WLS Top 23 for Week of April 12, 1973-- Part 4: ''Tie a Yellow Ribbon 'Round the Old Oak Tree'

Fifty years ago is a real long time.  Right?

* Means the song was climbing the charts.  The number after the artist is how high the song got on the Billboard Hot 100 National Charts.

10,  BREAK UP TO MAKE UP--  Stylistics   #5    I'd forgotten about this one, but glad I was reminded.  A great belly-rubber.

9.  SING--  Carpenters    #3       Feeling down?  Listen to this song and let a smile be your guide.

8.  LOVE TRAIN--  O'Jays    #1

7.  DANNY'S SONG--  Anne Murray    #7

**************************

I doubt that there has ever been six longer-titled songs in the Top Six at one time.  I started typing these three days ago.

6.  *TIE A YELLOW RIBBON 'ROUND THE OLD OAK TREE--  Dawn    #1

5.  ALSO SPRACH ZARATHISTRA--  Deodato     #2   Only Top 40.

4.  NEITHER ONE OF US (WANTS TO BE THE FIRST TO SAY GOODBYE)--  Gladys Knight & the Pips    #2

3.  KILLING ME SOFTLY WITH HIS SONG--  Roberta Flack    #1   for five weeks

2.  *AIN'T NO WOMAN LIKE THE ONE I GOT--  Four Tops    #4

1.  *THE NIGHT THE LIGHTS WENT OUT IN GEORGIA--  Vickie Lawrence   #1   Her only-ever Top 40.

Name That Tune (from the above songs):  "Strumming My Pain With His Fingers, Singing My Life With His Words."

"Killing Me Softly With His Song"

WLS Top 23 for Week of April 9, 1973-- Part 1: 'Drift Away'

Fifty years ago today.  That's half a century.  I know where I was.  I was living with Liz's parents in Palatine, Illinois, and doing my student teaching at Maine West High School in Des Plaines, Illinois.  I was driving the ol' Ramblin' Wreck (1963 Rambler station wagon) back and forth.

As a matter of fact, one of the songs in this post especially takes me right back to those days.

* Means the song was climbing the charts.  The number after the artist is how high the song got on the Billboard National Hot 100 charts.

23.  SPACE ODDITY-- David Bowie       #15    Good ol' Ziggy Stardust personna singing about Major Tom's trip.  His first Top 40.

22.  *DRIFT AWAY--  Dobie Gray       #5      One of my all-time favorite songs.  I love the comment:  "Almost  sounds like  he is opening  his heart up and baring his soul."  True.

21.  *ONE MAN BAND--  Ronnie Dyson      #28      Full title includes "(Plays All Alone)"  I don't remember it, however.   Good song.  Follow up to his only other Top 40 which was "(If You Let Me Make Love to You Then) Why Can't I Touch You"  (#8-1970).

20.  *STUCK IN THE MIDDLE WITH YOU--  Stealers Wheel      #6    That's Gerry Rafferty singing.  You might know him better for "Baker Street."   Scottish band.  This is the song that takes me back to student teaching.

Name That Tune (from the above songs):  "Well I Don't Know Why I Came Here  Tonight.  I Got The Feeling That Something Ain't Right."  Answer below.  --RoadDog

"Stuck In the Middle With You"

WLS Top 28 Songs for Week of January 15, 1973-- Part 3: 'Trouble Man'

Half a Century, fellow babies.

* means the song was climbing the charts.  The number after the artist is how high ot got on the Billboard Hot 100 National Chart.

20.  YOU OUGHT TO BE WITH ME--  Al Green  What is it about that voice and that music?

19.  SITTING--  Cat Stevens  Sure loved my Cat back then.  Not a better known song by him.

18.  TROUBLE MAN--  Marvin Gaye   A man and his song.  "I Come Up Hard."

17.  PIECES OF APRIL--  Three Dog Night   About that first love.

16.  I WANNA BE WITH YOU--  Raspberries   Of the last song was putting you to sleep, this one will jar you awake.

Name That Tune (from the above songs):  "Oh, I'm On My Way, I Know I Am."  Answer below.  --RoadDog

"Sitting"

WLS Top 28 for Week of January 15, 1973-- Part 1: 'Rocky Mountain High'

That's right, these are the top songs in Chicago according to powerhouse WLS, 890 AM half a century ago.

