There were two songs that were 1992 #1 hits for a double-digit number of weeks. This is the first time this had happened since the 1950s when there were multiple charts to pad the opportunities. However, the phenomenon would occur three more times during the decade. Unlike 1991, which had 27 chart-toppers, this year had but a dozen.
I Will Always Love You – Whitney Houston, 14 weeks at #1, quadruple platinum record. This is the song from the movie The Bodyguard with Houston and Kevin Costner, which I have never seen. I’m sure that Dolly Parton is happy that she didn’t give away half the publishing rights to Elvis so that he would cover it. Whitney’s track kept If I Ever Love You by Shai out of the top spot for seven weeks, and Rump Shaker by Wreckx-N-Effect for three.
End Of The Road – Boyz II Men, 13 weeks at #1, platinum record. The group would have two even longer streaks in the next three years. This one kept Baby-Baby-Baby by TLC, then Sometimes Just Ain’t Enough by Patty Smyth with Don Henley, out of the top spot for six consecutive weeks EACH. Yes, I own that second Boyz album.
I’m Too Sexy – Right Said Fred, 3 weeks at #1, platinum record. This is listed as a novelty song, and I suppose it is. I own a medley that includes this and Baby Got Back To Be With You – Mr. Big, 3 weeks at #1, gold record
Two weeks at #1
How Do You Talk To An Angel – The Heights, gold record. The #1 song between Whitney and Boyz I’ll Be There – Mariah Carey. The Jackson Five cover, with Trey Lorenz. All 4 Love – Color Me Badd, gold record.
Trapped in a room is the current Sunday Stealing meme hosted by Bev Sykes.
But before that, a Wordle milestone last Tuesday 200 Played, Win 100% 157 Current Streak, 157 Max Streak GUESS DISTRIBUTION 1-0 2-0 3-33 4-37 5-53 6-76
Wordle 458 3/6
🟩⬜⬜⬜🟩 ⬜⬜🟨🟨⬜ 🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩
Now I didn’t win every game. I missed one. But 199/200 is 99.5%, which rounds up to 100%. And now I feel pressure to keep up the streak.
You see that I play VERY conservatively, based on the numbers of 5s and 6s. In fact, almost certainly too much so. My methodology is better for those multiple board games (Duordle, Quordle, Octorodle, etc.)
On the other hand, I don’t understand why, when people have found four letters, they don’t know what the fifth letter is, and there are lots of options left, they don’t find a word that will eliminate multiple choices.
One recent selection was PARER, a terrible word indeed. But the answer might have been PACER (my third pick). It could have been PAGER or PAYER or PAPER; instead of using them in turn, I used GYPSY (my fourth pick), which eliminated the three of them. This left only PAVER, PARER, and PAWER; I had eliminated PALER and PATER in the first two words. The WordleBot scorned my choice of RIVER (my fifth pick), but I then knew there was a second R; and if neither word was there, it’d have to have been PAWER.
Now, onto the quiz
1. If you were trapped in a room with the person who asked this for 24 hours, what would you do? The answer cannot be romantic or sexual.
I assume I’m trapped with Bev. It would depend on the circumstances. Are we in some sort of peril? Is water leaking into the room that will drown us unless MacGiver shows up?
Assuming no peril, I suppose we’d start with a conversation about the usual things, family, work, health. If we have cards and/or board games, we’d probably play something.
2. If you could learn any language instantly, what would it be?
Spanish. I know more people whose native language is Spanish than any other except English.
3. If you could only read one book for the rest of your life, what would it be?
The Bible, ideally with the Apocrypha. It’s less of a theological choice then because it’s very dense.
4. Favorite song lyric?
I’ve picked others in the past, so I’ll go with Indiscipline by King Crimson from the great Discipline album.
I do remember one thing. It took hours and hours, but… by the time I was done with it, I was so involved, I didn’t know what to think. I carried it around with me for days and days… playing little games like not looking at it for a whole day and then… looking at it. To see if I still liked it. I did.
I repeat myself when under stress. I repeat myself when under stress. I repeat myself when under stress. I repeat myself when under stress. I repeat…
Impossible question, as it’s changeable, often depending on what I’ve listened to recently. And I listen to music all of the time. I will say that I’m a sucker for eclectic pop albums. This would include Revolver – The Beatles; Spike – Elvis Costello; and That’s A’Plenty – the Pointer Sisters.
6. Which time of day would you say is best for you work-wise?
I write best in the morning.
7. What do you think people assume about you from first glance?
I have no idea.
8. Favorite city that you haven’t visited?
Paris.
