Hits which have never been played anywhere since their original chart run

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While doing the research for my 1974 epic (currently closed for renovation/refurbishment ahem) I noticed a substantial amount of singles which were fairly major hits at the time but to my knowledge have never been revived or played as an oldie on any radio station and seem to have fallen into a weird kind of chart limbo.

Examples from '74 would include Farewell by Rod Stewart, Pepper Box by the Peppers, Doctor's Orders by Sunny and Reggae Tune by Andy Fairweather-Low - all perfectly good (if not earth-shattering) pop records, all top ten, never played since.

So can anyone think of any other examples from other years?

― Marcello Carlin (nostudium), Wednesday, 28 September 2005 07:05 (twenty years ago)

My hunch is that 1980 might be a happy hunting ground here.

― Tom (Groke), Wednesday, 28 September 2005 07:18 (twenty years ago)

search '50s charts too.

― faith popcorn (Jody Beth Rosen), Wednesday, 28 September 2005 07:24 (twenty years ago)

i have the joel whitburn book of the american billboard charts from 1955 on -- i'll see what that turns up.

― faith popcorn (Jody Beth Rosen), Wednesday, 28 September 2005 07:27 (twenty years ago)

Date: 9/12/81 Pos: 33 Wks: 5

Artist & Record Title: Afternoon Delights "General Hospi-Tale" (parody of TV's "General Hospital")

Label & No.: MCA 51148

― faith popcorn (Jody Beth Rosen), Wednesday, 28 September 2005 07:35 (twenty years ago)

I was thinking more in terms of really big hits, i.e. top ten, top five, or even number ones, which have never been knowingly resuscitated. For instance, when was the last time you heard "In My Own Time" by Family (UK #4, 1971) on the radio?

― Marcello Carlin (nostudium), Wednesday, 28 September 2005 07:38 (twenty years ago)

quite a few of the high-charting '50s and early '60s singles listed in the book are lost to history. have you heard jimmy charles & the revelletts' 1960 single "a million to one" on the radio lately? it was on the charts for 11 weeks, peaking at number 5.

― faith popcorn (Jody Beth Rosen), Wednesday, 28 September 2005 07:42 (twenty years ago)

I don't think we ever got that one in Britain.

― Marcello Carlin (nostudium), Wednesday, 28 September 2005 07:48 (twenty years ago)

Wasn't that song a double a-side for Donny Osmond?

― mark grout (mark grout), Wednesday, 28 September 2005 07:49 (twenty years ago)

haha "general hospi-tale" added to wishlist

― j blount (papa la bas), Wednesday, 28 September 2005 07:49 (twenty years ago)

Actually, I was here to say, 'funny' recs 'of their time' like:

If - Yin and Yan
King of the Cops - whoever.

― mark grout (mark grout), Wednesday, 28 September 2005 07:50 (twenty years ago)

how about the delegates' "convention '72" (peaked at #8 in 1972)?

― faith popcorn (Jody Beth Rosen), Wednesday, 28 September 2005 07:51 (twenty years ago)

every mother's son's "come on down to my boat" (peaked at #6 in 1967)?

― faith popcorn (Jody Beth Rosen), Wednesday, 28 September 2005 07:54 (twenty years ago)

what was the last stateside novelty hit (hit meaning 'top 20')? not counting stuff like 'macarena', 'candle in the wind '97', or 'who let the dogs out?' as novelty hits; ie TRUE novelty hits (REAL MUSIC MAAN) like spike jones or dickie goodman or weird al or rodney dangerfield or the afternoon delights i'm guessing.

― j blount (papa la bas), Wednesday, 28 September 2005 07:57 (twenty years ago)

xpost: larry groce's "junk food junkie" (#9, 1976)?

― faith popcorn (Jody Beth Rosen), Wednesday, 28 September 2005 07:57 (twenty years ago)

probably weird al.

