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JUMP TO:
🎵 1988 – ONE MORE TRY / George Michael
🎵 1978 – TOO MUCH, TOO LITTLE, TOO LATE / Johnny Mathis & Deniece Williams
🎵 1968 – MRS. ROBINSON / Simon and Garfunkel
🎵 1958 – ALL I HAVE TO DO IS DREAM / The Everly Brothers
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Welcome to another #1 Songs On This Date! – and another four-pack of the best of the best from the Top 40 Rock ‘n’ Roll music era.
Since early January, 238 distinct number one singles from the years 1956 through 1995 have now 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 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 / June 7th, 1988
ONE MORE TRY
George Michael
[1988]
Number One: 3 weeks
Replaced: ANYTHING FOR YOU / Gloria Estefan and Miami Sound Machine
Succeeded by: TOGETHER FOREVER / Rick Astley
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George Michael yet again was riding high atop the prestigious perch of America’s premier weekly national music chart, the Billboard Hot 100, on this date in 1988.
In 1984 and 1985, Michael, born Georgios Kyriacos Panayiotou, coolly nailed down three #1’s in succession as frontman for the duo, WHAM!, then added a chart-conquering duet with the “Queen of Soul” Aretha Franklin, followed by his #2 debut solo hit I Want Your Sex – both in 1987.
Next came two-in-a-row at the top from his late-1987 LP Faith, with One More Try making it a consecutive triple #1 from that album. A fourth single from that work called Monkey also took the pole position. Impressive indeed.
All of that success came in just four short years for the UK “blue-eyed soul” singer, who first worked in the music business as a club DJ before forming a short-lived ska band called The Executive with future “WHAM!-mate” Andrew Ridgeley.
https://youtu.be/22QPHLk-oSI
Other #1 Singles by GEORGE MICHAEL (10)
• 1984 / WAKE ME UP BEFORE YOU GO-GO (WHAM!)
• 1985 / CARELESS WHISPER (WHAM! Featuring George Michael)
• 1985 / EVERYTHING SHE WANTS (WHAM!)
• 1987 / I KNEW YOU WERE WAITING (For Me) (Aretha Franklin and George Michael)
• 1988 / FAITH
• 1988 / FATHER FIGURE
• 1988 / MONKEY
• 1990 / PRAYING FOR TIME
• 1992 / DON’T LET THE SUN GO DOWN ON ME (George Michael with Elton John)
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#1 / June 7th, 1978
TOO MUCH, TOO LITTLE, TOO LATE
Johnny Mathis & Deniece Williams
[1978]
Number One: 1 week
Replaced: WITH A LITTLE LUCK / Wings
Succeeded by: YOU’RE THE ONE THAT I WANT / John Travolta and Olivia Newton-John
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On this date in 1978, Johnny Mathis, a vocalist who became one of the most prolific album artists of the pop-rock era, was limited to just his second #1 single.
During 21 years of recorded output, the bittersweet break-up lament Too Much, Too Little, Too Late was just the San Francisco native’s sixth Hot 100 placement inside the Top 10.
This despite being a frequent resident of the weekly national chart publisher’s ‘Top Pop Albums’ with over 70 long-players listed across 21 years of recorded output for Columbia Records.
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Mathis sought out a number of female vocalists to join him on this duet, including Minnie Riperton (Lovin’ You, 1975 • #1), but she and a number of others weren’t available for the project.
The crooner then turned to a fellow CBS recording artist named Deniece Williams. And despite her being a relative unknown, the choice proved to be a very good one.
In 1993, Mathis told Goldmine magazine – “The minute we did that single, we went in and did an album, which was great fun.” He went on to state – “And that’s another thing I liked alot because Deniece wrote several of the songs on the [You Light Up My Life] album and they were there for me and that was thrilling.”
TMTLTL was a triple chart-threat, first reaching the pinnacle of Billboard’s ‘R&B Singles’ ranking, then leading the magazine’s ‘Adult Contemporary’ side and finally hitting their pop chart’s apex on this date. It also climbed to #3 on the UK singles chart and topped out at #9 in Canada.
https://youtu.be/Lf0uuJX1yk8
[Trivia Bits] Too Much, Too Little, Too Late was considered a comeback hit for Mathis, who sat at the Hot 100’s peak 21 years earlier with Chances Are. It also was his first Top 10 single since What Will Mary Say peaked at #9 in 1963.
A power pop cover version by the British group Silver Sun reached #20 in the UK in 1998.
His success with the duet prompted Mathis to collaborate on recordings with other female stars much as Jane Olivor, Dionne Warwick, Natalie Cole, Gladys Knight and Nana Mouskouri.
Other #1 Singles by JOHNNY MATHIS (2)
• 1957 / CHANCES ARE
Other #1 Singles by DENIECE WLLIAMS (2)
• 1984 / LET’S HEAR IT FOR THE BOY
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#1 / June 7th, 1968
MRS. ROBINSON
Simon and Garfunkel
[1968]
(Hit Single Version)
Number One: 3 weeks
Replaced: TIGHTEN UP / Archie Bell & The Drells
Succeeded by: THIS GUY’S IN LOVE WITH YOU / Herb Alpert
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The second of three number one hits for Paul Simon and Arthur Garfunkel was Mrs. Robinson – one of those tunes that occasionally starts with the song’s chorus (“And here’s to you Mrs. Robinson“) rather than the melody.
