by this point, and Debbie Harry was about to carve out a niche with very un-Yacht Rock New Wave.

    Meanwhile, a certain woman would debut on the pop charts in December of '79 with her third single (and one of the first singles I ever bought). Her fusion of hard rock and New Wave would come to help define the sound of the early '80s, and for a time in late '80 thru roughly '83 she'd be one of the biggest solo acts in rock, male or female. Never an enormous presence on the singles charts, she was a rock Godzilla on the album charts and on rock radio, a reflection of how the singles charts increasingly didn't represent what people were actually listening to and buying.

     
  3. sunspot42

    sunspot42 Forum Resident

    Location:
    San Francisco
    I decided to look it up. Toto are not on it, but Paulinho da Costa is, which probably explains why that intro is freaking phenomenal.

    Paulinho da Costa - Wikipedia
     
  4. Wild Horse

    Wild Horse Forum Resident

    Location:
    California
    Babe

    Hallmark card lyrics, helium voices, and tinkle-tinkle keyboards.

    This is no Come Sail Away.

    I like Come Sail Away.
     
  5. ChrisScooter1

    ChrisScooter1 Forum Resident

    Location:
    Athens, GA
    No members of Toto on this or the album, Keep the Fire. There are other YR personnel...Paulinho De Costa, Richard Page and some Brecker brothers. Kenny's rhythm section was a killer Toto-esque group...George Hawkins on bass (and would do credible impressions of both McDonald and Stevie Nicks when they would play this and "Whenever I call you Friend" live) and Tris Imboden on drums.

     
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  6. ChrisScooter1

    ChrisScooter1 Forum Resident

    Location:
    Athens, GA
    Pat Benatar along with the requisite "corporate rock" the dominated the mid-west became increasingly more important to my listening habits. Those "high screechy" male voices were big for me as I could move from my disco tastes to a more adolescent "rocking," could still sing along before my voice changed, yet appealed to my more mature and burgeoning hormones! Rik Emmett, Dennis DeYoung, Steve Walsh, Steve Perry, Geddy Lee...I was totally in. And, ohhhhhh, did Benatar hit the right note for me...aside from her stunning good looks and vampish attitude, man could she sing and had a KILLER band. I loved (and still love) Neil Giraldo's guitar playing and Myron Grombaucher's animated drumming (no doubt influenced by Clem Burke) were a great arena rock/new wave hybrid.
     
  7. sunspot42

    sunspot42 Forum Resident

    Location:
    San Francisco
    Yeah, it's interesting to me how quickly Benatar and her band hit upon that arena rock / New Wave hybrid. There wasn't much of that actually, which is odd in hindsight. Who was the male Pat Benatar? Was there such a thing?

    I wasn't big on hard rock - at all - but "Heartbreaker" blew my socks off. It's still an awesome single, with that driving beat, killer guitar work and her incredible vocals - few acts multitrack better than Pat Benatar.
     
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  8. Dougd

    Dougd Forum Resident

    Location:
    Fla.
    One of my favorite H&O songs, along with It's a Laugh.
    These singles, along with their She's Gone and Sara Smile gems, are heads and tails above most of their 80s material, when they went in a completely different direction.
     
  9. Dougd

    Dougd Forum Resident

    Location:
    Fla.
  10. Dougd

    Dougd Forum Resident

    Location:
    Fla.
    Back to my chart postings....

    Look at the the No. 2, which was stalled at that spot FOR WEEKS, while The Knack hogged the top spot.

