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Post by 1finemrg on Nov 6, 2015 0:03:42 GMT -5
November 6, 1976 - They were in the midst of a 4 week run atop the UK charts. Led by the Kowalczyk sisters Toni, Betty, and Marianne, this Dutch country/pop group sold an estimated 5 million copies of this single worldwide. Mississippi - P u s s y c a t November 6, 1982 - His first solo Hot 100 single peaked at #53 in the US, but spent 3 weeks atop the UK charts. I Don't Wanna Dance - Eddy Grant
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Post by rayshae3 on Nov 9, 2015 14:02:14 GMT -5
Starting with my pix from last weekend’s optional dates: From last week in 1972: One of the sweetest soul songs of 1972 reached #9 on BB Soul Singles chart and #57 on Hot 100. Number-wise the single was twice more successful on British pop singles chart getting to #29. For weekending 11/4/72 it was slowly climbing the UK chart, up one notch to #38. Why Can’t We Be Lovers-Holland, Dozier featuring Lamont DozierBefore my choice from last week in 1978, this introduction: Probably the most important British DJ on the UK airwaves has been the late John Peel. Although he started his radio career in Dallas around 1963/1964, he left the US in 1967 and returned to London to land jobs hosting and playing incredible array of up-and-coming styles hitting the pop/rock music circles; starting with psychedelic and progressive rock, championing future super acts, Pink Floyd and Led Zeppelin before anybody else were playing their records. His interests shifted as new musical styles hit the British music market: from the early 70s with Reggae, then to Punk later in the decade. The maverick DJ played Sex Pistols, the Clash, the Jam and the youth took notice. He went out of his way to promote the likes of Joy Division, Siouxie and the Banshees, and the Cure. When the 80s came he started playing Rap from the other side of the Atlantic by acts like Public Enemy. Of course, he had a socially conscience streak too, and when inundated e.g, with Reggae songs that homo-phobic lyrics or hip-hop with misogynistic or sexist messages he was one of the first to stop playing the songs no matter how otherwise wide-spread those songs might have reached the street. Even until his death in 2004 at the age of 65, John Peel was moving to wherever new direction pop and rock might turn, promoting his eclectic taste in genres as wide as Electronic, House and Death Metal. Now why do I bring up his name here? For a long time, his audience had been asking him, “What’s your favorite record of all-time?” and without hesitation he used to answer, “Teenage Kicks” by the Undertones. When he died in 2004, radio stations like BBC Radio 1, played this song once every hour. And on his gravestone part of the song’s lyrics “Teenage Dreams, so hard to beat” is carved as he wished so when he was alive. This single moved to the UK Top 40 portion at #38 for the weekending 10/28/1978. Teenage Kicks-The UndertonesFrom last week in 1983: Like the Undertones single, my choice from 1983 also peaked in the low thirties (#33 to be exact). For weekending 10/29/83, it was spending its last week in the extended Top 75, rapidly falling 17 places to #59. It’s by the famous American Jazz artist, Herbie Hancock, whose massive outputs did generally better in the UK than the US, like this follow up to the Top 10 hit “Rockit” from the album ‘Future Shock’, a futuristic jazz instrumental. Autodrive-Herbie HancockFrom last week in 1987: The first single by the Icelandic group Sugarcubes (that launched the career of its lead singer Bjork) only managed to go as high as #65. For the weekending 10/31/87 it was still struggling at #90 in the extended Top 100 in spite of eventually getting to #2 in the UK Indie chart. First saw this on MTV when the channel was all about music. Birthday-The Sugarcubes
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Post by rayshae3 on Nov 9, 2015 15:29:11 GMT -5
Now for this week’s choices: From this week in 1976: Virtually unknown in North American pop radio, Joan Armatrading had 15 single chart entries in the UK, of which this was the first and most successful; a future #10, it was still climbing to #19 for weekending 11/6/76. She is also probably the reason why I so much like Corinne Bailey Rae works. The latter compositions reminds me of the best of Joan Armatrading's early songs. Love and Affection-Joan ArmatradingFrom this week in 1982: A new entry in the UK Top 75 (#46 for weekending 11/6/82) would climb to #5 in only two short weeks to become the first and the most successful of 11 chart entries by the Irish group Clannad. It’s the theme song to the British TV mini-series called “Harry’s Game”, and up to the present day, the only song in the UK chart history sung entirely in Irish. Clannad, BTW, previously incorporated backing vocals from Enya. But by this point in 1982, she already left the group to pursue her solo career. Theme from Harry’s Game-Clannad
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Post by kchkwong on Nov 13, 2015 3:23:51 GMT -5
My pick from Nov 16, 1985: The Whole Of The Moon - The WaterboysAt #29 that week, the song peaked at #26 in the UK in 1985. In 1991, it was re-released and it became a big hit and peaked at #3.
