The Top 500 Songs of the Rock Era*: #260-251

Inside The Rock Era is presenting The Top 500 Songs of the Rock Era* to get you ready for the big 60th birthday of the Rock Era.  John Lennon get us started in this segment:

 

 

 

 

#260:

Woman
John Lennon
1981 

"One of my favourite songs."

 

"Great song by a great man."

 

"My favorite always."

 

"One of the geniuses of our lifetime."

 

"So beautiful."

 

"Just a beautiful love song."

 

 

 

John Lennon wrote this song as an ode to his wife Yoko Ono, but also as a tribute to women everywhere.  He thought of it as an '80s update of the Beatles song "Girl", which Lennon had written for the album Rubber Soul.  John wrote "Woman" while vacationing, as he told Rolling Stone just days before his death:   

 

'Woman' came about because, one sunny afternoon in Bermuda, it suddenly hit me what women do for us.  Not just what my Yoko does for me, although I was thinking in those personal terms... but any truth is universal.  What dawned on me was everything I was taking for granted.  Women really are the other half of the sky, as I whisper at the beginning of the song. It's a 'we' or it ain't anything.

 

 

Lennon recorded the track on August 5th and 27th and September 22 of 1980.  He opens the song by whispering "For the other half of the sky...", which is a paraphrase of a Chinese proverb.  Lennon released "Woman" as a single from his Double Fantasy album on January 12 in the United States and January 16 in the U.K. 

 

Rock Era fans were eager to hear Lennon after a self-imposed hiatus from the music business.  He hadn't had a hit since 1975.    

 

The song was a smash from the moment it hit the airwaves.  The top competition for "Woman" came from "Lady" by John Lennon, Queen's "Another One Bites The Dust", "Woman In Love" from Barbra Streisand, "Bette Davis Eyes" by Kim Carnes, "Upside Down" by Diana Ross, "(Just Like) Starting Over" by Lennon, Dolly Parton's "9 To 5", "Keep On Loving You" by REO Speedwagon, "Angel Of The Morning" by Juice Newton, and "Celebration" by Kool and the Gang.

"Woman" spent three weeks at #2 and three weeks at #3 in the United States.  It accumulated 12 weeks in the Top 10, and it also reached #4 on the Adult Contemporary chart.

 "Woman" replaced "Imagine" at #1 in the U.K.; the latter having been reissued following Lennon's death.  Appropriately, it was the first time an artist replaced himself at #1 in the U.K. since the Beatles did it in 1963 with "She Loves You" and "I Want To Hold Your Hand".   

 

"Woman" sold one million singles and four million albums, and Double Fantasy won the Grammy Award for Album of the Year.  "Woman" has been played four million times.

 

#259:

We Are The World 

USA for Africa

1985
 

"Bellissima."

 

"One of the classics."

 

"Awesome song to help humanity."

 

"An incredible song...and a heart-felt appeal for a legitimate cause...even maybe with reverberations of spiritual substance."

 

"A song for the ages."

 

"This song is immortal."

 

In the wake of horrific famine in Africa, some of the top artists in the United States combined their tremendous talent to help.  The idea of superstars combining on a charity single first started with Band Aid in the U.K. with the song "Do They Know It's Christmas?" for the same cause.  Harry Belafonte wanted to organize an American benefit single for African famine relief, and with the help of fundraiser Ken Kragen, set out to make the project happen.

Belafonte planned to have proceeds from the single donated to a new organization called United Support of Artists for Africa (USA for Africa).  The non-profit foundation would feed and provide support for starving people.  The non-profit foundation would then feed and relieve starving people in Africa, especially Ethiopa, where nearly one million people died from famine in the years 1983-1985.

Belafonte and Kragen contacted several musicians, and assigned Michael Jackson and Lionel Richie to write this incredible song.  Producers Quincy Jones and Michael Omartian were requested and gladly accepted. 

Jackson and Richie worked on the song every night for a week at the Jackson family home in Encino, California.  They envisioned a song easy to sing with a memorable melody, an anthem for the world.  Richie came up with two melodies for the song, which Jackson took, adding music and words to the song in the same day, including drums, piano, strings, and words to the chorus. 

When Jackson presented his demo to Richie and Jones, both were shocked, as they did not expect the structure of the song to be completed so quickly.  Several further meetings to complete the song were unfruitful, until Richie and Jackson completed the song in a 2 1/2 hour session the night before the first recording session.

