Re: we're #1

No sports fans this isn't about dumb little men playing with a dumb little ball, while some moron on a snow plow on furlow clears a spot for some puny kicker to win some meaningless game. But...

Who are the bands (solo artists too) covered in TP that have had a #1 chart hit either in the UK or the USA?

Yes, the pistols god save the queen counts (that's one)

Hmmm - probably a harder question than it seems since all kinds of songs are massively popular without ever actually hitting #1, even if it seems like they probably did. For example, it sure seems like Peter Gabriel's "Sledgehammer" was a #1, but I wouldn't swear to it in court. And it seems like KID A entered the chart at number one, but it may have just been the highest debut that week or something.

Too lazy to look up the billboard website to be sure, but I'm thinking Blondie hit #1 many times in both countries (Pretty sure "Heart of Glass," "Call Me" and "Rapture" all did in the US). And I believe Numan had several UK #1s (at least with "Are Friends Electric" and "Cars").

And such TP faves as Crow, Hootie and Matthews (all covered here, but little loved) probably all held down the top spot.

And now that Mike Martz has had a convenient heart ailment, look for the Rams to stage a late season comeback!

According to the liner notes in their *Greatest Hits* CD, Blondie has the distinction of being the only band to have #1 singles in the '70s ("Heart of Glass," "Call Me"), '80s ("Rapture") AND '90s ("Maria").

The most obvious artists who come to my mind are The Cars ("You Might Think"), The Police ("Every Breath You Take") and R.E.M. ("Losing My Erection").

The Barenaked Ladies hit #1 with "One Week" ... for one week.

I think The B-52's hit #1 with either "Love Shack" or "Roam," but I wouldn't bet the mortgage payment on it. Same goes for Bowie's singles from *Let's Dance*.

There are plenty of others in the Reviews listings, but it's a bigger task than I have the time or stamina for. Most of the obvious suspects should kind of jump out at your eye, if you've been paying even casual attention to the charts or to pop radio. But as Reno said, it'd take a visit to Billboard.com to verify ... unless you're Seymour Stein. (Does *Billboard* compile the UK charts?)

the UK too?
Considering that Roxy Music to Heaven 17 to the Stray Cats to Dr and the Medics to Radiohead to the Kaiser Chiefs have had #1 hits at least for a week in the UK (this is from a life long addiction to NME) it would be hard to name them all. Just looking through the "A" review column I counted more than 10 UK #1 hit makers.
CCR never had a #1 in America!

re
CCR never had a #1 in America!


jeez, why would they: they were only the greatest singles band in US history.

> re
> CCR never had a #1 in America!
>
>
> jeez, why would they: they were only the greatest singles band
> in US history.


the dils never had a #1 hit either and they really were the greatest singles band in us history!

> This isn't about dumb little men playing with a dumb little ball, while some
> moron on a snow plow on furlow clears a spot for some puny kicker to
> win some meaningless game.

Just out of curiosity, Steve, why DO you ask the question then? After all, to some music fans, it could be argued -- and has been, in the pages of TP Magazine and its books, in a wide variety of ways -- that the pursuit of a #1 single is a "meaningless game" run by "dumb little men."

The UK charts operate very differently than the US charts (ex. it's common in America for a single to chart for months on end). And Billboard changes the way they are compiled every decade or so, making an uneven playing ground. Every time the rigging is uncovered, a new rigging takes its place.

some TP #1's::
Box Tops - The Letter
Bowie - Fame
Knack - My Sharona
Eurythmics - Sweet Dreams
Dexy's Midnight Runners - Come On Eileen
Police - Every Breath (eight weeks at #1; 5 months in Top 40 rotation)
Culture Club - Karma Chameleon
Cyndi Lauper - Time After Time
Duran Duran - The Reflex
Prince - When Doves Cry; Let's Go Crazy

Blondie dates::
Heart of Glass - #1 on 28Apr79
Call Me - 19Apr80
Tide is High - 31Jan81
Rapture - 28Mar81
Maria - 13Feb99

some odd facts-
The Clash had but 2 Top 40 hits in the US and 'Should I stay or go' was not one of them.
Led Zeppelin had 8 Top 40 hits as singles.
The only single to stay on the Top 40 for more than 30 weeks - The Twist by Chubby Checker.
Most charted hits- Presley
Most #1's - Beatles
The Stones are close behind with 45 hits; 25 were Top 10; 8 were #1
'Mack the Knife' has been charted by 7 different acts

CCR had five #2's and 14 Top 40s. They stayed on the charts as long as 13 weeks often overlapping.



Post Edited (11-02-05 16:36)

Trivia question: Who's the oldest person ever to have a #1 single to his/her credit -- whether as a recording artist or as a songwriter?

Answer: Taco's version of "Puttin' on the Ritz" became a #1 in 1982 ... when the songwriter, Irving Berlin, was 95 years old. I don't suppose we'll see that record beaten any time soon.

Unless the Stones hit #1 again.....

Har - someone was bound to say it.