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Post by 1finemrg on Nov 13, 2015 23:27:25 GMT -5
November 16, 1974: This Bread classic was given a reggae treatment and would top the UK charts for 3 weeks. Everything I Own - Ken Boothe November 16, 1985: Speaking of remaking a classic! This one made it to #8 on the UK charts and #89 on the Hot 100. This conglomeration of American and European musicians included three Toto members. The classic? Well, there's a lady... Stairway To Heaven - Far Corporation
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Post by rayshae3 on Nov 14, 2015 23:06:15 GMT -5
From this week in 1974: Right at #1, is the first of two #1s by David Essex who started his stellar and eclectic musical career 52 years ago in 1963. His first UK single chart entry was the 1973 international hit “Rock On”. Since then he’s had an incredible 32 British single chart entries. For the weekending 11/16/74, he was enjoying the first of three weeks on top with “Gonna Make You a Star”, a song that only reached a lonely #105 on the bubbling under chart before his chart career got aborted for good this side of the pond. Gonna Make You a Star-David EssexFrom this week in 1985: Although multi-talented Grace Jones had a total of 13 UK chart entries, none were a Top 10 single. However, two of them hit #12; including falling #26 for weekending 11/16/85 “Slave to the Rhythm" (like most of her songs, light years ahead of its time.) Slave to the Rhythm-Grace Jones
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Post by Showman on Nov 15, 2015 5:55:43 GMT -5
November 16, 1974: This Bread classic was given a reggae treatment and would top the UK charts for 3 weeks. Everything I Own - David BootheIt was actually Ken Boothe who topped the UK charts with 'Everything I Own'.
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Post by 1finemrg on Nov 15, 2015 6:31:56 GMT -5
November 16, 1974: This Bread classic was given a reggae treatment and would top the UK charts for 3 weeks. Everything I Own - David BootheIt was actually Ken Boothe who topped the UK charts with 'Everything I Own'. Must have had David Gates or David Essex (who was a #1 that week) on the brain! It's been corrected. Thanks.
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Post by 1finemrg on Nov 18, 2015 23:36:14 GMT -5
November 20, 1971: This one rose 29-17 in its second week, and would go on to top the UK charts for 4 weeks. It ended Slade's "Coz I Luv You" four week run at the top, and prevented T. Rex's great "Jeepster" for reaching #1. It was the fourth and last UK single to chart for this comedian, although the song charted again in 1992, reaching #29. Ernie (The Fastest Milkman In The West) - Benny Hill November 27, 1987: He was the last artist to top the US charts with an instrumental 45. He just missed the top of the UK charts, peaking at #2 with another instrumental featured in the same TV series. Crockett's Theme - Jan Hammer
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Post by rayshae3 on Nov 20, 2015 14:36:24 GMT -5
From this week in 1971: As a tribute to the City of Light, a song from Danyel Gerard, a Frenchman born in Paris who had one of the biggest international hits of 1971. The English version was called “Butterfly” (a standard pop song) previously peaked at #11 in the UK in late October (and the following summer would get to #78 Hot 100 and #20 AC in Billboard). Down to #33 for weekending 11/20/71 in the British Chart Butterfly-Danyel GerardFrom this week in 1987: The proclaimers, later of “I’m Gonna Be (500 Miles)” fame, had their first of twelve chart titles in the UK with “Letter from America”. This song jumped fifteen spots into the top 10 for weekending 11/27/87, and would later climb to #3. The single was co-produced by Gerry Rafferty. Letter from America-The Proclaimers
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Post by 1finemrg on Nov 25, 2015 13:50:28 GMT -5
