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JUMP TO:
🎵 1986 – WEST END GIRLS / Pet Shop Boys
🎵 1976 – WELCOME BACK / John Sebastian
🎵 1966 – MONDAY, MONDAY / The Mamas and The Papas
🎵 1956 – HEARTBREAK HOTEL / Elvis Presley
EXTRA:
🎬 1975 – WELCOME BACK, KOTTER Video from the ABC-TV Sitcom
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Welcome to yet another installment of #1 Songs On This Date – another four-pack of the very best from the Top 40 Rock’n Roll music era as part of presenting every chart-topper in America (more below).
Already, 198 distinct number one singles between the years 1956 and 1995 have already been presented since January 6th of this year – 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 smartphones, tablets and connected devices. Whenever possible, an alternate working audio source will be provided, but a PC, Mac or laptop may ultimately be required in some cases.
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#1 / May 12th, 1986
WEST END GIRLS
Pet Shop Boys
[1986]
(Single Version)
Number One: 1 week
Replaced: ADDICTED TO LOVE / Robert Palmer
Succeeded by: GREATEST LOVE OF ALL / Whitney Houston
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Like many things in life, the formation of the UK synth-pop duo Pet Shop Boys was a simple combination of fate and being in the right place at the right time.
In 1981, synthesizer enthusiast Neil Tennant randomly encountered Chris Lowe – also an aficionado of keyboards – when both were frequenting a music shop in London.
The pair struck up a conversation about music (naturally) and a couple of days later hooked up to write some songs.
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Fast forward to 1983, where Tennant, as part of his day job as an assistant editor for a British pop music magazine, was assigned to interview singer Sting and his band Police.
On that occasion, Tennant was introduced by the trio to an American producer named Bobby “O” Orlando who eventually recorded the song West End Girls with Tennant and Lowe.
Released on Columbia, the single was successful only in a couple of secondary countries and failed to chart in both the UK and the U.S. – although it became a club hit in the latter as a 12-inch import.
By 1985, Tennant and Lowe had signed with EMI Records in the UK, for whom a new version of West End Girls was recorded.
This time the outcome was much different for Pet Shop Boys. Their re-worked effort, with Tennant on vocals and Lowe’s great synth work, hit #1 in both the U.S. and UK.
[Trivia Bits] In 1987, Pet Shop Boys teamed with the UK’s Dusty Springfield (my all-time favorite female vocalist) on a #2 single in America titled What Have I Done To Deserve This?.
It was immediately followed by a #4 hit, a refreshing, synthesizer-drenched, up-tempo cover of the classic ballad Always On My Mind, the most well-known version of which was done by Willie Nelson in 1982.
Neil Tennant explained the origin of the duo’s moniker ‘Pet Shop Boys’ during an interview with the venerable weekly UK music publication Melody Maker, stating:
“One of the newspapers said that it’s New York slang for rent boys who are into S&M, but if it is, it’s news to me.”
He continued, “We did genuinely call ourselves after some friends we had who worked in a pet shop in Ealling. If it has that slightly dubious connotation then it’s quite amusing but it’s certainly not deliberate.”
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#1 / May 12th, 1976
WELCOME BACK
John Sebastian
[1976]
Number One: 1 week
Replaced: LET YOUR LOVE FLOW / Bellamy Brothers
Succeeded by: BOOGIE FEVER / The Sylvers
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The co-founder and lead vocalist of the highly successful mid-1960’s band formed in New York City’s Greenwich Village, the Lovin’ Spoonful (Do You Believe In Magic?, Summer In The City), pop-rock singer/songwriter/guitarist John Sebastian returned to the music world and to the top of the Hot 100 with his solo hit Welcome Back.
The song marked the reemergence of Sebastian after seven years as a no-show on Billboard. A post-Lovin’ Spoonful solo single called She’s A Lady was his last appearance on the weekly national music chart when it attained a paltry #84 ranking in January of 1969.
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In 1975, Sebastian was approached by a TV show producer named Alan Sachs to write a theme song for Sachs’ upcoming ABC-TV sitcom called ‘Welcome Back, Kotter.’
