This Date in Rock Music History: January 7

1955:  "Rock Around The Clock" by Bill Haley & the Comets debuted on the U.K. chart.

1961:  Johnny Tillotson had the #1 U.K. song with "Poetry In Motion".
1964:  Long John Baldry formed the Hoochie Coochie Men.
1964:  Cyril Davies, harmonica player who formed Blues Incorporated with Alexis Korner, died of leukemia at age 31.  (Note:  numerous websites incorrectly report that he died at age 32; Davies died 16 days before his 32nd birthday (January 23, 1932), according to his official website.)
1964:  The Beatles recorded for the BBC program Saturday Club, performing Chuck Berry's "Johnnie B. Goode", along with "All My Loving", "Money", "The Hippy Hippy Shake", "I Want To Hold Your Hand", "Roll Over Beethoven", and "I Wanna' Be Your Man".  It was the group's fourth appearance on the show. 

1967:  The Doors and the Young Rascals played the second of two nights at the Fillmore Auditorium in San Francisco, California.  (Note:  Many websites incorrectly show the venue as Winterland, and others say they were three shows; it was the Fillmore on January 6 and 7 as shown in the handbill pictured above.)
1967:  Aaron Neville had the first #1 R&B song of the New Year with "Tell It Like It Is".






      
        The Four Tops vaulted into the Top 10...

1967:  The Monkees continued at #1 into the New Year with "I'm A Believer".  One of the all-time great novelty songs, "Snoopy Vs. The Red Baron" by the Royal Guardsmen was second with Aaron Neville making a push for the top with "Tell It Like It Is".  Former #1 "Winchester Cathedral" by the New Vaudeville Band grabbed the #4 spot, followed by Nancy Sinatra ("Sugar Town") and Dad Frank ("That's Life"). The rest of the Top 10:  Boise, Idaho's Paul Revere & the Raiders with "Good Thing", the Mamas and the Papas climbed from 19-8 with "Words Of Love", the Four Tops nearly matched that with "Standing In The Shadows Of Love (15-9) while Donovan took a turn downward with "Mellow Yellow".






1967:  The Monkees made it nine weeks on top of the Album chart with their self-titled release.
1970:  Fleetwood Mac played the first of five nights at the famous Whisky A Go Go on Sunset Strip in Hollywood, California.  (Note:  some websites report the group played the first of five shows at the Whisky on August 12.  The Mac played five shows there in 1970, but they were January 7-11, according to official websites for Fleetwood Mac and the Whisky A Go Go.)
1970:  Max Yasgur was sued for $35,000 in property damages by neighboring farmers where the famous 1969 Woodstock Music Festival was held.  There's always party poopers.
1971:  Black Sabbath released the album Paranoid in the U.S. (it had been released in September in the U.K.)





1974:  Cher released the single "Dark Lady".
1974:  James Taylor and Carly Simon celebrated the birth of daughter Sarah Maria (Sally).
1974:  Aerosmith began a tour with a show at the Michigan Theater in Detroit.  (Note:  numerous websites incorrectly show that the tour began in March 9 in Boston; according to the band's official website, the tour began January 7 in Detroit.)
1976:  Kenneth Moss, record company executive, was sentenced to 120 days in the Los Angeles County Jail for involuntary manslaughter in the death of Robbie McIntosh, drummer of the Average White Band.  McIntosh died of drugs in 1974.





1978:  Con Funk Shun moved to #1 on the R&B chart with "Ffun", taking over from the seven-week chart topper "Serpentine Fire" from Earth, Wind & Fire.
1978:  Billy Joel had the new #1 Adult song with "Just The Way You Are".
1978:  The Bee Gees made it three weeks at #1 with "How Deep Is Your Love".  Player made a move (6-2) with "Baby Come Back" while Linda Ronstadt remained third with "Blue Bayou".






                                              "The Chain"...

1978:  Fleetwood Mac's Rumours, already the record holder for weeks at #1 with 29, returned to #1 on the Album chart after 46 weeks of release.  

1980:  Rupert Holmes released the follow-up to "Escape (The Pina Colada Song)"--"Him".












1980:  Pink Floyd released the single "Another Brick In The Wall, Part II".
1981:  The Police kicked off their Zenyatta Mondatta tour at the Centre Sportif de l'Université de Montreal in Quebec, Canada.
1984:  DeBarge logged a fifth straight week at #1 on the R&B chart with "Time Will Reveal".
1984:  Barry Manilow remained at #1 for a third week on the Adult Contemporary chart with "Read 'Em And Weep".







               The best song from Yes since "Roundabout"...

1984:  Paul McCartney & Michael Jackson's fourth week at #1 with "Say Say Say" highlighted a good Top 10.  Hall & Oates had several #1's in their career but they couldn't quite do it here--"Say It Isn't So" was stuck at #2.  Double Duran ("Union Of The Snake") and Yes ("Owner Of A Lonely Heart") were content in their spots while Olivia Newton-John moved "Twist Of Fate" to #5, although few stations played it.  The rest of the Top 10:  The Romantics moved from 12-6 with "Talking In Your Sleep", Matthew Wilder jogged up to #7 with "Break My Stride", Elton John registered his 18th Top 10 with "I Guess That's Why They Call It The Blues", the Rolling Stones were stuck at 9 with "Undercover Of The Night" and Lionel Richie was at 10 with "All Night Long (All Night)".

