SheriffFatman
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Post by SheriffFatman on Nov 3, 2020 10:34:13 GMT 1
Of the five question words, three make it into the Top 30, Where just missed (37th, 90 songs) and Why didn't make the Top 50. What are the five? From Journalism training I can vaguely remember who, what, when, where, why and how, that's six. Arguably there's which and were too, maybe more I haven't thought of. Have? Do? I'm confused...
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SheriffFatman
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Post by SheriffFatman on Nov 3, 2020 10:28:09 GMT 1
How Soon Is Now? is way out ahead I reckon, amazing track. A few others worth mentioning... How Was It For You? by James How To Save A Life by The Fray How Will I Know? by The Lemonheads (already mentioned by Whitney Houston buit this is unquestionably the definitive version ) How You Remind Me by Nickelback (they get a lot of stick but I don't care, that's an excellent song) I'm going to post a less well known one that I absolutely love though, The Strawbs featuring Sandy Denny with How Everyone But Sam Was A Hypocrite
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Post by SheriffFatman on Nov 2, 2020 23:13:15 GMT 1
I love this thread! Lots of my favourites have already been on here, I feel like Sweet Little Mystery by Wet Wet Wet deserves a mention.
It wise, I don’t think I’ve seen...
It Ain’t Over ‘Til It’s Over by Lenny Kravitz It Ain’t What You Do It’s The Way That You Do It by Bananarama & Funboy Three (extra points for ending with ‘It’ too?) It Doesn’t Matter by Wyclef Jean featuring The Rock & Melky Sedek It Was A Good Day by Ice Cube
All of those are excellent!
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SheriffFatman
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Post by SheriffFatman on Nov 2, 2020 17:10:05 GMT 1
644 - Song 2 by Blur No. 2 in 1997
This is track 2 from the album Blur, the second single to be released from the album, and it's two minutes and two seconds long, so it seems wonderfully appropriate, even deliberate if such a thing were possible, that it reached number 2 in the charts. The song which denied it the top spot was R. Kelly's abominable I Believe I Can Fly. Rarely has there been a greater contrast in styles in the top 2 singles, or in quality for that matter.
Song 2 is an absolute blast of raw energy. Blur trod a path through the 90s of wonderfully varied music. Tagging them with the Britpop brand was fair enough, but somewhat belied their ability to weave different styles into their output that was quite unlike many of the most popular bands of the time. This track veers upon heavy metal, to the point where Damon actually shouts those very words at the start of the chorus. Well I guess it's more grunge if you want to be picky, but "When I feel grunge" wouldn't have scanned as well. I wonder if the track was ever so slightly conceived as a joke, in structure and style it's certainly unlike anything else Blur or anyone else was doing at the time, somehow though it works very well. It sounds almost like it could be the one massive moment in the spotlight for an American one hit wonder college rock band.
Although Song 2 has undeniably had a lasting impact, its original chart run showed no signs of this at all. Entering at number 2 but only managing 1 week in the top 10 and 3 in the top 40, it appeared at first to be the very definition of a fanbase buy which failed to catch on with the general public. A hint that it might be having a longer term impact came nearly a year later when it appeared at number 98 in the charts, maybe it was consistently selling a few thousand as a CD single. It must have sold bucketloads in the digital era to have made it onto this list though, and for some reason it did manage a further week at no. 64 in 2012. Sadly, for what I consider to be one of the best and most consistent bands of my adult life, it is Blur's only millionaire.
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SheriffFatman
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Post by SheriffFatman on Nov 1, 2020 21:32:29 GMT 1
645 - Ghost Town by The Specials No. 1 in 1981
Seems like it would have made more sense to be discussing a song with the word Ghost in the title yesterday, but I don’t make the rules. Well, I kind of do, but in an unplanned, haphazard way which means no one is really in control.
There are few songs on this list that have generated as much debate and analysis as this one, about the way it was recorded, the resulting sound, the timing of the release, and its impact. It’s one of those tracks that is universally acclaimed, and deservedly so, so it’s a pleasure to find enough people are appreciating it in the digital age for it to have been bumped onto this list.