On January 22, Richie, Jackson, Stevie Wonder, and Jones, amidst tight security, began work on "We Are The World" at Kenny Rogers' Lion Share Recording Studio.  The superstars recorded a "vocal guide" of the song, duplicated on tape for each of the invited singers.  The four collaborators finished their work at 1:30 a.m.  Jones told the group not to add anything else to the tape.  "If we get too good, someone's gonna' start playing it on the radio," he announced.

Jones sent a letter and cassettes to each of the participating musicians.  Kragen and his production team discussed where the recording sessions were to take place.  He knew that the location could not be leaked by anyone.  If a mob camped out at the location, Kragen knew the artists would simply not go in.  Meanwhile, Tom Bahler had the job of matching each solo line with the right voice. 

On January 28, at 10:30 p.m. producers Jones and Omartian assembled the collection of superstars at A&M Recording Studios in Los Angeles.  It was the greatest gathering of racially and musically diverse recording artists in history.   Richie opened the song with the first solo line, followed by Wonder, Paul Simon, Rogers, James Ingram, Tina Turner, and Billy Joel completing the first verse.  

Jackson and Diana Ross were next, completing the first chorus.  Dionne Warwick, Willie Nelson, and Al Jarreau sang the second verse, with Bruce Springsteen, Kenny Loggins, Steve Perry, and Daryl Hall singing the second chorus.  Jackson, Huey Lewis, Cyndi Lauper and Kim Carnes sang the song's bridge, and the song concludes with Bob Dylan and Ray Charles singing a full chorus, Wonder and Springsteen doing a duet, and ad libs from Charles and Ingram. 

Actor Dan Aykroyd, Belafonte, Lindsey Buckingham of Fleetwood Mac, Mario Cipollina, Johnny Colla, Bill Gibson, Chris Hayes, and Sean Hopper of Huey Lewis & the News, Sheila E., Bob Geldof, Jackie Jackson, La Toya Jackson, Marlon Jackson, Randy Jackson, Tito Jackson, Waylon Jennings, Bette Midler, John Oates, Jeffrey Osborne, the Pointer Sisters, and Smokey Robinson sang backing vocals.  The recording was finished at 8:30 a.m.  

USA for Africa released the single March 7, 1985. At the time, "We Are The World" could be heard alongside great songs such as "Like A Virgin", "Material Girl", and "Crazy For You" by Madonna, "Everybody Wants To Rule The World" and "Shout" by Tears for Fears, "Take On Me" by A-ha, "Careless Whisper" from Wham!, REO Speedwagon's"Can't Fight This Feeling", "I Want To Know What Love Is" by Foreigner, Chicago's "You're The Inspiration", and "One More Night" by Phil Collins.  

"We Are The World" became the fastest-selling American single in history, and was the first single to be certified multi-platinum. 

The song promptly went to #1 for four weeks overall and #1 for 2 weeks on the Adult Contemporary chart.

In June of 1985, the first USA for Africa jet carrying food, medicine and clothing departed for Ethiopia and the Sudan.  It stopped in New York City, where 15,000 T-shirts were added.  The jet contained supplies such as high-protein biscuits, vitamins, medicine, tents, blankets and refrigeration equipment.  Seventy recovery and development projects were launched in seven nations in Africa.  Projects such as aid in agriculture, fishing, water management, manufacturing and reforestation were begun through the sales of "We Are The World".

With sales over 20 million copies (8 million in the U.S. alone), "We Are The World" is one of less than 30 songs in history to sell 10 million copies worldwide.  The album went Triple Platinum, and promotion and merchandise added to the success of the project, which raised over $63 million for humanitarian aid in Africa. 

Elias Kifle Maraim Beyene, a survivor from Ethiopia remembers:

I won't ever forget Michael Jackson because his contribution to the song "We Are The World" had a very significant effect on my life.  Lots of people became sick and many more died (...).  In 1984 Michael Jackson, along with a number of other leading musicians, made the song "We Are The World" to raise money for Africa.  We baked a special bread from it (...). When you have been through such hard times you never forget events like this.  If you speak to anyone who was in Addis Ababa at that time they will all know what Michael Bread is and I know I will remember it for the rest of my life.

