Casey Era Short Order Topical Hits

[chrislc]

It took Ohio by CSNY only two months to make the Top 40 after the event that inspired the song. So were there any others in the Top 40 as fast as that or faster than that during the Casey Era?

I'm thinking Ronnie McDowell for one - only about a month for him.

I thought Mr. Jaws might be one but it took Dickie almost three months.

[woolebull]

Not as fast as those two, but pretty darn fast: "All Those Years Ago" hit the Top 40 less than six months after John Lennon's death.

And then for one you probably weren't thinking about in the grand scheme of things: On July 4, 1982, Neil Diamond, Burt Bacharach, and Carol Bayer Sager saw a screening of "ET". Three months and two days later, their song inspired by that night, "Heartlight", hit the top 40.

[chrislc]

Aug 24, 2013 20:52:54 GMT -5 woolebull said:

Not as fast as those two, but pretty darn fast: "All Those Years Ago" hit the Top 40 less than six months after John Lennon's death.

And then for one you probably weren't thinking about in the grand scheme of things: On July 4, 1982, Neil Diamond, Burt Bacharach, and Carol Bayer Sager saw a screening of "ET". Three months and two days later, their song inspired by that night, "Heartlight", hit the top 40.

Another movie one would be Meco in 1977, but he took about three months. Less than two months in 1980, but that one doesn't seem to fit. He planned that one ahead of time I am sure.

Then there is Elton in 1997 of course. Faster than Ronnie McDowell, but not Casey Era.

[mkarns]

Aug 24, 2013 21:00:17 GMT -5 chrislc said:

Aug 24, 2013 20:52:54 GMT -5 woolebull said:

Not as fast as those two, but pretty darn fast: "All Those Years Ago" hit the Top 40 less than six months after John Lennon's death.

And then for one you probably weren't thinking about in the grand scheme of things: On July 4, 1982, Neil Diamond, Burt Bacharach, and Carol Bayer Sager saw a screening of "ET". Three months and two days later, their song inspired by that night, "Heartlight", hit the top 40.

Another movie one would be Meco in 1977, but he took about three months. Less than two months in 1980, but that one doesn't seem to fit. He planned that one ahead of time I am sure.

Then there is Elton in 1997 of course. Faster than Ronnie McDowell, but not Casey Era.

There was no AT40 at that time, but I think it deserves an honorable mention. Princess Diana died on August 31, 1997, Elt introduced his rewrite of "Candle In the Wind" at her funeral on September 6, and it debuted on Casey's Top 40 on October 4. It was issued as a single on September 23 and sold over 11 million copies in the US.

[Deleted]

And debuted at #1 on the Hot 100. I was one of the people who bought it the day it came out.

[michaelcasselman]

'We Are the World" hit the Top 40 in late March, just weeks after being recorded after the January 1985 AMAs. Even counting the time it took to write it (inspired by Band Aid's hit, which wasn't released until late November 1984), that's still a remarkable turnaround time for what became one of the biggest hits of all time.

[at40petebattistini]

Aug 24, 2013 20:04:49 GMT -5 chrislc said:

It took Ohio by CSNY only two months to make the Top 40 after the event that inspired the song. So were there any others in the Top 40 as fast as that or faster than that during the Casey Era?

I'm thinking Ronnie McDowell for one - only about a month for him.

I thought Mr. Jaws might be one but it took Dickie almost three months.

Lt. William Calley was convicted for a Vietnam war crime on March 29, 1971, and sentenced two days later. The protest record "The Battle Hymn of Lt. Calley" by C Company featuring Terry Nelson debuted on the Top 40 on May 1, 1971. Though the story was in the news for years, I believe the artist was responding to the conviction -- with the record hitting the chart one month after.

[chrislc]

Aug 24, 2013 21:16:01 GMT -5 mkarns said:

Aug 24, 2013 21:00:17 GMT -5 chrislc said:

Another movie one would be Meco in 1977, but he took about three months. Less than two months in 1980, but that one doesn't seem to fit. He planned that one ahead of time I am sure.

Then there is Elton in 1997 of course. Faster than Ronnie McDowell, but not Casey Era.

There was no AT40 at that time, but I think it deserves an honorable mention. Princess Diana died on August 31, 1997, Elt introduced his rewrite of "Candle In the Wind" at her funeral on September 6, and it debuted on Casey's Top 40 on October 4. It was issued as a single on September 23 and sold over 11 million copies in the US.

I was wrong, then, about Elton turning it around more quickly than Ronnie McDowell (at least as far as reaching the Top 40.) It looks like Ronnie is the one to beat!