Sir Howard Morrison dies, Thursday 25 September 2009, aged 74. See NZ Music of the 60s and 70s
And if you're struggling to remember which member of the Quartet died earlier this year, click here and/or here
and for tributes from Stuff.co.nz
Some options for Saturday 26 September
Jeannie C. Riley
HARPER VALLEY P.T.A., US#1(1) 21 September 1968, 13 weeks in Top 100 and a Monster Hit in N.Z.
A message song about a widowed wife criticised by the Harper Valley Parent Association for her high skirts and low life in a note brought home by her teenage daughter and how the mother confronts her accusers at a meeting of the P.T.A. The song was written by Tom T. Hall, friend of Jeannie C. Riley, a country singer born Jeanne Carolyn Stephenson. A real lucky break for the 22 year old singer who had only been in Nashville for a few months and whose experience had been limited to routine song-demo-sessions. Her superb performance of the song lead to a nation-wide round of TV appearances and $15,000 per night personal appearances.
4 million copies were sold in the States, a further million in Canada and big sales elsewhere making an estimated total of 5 and half million world wide and gained Jeannie a Grammy Award for Best Country Vocal Performance (female) of 1968.
The tease
A US#1(1) 21 September 1968 and a Monster Hit in N.Z. A message song about a widowed wife and a real lucky break for this 22 year old singer who had only been in Nashville for a few months and whose experience had been limited to routine song-demo-sessions. Her superb performance of the song lead to a nation-wide round of TV appearances and $15,000 per night personal appearances.
Jim Reeves
DISTANT DRUMS, UK#1(5) from 22 September 1966 - Big Hit in N.Z.
James Travis Reeves (b. 20 Aug 1923) lost his life in the crash of the single engined plane he was flying encountered a storm 31 July 1964. The country music world lost one of their greatest performers, but a legend was born as a result of his death.
After an accident prevented Reeves continuing as a baseball player, he turned to announcing and then singing. In 1955 he signed to RCA, where he managed nine UK hits before his death, including his 1964 successes, “I Love You Because” and “I Won’t Forget You”. A further 17 hits, including “Distant Drums” were amassed posthumously between 1964 and 1972. Written for Jim by Cindy Walker, perhaps that explains the line "Mary marry me, let's not wait." Mary was Jim’s wife.
Wizzard*
ANGEL FINGERS. UK#1, 22 September 1972. The group’s second consecutive No. 1. * Not really suited to Coast
Buddy Holly / The Crickets
* That'll Be The Day, US#1(1) 23 September and UK#1(3) from 1 November 1957.
Jimmie Rodgers with the Hugo Peretti Orchestra
HONEYCOMB This first million-seller for Jimmy was remarkably his first recording. US#1(4) from 23 September 1957, 28 weeks in Top 100, US R&B#1(2 wks) and NZ#1 in November 1957 HUGE HIT in N.Z.
The Box Tops
THE LETTER, US#1(4) from 23 September 1967, 16 weeks in Top 100. Five young men from Memphis got together at college through an interest in 'soul music' and formed their group in 1966. This, their 1st recording, had a global sale of 4 million with almost 3 million in the States alone.
Mac Davis
*BABY DON’T GET HOOKED ON ME US#1(3) from 23 September 1972
Connie Francis
CAROLINA MOON an American 20s standard that didn't make the US charts but was a double sided UK#1(6) from 26 September 1958, with
STUPID CUPID a new composition by Neil Sedaka and Howard Greenfield Stupid Cupid was the big one.
Connie Francis
MY HEART HAS A MIND OF ITS OWN. US#1(2) from 26 September 1960, 17 weeks in Top 100. The 8th million-seller for Connie was written by Howard Greenfield and Jack Keller. Her two other 1960 Gold Discs were - 'Mama w/Teddy', and 'Many Tears Ago'. Monster Hit in N.Z.
Friday, September 25, 2009
Wednesday, September 16, 2009
Forgotten Singles for Saturday 19 September 2009
Mary Travers, the singer with Peter, Paul and Mary, died Wednesday 16 September 2009, after a battle with leukemia aged 72. I love the quote from the obituary Mark M sent me ...
