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JUMP TO:
• 1995 – ON BENDED KNEE / Boys II Men
• 1985 – LIKE A VIRGIN / Madonna
• 1975 – LUCY IN THE SKY WITH DIAMONDS / Elton John featuring the Reggae Guitars of Dr. Winston O’Boogie
• 1965 – I FEEL FINE / The Beatles
• EXTRA – SHE’S A WOMAN (B-side of I Feel Fine) / The Beatles
• VIDEO – ON BENDED KNEE / Boys II Men
According to the eBook editions of the invaluable publications from Joel Whitburn’s Record Research of data from Billboard magazine’s music charts – widely used in both the radio and record industries because of their accuracy – there were 837 singles that topped the Hot 100 in the 40-year period between January, 1956 and December, 1995. And the deep music vault here at House of the Hits has every one of them!
So, rather than let them sit idle on the vault’s digital hard drives, I thought that I’d begin presenting them over them over the next 52 weeks (and into 2017) for your listening pleasure – and virtually all of them in crystal-clear HD audio!
Each of the blog posts (3-4 per week) will contain four #1 songs, in exact 10-year separations (e.g.1991-1981-1971-1961), so that the changing styles and genres of music from corresponding weeks/decades can be seen and compared.
By early ’17, all 837 chart-toppers from each of those years will comprise a permanent archive found HERE and you can bookmark this link for future instant access.
Clearly, 2016 at House of the Hits will embrace la crème de la crème!
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[Note] For fans of statistics, for the three complete decades in this time period (60’s-80’s) the Seventies decade had the most #1’s with 252 (ah, yes, the music decade where AOR meant ‘All-Over-the-Road’), the Eighties had 231 and the Sixties, with 202, had the least.
Furthermore, across the full 40-year span, 1974 and 1975 had the most chart-toppers (34 each) and 1994 the fewest with just 9.
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[NOTE]
Due to copyright issues, some audio song files may not play on tablets,
smartphones and connected devices. A PC, Mac or laptop may be required.
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#1 / January 16th, 1995
ON BENDED KNEE
Boyz II Men
(1994)
Number One: 6 weeks
Replaced: I’LL MAKE LOVE TO YOU / Boyz II Men
Succeeded by: HERE COMES THE HOTSTEPPER / Ini Kamoze
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The years 1994 and 1995 remarkably saw only 20 records combined reach and maintain the top spot on the Hot 100.
That’s attributed to the dominance of just a handful of artists during that 24-month period: Mariah Carey, Madonna, TLC, Montell Jordan and the boy bands All-4-One and Boyz II Men. Collectively, they hogged #1 for an astonishing 76 weeks out of 104!
Clearly, the dominator was Boyz II Men, who logged almost one half of that aggregate amount (36 weeks) – 16 of which were from a shared collaboration with Mariah Carey – 1995’s year-end chart-topper One Sweet Day.
[Trivia Bits] Boyz II Men‘s impressive resume actually began in the fall of 1992, when their super hit End Of The Road lasted 13 weeks on top.
That ended Elvis Presley‘s 36-year record for consecutive weeks at #1 during the pop music era. 1956’s Don’t Be Cruel b/w Hound Dog prevailed for 11 weeks.
In late ’94 the quartet broke their own recently established record, putting together a 14-week run at #1 with I’ll Make Love To You – which was then succeeded by On Bended Knee.
Other #1 Singles by BOYZ II MEN (5)
• 1992 / END OF THE ROAD
• 1994 / I’LL MAKE LOVE TO YOU
• 1995 / ONE SWEET DAY (Mariah Carey & Boyz II Men)
• 1997 / 4 SEASONS OF LONELINESS
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VIDEO
ON BENDED KNEE
Boys II Men
[1994]
(Official Video)
The official music video was filmed in New Orleans, Louisiana and includes footage from Audubon Park, the streetcar, and the French Quarter.
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#1 / January 16th, 1985
LIKE A VIRGIN
Madonna
[1984]
Number One: 6 weeks
Replaced: OUT OF TOUCH / Daryl Hall and John Oates
Succeeded by: I WANT TO KNOW WHAT LOVE IS / Foreigner
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Until recording Like A Virgin, Madonna had scored hits with 1983’s Holiday (#16) and 1984’s Borderline (#10, million-seller) and Lucky Star (#4).
But it was this, her final single of 1984, which launched Detroit’s Madonna Louise Veronica Ciccone into pop music’s stratosphere.
LAV cracked #1 on Billboard the week ending December 22 of ’74 and held onto it for 6 weeks.
[Trivia Bit] Like A Virgin was written by Billy Steinberg (also Linda Ronstadt‘s 1979 Top 10 hit How Do I Make You) and Tom Kelly, and produced by Nile Rodgers (Chic, Sister Sledge, Diana Ross, Duran Duran and many others).
Other #1 Singles by MADONNA (12)
• 1985 / CRAZY FOR YOU
• 1986 / LIVE TO TELL
• 1986 / PAPA DON’T PREACH
• 1987 / OPEN YOUR HEART
• 1987 / WHO’S THAT GIRL
• 1989 / LIKE A PRAYER
• 1990 / VOGUE
• 1991 / JUSTIFY MY LOVE
• 1992 / THIS USED TO BE MY PLAYGROUND
• 1995 / TAKE A BOW
• 2000 / MUSIC
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#1 / January 16th, 1975
LUCY IN THE SKY WITH DIAMONDS
Elton John featuring the Reggae Guitars of Dr. Winston O’Boogie
[1974]
(Extended Version)
Number One: 2 weeks
Replaced: ANGIE BABY / Helen Reddy
Succeeded by: MANDY / Barry Manilow
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Elton John‘s cover version of The Beatles classic from their quintessential album Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club was recorded in Colorado.