― faith popcorn (Jody Beth Rosen), Wednesday, 28 September 2005 07:58 (twenty years ago)

yeah i'm thinking "amish paradise" might be it

― j blount (papa la bas), Wednesday, 28 September 2005 07:58 (twenty years ago)

"A Million To One" was a Donny Osmond single in the US only.

Although there are two US top three hits from '74 which also spring to mind - "Americans" by Byron McGregor and "Rock 'N' Roll Heaven" by the Righteous Brothers. Do either of these ever get spun over there?

― Marcello Carlin (nostudium), Wednesday, 28 September 2005 08:01 (twenty years ago)

i often think about this (the original thread topic, not the novelty hits thing). when you're going through thousands of 50s/60s/70s 45s as i do on a fairly regular basis you get a more accurate view of what actually sold at the time than radio/tv shows/compilations would have you believe. it never ceases to amaze me how artists could sell so many records and be unheard of today.

partly due of course to the simplification of pop music history in the media and critics' minds, where they only think in terms on the musically important sounds or biggest bands of the time, maybe with a few counter examples for an attempt at balance.

trying to visualise labels now to give examples, but UK 45 labels don't really aid the memory being so bloody dull.

novelty records are a bit different. still very important, but more obvious to see why they wouldn't get airplay/complilation appearance years afterwards...

― michael2 (michael2), Wednesday, 28 September 2005 08:03 (twenty years ago)

not to my knowledge.

― faith popcorn (Jody Beth Rosen), Wednesday, 28 September 2005 08:04 (twenty years ago)

here's a good one: maureen mcgovern's "the morning after" (#1 in 1973, was in the poseidon adventure). i'm sure a lot of people know it, but it never ever ever gets any radio airplay or shows up on "best of the '70s" comps.

― faith popcorn (Jody Beth Rosen), Wednesday, 28 September 2005 08:06 (twenty years ago)

from '74: australian nun sister janet mead's "the lord's prayer" (#4).

― faith popcorn (Jody Beth Rosen), Wednesday, 28 September 2005 08:08 (twenty years ago)

I'm sure that Don sang it on TOTP as the 'alternate' side, one time.

― mark grout (mark grout), Wednesday, 28 September 2005 08:09 (twenty years ago)

Extraordinary US/UK double, again from '74:

"My Melody Of Love" by Bobby Vinton (US #1)

Same tune, different lyrics:
"Don't Stay Away Too Long" by Peters and Lee (UK #3)

..and neither of these ever get revived.

― Marcello Carlin (nostudium), Wednesday, 28 September 2005 08:11 (twenty years ago)

haha i STILL very very occasionally hear byron mcgregor's "americans" on the radio

― j blount (papa la bas), Wednesday, 28 September 2005 08:12 (twenty years ago)

LOTS of great 70s am pop never gets heard on the radio anymore, very very very few disco hits (i'm guessing at most thirty songs) get played with any regularity at all on commercial radio over here

― j blount (papa la bas), Wednesday, 28 September 2005 08:15 (twenty years ago)

Yellow River - Christie
Medicine Head - One and One Is One
Anything By Peters and Lee
Paper Lace - The Night Chicago Died
Fox - S-S-S Single Bed, Only You Can
Sailor - Glass of Champagne etc
Pluto - Dat
Sutherland Brothers and Quiver - Arms of Mary
Dead End Kids - Have I The Right
Johnny Logan - What's Another Year?
Narada Michael Walden - I Shoulda Loved You
Rodney Franklin - The Groove
Blue Mink - Melting Pot
Nazareth - This Flight Tonight, My White Bicycle
New Seekers - You Won't Find Another Fool Like Me
Danny Mirror - I Remember Elvis Presley
Harpo - Movie Star
Mac and Katy Kissoon - Sugar Candy Kisses
Kenny - Heart of Stone (not 'The Bump' Kenny)
Jim Gilstrap - Swing Your Daddy
Guys and Dolls - There's A Whole Lot Of Loving
Mike Batt - Summertime City
Justin Hayward and John Lodge - Blue Guitar
Billy Howard - King Of The Cops
Jimmy James and The Vagabonds - Now Is The Time
Sherbet - Howzat
Paul Nicholas - Dancing With The Captain
Randy Edelman - Uptown Uptempo Woman
Chris Hill - Bionic Santa
Paul Evans - Hello This is Joanie
Status Quo - Wild Side Of Life
Barry Biggs - Sideshow

These were mostly top 10, certainly all top 20.