True, Rhett ... Keith Richards is probably gonna outlive us all.

Reminds me of a good joke:

Keith Richards finally dies and goes to hell. When he gets there, he's shown to a room loaded with the best musical instruments available. Lots of great rock musicians he had known in his lifetime are there: Brian Jones, Hendrix, Stevie Ray, Entwistle, and loads of others.

Keith is pretty excited; he thinks, "Man, is THIS gonna be a jam session!" As he picks out a guitar, he notices how glum the other rockers all look ... and he notices that the drum stool is empty.

He asks Hendrix, "Jimi, when do we start playing?"

"Soon as the boss gets here, man," Jimi replies sullenly.

"'The boss'?" Keith asks. "Who's the boss?"

Just then, the door opens, and Karen Carpenter comes in, sits down at the drums and calls out, "Okay, guys, 'Close to You' ... One, two, three, four ..."

Hey! Delvin drew an analogy between sports and chart music. A+
But I must deduct points because he never realized that were all dumb little men, now give me my ball back.



Post Edited (11-03-05 18:41)

i am surely a dumb, little woman, well, 5'5".

Tonight is dress up night for me. But I still might turn on a hockey game.

Just depends on what you dress up as. Hockey fans are a tough crowd.

Delvin, I thought for sure you might say "turn on" a hockey TEAM!
PS JOHN FOGARTY ON LENO MINUTES AWAY!

STEVE wrote:

> Delvin, I thought for sure you might say "turn on" a hockey
> TEAM!



last time i went to a hockey game, could barely keep my eyes on the ice...

what is it with stunningly beautiful women and hockey (players)??? yow!

rivers of beer, women in sweaters, and men in tights carrying big sticks

what's so mysterious?


speaking of no mystery: the gal group rhino box is a stunner; just when you wanted to murder them for the children of nuggets misfirings or dreaded another packaging fiasca a la big box of soul this product shines, inside and out.

i love you cilla, sandie, skeeter, evie, wanda, ernestine, dusty, and darlene

>
> speaking of no mystery: the gal group rhino box is a stunner;
> just when you wanted to murder them for the children of nuggets
> misfirings or


murder? i wanted to kiss em on the lips!!!

children of nuggets is no gooooood?
say it ain't so!
My kids are buying it for me for xmas (with visions of slickee boys dance in my head)..............................
oh well maybe I can return it and break their hearts

no

it's great

esp vol 3-4

BUT

i think that there should have been either

1. chrono order, suggesting the postive cause/effect and influence
2. No repeat artists (many are represented twice)
3. a stronger essay showing the connections/disconnections from the artists' "fathers"



there is a HUGE span of styles and years: the Nuggets name just doesn't ring true--if the anthologists are simply saying that a lot of great songs were influenvced by beatles/big star, byrds, velvets, stooges/pistols well, jeez, what doesn't belong????


within a (randomly selected 10 song span)
XTC
lyres
untamed youth
la's
soft boys
plimsouls

are heard

saying what about the 80's?


but jeez the box does have miracle workers, dentists, plasticland, hoods, and the mummies--so no pain, real gain

I just got around to picking this up and I think it's pretty great too. Your point is well taken, Mr. Baker, in that this thing is all over the map. I thought at first glance it was going to be more a chronicle of the SoCa Paisley Underground scene, but its aims are much broader then that. And, as you say, precisely what those aims are isn't entirely clear.

While their attempt to mostly avoid hits is kinda admirable, I think it also undercuts the whole shebang somewhat. For instance, the Plasticland songs are fine, but they don't really represent the band's best efforts or how they fit into this scene, whatever it is. On the other hand, the song by That Petrol Emotion is not something I ever would have lumped into any kind of neo-psychedelic category, but strangely it works in this setting.

But there is some really great shit on here and I'm glad to be reminded how great the Rain Parade were.

i agree, when i popped it open i slipped 3 and 4 in right away on baker's advice and yeah there are a lot of certified gooduns on this.
I also agree that the Nuggets tag may be wrong or maybe misleading.....but jeeze Plasticland could be better represented, I would have thought "Rat Tail Comb" would have been used since it was their alternasound regional hit.

It's funny how Plasticland's efforts magnify the greatness of The Stones Her Satanic Majesties Request Lp.
That said. Milwaukee is still a great place to visit.
At this point in the discussion, I then, always, think of ED ACKERMAN's Approximately the 27 Various.

[www.splungecomm.com]
great compilation of some Milwaukee bands which includes Death featuring James Chance

> [www.splungecomm.com]
> great compilation of some Milwaukee bands


ooooh, "all white"! one of the few songs that actually kinda scares me...

at least they were smart enough to put it on last. ain't a one of those other turds that could even think of following THAT...

speaking of the girls. Looking back, I think some of those rriotous (righteous?) outfits of the 90's we're one of the brightest lights of that era. Is there a definitive compilation or something out there I might try?

I don't even want to *think* of how Steve might choose to dress, in order to "turn on" a hockey game.