1984:  Thriller by Michael Jackson was still #1 in its fourth trip to the top of the Album chart since it came out 55 weeks previous.  All told, the epic album had spent 21 weeks as the #1 album and at this point, and was behind only Rumours by Fleetwood Mac (31) and the Soundtrack to "Saturday Night Fever" (24).
1989:  Roberta Flack achieved a #1 R&B song with "Oasis".





    
        Jackson's 21st solo Top 10 in 31 attempts...

1989:  Poison of all people had a #1 song for the third week with "Every Rose Has Its Thorn".  Bobby Brown was poised to take over with "My Prerogative" while "Two Hearts" from Phil Collins moved from 6 to 3.  Anita Baker peaked with "Giving You The Best That I Got" but the Bangles were on the move with "In Your Room".  The rest of a good Top 10:  Taylor Dayne with her fourth consecutive Top 10 to begin her career--"Don't Rush Me", Boy Meets Girl and "Waiting For A Star To Fall", Chicago's 44th career hit "Look Away", Def Leppard had a record fifth Top 20 song from a hard rock album (Hysteria) with "Armageddon It" and Michael Jackson joined the group with "Smooth Criminal".
1989:  "Two Hearts" by Phil Collins was the #1 Adult Contemporary song for the third week.





       A lot of great cuts on Hysteria, such as "Run Riot"...

1989:  Anita Baker held on to #1 on the Album chart for the third week with Giving You the Best That I Got.  The "Cocktail" Soundtrack and the "Rattle and Hum" Soundtrack trailed, while New Jersey from Bon Jovi was next and the Wilburys moved from 8-5 with Volume One.  The rest of the Top 10:  Def Leppard moved back up after 73 weeks with the incredible Hysteria album, Guns N' Roses and Appetite for Destruction, Bobby Brown was on the way down with Don't Be Cruel, Poison were at position #9 with Open Up and Say...Ahh! and Kenny G placed Silhouette at #10.












1992:  Eric Clapton released the single "Tears In Heaven".
1993:  R.E.M. played a benefit show for Greenpeace at the 40 Watt Club in Athens, Georgia.
1995:  For the fifth straight week, TLC's "Creep" led the R&B chart.









          "Love Will Keep Us Alive", one of four new songs on 'Hell Freezes Over'...

1994:  The Hits by Garth Brooks moved to #1 on the Album chart followed by the previous #1 Miracles - The Holiday Album by Kenny G and Pearl Jam's excellent Vitalogy.  II by Boyz II Men was up to 4 while Hell Freezes Over by the Eagles captured the next position.  The rest of the Top 10:  Merry Christmas from Mariah Carey, Dookie by Green Day was moving back up after 46 weeks, MTV Unplugged in New York from Nirvana came in at #8, Smash by Offspring and the Beatles took #10 with Live at the BBC.
2000:  Bob McFadden ("The Mummy" from 1959) died of ALS (Lou Gehrig's Disease) in Delray Beach, Florida at the age of 76.
2004:  Chris Robinson of the Black Crowes and wife, actress Kate Hudson, celebrated the birth of son Ryder Russell Robinson in Los Angeles.
2004:  OutKast again had the top album with the double release Speakerboxxx/The Love Below.  Alicia Keys was right behind with The Diary of Alicia Keys.
2006:  Pink married Carey Hart on a beach in Costa Rica.
2006:  The animal was finally caught and caged.  Gary Glitter ("Rock And Roll, Part II") was formally charged with committing obscene acts with two girls aged 11 and 12 in Vietnam.

2008:  The Eagles album Long Road Out of Eden was certified as having sold seven million copies in the U.S. alone.
2010:  The Royal Mail in Britain issued stamps which honored selected album covers such as Led Zeppelin IV and Let It Bleed.

2011:  Bobby Robinson, who produced hits for Gladys Knight & the Pips, the Shirelles, Wilbert Harrison, Lee Dorsey, King Curtis and many others, and founded or co-founded Red Robin Records, Whirlin' Disc Records, Fury Records, Fire Records and Enjoy Records, died at the age of 93.

Born This Day:
1936:  Eldee Young of Young-Holt Unlimited ("Soulful Strut") and the Ramsey Lewis Trio ("The In Crowd") was born in Chicago, Illinois; died of an apparent heart attack February 12, 2007 in Bangkok, Thailand.