"Singing protest songs with a strident glamour, a shock of blonde hair shaking to the sounds of righteousness as two bearded folkie types played guitar on either side of her, Travers was the ideal public face for New York's beatnik scene. Prettier than Bob Dylan, less hectoring than Joan Baez, she made the idea of sipping overpriced coffee in a downtown dive, while a guitar player sang songs of freedom seem like the greatest thing in the world."
I remember seeing PP&M at the Auckland Town Hall in 1967? the same year I saw The Seekers. Then, Peter, Paul & Mary were the better act for me but on the respective 25th Anniversary tours I saw both groups again and that time the Seekers had the edge.
An 18th September 2009 update from Judith Durham's website said
"With Mary Travers’ passing, the world has lost the musical gifts of one of the most caring souls on the planet. The Seekers are proud to have shared the folk music …"
One thing with Mary's bone marrow transplant and chemotherapy, the three were 'hair equal'.
Some options for Saturday 19 September
Freda Payne
BAND OF GOLD*. UK#1(6) from 19 September 1970. US#3 in 1970, 20 weeks in Top 100 from 25 April. Detroit born 19 September 1945 and sister of The Supremes’ Scherrie Payne. Attended the Institute of Musical Arts. To New York in 1963. Performed with Pearl Bailey, Duke Ellington and Quincy Jones. First recorded for Impulse in 1965 and hosted the syndicated TV talk show ‘For You Black Woman’ in the early 1970s. Produced by Brian Holland, Lamont Dozier and Eddie Holland, Payne later made it to #33 with “Deeper And Deeper”, then came “Cherish What Is Dear To You” in 1971 her last UK chart entry. In the US she had one of the major protest songs about the Vietnam War, with “Bring The Boys Home”. * Might be a Coast track but not played on a regular basis that I recall.
Diana Ross
*AIN’T NO MOUNTAIN HIGH ENOUGH Motown [USA]. US#1(3) from 19 September 1970, 14 weeks in Top 100. A tremendous success for Diana Ross, who in 1970 became a star solo attraction. The song was written in 1968 by Nickolas Ashford and Valerie Simpson (both of who produced the recording) Release was on 8 August 1970 in the US and the song sold over 2 million. British release was on 2 October 1970 and it made UK#6, with 12 weeks in the Top 50.
The Tams
HEY GIRL DON’T BOTHER ME. UK#1(3) from 19 September 1971. US#41 in 1964.
An Atlanta R&B quintet of brothers Charles and Joseph (lead singer) Pope, with Robert Smith, Floyd Ashton and Horace Key. The Tams chart career in their home country of America was a healthy 6 years but was over before their trio of British Hits began. Only sold moderately in New Zealand says music history maestro Mark, who said, "Neither issue was overly popular and The Tams never sold in great numbers in New Zealand."
The Archies
*SUGAR, SUGAR Calendar [USA], US#1(4) from 20 September and UK#1(8) from 25 October 1969 - Monster Hit in N.Z.
Written by Jeff Barry and Andy Kim and sung by studio singers who remained anonymous with the exception of Ron Dante, who was later named as the lead singer.
Creedence Clearwater Revival
BAD MOON RISING*, UK#1(3) from 20 September and NZ#1(2), 7 & 21 August 1969 - with Tommy Roe's Heather Honey #1 in between. US#2, 14 weeks in Top 100 from 3 May 1969. CCR never made #1 in the US with the #2 hits being; Proud Mary #2(3) from 8 March, Bad Moon Rising #2(2) from 28 June and Green River #2 on 27 September in 1969 and Looking Out My Back Door #2 on 3 October in 1970. Monster Hit in N.Z.
* more a Hauraki track for TRN
Pat Boone
* Love Letters In The Sand, Au#1(5) from 21 September and NZ#1 in August 1957
Bobby Vinton
*BLUE VELVET
US#1(3) from 21 September 1963, 15 weeks in the Top 100
The 2nd million-seller for Bobby with a song written in 1951 - and orchestra conducted by Burt Bacharach. Bobby released another song in late 1963 that also went onto sell a million and become a #1 in 1964 - There! I Said It Again and had been a #1 previously for Vaughn Monroe in 1945. Monster Hit
Anne Shelton
LAY DOWN YOUR ARMS, UK#1(4) from 21 September 1956 and NZ#1 in January 1957
Santo & Johnny
SLEEP WALK, US#1(2) from 21 September (18 weeks in Top 100) and NZ#1 in November 1959 BIG HIT in N.Z. Their sole million-seller. The Million Sellers Encyclopedia says "it owes its appeal to the pulsating slow background beat of Johnny's rhythm guitar and a melancholy, somewhat exotic melody of Santo's steel guitar. The Brooklyn born Farina brothers were aged 21 and 18 at the time.