Ghost Town was recorded as The Specials acrimoniously fell apart, it wasn’t the cause of the upset but it was arguably a product of it. The track’s inescapable gloom seems like the perfect soundtrack to good things coming to an end, and so it came to pass. The Specials apparently finally agreed to split up back stage at Top of the Pops, where they’d gone to perform this song.
The subject matter, inner city crime, industrial decay and economic decline, was inspired by the band’s vision of England while touring in 1980, and particularly by riots that year in Bristol and London. The timing of its release, in summer 1981, coincided with more riots, but this time on a much bigger scale and far more widespread throughout the country, and its 3 weeks at number one in July made it the accidental soundtrack to massive social unrest. The band obvouly never capitalised on what became their commercial peak, but the song became absolutely iconic.
I wonder if the uniqueness of this song lies partly in the fact that ska was almost always positive sounding. It was certainly not a genre which had shied away from topical subjects, as in The Specials’ previous chart topper Too Much Too Young, but it was always music you could bop around to. Ghost Town is resolutely not aimed at the dance floor, and as such it immediately grabs your attention. There is something different happening here.
The track has never re-charted, so must be selling well under the radar, especially at Halloween I imagine. Wikipedia claims it also found new life online during the first Coronavirus lockdown. As we head into the second one it does still seem strangely appropriate.
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Post by SheriffFatman on Oct 31, 2020 9:54:37 GMT 1
647 - Dance With Me Tonight by Olly Murs No. 1 in 2011
This one starts with one of those spoken word, jazz club style artist introductions, exactly like Senorita by Justin Timberlake. In fact the whole track is very derivative, all trumpets with a consciously white soul sound. That said, it’s not bad I suppose, certainly a song that doesn’t take itself too seriously, and we all need a bit of fun sometimes.
This is, therefore, one of those shock moments when someone who’s in some way associated with the X-Factor made a record that’s not terrible. From a chart perspective this track arguably came at peak X-Factor, the pinnacle of Simon Cowell’s reign of terror. It entered at number 2 and spent a fortnight there before knocking off one of those awful finalists’ ensemble records, Wishing On A Star by X-Factor Finalists 2011. It managed one week at the top before being deposed by that year’s winners, Little Mix with their pointless rendition of Damien Rice’s Cannonball. I remember wishing they’d done The Breeders’ Cannonball instead.
Dance With Me Tonight was Olly Murs’ third of four number ones. Ant & Dec style, his TV presenting career seems to have taken priority over being a pop star, I expect it pays better.
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SheriffFatman
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Post by SheriffFatman on Oct 30, 2020 16:53:59 GMT 1
Update: After having "de dur de du de dur de dur dur" suck in my head for half of the day, I realised I needed to start listening to crap boyband songs to work out where I'd heard that hook from Blame by Calvin Harris before.
Now I've got it - it's World Of Our Own by Westlife! The chorus is the exact same tune, you can sing the words over Calvin's version. Did he have to pay Louis Walsh any money?
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Post by SheriffFatman on Oct 30, 2020 12:25:35 GMT 1
647 - Blame by Calvin Harris featuring John Newman No. 1 in 2014
When this song starts the tune in the first verse reminds me of Boys That Sing by Viola Beach, I was looking forward to accusing Calvin Harris of plagerism, so I was disappointed to find it predates that track by 2 years. The main instrumental hook reminds me of something too, but I can't work out what, which is quite annoying.
This track, and indeed Calvin Harris' entire career, hit right in the middle of a blind spot I have where music appreciation is concerned. Since approximately 1993, about 95% of dance music has sounded dull to me, just like a wall of soulless sound lacking anything to draw me in. The appeal of the likes of Calvin Harris and David Guetta have always been a mystery, they just seem to be relentlessly uninteresting. I have a very wide ranging taste, from a love of hip hop through a lifetime of listening to pop and indie to an ever growing obsession with folk music, I even really like a lot of early dance music from the late 80s and early 90s, but I just never got this uber bland super club stuff. Maybe the source of my dislike lies there in the word 'club', a good night out to me has always involved conversation with fun and interesting people, preferably a few games of pool, beer in pint glasses and great music in the background. If I've ever been in a situation where the only thing I can hear is music I don't like my instinct has always been to run away. I'm saying that aged 43, but I was exactly the same aged 18.