 

After a 7.0 earthquake in Haiti in 2010, a remake of the song by another all-star cast was recorded, called "We Are The World 25 for Haiti".   

 

 #258:

I Get Around

 Beach Boys

1964

 

 

 

"Fantastic!'

 

"OMG That song!"

 

"I love this song."

 

"What a classic."

 

"The vocal work is fantastic."

 

"Classic."

 

 

 



 

 

 

Brian Wilson was a varsity baseball player at Hawthorne High School in California when he began to work seriously on music.  Wilson, brothers Dennis and Carl, cousin Mike Love, and friend Al Jardine formed the group, which was then known variously as the Pendletones, Kenny and the Cadets, or Carl and the Passions.  Father Murray Wilson managed the group, and secured a recording contract with Capitol Records.  From there, the Beach Boys became not only one of the heavyweights of the Rock Era, but one of the most innovative and unique.

This incredible song doesn't have the deep lyrical content of others in The Top 500*.  What it does have is incredibly complex, innovative music.  A fuzz guitar opens the song, that also features stop-start rhythms and a keyboard line working in and out of the song.  After the Beatles invaded America, Brian Wilson of the Beach Boys responded with this great creation about the teenage boys' lifestyle--friends, girls and cars.

The fuzz and reverbed guitar contained on "I Get Around", along with "You Really Got Me" by the Kinks the same year, appeared years before any other song in Rock.  It wasn't until about 1967 that fuzz and reverb became the "cool" thing, thanks to the amplifiers of Jimi Hendrix, Eric Clapton, Keith Richards and others.  Mike Love assisted Wilson with the song, and sings lead for the verses, with Brian singing the chorus. 

The Beach Boys recorded the instrumental track for "I Get Around" on April 2, 1964.  It was on this day that Brian dismissed his abusive and overbearing father as manager of the Beach Boys.  Among the musicians in The Wrecking Crew that supported the group were Glen Campbell on 6-string electric bass and Hal Blaine on timbales.  The Beach Boys recorded the vocals April 10 at United Western Recorders Studio in Hollywood.  Wilson also produced the song.  The Beach Boys released the single from their album All Summer Long on May 11 in the United States and June in the U.K.

Released as a "Double A-side" single with "Don't Worry Baby", the 45 is one of The Top Double-Sided Hits of the Rock Era*.  Among the great songs out at the time:  "Can't Buy Me Love", "Twist And Shout", "And I Love Her", "A Hard Day's Night", and "Love Me Do" by the Beatles,  Roy Orbison's "Oh, Pretty Woman", the Animals' classic "The House Of The Rising Sun", "Where Did Our Love Go" from the Supremes, "My Guy" by Mary Wells, and "Chapel Of Love" by the Dixie Cups.  

"I Get Around" soared to #1 for 2 weeks with 9 weeks inside the Top 10 in the United States.  The song became the group's first #1 in the U.S.  The Beach Boys were second fiddle to the Four Seasons throughout 1962 and into 1963, then to Jan & Dan when they got to #1 with "Surf City", a song Brian wrote, and then into 1964 when the Beatles took over.  That all changed with this song.  "I Get Around" also went to #1 in Canada and New Zealand, #7 in the U.K., the group's first Top 10 song there, and #10 in Sweden.

The song sold over one million singles and helped sell over 13 million albums.

 

Jan & Dean also recorded "I Get Around", and the Beach Boys' version was featured prominently in the opening of the movie Look Who's Talking starring John Travolta and Kirstie Alley.










 

#257:

Have You Never Been Mellow
Olivia Newton-John
1975

"This song is so awesome."

"Great song.  Fabulous singer."

"Wow!"

"What a once-in-a-life combination of beauty, talent, grace and voice...."

"PERFECTION."

"Classic."

 

Here we have the granddaughter of Nobel Prize-winning German physicist Max Born.  Olivia Newton-John formed her first band with three other girls in high school, called the Sol Four.  She also briefly was in a group called Toomorrow (correct spelling), which was Don Kirshner's attempt to form a British Monkees.  Olivia began a solo career in 1971, and by 1982, she broke Donna Summer's previous record for the most Top 5 songs by a female with 11.  That mark has been broken several times since, with Mariah Carey now setting the pace with 25.

John Farrar, who was a member of the group the Shadows,  wrote this next great song.  Farrar wrote many of Olivia Newton-John's hits, including "Magic" and "Hopelessly Devoted To You", and produced for Olivia as well.  Newton-John released "Have You Never Been Mellow" as the title track from her album in January, 1975. 