1938:  Paul Revere, leader, co-founder and keyboardist of Paul Revere & the Raiders, was born in Harvard, Nebraska before he upgraded to Boise, Idaho; died of cancer October 4, 2014 in Garden Valley, Idaho.
1939:  Eustace Britchforth "Lefty" Baker, lead guitarist of Spanky and Our Gang ("Like to Get To Know You"), was born in Roanoke, Virginia; died August 11, 1971 from sclerosis of the liver.  (Note:  some websites list his birth year as 1942, it was 1939, according to volunteers at Grand View Memorial Park, where Baker's remains are interred.  Some websites show his birthplace as Richmond; he was born in Roanoke, according to most credible sources, then moved to Richmond with his family later.)
1942:  Danny Williams ("White On White" from 1964) was born in Port Elizabeth, Eastern Cape, South Africa; died December 6, 2005 of lung cancer.
1945:  Dave Cousins of the Strawbs was born in Hounslow, Middlesex, England.
1946:  Andy Brown, drummer of the Fortunes ("You've Got Your Troubles" from 1965), was born in Birmingham, England.

1948:  Kenny Loggins was born in Everett, Washington.

1959:  Kathy Valentine, bass guitarist of the Go-Go's, was born in Austin, Texas.
1974:  John Rich, vocalist and bassist with Lonestar ("Amazed") before forming the duo Big & Rich with Big Kenny.

Hits List: John (Cougar) Mellencamp

John Mellencamp captured the "heart" of the heartland and spread the message loud and clear all across the world.  He's been an amazing artist for over 30 years now, providing some of the most meaningful music in that time.  Here is the complete Hits List:

1978:  "I Need A Lover" (#5 Australia)
           "Factory"
1979:  "Miami" (#31 Australia)
           "I Need a Lover" (#28)
           "Taxi Dancer"
1980:  "Small Paradise" (#87)
           "A Little Night Dancin'"
           "This Time" (#27, #43 Australia)
1981:  "Ain't Even Done With the Night" (#17, #44 Mainstream Rock, #6 Canada)
           "Hot Night in a Cold Town"

1982:  "Hurts So Good" (#2, #1 Rock, #1 Canada, #5 Australia)
           "Jack & Diane" (#1, #3 Rock, #1 Canada, #7 Australia)
           "Thundering Hearts" (#36 Rock)
           "Hand to Hold on To" (#19, #97 Australia)
1983:  "Crumblin' Down" (#9, #2 Rock, #12 Canada, #42 Australia)
           "Pink Houses" (#8, #3 Rock, #11 Canada, #69 Australia)
1984:  "Serious Business" (#34 Rock)
           "Play Guitar" (#28 Rock)
           "The Authority Song" (#15, #15 Rock, #20 Canada, #93 Australia)--underrated.
1985:  "Lonely Ol' Night" (#6, #1 Rock, #37 Adult Contemporary, #4 Canada, #32 Australia)
           "Small Town" (#6, #2 Rock, #13 AC, #21 Canada, #80 Australia)
           "Justice and Independence '85" (#28 Rock)

Mellencamp's amazing Scarecrow album...
1986:  "Minutes to Memories" (#14 Rock)--highly underrated.
           "R.O.C.K. in the U.S.A." (#2, #6 Rock, #36 AC, #6 Canada, #18 Australia)
           "Under the Boardwalk" (#19 Rock, #18 Australia)
           "Rain on the Scarecrow" (#21, #16 Rock, #34 Australia)--underrated.
           "Rumbleseat" (#28, #4 Rock, #84 Australia)
1987:  "Paper in Fire" (#9, #1 Rock, #1 Canada, #13 Australia)
           "Cherry Bomb" (#8, #1 Rock, #12 AC, #4 Canada, #20 Australia)
           "Hard Times for an Honest Man" (#10 Rock)
           "The Real Life" (#3 Rock)
1988:  "Check It Out" (#14, #3 Rock, #12 Canada, #22 Australia)
           "Rooty Toot Toot" (#61, #7 Rock, #14 Canada, #54 Australia)
           "Rave On" (#17 Rock, #14 Canada)
1989:  "Pop Singer" (#15, #2 Rock, #8 Canada, #8 Australia)
           "Jackie Brown" (#48, #20 Rock, #31 AC, #36 Canada, #47 Australia)
           "Martha Say" (#8 Rock)
           "Let It Out (Let It All Hang Out)" (#42 Rock), #87 Australia)
1991:  "Get a Leg Up" (#14, #1 Rock, #7 Canada, #21 Australia)
           "Love and Happiness" (#5 Rock)
1992:  "Again Tonight" (#36, #1 Rock, #46 AC, #26 Canada, #39 Australia)
           "Last Chance" (#12 Rock)
           "Now More Than Ever" (#3 Rock, #57 Australia)
1993:  "Human Wheels" (#48, #2 Rock, #40 AC, #14 Canada, #40 Australia)
           "What If I Came Knocking" (#1 Rock, #16 Canada)
           "When Jesus Left Birmingham" (#35 Rock)
1994:  "Junior" (#35 Rock)
           "Baby Please Don't Go"
           "Wild Night" (with Meshell Ndegeocello) (#3, #17 Rock, #1 AC #3 Canada, #18 Australia)
           "Dance Naked" (#41, #21 Rock, #37 AC, #18 Canada)