Fifty years ago today, I was a student at Northern Illinois University in DeKalb and finishing up my senoir year.  I was taking my final education classes before I started student teaching the last 9 weeks before graduation.  I was also getting my last good licks as a college student in and hitting the bars of Lincoln Highway.  Our main hangout was Andy's.

*  Means the song was climbing the charts.  The number behind the artist is how high it got on the Billboard Hot 100 National Chart.

28.  *THE WORLD IS A GHETTO--  War     #7     Great sound guaranteed to get you into the groovin'.   Latin Funk Rock band out of Long Beach, California.

27.  *ROCKY MOUNTAIN HIGH--  John Denver      #9    You forget how good of a voice he had.  And, he loved anything doing with mountains.  His second hit following you-know-what.

26.  *DO IT AGAIN--  Steely Dan      #6      That was some real good instrumentation.  Their first hit.   Jazz rock band formed in Los Angeles.

Name That Tune (from the above songs):  "Walkin' Down The Street, Smoggy-Eyed."  Answer below.  --RoadDog

"The World Is a Ghetto"

WLS Top 29 Songs for Week of Dec. 11, 1972-- Part 3: 'Dialogue'

Fifty years ago.

*  Means the song was climbing the charts in Chicago.  The number after the artist is how high the song got on the Billboard Hot 100 National Charts.

20.  *SWEET SURRENDER--  Bread       #15       Imagine Bread doing a slow song.  Wonder how many babies ended up getting made because of a Bread song?

19.  IF I COULD REACH YOU--  5th Dimension    #10    Their last Top Ten.

18.  *FUNNY FACE--  Donna Fargo      #5      Country goes pop.  The pride of Mt. Airy, North Carolina, which was also Andy Griffiths home town and the one Mayberry was based on.

17.  *DIALOGUE--  Chicago       (Parts 1 & 2)     #24        Great blend of horns.  Great music.  Are they in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame yet?

16.  *CORNER OF THE SKY--  Jackson Five      #18     I don't remember this song.  From the Broadway musical "Pippin" starring Ben Vereen.

Name That Tune (from the above songs):  "You Kiss The Tears Away.  You Smile At Me And Say."  Answer below.  --RoadDog

"Funny Face"

WLS Top 27 Songs for Week of Nov. 13, 1972-- Part 3: 'Summer Breeze'

These were the Top songs in Chicago back fifty years ago this week according to WLS, 890 AM.  

*  Means it was climbing the charts.  The number after the artist is how high the song got on the Billboard Hot 100 National Chart.

15.  *SUMMER BREEZE--   Seals & Crofts      #6      Their first big hit.  Jim Seals & Dash Crofts.   From Texas.

14.  *I BELIEVE IN YOU--   Gallery      #22     Well, ya gotta believe in something.  That be a good thing.  Why not music?   Mac Davis wrote it.    Follow up to their biggest hit "Nice to Be With You."

13.  *THUNDER AND LIGHTNING--   Chi Coltrane      #17     That gal could sing.  Quite the pipes.   Her only top 40 hit.  

12.  *PAPA WAS A ROLLING STONE--  Temptations       #1     Motown at its best.

11.  GOOD TIME CHARLIE'S GOT THE BLUES--  Danny O'Keefe      #9     Bluesy & laid back.   His only Top 40 hit.  From Washington state.

Name That Tune (from the above songs):  "It Was The Third Of September That Day I Will Always Remember, Yes I Will."  Answer below.  --  RoadDog

"Papa Was a Rolling Stone"

WLS Top 25 for Week of July 10, 1972-- Part 4: 'Lean On Me'

*  Means the song was climbing the charts.  The number after the artist is how high it got on the Billboard Hot 100 National Chart.