It had to navigate past great songs such as "Best Of My Love" by the Eagles, Olivia's own "I Honestly Love You", "Philadelphia Freedom" and "Lucy In The Sky With Diamonds" by Elton John, "Mandy" by Barry Manilow, "When Will I Be Loved" and "You're No Good" by Linda Ronstadt, "Love Will Keep Us Together" from the Captain & Tennille, Harry Chapin's classic "Cat's In The Cradle", "My Eyes Adored You" by Frankie Valli, and "Black Water" by the Doobie Brothers.

"Have You Never Been Mellow" raced to #1 on both the Popular and Adult Contemporary charts in the U.S.; it also peaked at #1 in Canada and #10 in Australia. 

"Have You Never Been Mellow" was nominated for a Grammy Award for Best Female Pop Vocal Performance.  Newton-John won a host of awards--American Music Awards for Favorite Female Vocalist--Pop/Rock, Favorite Album--Pop/Rock and Favorite Female Vocalist--Country, and Billboard Awards for Favorite Female Pop Album Artist, Favorite Female Pop Singles Artist, and Favorite Female Country Singles Artist.
 

Olivia was on quite a roll, achieving her fourth consecutive Gold single.  "Have You Never Been Mellow" went Gold and has been played over three million times.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

#256:

Someday We'll Be Together
Supremes
1969

"Another fabulous song by the Supremes.  They are supreme."

 

"Sweetness."

 

"Beautiful song."

"Classic song from an era that will never, ever be duplicated."

"One of the finest intros of a contemporary song ever."

"One of the greats of all-time."

 

 



At #256*, another song from the great year of 1969.  That magical year places an incredible 27 songs in The Top 500 of the Rock Era*, far and away more than any other year.

 

Johnny Bristol, Jackey Beavers, and Harvey Fuqua wrote this song; Bristol and Beavers recorded it as Johnny & Jackey on Tri-Phi Records.  When Motown purchased Tri-Phi in the mid-1960s, the song became part of the label's publishing catalog, and Bristol stayed on with Motown.  

 

In 1969, Bristol was preparing to have Jr. Walker & the All-Stars record the song.  He had already recorded the instrumental and background vocals when Motown boss Berry Gordy, Jr. heard them.  Gordy thought that "Someday We'll Be Together" would be an excellent first solo single for Diana Ross, who was set to leave the Supremes.  

 

At first, Bristol didn't get quite the sound he was looking for from Ross, so he went into the studio and harmonized with her.  The engineer at the session accidentally recorded both the vocals and Bristol's ad-libs.  But when Johnny heard it, he liked it and decided to keep both vocals in the final version.  His words of encouragement to Ross can be heard throughout the song.

 

When Gordy heard the completed song, he decided to release it as the final Supremes song instead, even though the other members of the group (Mary Wilson and Cindy Birdsong) did not sing on it.

 

"Someday We'll Be Together" debuted on the charts in November of 1969, facing great songs such as "Something" and "Come Together" by the Beatles, "Raindrops Keep Falling On My Head" by B.J. Thomas, "Suspicious Minds" from Elvis Presley, "Sugar, Sugar" by the Archies, "Wedding Bell Blues" from the 5th Dimension, "Bridge Over Troubled Water" by Simon & Garfunkel, "Venus" by the Shocking Blue, "Na Na Hey Hey Kiss Him Goodbye" by Steam, CCR's "Down On The Corner", and "I Can't Get Next To You" by the Temptations. 

 

Not only was "Someday We'll Be Together" a #1 Popular song; it stayed at #1 for four weeks on the R&B chart.  "Someday We'll Be Together" was the final #1 song of the 1960s, and the 12th for the Supremes.

 

The song has sold 2 million singles, helped sell over 3.5 million albums, and has chalked up 3 million in radio airplay.    

 

 

 

 

#255:

Livin' On A Prayer
 Bon Jovi
1987

"Classic rock song of all-time for sure."

 

"I love this song and it is amazing the emotion that it can stir in a person if you listen to the words... I am just saying wow..,."

 

"It is a classic!"

 

"Incredible!"

"Great, great, great song--the music, the lyrics, the production...everything."

"Love it!  Love it!  Love it!"