― Dr. C (Dr. C), Wednesday, 28 September 2005 08:18 (twenty years ago)

The other thing about Byron McGregor was that, because there was obviously no point in putting out "Americans" in Britain, he did record a soundalike single with a different narrative and released it as "The British." It wasn't a hit.

What was the deal with that "Shaving Cream" record that spent about 900 weeks on the US chart in 1975?

― Marcello Carlin (nostudium), Wednesday, 28 September 2005 08:18 (twenty years ago)

A 'hilarious' record that on the end of each verse you think it's going to say shit, as the previous rhyming word suggests, but instead sings 'shaving cream'.

― mark grout (mark grout), Wednesday, 28 September 2005 08:20 (twenty years ago)

Some of the records on Dr C's list do get recycled on Radio 2 every now and then.

My forthcoming 1981 blog epic manages to mention "There's A Whole Lot Of Loving" twice, for fairly obvious reasons.

― Marcello Carlin (nostudium), Wednesday, 28 September 2005 08:21 (twenty years ago)

Who was the guy who did "Open Letter To My Teenage Son" in the sixties? "If you burn your draft card, I have no son" etc. Victor something or other?

― Marcello Carlin (nostudium), Wednesday, 28 September 2005 08:25 (twenty years ago)

victor lundberg.

― faith popcorn (Jody Beth Rosen), Wednesday, 28 September 2005 08:26 (twenty years ago)

i actually did hear that song on the radio recently!

― faith popcorn (Jody Beth Rosen), Wednesday, 28 September 2005 08:26 (twenty years ago)

First three months of 1980 reveal - all top 10s -

Dr Hook - Better Love Next Time
Jon & Vangelis - I Hear You Now
Keith Mitchell - Captain Beaky (maybe excluded on 'novelty hit' grounds)
Tourists - So Good To Be Back Home Again
Captain & Tennille - Do That To Me One More Time
Brothers Johnson - Stomp
Lambrettas - Poison Ivy
Bobby Thurston - Check Out The Groove

also I have no idea of the public profile of "Together We Are Beautiful", though of course it gets played at Poptimism.

I do not think any of these get radio play.

― Tom (Groke), Wednesday, 28 September 2005 08:28 (twenty years ago)

haha i LOVE that record! i think i've only heard it played 'ironically' on the local college radio. was 'dawn of correction' a big hit? i didn't know about it at all until i read the hoberman sixties book. i think it and 'open letter' are a bit too ott (or at least remind the listener of vietnam, decidedly not the goal of someone sympathising with those records nowadays) to get played sincerely on radio now.

xpost

― j blount (papa la bas), Wednesday, 28 September 2005 08:29 (twenty years ago)

if this thread doesn't yield some YSIs i'll be deeply disappointed.

Captain & Tennille - Do That To Me One More Time

tom, this was a HUGE hit and still gets played everywhere!

― faith popcorn (Jody Beth Rosen), Wednesday, 28 September 2005 08:29 (twenty years ago)

yeah i was thinking that too but i can recall the last time i heard it or a station that might play it on the radio. little steven was right!

― j blount (papa la bas), Wednesday, 28 September 2005 08:31 (twenty years ago)

Ah well either it doesn't in the UK, or I know it but don't know it, if you see what I mean.

― Tom (Groke), Wednesday, 28 September 2005 08:33 (twenty years ago)

Again, most of these 1980 examples are Radio 2 staples - so perhaps you need to persuade the Office Radio Controller to switch the dial from Magic every now and then! ;-)

Mind you, three top tens for the Specials in 1980 and you never hear any of them these days - Rat Race, Stereotypes and Do Nothing (the last two in particular are brilliant!).

