By Roger Nead
March 9, 2004
WELCOME TO SOUL HEAVEN:
The world of soul music lost a few innovators last month, and sense there’s little to report on the current pop charts, I’m going to update you:
Singer DORIS TROY, best known for her #10 Pop, and #3 R&B hit from 1963: “Just One Look,” died on February 16th, of emphysema. Troy was also a noted background vocalist on PINK FLOYD’S break-through concept LP THE DARK SIDE OF THE MOON, and the ROLLING STONES classic “You Can’t Always Get What You Want,” among others.
On February 24th, ESTELLE AXTON, co-founder of the legendary soul record label Stax Records, died of natural causes. Stax began in the early 1960’s and produced 10 #1 hits on Billboard’s R&B Charts, in the ‘60s and ‘70s. Including: “Hold On, I’m Comin’,” by SAM & DAVE, “Green Onions,” by BOOKER T. & THE MG’S, “Knock On Wood,” by EDDIE FLOYD, “Jody’s Got Your Girl And Gone,” by JOHNNIE TAYLOR, “Mr. Big Stuff,” by JEAN KNIGHT, and “I’ll Take You There,” by THE STAPLE SINGERS.
Not really Soul related, but singer GENE HUGHES, leader of the ‘60s pop vocal group THE CASINOS, died from injuries suffered in a car accident, on February 3rd. THE CASINOS reached #6 in 1967 with the hit “Then You Can Tell Me Goodbye,” which also had charted versions by EDDY ARNOLD, GLEN CAMPBELL, and TOBY BEAU.
U.S. Singles Chart:
Here are this week’s Top 15 singles:
1) Yeah! by USHER Featuring LIL JON & LUDACRIS
2) One Call Away by CHINGY Featuring J. WEAV
3) Slow Jamz by TWISTA Featuring KANYE WEST & JAMIE FOXX
4) The Way You Move by OUTKAST Featuring SLEEPY BROWN
5) Tipsy by J-KWON
6) Hotel by CASSIDY Featuring R. KELLY
7) Me, Myself And I by BEYONCE
8) Splash Waterfalls by LUDACRIS
9) Sorry 2004 by RUBEN STUDDARD
10) Hey Ya! by OUTKAST
11) Toxic by BRITNEY SPEARS
12) Dirt Off Your Shoulder by JAY-Z
13) My Immortal by EVANESCENCE
14) Numb by LINKIN PARK
15) Through The Wire by KANYE WEST
U.S. Album Chart:
Here are this week’s Top 15 albums:
1) Feels Like Home by NORAH JONES
2) The College Dropout by KANYE WEST
3) Tough Luv by YOUNG GUNZ
4) Fallen by EVANESCENCE
5) When The Sun Goes Down by KENNY CHESNEY
6) Closer by JOSH GROBAN
7) Speakerboxxx/The Love Below by OUTKAST
8) Kamikaze by TWISTA
9) I Don’t Want You Back by EAMON
10) The Very Best Of Sheryl Crow by SHERYL CROW
11) Songs About Jane by MAROON5
12) The King Of Crunk & BME Recordings Present by TRILLVILLE/LIL SCRAPPY
13) Jackpot by CHINGY
14) In The Zone by BRITNEY SPEARS
15) The Long Road by NICKELBACK
Top 10 Most Downloaded Tracks:
Here are this week’s Top 10 Hot Digital Tracks:
1) This Love by MAROON5
2) Toxic by BRITNEY SPEARS
3) Hey Ya! by OUTKAST
4) I Believe In A Thing Called Love by THE DARKNESS
5) The Way You Move by OUTKAST Featuring SLEEPY BROWN
6) Are You Gonna Be My Girl by JET
7) F**K It (I Don’t Want You back) (Dirty Version) by EAMON
8) Someday by NICKELBACK
9) 100 Years by FIVE FOR FIGHTING
10) With You by JESSICA SIMPSON
Modern Rock Tracks:
Here are this week’s Top 10 Modern Rock tracks:
1) Megalomaniac by INCUBUS
2) I Miss You by BLINK-182
3) Numb by LINKIN PARK
4) Last Train Home by LOSTPROPHETS
5) Figured You Out by NICKELBACK
6) One Thing by FINGER ELEVEN
7) I Am The Highway by AUDIOSLAVE
8) Love Song by 311
9) I Believe In A Thing Called Love by THE DARKNESS
10) (I Hate) Everything About You by THREE DAYS GRACE
