Friday Fives: Billboard Chart Week!
OK, so I like to go all nostalgia-like with music. It comes with being over a certain age, and having a deep, abiding love of music. And I’ve always liked charts (as in music charts)–perhaps I have a thing for lists? Who knows. Anyway, a few weeks ago I gave you the top five singles in the British singles charts from 45, 35, 25, 15, and 5 years ago. This week, I want to do the same for the US Billboard singles chart. I hope you find some songs here that bring back fond memories, or that you’ve never heard before and enjoy.
Week Ending April 1, 1967
- Happy Together: The Turtles
- Dedicated to the One I Love: The Mamas and the Papas
- Penny Lane/Strawberry Fields Forever: The Beatles
- There’s a Kind of Hush: Herman’s Hermits
- Bernadette: The Four Tops
If you recall “Penny Lane”/”Strawberry Fields Forever” was the first Beatles single not to make number 1 in the British charts since 1963. It was a different story in the US where it reached number 1, albeit for just one week, two weeks ago.
Week Ending April 1, 1977
- Rich Girl: Daryl Hall & John Oates
- Dancing Queen: ABBA
- Don’t Give Up on Us: David Soul
- Don’t Leave Me This Way: Thelma Houston
- Love Theme From “A Star Is Born” (Evergreen): Barbra Streisand
All of these songs made it to number 1 at some point.
Week Ending April 4, 1987
- Nothing’s Gonna Stop Us Now: Starship
- Lean on Me: Club Nouveau
- Tonight, Tonight, Tonight: Genesis
- Let’s Wait Awhile: Janet Jackson
- Come Go with Me: Expose
Starship was formed when Paul Kantner, the only former member of Jefferson Airplane in Jefferson Starship, left Jefferson Starship and sued over the use of the band’s name. The legal decision was that neither Paul Kantner nor Jefferson Starship could use the names “Jefferson” or “Airplane” in their subsequent band names unless all the former members of Jefferson Airplane agreed. The band thus changed their name to just Starship.
Week Ending April 5, 1997
- Can’t Nobody Hold Me Down: Puff Daddy featuring Mase
- Wannabe: Spice Girls
- You Were Meant for Me/Foolish Games: Jewel
- All By Myself: Celine Dion
- In My Bed: Dru Hill
“All By Myself” was Celine’s cover of Eric Carmen’s 1975 hit, based on the second movement of Rachmaninoff’s Piano Concerto No. 2 in Cm.
Week Ending March 31, 2007
- Glamorous: Fergie featuring Ludacris
- This Is Why I’m Hot: MIMS
- Don’t Matter: Akron
- Cupid’s Chokehold: Gym Class Heroes featuring Patrick Stump
- The Sweet Escape: Gwen Stefani featuring Akron
Have a great Friday!
Aw, some of my favourites are up there. I love Dancing Queen and Nothing’s Going to Stop Us Now. Then I get to 2007 and I don’t recognise any of it. The strange thing is my mum probably would. I’m not entirely sure how she comes to know modern day artists and I have no clue who most of these people are.
I fear I get that same feeling after 1997! And there’s your mum putting us both to shame… good for her! 🙂
I knew everything from ’67, ’77, and ’87. Only two from ’97 – and one of those was a cover of an oldie, and forget 2007!