― Marcello Carlin (nostudium), Wednesday, 28 September 2005 08:35 (twenty years ago)

i'm sure you'd remember it if you heard a few bars. it was one of the biggest hits of the '70s, at least over here anyway. (xp)

― faith popcorn (Jody Beth Rosen), Wednesday, 28 September 2005 08:36 (twenty years ago)

I think a similar thing has happened with 90's Europop than with disco: the so-called classics ("It's My Life", "Mr. Vain", "The Power", "What Is Love", "No Limits"...) still get occasionally played, whereas many other similarly big hits ("Got to Get It", "Another Night", "Trust Me", "Somebody Dance With Me", "Life"...) you never hear anymore.

― Tuomas (Tuomas), Wednesday, 28 September 2005 08:37 (twenty years ago)

"another night" still gets played a lot over here.

― faith popcorn (Jody Beth Rosen), Wednesday, 28 September 2005 08:38 (twenty years ago)

A lot of Stock Aitken Waterman's stuff has vanished from the airwaves, apart from the really obvious Kylie ones and the occasional Bananarama.

― Marcello Carlin (nostudium), Wednesday, 28 September 2005 08:39 (twenty years ago)

and "never gonna give you up"

― faith popcorn (Jody Beth Rosen), Wednesday, 28 September 2005 08:40 (twenty years ago)

I've been spending time in February 1976 this week.

Manuel & The Music Of The Mountains - "Rodrigo's Guitar Concerto De Aranjuez"
R & J Stone - "We Do It"

― mike t-diva (mike t-diva), Wednesday, 28 September 2005 08:40 (twenty years ago)

Ah yes - Manuel & his Music of the Mountains, the shortest lifespan of a number one single ever, from about lunchtime on Tuesday until teatime, when they realised they'd missed out a day's sales figures and Tina Charles went top instead.

About Never Gonna Give You Up: well I thought that, but then I thought: when did I actually last hear that on the radio?

I demonstrated the Rick Astley feet-nailed-to-the-floor style of dancing at Poptimism last month, to universal blank looks.

― Marcello Carlin (nostudium), Wednesday, 28 September 2005 08:42 (twenty years ago)

A lot of stuff that would qualify would be the 'minor' hits of a hit act.

e.g. "The way you are" Tears for Fears, I'm sure has never been played since.

― mark grout (mark grout), Wednesday, 28 September 2005 08:42 (twenty years ago)

I have heard Astley on the radio recently, I'm sure of it.

I have heard Alan do it too. Not on the radio.

― Tom (Groke), Wednesday, 28 September 2005 08:43 (twenty years ago)

Also, where a single gets issued in isolation and never gets added to an album. e.g.

"This used to be my playground" Madonna

― mark grout (mark grout), Wednesday, 28 September 2005 08:44 (twenty years ago)

Sometimes it seems to be just a matter or chance or some individual DJ's taste which songs keep on getting played. For example, out of Haddaway's two hit songs, at least in Finland "Life" was the bigger one (and judging from it's MTV airplay, probably in the rest of Europe too), yet that song is now forgotten and it's "What Is Love" that still gets spun.

― Tuomas (Tuomas), Wednesday, 28 September 2005 08:44 (twenty years ago)

Skipping 89 messages at this point... Click here if you want to load them all.

I wonder how often the UK Subs hits get played - Tomorrow's Girls, She's Not There, Party In Paris, Stranglehold.

― Dr. C (Dr. C), Wednesday, 28 September 2005 10:06 (twenty years ago)

Suffice To Say" by..the Yachts?

As I said elsewhere, Kaiser Chief's entire ouevre is based on this song.

― Billy Dods (Billy Dods), Wednesday, 28 September 2005 10:07 (twenty years ago)

My first-ever crush (though not a crush of shame) Lynsey de Paul - the Amanda Platell of '70s Britpop - never gets heard these days :-(

― Marcello Carlin (nostudium), Wednesday, 28 September 2005 10:08 (twenty years ago)

Of course, all those Stars On 45 wannabes which rendered the 1981 singles charts practically uninhabitable for the best part of three months have thankfully never resurfaced...