Shirley Bassey
REACH FOR THE STARS/CLIMB EV’RY MOUNTAIN.
UK#1, 21 September 1961 (1 week), 10 weeks in the Top 20 from 29 July 1961. Shirley Bassey, the most successful solo female artiste in British chart history took three titles to Number One with two hits. “As I Love You” was the first and with her second, it featured on one side , a song written by the man who won the 1966 Eurovision Song Contest for Austria, with English lyrics by Bassey’s producer Norman Newell under the pseudonym David West. The other side was from The Sound Of Music. Despite its fabulous success in album sales and on stage and as a film, ‘The Sound Of Music’ has not supplied as many hits to the singles charts as some other, less successful shows. The only other hit from the show was Vince Hill’s “Edelweiss” which peaked at #2 in 1967. (The Guiness Book of Number One Hits)
From 14 September to 19 October 1961, the British charts had a new No. 1 each week. There were only 5 records in those six weeks on the charts as John Leyton’s “Johnny Remember Me” made #1 twice.
Friday, September 11, 2009
Forgotten Singles for Saturday 12 September 2009
Some options for Saturday 12 September
The Beatles The pop music world's most successful group had their first million-sellers in 1963 but they didn't break into the American market until the following year.
SHE LOVES YOU, UK#1(4) from 12 September and again for 2 weeks from 28 November 1963. In chart terms, this was the Beatles’ biggest hit, staying in the Top 50 for 33 weeks (36, if you add its brief re-entry in 1983). It sold over a million copies in Britain alone, and until the follow-up, ‘I Want To Hold Your Hand’, sold even more, it was the biggest-selling record ever in Britain.
Past Masters 1 The big fourth single, the song which epitomized the rush of Beatlemania and gave birth to the fervent (but quickly overused) catchphrase "yeah yeah yeah" US#1(2) from 21 March 1964, 15 weeks in Top 100 – from 25 January)
Playd Wednesday 17 September 2008
Elvis Presley
SHE'S NOT YOU The 40th million-seller for the King of Rock 'n' Roll was written by Jerry Leiber, Mike Stoller and Doc Pomus and was not linked to any movie. MONSTER HIT in N.Z. and UK#1(3) from 13 September 1962 and US#5, 10 weeks in Top 100 from August 1962. Elvis completed a round dozen of UK No. Ones with his 4th chart-topper in as many releases, equaling his own record set 15 months earlier. This was one of a dozen or so titles recorded at the RCA Nashville Studios on 19 March 1962. The majority of those recordings made their way onto the ‘Pot Luck’ album which was a healthy album seller for Presley in the last half of 1962. (Tracks included ‘Suspicion’, which like ‘Wooden Heart’, was lost by RCA as a possible single)
Jerry Lieber and Mike Stoller had been asked by Elvis’ publisher, Freddy Bienstock, to come up with some new country flavoured material for this session, and they produced “She’s Not You” together with Doc Pomus.
Playd Tuesday 16 September 2008
The Small Faces
ALL OR NOTHING, UK#1(1), 15 September 1966 Moderate Hit in N.Z.
The nattily dressed Small Faces were led by former child star Steve Marriott (b. 30 Jan 1947). Marriott was later to admit he could barely play guitar in the early days of the group, but despite that he and fellow Small Faces, Ronnie Lane (b. 1 Apr 1946), Ian MacLagan (b. 12 May 1946) and Kenny Jones (b. 16 Sep 1948), provided the only real competition to the Who in the mid-60s.
Playd Monday 29 September 2008
The tease
A UK#1(1), 15 September 1966 Moderate Hit in N.Z. The nattily dressed group were led by a former child star who was later to admit he could barely play guitar in the early days of the group, but despite that he and fellow members provided the only real competition to the Who in the mid-60s.
4 Seasons
*SHERRY. US#1(5) from 15 September 1962, 14 weeks in Top 100 and MONSTER HIT in N.Z.