10.  ALONE AGAIN (NATURALLY)--  Gilbert O'Sullivan      #1

9.  TOO YOUNG--  Donny Osmond     #13

8.  ROCKET MAN--  Elton John      #6     My driving song when I drove from Georgia to NIU to see hum play at the Fieldhouse.  Driving that old Ramblin' Wreck, the '63 Ramble station wagon that burned a quart of oil every 50 or so miles.  You could smell me coming.

7.  NICE TO BE WITH YOU--  Gallery    #4

6.  DADDY DON'T YOU WALK SO FAST--  Wayne Newton      #4

5.  THE CANDY MAN--  Sammy Davis Jr.     #1   His highest-ever song on the Pop Charts.  From the movie "Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory."  What were those little orange guys called?

4.  TOO LATE TO TURN BACK NOW--  Cornelius Brothers & Sister Rose   #2    From Dania, Florida.

3.  LEAN ON ME--  Bill Withers      #1      This song really takes me back.    

2.  OUTA SPACE--  Billy Preston      #2

1.  SONG SUNG BLUE--  Neil Diamond    #1

Name That Tune (from the above songs):  "She Packed My Bags Last Night, Pre-flight, Zero Hour, Nine AM."  Answer below.  --RoadDog

"Rocket Man"

How I Make These WLS Top 30s

Once a month I list all of the songs on the WLS Survey.  The rest of the month I just list the Top Ten songs and Debuts.

But, once a month I do the Top 30 songs in Chicago and go through an involved process to do the five posts for that week.  The first four are in groups of five and the last one is the Top Ten.

The first thing I do is go to the wlsyear - Oldiesloon site which has all the WLS surveys on it.  I go to the week's survey that I am going to do and then copy all the songs down on a sheet of paper.  I then go to You Tube and start playing them.  I listen to every single song on the list and make comments about the song and also read other people's comments to gather information about the song.

I also look to see if the song was climbing the charts or going down the charts.

Next, I go to my "Top Pop Singles 1955-1993" by Joel Whitburn.  This is where I find out how high the song went on the Billboard Hot 100 National chart.

Then, it's typing away with my two little fingers to make the post.  I do not write much about the Top ten songs since I have already written about it in the previous months.

It is a real trip back, especially listening to the songs.  I know there are some who enjoy trying to figure out the artist for the song I have in the title and then others enjoy trying to figure out what song has the words at the bottom of the post.  Name That Tune.

That's How I Do It.  --RoadMuch

WLS Top 30 for Week of January 10, 1972-- Part 1: 'Family Affair'

These were the top 30 songs in Chicago fifty years ago this week according to WLS AM 890.  * Means the song was climbing the charts.  The number after the artist is how high the song got on the Billboard National Hot 100 chart.

*SWEET SEASONS--  Carole King   #9   Born Carole Klein in Brooklyn.

30.  NOTHING TO HIDE--  Tommy James      #41   What, no Shondells?  Big hair Tommy.   I hadn't heard this song before, but it's a good one.   Born Thomas Jackson in Dayton, Ohio.

29.  STONES / CRUNCHY GRANOLA SUITE--  Neil Diamond     #14    Funny name for a song.

28.  NEVER BEEN TO SPAIN--  Three Dog Night     #5    A comment:  Joined the Navy in 1978 and went on a Mediterranean cruise.  Stopped in Roto, Spain.  "Couple of us went into a bar for a beer and there's a jukebox and the first song out of it was "Never Been to Spain."  What a great way to be 18 and in a foreign country for the first time."  What a great memory.

27.  FAMILY AFFAIR--  Sly & the Family Stone   #1    Interracial psychedelic soul group from San Francisco.

26.  *STAY WITH ME--  Faces    #17   Recorded "Itchycoo Park" as Small Faces.   Watching the video, I'd have to say Rod wasn't stage shy anymore.