November 25, 1972: While he was on top of the US charts, his latest UK hit was on its way down having peaked at #9. Ironically, his "I Can See Clearly Now" might have been able to help with this predicament. This one was also self-penned. There Are More Questions Than Answers - Johnny Nash November 29, 1986: Though they never sniffed the Hot 100 after 1968 in the US, they were still going strong in the UK. This on was on its way down the charts, after peaking at #2. In The Army Now - Status Quo
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Post by 1finemrg on Dec 3, 2015 22:03:43 GMT -5
December 5, 1970 - This one was on its way down the charts having peaked at #8. This German band's single was actually a re-recording of a song released in 1968. The only member on both recordings was the bass player Zappo Lungen. It reached #79 in the US in July, 1970, although it did go Top 10 on some local surveys. Vancouver, WA., Winnipeg, Fargo, and Memphis are some examples. The Witch - The Rattles December 8, 1984 - Another song was at the end of its chart run, having peaked at #3. It was a successful collaboration between Giorgio Moroder and Human League frontman Philip Oakey. The track quickly overshadowed the movie that featured the song. It was released in the US as a single in 1988, but did not chart. Together In Electric Dreams - Giorgio Moroder & Phil Oakey
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Post by rayshae3 on Dec 6, 2015 19:10:39 GMT -5
Again last weekend’s dates first; From last week in 1972: Previously peaked at #4, now on its way down to #38 for weekending 11/25/72, is the follow-up to “Little Willy” in their home turf by the glam blockbusters the Sweet. This single missed the charts in the US, in fact ”Little Willy” itself was yet to get charted on Hot 100 (in early ’73). Wig-Wam Bam – The SweetFrom last week in 1986: Peaked at #14 three weeks before, and rapidly falling out of the Top 40 portion for weekending 11/29/86 is “Ask” by the Manchester rock band and critics’ favorite the Smiths, a group that despite having a lot of classic 80s titles on the UK scene, none scored on the US Hot 100. Ask-The Smiths
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Post by rayshae3 on Dec 8, 2015 21:42:58 GMT -5
And onto the most recent weekend’s dates: From this week in 1970: After Matthew’ Southern Comfort version of "Woodstock" on top of the UK chart, the next #1 in Britain belonged to one of the fest’s biggest stars Jimi Hendrix, with an all-time non-Hot 100 classic. It was on top of the UK charts two short weeks before, and still was lingering at #2 for the weekending 12/5/70 during a 13 week run on the British Top 50 at the time; Hendrix’s last hit and his only #1 in Britain. First issued as part of 1968 LP ‘Electric Ladyland’ as “Voodoo Child (Slight Return)”, it was release as a single immediately following Hendrix death in September ’70. The single was now re-titled “Voodoo Chile” (‘e’ instead of ‘d’). The 7” maxi-single also has two other classics on the flip side “Hey Joe” and “All Along the Watchtower”. Voodoo Chile-The Jimi Hendrix ExperienceFrom this week in 1984: One of my all-time favorites from the Eurythmics only got to #81 on the Hot 100 (but #2 on the BB Dance chart). It was their sixth consecutive Top 10 hit for the duo in British chart, peaking at #4 for the weekending 12/8/84. The song called “Sexcrime (Nineteen Eighty Four)” is from the soundtrack of the excellent gritty adaptation of George Orwell’s dystopian novel ‘1984’ starring John Hurt and Richard Burton. The ’84 movie itself was a sleeper; on the LP ‘1984 (For the Love of Big Brother)’. Sexcrime (Nineteen Eighty-Four) - Eurythmics
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Post by 1finemrg on Dec 11, 2015 22:26:48 GMT -5
December 15, 1979- This trio of brothers from France had their biggest success on the UK charts, peaking at #5 with this one. Que Sera Mi Vida - Gibson Brothers December 17, 1983- Debuting at #54, this would be another UK #1 for the artist who has appeared on more #1 singles than anyone else in the rock era. This 2 week chart topper was relegated to the "B" side of his #23 single "So Bad" in the US. It was the title track to his current album. Pipes Of Peace - Paul McCartney
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