Welcome Back was heard for just 60 seconds over the opening credits and briefly during the episodes’ closings. But high demand by music consumers wanting an actual record led to JS going back into the studio with noted producer Steve Barri to add a second verse.
The Warner Brothers single was released in March, 1976 and debuted on the Hot 100 at #84 – ironically the highest chart position lamely scored by the aforementioned She’s A Lady.
After a 49-day climb, Welcome Back claimed the #1 position for one week OTD.
[Trivia Bits] The TV series was originally titled ‘Kotter’ but renamed ‘Welcome Back, Kotter’ after the show’s producers heard John’s recording – and obviously liked it.
At the outset, the song’s title was Welcome Back Kotter (as shown below) when the sitcom’s executives wanted to maximize the connection between the show and Sebastian’s recording.
Other #1 Singles for JOHN SEBASTIAN (2)
• 1966 / SUMMER IN THE CITY (The Lovin’ Spoonful)
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BONUS 🎬
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The ABC-TV sitcom series ‘Welcome Back, Kotter’ premiered on September 9th, 1975 and ran until its last episode on May 17th, 1979.
It starred actor Gabriel Kaplan as “Gabe Kotter,” a wise-cracking high school teacher returning to his old alma mater in Brooklyn, NY. Kotter was put in charge of an all-male class of rough and tumble students from various ethic backgrounds.
The cast of characters – collectively known as “the sweathogs” – included John Travolta in his acting debut as “Barbarino,” “Horshack” played by Ron Paillo, Lawrence Hilton-Jacobs as “Washington” and Rober Hegyes as “Epstein.”
And the show’s opening and closing credits featured portions of the John Sebastian hit.
Here’s Welcome Back heard during the show’s actual intro. As was the norm at that time with television series, opening themes ran no longer than 60 seconds. But compared to today’s standard of minuscule-length show intros – and in many cases, none at all – one minute of exposure for a song was very generous.
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Johnny Travolta‘s screen test for ‘WBK’ as “Vinnie Barbarino.”
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#1 / May 12th, 1966
MONDAY, MONDAY
The Mamas and The Papas
[1966]
(Album Version)
Number One: 3 weeks
Replaced: GOOD LOVIN’ / The Young Rascals
Succeeded by: WHEN A MAN LOVES A WOMAN / Percy Sledge
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The Southern California quartet known as The Mamas and The Papas consisted of ‘Mamas’ Cass Elliot and Michelle Phillips, together with ‘Papas’ John Phillips (Michelle’s husband) and Denny Doherty.
Their evolution as a musical foursome is convoluted – one which had seen all four previously performing in various group permutations with other future successful artists like Zal Yanovsky and John Sebastian (both in The Lovin’ Spoonful) and Barry McGuire (Eve Of Destruction).
And their tale is also well-told in their 1967 Top 5 hit, the semi-autobiographical Creeque Alley.
The (then) somewhat shocking bathtub photo on the cover of the debut album If You Can Believe Your Eyes And Ears created lots of curiosity about the disparately odd-looking quartet. The LP produced both of their biggest singles, Monday, Monday and their debut hit California Dreamin’ (#5).
Canadian Doherty sang either lead or co-lead vocals on most of the group’s hits, and his wonderful tenor voice is featured throughout on Monday, Monday, their only chart topper.
None of the quartet was particularly enamored with Monday, Monday when they recorded it. Said lead vocalist Doherty: “Nobody likes Monday, so I thought it was just a song about the working man. Nothing about it stood out to me.”
And Doherty wasn’t alone in his incredulity. Cass and Michelle didn’t like it either, and even its writer, John Phillips, claimed he had no idea what the song meant.
So as you can well imagine, The Mamas and The Papas were all taken by surprise when the song became a huge hit – and #1 on this date in ’66.
[Trivia Bits] Monday, Monday became the first Billboard chart-topper with a day of the week in its title – and to this day, the only one containing “Monday.” (Manic Monday with the Bangles and Rainy Days And Mondays from the Carpenters both stalled at #2).