    US Top 40 Singles For The Week Ending September 22, 1979
    [​IMG] [​IMG]

    TW LW TITLE Artist (Label)-Weeks on Chart (Peak to Date)

    1 1 MY SHARONA –•– The Knack (Capitol)-14 (5 weeks at #1) (1)
    2 2 AFTER THE LOVE HAS GONE –•– Earth, Wind and Fire (ARC)-12 (2)
    3 3 THE DEVIL WENT DOWN TO GEORGIA –•– The Charlie Daniels Band (Epic)-14 (3)
    4 12 RISE –•– Herb Alpert (A&M)-9 (4)
    5 5 LEAD ME ON –•– Maxine Nightingale (Windsong)-18 (5)
    6 6 SAD EYES –•– Robert John (EMI-America)-19 (6)
    7 7 LONESOME LOSER –•– Little River Band (Capitol)-10 (7)
    8 8 I’LL NEVER LOVE THIS WAY AGAIN –•– Dionne Warwick (Arista)-14 (8)
    9 10 SAIL ON –•– The Commodores (Motown)-7 (9)
    10 4 DON’T BRING ME DOWN –•– Electric Light Orchestra (Jet)-8 (4)

    11 9 GOOD TIMES –•– Chic (Atlantic)-15 (1)
    12 28 DON’T STOP ‘TIL YOU GET ENOUGH –•– Michael Jackson (Epic)-9 (12)
    13 21 CRUEL TO BE KIND –•– Nick Lowe (Columbia)-9 (13)
    14 16 HEAVEN MUST HAVE SENT YOU –•– Bonnie Pointer (Motown)-15 (14)
    15 17 BAD CASE OF LOVING YOU (Doctor, Doctor) –•– Robert Palmer (Island)-10 (15)
    16 18 DRIVER’S SEAT –•– Sniff ‘n’ the Tears (Atlantic)-10 (16)
    17 19 POP MUZIK –•– M (Sire)-7 (17)

    18 20 BORN TO BE ALIVE –•– Patrick Hernandez (Columbia)-14 (18)
    19 11 THE MAIN EVENT / FIGHT –•– Barbra Streisand (Columbia)-15 (3)
    20 22 I DO LOVE YOU –•– GQ (Arista)-13 (20)

    21 23 DIFFERENT WORLDS –•– Maureen McGovern (Warner Brothers / Curb)-12 (21)
    22 25 THE BOSS –•– Diana Ross (Motown)-11 (22)
    23 27 WHAT CHA GONNA DO WITH MY LOVIN’ –•– Stephanie Mills (20th Century)-10 (23)
    24 26 LOVIN’, TOUCHIN’, SQUEEZIN’ –•– Journey (Columbia)-10 (24)
    25 15 GOODBYE STRANGER –•– Supertramp (A&M)-12 (15)

    26 30 SPOOKY –•– The Atlanta Rhythm Section (Polydor)-7 (26)
    27 39 DIM ALL THE LIGHTS –•– Donna Summer (Casablanca)-5 (27)
    28 32 GET IT RIGHT NEXT TIME –•– Gerry Rafferty (United Artists)-7 (28)
    29 14 LET’S GO –•– The Cars (Elektra)-13 (14)

    30 37 DEPENDIN’ ON YOU –•– The Doobie Brothers (Warner Brothers)-7 (30)

    31 49 GOOD GIRLS DON’T –•– The Knack (Capitol)-4 (31)
    32 36 WHERE WERE YOU WHEN I WAS FALLING IN LOVE –•– Lobo (MCA)-9 (32)
    33 24 HOT SUMMER NIGHTS –•– Night (Planet)-13 (18)
    34 13 MAMA CAN’T BUY YOU LOVE –•– Elton John (MCA)-16 (9)
    35 50 DIRTY WHITE BOY –•– Foreigner (Atlantic)-3 (35)
    36 38 AIN’T THAT A SHAME –•– Cheap Trick (Epic)-8 (36)
    37 60 YOU DECORATED MY LIFE –•– Kenny Rogers (United Artists)-3 (37)
    38 42 ROLENE –•– Moon Martin (Capitol)-6 (38)
    39 56 ARROW THROUGH ME –•– Wings (Columbia)-5 (39)
    40 43 I KNOW A HEARTACHE WHEN I SEE ONE –•– Jennifer Warnes (Arista)-13 (40)


