Classic Cracker

60s Pop Squad DAVE DEE, DOZY, BEAKY, MICK & TICH No 1 This Day 55 Years Ago On The British Singles Chart

Posted on by JL

20 March 2023

With a long band name featuring the (fake) first name of the group’s members, you should think that that was a sort of commercial suicide, but no, this British 60s pop squad scored a series of fab hits such as Bend It, Hold Tight, Don Juan, Zabadak and also THE LEGEND OF XANADU written by music composers Ken Howard and Alan Blaikley. As was the case with many of the group’s recordings, it had novelty elements — a trumpet section and the distinctive sound of a whip cracking in the chorus.

The classic cracker topped the British Single Chart on this day 55 years ago.

Sing it, legends.

DDBM&T: Bio – Discography

ROBERTA FLACK No 1 In The US 50 Years Ago Today With ‘KILLING ME SOFTLY WITH HIS SONG’

Posted on by JL

Top singles from the past

15 March 2023

Supreme soul voice ROBERTA FLACK (born Roberta Cleopatra Flack, 86 years
ago in North Calorina) had a No 1 hit in the US (also in Australia and Canada),
50 years ago today, on 15 March 1973, with classic love ballad KILLING ME
SOFTLY WITH HIS SONG.

The song was written by Charles Fox and Norman Gimbel with co-lyrics by
Lori Lieberman who recorded/released it herself, without success, in 1972.

A year later it was Roberta Flack‘s version that made a future classic out
of the song. A bit cheesy for my liking, but Flack‘s voice is just exquisite
(like on her other vocal pearl The First Time I Saw Your Face, which
I like better).

This live version is special.

Lieberman‘s version.

ROBERTA FLACK: Bio – Discography

45 Years Ago Today – BLONDIE Peaked At No 2 In The UK With ‘DENIS’ Behind KATE BUSH

Posted on by JL

Top singles from the past

14 March 2023

Band: BLONDIE
Active: 1974–1982, 1997–present

Single: DENIS
Released: February 1978.
Score: peaked at #2 in the UK on
14 March 1978, 45 years ago today

Note 1: The song was written and recorded by musician
Neil Levenson in 1963, inspired by his childhood friend,
Denise Lefrak.

Note 2: Kate Bush was on the top seat with
her ghostly debut 7″ ‘Wuthering Heights‘.

“Oh Denis, ooh-be-do, I’m in love with you
Denis, ooh-be-do, I’m in love with you
Denis, ooh-be-do, I’m in love with you”

Original

BLONDIE: Facebook

ELTON JOHN On Top Of The UK Singles Chart 50 Years Ago Today With ‘CROCODILE ROCK’

Posted on by JL

3 February 2023

It seems like megastar/songwriter and flamboyant personality/performer
ELTON JOHN (born Reginald Kenneth Dwight 75 years ago) is around like
forever.

Well, it is when you have a look at his catalog. 31 albums (so far) in 52 years
plus 5 collaborative LPs and 10 movie soundtracks. But also a countless series
of hit singles, including the flaming classic CROCODILE ROCK from his 1973 LP
Don’t Shoot Me I’m Only The Piano Player.

The single went to the top of the UK Singles Chart
50 years ago today, on 3 February 1973.

Studio version

Live version

ELTON JOHN: Bio – Discography – Website

KATE BUSH Released Her Spectacular Debut Single ‘WUTHERING HEIGHTS’ 45 Years Ago Today

Posted on by JL

Top singles from the past

20 January 2023

45 years ago today, on 20th January 1978 art-pop queen KATE BUSH
released her spectacular debut single WUTHERING HEIGHTS. She wrote
it at the age of 18 and the gem made her an instant star.

The song featured on her first album The Kick Inside.

Wuthering Heights topped the UK Charts for 4 weeks and also
scored #1 in Australia, Ireland, Italy, New Zealand and Portugal.

Pitchfork named it the 5th best song of the 70s,
a couple of years ago.

The original video.

KATE BUSH: Facebook – Instagram

TANYA DONELLY And BELLY Released Their Biggest Hit Single ‘FEED THE TREE’ 30 Years Ago Today

Posted on by JL

Top singles from the past

11 January 2023

Band: BELLY (Boston)
Led by the fabulous singer-songwriter Tanya Donelly
Active: 1991–1996, 2016–present / 3 studio LPs

Single: FEED THE TREE
B-sides: Trust In Me  and Dream On Me
Released: 11 January 1993 – 30 years ago today

Story: frontwoman Tanya Donelly said
that the song is a metaphor about commitment
and respect, with the tree being a place on a
large farm where a family would be buried.

Album: Star – the band’s debut LP.

Score: This single is Belly‘s most successful one.
It topped the US Billboard Modern Rock Tracks
and peaked at #32 in the UK

Feed the video here.

BELLY: Facebook – Bio – Discography

The Late Genius LOU REED Released Imperishable Classic ‘WALK ON THE WILD SIDE’ 50 Years Ago

Posted on by JL

Standout singles from the past

26 November 2022

The late genial singer-songwriter-rocker-performer LOU REED released
his imperishable signature classic WALK ON THE WILD SIDE (almost
370 million streams on Spotify) than 50 years ago, on 24 November 1972.

It was released along with that other masterstroke Perfect Day (more than
1962 million streams on Spotify) as a double A-side single. Both songs were
taken from Reed’s Transformer LP produced by David Bowie and Mick Ronson.

Laurie Anderson about ‘Walk On The Wild Side’:
“It has the best bass line ever to push a pop song.”

The song peaked at #10 in the UK and #16 in the USA but kept
on selling over the years as it was re-released a couple of times.

Take a walk once more, Lou.

.
LOU REED: Bio – Discography – Facebook

Bomp-Baba-Bomp-Ba-Bomp-Ba-Bomp-Bomp-Vedanga-Bang-Bang-Vadinga-Bong-Ding

Posted on by JL

Top singles from the past

28 September 2022

Band: THE MARCELS
Who: American doo-wop group from Philadelphia that
scored several hits in their short career (1959-1962).

Bass player Allen Johnson was the voice who started the song with the legendary line “Bomp-Baba-Bomp-Ba-Bomp-Ba-Bomp-Bomp-Vedanga-Bang-Bang-Vadinga-Bong-Ding”. He died today in 1995 from cancer, only 55. Rest in peace.

Single: BLUE MOON
It was a love ballad written by Connee Boswell
and by Al Bowllyal already in 1935
Score: No 1 in the US and the UK in 1961

Let’s roll…

THE MARCELS: History

Classic Cracker – BUDDY HOLLY’s PEGGY SUE Is 65 Today

Posted on by JL

Top singles from the past

20 September 2022

The late beloved BUDDY HOLLY who died in plane crash in 1959 (only 22)
released his best-known hit PEGGY SUE (almost 55 million streams on Spotify)
65 years ago today, on 20 September 1957.

It was written by his drummer Jerry Allison and Norman Petty
and originally titled Cindy Lou after Holly‘s niece. It was changed
to Peggy Sue, the name of Allison‘s girlfriend.

BUDDY HOLLY: Bio – Discography