9. If you received $10,000 but had to give it away, what would you do with it?
There are so many worthy charities it’d be easy. I’ll pick the FOCUS Churches Food Pantry. On the other hand, you (yes, YOU) could participate in the FFAPL Silent Auction.
10. What is one book you wish you could get all your friends to read?
I have ZERO desire to mandate that people read, watch, or listen to anything.
11. What is one movie you wish you could get all your friends to watch?
Ditto.
12. If you could create one thing, what would it be?
A time machine. I have unanswered questions about my late parents I cannot answer.
13. If you could play any musical instrument, what would it be?
Piano or some keyboard instrument. I took piano lessons at about 12 for a year, but they never took.
14. What is your favorite item of clothing?
Somewhere in this house is a nifty beret.
15. What is your favorite card/board game?
Cards: hearts or pinochle. Board games: though I haven’t played lately, SCRABBLE.
When Holland–Dozier–Holland was a songwriting and production team for Motown in the 1960s, Lamont Dozier and Brian Holland were the composers and producers for each song, and Eddie Holland wrote the lyrics and arranged the vocals.
Here are more songs by Brian-Lamont-Eddie that I own, excluding most of the big hits of the Supremes, who will be covered separately. H-D-H wrote 10 of the Supremes’ 12 US No. 1 singles.
Nowhere To Run – Martha and the Vandellas, #8 pop, #5 RB in 1965 Whisper You Love Me Boy – The Supremes, B-side of Back In My Arms Again, 1965 I Can’t Help Myself (Sugar Pie, Honey Bunch) – The Four Tops, #1 pop, and RB in 1965 It’s The Same Old Song – The Supremes, album cut in 1967 (Orig. The Four Tops, #5, pop, #2 RB in 1965) Take Me In Your Arms (Rock Me a Little While) – The Doobie Brothers, #11 pop in 1975 (Orig. Kim Weston, #50 pop, #4 RB in 1965 Love (Makes Me Do Foolish Things) – Martha and the Vandellas, #70 pop, #22 RB in 1965
I Guess I’ll Always Love You – The Supremes, album cut in 1967 (Orig. The Isley Brothers, #61 pop, #31 RB in 1966) You Can’t Hurry Love – Phil Collins, #10 pop in 1982 (Orig. The Supremes, #1 pop and RB in 1966) Little Darling (I Need You) – The Doobie Brothers, #48 in 1977 (Orig. Marvin Gaye, #47 pop, #10 RB in 1966 Reach Out I’ll Be There – The Four Tops, #1 pop, and RB in 1966 Love’s Gone Bad – Chris Clark, #41 pop in 1966. Looking for the video, I found a version by Michael Jackson, released in 1984 but clearly recorded earlier
And speaking of which: Rings of Power Cast Slams Racist Threats Against Performers: “Middle-Earth Is Not All White.” This hurts my head. Someone wrote, and I’ve misplaced the attribution, I’m afraid: “When did we stop being able to just sit down and enjoy something that’s been created? Just take all shows and movies as fan fiction of any book that they take it from and enjoy the creators’ stories.”
Sah Quah: More than twenty years after the American Civil War, an enslaved Alaskan walked into a Sitka courtroom and sued for his freedom
The Church Left on the Curb: A chance trash-day encounter reveals a 170-year institutional history
Nebraska HS newspaper and journalism program shut down over student-written commentary on LGBTQ+ issues. The shutdown of the prize-winning student newspaper after 54 years occurred because an edition in June contained student-written commentary on LGBTQ+ issues, the origins of Pride Month, and the history of homophobia, material members of the local school board considered inappropriate.
Demographics
U.S. life expectancy drops sharply, the second consecutive decline
Most and Least Ethnically Diverse Cities in the U.S.
Demographic divide – the key differences in media and entertainment that continue to evolve between younger and older Americans.
New Data Reveal Inequality in Retirement Account Ownership
When and How Often People Marry Changes by Birth Cohort
MUSIC
Behind the Beats article about Rebecca Jade by the Smooth Jazz Network!
There were two songs that were 1992 #1 hits for a double-digit number of weeks. This is the first time this had happened since the 1950s when there were multiple charts to pad the opportunities. However, the phenomenon would occur three more times during the decade. Unlike 1991, which had 27 chart-toppers, this year had but a dozen.
When Holland–Dozier–Holland was a songwriting and production team for Motown in the 1960s, Lamont Dozier and Brian Holland were the composers and producers for each song, and Eddie Holland wrote the lyrics and arranged the vocals.