Helen Reddy
*DELTA DAWN US#1, 15 September 1973
Three Dog Night
BLACK AND WHITE US#1, 16 September 1972, also US Adult Contemporary #1 for 1 week. Los Angeles Pop-rock group formed in 1968 featuring lead singers Danny Hutton, Cory Wells and Chuck Negron. Disbanded in the mid-1970s. Re-formed in the mid-1980s.
An influential American Folk singer named Earl Robinson wrote this in 1954 with lyricist David Arkin (who is the father of actor Alan Arkin). The song is about racism, and was inspired by a US Supreme Court ruling that segregation in public schools is illegal. The original Folk song (but not Three Dog Night's version) includes the line, "Their robes were black, their heads were white" which refers to the judges.
When Three Dog Night recorded this, it came at a time when civil rights was a big issue in America. The message of racial equality was emphasized by their use of a children's choir in the repeated chorus during the closing moments of the song.
The two paragraphs above from
http://www.songfacts.com/detail.php?id=4268
Frank Sinatra
THREE COINS IN THE FOUNTAIN. UK#1(3) from 17 September 1954 This Academy Award winning song, written by Sammy Cahn and Jule Styne, became the first major hit for Frank Sinatra in England. It entered the British charts one week after his 'Young At Heart' but that only lasted one week.
Playd Monday 1 September
Pat Boone
*Ain't That A Shame, #1(2) from 17 September 1955 The composer's version was also a million-seller, the 10th for Fats Domino but, it only made #10 on the Pop charts. Monster Hit in N.Z.
Chubby Checker
*THE TWIST US#1(2) from 13 January 1962, 21 weeks in Top 100. The Twist first entered #1 position for 1 week 19 September 1960. MONSTER HIT in N.Z.
Spent a total of 39 weeks in the US charts from 1960 and 1962.
Bobby Vee
*Take Good Care Of My Baby Liberty [USA] MONSTER HIT
US#1(3) from 18 September 1961, 15 weeks in Top 100 (8th Top No 1 of 1961)
Freda Payne
BAND OF GOLD*. UK#1(6) from 19 September 1970. US#3 in 1970, 20 weeks in Top 100 from 25 April. Detroit born 19 September 1945 and sister of The Supremes’ Scherrie Payne. Attended the Institute of Musical Arts. To New York in 1963. Performed with Pearl Bailey, Duke Ellington and Quincy Jones. First recorded for Impulse in 1965 and hosted the syndicated TV talk show ‘For You Black Woman’ in the early 1970s. Produced by Brian Holland, Lamont Dozier and Eddie Holland, Payne later made it to #33 with “Deeper And Deeper”, then came “Cherish What Is Dear To You” in 1971 her last UK chart entry. In the US she had one of the major protest songs about the Vietnam War, with “Bring The Boys Home”. * Might be a Coast track but not played on a regular basis that I recall.
The Beatles The pop music world's most successful group had their first million-sellers in 1963 but they didn't break into the American market until the following year.
SHE LOVES YOU, UK#1(4) from 12 September and again for 2 weeks from 28 November 1963. In chart terms, this was the Beatles’ biggest hit, staying in the Top 50 for 33 weeks (36, if you add its brief re-entry in 1983). It sold over a million copies in Britain alone, and until the follow-up, ‘I Want To Hold Your Hand’, sold even more, it was the biggest-selling record ever in Britain.
Past Masters 1 The big fourth single, the song which epitomized the rush of Beatlemania and gave birth to the fervent (but quickly overused) catchphrase "yeah yeah yeah" US#1(2) from 21 March 1964, 15 weeks in Top 100 – from 25 January)
Playd Wednesday 17 September 2008
Elvis Presley
SHE'S NOT YOU The 40th million-seller for the King of Rock 'n' Roll was written by Jerry Leiber, Mike Stoller and Doc Pomus and was not linked to any movie. MONSTER HIT in N.Z. and UK#1(3) from 13 September 1962 and US#5, 10 weeks in Top 100 from August 1962. Elvis completed a round dozen of UK No. Ones with his 4th chart-topper in as many releases, equaling his own record set 15 months earlier. This was one of a dozen or so titles recorded at the RCA Nashville Studios on 19 March 1962. The majority of those recordings made their way onto the ‘Pot Luck’ album which was a healthy album seller for Presley in the last half of 1962. (Tracks included ‘Suspicion’, which like ‘Wooden Heart’, was lost by RCA as a possible single)
Jerry Lieber and Mike Stoller had been asked by Elvis’ publisher, Freddy Bienstock, to come up with some new country flavoured material for this session, and they produced “She’s Not You” together with Doc Pomus.
