Billboard's #1 Pop Singles

[DRW50]

That reminds me of the mid-70's when some group with no ties to Fleetwood Mac went around performing under their name.

I also think Remember is a much better song than Leader of the Pack.

I can't believe those fake girls actually were on tape saying that was "their" hit. Wow.

[alphanguy74]

Yes.. "Remember" is a much better song, IMO, I also think "I Can Never Go Home Anymore" is good, although just as melodramatic as Leader Of The Pack, it seems more based in reality. The problem with the fake groups, is that many times, REAL performers find themselves booked on package concerts with the fake groups on them. I saw the fake Marvellettes at one of these, where I had gone to see Lou Christie. For me, I wasn't mad, because I didn't give a crap... Lou Christie was whom I was there to see, and I got what I wanted.

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[DRW50]

The song is a little over busy but is better than LotP. I like how the ending is so abrupt. Someone should loop that "MAMA!" in with "Papa" from Yentl.

I wonder how many of the artists even realize the people they're touring with are fake. Of course they probably don't care anyway.

[alphanguy74]

Carl... every one of them know the fake groups. They don't "tour" with them per se.. they are booked for a one nighter show, and find that it's a package bill when they arrive at the venue, and the other acts are fake. The fakes are always the opening acts... Mary Wilson actually has it written into her contract that she will not perform with a fake group, and a few others do as well. I think the most brilliant part of "You Can Never Go Home Anymore" is at 2:35, when she says "Listen, I'm not finished..." and then that DRAMATIC string riff... it sends chills down me.

[quartermainefan]

I actually have Leader Of The Pack on my iPod. I think it is a really cool song, and I love the almost campy overwrought angst.

[Max]

While "Remember (Walkin' in the Sand)" is another great record, I really don't care for "I Can Never Go Home Anymore" (since it is mostly a spoken-word recording).

That's a real travesty about those faux groups on tour.

"Leader of the Pack" was knocked out of the top spot by "Ringo" by Lorne Greene, which spent one week at number one: the week ended 12/5/64.

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Lorne Greene (born Lyon Himan Green in Ottawa) was only the second Canadian to top the "Billboard" Pop Singles Chart. (Paul Anka was the first.) Though Greene was a student of acting, his first big career break came when he replaced Charles Jennings (father of Peter) as the chief news anchor for the CBC in 1940. During his tenure there, he first became known as the "Voice of Doom" because he would relay bad war news to his fellow countrymen. (He later became known as the "Voice of Canada" once the Allied effort took a turn for the better.)

Lorne had accumulated an impressive resume of theatre and television credits when he was selected for the central role of Ben Cartwright in "Bonanza." This NBC western ran from 1959 to 1973, and was the most popular show on television for three consecutive seasons, beginning with the 1964-65 season. As "Bonanza" was surging into the #1 position in the Nielsens, Greene and his co-stars were brought into the recording studio. One of the tracks cut--"Ringo"--was not about the famous Beatle, but rather (according to Wikipeida) "referred to the real-life Old West outlaw Johnny Ringo."

In terms of his musical career, Greene was a one-hit wonder. However, he still remained a prolific actor, with his most famous post-"Bonanza" role likely being that of Commander Adama on "Battlestar Galactica." Lorne had agreed to appear in the TV movie "Bonanza: The Next Generation," but was never able to fulfill that obligation because he died of heart failure on September 11, 1987. He was 72 years old.

I certainly do not believe that "Ringo" deserved to rise to number one. In addition to the fact that it was a spoken-word recording, it feels like a ripoff of Jimmy Dean's "Big Bad John."

[quartermainefan]

Wow, I never heard that song before in my life. I could see how songs like this might appeal to 12 yr old boys who were watching westerns and playing cowboys and indians. I personally think this song is a waste of time and I am not surprised it never got rotation on oldies radio,

[DRW50]

I thought that the songs made popular because someone is a TV star/story songs had faded by this time - I didn't realize the #1 year for this was 1964.

Someone should do a list of songs popular because the person is on TV, although I guess that would be subjective (Johnny Angel, for instance, is a good song probably greatly helped by being sung by a TV star).

[Max]

Bobby Vinton--who scored the final pre-Beatles #1 single--was one of the few successful artists of the early-60s whose career was not wiped out by the Fab Four. His fourth and final chart-topper, "Mr. Lonely," held the peak position for one week: the week ended 12/12/64.

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As mentioned previously, Vinton signed with Epic Records in 1960. The label was ready to drop him when "Roses Are Red (My Love)" (1962) soared to #1 and became his first hit. However, at that make-or-break recording session, "Roses Are Red" was not the only tune recorded: the other song that was made was "Mr. Lonely." Bobby thought that "Mr. Lonely" would make the perfect follow-up record, and pleaded with Epic to release it; they declined, because they still saw Vinton as merely a bandleader and decided that "Mr. Lonely" would have greater potential if performed by Buddy Greco. (Greco's version fizzled at #64 in November 1962.) Fast-forwarding to the Fall of 1964, Vinton's own version of "Mr. Lonely" was placed on his "Greatest Hits" album. Because demand for the song proved to be so great, Epic chose to release this classic ballad as a single in its own right, where it eventually topped the Hot 100.

Over the next eleven years, the Polish Prince scored 18 additional top forty hits. Yet, only three of these tunes--"Please Love Me Forever" (#6, 1967), "I Love How You Love Me" (#9, 1968), and "My Melody of Love" (#3, 1974)--made the top ten. His fourth biggest post-"Mr. Lonely" hit was actually a sequel record titled "Coming Home Soldier" (#11, 1967).

After the hits dried up for good, Bobby hosted "The Bobby Vinton Show," a musical variety series that ran from 1975 to 1978. Though Vinton currently resides in Florida, he has become well-known for his frequent performances in Branson, Missouri.

[MissLlanviewPA]

Here are two I can think of automatically:

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^ This went to number one right before The Heights was cancelled.

And of course, "Jessie's Girl" went to number one when Rick Springfield was on GH, and "Rise" and "Baby Come to Me" went to number one because they were used on GH.

Donny Osmond's "Go Away Little Girl" might count too, as he and his family were on The Andy Williams Show before Donny & Marie.

And Shaun Cassidy was on The Hardy Boys/Nancy Drew Mysteries when "Da Doo Ron Ron" went to number one.

[MissLlanviewPA]

Here's "How Do You Talk To An Angel" being sung by Jamey Walters in the first episode of The Heights:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P5HIarf0CFM&feature=related

[DRW50]

I was thinking more of people who were on a TV show and then happened to start making music because of that, like the odious record from John Travolta.

[MissLlanviewPA]

There really are fewer examples of that. I think in most of those cases, if the song charted then it wasn't number one.

[alphanguy74]

There's always Vicki Lawrence... and hits don't come much bigger than THAT.

I think that "Mr. Lonely" is lovely... as overwrought as it is, for some reason it works. I think the sparse arrangement and piano riff is what really makes the song, IMO.

[DRW50]

Bobby Vinton knew how to pour out the heart and pain in those while being on just the right side of overwrought. No one can do that now.