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JUMP TO:
• 1990 – HOW AM I SUPPOSED TO LIVE WITHOUT YOU / Michael Bolton
• 1980 – ROCK WITH YOU / Michael Jackson
• 1970 – RAINDROPS KEEP FALLIN’ ON MY HEAD / B.J. Thomas
• 1960 – RUNNING BEAR / Johnny Preston
• EXTRA – FOOL’S GAME / Michael Bolton
Welcome to another #1 Songs On This Date! – another four-pack of the cream of the cream from the Top 40 Rock ‘n’ Roll music era.
40 distinct number one singles between the years 1956 and 1995 have already been presented since January – with literally hundreds more to come.
They’re all part of a permanent archive that’s being built at HouseoftheHits.com which will ultimately feature ALL 837 different number one singles as listed in 2,080 weekly national music charts published by Billboard® within that 40-year timeframe.
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Fortunately, HouseoftheHits has every one of those charts – plus secondary data – as published in the essential Joel Whitburn’s Record Research series (CD-ROM and eBook edition formats).
Everything is stored digitally on a HouseoftheHits computer – as are all 837 number one singles (in high-quality audio) from the music vault.
With the availability of precise data and the HOTH song files – together with some amazing technology – approximately 600 – 700 of those Billboard® chart-toppers will be presented this year – with the remainder to follow in early 2017.
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As the archive grows you will have continual free access to the accumulating repository, indexed by Decade, Month and Year. Plus, EVERY Title and Artist will be (blue) hyper-linked for smooth, easy navigation from song to song – with more great features to be added along the way.
Again, it will contain every #1 single in America, plus interesting commentary about each song (written by yours truly) and presented with a crystal clear High-Definition audio version of the complete original hit to instantly play as often as you wish.
The ever-expanding library is found HERE and you can bookmark this link for future instant access.
Enjoy!
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[NOTE]
Due to copyright issues, some audio song files may not play on tablets,
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#1 / January 26th, 1990
HOW AM I SUPPOSED TO LIVE WITHOUT YOU
Michael Bolton
[1989]
Number One: 3 weeks
Replaced: ANOTHER DAY IN PARADISE / Phil Collins
Succeeded by: OPPOSITES ATTRACT / Paula Abdul (Duet with The Wild Pair)
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In 1985, a transition occurred – from Michael Bolotin, rock band musician (Blackjacks) to Michael Bolton, pop star – when, after several failed albums beginning in 1975, Michael realized his career as a rocker was taking him nowhere (see below).
Bolton’s reinvention actually began in 1984 at the encouragement of his friend, songwriter Doug James, when they co-penned How Am I Supposed To Live Without You.
Not long after, the Australian duo Air Supply, who were on fire in the early 80’s after placing seven singles in succession on Billboard’s Top 10, were set to record the song but ultimately never got it done.
But, following two Top 10 singles of her own, Gloria (1982 • #1) and Solitaire (1983 • (#7) vocalist Laura Branigan cut the track based on Bolton’s demo. It became her third big hit, reaching #4 in 1983.
Bolton finally achieved that elusive success when he released a cover version of his own song in late 1989.
https://youtu.be/usz8uS29Sps
[Trivia Bits] HAISTLWY spent 3 weeks in Billboard’s pole position and became Bolton’s first of two million-sellers; the other being a 1991 cover version of the 1966 soul classic by Percy Sledge, When A Man Loves A Woman (featuring Kenny G).
Both records won Grammy Awards for “Best Male Pop Vocal Performance.”
Other #1 Singles by MICHAEL BOLTON (2)
• 1991 / WHEN A MAN LOVES A WOMAN
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EXTRA TRAK
FOOL’S GAME
Michael Bolton
[1983]
For historical purposes only (okay, perhaps morbid curiosity) here’s one of the failed ‘rocker’ Bolton singles that crawled to #82 on Billboard in 1983.
https://youtu.be/aewYgSu_D60
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#1 / January 26th, 1980
ROCK WITH YOU
Michael Jackson
[1979]
(Single Version)
Number One: 4 weeks
Replaced: PLEASE DON’T GO / K.C. and The Sunshine Band
Succeeded by: DO THAT TO ME ONE MORE TIME / The Captain and Tennille
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Michael Jackson’s Rock With You was the second of four huge hits from his debut post-Jackson 5/The Jacksons album Off The Wall.
