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Post by chrislc on Jun 10, 2016 23:33:27 GMT -5
I don't think this has been a thread before.
Two current songs, One Call Away and So Alive, mention Superman or Man of Steel. Five For Fighting and the Kinks had hits called Superman (Kinks at #41) and of course there was Black Superman. Maureen McGovern sang about Superman but I don't think it made the Top 40.
There must be many more?
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Post by at40nut on Jun 10, 2016 23:50:08 GMT -5
I think Don Williams' 1980 hit "I Believe In You", he mentions "I don't believe in Hollywood, Superman or Robinhood" In 1978, Queen's "Bicycle Race" mentions "I'm not into Peter Pan, Frankenstein or Superman, all I wanna do is Bicycle ..."
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Post by freakyflybry on Jun 10, 2016 23:51:23 GMT -5
3 Doors Down had "Kryptonite" in 2000.
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Post by mkarns on Jun 11, 2016 0:21:57 GMT -5
Surprised nobody has yet mentioned "Superman", by Herbie Mann (#26 in 1979.)
Also, "Can't Stop This Thing We Started", by Bryan Adams.
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Post by OnWithTheCountdown on Jun 11, 2016 0:23:46 GMT -5
"Jimmy Olsen's Blues" by the Spin Doctors.
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Post by laura on Jun 11, 2016 0:29:08 GMT -5
"Land Of Confusion" by Genesis and "Superman" by Eminem
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Post by OnWithTheCountdown on Jun 11, 2016 0:46:45 GMT -5
"Sunshine Superman" by Donovan.
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Post by at40petebattistini on Jun 11, 2016 1:53:55 GMT -5
I can't pass by this thread without mentioning "Superman" by the Ides of March, a song which took the theme full tilt in its lyric. It was more of a local hit, reaching #53 on Cashbox during the summer of AT40's debut. I remember hearing it on the radio, seeing it listed on the Hot 100, and tracking down a copy of the single. www.youtube.com/watch?v=jf6PWu-700I
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Post by 1finemrg on Jun 11, 2016 5:29:01 GMT -5
...and I can't pass by this thread without mentioning the #41 single "Superman" by Celi Bee and the Buzzy Bunch or the "B" side of the Top 40 hit "Sugar On Sunday" by the Clique. That song titled "Superman" would be covered by REM in the 80s.
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Post by 1finemrg on Jun 11, 2016 5:56:54 GMT -5
I can't pass by this thread without mentioning "Superman" by the Ides of March, a song which took the theme full tilt in its lyric. It was more of a local hit, reaching #53 on Cashbox during the summer of AT40's debut. I remember hearing it on the radio, seeing it listed on the Hot 100, and tracking down a copy of the single. www.youtube.com/watch?v=jf6PWu-700I Ya had me at "Ides Of March" Pete, so I'll bore all with the tale of their song "Superman" one more time. Upon the success of "Vehicle", the record label asked the Ides for a follow up. They suggested another track from the "Vehicle" album, "Aire Of Good Feeling" a great horn driven song which they used as their concert opener for many years. Warner Brothers said they wanted a sound-alike tune, so Jim came up with lyrics based on the "Man of Steel" legend with a very similar instrumental backing. It was released and started its ascent up the chart. Legendary WLS-AM Chicago radio personality Larry Lujack (Ol' Uncle Lar) known for his dour personality and sarcastic wit had a feature called "Klunk Letter Of The Day". One afternoon, he starts off by saying "Listen to this" and proceeds to play the Ides of March's "Superman". After 30 seconds or so, he abruptly yanks the needle off the 45 with the comment, "Haven't we heard this c r a p before?' Then he proceeds to play the next song in his rotation. That essentially cut the legs off any support the Ides would have in their home town. It ended up going Top 10 in St. Louis, but never charted or received airplay in Chicago (maybe on FM, Pete). On the Hot 100, it was the second highest debut at #83 on 7/3/70, the week before the debut of AT 40. Leaping to 66 the following week, it made a sharp U-turn advancing to 64 then falling to #73 for two weeks before exiting the Hot 100.