1996:  "Key West Intermezzo (I Saw You First)" (#14, #10 Rock, #15 AC, #1 Canada, #21 Australia)
           "Just Another Day" (#46, #13 Rock, #24 AC, #11 Canada)
           "Without Expression" (#25 Rock, #26 Canada)
1998:  "Your Life Is Now" (#15 Rock, #19 AC, #16 Canada)
1999:  "I'm Not Running Anymore" (#37 Rock, #22 AC)
2000:  "Yours Forever"
2001:  "Peaceful World" (with Inda.Arie) (#38 Rock, #27 AC)
2003:  "To Washington"
           "Teardrops Will Fall"
2004:  "Walk Tall" (#25 AC)
2006:  "Our Country" (#88, #16 AC)

2007:  "The Americans"
           "Someday"
2008:  "My Sweet Love (#25 AC)
           "Troubled Land"
2009:  "A Ride Back Home" (with Karen Fairchild)
2010:  "No Better Than This"

John has racked up 29 hits with 10 of those going Top 10 and one #1.  His main appeal is in the sub-genre of Mainstream Rock, which is closer to the old "Top 40" charts than what is presented now as the "popular" chart.  On that chart, which first began in 1981, Mellencamp has had 45 hits, with 22 Top 10's and seven number one songs.  The largest audience by far, of course, is the Adult Contemporary chart.  Even though that isn't Mellencamp's direction, he has charted 17 AC hits, with one Top 10 and one #1.

Did You Know...

Al Stewart knew Yoko Ono before she met John Lennon and
was a roommate of Paul Simon's when Paul had an apartment in London.

Top Rock Artists from Scotland

There are numerous other musicians who came from Scotland (including Bon Scott and Angus and Malcolm Young from AC/DC).  This list focuses on the artists who have achieved their own success, either as a group or solo:

Average White Band, best known for "Pick Up the Pieces" from 1975

Bay City Rollers
Big Country
Del Amitri

Sheena Easton, definitely one of the best from Scotland
Franz Ferdinand

Annie Lennox, a solo star after the Eurythmics

Lulu

Nazareth ("Love Hurts")
Proclaimers

Gerry Rafferty

Simple Minds
Al Stewart, probably my favorite from Scotland
K.T. Tunstall

Van Halen to Tour in 2012

Van Halen has announced a tour for this year, with David Lee Roth doing the singing.  Tickets go on sale January 10.

Hits List: Bob Seger

This Detroit rocker put out a string of quality albums as good as any from 1976-1980 with Night Moves, Stranger In Town and Against the Wind.  It took him a while to get going in his career, but once he spread nationally and internationally, Seger took it to the next level.  In fact, I can't think of anyone in the history of the Rock Era who took longer to make it big and then became as big a star.  Here is the complete Hits List:

1961:  "The Lonely One"
1965:  "TGIF"
1966:  "Ballad of the Yellow Beret"
           "East Side Story
           "Sock It to Me Santa"
           "Persecution Smith"
1967:  "Vagrant Winter"
           "Heavy Music"

1968:  "2 + 2 = ?" (#79 Canada)
           "Ramblin' Gamblin' Man" (#17, #18 Canada)
1969:  "Ivory" (#97)
           "Noah"
           "Innervenus Eyes"
1970:  "Lucifer" (#84)
1971:  "Lookin' Back" (#96)
1972:  "If I Were a Carpenter" (#76)
           "Midnight Rider"
           "Turn the Page"
1973:  "Who Do You Love"
           "Rosalie"
1974:  "Need Ya"
           "Get Out of Denver" (#80)
           "U.M.C. (Upper Middle Class)"
1975:  "Beautiful Loser"
           "Katmandu" (#43, #57 Canada)

1976:  "Nutbush City Limits" (live) (#69, #85 Canada)
           "Night Moves" (#4, #5 Canada, #45 U.K.)
1977:  "The Fire Down Below"--highly underrated.
           "Mainstreet" (#24, #1 Canada)
           "Rock and Roll Never Forgets" (#41)
           "Sunspot Baby"--highly underrated.

1978:  "Still the Same" (#4, #27 Adult Contemporary, #4 Canada)
           "Hollywood Nights" (#12, #12 Canada, #42 U.K.)--highly underrated.
           "We've Got Tonight" (#13, #29 AC, #9 Canada, #22 U.K.)
           "Old Time Rock and Roll" (#28, #31 Canada)--highly underrated.