― Marcello Carlin (nostudium), Wednesday, 28 September 2005 10:10 (twenty years ago)

Hey, remember "I Swear" by All-4-One? It was totally ubiquitous in 1994 or 1995, most likely a top 5 hit, yet I've never heard it ever since.

― Tuomas (Tuomas), Wednesday, 28 September 2005 10:10 (twenty years ago)

I have just ROFL at the idea of an oldies station playing "Party In Paris". Thanks Dr C for making my day.

The mention of Lynsey De Paul reminds me of Stephanie De Sykes, whose excrable "Born With A Smile On My Face" has thankfully never been heard since its chart run.

― harvey.w (harvey.w), Wednesday, 28 September 2005 10:11 (twenty years ago)

> (koogs xpost)
> Good God, there was a Victor Lundberg album?

well, i thought he said 'follow up' at the time but the cat no for both is the same. could just be the b-side of a 7"

― koogs (koogs), Wednesday, 28 September 2005 10:13 (twenty years ago)

FascFact: That "Born w/smile" song was initially offered to Jimmy Tarbuck, who turned it down. Shame really, it would have sounded 'manic depressive' if he'd done it.

"The whole of my life is a pantomime" indeed.

― mark grout (mark grout), Wednesday, 28 September 2005 10:14 (twenty years ago)

Yeah... All-4-One, BVSMP, MN8... and 3T! Three top 3 hits, a #10 and a #11. It's like they never existed.

― mike t-diva (mike t-diva), Wednesday, 28 September 2005 10:16 (twenty years ago)

Stephanie de Sykes also played a part in making my ten-year-old 1974 that much more pleasurable...

― Marcello Carlin (nostudium), Wednesday, 28 September 2005 10:19 (twenty years ago)

Pretty well all hits written by Simon May, including The Summer Of My Life, Anyone Can Fall In Love, Almost There (Howard's Way Theme) and two copies of Every Loser Wins.

― Marcello Carlin (nostudium), Wednesday, 28 September 2005 10:20 (twenty years ago)

What was that Smashing Pumpkins rip-off thing that went to number one. The singer joined Genesis.

― Dr. C (Dr. C), Wednesday, 28 September 2005 10:22 (twenty years ago)

"Inside" Stiltskin!

― mark grout (mark grout), Wednesday, 28 September 2005 10:25 (twenty years ago)

Oh yes.

― Dr. C (Dr. C), Wednesday, 28 September 2005 10:30 (twenty years ago)

Is Marcello back from lunch yet?

― Dr. C (Dr. C), Wednesday, 28 September 2005 11:32 (twenty years ago)

The original mixes of the first two Jive Bunny & The Mastermixers hits are available nowhere than in secondhand shops, I guess. Doesn't fully fit with the question asked, but still....

― Geir Hongro (GeirHong), Wednesday, 28 September 2005 11:39 (twenty years ago)

Color Me Badd - "All 4 Love"
Diana Ross - "Love Hangover"

― Mr. Snrub (Mr. Snrub), Wednesday, 28 September 2005 11:48 (twenty years ago)

That song w/Sting, Rod, Bryanads, etc...

― mark grout (mark grout), Wednesday, 28 September 2005 11:49 (twenty years ago)

Lots of early 90s dance. "Moments In Soul" by JT And the Big Family (or whatever) and "Ghetto Heaven" by oh I don't remember.

― dog latin (dog latin), Wednesday, 28 September 2005 11:51 (twenty years ago)

...by The Family Stand. (Cautiously disputed, as it was ClassicClassicClassic round our house, and played at our lodger's wedding 10 years ago next month.)