Name That Tune (from the above songs):  "But I Kinds Like The Music."  Answer below.  --RoadDog

"Never Been to Spain"

WLS Top 30 Songs for Week of December 13, 1971-- Part 5: 'Old Fashioned Love Song'

These were the Top ten songs in Chicago fifty years ago this week.  That's half of a century for those of you counting.

*  Means the song was climbing the chart.  The number after the artist is how high the song got on the Billboard Hot 100 National Chart.

I do not make comments by every song as I have done that on previous posts.

10.  FAMILY AFFAIR--  Sly & the Family Stone    #1  

9.  *STONES / CRUNCH GRANOLA SUITE--  Neil Diamond       #14     Always thought "Crunchy Granola Crunch was a strange name for a song,  Sounds like a cereal.

8.  *SUNSHINE--  Jonathan Edwards      #4     One of the teachers we used to know used to date him.

7.  *RESPECT YOURSELF--  Staple Singers   #12

6.  *CHERISH--  David Cassidy     #9     Not just Keith Partridge you know.

5.  *ALL I EVER NEED IS YOU--  Sonny & Cher   #7

4.  GOT TO BE THERE--  Michael Jackson    #4

3.  *OLD FASHIONED LOVE SONG--  Three Dog Night   #4

2.  BRAND NEW KEY--  Melanie   #1    Her only #1.

1.  *HAVE YOU SEEN HER--   Chi-Lites    #3       I don't know of any other song that takes me back fifty years more than this one.

Name That Tune (from the above songs):  "Well How Much Does It Cost? I'll Buy It.  The Time Is All We Lost, I'll Try It."  Answer below.  --RoadDog

"Sunshine"

WLS Top 30 for Week of May 10, 1971-- Part 5: 'Put Your Hand in the Hand'

These were the top ten songs in Chicago fifty years ago.  How time flies.

The number after the artist is how high the song got on the Billboard National Hot 100 chart.  The * means the song was climbing the charts.

10.  *HERE COMES THE SUN--  Richie Havens       #16     Remember him from Woodstock?  The opening act.

9.  ME AND YOU AND A DOG NAMED BOO--  Lobo   #5    They actually had three Top Tens.

8.  IF--  Bread    #4

7.  *SUPER STAR--  Murray Head & the Trinidad Singers     #14      Wow!

6.  *SWEET & INNOCENT--  Donny Osmond    #7

5.  CHICK-A-BOOM--  Daddy Dewdrop      #9     You can't help getting into this song.  Real name is Richard Monda.

4.  *LOVE HER MADLY--  Doors      #11   

3.  PUT YOUR HAND IN THE HAND--  Ocean    #2      Right up there with "Spirit in the Sky."

2.  *NEVER CAN SAY GOODBYE--  Jackson Five     #2

1.  JOY TO THE WORLD--  Three Dog Night    #1  

Name That Tune (from the above songs):  "I'm A High Night Flyer And A Rainbow Rider."  Answer below.  --RoadDog

"Joy to the World"

Bob Stroud Root Salutes the Beatles-- Part 2: 'Can't Buy Me Love'

And remember, that the previous week on April 4, the Beatles had 14 songs in the Hot 100, but they also had the Top 5.

#38   I SAW HER STANDING THERE--  One of the great Beatle "B" sides, the flip of "I Want to Hold Your Hand."

#14   DO YOU WANT TO KNOW A SECRET--  

#9    PLEASE PLEASE ME--  

#7    I WANT TO HOLD YOUR HAND--  It was released in January so had spent three months in the Top 100 by now.

#4    SHE LOVES YOU--  This one was on the Swan label here in the United States.

#2    TWIST AND SHOUT--  Beatles doing the Isley's "Twist and Shout."