 

 

Five songs from 1987 are fortunate enough to be members of The Top 500 Songs Club* for 60 years, including this incredible song.

The lead singer of this group was a member of an R&B group that once opened for Hall & Oates, and another group which opened for Bruce Springsteen and Squeeze, among others.  In 1983, Bon Jovi signed a recording contract with Mercury Records and began recording their debut album.  The album received some airplay, but nothing could have prepared the group for what was about to happen.

Jon Bon Jovi and Richie Sambora of Bon Joviwrote this classic along with Desmond Child.  Originally, Jon didn't like it, but Sambora convinced him of the value of the song, and the group added a new bass line, different drum parts, and a talk box and re-recorded it for their album Slippery When Wet.  It was released in the heyday of MTV (which used to stand for "Music Television" for people who watch the channel now and wonder what it has to do with music).

Bon Jovi released "Livin' On A Prayer" as a single in October of 1986.  It took a while for radio music directors to hear what they had, but by December, the song had a full head of steam.  "Livin' On A Prayer" had one other Top 500* song out to provide competition, and that was "With Or Without You" by U2.  So it had to pretty much earn a spot in the elite list on its own.

But the song jumped to #1 for 4 weeks, with two weeks at the top on the Mainstream Rock chart.  "Livin' On A Prayer" also went to #1 in Canada, New Zealand, and Norway, #2 in Sweden, #3 in Australia, and #4 in the U.K., Ireland, and the Netherlands.

But durability is another key factor in the song ranking high.  After Bon Jovi performed in New Zealand in 2008, the song re-entered the charts at #24, 20 years after its initial release.  The following year, "Livin' On A Prayer" did the same thing in the U.K., going to #1 on the U.K. Rock chart.  In 2013, the song returned to the U.S. charts at #25 after a video of the song went viral. 

 "Livin' On A Prayer" sold six million singles and helped sell 13 million albums

 

 

 

 

#254:

Georgia On My Mind
Ray Charles
1960

"Amazing voice.  Love the song."

 

"On my mind forever."

 

"True style and passion.  So smooth."

 

"It's a beautiful song.  Very inspiring."

 

"What a sound.  It's intoxicating."

 

"it sounds better now than it did then.  Timeless and beautiful."

 

Up next, one of nine songs from the year 1960 to make The Top 500*.

Hoagy Carmichael and Stuart Gorrell wrote this classic in 1930.  Carmichael also gave us the gem "Stardust", while Gorrell was a banker by trade living in New York City, and wrote the lyrics to the song.  Jazz saxophonist Frankie Trumbauer had a #10 hit with the song in 1931.

 

Ray Charles recorded this after his driver suggested he do so, since Ray would always sing the song in the car.  He did it in four takes in a recording studio in New York Citiy.  The orchestra was arranged by Ralph Burns, Woody Herman's pianist.  Charles released the song in September of 1960, from the album The Genius Hits The Road.

"It's Now Or Never" and "Are You Lonesome Tonight", by Elvis Presley are the main songs that provided competition for "Georgia On My Mind".  Charles reached #1 on the Popular chart and #3 on the R&B chart in the United States, and "Georgia On My Mind" also went to #1 in Canada.

 

Charles won Grammy Awards for Best Male Vocal Recording, Best Pop Song Performance, and Best Male Vocal Performance, Album.  "Georgia On My Mind" helped sell 3.5 million albums in the U.S. alone, and has been played over four million times.

 

Many artists have recorded the song, including Michael Bolton, James Brown, Coldplay, the Righteous Brothers, Glenn Miller, Gladys Knight, Dean Martin, Ella Fitzgerald, John Mayer, Willie Nelson, Louis Armstrong, Ethel Waters, and Frankie Laine.  But Charles' version is by far the best, and in 1979, "Georgia On My Mind" became the official state song of Georgia.

 

Nelson sang the song at Ray's funeral in 2004.  In 2014, "Georgia On My Mind" was inducted in the Grammy Hall of Fame. 

 

 

 

#253:

Le Freak 

Chic

1978

 

 

 

 

"Best disco song ever!"

 

"Love the thumping bass from the master--Bernard Edwards!"

 

"This song is the only song that can make everyone dance like a pro, even if you don't know how to dance.  Every style is unique & Le Freak can make it happen.  This song always got every on to the dance floor."

 

"One of the best dance songs ever."

