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Post by woolebull on Oct 3, 2012 20:02:12 GMT -5
I don't necessarily mean at the time, because all number one songs were popular (at least I would think so) but obscure to people listening now to music. My nomination goes to "Medley" and here is my reasoning: I started listening to pop music (at the age of nine) in 1982 and never heard it on the radio, even though it was only a year old at the time. When I first picked up the "Number One" book by Fred Bronson in 1988, there were only two songs from the 80's I had never heard, "Woman In Love" and "Medley". The only time I have ever heard it played on a radio program was on AT 40 back in 1989 on their 80's Book of Records show. It just doesn't seem to fit in a genre of music in today's satellite world and unless you specifically had a show devoted to the year 1981, most people would not even remember it. Is there any other number one that just seems lost in the past to you?
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Post by michaelcasselman on Oct 3, 2012 20:27:31 GMT -5
When I saw the title of this thread, I immediately thought of Stars on 45.
Not even just because it's a medley, but that it just. doesn't. fit. neatly into most other genres. It falls in that 'gap' between the disco and new wave eras that was predominantly ballads, soft/yacht rock and country crossover. It rarely shows up in any 'Greatest Hits of...' compilations from the era, gets little to none recurrent play.
Even with all the Beatles songs as part of the medley, it hardly rates a mention amidst the chart history of 'pure' Beatles hits. Seeing as how Stars On 45's only other hit was another medley, it probably gets relegated to the depths as the signature of what could be perceived as a novelty act.
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Post by woolebull on Oct 3, 2012 20:31:09 GMT -5
I don't necessarily mean at the time, because all number one songs were popular (at least I would think so) but obscure to people listening now to music. My nomination goes to "Medley" and here is my reasoning: I started listening to pop music (at the age of nine) in 1982 and never heard it on the radio, even though it was only a year old at the time. When I first picked up the "Number One" book by Fred Bronson in 1988, there were only two songs from the 80's I had never heard, "Woman In Love" and "Medley". The only time I have ever heard it played on a radio program was on AT 40 back in 1989 on their 80's Book of Records show. It just doesn't seem to fit in a genre of music in today's satellite world and unless you specifically had a show devoted to the year 1981, most people would not even remember it. Is there any other number one that just seems lost in the past to you? Can I stretch to 1989...Rock On, Michael Damian "Batdance" is another one from that time. Prince for years wouldn't play anything off that album.
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Post by woolebull on Oct 3, 2012 20:36:52 GMT -5
When I saw the title of this thread, I immediately thought of Stars on 45. Not even just because it's a medley, but that it just. doesn't. fit. neatly into most other genres. It falls in that 'gap' between the disco and new wave eras that was predominantly ballads, soft/yacht rock and country crossover. It rarely shows up in any 'Greatest Hits of...' compilations from the era, gets little to none recurrent play. Even with all the Beatles songs as part of the medley, it hardly rates a mention amidst the chart history of 'pure' Beatles hits. Seeing as how Stars On 45's only other hit was another medley, it probably gets relegated to the depths as the signature of what could be perceived as a novelty act. I truly couldn't agree with you more. It's just awkward. I find it fascinating that it was as big of a hit as it was in 1981. I assume that most of its success can be attributed to the passing of John Lennon seven months before. A true "pop" song that shows what was going on in the world at that specific time (a loss and love for John Lennon).
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Post by doomsdaymachine on Oct 3, 2012 20:38:10 GMT -5
I've never even once heard the Bee Gees' "Love You Inside Out" on the radio since it fell off the charts back in '79.
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Post by woolebull on Oct 3, 2012 20:44:49 GMT -5
I've never even once heard the Bee Gees' "Love You Inside Out" on the radio since it fell off the charts back in '79. When I got the Bronson book, "Love You Inside and Out" was one of the few 1979 songs I had never heard, and I'm with you...I've never noticed it on the radio. "Tragedy", yes. "Too Much Heaven", yes. "Inside and Out"...no.
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Post by pointpark04 on Oct 3, 2012 20:45:00 GMT -5
"Chariots of Fire" by Vangelis. Really? Really? Number one?