Blame entered the charts at number 1, but only stayed there for 1 week. There's no denying it was a big hit though, it managed 12 weeks in the top 20. It was Calvin Harris' 7th of 10 number ones so far, putting him in the upper echelons of all time chart success I guess. It was John Newman's third of three chart toppers, and he hasn't had a new hit since 2016, which makes you wonder if he'll ever manage any more.
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Post by SheriffFatman on Oct 29, 2020 17:22:43 GMT 1
648 - Slow Hands by Niall Horan No. 7 in 2017
Well I certainly had to start my research for this one at the basics - Niall who? Turns out that's actually a level of pop knowledge I should be ashamed of, because he used to be in One Direction. I kind of excused myself when I looked up his chart history though, because away from the band he's only ever had 2 top 20 hits, of which this was the biggest. Seems odd though that a three year old track that only reched number 7 should be in the million sellers list, very much a product of the streaming era.
That said, there are many worse songs on the list. I've listened to it about 10 times since panicking yesterday at the realisation that I had to write something about it and wasn't sure I'd ever heard it. If I didn't like it I'd only have bothered twice at most. I think considering it one of the 749 best singles ever is quite a stretch, but it's not bad at all. The guitar is cool, not mmediately catchy but it grows on you. The song itself is subtle and but quite a foot tapper, hell, I might even get up and have a little dance. Only a little one, but a dance nonetheless.
Niall Horan was born in Mullinger, County Westmeath in the Republic of Ireland - another revalation, as I had assumed for no good reason at all that One Direction were all English. Maybe post-Westlife it's obligatory that all boybands have an Irish member. I had already leannt from Sign Of The Times by Harry Styles that it was wrong to assume any former member of One Direction's music would be rubbish, it's good to have that reinforced.
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Post by SheriffFatman on Oct 29, 2020 16:17:12 GMT 1
On the basis that no question is a stupid question - what is an NM number 1?
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Hi
Oct 28, 2020 15:28:34 GMT 1
Post by SheriffFatman on Oct 28, 2020 15:28:34 GMT 1
Hello Can't speak for everyone, but I'm OK
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Post by SheriffFatman on Oct 28, 2020 12:27:15 GMT 1
649 - A Little Less Conversation by Elvis vs JXL No. 1 in 2002
At some point around the age of 11 I became obsessed with The Guiness Book Of British Hit Singles. These books were released every other year, and were primarily a printed database with details of every chart hit of all time. In the front they also had a section of chart feats, and I used to read and reread until I remembered everything, and for the most part, over 30 years later, I still do.
One of the key facts that anyone who was even remotely interested in chart history had to know was that The Beatles and Elvis Presley were tied for the most number one hits, they had 17 each. It seemed entirely appropriate that the two biggest acts in pop history should be equal in this way, but this track is the one that ended it all. Elvis' 18th number one, 25 years after his 17th.
A Little Less Conversation was recorded in 1968 for the now long forgotten film Live A Little, Love A Little. It was a minor hit in the States, I'm not sure if it was even released in the UK. In 2002 Dutch DJ Tom Holkenburg, aka Junkie XL, became the first person the Presley estate had ever granted permission to remix an Elvis original, although they insisted he remove the 'Junkie' from his name for it to be released. The track is a plain and simple dance banger, the extreme opposite of subtle, whatever that is. It veers close to being as irritating as another massive Dutch hit from a decade earlier, Doop by Doop, but the presence of Elvis just about steers it away from novelty record status. I will begrudgingly admit, under pressure, this is a good record.
