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JUMP TO:
• 1995 – TAKE A BOW / Madonna
• 1985 – CAN’T FIGHT THIS FEELING / REO Speedwagon
• 1975 – BLACK WATER / The Doobie Brothers
• 1965 – EIGHT DAYS A WEEK / The Beatles
Welcome to another #1 Songs On This Date! – another four-pack of the best of the best from the Top 40 Rock ‘n’ Roll music era.
Since it began in early January, 120 distinct number one singles from the years 1956 through 1995 have been featured – with hundreds more to follow.
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,
smartphones and connected devices. A PC, Mac or laptop may be required.
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#1 / March 15th, 1995
TAKE A BOW
Madonna
[1994]
(Album Version)
Number One: 7 weeks
Replaced: CREEP / TLC
Succeeded by: THIS IS HOW WE DO IT / Montell Jordan
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Madonna‘s fourth and final #1 single of the 90’s – joining seven chart-toppers in the 80’s – was the hip-hop oriented Take A Bow, from her album Bedtimes Stories.
Ostensibly, the tune’s lyrics involve a failed real-life romance with a movie star – possibly Warren Beatty, who was an alleged subject in Carly Simon‘s You’re So Vain (#1 Songs On This Date for January 24th, 1973).
For this one Madonna collaborated on the writing with R&B singer-instrumentalist Babyface, who also produced the record and sings back-up vocals.
[Trivia Bit] Babyface’s impressive resume includes writing and producing scores of hits for the likes of Paula Abdul, Mary J. Blige, Boyz II Men, Brandy, Bobby Brown, Phil Collins, Whitney Houston and Janet Jackson – just to name a few from a long list.
Other #1 Singles by MADONNA (12)
• 1985 / LIKE A VIRGIN
• 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
• 2000 / MUSIC
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#1 / March 15th, 1985
CAN’T FIGHT THIS FEELING
REO Speedwagon
[1985]
Number One: 3 weeks
Replaced: CARELESS WHISPER / WHAM! Featuring George Michael
Succeeded by: ONE MORE NIGHT / Phil Collins
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The five-man band from Champaign, Illinois known as REO Speedwagon (originally R.E.O. Speedwagon) had a long, steep, slow climb along the highway toward chart success.
Their five previous Billboard singles reached no higher than #56 until the light-rockers finally tasted success in 1981 with their first #1, the platinum-selling Keep On Loving You. That was no less than ten years after they signed with Epic Records.
After their breakthrough, two more Top 10 hits ensued – 1981’s Take It On The Run (a #5 million-seller) and Keep The Fire Burnin’ in 1982 (#7).
1985’s Can’t Fight This Feeling entered the Hot 100 at #46 and was initially described by several REO band members as “that stupid ballad.” Yet, seven weeks later it was the biggest selling single in America on this date – and you can’t fight that either!
[Trivia Bit] An ‘REO Speed Wagon’ was a light duty truck that dates back to 1911 when designed and introduced by American automotive industry renegade Ransom E. Olds. As a secondary line to his Oldsmobile cars, the REO was utilized for various services including firefighting, delivery, towing, hearses and ambulances.
Other #1 Singles by REO SPEEDWAGON (2)
• 1981 / KEEP ON LOVING YOU
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#1 / March 15th, 1975
BLACK WATER
The Doobie Brothers
[1974]
Number One: 1 week
Replaced: HAVE YOU NEVER BEEN MELLOW / Olivia Newton-John
Succeeded by: MY EYES ADORED YOU / Frankie Valli
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The great sing-along hit Black Water by The Doobie Brothers had several surprising and unplanned factors which took it to the top of the charts on this date.
First, the record was initially released as the B-side of the single Another Park, Another Sunday. But a number of radio stations began playing Black Water instead, causing others to follow suit. Eventually, Warner Brothers relented and began promoting the latter as the hit side.
Second, the medium-tempo acoustic track from the album What Were Once Vices Are Now Habits was quite different from what many had come to expect of the band; songs like 1972’s Listen To The Music and the more rockin’ hits such as Long Train Runnin’ and China Grove.
Third, despite the ‘all-over-the-road’ (AOR) mishmash that was 70’s pop music, there were very few tunes that had an extensive a-cappella portion in them.
Written by co-founding Doobies member, guitarist Patrick Simmons, Black Water – in regards to imaging and separation – contains some of the best stereo audio you’ll ever hear. So if possible, listen to this one with headphones!
[Trivia Bits] The producer on Black Water was Ted Templeman, a guitarist-vocalist in the mid-60’s pop group Harpers Bizarre (The 59th Street Bridge Song/Feelin’ Groovy and Anything Goes).
Templeman did similar duties on many Doobie Brothers’ albums, as well as extensive production work for Van Halen, Van Morrison, Nicolette Larson and others.
None of the band members were actual brothers.
Other #1 Singles by THE DOOBIE BROTHERS (2)
1979 / WHAT A FOOL BELIEVES
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#1 / March 15th, 1965
EIGHT DAYS A WEEK
The Beatles
[1965]
Number One: 2 weeks
Replaced: MY GIRL / The Temptations
Succeeded by: STOP! IN THE NAME OF LOVE / The Supremes
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Eight Days A Week, the Beatles seventh American chart-topper and fifth million-seller, was initially intended to be a possible title song for one of their UK albums. But it ended up as just another LP track when released in Britain on their Parlophone long-player Beatles For Sale on December 4th, 1964.
John Lennon explained what happened in the 1980 book by David Sheff called All We Are Saying –
“‘Eight Days A Week’ was the running title for (the soundtrack album) ‘Help!’ before they came up with ‘Help.’ It was Paul’s effort at getting a single for the movie. That luckily turned to ‘Help!’ which I wrote, bam! bam!, like that, and got the single.”
He went on to proclaim –
“‘Eight Days A Week’ was never a good song. We struggled to record it and struggled to make it into a song. It was his initial effort, but I think we both worked on it. I’m not sure. But it was lousy anyway.”
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Nevertheless, the recording was first released in America as a Capitol single (b/w I Don’t Want To Spoil The Party) on February 15th of ’65.
Five days later it debuted on the Billboard Hot 100 at #53 and from there climbed to numbers 19 and 5 before hitting #1 on March 13th for a two-week sojourn.
It later appeared on the U.S Capitol album Beatles VI in June of 1965.
[Trivia Bit] The song title Eight Days A Week came from Paul McCartney‘s chauffeur when Macca randomly asked him how he’d been – to which the driver replied “Oh, working hard…working eight days a week.” Paul mentioned the never-before-heard expression to John, and the song was written around that.
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
• 1964 / I FEEL FINE
• 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