― mike t-diva (mike t-diva), Wednesday, 28 September 2005 12:05 (twenty years ago)

Funny, I was thinking about this very thing myself just recently: What the hell was going on in 1974, all those weird Top 40 hits (in USA/Canada anyways) that were full-blown novelties or at least kinda gimmicky? Check this list:

Americans - Byron MacGregor (#4)
Clap for the Wolfman - The Guess Who (#6)
Don't Call Us, We'll Call You - Sugarloaf & Jerry Corbetta (#9)
Earache My Eye (Featuring Alice Bowie) - Cheech & Chong (#9)
Energy Crisis '74 - Dickie Goodman (#33)
The Entertainer - Marvin Hamlisch (#3)
Get Dancin' Disco-Tex & The Sex-O-Lettes (#10)
Hooked On A Feeling - Blue Swede (#1)
Kung Fu Fighting - Carl Douglas (#1)
Life is a Rock (But the Radio Rolled Me) - Reunion (#8)
The Lord's Prayer - Sister Janet Mead (#4)
My Girl Bill - Jim Stafford (#12)
My Melody of Love - Bobby Vinton (#3)
The Night Chicago Died - Paper Lace (#1)
Overnight Sensation (Hit Record) - Raspberries (#18)
The Show Must Go On - Three Dog Night (#4)
Sister Mary Elephant (Shudd-Up!) - Cheech & Chong (#24)
The Streak - Ray Stevens (#1)

― Myonga Von Bontee (Myonga Von Bontee), Wednesday, 28 September 2005 14:23 (twenty years ago)

Another huge, quirky hit from '74: Mocedades - "Eres Tu". Been awhile since I've heard that on the airwaves.

All of these are fairly commonly heard on one or another format of oldies radio in America(xpost on some):

every mother's son - "come on down to my boat"
larry groce - "junk food junkie" (he's the host of "Mountain Stage" on NPR, so it get an airing every so often)
Righteous Brothers - "Rock 'N' Roll Heaven" (will fucking never die)
maureen mcgovern - "the morning after"
sister janet mead - "the lord's prayer"
Paper Lace - "The Night Chicago Died" (ubiquitous)
Captain & Tennille - "Do That To Me One More Time" ("")
Brothers Johnson - "Stomp" (huge on the "jammin' oldies" format)
Baltimora - "Tarzan Boy"
Poppy Family - "Which Way You Goin' Billy?"
Sweet - "Little Willie"
Diana Ross - "Love Hangover"
Nazareth - My White Bicycle (heard this on the classic rock station just the other day!)

― brianiac (briania), Wednesday, 28 September 2005 15:02 (twenty years ago)

Thanks for the jog on Polly Brown's "Up In A Puff Of Smoke", Marcello. Gotta hear that again soon.

― brianiac (briania), Wednesday, 28 September 2005 15:09 (twenty years ago)

Many of Hall & Oates bit hits ("Adult Education," "Did It In a Minute,") have vanished completely. So have Madonna's #2 hit "Causing A Commotion" and #10 "Hanky Panky."

― Alfred Soto (Alfred Soto), Wednesday, 28 September 2005 15:15 (twenty years ago)

I heard that Sting/Bryan Adams/Rod monstrosity just the other day in the supermarket.

I was looking through a list of 90's number ones recently and I was shocked to find one I'd never even heard of: "Here Comes the Hotstepper". Have I actually heard this song, or did this get play for like two weeks?

― Vinnie (vprabhu), Wednesday, 28 September 2005 15:16 (twenty years ago)

Dr Hook - Better Love Next Time

Yeah, when do you hear anything by Dr. Hook (the opening act at my first-ever concert) anymore? Who'd they piss off?

― Rick Massimo (Rick Massimo), Wednesday, 28 September 2005 17:07 (twenty years ago)

You've never heard "Here Come The Hotstepper"!!! OMGWTFLOL

I doubt there's a third rate nightclub DJ in existence that doesn't have that in his "In case of emergency break glass" box.