Playd Tuesday 16 September 2008
The Small Faces
ALL OR NOTHING, UK#1(1), 15 September 1966 Moderate Hit in N.Z.
The nattily dressed Small Faces were led by former child star Steve Marriott (b. 30 Jan 1947). Marriott was later to admit he could barely play guitar in the early days of the group, but despite that he and fellow Small Faces, Ronnie Lane (b. 1 Apr 1946), Ian MacLagan (b. 12 May 1946) and Kenny Jones (b. 16 Sep 1948), provided the only real competition to the Who in the mid-60s.
Playd Monday 29 September 2008
The tease
A UK#1(1), 15 September 1966 Moderate Hit in N.Z. The nattily dressed group were led by a former child star who was later to admit he could barely play guitar in the early days of the group, but despite that he and fellow members provided the only real competition to the Who in the mid-60s.
4 Seasons
*SHERRY. US#1(5) from 15 September 1962, 14 weeks in Top 100 and MONSTER HIT in N.Z.
Helen Reddy
*DELTA DAWN US#1, 15 September 1973
Three Dog Night
BLACK AND WHITE US#1, 16 September 1972, also US Adult Contemporary #1 for 1 week. Los Angeles Pop-rock group formed in 1968 featuring lead singers Danny Hutton, Cory Wells and Chuck Negron. Disbanded in the mid-1970s. Re-formed in the mid-1980s.
An influential American Folk singer named Earl Robinson wrote this in 1954 with lyricist David Arkin (who is the father of actor Alan Arkin). The song is about racism, and was inspired by a US Supreme Court ruling that segregation in public schools is illegal. The original Folk song (but not Three Dog Night's version) includes the line, "Their robes were black, their heads were white" which refers to the judges.
When Three Dog Night recorded this, it came at a time when civil rights was a big issue in America. The message of racial equality was emphasized by their use of a children's choir in the repeated chorus during the closing moments of the song.
The two paragraphs above from
http://www.songfacts.com/detail.php?id=4268
Frank Sinatra
THREE COINS IN THE FOUNTAIN. UK#1(3) from 17 September 1954 This Academy Award winning song, written by Sammy Cahn and Jule Styne, became the first major hit for Frank Sinatra in England. It entered the British charts one week after his 'Young At Heart' but that only lasted one week.
Playd Monday 1 September
Pat Boone
*Ain't That A Shame, #1(2) from 17 September 1955 The composer's version was also a million-seller, the 10th for Fats Domino but, it only made #10 on the Pop charts. Monster Hit in N.Z.
Chubby Checker
*THE TWIST US#1(2) from 13 January 1962, 21 weeks in Top 100. The Twist first entered #1 position for 1 week 19 September 1960. MONSTER HIT in N.Z.
Spent a total of 39 weeks in the US charts from 1960 and 1962.
Bobby Vee
*Take Good Care Of My Baby Liberty [USA] MONSTER HIT
US#1(3) from 18 September 1961, 15 weeks in Top 100 (8th Top No 1 of 1961)
Freda Payne
BAND OF GOLD*. UK#1(6) from 19 September 1970. US#3 in 1970, 20 weeks in Top 100 from 25 April. Detroit born 19 September 1945 and sister of The Supremes’ Scherrie Payne. Attended the Institute of Musical Arts. To New York in 1963. Performed with Pearl Bailey, Duke Ellington and Quincy Jones. First recorded for Impulse in 1965 and hosted the syndicated TV talk show ‘For You Black Woman’ in the early 1970s. Produced by Brian Holland, Lamont Dozier and Eddie Holland, Payne later made it to #33 with “Deeper And Deeper”, then came “Cherish What Is Dear To You” in 1971 her last UK chart entry. In the US she had one of the major protest songs about the Vietnam War, with “Bring The Boys Home”. * Might be a Coast track but not played on a regular basis that I recall.