1980:  "Fire Lake" (#6, #31 AC, #3 Canada)
           "Against the Wind" (#5, #8 AC, #6 Canada)
           "You'll Accomp'ny Me" (#14, #7 AC, #8 Canada)
           "Horizontal Bop" (#42)
           "Her Strut"--highly underrated.
1981:  "Tryin' To Live My Life Without You" (live) (#5, #2 Rock, #11 Canada)
           "Feel Like a Number" (live) (#48, #29 Canada)

1982:  "Shame on the Moon" (#2, #1 AC, #8 Canada)
1983:  "Even Now" (#12, #2 Rock, #35 Canada, #73 U.K.)
           "Roll Me Away" (#27, #13 Rock)
           "Old Time Rock and Roll" (re-release) (#48)
1984:  "Understanding" (#17, #7 AC, #5 Rock, #38 Canada)
1986:  "American Storm" (#13, #2 Rock, #26 Canada, #78 U.K.)
           "Like a Rock" (#12, #21 AC, #1 Rock, #33 Canada)
           "It's You" (#52, #22 AC, #8 Rock)
           "Miami" (#70, #47 Rock)

1987:  "Shakedown" (#1, #1 Rock, #1 Canada, #88 U.K.)
1989:  "Blue Monday" (#40 Rock)
1991:  "Take a Chance" (#10 Rock)
           "The Real Love" (#24, #4 AC, #4 Rock)
           "The Fire Inside" (#45 AC, #6 Rock)
1994:  "In Your Time"
1995:  "Lock and Load" (#22 Rock)
           "Manhattan"
1996:  "Hands in the Air" (#29 Rock)
1998:  "Chances Are" (with Martina McBride) (#23 AC)
2006:  "Wait for Me" (#17 AC)
           "Wreck This Heart"
2011:  "Downtown Train" (#17 AC)
           "Hey Hey Hey Hey (Going Back to Birmingham)"


That's 31 hits, with 7 going Top 10 and 1 #1.  On the more dominant Adult Contemporary chart,14 hits with 5 reaching the Top 10 and 1 #1.

This Date in Rock Music History: January 5

1954:  Elvis Presley recorded a 10-minute demo tape at Memphis Recording Studio.

1957:  Pat Boone began filming the movie Bernadine.
1957:  Ivory Joe Hunter took over from Fats Domino's "Blueberry Hill" at #1 on the R&B chart.  "Since I Met You Baby" moved into the top spot after Fats had owned the position for 11 weeks.
1958:  Pat Boone was the mystery guest on the television show What's My Line? on CBS.



 

1959:  Buddy Holly released the single "It Doesn't Matter Anymore" on Coral Records, the final release before his death.

1959:  Jackie Wilson logged a fourth week at #1 on the R&B chart with "Lonely Teardrops".

1959:  "The Chipmunk Song" by the Chipmunks remained at #1 for a third week, holding off "Smoke Gets In Your Eyes" by the Platters, which was being patient while waiting a turn.  The Teddy Bears remained third with "To Know Him Is To Love Him" and the Everly Brothers reached the fourth position with "Problems".  The rest of the Top 10:  Elvis Presley with "One Night", Connie Francis burst into the Top 10 (13-6) with "My Happiness", the Kingston Trio were headed southward with "Tom Dooley", Clyde McPhatter asked "A Lover's Question" at #8 and Billy Grammer's "Gotta' Travel On" skipped over "Whole Lotta' Loving" by Fats Domino.

1961:  The Beatles played at Litherland Town Hall in Liverpool, England.  Two members of Rory Storm & the Hurricanes--Johnny Guitar and Ringo Starr, were in the audience.  Paul McCartney played bass for the Beatles for the first time, as Stuart Sutcliffe decided to stay in Hamburg, Germany.

1963:  The Beatles released "My Bonnie" in the U.K. under the name Tony Sheridan and the Beatles.  (Note:  some websites claim the song was released on June 8.  According to the books 'The Beatles Encyclopedia:  Everything Fab Four' by Kenneth Womack and 'All The Songs:  The Story Behind Every Beatles Release' by Philippe Margotin and Jean-Michel Guesdon, the song was released January 5, 1962 in the U.K. and April 23, 1963 in the United States.)

1963:  Steve Lawrence remained on top of the Easy Listening chart for a fourth week with "Go Away Little Girl".

1963:  The great instrumental "Telstar" by the Tornadoes remained at #1 overall for a third week.  

1965:  The Supremes began recording "Stop!  In The Name Of Love" at the Hitsville U.S.A. Studios in Detroit, Michigan  (Note:  'Rolling Stone' and other sites report that the group recorded this on January 5, as if the song was recorded in one day.  The group spent three days on the song--January 5, 7, and 11th.)

1966:  The Beatles recorded overdubs for the movie The Beatles At Shea Stadium.

1966:  The Who performed on the U.K. television show The Whole Scene Going.

1967:  Paul McCartney recorded his vocal for "Penny Lane" for the Beatles' upcoming album Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band.

1967:  Tommy James & the Shondells released the single "I Think We're Alone Now".

1967:  Pink Floyd was in concert at the Marquee Club in London.

1968:  Jimi Hendrix was thrown in jail in Stockholm, Sweden after going crazy and destroying everything in his room at the Goteborg Hotel.

           

  Creedence with their great song "Keep On Chooglin'"...

1969:  CCR released the album Bayou Country.

1970:  Brook Benton released the great single "Rainy Night In Georgia".

1973:  Bruce Springsteen released his debut album Greetings from Asbury Park, N.J.

1974:  Yes owned the #1 album in the U.K.--Tales from Topographic Oceans.

              "It's Going to Take Some Time" featuring the great flute solo by Bob Messenger...

