Music News

[Jeff Wrangler]

I'm surprised you don't remember that song.  It was one of her most successful, peaking at number one in charts of 41 countries and earning a place in the 2007 Guinness Book of World Records, as the song topping the charts in most countries.  It also samples from the instrumental introduction to ABBA's single "Gimme! Gimme! Gimme! (A Man After Midnight)",

It occurred to me this morning that this song is not getting played on either of the two Eighties-plus stations to which I keep my clock radios tuned. I'm still hearing "Material Girl" fairly regularly (heard it this morning, in fact), "Like a Prayer" not so much anymore, but I'm still hearing it. Same deal with "Like a Virgin."

[CellarDweller]

It occurred to me this morning that this song is not getting played on either of the two Eighties-plus stations to which I keep my clock radios tuned. I'm still hearing "Material Girl" fairly regularly (heard it this morning, in fact), "Like a Prayer" not so much anymore, but I'm still hearing it.

Ok, you're not hearing "Hung Up" on that station because it's one of her later hits, released in 2005.

"Hung Up" samples ABBA's song "Gimme Gimme Gimme", and was put into the Guinness Book of World Records as the song that hit #1 in the most countries (41).

Here is ABBA's original.

and here is Madonna's "Hung Up".

[Jeff Wrangler]

Ok, you're not hearing "Hung Up" on that station because it's one of her later hits, released in 2005.

Which could explain why I've never even heard it. By then I wasn't listening to music much at all.

[CellarDweller]

Kris Kristofferson dies at 88

Kristoffer Kristofferson (June 22, 1936 ? September 28, 2024) was an American country singer, songwriter and actor. Among his songwriting credits are "Me and Bobby McGee", "For the Good Times", "Sunday Mornin' Comin' Down", and "Help Me Make It Through the Night", all of which were hits for other artists.

In 1985, Kristofferson joined fellow country artists Waylon Jennings, Willie Nelson and Johnny Cash in the country music supergroup the Highwaymen, which was a key creative force in the outlaw country music movement that eschewed the traditional Nashville country music machine in favor of independent songwriting and producing.

As an actor, Kristofferson was known for his roles in Pat Garrett and Billy the Kid (1973), Blume in Love (1973), Alice Doesn't Live Here Anymore (1974), A Star Is Born (1976) (which earned him a Golden Globe Award for Best Actor), Convoy (1978), Heaven's Gate (1980), Stagecoach (1986), Lone Star (1996), and the Blade film trilogy (1998?2004). Kristofferson was inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame in 2004.

[Jeff Wrangler]

"Eschewed": Now, there's a word you don't hear much anymore. 

[serious crayons]

"Eschewed": Now, there's a word you don't hear much anymore. 

I say it now and then. Probably more often write it.

[CellarDweller]

Peter Yarrow dies at 86

(Peter died on January 7th, I thought I had posted this here, but I didn't)

Peter Yarrow was an American singer and songwriter who found fame as a member of the 1960s folk trio Peter, Paul and Mary. Yarrow co-wrote (with Lenny Lipton) one of the group's best known hits, "Puff, the Magic Dragon."

The trio consisted of Peter Yarrow (guitar, tenor vocals), Paul Stookey (guitar, baritone vocals), and Mary Travers (contralto vocals).  The group's repertoire included songs written by Yarrow and Stookey, early songs by Bob Dylan, and covers of other folk musicians. They were enormously successful in the early- and mid-1960s, with their debut album topping the charts for weeks, and helped popularize the folk music revival. After the death of Travers in 2009, Yarrow and Stookey continued to perform as a duo under their individual names.

Billboard Hot 100 Top 40 singles of Peter, Paul, & Mary.