― Dom Passantino (Dom Passantino), Wednesday, 28 September 2005 17:09 (twenty years ago)

My favorite Cars song, "Touch and Go," had disappeared by the beginning of 1981, at least on the radio stations I listened to. It's on their greatest hits packages, but I haven't heard it on a radio station in at least 22, 23 years.

― Rock Hardy (Rock Hardy), Wednesday, 28 September 2005 17:17 (twenty years ago)

Sister Mary Elephant (Shudd-Up!) - Cheech & Chong (#24)

ahh, i love this.

― faith popcorn (Jody Beth Rosen), Wednesday, 28 September 2005 17:18 (twenty years ago)

Dom: I just found the clip on AMG and sure enough, I hadn't heard it. Maybe I was asleep that month or overseas or something.

― Vinnie (vprabhu), Wednesday, 28 September 2005 17:25 (twenty years ago)

Bangles - "In Your Room" (#2)
Sheena Easton - "The Lover In Me" (#2)

Not that they were that good, but I remember them being big hits at the time and I don't think I've heard them since.

― LeRooLeRoo (Seb), Wednesday, 28 September 2005 17:38 (twenty years ago)

For some unfortunate reason I've had Trio's "Da Da Da" running through my head today.

Five Star. Haven't heard "System Addict" or "Rain or Shine" or... any of the other ones they did, in ages now. They were Britain's answer to the Jackson Five!

― Pvt. Dave Goes To Far (scarlet), Wednesday, 28 September 2005 17:48 (twenty years ago)

damn, I heard "Tarzan Boy" all the time a few years ago

― Curt1s St3ph3ns, Wednesday, 28 September 2005 18:38 (twenty years ago)

Strictly speaking, people will struggle to find anything that fits with the criteria, as anything that has been a sizeable hit will have some kind of nostalgia appeal to some people, and as such, a it may work out being played in nostalgia shows/nostalgia stations.

― Geir Hongro (GeirHong), Wednesday, 28 September 2005 18:53 (twenty years ago)

These songs all went to #1 in the US in the first few years of the 90s. Kudos to you if you were born after 1983 and have even heard of three of these.

Whitney Houston - "All the Man I Need"
Karyn White - "Emotions"
Glenn Medeiros f/ Bobby Brown - "She Ain't Worth It"
Tommy Page - "I'll Be Your Everything"
Timmy T. - "One More Try"
Sweet Sensation - "If Wishes Came True"
James Ingram - "I Don't Have the Heart"
Surface - "The First Time"
WIlson Philips - "You're in Love"
Paula Abdul - "The Promise of a New Day"
George Michael f/ Elton John - "Don't Let the Sun Go Down on Me"

― The Good Dr. Bill (The Good Dr. Bill), Wednesday, 28 September 2005 19:10 (twenty years ago)

Wow, that list is impressive! I was born in 1973 and the only one I could hum is the George Michael/Elton duet and I kinda remember the titles of the Whitney and Paula Abdul songs. The rest are completely unknown to me. They all went to #1??? Man the early 90's pop charts sucked!

― LeRooLeRoo (Seb), Wednesday, 28 September 2005 20:25 (twenty years ago)

Frank Mills, "Music Box Dancer," #1 pop USA 1978 (a top 40 country hit too!)

― The Obligatory Sourpuss (Begs2Differ), Wednesday, 28 September 2005 20:44 (twenty years ago)

A lot of early '90s party raps that were too lightweight to become "canon." When was the last time any hip hop station played "Whoomp There It Is" or even ONYX's "Slam"?

Also, of course, tons of lite shite: Jon Secada etc.

― joseph cotten (joseph cotten), Wednesday, 28 September 2005 20:49 (twenty years ago)

John Secada had like eight top 40 hits. It's disconcerting.