Friday, September 4, 2009
Forgotten Singles for Saturday 5 September 2009
Some options for this Saturday 5 September
Rod Stewart
YOU WEAR IT WELL. UK#1, 2 September 1972 and US#13 (10 weeks in Top 100 from 26 August 1972). Written by Rod with Martin Quittenton, it was Rod’s consecutive solo No. 1. (after Maggie May from 1971). - Lx
* Regular on Coast playlist
Mitch Miller
*The Yellow Rose Of Texas, #1(6) from 3 September 1955 (5 weeks at #1 from, 3 September, then 1 more week 15 October) an American Civil War campfire song, adapted to a marching beat. Monster Hit.
The Highwaymen
*MICHAEL. US#1(2) from 4 September, 17 weeks in Top 100 (11th Top No 1 of 1961), UK#1 12 October 1961 and a HUGE HIT in N.Z. The quintet's 1st million-seller is a traditional negro song from the slaves in Georgia, Alabama.
The Bee Gees
*I'VE GOTTA GET A MESSAGE TO YOU, UK#1(1), 4 September 1968 - Monster Hit.
The Animals
THE HOUSE OF THE RISING SUN
US#1(3) from 5 September 1964, 11 weeks in Top 100 and UK#1, 9 July 1964. The America version was edited down to 2:58. Au#1(2) from 19 August and MONSTER HIT in N.Z.
Paul Anka
*Diana, UK#1(9) from 30 August, US#1, 9 September, NZ#1 in November and Au#1(8) from 21 December 1957
The Supremes
*YOU CAN'T HURRY LOVE, US#1(2) from 10 September 1966 and a Monster Hit in N.Z.
Another from the Holland, Dozier, Holland song-writing team and the 8th million-seller for the trio. The song also reached #3 in Britain.
The Kinks
YOU REALLY GOT ME Pye [Britain] Four art students with a flair for rhythm & blues, they came together in 1961, playing and singing in the Muswell Hill area of London with the idea of making some money to help their studies, mainly in art. They soon became well known through their music and their kinky clothes, hence their name. They were eventually brought to the attention of Larry Page who signed them immediately and a Pye contract followed with 'Long Tall Sally' being their first record. Their third release was written by Ray Davies, one of the brothers in the group and it sold over a quarter million in Britain, making UK#1(2) from 10 September 1964. When released in the States on Sinatra's Reprise label, the record reached US#7 and combined sales topped the million. HUGE HIT
The Beatles
HEY JUDE, UK#1(2) from 11 September, US#1(9) from 28 September, Au#1(15) from 2 October and NZ#1(5) from 3 October 1968 - the Top No 1 for the year and rated as the 6th top Million Seller in the US with 10 million sold. Between The Kingsmen – Louie Louie (No 5 at 12 million) and Elvis Presley – It’s Now Or Never (No 7 at 10 million)
Hey Jude, backed with Revolution was the group's 1st release under their new Apple label and entered the US charts at #10, the then highest entry, and reached #1 in the 2nd week. A Paul McCartney song originally written for Lennon's son Julian, the double sided hit was also #1 in Ireland, Germany, Holland, Norway, Denmark, Belgium, Malaysia, Sweden, Singapore, New Zealand as well as Britain.
Donny Osmond
GO AWAY LITTLE GIRL MGM [USA] US#1(3) from 11 September 1971, with 15 weeks in Top 100. This Gerry Goffin / Carole King composition had previously been a million seller and US#1 for Steve Lawrence in 1963. Donny’s recording was released in July and received the R.I.A.A. Gold Disc award on 13 October 1971 – his 2nd of three from 1971.
- Lx
The Beatles The pop music world's most successful group had their first million-sellers in 1963 but they didn't break into the American market until the following year.
SHE LOVES YOU, UK#1(4) from 12 September and again for 2 weeks from 28 November 1963. In chart terms, this was the Beatles’ biggest hit, staying in the Top 50 for 33 weeks (36, if you add its brief re-entry in 1983). It sold over a million copies in Britain alone, and until the follow-up, ‘I Want To Hold Your Hand’, sold even more, it was the biggest-selling record ever in Britain.