1974:  The Carpenters had the first #1 album of the New Year as their compilation The Singles 1969-1973 took over from Elton John's Goodbye Yellow Brick Road.  You Don't Mess Around with Jim by Jim Croce was #3, as fans continued to discover the greatness of the late singer/songwriter.  The Steve Miller Band fell with The Joker and the Soundtrack to "Jonathan Livingston Seagull" by Neil Diamond trailed.  The rest of the Top 10:  Another posthumous album from Croce--I Got a Name, rose from 12 to 6, Quadrophenia by the Who remained at #7, Ringo from Ringo Starr, Bette Midler with her self-titled release and Full Sail from Loggins & Messina.

             Al Wilson had a smash with "Show and Tell"...

1974:  Jim Croce remained at #1 with "Time In A Bottle", one of The Top 500 Songs of the Rock Era*.  Steve Miller Band closed with "The Joker", passing over Helen Reddy's ("Leave Me Alone (Ruby Red Dress)".  Charlie Rich saw his former #1 "The Most Beautiful Girl" drop but Al Wilson was on the move with his great new song "Show And Tell".  The rest of a solid Top 10:  Elton John and "Goodbye Yellow Brick Road", Barry White was "Never, Never Gonna' Give Ya' Up", Stevie Wonder  was just beginning a great mid-70's run with his 33rd hit and 16th Top 10 song ("Living For The City") while Gladys Knight & the Pips entered the list with "I've Got To Use My Imagination".

1979:  Prince made his debut as a solo artist at the Capri Theatre in his hometown of Minneapolis, Minnesota.

1980:  Michael Jackson took over the #1 slot on the R&B chart with "Rock With You".

1980:  Stevie Wonder registered a third straight week at #1 on the Adult Contemporary chart with "Send One Your Love".

1980:  People were discovering the great In Through the Out Door album and on this date, Led Zeppelin moved from 64 to 42 with "Fool in the Rain".

                            

            Kool and the Gang had it down...

1980:  K.C. and the Sunshine Band made a comeback of sorts with "Please Don't Go" at #1, knocking off Rupert Holmes and "Escape (The Pina Colada Song)".  Michael Jackson raced into the Top 10 with "Rock With You", moving from 11-3 and Stevie Wonder had another big hit with "Send One Your Love".  The rest of an excellent Top 10:  The Captain & Tennille's "Do That To Me One More Time" was #6, but former #1 "Babe" from Styx and "Still" from the Commodores held the next two spots, Kenny Rogers shot up from 22 to 8 with "Coward Of The County", Kool & the Gang and "Ladies Night" while Cliff Richard had a rare U.S. hit with "We Don't Talk Anymore".

           "Even the Losers", one of the great tracks on 'Damn the Torpedoes'...

1980:  Donna Summer's compilation On the Radio-Greatest Hits-Volumes I & II moved to #1 on the Album chart with the double-album compilation Bee Gees Greatest moving to #2.  Cornerstone by Styx continued to hold down #3 while Journey Through the Secret Life of Plants by Stevie Wonder and the previous #1 The Long Run from the Eagles were close behind.  The rest of an incredible Top 10:  In Through the Out Door by Led Zeppelin, The Wall from Pink Floyd moved from 20-7, Damn the Torpedoes by Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers, Tusk from Fleetwood Mac and Michael Jackson had his biggest career album to date with Off the Wall.

1984:  The Police announced that their farewell concert would be March 2 in Australia.

1985:  Jermaine Jackson continued to top the AC chart for a third week with "Do What You Do".

1985:  Cyndi Lauper re-entered the Top 10 on the Album chart with She's So Unusual after 55 weeks of release with her debut album while a great new album, Reckless from Bryan Adams, moved to #10.

1985:  Madonna remained at #1 with her first chart-topper "Like A Virgin".  Duran Duran was second with "The Wild Boys" while the Honeydrippers edged up with their remake of "Sea Of Love".  The New Edition was right behind with "Cool It Now" and Pat Benatar had another smash with "We Belong".  The rest of the Top 10:  actor Jack Wagner with "All I Need", Hall & Oates were on the way down with "Out Of Touch", Bryan Adams moved in with "Run To You", Chicago collected hit #38 with "You're The Inspiration" and John Lennon's son Julian had a Top 10 hit with "Valotte".

1987:  Huey Lewis & the News released the single "Jacob's Ladder".

1990:  Paul McCartney was in concert at the NEC Birmingham in England.

             Suzanne Vega with her second Top 10 hit...

1991:  Madonna scored her 10th career #1 with "Justify My Love".  Stevie B finally relinquished his hold after four weeks with "Because I Love You (The Postman Song)", Bette Midler remained close behind with "From A Distance" and the Damn Yankees were up to 4 with "High Enough".  The rest of the Top 10:  "Tom's Diner" from D.N.A. with Suzanne Vega, Wilson Phillips dropped slowly with "Impulsive", Janet Jackson reached the Top 10 for the 11th time with "Love Will Never Do (Without You)", Ralph Tresvant moved to 8 with "Sensitivity", Surface was racing up (16-9) with "The First Time" and Whitney Houston's former #1 "I'm Your Baby Tonight" was now at #10.