― The Good Dr. Bill (The Good Dr. Bill), Wednesday, 28 September 2005 22:05 (twenty years ago)

Montel Jordan - This Is How We Do It

― pinder (pinder), Wednesday, 28 September 2005 22:29 (twenty years ago)

These songs all went to #1 in the US in the first few years of the 90s. Kudos to you if you were born after 1983 and have even heard of three of these.
Whitney Houston - "All the Man I Need"
Karyn White - "Emotions"
Glenn Medeiros f/ Bobby Brown - "She Ain't Worth It"
Tommy Page - "I'll Be Your Everything"
Timmy T. - "One More Try"
Sweet Sensation - "If Wishes Came True"
James Ingram - "I Don't Have the Heart"
Surface - "The First Time"
WIlson Philips - "You're in Love"
Paula Abdul - "The Promise of a New Day"
George Michael f/ Elton John - "Don't Let the Sun Go Down on Me"

-- The Good Dr. Bill (fadeout9...), September 28th, 2005.

I can hum all of them (boo, hiss). I hear the Whitney, Michael/John, Wilson Phillips, and James Ingram songs on my bus' adult-cnotemporary station every morning. South Florida, the freestyle capital of the world, was quite besotted with Timmy T and thus plays "One More Try" all the time.

The rest I haven't heard since 1991. The Tommy Page song (cowritten with the New Kids!) and Glenn Medeiros number are lost forever.

Karyn White never had a song called "Emotions." Do you mean Mariah Carey's "Emotions"?

― Alfred Soto (Alfred Soto), Wednesday, 28 September 2005 23:47 (twenty years ago)

This thread is well worth the read.

#12 in the US in '67 was The Hombres' Let It Out (Let it All Hang Out). Gawd I loved it, and swear I haven't heard it once in the intervening years. If you aren't familiar with it, the lyrics are spoken - almost rapped, and make no sense. Typical 3 chord E A D stuff with a nice keyboard overlay. The guy sorta sounds like Johnny Cash.

Um, anyone able to YSI??

― jim wentworth (wench), Thursday, 29 September 2005 00:26 (twenty years ago)

It's on the Nuggets box. It's great, I'll rip & YSI if no one else does in the next few hours.

I can hum all of them (boo, hiss).

Well, if I was of age in '90/'91, I guess I probably would be able too. But as someone who got heavily into music in the mid-90s, I had never even heard of most of these guys until I started obsessively chartspotting earlier this year.

And yeah, I meant Karyn White's "Romantic".

― The Good Dr. Bill (The Good Dr. Bill), Thursday, 29 September 2005 02:02 (twenty years ago)

Many of Hall & Oates bit hits ("Adult Education," "Did It In a Minute,") have vanished completely

i saw/heard "adult education" on vh1 classic last week!

Paula Abdul - "The Promise of a New Day"

you don't hear that one much, it's true, but you should. it's one of my fave pop songs of the '90s. dammit.

and "let it all hang out," in addition to being on the nuggets box, was covered by john mellencamp back when he was a pop star. it's on big daddy.

― fact checking cuz (fcc), Thursday, 29 September 2005 02:39 (twenty years ago)

VH11 Classic really shouldn't count for this since it's more or less their job to play songs and videos that nobody remembers.

― The Good Dr. Bill (The Good Dr. Bill), Thursday, 29 September 2005 02:58 (twenty years ago)

can hum (or better): whitney, wilson phillips, paula, george/elton. familiar with the rest.

― faith popcorn (Jody Beth Rosen), Thursday, 29 September 2005 06:51 (twenty years ago)

"let it all hang out" is one of my favorite songs. i don't remember if i've heard it on the radio but i do remember it appearing in movies and suchlike, so it's not THAT obscure.

― faith popcorn (Jody Beth Rosen), Thursday, 29 September 2005 06:53 (twenty years ago)

When was the last time any hip hop station played "Whoomp There It Is"

there's a version of this on the crazy frog album!!!

― faith popcorn (Jody Beth Rosen), Thursday, 29 September 2005 06:54 (twenty years ago)

also: go to one sporting event

― j blount (papa la bas), Thursday, 29 September 2005 07:13 (twenty years ago)

"let it all hang out" cough cough Jonathan King cough

― mark grout (mark grout), Thursday, 29 September 2005 07:20 (twenty years ago)

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