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JUMP TO:
• 1993 – I WILL ALWAYS LOVE YOU / Whitney Houston
• 1983 – DOWN UNDER / Men At Work
• 1973 – CROCODILE ROCK / Elton John
• 1963 – HEY PAULA / Paul and Paula
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.
67 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 / February 13th, 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.
https://youtu.be/zFkMUsxx0Wk
[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 / February 13th, 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.
https://youtu.be/KowZ-wh9dio
[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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#1 / February 13th, 1973
CROCODILE ROCK
Elton John
[1972]
Number One: 3 weeks
Replaced: SUPERSTITION / Stevie Wonder
Succeeded by: KILLING ME SOFTLY WITH HIS SONG / Roberta Flack
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Elton John‘s first U.S. chart-topper was definitely rooted in early American pop-rock ‘n’ roll from the late 50’s and early 60’s.
With Crocodile Rock, John admits he wanted to write a good-time rock ‘n’ roll tune, and thus fashioned it around the styles of songs like Little Darlin’ by the Diamonds, At The Hop from Danny and The Juniors, Neil Sedaka‘s Oh Carol and Summertime Blues by rocker Eddie Cochran – with even some Beach Boys thrown in.
There are also two references to recordings by Bill Haley and His Comets; in the song’s title (after See Ya Later, Alligator), and a direct mention of Haley’s anthem Rock Around The Clock in the lyrics.
Even the “la-la-la-la-la’s” were acknowledged by Elton as direct homage to Pat Boone‘s 1962 #6 hit Speedy Gonzalez (with renowned voice actor Mel Blanc as “Speedy”). And although accusations of plagiarism were voiced, nothing was pursued legally.
https://youtu.be/80Wz5Dlny6o
[Trivia Bit] Besides being “Captain Fantastic’s” first U.S. number one single, the LP from which Crocodile Rock came, Don’t Shoot Me, I’m Only The Piano Player, also shot to the top of Billboard’s Top Album listings.
Other #1 Singles by ELTON JOHN (9)
• 1974 / BENNIE AND THE JETS
• 1975 / LUCY IN THE SKY WITH DIAMONDS (Elton John with John Lennon)
• 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 / February 13th, 1963
HEY PAULA
Paul and Paula
[1962]
Number One: 3 weeks
Replaced: WALK RIGHT IN / The Rooftop Singers
Succeeded by: WALK LIKE A MAN / The 4 Seasons
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Ray Hildebrand wrote Hey Paula while attending college in central Texas, basing it upon a favorite pop recording of his, Tall Paul by Paul Peterson, then crafting it in the form of a call/response duet.
As luck would have it, Ray was introduced to the niece of the owner of his college boarding house, singer Jill Jackson, after which the two paired up for a rendition of the tune for a charity event in a college gymnasium.
Impressed with the performance, the DJ of the occasion introduced the duo to a Fort Worth record producer named Major Bill Smith, who’d recently worked on the 1962 #1 hit Hey Baby by Bruce Channel.
Hey Paula topped the Billboard Hot 100 for its first of three weeks on this date in 1963, and copped a million-selling gold record.
https://youtu.be/pS5gghK81JU
[Trivia Bits] The original song which Hildebrand had written was over six minutes in length, but deemed to be too long for a single by producer Smith. So the parts of the lyrics to Hey Paula that were edited out were re-structured, and became the duo’s follow-up single, Young Lovers (1963 • #6).
The song was recorded originally under the name Jill and Ray and released on the small LeCam label. But when Mercury Records executive Shelby Singleton purchased the single for his company’s new subsidiary label, Phillips, it was suggested the duo change their name to the commercially more appealing Paul and Paula.
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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