Michelle Phillips is currently the sole living member of the M&Ps. She, along with Papa John are the parents of Chynna Phillips of the trio Wilson Phillips.
Cass Elliot passed away on July 29, 1974 (32), John Phillips on July 18, 2001 (65) and
Denny Doherty on January 19, 2007 (66).
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• You May Like: DENNY DOHERTY: Vocalist for The Mamas and The Papas
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#1 / May 12th, 1956
HEARTBREAK HOTEL
Elvis Presley
[1956]
Number One: 8 weeks
Replaced: THE POOR PEOPLE OF PARIS / Les Baxter, his Chorus and Orchestra
Succeeded by: THE WAYWARD WIND / Gogi Grant
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Mae Boren Axton, the mother of singer/songwriter Hoyt Axton, was a 30 year-old songwriter who had read a newspaper article about a man who had killed himself and wrote in his suicide note – “I walk a lonely street.”
Based on the story, Mae Axton, along with songwriting partner Tommy Durden, co-wrote Heartbreak Hotel.
Through Elvis’ manager, Colonel Tom Parker, she presented the song to Presley at the annual Country Music Disc Jockey Convention in Nashville, Tennessee in November of 1955, after Parker’s prized client had just signed a contract with his new record label RCA Victor.
Axton then offered Elvis a third of the royalties if he made ‘Heartbreak Hotel’ his first single on RCA – which he accepted (which is why “Presley” is listed on the record’s label as the song’s third writer).
EP would record Axton’s song on January 10th, 1956 and it was released by RCA 17 days later.
On this date in ’56, the third biggest-selling single by “The King’ – Heartbreak Hotel – had entered its fourth of eight weeks atop the Hot 100.
[Trivia Bits] Heartbreak Hotel was the record that began the above-mentioned shrewd business practice by Elvis and/or Parker of agreeing to record a song by a fledgling songwriter if EP was given a co-writing credit on the tune.
The deal was difficult for a composer(s) to not accept, where an even split of the royalties from of a big Presley hit – or better yet, a million-seller – was better than none on their unrecorded song.
In 1972, Elvis recorded another song penned by an Axton – Hoyt’s Never Been To Spain, a track from The King’s live album ‘As Recorded at Madison Square Garden.’
The hit version of NBTS reached #5 on the Hot 100 for Three Dog Night in 1972.
Other #1 Singles by ELVIS PRESLEY (18)
• 1956 / I WANT YOU, I NEED YOU, I LOVE YOU
• 1956 / DON’T BE CRUEL
• 1956 / HOUND DOG
• 1956 / LOVE ME TENDER
• 1957 / TOO MUCH
• 1957 / ALL SHOOK UP
• 1957 / (Let Me Be Your) TEDDY BEAR
• 1957 / JAILHOUSE ROCK
• 1958 / DON’T
• 1958 / HARD HEADED WOMAN
• 1959 / A BIG HUNK O’ LOVE
• 1960 / STUCK ON YOU
• 1960 / IT’S NOW OR NEVER
• 1960 / ARE YOU LONESOME TO-NIGHT?
• 1961 / SURRENDER
• 1962 / GOOD LUCK CHARM
• 1969 / SUSPICIOUS MINDS
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CREDITS
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 Billboard Book Of Number One Hits (5th Edition) by Fred Bronson
• The Billboard Book Of Number One Rhythm & Blues Hits by Adam White and Fred Bronson
• The Billboard Book Of Number One Adult Contemporary Hits by Wesley Hyatt
• The Billboard Book Of Number One Albums by Craig Rosen
• The Billboard’s Hottest Hot 100 Hits (4th Edition) by Fred Bronson
• 1000 UK Chart Hits (Kindle Edition) by Jon Kutner and Spencer Leigh
• Elvis Presley: A Life In Music (Kindle Edition) by Ernst Jorgensen
• The Archives of RollingStone.com
Record Sleeve & Label Graphics: Courtesy of 45cat.com
Special thanks to the patio of Starbucks, Little Road in New Port Richey, FL 😎
Other #1 Songs on This Date Posts are HERE
