Tag: #1

Hot Country Singles of 1976

Tina Turner was an inspiration

These are the hot country singles of 1976, or at least the first half of them or so. There are a total of 40 of them on the Billboard charts, a function in part of the labels’ and maybe even disc jockeys’ desire to create more and more number one hits.  No song hit the top of the charts for more than three weeks.

Good Hearted Woman – Waylon Jennings and Willie Nelson, 3 weeks at #1. “In 1969, while staying at the Fort Worth Motel in Fort Worth, Texas, Jennings was inspired to start writing the song when he saw advertising in a newspaper promoting Tina Turner as a ‘good-hearted woman loving a two-timing man’, a reference to Ike Turner.” Per here.

Teddy Bear  – Red Sovine, 3 weeks at #1

One Piece at a Time –  Johnny Cash, two weeks at #1. I own this silly song on two different CDs, a greatest hits compilation and a disc considered a comedy collection

El Paso City` – Marty Robbins. I found a Robbins greatest hits CD in my late FIL’s collection and kept it. This song refers to Robbins’ big hit El Paso.

(I’m a) Stand by My Woman Man – Ronnie Milsap, two weeks at #1

I Don’t Want to Have to Marry You – Jim Ed Brown and Helen Cornelius, two weeks at #1

You and Me – Tammy Wynette, two weeks at #1

Someone Somewhere (Don’t Know What He’s Missin’ Tonight) – Loretta Lynn, two weeks at #1. I remember this song well, though I never owned it

Good Woman Blues  – Mel Tillis, two weeks at #1

Thinking of a Rendezvous – Johnny Duncan, two weeks at #1

Sweet Dreams – Emmylou Harris, two weeks at #1. I had several Harris albums in the 1970s but not this song.

One week

All of the other songs are one week at number one. In chronological order:

This Time I’ve Hurt Her More Than She Loves Me – Conway Twitty

Sometimes – Bill Anderson and Mary Lou Turner

The White Knight – Cletus Maggard. A trucking song I had NOT known.

The Roots of My Raising – Merle Haggard

Faster Horses (The Cowboy and The Poet) – Tom T. Hall

Till The Rivers All Run Dry –  Don Williams

That’s enough for now. More in a few days.

#1 pop hits of 1966

two by the Beatles, two by the Supremes

Here are the #1 pop hits of 1966. Well, some of them. All will be made clear eventually.

I’m A Believer – the Monkees, #1 for 7 weeks. The first week actually started on the last day of 1966. Written by Neil Diamond. 

The Ballad of the Green Berets – s/Sgt Barry Sadler, #1 for five weeks. Also #1 AC (adult contemporary) for 5 weeks, and #2 CW (counry) for two weeks. Four years ago, I wrote a whole post about the song.

(You’re My) Soul and Inspiration – the Righteous Brothers, #1 for 3 weeks, #2 RB (rhythm and blues). One of the relatively few singles I owned.

Monday, Monday – the Mamas and the Papas, #1 for 3 weeks. “Can’t trust that day.”

Summer In The City – the Lovin’ Spoonful, #1 for 3 weeks. I played this (poorly) on my grandmother’s piano.

Cherish – the Association, #1 for 3 weeks, #38 AC

We Can Work It Out– the Beatles, #1 for 3 weeks. I was always fond of this because it was so clearly a Lennon-and-McCartney song. From the Yesterday… and Today album, which I bought at a Rexall drug store for $2.99, the first Beatles album I did NOT get from the Capitol Records Club.  

Winchester Cathedral – the New Vaudeville Band, #1 for 3 weeks. Also #1 AC for four weeks. If I pinch my nose with two fingers, I can sort of approximate the vocal stylings of the song.

My Love – Petula Clark, 2 weeks at #1, #4 AC

When A Man Loves A Woman – Percy Sledge, 2 weeks at #1; #1 RB for four weeks 

Paint It, Black – the Rolling Stones, 2 weeks at #1. This is the lead track of the first Stones album I ever purchased, Aftermath, though the song does NOT appear on the UK version of the LP.

Hanky Panky – Tommy James and the Shondells, 2 weeks at #1; #39 RB

Wild Thing – the Troggs, 2 weeks at #1. “But I wanna know for sure.”

Motown

You Can’t Hurry Love – the Supremes, 2 weeks at #1; also #1 RB for two weeks. This was on The Supremes A Go-Go, which my sister Leslie owned. Much later, I bought it on CD.