 

"The ultimate!"

 

"A classic that sounds as good now as then."

Guitarist Nile Rodgers and bassist Bernard Edwards met in 1970 and began playing in jazz clubs and nightclubs in New York City.  They met drummer Tony Thompson two years later and formed  the trio the Big Apple Band.  While they started out as a rock & roll band, they realized that Disco gave them the opportunity to get into the mainstream. 

Rodgers and Edwards sold all their instruments to record a demo.  They were turned down by every record company in New York City, including two rejections from Atlantic Records.  But it was Atlantic president Jerry Greenberg who finally signed the group.

Edwards and Rodgers wrote this song after they were denied admission to a nightclub, even though their song, "Dance, Dance, Dance (Yowsah, Yowsah, Yowsah)" often played inside!

Rodgers and Edwards had been invited by singer Grace Jones to Studio 54, a hot spot in New York City, for New Year's Eve in 1977.  But when Rodgers and Edwards got there, they were not on the list, and the doorman refused to believe that they were the group Chic.  Finally, the exasperated pair left and began writing this song as a reply to the doorman.  The song started with a title which we cannot reprint here, and since Rodgers and Edwards have more class than artists do today, they changed it and had a much bigger hit than they would have had.  

The two began experimenting with the open, and when they started out with "Ahhhhhh, freak out!", they felt they had something.  Studio 54 is mentioned in the last verse "Come on down to 54."   "C'est Chic" is French for "It is Chic."  The group recorded the song in January, 1978 and released the single on July 28 from the album C'est Chic.

"Le Freak" enjoyed a great chart run made more impressive by its competition:  "Three Times A Lady" by the Commodores, "Too Much Heaven" by the Bee Gees, "My Life" from Billy Joel, "You Don't Bring Me Flowers" by Barbra Streisand and Neil Diamond, "Kiss You All Over" from Exile, "I Will Survive" by Gloria Gaynor, "Reunited" by Peaches & Herb, "Olivia Newton-John's Hopelessly Devoted To You", "Do Ya Think I'm Sexy?" by Rod Stewart, "You Needed Me" by Anne Murray, "Reminiscing" by the Little River Band, and "What A Fool Believes" by the Doobie Brothers. 

Despite that amazing competition, "Le Freak" roared to #1 for 6 weeks, with 15 weeks in the Top 10.  It also ruled for 5 weeks on the R&B chart.  "Le Freak" bounced to the top of the charts in Canada and New Zealand, and reached #2 in France and Switzerland, #5 in Germany and the Netherlands, #6 in Austria and Sweden, #7 in the U.K., and #9 in Norway. 

The song proved to be tenacious; it is the first song in U.S. history to be dropped from #1 twice only to regain the top spot.  "Le Freak" rose to #1 in December, then was overtaken by "You Don't Bring Me Flowers" by Barbra Streisand and Neil Diamond.  After returning to #1, "Le Freak" then dropped down to make room for the Bee Gees' "Too Much Heaven".  In January, "Le Freak" moved back in at #1 for four more weeks. 

"Bleeding Love" by Leona Lewis, and "Whatever You Like" and "Live Your Life" by T.I. in 2008 and "Grenade" by Bruno Mars in 2011 matched Chic's record of three separate trips to #1.

 

"Le Freak" is the top-selling song in the history of Atlantic Records, selling 13 million worldwide, including 2 million in the United States.  Chic also sold two million albums with the song.

Edwards and Rodgers were very successful writers and producers, combining to work on hits for Sister Sledge and Diana Ross.  Edwards went on to produce for Carly Simon, Duran Duran, Robert Palmer, Joe Coker, and the Power Station, while Rodgers has worked with Mick Jagger, David Bowie, and Madonna. Edwards died of pneumonia in 1996.

 

#252:

Love Takes Time

Mariah Carey

1990

"Still amazing 25 years later."

"Incredible."

"She will always be a legend.  Talent like hers is so rare."

"I will always love this song."

"Love it!  Superb!"

"Amazing song." 

 

When this artist signed a recording contract with Columbia Records in 1988, executives at the label knew what they had.  They launched her career with an invitation-only presentation in New York City, where Mariah Carey sang three songs.  She then caused a sensation when she sang the U.S. national anthem prior to the opening game of the National Basketball Association Finals.  It did not take long for the public to recognize what her employer saw--Carey's first single "Vision Of Love" rocketed to #1.