Past Masters 1 The big fourth single, the song which epitomized the rush of Beatlemania and gave birth to the fervent (but quickly overused) catchphrase "yeah yeah yeah" US#1(2) from 21 March 1964, 15 weeks in Top 100 – from 25 January)
Rod Stewart
YOU WEAR IT WELL. UK#1, 2 September 1972 and US#13 (10 weeks in Top 100 from 26 August 1972). Written by Rod with Martin Quittenton, it was Rod’s consecutive solo No. 1. (after Maggie May from 1971). - Lx
* Regular on Coast playlist
Mitch Miller
*The Yellow Rose Of Texas, #1(6) from 3 September 1955 (5 weeks at #1 from, 3 September, then 1 more week 15 October) an American Civil War campfire song, adapted to a marching beat. Monster Hit.
The Highwaymen
*MICHAEL. US#1(2) from 4 September, 17 weeks in Top 100 (11th Top No 1 of 1961), UK#1 12 October 1961 and a HUGE HIT in N.Z. The quintet's 1st million-seller is a traditional negro song from the slaves in Georgia, Alabama.
The Bee Gees
*I'VE GOTTA GET A MESSAGE TO YOU, UK#1(1), 4 September 1968 - Monster Hit.
The Animals
THE HOUSE OF THE RISING SUN
US#1(3) from 5 September 1964, 11 weeks in Top 100 and UK#1, 9 July 1964. The America version was edited down to 2:58. Au#1(2) from 19 August and MONSTER HIT in N.Z.
Paul Anka
*Diana, UK#1(9) from 30 August, US#1, 9 September, NZ#1 in November and Au#1(8) from 21 December 1957
The Supremes
*YOU CAN'T HURRY LOVE, US#1(2) from 10 September 1966 and a Monster Hit in N.Z.
Another from the Holland, Dozier, Holland song-writing team and the 8th million-seller for the trio. The song also reached #3 in Britain.
The Kinks
YOU REALLY GOT ME Pye [Britain] Four art students with a flair for rhythm & blues, they came together in 1961, playing and singing in the Muswell Hill area of London with the idea of making some money to help their studies, mainly in art. They soon became well known through their music and their kinky clothes, hence their name. They were eventually brought to the attention of Larry Page who signed them immediately and a Pye contract followed with 'Long Tall Sally' being their first record. Their third release was written by Ray Davies, one of the brothers in the group and it sold over a quarter million in Britain, making UK#1(2) from 10 September 1964. When released in the States on Sinatra's Reprise label, the record reached US#7 and combined sales topped the million. HUGE HIT
The Beatles
HEY JUDE, UK#1(2) from 11 September, US#1(9) from 28 September, Au#1(15) from 2 October and NZ#1(5) from 3 October 1968 - the Top No 1 for the year and rated as the 6th top Million Seller in the US with 10 million sold. Between The Kingsmen – Louie Louie (No 5 at 12 million) and Elvis Presley – It’s Now Or Never (No 7 at 10 million)
Hey Jude, backed with Revolution was the group's 1st release under their new Apple label and entered the US charts at #10, the then highest entry, and reached #1 in the 2nd week. A Paul McCartney song originally written for Lennon's son Julian, the double sided hit was also #1 in Ireland, Germany, Holland, Norway, Denmark, Belgium, Malaysia, Sweden, Singapore, New Zealand as well as Britain.
Donny Osmond
GO AWAY LITTLE GIRL MGM [USA] US#1(3) from 11 September 1971, with 15 weeks in Top 100. This Gerry Goffin / Carole King composition had previously been a million seller and US#1 for Steve Lawrence in 1963. Donny’s recording was released in July and received the R.I.A.A. Gold Disc award on 13 October 1971 – his 2nd of three from 1971.
- Lx
The Beatles The pop music world's most successful group had their first million-sellers in 1963 but they didn't break into the American market until the following year.
SHE LOVES YOU, UK#1(4) from 12 September and again for 2 weeks from 28 November 1963. In chart terms, this was the Beatles’ biggest hit, staying in the Top 50 for 33 weeks (36, if you add its brief re-entry in 1983). It sold over a million copies in Britain alone, and until the follow-up, ‘I Want To Hold Your Hand’, sold even more, it was the biggest-selling record ever in Britain.
Past Masters 1 The big fourth single, the song which epitomized the rush of Beatlemania and gave birth to the fervent (but quickly overused) catchphrase "yeah yeah yeah" US#1(2) from 21 March 1964, 15 weeks in Top 100 – from 25 January)
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