Reach Out I’ll BBe There – the Four Tops, 2 weeks at #1; also #1 RB for four weeks.. This was on the great The Supremes Sing Holland-Dozier-Holland album, which I owned.  

You Keep Me Hanging On – the Supremes, 2 weeks at #1; also #1 RB for four weeks. I owned this on the great The Supremes Sing Holland-Dozier-Holland album.  

The Sound of Silence – Simon & Garfunkel, 2 weeks at #1 . It’s the title song of an album I didn’t buy until after I got Bookends (1968).  The original version, which appeared on Wednesday Morning, 3 A.M., I didn’t purchase until well after I bought the Bridge Over Troubled water album in 1970.  From Wikipedia: Throughout the month of January 1966 “The Sound of Silence” had a one-on-one battle with the Beatles’ “We Can Work It Out” for the number one spot on the Billboard Hot 100. “The Sound of Silence” was number one for the weeks of January 1 and 22 and number two for the intervening two weeks. “We Can Work It Out” held the top spot for the weeks of January 8, 15, and 29, and it was number two for the two weeks that “The Sound of Silence” was number one.

Paperback Writer – the Beatles, 2 weeks at #1. Though it was recorded during the Revolver sessions, it was a stand-alone single (b/w Rain). I didn’t own it until I bought the peculiar Beatles Again/Hey Jude album when it came out in 1969. Oh, today is Ringo Starr’s 86th birthday. 

I will revisit the topic soon with the one week at #1 pop songs, PLUS other #1s on non-Billboard charts. 

#1 R&B Hits for 1956

These are the #1 R&B Hits for 1956. There are a total of 79 weeks represented, as there were charts for Juke Boxes, Best Sellers, and those played by Disc Jockeys.

Honky Tonk (Parts 1 & 2) – Bill Doggett (King), 13 weeks at #1; #2 pop for three weeks

The Great Pretender – The Platters, 11 weeks at #1 (also #1 pop)

Blueberry Hill – Fats Domino (Imperial), 11 weeks at #1; #2 pop for three weeks

I’m In Love Again – Fats Domino (Imperial) , 9 weeks at #1; #3 pop for two weeks. Written by Domino and Dave Bartholomew

Long Tall Sally – Little Richard and His Band (Specialty), 8 weeks at #1; #6 pop

Hound Dog/Don’t Be Cruel – Elvis Presley, 6 weeks at #1 )also #1 pop)

Why Do Fools Fall In Love – The Teenagers Featuring Frankie Lymon (Gee), 5 weeks at #1; #6 pop. Lymon co-wrote the song and was 13 when he recorded it.

Fever – Little Willie John with Orchestra (King), 5 weeks at #1; #24 pop

Let The Good Times Roll – Shirley & Lee (Aladdin), 3 weeks at #1; #20 pop. Written by Leonard Lee.

Drown In My Own Tears – Ray Charles and his Band (Atlantic), 2 weeks at #1; did not chart pop

Rip It Up – Little Richard and his Band (Specialty), 2 weeks at #1; #17 pop. Co-written by Otis Blackwell.

My Prayer – The Platters, 2 weeks at #1 (also #1 pop)

At My Front Door – The El Dorados (Vee-Jay), 1 week at #1; #17 pop

Treasure Of Love – Clyde McPhatter (Atlantic), 1 week at #1; #16 pop. Founded the Drifters in 1953.

#1 pop hits of 1956

Aura Lee

These are the #1 pop hits of 1956. You might guess who dominated the charts; it was the guy who made his debut on the Ed Sullivan Show in September of that year.

Every song went at least gold. Note that, because of the multiple charts in that era, there were 83 weeks of #1 songs.

Don’t Be Cruel/  Hound Dog  – Elvis Presley (RCA Victor), 11 weeks at #1, quadruple platinum. Written byOtis Blackwell and Leiber/Stoller, respectively.

Singing The Blues – Guy Mitchell with Ray Coniff and his orchestra (Columbia), 10 weeks at #1. I heard this song more often on the radio than any song on the list.

