Classic Crackers

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.

Story
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

Summer Of 1976 – August 14th – NICK LOWE First Artist On STIFF RECORDS Today 50 Years Ago

Posted on by JL

Every day of this summer we go back to the same summer day somewhere in history

14 August 2026

Funded by a £400 loan, the single So It Goes by
singer-songwriter legend NICK LOWE (aged 77 now)
became the first record released on te iconic British
label Stiff Records.

The label’s marketing and advertising was often provocative and witty billing itself as
“The World’s Most Flexible Record Label”. Other slogans were “We came. We saw. We left”,
and “If It Ain’t Stiff, It Ain’t Worth a Fuck“.

It was many artists’ first label: The Damned, Lene Lovich,
Wreckless Eric, Elvis Costello, Ian Dury, and Devo.

PETER GABRIEL Topped The US Charts With Steamrolling Single ‘SLEDGEHAMMER’ Today 40 Years Ago

Posted on by JL

Top singles from the past

27 July 2026

Today, 40 years ago, on 27 July 1986, PETER GABRIEL topped
the US Singles Chart with steamrolling stomper SLEDGEHAMMER.

It was the lead single of his 5th LP So that also went to #1 in the US.

The track was accompanied by a spectacular video clip, which used
groundbreaking claymation, pixelation, and stop-motion animation
techniques to bring the song’s imagery to life.

Watch out, here comes a locomotive.

Instagram
All Albums

THE SUPREMES Released Their No. 1 Hit Single ‘YOU CAN’T HURRY LOVE’ Today 60 Years Ago

Posted on by JL

Top singles from the past

25 July 2026

60s soul sheros THE SUPREMES released their huge hit
YOU CAN’T HURRY LOVE (almost 600 million streams
on Spotify) on 25 July 1966, today 60 years ago.

The song, written by legendary Motown producers
Holland–Dozier–Holland hit the top spot in both
the UK and the US.

Spotify
Discography

MANIC STREET PREACHERS – Welsh Heroes Released Single ‘EVERYTHING MUST GO’ Today 30 Years Ago

Posted on by JL

Top singles from the past

22 July 2026

Welsh heroes MANIC STREET PREACHERS released the title track of their
4th longplayer EVERYTHING MUST GO on 22 July 1996, today 30 years ago.

It was the first album without guitarist/lyricist Richey Edwards,
who disappeared mysteriously in February the year before.


Manics on the cover of NME in 1994 – Richey at the bottom

The song is cited by bassist Nick Wire as a message to the fans, saying the music had changed after the loss of Richey, but the band is still the same. Ushering in a new era
for the band, Wire‘s lyric asks fans to forgive them for changing.

The song peaked at #5 in the UK.

“And I just hope that you can forgive us
But everything must go
And if you need an explanation
Then everything must go”

Spotify
Instagram
All Albums

ELVIS PRESLEY Released Hit Single ‘DON’T BE CRUEL’ Today 70 Years Ago

Posted on by JL

Top singles from the past

ELVIS PRESLEY released his hit single DON’T BE CRUEL (more than
221 million streams on Spotify) today 70 years ago, on 13 July 1956.

Must be the first time we have a 70-year-old song here on TUTV.

It was written by Otis Blackwell who was more than happy to give up 50% of the royalties and a co-writing credit to Presley to ensure that the “hottest new singer around covered it”. But unfortunately, he had already sold the song for only $25 ($289 in 2024), as he later stated in an interview.

Discography

Summer Of 1981 – July 8 – R.E.M. Released Brilliant Debut Single ‘RADIO FREE EUROPE’ Today 45 Years Ago

Posted on by JL

Every day of this summer we go back to the same summer day somewhere in history

8 July 2026

R.E.M. (1980–2011, 15 albums) released superb debut single
RADIO FREE EUROPE, today 45 years ago, on 8 July 1981.

It peaked at #25 in the US.

In 1983, the band re-recorded the song
for their debut album Murmur.

“We’re calling out in transit
Calling out in transit
Radio Free Europe”

Discography