The number was written specifically for ‘The Graduate,’ a 1967 film which starred Anne Bancroft as early-day “cougar” “Mrs. Robinson,” the target of her attention, young “Benjamin Braddock,” played by Dustin Hoffman and Robinson’s daughter “Elaine” portrayed by Katherine Ross.
One of the most memorable lyrical lines ever penned by Paul Simon became part of the song’s alternate fourth chorus – “Where have you gone Joe Dimaggio, a nation turns its lonely eyes to you.”
In a 1990 interview with SongTalk magazine, the iconic American songwriter talked about the reference to the New York Yankees mid-1930’s to 1940’s slugger and legend –
“The ‘Joe DiMaggio’ line was written right away in the beginning. And I don’t know why or where it came from. It seems so strange, like it didn’t belong in that song and then, I don’t know, it was so interesting to us that we just kept it. So it’s one of the most well-known lines that I’ve ever written.”
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There are two movie renditions of Mrs. Robinson found exclusively on the film’s soundtrack album. Both are different and much shorter in length than the commercial single and the track found on S&G‘s 1968 LP Bookends.
[Notes] Presented here is the rarely-heard official 4-minute “hit single” version of Mrs. Robinson. The running time listed on the graphic below is incorrect, as only the “fade-out” of the song starts at around 3:39, but then continues at a quieter volume for another 21 seconds.
This was likely done by Columbia to make the single, with its supposed shorter length, more appealing to radio programmers. Indeed it’s where many stations chose to end the song, with listeners not being allowed to hear the entire recording.
https://youtu.be/3q3yxcblNCw
[Trivia Bits] The phrase “coo-coo-cah-choo” was Paul Simon paying homage to the same phrase used in the Beatles‘ song I Am the Walrus.
MR was a double Grammy winner, for ‘Song of the Year’ and ‘Best Pop Song’ of 1968.
Other #1 Singles by SIMON and GARFUNKEL (3)
• 1966 / THE SOUNDS OF SILENCE
• 1970 / BRIDGE OVER TROUBLED WATER
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#1 / June 7th, 1958
ALL I HAVE TO DO IS DREAM
The Everly Brothers
[1958]
Number One: 4 weeks
Replaced: WITCH DOCTOR / The Music of David Seville
Succeeded by: THE PURPLE PEOPLE EATER / Sheb Wooley
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One of the greatest singing duos from any era of popular music was Don and Phil Everly, better known as Everly Brothers.
Although they were rock and roll singers performing close harmonies set to steel-string guitar arrangements, the collective music of eldest sibling Isaac Donald “Don” Everly and Phillip “Phil” Everly – two years Don’s junior – was heavily influenced by country artists who’d preceded them.
And, in the natural order, numerous other vocal pairings in turn listed Don and Phil’s style as a major influence on their own music – perhaps most notably, Simon & Garfunkel.
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The #1 song on this date in 1958, All I Have To Do Is Dream, was penned by the male half of a prolific husband-wife songwriting team named Boudleaux Bryant and Felice Bryant. Together or solo, they authored many of the earlier hits for Don and Phil on the Cadence Records label: Bye, Bye Love (1957 • #2), Wake Up Little Susie (1957 • #1), Bird Dog (1958 • #1), Devoted To You (1958 • #10) and Problems (1958 • #2), among others.
Don and Phil’s careers and personal lives were marred by years of well-published feuding between the two. But even more sad was the passing of Phil Everly in 2014, just 16 days short of his 75th birthday. It put a permanent end to one the best duos heard during the early years of the musical era known as Top 40 Rock ‘n Roll.
https://youtu.be/z3lnQmCx8_Q
[Trivia Bits] The opening tremolo-style guitar riff on the song’s intro was played by country music guitar legend Chet Atkins.
After recording for Cadence for the first three years, the Everly Brothers signed a then-lucrative recording contract with Warner Brother Records in 1960 – a partnership which produced many more hits like Cathy’s Clown (1960 • #1), When Will I Be Loved (1976 • #8), So Sad To Watch Good Love Go Bad (1976 • #7), Walk Right Back (1961 • #8), Ebony Eyes (1961 • #8), Crying In The Rain (1962 • #6) and That’s Old Fashioned (1962 • #9).
All told, the duo scored fifteen Top 10 hits, of which four were number ones – All I Have To Do Is Dream and the three others listed below.
The Everly Brothers were elected to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1986 and the Country Music Hall of Fame in 2001.
Other #1 Singles for THE EVERLY BROTHERS (4)
• 1957 / WAKE UP LITTLE SUSIE
• 1958 / BIRD DOG
• 1960 / CATHY’S CLOWN
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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
• 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