    THIS WEEK’S DROPS

    52 31 BAD GIRLS –•– Donna Summer (Casablanca)-18 (1)
    53 29 SUSPICIONS –•– Eddie Rabbitt (Elektra)-16 (13)
    55 33 WHEN YOU’RE IN LOVE WITH A BEAUTIFUL WOMAN –•– Dr. Hook (Capitol)-24 (6)
    75 34 MORNING DANCE –•– Spyro Gyra (Infinity)-15 (24)
    77 40 OH WELL –•– The Rockets (RSO)-12 (30)
    94 35 SATURDAYNIGHT –•– Herman Brood (Ariola America)-11 (35)

    POWER PLAYS

    41 41 CHILDREN OF THE SUN –•– Billy Thorpe (Capricorn / Polydor)-9 (41)
    42 46 THIS NIGHT WON’T LAST FOREVER –•– Michael Johnson (EMI-America)-8 (42)

    43 44 FIRECRACKER –•– Mass Production (Cotillion)-8 (43)
    44 47 GOOD FRIEND –•– Mary MacGregor (RSO)-7 (44)
    45 48 MIDNIGHT WIND –•– John Stewart (RSO)-5 (45)
    46 51 REMEMBER (Walking In the Sand) –•– Louise Goffin (Asylum)-6 (46)
    47 52 FOUND A CURE –•– Ashford and Simpson (Warner Brothers)-6 (47)
    48 53 GET A MOVE ON –•– Eddie Money (Columbia)-5 (48)
    49 58 PLEASE DON’T GO –•– K.C. and the Sunshine Band (T.K.)-5 (49)
    50 55 SO GOOD, SO RIGHT –•– Brenda Russell (Horizon)-6 (50)

    DEBUTS THIS WEEK

    76 — BROKEN HEARTED ME –•– Anne Murray (Capitol)-1 (76)
    80 — PLEASE DON’T LEAVE –•– Lauren Wood (Warner Brothers)-1 (80)
    81 — LET ME KNOW (I Have a Right) –•– Gloria Gaynor (Polydor)-1 (81)
    82 — I’M SO ANXIOUS –•– Southside Johnny and the Asbury Jukes (Mercury)-1 (82)
    84 — DANCIN’ ‘ROUND AND ‘ROUND / TOTALLY HOT –•– Olivia Newton-John (MCA)-7 (52)
    88 — DO YOU THINK I’M DISCO –•– Steve Dahl and Teenage Radiation (Ovation)-1 (88)
    89 — HOLD ON TO THE NIGHT –•– Hotel (MCA)-1 (89)
     
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  11. sunspot42

    sunspot42 Forum Resident

    Location:
    San Francisco
    New Wave was starting to expand its footprint on the charts in the wake of Blondie's and The Knack's successes. Absolutely adored this song and always assumed we'd be hearing a lot more from him. While Lowe himself never became a mainstream superstar, this sound certainly rocked the early '80s, straight thru the start of the MTV era:

     
  12. The Slug Man

    The Slug Man Forum Resident

    Location:
    North Carolina
    For me, "Dirty White Boy" is better than "Head Games."

    Maybe Billy Squier?

    "Children of the Sun" is one of my guilty pleasures. I heard it some time on the radio in the '80s and thought "who is this Ronnie James Dio wannabe?" because even though they're voices aren't that similar, lyrically and musically it reminded me of Dio.
     
  13. Dougd

    Dougd Forum Resident

    Location:
    Fla.
    I've always loved that song and recall hearing it (briefly) on the radio in high school.
     
  14. Grant

    Grant Life is a rock, but the radio rolled me!

    The first time I heard "Dirty White Boy" on the radio I was thinking that someone was going to get offended. Maybe that's why you never hear it on oldies radio today.

    :thumbsup:
     
  15. Grant

    Grant Life is a rock, but the radio rolled me!

    Heart were still in the game, but were starting to fall from grace with their "Be Be LeStrange" album.
     