#1     CAN'T BUY ME LOVE--  Fourteen songs on the Billboard Hot 100 Charts back this week in 1964.  Another reason there will never be another band quite like the Beatles.  Fourteen songs that are the very definition of joy and jubilation that is rock and roll.  This is the #1 song in the country this week in 1964.

*************************

This was Beatlemania at its best.  As much as I admire their later music which was a whole lot more involved, these were the "Fun" songs and the ones I most enjoy listening to.

Name That Tune (from the above songs):  "Well She Was Just 17 And You Know What I mean."  Answer below.  --RoadDog

"I Saw Her Standing There"

Bob Stroud Roots Salutes the Beatles Having 14 Songs in the Billboard Hot 100 on April 11, 1964-- Part 1: The Fab Four Fourteen

 #81  LOVE ME DO--  It's tough to get one song in the Hot 100.  They had 14.  This was what Beatlemania was all about.  Brand new single so was on  its way up the chart.

#78  ROLL OVER BEETHOVEN   Their version of Chuck Berry's song.  His 1956 hit.

#74  THERE'S A PLACE--  Flipside of "Twist and Shout"

#61  THANK YOU GIRL--   "B" side in the States.

#52  FROM ME TO YOU--   Also a "B" Side in the States

#50  ALL MY LOVING--  Not released as a single here in the States, but in Canada.  But on the strength of the imports which came flooding here into the States from Canada, this song charted on the Billboard Hot 100 chart.  On the "B" side was "This Boy."   This was the "A" side.

#48   YOU CAN'T DO THAT--  Fab Four Fourteen Countdown.  More COWBELL!!!

Name That Tune (from the above songs):  "I Got Something To Say That Might Cause You Pain."  Answer below.  --RoadDog

"You Can't Do That"

Update on the Beatles Top Five Billboard Chart Hits

In Sunday's post on the Beatles having the Top Five slots on the Billboard Hot 100 on April 11, 1964, I was off by one week.  The Top Five they had was the week before, April 4.  I realized this when listening to Bob Stroud's Rock and Roll Roots show yesterday and he did not have those.

It turns out that the Top Five that I listed was from April 4 and there were a total of just 12 Beatles songs in the Hot 100.  Two more joined the following week which was the one that Stroud played.

You can see the Top Five songs on my Sunday, April 11, 2021, post.

The other Beatles songs in the Hot 100 on April 4, 1964

31.  I SAW HER STANDING THERE  (Capitol)

41.  FROM ME TO YOU  (Vee Jay)

46.  DO YOU WANT TO KNOW A SECRET  (Vee Jay)

58.  ALL MY LOVING   (Capitol)

65.  YOU CAN'T DO THAT   (Capitol)

68.  ROLL OVER BEETHOVEN   (Capitol)

79.  THANK YOU GIRL   (Vee Jay)

Of interest, the 12 Hot 100 songs were not all on the same label, but four labels which showed how the record companies were scurrying to cash in on the Beatle phenomenon.  They were Capitol, Tollie, Swan and Vee Jay.  I put the record companies on the Top Five on my Sunday post.

Learn Somethin' Ever' Day.  --RoadTle

TEENAGERS AND CATS:   Neither teenagers nor cats turn their heads when you call them by name.

Billboard's All-Time Biggest Summer Songs: "Tossin' and Turnin' "

Since we are in the last week of summer, here's a look back at the Billboard all-time biggest hits of summer.  This is based on tracking from Billboard's Hot 100 lists from Memorial Day through Labor Day.

I recognized all the songs except #2.