The Wayward Wind – Gogi Grant; orchestra under the direction of Buddy Bregman (Era), 8 weeks at #1

Heartbreak Hotel – Elvis Presley (RCA Victor), 8 weeks at #1, double platinum. His first RCA single.  Song credited to Mae Boren Axton, Tommy Durden, and Elvis Presley

Rock and Roll Waltz – Kay Starr, orchestra and chorus conducted by Hugo Winterhalter (RCA Victor), 6 weeks at #1

The Poor People Of Paris – Les Baxter and his Orchestra (Capitol), 6 weeks at #1. Instrumental. I know this song! But I didn’t recognize the title.

Memories Are Made of This  – Dean Martin with The Easy Riders, orchestra conducted by Dick Stabile (Capitol),  6 weeks at #1

I know that tune from grade school!

Love Me Tender – Elvis Presley (RCA Victor), 5 weeks at #1, triple platinum. From the 20th Century Fox production of the same name, Elvis’ first film.  Song attributed to Elvis Presley-Vera Matson, based on the old folk tune “Aura Lee”

My Prayer – The Platters (Mercury), 5 weeks at #1; initially made famous by both Glenn Miller and The Ink Spots.

Lisbon Antigua – Nelson Riddle and his Orchestra (Capitol), 4 weeks at #1. Instrumental, piano by Stan Wrightsman

I Almost Lot My Mind– Pat Boone, orchestra and chorus conducted by Billy Vaughn (Dot), 4 weeks at #1. “Reviving” a 1950 R&B hit by Ivory Joe Hunter.

The Green Door – Jim Lowe with the High Fives, piano and orchestra by Bob “Hutch” Davie (Dot), 3 weeks at #1. You’d think I’d have heard a song with this title, but I do not recall it.

Moonglow and The Theme From “Picnic” – Morris Stoloff and the Columbia Pictures Orchestra (Decca), 3 weeks at #1. Instrumental from the movie.

The Great Pretender – The Platters (Mercury), 2 weeks at #1. Per The 45 Prof: “Tony Williams purportedly had a head cold and stuffy nose when he recorded this unforgettable #1 pop & R&B hit.”

Hot Diggity (Dog Ziggity Boom)- Perry Como, orchestra conducted by Mitchell Ayres, with The Ray Charles Singers (RCA Victor), 1 week at #1

I Want You I Need You I Love You – Elvis Presley (RCA Victor), 1 week at #1, platinum.  Elvis’ second RCA Victor single (released between “Heartbreak Hotel” and “Hound Dog/Don’t Be Cruel”).

#1 rhythm and blues hits for 1946

“jump music”

(Virtually the same intro as last week!)

These are the #1 rhythm and blues hits of 1946. Unlike the pop charts, which had 20 songs covering 96 weeks, there is only a handful here. That’s the function of the fact that in 1946, there was only one chart showing the most popular R&B songs.

When it was established in 1942, the chart was called the Harlem Hit Parade. In February 1945, it changed to Most Played Juke Box Race Records. It wasn’t until 1948 that Billboard tracked best-selling records, and not until 1955 that they followed the disc jockey’s most-played records. So, in the late 50s, you may see a lot more records, unless jukebox, sales, and radio play agree.

That is, until 13 October 1958, when they consolidated all the charts into what became Hot R&B Sides.

Choo Choo Ch’Boogie – Louis Jordan and His Tympany Five (Decca), 18 weeks at #1. “Far and away the most popular rhythm ‘n blues recording artist of the decade.” 

Hey! Ba-Ba-Re-Bop – Lionel Hampton and His Orchestra (Decca), 16 weeks at #1, co-written by Hampton. I always loved how the last chorus is off the beat. Half a dozen of his albums are in my collection. 

Buzz Me -Louis Jordan and His Tympany Five, 9 weeks at #1. He was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as an Early Influencer in 1987. His page notes, “The supreme ruler of Forties R&B. Louis Jordan topped the R&B charts for a total of one hundred thirteen weeks, an unheard of accomplishment.”  I have one Jordan compilation CD.

Justifiable homicide?

Stone Cold Dead In The Market (He Had It Coming) -Ella Fitzgerald and Louis Jordan and His Tympani Five, 5 weeks at #1

The Gypsy – Ink Spots (Decca), 3 weeks at #1. The only song on the list that crossed over to the pop charts that year

Ain’t That Just Like A Woman (They’ll Do It Every Time)-Louis Jordan and His Tympany Five, 2 weeks at #1. I love the guitar intro, which sounds REALLY familiar.

Don’t Worry About That Mule – Louis Jordan and His Tympany Five, 1 week at #1. An NPR bio from 2008.