  16. John54

    John54 Senior Member

    Location:
    Burlington, ON
    The Grand IllusionT is the only Styx LP I ever bought, and Fooling Yourself is the track I liked best.
     
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  17. W.B.

    W.B. The Collector's Collector

    Location:
    New York, NY, USA
    Since you mentioned "high screechy" . . . how many who complained about Barry Gibb's falsetto were "into" Rush, for example, both "before" and "after" The Day Disco "Died"?
     
  18. W.B.

    W.B. The Collector's Collector

    Location:
    New York, NY, USA
    Would prove his biggest hit.
     
  19. sunspot42

    sunspot42 Forum Resident

    Location:
    San Francisco
    Kinda... I always thought he was more white trash than Benatar. The lyrics were just your typical dumb rock posturing. Zzzzz.

    Yeah, they drifted away a bit from their "chicks do Led Zep" formula trying to keep up with the times, and alienated their core base. But I'm not sure how much more gas that schtick had in the first place.

    No lack of talent with those two. They'd be back bigger than ever by the middle of the decade, complete with ENORMOUS hair. But all of the soul seemed to have been sucked out of the product they were releasing. They got Jefferson Starshipped...
     
  20. supersquonk

    supersquonk Forum Resident

    Catching up on this thread. On vacation much of August.

    So for much of this thread, I've felt like Apple Bonker and I led parallel lives. About same age apparently. Getting into the Beatles around the same time. Buying the first Wings album around the same time. Almost identical likes and dislikes.

    So I found it striking the divergence on Rapper's Delight. When this song came out, it was like a bolt of lightning hitting our all-white suburban Boston town. There were times when you could flip the dial and every top 40 station had it on at the same time. Most kids I knew (we were 6th graders) had the entire thing memorized - short version and long version. The best part, of course, was the section about having to eat the bad food at your friend's house.

    I did come to find rap annoying - even repulsive - when it became "gangsta rap," and today it feels like a genre that's overstayed its welcome by about 2 decades. But at the time, Rapper's Delight, and later The Message, were big hits and we loved those tunes. It was something new - seemingly from another planet.

    Other big difference of opinion is Heartache Tonight. Oh man, I love that song. The thick, processed handclap sounds. The opening guitar lick. The harmonies. Benefits from not really being as overplayed as the other Eagles tunes.
     
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  21. pablo fanques

    pablo fanques Somebody's Bad Handwroter In Memoriam

    Location:
    Poughkeepsie, NY
    Count me in as another who thought Billy Squier when the subject of a male Pat Benatar came up. Their career trajectory and downfalls were nearly simultaneous and they both transitioned into the MTV era with equal aplomb. I mean I don't think they went more than an hour without playing something from either one for the first several years of their existence. Perfect analogy
     
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  22. sunspot42

    sunspot42 Forum Resident

    Location:
    San Francisco
    Interesting. I never saw the parallels at the time - mostly because I thought his material was tedious and obvious (and also a lot more blues-influenced than Benatar) - but you can hear how he also blended New Wave into hard rock. And he also had those kinda shouty vocals.

    God the "Rock Me Tonight" video is a pile of crap.

    :biglaugh:
     
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  23. sunspot42

    sunspot42 Forum Resident

    Location:
    San Francisco
    It just occurred to me that Benatar was also derailed, around the same time as Squire's ludicrous "Rock Me Tonight" clip, by an almost equally ridiculous video.

    Hmmm...
     
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  24. pablo fanques

    pablo fanques Somebody's Bad Handwroter In Memoriam

    Location:
    Poughkeepsie, NY
    Yup! We all made fun of it almost as constantly as it aired. That TANKTOP!
     
  25. Grant

    Grant Life is a rock, but the radio rolled me!

    That's also how it was in my corner of the world. We were in high school, but, still, it made a huge impact on us. We loved it. I didn't start to meet rap-haters until several years later.
     
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