Year              Song Title                       Peak Position on Billboard Top 40 Chart

1962  -           "Lemon Tree"                                    #35
1962  -           "If I Had a Hammer"                         #1
1963  -           "Puff The Magic Dragon"                    #2
1963  -           "Blowin' In The Wind"                        #2
1963  -           "Don't Think Twice, It's All Right"       #9
1963  -           "Stewball"                                        #35
1964  -           "Tell It On The Mountain"                   #33
1967  -           "I Dig Rock and Roll Music"                #9 
1967  -           "Too Much of Nothing"                       #35
1969  -           "Day Is Done"                                   #21
1969  -           "Leaving On A Jet Plane"                    #1

[CellarDweller]

Roberta Flack dies at 88

Roberta Cleopatra Flack was an American singer who topped the Billboard charts with the No. 1 singles "The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face", "Killing Me Softly with His Song", and "Feel Like Makin' Love".

Flack influenced the subgenre of contemporary R&B called quiet storm, and interpreted songs by songwriters such as Leonard Cohen and members of the Beatles.

Flack was the first artist to win the Grammy Award for Record of the Year in two consecutive years: "The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face" won in 1973 and "Killing Me Softly with His Song" won in 1974.

Billboard Hot 100 Top 40 singles of Roberta Flack.



Year              Song Title                       Peak Position on Billboard Top 40 Chart

1971  -           "You've Got A Friend"                          #29 (with Donny Hathaway)
1972  -           "First Time Ever I saw Your Face"         #1
1972  -           "Where Is The Love"                           #5 (with Donny Hathaway)
1973  -           "Killing Me Softly With His Song"          #1
1973  -           "Jesse"                                              #30
1974  -           "Feel Like Makin' Love"                        #1
1978  -           "The Closer I Get To You"                    #2 (with Donny Hathaway)
1978  -           "If I Ever See You Again"                    #24 
1982  -           "Making Love"                                    #13
1983  -           "Tonight, I Celebrate My Love"            #16  (with Peabo Bryson)
1991  -           "Set The Night To Music"                     #6  (with Maxi Priest)

[CellarDweller]

Brian Wilson dies at 82

Brian Douglas Wilson (June 20, 1942 ? June 11, 2025) was an American musician, songwriter, singer, and record producer who co-founded the Beach Boys. Often called a genius for his novel approaches to pop composition and mastery of recording techniques, he is widely acknowledged as one of the most innovative and significant songwriters of the 20th century. His best-known work is distinguished for its high production values, complex harmonies and orchestrations, vocal layering, and introspective or ingenuous themes. He was also known for his versatile head voice and falsetto.

Billboard Hot 100 Top 40 singles of the Beach Boys.



Year              Song Title                       Peak Position on Billboard Top 40 Chart

1962  -           "Surfin' Safari"                                   #14
1963  -           "Surfin' USA"                                     #3
1963  -           "Shut Down"                                     #23
1963  -           "Surfer Girl"                                      #7
1963  -           "Little Deuce Coupe"                          #15
1963  -           "Feel Like Makin' Love"                        #1
1963  -           "Be True To Your School"                    #6
1963  -           "In My Room"                                    #23
1963  -           "Little St. Nick"                                  #25
1964  -           "Fun, Fun, Fun"                                 #5
1964  -           "I Get Around"                                  #1
1964  -           "When I Grow Up"                             #9
1964  -           "Dance Dance Dance"                        #8
1965  -           "Do You Wanna Dance?"                    #12
1965  -           "Help Me Rhonda"                             #1
1965  -           "California Girls"                               #3
1965  -           "The Little Girl I Once Knew"              #20
1965  -           "Barbara Ann"                                  #2
1966  -           "Sloop John  B"                                #3
1966  -           "Wouldn't It Be Good"                       #8
1966  -           "Good Vibrations"                             #1
1967  -           "Heroes and Villains"                        #12
1967  -           "Wild Honey"                                   #31
1967  -           "Darlin'"                                          #19
1968  -           "Do It Again"                                   #20
1968  -           "I Can Hear Music"                           #24
1976  -           "Rock And Roll Music"                       #5
1976  -           "It's Ok"                                          #29
1979  -           "Good Timin'"                                  #40
1981  -           "Beach Boys Medley"                        #12
1981  -           "Come Go With Me"                         #18
1985  -           "Getcha Back"                                 #26
1987  -           "Wipeout"                                       #12  (duet with The Fat Boys)
1988  -           "Kokomo"                                       #1