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JUMP TO:
• 1993 – I WILL ALWAYS LOVE YOU / Whitney Houston
• 1983 – DOWN UNDER / Men At Work
• 1973 – YOU’RE SO VAIN / Carly Simon
• 1963 – GO AWAY LITTLE GIRL / Steve Lawrence
• VIDEO – DOWN UNDER / Men At Work
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,
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#1 / January 24, 1993
I WILL ALWAYS LOVE YOU
Whitney Houston
[1992]
(Single Version)
Number One: 14 weeks
Replaced: HOW DO YOU TALK TO AN ANGEL / The Heights
Succeeded by: A WHOLE NEW WORLD (Aladdin’s Theme) /
Peabo Bryson and Regina Belle
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Whitney Houston’s marathon #1 record found its way to the Kevin Costner film The Bodyguard in an unintended way.
The filmmakers’ first choice was What Becomes Of The Broken Hearted, the 1966 soulful Motown hit by Jimmy Ruffin – along with a new version to be sung by Ms. Houston.
But two things occurred – producer David Foster was having trouble getting the right “take” on the recording by Whitney. Then, around the same time, the film Fried Green Tomatoes introduced a version by UK vocalist Paul Young.
Having to make a quick adjustment, several more Motown hits and tunes by others like the Eagles were considered. But they found their gem on a Linda Ronstadt album – her cover of a Dolly Parton original called I Will Always Love You.
It was the perfect replacement choice, with Houston performing a touching version of the Parton-penned tune using her own uniquely emotional style.
[Trivia Bit] Beginning with the Billboard chart dated November 28, 1992, I Will Always Love You dominated the Hot 100’s #1 position for an amazing 14 weeks!
Other #1 Singles by WHITNEY HOUSTON (11)
• 1985 / SAVING ALL MY LOVE FOR YOU
• 1986 / HOW WILL I KNOW
• 1986 / GREATEST LOVE OF ALL
• 1987 / I WANNA DANCE WITH SOMEBODY (Who Loves Me)
• 1987 / DIDN’T WE ALMOST HAVE IT ALL
• 1988 / SO EMOTIONAL
• 1988 / WHERE DO BROKEN HEARTS GO
• 1990 / I’M YOUR BABY TONIGHT
• 1991 / ALL THE MAN THAT I NEED
• 1995 / EXHALE (Shoop Shoop)
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#1 / January 24th, 1983
DOWN UNDER
Men At Work
[1982]
Number One: 4 weeks
Replaced: MANEATER / Daryl Hall and John Oates
Succeeded by: AFRICA / Toto
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Along with Air Supply (Russell Hitchcock and Graham Russell), the Little River Band and AC/DC, Men At Work were one of the great bands from ‘the land down under’ to achieve international music fame in the early 80’s.
Down Under became the group’s second #1 hit (1982’s Who Can It Be Now?) – in fact, the latter was still in the Top 10 when the former made its chart debut.
A different version of Down Under was previously released in 1980 as the B-side of their first local single titled Keypunch Operator. That was before the band signed with Columbia Records.
The re-release became a #1 single in Australia, America, the UK, Canada, New Zealand and Poland, mate, and was followed by two more Top 10 singles that same year – Overkill (#3) and It’s A Mistake (#6).
Written by MAW lead vocalist/guitarist Colin Hay and lead guitarist Ron Strykert, Down Under topped the Hot 100 in America for 4 weeks in ’83, mate.
[Trivia Bit] Down Under prompted the world to learn about ‘vegemite sandwiches.’ It’s a bread-spread made with brewer’s yeast and mixed with various vegetable additives, called Vegemite.
Other #1 Singles by MEN AT WORK (2)
• 1982 / WHO CAN IT BE NOW?
FURTHER READING:
• MEN AT WORK: Hard Labor Leads To #1
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VIDEO
DOWN UNDER
Men At Work
(“Live” Video)
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#1 / January 24th, 1973
YOU’RE SO VAIN
Carly Simon
[1972]
Number One: 3 weeks
Replaced: ME AND MRS. JONES / Billy Paul
Succeeded by: SUPERSTITION / Stevie Wonder
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Virtually since the record’s release, speculation has persisted about who the subject matter of Carly Simon‘s chart-topper You’re So Vain: Mick Jagger? Actor Warren Beatty? Simon’s then-husband, singer James Taylor? Carly would never say (See the link below).
However, one thing has been known from very early on – Jagger sings the back-up vocals during the song’s chorus.
Simon explained: “It was just one of those things that comes about sort of spontaneously.”
“While we were doing the vocal on it, he just happened to call up the studio and ask if he could come down and visit. I said sure and asked if he’d like to sing backup, and he seemed enthused with the idea.”
“He had sort of a twang in his voice, and I got into it. I slurred into it toward the end of the session. I started hearing myself saying, ‘You’re So Vine,’ so on every successive verse I sang more ‘vine’ than ‘vain.’”
[Trivia Bit] You’re So Vain held the top position for 3 weeks, became Carly’s only number one single, but her first of four million-sellers, later joined by Mockingbird (with James Taylor) (1974 • #5), Nobody Does It Better (1977 • #2) and Jesse (1980 • #11).
FURTHER READING:
• Last November, Lisa Respers France of CNN published a great article on the decades-long speculation – Carly Simon, Warren Beatty And Why We Care About ‘You’re So Vain’
Source: CNN.com
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#1 / January 24th, 1963
GO AWAY LITTLE GIRL
Steve Lawrence
[1962]
Number One: 2 weeks
Replaced: TELSTAR / The Tornadoes
Succeeded by: WALK RIGHT IN / The Rooftop Singers
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Steve Lawrence (real name Sydney Leibowitz) began singing at the age of 8 in a synagogue.
Both a young vocalist and piano player, Lawrence’s talents caught the attention of a local radio DJ, who referred him to a voice coach.
His path to stardom was paved by winning on the Arthur Godfrey’s Talent Scouts TV show which was followed by appearances on comedian Steve Allen’s New York City radio program (Allen later went on to succeed the original host of The Tonight Show, Jack Paar, on NBC television).
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Lawrence’s professional recording career began in 1952, and after a 5-year struggle he scored a Top 5 Billboard hit with a cover of Buddy Knox’s #1 song Party Doll.
More hits followed for the Coral, ABC-Paramount and United Artists labels – some while he was in the army.
He signed with Columbia Records in 1962 and during a four-year tenure Steve scored his only #1 record on this date with Go Away Little Girl.
[Trivia Bits] A cover version by Donny Osmond also topped the Hot 100 – for 3 weeks – in the late summer of 1971.
GALG was written by the great Brill Building husband/wife duo of Gerry Goffin and Carole King.
And from my go-to reference source – the excellent book The Billboard Book Of Number One Hits by Fred Bronson – it’s pointed out that 1963 was the most successful year songwriting-wise for Goffin-King, when they penned over one dozen Top 30 hits, including: One Fine Day by the Chiffons (#5), Don’t Say Nothin’ Bad (About My Baby) from the Cookies (#7), the Drifters with Up On The Roof (#5), Little Eva’s Keep Your Hands Off My Baby (#12) and Hey, Girl by Freddie Scott (#10).
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Written By: Rick Murray Hunter
Songs Source: The Music Vault of HouseoftheHits Inc.
Billboard® Chart Data: Joel Whitburn’s Record Research (eBook Editions)
References: The Billboard Book Of Number One Hits (5th Edition) by Fred Bronson
The Archives of RollingStone.com
Record Sleeve & Label Graphics: Courtesy of 45cat
Other #1 Songs on This Date Posts are HERE