That, along with Don’t Stop Till You Get Enough (#1), the LP’s title track (#10) and She’s Out Of My Life (#10), combined to make Jackson the first solo artist to place four singles from one album inside Billboard’s Top 10. And “The King of Pop” would best that in 1982-83 by placing six there from his album Thriller.
For his first solo work, MJ had hired his co-collaborator on The Wiz, the legendary Quincy Jones, to produce the record.
Jones then sought out Rod Temperton, keyboardist of the UK soul group Heatwave (Boogie Nights, The Groove Line) to write a song for the LP – the title track, as it turned out.
Temperton ultimately also penned Rock With You (1979 • #1) as well as Burn The Disco Out for the album and also wrote the title track and single from Jackson’s 1984 mega work Thriller (1984 • #1).
Rock With You was spending its first of four weeks on top of the Hot 100.
https://youtu.be/gcJFPycBgU0
Other #1 Singles for MICHAEL JACKSON (17)
• 1970 / I WANT YOU BACK (The Jackson 5)
• 1970 / A B C (The Jackson 5)
• 1970 / THE LOVE YOU SAVE (The Jackson 5)
• 1970 / I’LL BE THERE (The Jackson 5)
• 1972 / BEN
• 1979 / DON’T STOP ’TIL YOU GET ENOUGH
• 1983 / BILLIE JEAN
• 1983 / BEAT IT
• 1983 / SAY SAY SAY (Paul McCartney and Michael Jackson)
• 1987 / I JUST CAN’T STOP LOVING YOU
• 1987 / BAD
• 1988 / THE WAY YOU MAKE ME FEEL
• 1988 / MAN IN THE MIRROR
• 1988 / DIRTY DIANA
• 1992 / BLACK OR WHITE
• 1995 / YOU ARE NOT ALONE
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#1 / January 26th, 1970
RAINDROPS KEEP FALLIN’ ON MY HEAD
B.J. Thomas
[1969]
Number One: 4 weeks
Replaced: SOMEDAY WE’LL BE TOGETHER / Diana Ross and The Supremes
Succeeded by: I WANT YOU BACK / The Jackson 5
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With big help from its appearance in 1969’s American Western film classic Butch Cassidy & The Sundance Kid – and on its soundtrack album – Raindrops Keep Fallin’ On My Head became the biggest hit record for ex-Texas radio disc jockey B.J. (Billy Joe) Thomas.
It also didn’t hurt that the song was penned by the ‘Songwriters Hall of Fame’ duo Burt Bacharach and Hal David.
Thomas, who later became a successful gospel music recording artist, spent 4 weeks at the top of Billboard with this, earning his only #1 song and second million seller (1968’s Hooked On A Feeling).
https://youtu.be/a-rEPic48dw
[Trivia Bit] ‘Raindrops’ scored the Oscar in 1970 for ‘Best Song’ from a film.
Other #1 Singles by B.J. THOMAS (2)
• 1975 / (Hey Won’t You Play) ANOTHER SOMEBODY DONE SOMEBODY WRONG SONG
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#1 / January 26th, 1960
RUNNING BEAR
Johnny Preston
[1959]
Number One: 3 weeks
Replaced: EL PASO / Marty Robbins
Succeeded by: TEEN ANGEL / Mark Dinning
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Vocalist Johnny Preston was a protege of a fellow Texan, ex-radio DJ-turned singer named Jape (J.P.) Richardson.
Professionally known as “The Big Bopper”, singer/songwriter Richardson was killed in the February 3rd, 1959 place crash which also claimed the lives of rock ’n’ roll pioneer Buddy Holly and singer Ritchie Valens.
Just months before his death, he’d charted the rockabilly tune Chantilly Lace (#6) in 1958, and had written the song Running Bear for Preston to record.
That single was set to be issued just days before the flight tragedy, but was then delayed for release until October of ’59.
Running Bear spent 3 weeks at #1 and was followed up by Preston’s other charting tunes Cradle Of Love (1960 • #7) and Feel So Fine (1960 • #14).
https://youtu.be/21GXx_CmuIg
[Trivia Bit] Richardson, along with country music icon George Jones, provided the “oom-pah-pah-pah” vocal effects.
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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