Mariah wrote "Love Takes Time" with Ben Marguiles, intending it for her second album.  The song was written while Carey's debut album was being mastered.  But while Carey was on a short tour, she played the demo for the song for Don Ienner, president of Columbia Records.  Ienner, Tommy Mottola, and Bobby Colomby of the label all told her it was a "career-maker", and should be included on her debut album.  The executives sent the demo to producer Walter Afanasieff and told them they wanted the song on her first album.  Afanasieff only had a couple days to complete it before the album's release, but he did such an amazing job that he was hired as an executive producer at Columbia afterwards. 

Afanasieff recorded the backing track, then hopped on the plane to New York City to record Mariah's vocals.  She sang most of the night, Afanasieff then fixed one part of the song in a New York studio, and jumped back on a plane to mix the song in Sausalito, California--just in time to include it on the album.  Even then, on some of the original copies of the album, the company did not have time to print the name of the song on it.  "Love Takes Time" is included on those albums, but it is not listed.  After noticing the mistake, the company stopped the pressing and printed the name on the CD before continuing.  If you own a copy of Mariah's debut album without the song listed on it , you might want to check EBay--it is considered quite valuable.

Another mix of the song muffled Carey's whistle note during the bridge of the song, and that version was the one released as a single on September 11, 1990.

Carey's "Vision Of Love", "It Must Have Been Love" by Roxette, and "Vogue" by Madonna provided the toughest competition for Song #252*.  "Love Takes Time" went to #1 for 3 weeks on the popular chart and #1 for one week on the Adult Contemporary chart.  It also reached #2 in Canada and #9 in New Zealand. 

Carey won the Grammy Award for Best New Artist of 1990, an American Music Award for Favorite Soul/R & B Female Artist, the World Music Diamond Award and Special Achievement Award, a Billboard Award for Top Female Album Artist and a Soul Train Award for Career Achievement.

"Love Takes Time" sold half a million singles and helped sell 15 million albums.  The song has been played over two million times.

 

 

 

 

 

#251:

Truly Madly Deeply

 Savage Garden

1997

 

 

 

 

"Love it!"

 

"Great song."

 

"Yes!  Love this song so much."

 

"My favourite song."

 

"One of the most beautiful songs ever."

 

"Brilliant!"

 



 

 

This duo originally played in the group Red Edge before forming Savage Garden.  Their first single "I Want You", which is highly underrated by the way, attracted enough attention from major labels that the two signed with Columbia Records and recorded their first album.

 

Darren Hayes and Daniel Jones of Savage Garden wrote this song, which is essentially a reworking of an earlier song the two wrote called "Magical Kisses" that was never recorded.  The song became the theme of the movie Music from Another Room. 

 

"Truly Madly Deeply" faced competition from "Candle In The Wind 1997", "The Boy Is Mine", "Don't Speak" by No Doubt, "My Heart Will Go On", "From This Moment On", and "Quit Playing Games With My Heart" by the Backstreet Boys.

"Truly Madly Deeply" landed at #1 for 2 weeks, with 26 weeks in the Top 10, and it was a monster hit among Adults--#1 for 11 weeks on the Adult Contemporary chart.  The song also went to #1 in Canada and Australia, #2 in Ireland, Austria, Norway, and Sweden, #4 in the U.K., , #6 in the Netherlands, #7 in Switzerland, and #9 in France.
 

The song was so popular that it re-entered the Hot 100 Singles Sales chart in 2002, over four years later.

"Truly Madly Deeply" set an all-time record on the Adult Contemporary chart when it remained for 123 weeks.  The mark would only stand for two years, however, when the group's "I Knew I Loved You" lasted for 124 weeks.

 "Truly Madly Deeply" sold half a million singles, and helped their debut release sell seven million copies in the U.S. alone.

The duo won the World Music Award for Best-Selling Australian Artist and Billboard Awards for Top Hot 100 Airplay Single and Top Adult Contemporary Single.  In 2001, the Australasian Performing Right Association  named "Truly Madly, Deeply" as one of the Top 30 Australian songs of all-December, 1997 from their self-titled debut album.

 

 

Inside The Rock Era has now featured 250 incredible songs from the last 60 years, the halfway point in our special.  Be sure to be here tomorrow as we unveil the next 10.