1998:  Sonny Bono of Sonny & Cher, later mayor of Palm Springs, California and a United States Congressman, died in a skiing accident when he hit a tree at the Heavenly Ski Resort near South Lake Tahoe, California at the age of 63.

2003:  Billie Joe Armstrong, lead singer of Green Day, was arrested on suspicion of drunk driving after being stopped in California.  He failed the breath test and was thrown in jail.

2003:  Avril Lavigne's debut album Let Go rose to #1 in the U.K.

2004:  Britney Spears' three-day-old marriage to childhood friend Jason Allen Alexander was officially annulled.  Or to report it more accurately, the childlike Britney Spears annulled her marriage after three days.

               A true hero...

2004:  A.J. McLean of the Backstreet Boys chased down and captured a jewel thief in the parking lot of the Hard Rock Hotel in Las Vegas, Nevada.  McLean was in the hotel's boutique when he spotted the man running off with a diamond ring.

2004: B2K ("Bump, Bump Bump") announced they were breaking up.

2004:  John Guerin, a prolific session drummer who worked with Elvis Presley, Elton John, the Beach Boys, Madonna, Barbra Streisand, Linda Ronstadt, Kenny Rogers, Helen Reddy, the Everly Brothers, Bread, the Association, Joni Mitchell, Sheena Easton, the Monkees, Seals & Crofts, the Byrds, Willie Nelson, Todd Rundgren, Frank Zappa and Gram Parsons, among others, died from pneumonia in West Hills, California at age 64.  (Some websites claim Guerin died on January 7.  He died January 5 according to the newspaper 'The Telegraph', 'Jazz Times' and 'MTV'.)

2005:  Danny Sugerman, manager of the Doors and writer of the biography No One Gets Out of Here Alive, died from lung cancer in Los Angeles at the age of 50.  (Note:  some websites report that Sugerman died on January 6, but it was January 5, according to the newspaper 'The Los Angeles Times'.)

2010:  Willie Mitchell ("Soul Serenade" from 1968), who also produced for Al Green and others, and owned Royal Studio, where John Mayer and Buddy Guy recorded, died at the age of 81 after suffering cardiac arrest in Memphis, Tennessee.

Born This Day:

1923:  Sam Phillips, the founder of Sun Records who discovered Elvis Presley, Carl Perkins, Jerry Lee Lewis and Johnny Cash, was born near Florence, Alabama; died of respiratory failure in Memphis, Tennessee on July 30, 2003.

1929:  Wilbert Harrison ("Kansas City" from 1959) was born in Charlotte, North Carolina; died of a stroke in a Spencer, North Carolina nursing home on October 26, 1994.

1930:  Don Rondo ("White Silver Sands") was born in Ware, Massachusetts; died January 27, 2011 after a battle with lung cancer.

1932:  Johnny Adams ("Reconsider Me" from 1969) was born in New Orleans, Louisiana; died of cancer September 14, 1998 in Baton Rouge, Louisiana.

1934:  Phil Ramone, songwriter, violinist, recording engineer, and legendary producer of the best albums that Billy Joel did as well as albums by Elton John, Madonna, Paul McCartney, Chicago, Frank Sinatra, Stevie Wonder, Barry Manilow, Rod Stewart, Olivia Newton-John, Dionne Warwick, Aretha Franklin, Gloria Estefan, Guess Who, Bob Dylan, James Taylor, Richard Marx, Sheena Easton, Peter, Paul and Mary and Ray Charles, among others, was born in South Africa; died March 30, 2013 in Manhattan, New York after being hospitalized for an aortic aneurysm.

1940:  George Malone of the Monotones; died October 5, 2007 of a stroke in Avondale, Arizona.

1949:  George Brown, drummer of Kool & the Gang, was born in Jersey City, New Jersey. 

1950:  Chris Stein, co-founder and guitarist of Blondie, was born in Brooklyn, New York.

1964:  Grant Young, drummer of Soul Asylum ("Runaway Train"), was born in Iowa City, Iowa.  (Note:  some websites show his birth year as 1963; he was born in 1964 according to 'MTV'.)

The Most Important Songs of All-Time: Songs That Changed the World

This is the final segment of the series featuring The Most Important Songs of the Rock Era*.  I will get a post up that will contain links to all segments so you can view them all.

December 22:  "Another Day In Paradise" by Phil Collins

December 23:  "Everybody Hurts" by R.E.M.

December 24:  "Put a Little Love In Your Heart" by Jackie DeShannon

December 25:  "Bridge Over Troubled Water" by Simon & Garfunkel

December 26:  "One Tin Soldier" by the Original Caste

December 27:  "Hero" by Mariah Carey

December 28:  "Unwritten" by Natasha Bedingfield

December 29:  "He Ain't Heavy...He's My Brother" by the Hollies

December 30:  "Aquarius/Let the Sunshine In" by the 5th Dimension

December 31:  "Flashdance (What a Feeling)" by Irene Cara

January 1:  "Imagine" by John Lennon

January 2:  "Love Train" by the O'Jays

The Top 100 R&B Songs of the 70's--Coming Sunday, January 22!