Oh well, leave it to 1982 to offer up that gem, I suppose.
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Post by doomsdaymachine on Oct 3, 2012 20:50:30 GMT -5
"Chariots of Fire" by Vangelis. Really? Really? Number one? Oh well, leave it to 1982 to offer up that gem, I suppose. I think it's a gorgeous piece of music - certainly better than the only other instrumental to hit #1 in the '80s, the execrable "Miami Vice Theme." "Miami Vice." Now that's redundant! ;D
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Post by pamelajaye on Oct 3, 2012 22:33:39 GMT -5
"Chariots of Fire" by Vangelis. Really? Really? Number one? Oh well, leave it to 1982 to offer up that gem, I suppose. Well, the movie was very popular, so that may have had something to do with it. I really do like the song, personally, but there may be some nostalgia mixed in that causes the goosebumps I get, hearing it. (there's also the Haven't Listened To The Radio and Only Listened to My Own Mps3, Since 1986 (when they were cassettes and 45s) thing, which puts me in a very strange category. (I have heard (new and oldies) music on TV and in other people's cars))
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Post by matt on Oct 3, 2012 22:39:04 GMT -5
When I saw the title of this thread, I immediately thought of Stars on 45. Not even just because it's a medley, but that it just. doesn't. fit. neatly into most other genres. It falls in that 'gap' between the disco and new wave eras that was predominantly ballads, soft/yacht rock and country crossover. It rarely shows up in any 'Greatest Hits of...' compilations from the era, gets little to none recurrent play. Even with all the Beatles songs as part of the medley, it hardly rates a mention amidst the chart history of 'pure' Beatles hits. Seeing as how Stars On 45's only other hit was another medley, it probably gets relegated to the depths as the signature of what could be perceived as a novelty act. I truly couldn't agree with you more. It's just awkward. I find it fascinating that it was as big of a hit as it was in 1981. I assume that most of its success can be attributed to the passing of John Lennon seven months before. A true "pop" song that shows what was going on in the world at that specific time (a loss and love for John Lennon). That's exactly what the success of "Medley" had to do with--all of the Beatles nostalgia in the wake of John Lennon's death. For anyone who listened to radio any significant amount back then may remember all of the tribute songs that came out in the 1-2 years after he was shot (George Harrison's "All Those Years Ago", Elton John's "Empty Garden", etc.). Not to mention Lennon's own posthumous hits. Add to it that medleys were popular during 1981 and '82. Stars on 45 had a couple others that hit, you had the Beach Boys medley, "Hooked On Classics", Beatles Movie Medley, etc. By the end of 1982, it seems that trend had run its course. "Chariots of Fire" by Vangelis. Really? Really? Number one? Oh well, leave it to 1982 to offer up that gem, I suppose. With you there brother...odd song to have hit #1.
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Post by vto66 on Oct 3, 2012 23:21:35 GMT -5
I would have to say John Lennon's "Whatever Gets You Through the Night" from 1974. Definitely not one of his more well-remembered tunes, especially when compared to, say, "Imagine".
