Classic Crackers

ROD STEWART – Scottish Icon Topped The UK & US Singles Chart With ‘MAGGIE MAY’ Today 55 Years Ago

Posted on by JL

Top singles from the past

9 October 2026

Scottish rock & pop icon ROD STEWART (aged 81 now) scored a No. 1 hit
in the UK and the US with MAGGIE MAY (more than 440 million streams
on Spotify) today 55 years ago, on 9 October 1971.

The song was co-written with his guitarist Martin Quittenton and
appeared on his 3rd dolo LP, titled Every Picture Tells A Story.

It also hit the top spot #1 in Canada and Australia.

Written from Stewart‘s personal experience, Maggie May expresses the ambivalence
and contradictory emotions of a boy involved in a relationship with an older woman.

The woman’s name was not Maggie May. Rod The Mod has stated that
the name was taken from “an old Liverpudlian song about a prostitute”.

“Wake up, Maggie, I think I got somethin’ to say to you.”

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TOOL – Prog-Metal Giants Released Controversial Single ‘STINKFIST’ Today 30 Years Ago

Posted on by JL

Top singles from the past

1 October 2026

Prog metal rockers TOOL released controversial single
STINKFIST on 1 October 1996, 30 years ago today.

It was the opener of their 2nd album Ænima

The song title – also also referred to as “Track #1” due to the perceived offensiveness of
the actual title and perceived subject matter – fisting and drug addiction – caused changes to be made to the originally released version by TV and radio programmers, who also shortened the track.

Maynard Keenan (vocalist) explained: “‘Stink” and “fist” and the resulting perception
of “fist fucking” is actually symbolic in dealing with a friend of drummer Danny Carey who
“isn’t afraid of getting his hands dirty” rather than a “write-off” of the sexual term. Instead, fisting is a metaphor for the real cause of ailment.”

#1 in Canada, #17 in the US.

More than 185 million streams on Spotify.
The video clip has, as of today, more than
27 million views.

The music video for the song was created with stop-motion animation techniques featuring live actors, and was directed by the band’s guitarist Adam Jones (who had previous experience in art direction and animation)

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Discography

ISAAC HAYES Released His Big Hit ‘THEME FROM SHAFT’ Today 55 Years Ago

Posted on by JL

Top singles from the past

30 September 2026

Soul star ISAAC HAYES (1942-2008) released his big hit
THEME FROM SHAFT today, 55 years ago, on 30 Sept 1971.

It was the theme song to the 1971 crime action film Shaft.

It topped the US Singles Chart.

Hayes later explained to MOJO: “As this was my first such undertaking, at the initial meeting I had with the producer and director in New York you could see the anxiety on their faces. They tested me by giving me the opening scene – footage of Shaft coming out of the subway – to take away and see how I got on.

I remembered a guitar line I had in a tune I’d never used, got it off the shelf and had our guitarist play it exactly the same, but with a wah-wah. Then I got our drummer to play 16-note sequences on the hi-hat and we had it. The core rhythm for the tune, the springboard for the whole soundtrack, we’d cut in under two hours.”

SHORT version

LONG version

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Biography
Discography

DOLLY PARTON Released One Of Her Countless Hits Today 55 Years Ago With ‘COAT OF MANY COLORS’

Posted on by JL

Top singles from the past

27 September 2026

Country shero DOLLY PARTON, who passed away a month ago at
the age of 80, scored one of her countless hits with MY COAT OF
MANY COLORS, the title track of her 8th LP.

It was written by Parton, and released on 27 September 1971,
today 55 years ago and peaked at #4 on the US Country Charts.

The song tells of how Dolly‘s mother stitched together a coat for her daughter out of rags given to the family. As she sewed, she told her child the biblical story of Joseph and his coat of many colors. The excited child, “with patches on my britches and holes in both my shoes”, rushed to school, “just to find the others laughing and making fun of me” for wearing a coat made of rags.


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BOSTON Released Their Timeless Hit ‘MORE THAN A FEELING’ Today 50 Years Ago

Posted on by JL

Top singles from the past

18 September 2026

Legendary rock band BOSTON was formed in, eh,
Boston in 1975 by founder/chief sonwgriter and
guitarist Tom Scholz .

The first Boston album was mostly recorded in his
basement studio, primarily using devices he invented.

On 18 September 1976, today 50 years ago,
that album’s single MORE THAN A FEELING
came out.

