Members alphanguy74 Posted May 7, 2012 Members Share Posted May 7, 2012 Carl, I think he only fell out of favor on the record charts. From what I understand, Roy was ALWAYS a very successful touring act, he's revered by most, and appeals to such a broad fanbase, that tickets for his shows always sold very well. I like his ballads best, but "Oh, Pretty Woman" is one of the most memorable iconic songs of all time, not many songs reach that kind of status. "You Got It" was a GREAT song, and one of the best of that year. It's one of those times when someone has a comeback and it's not a dissapointment or feeble attempt to be trendy and they end up losing themselves. Like Blondie's comeback hit in 2000, "You got It" sounded like what you would expect a Roy Orbison song to sound like. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Max Posted May 7, 2012 Author Members Share Posted May 7, 2012 There were many country crossovers that went to #1, but I'm not really sure that would count as Southern rock. In rock's early years, Buddy Holly, Buddy Knox, Elvis Presley, and the Everly Brothers all had chart-topping singles as well, but those songs obviously weren't in the mold of "Ramblin' Man" and "Keep Your Hands to Yourself." It remains a mystery to me as well. I'm guessing that at least 95% of all people would have committed suicide if they had suffered though such tragedies. I've never known of anybody who dislikes Orbison or his music. Alphanguy previously shared a tune he enjoyed called "Tell Him" by the Exciters. While that group was a one-hit wonder, they also were the first to record the Jeff Barry/Ellie Greenwich-penned "Do Wah Diddy Diddy," which did go to #1 when covered by another artist. Manfred Mann's version of the song held the peak position for two weeks: the weeks ended 10/17/64 & 10/24/64. <iframe width="560" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/crzppe4Cu7Q" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe> "Manfred Mann" refers to both a person and a British Invasion group. The individual known as Manfred Mann was born on October 21, 1940 as Michael Lubowitz in Johannesburg, South Africa. In 1961, he relocated to the U.K. and soon formed a band. Mann himself was on keyboards, and he was joined with Paul Jones (vocals), Mike Hugg (drums), Tom McGuinnes (bass), and Michael Vickers (guitar). (In 1967, Jones was replaced with Mike D'Abo.) "Do Wah Diddy Diddy" was the group's first American hit. Three more top 40 hits would follow: "Sha La La" (#12, 1965) [A cover of a Shirelles song] "Pretty Flamingo" (#29, 1966) "Mighty Quinn (Quinn the Eskimo)" (#10, 1968) [Composed by Bob Dylan] Manfred Mann essentially disbanded in 1969. However, Mann (the individual) would form two new groups (with largely different personnel). First came Manfred Mann Chapter III, an "experimental jazz rock band" that lasted for about two years. Then, in 1971, Manfred Mann's Earth Band was formed. They would score three top 40 hits, beginning with the chart-topping "Blinded by the Light" (1977). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members DRW50 Posted May 7, 2012 Members Share Posted May 7, 2012 Another song I'm not fond of, although some parts are OK. I think it's the title, and how overwrought some of the song is. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Max Posted May 7, 2012 Author Members Share Posted May 7, 2012 While I find the song to be enjoyable enough, it's never been a favorite of mine, either. I forgot to mention that "Do Wah Diddy Diddy" was the tune that kept "Dancing in the Street" from reaching #1. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members alphanguy74 Posted May 8, 2012 Members Share Posted May 8, 2012 Max, the video you posted is one of those "Not available in your country" ones... Here's another one that should play... it's lip synch to the original recording: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x-y-50RW5Ng That song never impressed me a bit. And to think that Dancing In the Street was kept from number one by it? Please. I find it juvenile and repetetive. Now, Pretty Flamingo wasn't half bad, and Mighty Quinn had nonsensical lyrics, but was a much better song: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members DRW50 Posted May 8, 2012 Members Share Posted May 8, 2012 There's something kind of cool about the chorus of Mighty Quinn. We're already way past the time that this was a hit (around March 1964), but this is one of my favorite songs of 1964. I just love it, even if this version doesn't have the best sound quality. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zX1-e0w3mUw Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members DRW50 Posted May 8, 2012 Members Share Posted May 8, 2012 Another 1964 hit, although more in Britain, is this by the best of the best, Dusty Springfield. It's just aching and so reflective and is a lost artform, in many ways. I guess you could say that you can still hear some of this in singers like Adele, but not with as much soul. Her US hit in 1964 was Wishin' & Hopin', not one of my favorite songs. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EA48IL6bQQU She also released this in 1964. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=95Xd8bgXLLA Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members alphanguy74 Posted May 9, 2012 Members Share Posted May 9, 2012 1964 was certainly the year Dusty Exploded in the UK... she had a good deal of success here, but not like in England, where she had superstar status. I feel she is the best female singer that ever lived, when she was in her prime. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Max Posted May 10, 2012 Author Members Share Posted May 10, 2012 I also love "(Just Like) Romeo and Juilet." I should correct an earlier statement I made when I claimed that no doo-wop song made the top ten after 1963. In 1964, this record peaked at #6, and the Drifters' "Under the Boardwalk" peaked at #4. Alphanguy, I really appreciate you posting that video. Honestly, just two days ago the video I posted was working, so I was completely unaware about this problem until now. My favorite Dusty Springfield song is her first solo American hit, "I Only Want to Be With You." It was absurd that it only peaked at #12. The Supremes' second #1 single was "Baby Love," which spent four weeks atop the Hot 100: the weeks ended 10/31/64, 11/7/64, 11/14/64, & 11/21/64. <iframe width="420" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/WUmhpVyqo3A" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe> "Baby Love" was the Supremes' follow-up to "Where Did Our Love Go." This song sounded very similar to their first chart-topper, which was exactly how Berry Gordy wanted it. (Personally, I thought that the Supremes should have had a fresher follow-up. While many artists would issue copycat tunes, Motown was especially notorious for this practice.) Interestingly, out of the Supremes' twelve #1 singles, only "Baby Love" spent more than two weeks at the peak position. (However, I believe that "Love Child" is actually the trio's best-selling record.) Before I conclude, I'd like to give a "shout-out" to the Funk Brothers. They were the group who performed (uncredited) instrumental back-up on virtually every Motown record prior to the company's (unfortunate) move to Los Angeles in 1972. The unique instrumentation on Motown songs was, IMO, one of the very best things about them. Appallingly, these musicians were fired by Gordy. According to Wikipedia, some of the Funk Brothers "discovered [they were dismissed] only from a notice on the studio door." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members alphanguy74 Posted May 10, 2012 Members Share Posted May 10, 2012 "Baby Love" is another one that fans and all the Supremes hate as well. Thank Goodness... this is the last of the Supremes singles with this distinction, from here on... it gets MUCH better. The B-side of "Baby Love".... "Ask Any Girl" is at the center of big controversy. Several months later, Len Barry's "1-2-3" was released, and Motown sued the composers of that song for Plagarism and won. The publishing rights to the song "!-2-3" was awarded to Jobete publishing, as the songwriters admitted to copying "Ask Any Girl" in open court. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pShLGgtUD0I Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members DRW50 Posted May 10, 2012 Members Share Posted May 10, 2012 Baby Love is one of their most iconic songs. I can see why people hate it, as the song is very precious, but I think the song suits Diana's very limited vocal range and stylings to a tee. I like Ask Any Girl. It's a strangely structured, song, and very twee, but I like it, especially the opening (which always reminds me of "Uptown"). I just wish it didn't have a slightly empty feeling. I never had any idea 1-2-3 was based on Ask Any Girl. I'm amazed that the guy just admitted it, because honestly I don't hear the resemblance at all. I guess the publishers got a ton of money on this, as you still hear 1-2-3 fairly often. The first time I heard Ask Any Girl was on a Supremes anthology CD. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members MissLlanviewPA Posted May 10, 2012 Members Share Posted May 10, 2012 I REALLY wish iTunes made this available without having to buy the whole album. This version is just incredible. One of my favorite bands in the world gives one of their greatest performances. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=64vvX6-d_JY Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Max Posted May 12, 2012 Author Members Share Posted May 12, 2012 Now that Alphanguy pointed it out, I noticed a slight resemblance, but I would never otherwise suspect that "1-2-3" was plagiarized. While "1-2-3" is an OK song, it certainly did not deserve to peak at #2. Out of all the songs Ellie Greenwich co-wrote, only two--"Chapel of Love" and "Leader of the Pack"--gave her a "gut feeling" they would rise to number one. The latter tune, performed by the Shangri-Las (and co-written with Jeff Barry and George "Shadow" Morton), spent one week at the peak position: the week ended 11/28/64. <iframe width="420" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/McvWodRXA7k" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe> The Shangri-Las were a girl group from Queens that consisted of two sets of sisters: Mary (the lead singer) & Betty Weiss and Marge & Mary Ann Ganser. (Betty often avoided touring, which is why you only see three girls in the above picture.) The quartet's first hit was the melodramatic "Remember (Walkin' in the Sand)" which peaked at #5 in September 1964. The melodrama and sound effects ("Remember" featured the "sounds" of sea gulls and waves) were used again for their follow-up, "Leader of the Pack." As "The 'Billboard' Book of Number One Hits" put it, "the revving of the motors, the screeching of the brakes and the sudden crashing of two vehicles helped make the single an unforgettable classic." This group fared a bit better than their Red Bird labelmates, the Dixie Cups. After topping the Hot 100, the Shangri-Las would accumulate four more top 40 hits, as listed below: "Give Him a Great Big Kiss" (#18, 1965) "Give Us Your Blessings" (#29, 1965) "I Can Never Go Home Anymore" (#6, 1965) "Long Live Our Love" (#33, 1966) "Leader of the Pack" was enough of a pop culture sensation that a parody record--"Leader of the Laundromat" by the Detergents--reached #19 in early 1965. Sadly, "Leader of the Pack" was also the last song from the beloved girl group genre to hit #1. (I'm excluding the girl groups of Motown here, becuase their songs are much better classified as being part of the Motown sound as opposed to the girl group sound that dominated the early-60s.) In fact, aside from "I Can Never Go Home Anymore," the only post-1964 top ten hits of the genre that come to mind are "The Boy from New York City" by the Ad-Libs (#8, 1965), "A Lover's Concerto" by the Toys (#2, 1965), and "Sweet Talkin' Guy" by the Chiffons (#10, 1966). (Technically, the Ad-Libs were not a true girl group because only the lead singer was female. However, their tunes were of the girl group mold.) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members DRW50 Posted May 12, 2012 Members Share Posted May 12, 2012 Certainly an iconic song, but not one I care for, which seems to be a running theme with this year (or #1 songs in general, perhaps). It's a ludicrous song, and is at its peak when treated as such. It isn't available online but Bette Midler does a wonderful job with the song on Divine Miss M, with all the absurdity and pathos the song requires. (the Youtube live performances I do not care for). There's a book from the mid-90's, Rolling Stone's women of rock'n'roll, which has a good article about those cheesy girl group songs and how they touched the lives of those who listened to them. One woman talked about how during those years, she really did have a boyfriend who was deemed "bad" by her family, and who was killed after they broke up. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members alphanguy74 Posted May 12, 2012 Members Share Posted May 12, 2012 Leader Of the Pack, I had also put into the "Teen Tragedy" genre as well... so it belonged to two genres that were on their way out. I think people love it, but also consider it kind of silly as well, because of the soapy nature of the song. Much later, Mary, Betty and Margie were the first to sue a promoter using their name to make a "fake" oldies group, an movement that is spearheaded today by Mary Wilson, who managed to get legislation passed in 5 states prohibiting groups from performing unless their is one original member... but that ALSO creates problems in itself, as some groups that have had hits, and have been together for decades contain no original members. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JQB8mYd-ozo Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Archived
This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.