We'll present these great songs in the style which you've come to expect.  It won't just be a list--anyone can do that, but will be much more in-depth and much more enjoyable to follow.

Starting January 22, we'll present 10 songs per day through January 31 to truly feature and celebrate each song in our ranking.

Hits List: Bruce Springsteen

Springsteen was once hailed famously as "the future of rock and roll".  He is one of the best live performers in the history of the Rock Era, and has done well on the charts, most notably his Born in the U.S.A. album.  Here is the complete Hits List* for Bruce Springsteen:

1973:  "Blinded by the Light"
           "Spirit in the Night"

1975:  "Born to Run"  (#23, #93 U.K., #53 Canada, #38 Sweden)--highly underrated.
1976:  "Tenth Avenue Freeze-Out" (#83, #82 Canada)
1978:  "Prove It All Night" (#33, #57 Canada, #90 Sweden))
           "Badlands" (#42, #44 Canada)
           "The Promised Land"
1980:  "Hungry Heart" (#5, #44 U.K., #5 Canada, #17 Sweden)
1981:  "Fade Away" (#20, #14 Mainstream Rock, #19 Canada)
           "Sherry Darling"
           "The River" (#35 U.K., #10 Sweden) 
           "Cadillac Rance" (#48 Rock)
           Point Blank" (#20 Rock)
1982:  "Atlantic City" (#10 Rock, #49 Canada)
           "Open All Night" (#22 Rock)

1984:  "Dancing in the Dark" (#2, #1 Rock, #4 U.K., #3 Canada, #2 Sweden)
           "Cover Me" (#7, #2 Rock, #16 U.K., #12 Canada, #15 Sweden)
           "Born in the U.S.A." (#9, #8 Rock, #5 U.K., #11 Canada, #11 Sweden)
1985:  "I'm on Fire" (#6, #4 Rock, #6 Adult Contemporary, #5 U.K., #12 Canada, #20 Sweden)
           "Glory Days" (#5, #3 Rock, #17 U.K., #17 Canada, #20 Sweden)
           "I'm Goin' Down" (#9, #9 Rock, #23 Canada, #13 Sweden)
           "My Hometown" (#6, #6 Rock, #1 AC, #9 U.K., #16 Canada, #20 Sweden)
           "Santa Claus Is Comin' to Town" (#9 U.K.)

1986:  "War" (#8, #4 Rock, #18 U.K., #11 Canada, #4 Sweden)
1987:  "Fire" (#46, #14 Rock, #54 U.K., #42 Canada, #17 Sweden)
           "Born to Run" (live) (#16 U.K.)
           "Brilliant Disguise" (#5, #1 Rock, #5 AC, #20 U.K., #9 Canada, #3 Sweden)
           "Tunnel of Love" (#9, #1 Rock, #45 U.K., #17 Canada)
1988:  "One Step Up" (#13, #2 Rock, #23 Canada)
           "Tougher Than the Rest" (#13 U.K.)
           "Spare Parts" (#28 Rock, #32 U.K., #16 Sweden)

1992:  "Human Touch" (#16, #1 Rock, #8 AC, #11 U.K., #2 Canada, #4 Sweden)
           "57 Channels (And Nothin' On)" (#68, #6 Rock, #32 U.K., #25 Canada, #32 Sweden)
           "Better Days" (#16, #2 Rock, #34 U.K., #23 Sweden)
           "Leap of Faith" (#28 Main, #46 U.K., #48 Canada, #23 Sweden)
1993:  "Lucky Town" (#48 U.K.)

1994:  "Streets of Philadelphia" (#9, #25 Rock, #3 AC, #2 U.K., #1 Canada, #3 Sweden)
1995:  "Murder Incorporated" (#14 Rock, #5 Canada)
           "Hungry Heart" (reissue) (#28 U.K.)
1996:  "The Ghost of Tom Joad" (#26 U.K., #34 Canada)
1997:  "Secret Garden" (#19, #5 AC, #44 U.K., #7 Canada)
1999:  "Sad Eyes"


2002:  "The Rising" (#52, #24 Rock, #26 AC, #94 U.K., #10 Sweden)
           "Lonesome Day" (#39 U.K., #47 Sweden)
2003:  "Waitin' on a Sunny Day" (#15 Sweden)
2005:  "Devils & Dust" (#72)
           "All the Way Home"
2007:  "Radio Nowhere" (#96 U.K, #55 Canada, #60 Sweden)
           "Girls in Their Summer Clothes" (#95, #27 Rock)
2008:  "Working on a Dream" (#95, #35 Rock, #91 Canada, #12 Sweden)
           "My Lucky Day" (#37 Rock)
           "The Wrestler" (#93 U.K., #63 Canada, #56 Sweden)

That's 28 hits for Bruce, with 12 of those going Top 10.