A Little Less Conversation entered the charts right at the top and stayed there for a month, denying number one status to, amongst others, Stop Crying Your Heart Out by Oasis and By The Way by the Red Hot Chili Peppers. In 2005 RCA embarked on a frankly bizarre reissue campaign of all of Elvis' number ones, which put The King back in the top ten with a different track every week for over 4 months. Inevitably the campaign concluded with this one which, even though it was only 3 years old at the time, went back to number 3 and got another 6 weeks on the charts.
Thanks to that reissue campaign it is now a little confusing as to how many number ones you can say Elvis has had in total, but The Beatles have never gone further than their original 17 so he's still in front. That said, someone like Drake could have over taken him by now, I wouldn't know because they've long since stopped publishing the Guinness books. Despite a few minor hits, this remains JXL's only top 40 single.
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Post by SheriffFatman on Oct 28, 2020 11:57:37 GMT 1
2008 Best 1 Sex On Fire by Kings Of Leon 2 Viva La Vida by Coldplay 3 That's Not My Name by Ting Tings 4 All Summer Long by Kid Rock 5 Dance Wiv Me by Dizzee Rascal featuring Calvin Harris and Chrome
2008 Worst 1 Hero by X Factor Finalists 2008 2 Hallelujah by Alexandra Burke 3 4 Minutes by Madonna featuring Justin Timberlake 4 Greatest Day by Take That 5 Run by Leona Lewis
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Post by SheriffFatman on Oct 28, 2020 11:54:36 GMT 1
I'm a bit behind with these, loving the thread though
2007 Best 1 With Every Heartbeat by Robyn featuring Kleerup 2 Stronger by Kanye West 3 Bleeding Love by Leona Lewis 4 Umbrella by Rihanna featuring Jay-Z 5 Grace Kelly by Mika
2007 worst 1 Walk This Way by Sugababes vs Girls Aloud 2 When You Believe by Leon Jackson 3 I'm Gonna Be (500 Miles) by The Proclaimers featuring Brian Potter and Andy Pipkin 4 Baby's Coming Back / Transylvania by McFly 5 Shine by Take That
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Post by SheriffFatman on Oct 27, 2020 13:20:33 GMT 1
650 - My Girl by The Temptations No. 2 in 1992 (first charted in 1965)
Confusingly, but somewhat typical of the complex Motown story, the song, which went on to become the Temptations signature tune, was written by Claudette Rogers, a member of The Miracles. It was (co-)written by Smokey Robinson about Claudette, his wife. Co-writer Ronald White was also a Miracle.
It also wasn't the first no. 1 single for the Tamla group (it was released on Gordy Records rather than Tamla or Motown). That was "Shop Around" by The Miracles, which topped Cashbox in 1960. The first Billboard topper was "Please Mr Postman" by The Marvelettes. It was however the Temps' first no. 1.
The haphazard way I throw these posts together is something I've always been happy to admit, but confusing the guy from The Miracles who wrote the song with the girlfirend he wrote it about is a new low
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Post by SheriffFatman on Oct 27, 2020 10:40:39 GMT 1
650 - My Girl by The Temptations No. 2 in 1992 (first charted in 1965)
Now a song with a complicated chart history - in 1965 it became Motown's first ever US number one, in the UK it was the 22nd best selling single of 1992.
Confusingly, but somewhat typical of the complex Motown story, the song, which went on to become the Temptations signature tune, was written by Claudette Rogers, a member of The Miracles. It's lyrics tell of pure unadulterated joy, the uncomplicated, absorbing feeling of being in love with your girlfriend. With its simple bassline, brilliantly catchy guitar and uplifting strings, it stays just the right side of corny and has become an absolute pop standard. The only reason you could possibly not like My Girl is if you considered it irritatingly cheerful, but really, if that's your stance, maybe pop music in general is not for you.