Based in the Rocky Mountains, the studio was called Caribou Ranch – a converted barn on property situated beside a road that leads to the ghost town of Caribou, CO (also the title of Elton’s 1974 album he recorded there).
Because of the abiding belief that Lucy In The Sky With Diamonds was a long-form title for the acronym “LSD” – but which the Beatles have repeatedly denied – seemingly the upper altitude air wasn’t the only thing relating to a “high.”
[Trivia Bit] John Lennon himself (Dr. Winston O’Boogie) played and sang back-up vocals on this one for Elton as repayment of a favor when EJ played piano and organ, plus added vocals on Lennon’s solo hit from two month prior, Whatever Gets You Thru The Night.
Other #1 Singles by ELTON JOHN (9)
• 1973 / CROCODILE ROCK
• 1974 / BENNIE AND THE JETS
• 1975 / PHILADELPHIA FREEDOM
• 1975 / ISLAND GIRL
• 1976 / DON’T GO BREAKING MY HEART (Elton John and Kiki Dee)
• 1986 / THAT’S WHAT FRIENDS ARE FOR (Dionne and Friends)
• 1992 / DON’T LET THE SUN GO DOWN ON ME (George Michael with Elton John)
• 1997 / CANDLE IN THE WIND 1997
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#1 / January 16th, 1965
I FEEL FINE
The Beatles
[1964]
(U.S. Single Version)
Number One: 3 weeks
Replaced: COME SEE ABOUT ME / The Supremes
Succeeded by: DOWNTOWN / Petula Clark
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Needless to say, 1964 was a colossal year for The Beatles, but here’s a different look at their unparalleled success based purely on Billboard chart data:
Between January 18th and October 24th of ’64, the Fab Four placed 28 different singles on the Hot 100 – a feat which to this day remains unmatched for that timeframe.
Beginning on the latter date, a relative (for them) drought of non-chart-appearances lasted for five weeks, without a single Beatles’ title to be found on the premier national weekly music listing.
But the dry spell ended on December 5th, when their double-sided 45 I Feel Fine b/w She’s A Woman debuted at #22 and #46, respectively – making it an even 30 charted singles to finish their remarkable year.
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The first recording to intentionally incorporate guitar feedback (at the end of the opening note), I Feel Fine, written by John Lennon, finally hit Billboard’s highest perch on December 26th for a three-week stay. She’s A Woman, written by sung entirely by Paul McCartney, topped out at #4.
[Note] The U.S. single version was remixed by Capitol Records executive Dave Dexter Jr. who added a layer of reverb throughout on both sides of the record – a decision which to the present day is a source of controversy and debate (arbitrarily altering The Beatles original, intended productions).
The American mono single versions of both sides are presented here.
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EXTRA TRAK
SHE’S A WOMAN
The Beatles
[1964]
(B-side of I Feel Fine)
(U.S. Single Version)
[Trivia Bits] The disc became the sixth Beatles #1 single in both the U.S. and the UK – where I Feel Fine and She’s A Woman were non-album singles only.
However, in America, the two ‘reverb’ versions were included on the December 15th release of their Capitol album Beatles ’65.
Other #1 Singles by THE BEATLES (20)
• 1964 / I WANT TO HOLD YOUR HAND
• 1964 / SHE LOVES YOU
• 1964 / CAN’T BUY ME LOVE
• 1964 / LOVE ME DO
• 1964 / A HARD DAY’S NIGHT
• 1965 / EIGHT DAYS A WEEK
• 1965 / TICKET TO RIDE
• 1965 / HELP!
• 1965 / YESTERDAY
• 1966 / WE CAN WORK IT OUT
• 1966 / PAPERBACK WRITER
• 1967 / PENNY LANE
• 1967 / ALL YOU NEED IS LOVE
• 1967 / HELLO GOODBYE
• 1968 / HEY JUDE
• 1969 / GET BACK (The Beatles with Billy Preston)
• 1969 / COME TOGETHER b/w SOMETHING
• 1970 / LET IT BE
• 1970 / THE LONG AND WINDING ROAD b/w FOR YOU BLUE
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Produced & Written By: Rick Murray Hunter / HouseoftheHits.com
Songs Source: The Music Vault of HouseoftheHits Inc.
Billboard® Chart Data: Joel Whitburn’s Record Research (eBook Editions)
References: The Archives of RollingStone.com
The Billboard Book Of Number One Hits (5th Edition) by Fred Bronson
All The Songs: The Story Behind Every Beatles Release (Kindle Edition) by Philippe Margotin and Jean-Michel Guesdon
The Beatles’ Story On Capitol Records / Part One: The Singles (Digital Edition) by Bruce Spizer
The Beatles’ Story On Capitol Records / Part Two: The Albums (Digital Edition) by Bruce Spizer
The website BeatlesBible.com
Record Sleeve & Label Graphics: Courtesy of 45cat
Other #1 Songs on This Date Posts are HERE