An electric guitar-dominated rocker, made commercial with
an accessible beat and hand-clap backup and smooth, soaring
vocals.

#5 in the US, #4 in Canada, #11 in Australia and #22 in the UK.
More than 1,213 billion streams on Spotify.

“It’s more than a feeling (More than a feeling)
When I hear that old song they used to play (More than a feeling)
And I begin dreaming (More than a feeling)
‘Til I see Marianne walk away”

Boston Story
Discography

NIRVANA – Titanic Slam Dunk ‘SMELLS LIKE TEEN SPIRIT’ Released 35 Years Ago Today

Posted on by JL

Top singles from the past

10 September 2026

Immortal grunge legends NIRVANA released their titanic slam-dunk single
SMELLS LIKE TEEN SPIRIT on 10 September 1991, 35 years ago today.

It peaked at #6 in the US, #7 in the UK. Having sold over 13 million
copies worldwide, it is one of the best-selling songs of all time.

Thus far, the song has gathered more than 3,075 billion streams on Spotify.

As the story goes, Kurt Cobain attempted to write “the ultimate pop song,
inspired by the soft-and-loud dynamics of the Pixies.

The title derives from a phrase written by his friend Kathleen Hanna, from
riot grrrl band Bikini Kill: “Kurt smells like Teen Spirit.” Hanna was referencing
the deodorant Teen Spirit, but Cobain misinterpreted it as a revolutionary
slogan, and the rest is loud history.

“Here we are now, entertain us”

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Story
Discography

KYLIE MINOGUE Released Her Worldwide No. 1 Hit ‘CAN’T GET YOU OUT OF MY HEAD’ 25 Years Ago Today

Posted on by JL

Top singles from the past

8 September 2026

Australian pop star KYLIE MINOGUE (58 now) released her global (No. 1 in 40 countries)
blockbuster CAN’T GET YOU OUT OF MY HEAD today, 25 years ago, on 8 September 2001.

The song was written by a British duo, songwriter/producer Cathy Davis and
Rob Davis, who was the guitarist of renowned glam rockers Mud (1966-1980).

So far, the dance-pop classic has gathered more than 1,011 billion streams on Spotify.

La la la la la
La la la la la

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Story
Discography

THE WHO Released Their Hit Single ‘I’M A BOY’ Today 60 Years Ago

Posted on by JL

Top singles from the past

26 August 2026

THE WHO released their hit single I’M A BOY
on 26 August 1966, today 60 years ago.

The song was originally intended to be a part of a rock opera called Quads, which was to be set in a future in which parents can choose the sex of their children. The idea was later scrapped.

The story is about a family who “order” four girls, but a mistake is made, and three girls and one boy are delivered instead. The boy dreams of partaking in sports and other boy-type activities, but his mother forces him to act like his sisters and refuses to believe the truth.

It peaked at #2 in the UK.

“I’m a boy, but my Ma
won’t admit it”

Who’s Story
All Singles

ABBA Released Gigantic Hit ‘DANCING QUEEN’ Today 60 Years Ago

Posted on by JL

Top singles from the past

12 August 2026

Swedish hit machine released one of their greatest pop gems with DANCING QUEEN,
on 16 August 1976, today 50 years ago. The song went to #1 in 13 countries.

Anni-Frid Lyngstad (brunette singer) who apparently started crying when she heard the song for the first time: “I found the song so beautiful. It’s one of those songs that goes straight to your heart”.

Agnetha Fältskog (blonde singer) later said: “It’s often difficult to know what will
be a hit. The exception was ‘Dancing Queen.’ We all knew it was going to be massive.”

Yes, cheesy, but also pop-tastic.

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Discography

XTC – British New Pop Wavers Released Single ‘DEAR GOD’ Today 40 Years Ago

Posted on by JL

Top singles from the past

16 August 2026

British new pop wave band XTC (1972–2006) driven by frontman/songwriter
Andy Partridge released stand-alone single DEAR GOD on 16 August 1986,
today 40 years ago.


Single artwork

Written by Partridge, the song lyrics grapple with the existence of God
and the problem of evil. Partridge was inspired by a series of books with
the same title, which Partridge viewed as exploitative of children.

It wasn’t a commercial success, but still
is one of their best songs to date.

“Dear God, sorry to disturb you but
I feel that I should be heard loud and clear
We all need a big reduction in amount of tears
And all the people that you made in your image
See them fighting in the street
‘Cause they can’t make opinions meet about God
I can’t believe in You”

XTC Story
Discography