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Post by ipodtuner on Jun 11, 2016 12:29:51 GMT -5
Don't forget about "You Don't Mess Around With Jim" by Jim Croce!
"You don't tug on Superman's cape..."
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Post by ipodtuner on Jun 11, 2016 12:30:40 GMT -5
Also "Superman's Song" by Crash Test Dummies
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Post by slf on Jun 12, 2016 7:25:49 GMT -5
I can't pass by this thread without mentioning "Superman" by the Ides of March, a song which took the theme full tilt in its lyric. It was more of a local hit, reaching #53 on Cashbox during the summer of AT40's debut. I remember hearing it on the radio, seeing it listed on the Hot 100, and tracking down a copy of the single. www.youtube.com/watch?v=jf6PWu-700IYa had me at "Ides Of March" Pete, so I'll bore all with the tale of their song "Superman" one more time. Upon the success of "Vehicle", the record label asked the Ides for a follow up. They suggested another track from the "Vehicle" album, "Aire Of Good Feeling" a great horn driven song which they used as their concert opener for many years. Warner Brothers said they wanted a sound-alike tune, so Jim came up with lyrics based on the "Man of Steel" legend with a very similar instrumental backing. It was released and started its ascent up the chart. Legendary WLS-AM Chicago radio personality Larry Lujack (Ol' Uncle Lar) known for his dour personality and sarcastic wit had a feature called "Klunk Letter Of The Day". One afternoon, he starts off by saying "Listen to this" and proceeds to play the Ides of March's "Superman". After 30 seconds or so, he abruptly yanks the needle off the 45 with the comment, "Haven't we heard this c r a p before?' Then he proceeds to play the next song in his rotation. That essentially cut the legs off any support the Ides would have in their home town. It ended up going Top 10 in St. Louis, but never charted or received airplay in Chicago. On the Hot 100, it was the second highest debut at #83 on 7/3/70, the week before the debut of AT 40. Leaping to 66 the following week, it made a sharp U-turn advancing to 64 then falling to #73 for two weeks before exiting the Hot 100. I remember Larry Lujack well, first on WCFL in the mid '70's, then during his second stint on WLS in the late '70's and the '80's. I especially enjoyed his partnership with "Little" Tommy Edwards on those funny "Animal Stories" segments on WLS. I remember Larry came out of retirement in the early 2000's to host the morning show with Tommy on some short-lived Chicage oldies stations. (I heard it only once, on a summer trip to Chicago.) I believe Larry Lujack passed away in 2013. I similarly remember Larry's trademark good-natured grump persona, which I mostly found amusingly quirkly and endearing. However, after reading your account of his unfair dissing of the "Superman" song, I'm not quite so endeared by him as before. I presume he didn't care much for the big hit "Vehicle", which is his perogative. But it was most unfair of him to singlehandedly deny his listeners the right to give this soundalike followup a chance based solely on his preferences. No on-air personality should have this much power. I wonder what Jim Peterik and company felt about Larry Lujack's snubbing of their song. Was this the beginning of a feud between the two parties?
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Post by skuncle on Jun 12, 2016 7:59:49 GMT -5
Barbra Streisand had a song and album called Superman, released the single in 1979. As a kid I liked the Herbie Mann song of the same, but had no idea who sang it. Was not too thrilled when I got the Streisand song thinking it was the one I wanted.
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Post by mitchm on Jun 12, 2016 10:57:24 GMT -5
Surprised nobody has yet mentioned "Superman", by Herbie Mann (#26 in 1979.) I heard a snippet (10 or 15 seconds) of Herbie Mann's song during an NCAA playoffs telecast when it was played about some college all-star at the time. I thought it was a great song, but they didn't say who the song was by. Since the song wasn't being played on any local stations (and I wasn't regularly listening to Casey's AT40 countdown at that time), I think it was about 2013 when I finally heard the song in full on an AT40 countdown and finally figured out it was Herbie Mann. That little snippet I heard made quite an impact on me because I recognized it as my "missing song" just a few notes into the song. I also loved "Superman" by Ides of March when it was played back in 1970. I don't think I had heard that song since 1970 when I played the you tube song yesterday. Thanks for the connection, Pete.
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