A huge US hit in the mid 60s, in the UK it was the Temptations' first chart single but it peaked at number 42. They went on to become chart regulars over the following 20 years, but it wasn't until 1992 that this gave them their biggest hit of all, re-issued after it appeared in the Macauley Culkin film of the same name. It managed two weeks at number 2, behind Shakespeare's Sister's Stay, which I have just realised is not on this list. It really feels like it should be.
1992's reissue appears not to have been the first, as for some reason My Girl had also climbed to the dizzy heights of number 92 in 1986. Based on its chart performance, it must be another one that is doing very well under the radar in the digital era.
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Post by SheriffFatman on Oct 26, 2020 17:15:43 GMT 1
651 -Sultans Of Swing by Dire Straits No. 8 in 1979
Next up the debut single for a band who went on to become one of the biggest album sellers in history. When first released in 1978 this failed to chart, but the following year it hit the top 10 in both the UK and the US, paving the way for stadium filling, globe conquering domination throughout the 1980s.
It's an intriguing track, a song about a band by a band. It would kind of make sense if Dire Straits were introducing themselves to the world as the Sultans Of Swing, a la Eminem on My Name Is, that seems like a logical way to start a successful musical career. This isn't them at all though, The Sultans' trumpet playing and jazz stylings bear little resemblance to Dire Straits' subtle guitar shuffle. Mark Knoffler wrote the song and at first he was concerned it was too dull, and you can sort of see why he thought that. It's a very flat song, especially vocally, his mumble is almost Dylan-like, but somehow the twangy guitar raises it way above what it nearly is into something far far better.
Interesting that this is Dire Straits' biggest single these days though. It's their only one on the million sellers list, and yet I would have guessed Money For Nothing and Walk Of Life, both from their globally successful phase, were just as iconic. Folks still seem to go for the debut though, and fair enough, it's a great track.
Sultans Of Swing spent 2 weeks at number 8 in April 1979. For reasons unknown to me it was reissued in late 1988 and spent six more weeks near the bottom of the charts in three seperate chart runs. None of that is likely to have generated massive sales, so it must be very popular in the digital era.
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SheriffFatman
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Post by SheriffFatman on Oct 26, 2020 14:51:40 GMT 1
Technically I think Yell! were not a Stock Aitken Waterman act, although the track was produced by Phillip Hammond, so I don't really know what the difference is. I like the Mantronix one, sorry. Fantastic bassline. Ha ha, I did of course mean Pete Hammond, Phillip Hammond is a former Chancellor of the Exchequer. Searching Wikipedia for the origin of Yell!'s absolute naffness, I see they were actually signed by Simon Cowell. There we are then.
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Post by SheriffFatman on Oct 26, 2020 12:59:40 GMT 1
Technically I think Yell! were not a Stock Aitken Waterman act, although the track was produced by Phillip Hammond, so I don't really know what the difference is.
I like the Mantronix one, sorry. Fantastic bassline.
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Post by SheriffFatman on Oct 23, 2020 11:17:31 GMT 1
652 - Wrecking Ball by Miley Cyrus No. 1 in 2007
After several days of absolutely excellent songs, along comes a Miley Cyrus track intent on destroying the fun, like some big heavy object swinging around and destroying everything in its wake. If only I could think of an appropriate metaphor.
This one starts off quite pleasantly, there’s something appealing about the melody in the verse, but then it quickly all goes both loud and wrong. Thing is, I do get the not very subtle point that being hit by a wrecking ball would be a sudden and abrupt assault on your senses, which is why the chorus to this song is too. The problem there is that being hit by a wrecking ball would also be incredibly unpleasant, and so is having Miley Cyrus bellow at you. This is a pop song with a massive flaw.
Wrecking Ball certainly has a novelty value, and it’s unquestionably a memorable release, helped somewhat by Miley straddling a wrecking ball in her pants in the video. Musically though, is it actually any good? Er, no.
This track entered the charts at number 1 exactly 7 years ago, keeping Bezerk by Eminem off the top spot. It only managed one week at the top before giving way to the song it knocked off, a resurgent Counting Stars by One Republic. Truly, these were not vintage times for the charts.
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