1.  I'LL BE MISSING YOU--  Pff daddy, Faith Evans, 112  To the tune of "Every Breath You Take" #5.  (1997)

2.  THE BOY IS MINE--  Brandy & Monica  (1998)

3.  TOSSIN' AND TURNIN'--  Bobby Lewis  (1961)

4.  BLURRED LINES--  Robin Thicke, T.I., Pharrell   (2013)

5.  EVERY BREATH YOU TAKE--  Police  (1983)

6.  WE BELONG TOGETHER--  Mariah Carey  (2005)

7.  I JUST WANT TO BE YOUR EVERYTHING--  Andy Gibb   (1977)  One of the Gibb Brothers.

8.  WHEN DOVES CRY--  Prince   (1984)

9.  (EVERYTHING I DO) I DO FOR YOU--  Bryan Adams  (1991)

10.  ALONE AGAIN (NATURALLY)--  Gilbert O'Sullivan  (1972)  Talk about a downer song.  This is about suicide.  I had never really listened to the words until somebody at Donovan's pointed it out and played it on the jukebox.

Name That Tune (from the above songs):  "Every Step You Take, I'll Be Watching You."  Answer below.  --RoadDog


"Every Breath You Take"

Longest Consecutive Weeks At #1 on Billboard Hot 100: New Record "Old Town Road"

Lil Nas X's "Old Town Road"  featuring Billy Ray Cyrus set a record for most weeks at #1 on Billboard's Hot 100 for 19 weeks.  I just now listened to it.  Very interesting.  I like the official video with Chris Rock.

Anyway, here are the Top Ten longest #1 songs in the past 60 years.  The number in front is how many weeks at #1:

19     "Old Town Road,"  Lil Nas X ff. Billy Ray Cyrus (2019)
16     "Despacito,"  Luis Fonsi & Daddy Yankee ff Justin Bieber  (2017)
16     "One Sweet Day,"   Mariah Carey & Boyz II Men  (1995)

14.    "Uptown Funk,"  Mark Ronson ff Bruno Mars   (2015)
14.    "I Gotta Feeling,"  The Black Eyed Peas   (2009)
14     "We Belong Together,"  Mariah Carey   (2005)
14      "Candle In the Wind 1997,"  Elton John   (1997)

14      "Macarena (Bayside Boys Mix),"  Los Del Rio    (1996)
14      "I'll Make Love to You,"  Boyz II Men   (1994)
14      "I Will Always Love You,"  Whitney Houston   (1992)

Name That Tune (from the above songs):  "That Tonight's Gonna Be A Good Night."    Answer below.  --RoadDog


"I Gotta Feeling"

Who'd Have Figured? Drake Beats the Beatles Record

From the July 11, 2018, Chicago Tribune  "Drake beats Beatles' record."

Rapper Drake officially owns the Billboard charts where seven of his songs are in the Top Ten.  All 25 tracks from his "Scorpion" album are on the Billboard Hot 100 chart.

This breaks the mark held by the Beatles since 1964, when five of their songs were in the Top ten in the same week.

"Scorpion" sold 732,171 equivalent albums (I guess that would mean downloads) to debut at No.1 on Billboard's 200 albums chart.

Well, I had just barely ever heard of him so had to give a listen to Drake on You Tube.  I am not a rap fan at all.  This didn't change my mind after listening to about 15 of the tracks from that album.  Plus, there were all those "N" words and F-Bombs.  Sure didn't make me a fan.

Plus, why do Blacks get to use the "N" word and not Whites?

Sounds a Bit Like A Racist Thing If You Ask Me.  --RoadDog

"Go Cubs Go," a 1984 Song, Hits the Billboard Charts-- Part 1: (For Some Reason)

From the November 10, 2016, Chicago Tribune.

Not only are the Chicago Cubs making history, but music about them is as well.

Steve Goodman's 1884 song "Go Cubs Go," which is played and sung loudly after every Cubs win at Wrigley Field, debuts on the Billboard Pop Digital Song Sales chart at #21 and on the Billboard Digital Song Sales Chart at 49 for the week ending November 19.

The song drew 15,000 downloads and 2.5 million U.S. streams (mostly from You Tube clicks in the week that ended Nov. 3), according to Billboard.  The Cubs won the World Series against the Cleveland Indians on Nov. 2.

Well, How About That!!  --Go CubDog

SIGNS AND NOTICES:  Fitness Center sign:  "Self esteem is feeling good about yourself - regardless of the facts."