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Post by mkarns on Oct 4, 2012 0:31:58 GMT -5
I would have to say John Lennon's "Whatever Gets You Through the Night" from 1974. Definitely not one of his more well-remembered tunes, especially when compared to, say, "Imagine". 1974 and 1975 had so many #1's that some are bound to be unmemorable. Recently SXM played 8/23/75 and the #1 was "Fallin' In Love" by Hamilton, Joe Frank, & Reynolds, which struck me as an OK but not particularly memorable song. I have rarely heard it on oldies or "classic hits" radio and it seems like it was just a reasonably pleasant tune, but not something that really sticks. ("Don't Pull Your Love", by the same act, seems a lot more memorable even though it only hit #4.) "Love You Inside Out" I think just coasted on the Bee Gees' prior hits. Maybe someone knows more than I do, but that seems to be their one chart topper that has been largely sidelined while their other #1's are classic hits staples. In the 80s, I'll volunteer "The Next Time I Fall" by Peter Cetera & Amy Grant. Good singers on a somewhat bland song; it moved 4-1-4 in late 1986, but doesn't feel like a chart-topper; it was a bit of standard-issue AC radio fodder that was just sort of "there." (There were quite a few such hits over the surrounding several years, when Billboard chart turnover was pretty high.) And in 1987 Cutting Crew's "(I Just) Died In Your Arms" seems ephemeral to me; looking at the #1's of that time, there's Aretha Franklin & George Michael, U2, and who in between again? For the late 80s and early 90s, the list is even longer, probably, of "geez, was that really so big a hit"? songs that aren't all that well remembered now. Time will tell on later hits, but I was struck a few years ago by reviewing 21st century countdown lists and seeing so many big hits that I barely, if at all, remembered how they went. (I felt obliged to take a personal crash course of them with You Tube)
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Post by woolebull on Oct 4, 2012 1:44:03 GMT -5
I would have to say John Lennon's "Whatever Gets You Through the Night" from 1974. Definitely not one of his more well-remembered tunes, especially when compared to, say, "Imagine". 1974 and 1975 had so many #1's that some are bound to be unmemorable. Recently SXM played 8/23/75 and the #1 was "Fallin' In Love" by Hamilton, Joe Frank, & Reynolds, which struck me as an OK but not particularly memorable song. I have rarely heard it on oldies or "classic hits" radio and it seems like it was just a reasonably pleasant tune, but not something that really sticks. ("Don't Pull Your Love", by the same act, seems a lot more memorable even though it only hit #4.) "Love You Inside Out" I think just coasted on the Bee Gees' prior hits. Maybe someone knows more than I do, but that seems to be their one chart topper that has been largely sidelined while their other #1's are classic hits staples. In the 80s, I'll volunteer "The Next Time I Fall" by Peter Cetera & Amy Grant. Good singers on a somewhat bland song; it moved 4-1-4 in late 1986, but doesn't feel like a chart-topper; it was a bit of standard-issue AC radio fodder that was just sort of "there." (There were quite a few such hits over the surrounding several years, when Billboard chart turnover was pretty high.) And in 1987 Cutting Crew's "(I Just) Died In Your Arms" seems ephemeral to me; looking at the #1's of that time, there's Aretha Franklin & George Michael, U2, and who in between again? For the late 80s and early 90s, the list is even longer, probably, of "geez, was that really so big a hit"? songs that aren't all that well remembered now. Time will tell on later hits, but I was struck a few years ago by reviewing 21st century countdown lists and seeing so many big hits that I barely, if at all, remembered how they went. (I felt obliged to take a personal crash course of them with You Tube) For me after 1988, "If Wishes Came True" stands out to me as an obscure song to hit number one. I couldn't believe the week it did it...on both Billboard and R and R. I've barely heard it sense (though I've heard it more than I thought I ever would). To me, there was nothing that felt right about it being number one. I never heard it on the radio that much then, and I barely have heard it sense.
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Post by chrislc on Oct 4, 2012 7:01:40 GMT -5
Fire by the Ohio Players. I don't remember ever hearing that since 1975 unless it was on some recap of #1 songs. Quite a contrast with the classic popularity of Love Rollercoaster.
And the one that was the biggest hit at the time, something of a sensation, but has meant almost nothing to anyone since it was #1, is Disco Lady.
Also DS's MacArthur Park is one that I don't recall hearing almost at all since 1978, similar to Love You Inside Out.
And I'm not a Huey fan, but for those who are, when you are thinking of your Top 5 or Top 10 Huey songs, do you include Jacob's Ladder?
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Post by jlthorpe on Oct 4, 2012 7:09:40 GMT -5
When I saw the title of this thread, I immediately thought of Stars on 45. Not even just because it's a medley, but that it just. doesn't. fit. neatly into most other genres. It falls in that 'gap' between the disco and new wave eras that was predominantly ballads, soft/yacht rock and country crossover. It rarely shows up in any 'Greatest Hits of...' compilations from the era, gets little to none recurrent play. Maybe it doesn't show up on greatest hits compilations because it costs too much to pay for the rights to all those Beatles songs.
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