Top Rap Tracks:
Here are this week’s Top 10 Rap tracks:
1) One Call Away by CHINGY Featuring J. WEAV
2) Slow Jamz by TWISTA Featuring KANYE WEST & JAMIE FOXX
3) Tipsy by J-KWON
4) Splash Waterfalls by LUDACRIS
5) Hotel by CASSIDY Featuring R. KELLY
6) Dirt Off Your Shoulder by JAY-Z
7) Salt Shaker by YING YANG TWINS Featuring LIL JON & THE EAST SIDE BOYZ
8) Through The Wire by KANYE WEST
9) Wanna Get To Know You by G-UNIT Featuring JOE
10) The Way You Move by OUTKAST Featuring SLEEPY BROWN
The U.K. Top 10:
Here are this week’s top 10 singles in the U.K.:
1) Mysterious Girl by PETER ANDRE
2) Thank You by JAMELIA
3) Obvious by WESTLIFE
4) Who’s David by BUSTED
5) Take Me To The Clouds Above by LMC VS. U2
6) Hey Ya! by OUTKAST
7) Love You Like Mad by VS
8) Somewhere Only We Know by KEANE
9) Another Day by LEMAR
10) If I Can’t/Poppin’ Them Thangs by 50 CENT & G-UNIT
My Own Personal Top 30 Chart:
Looking to heighten your musical boundaries? Click here to listen to my Weekly Top 30!
It’s Free!...And worth nearly twice that!
1) Favorite Scar by THE VANISHED
2) Operation Big Beat by FROM BUBBLEGUM TO SKY
3) People Together by DJ ME DJ YOU
4) Run by SNOW PATROL
5) Float On by MODEST MOUSE
6) Fooled With The Wrong Guy by BEULAH
7) Runaway by ZEBRAHEAD
8) I’m So L.A. by MYNX
9) Vanilla Radio by WILDHEARTS
10) Don’t Steal Our Sun by THE THRILLS
11) Psalm For The Elks Lodge Last Call by THE WEAKERTHANS
12) High As The Ceiling by STEREOPHONICS
13) Reconstruction Site by THE WEAKERTHANS
14) Still Here Waiting by EVE 6
15) The New Face Of Zero And One by THE NEW PORNOGRAPHERS
16) Last Defense by YEAR OF THE RABBIT
17) Before We Arrive by THE MELIGROVE BAND
18) Not Ready To Go by THE TREWS
19) Red Right Ankle by THE DECEMBERISTS
20) Any Given Day by MUDMEN
21) Moviestar by STEREOPHONICS
22) Misfit by ELEFANT
23) Ex-Girl Collection by THE WRENS
24) White Hot by IRVING
25) Comfortably Numb by SCISSOR SISTERS
26) Beautiful Stones by GOLD CASH GOLD
27) Alright by THE LOST PATROL
28) We Dreamt In Heist by ANBERLIN
29) Love Is On Our Side by FRANK POPP ENSEMBLE
30) Chain Smoking by DYKEHOUSE
EYE WRECK-A-MEND:
Here’s something new to check out:
The following is a press release from timesbeachrecords.com: Gold Cash Gold's debut on Times Beach Records, Paradise Pawned, Vol.1 is something of a throwback, being more of an album than listeners have become accustomed to hearing in the last few years. Singer Eric Hoegemeyer and guitarist Steve Zuccaro produced the record at Detroit's famed Rustbelt Studios in what has internally become an infamous two-week session. "They never ate, slept, or left the studio for that matter," claims a Rustbelt employee, "so we just locked them in at night and let them go at it." This almost obsessive quest for perfection resulted in a recording of pronounced organic purity; it brings to mind some of the classic rock albums of the past ('IV,' anyone?). Paradise Pawned, Vol.1 is—comment dit on?—classic.
Gold Cash Gold play untainted rock'n'roll in the traditional sense of the word. They have the makings of a legendary rock band: songs, sonics, sex, swagger and showmanship. They truly and gleefully embrace and incorporate everything that made Detroit music famous: soulful and funky, tenacious and bombastic.
For More info, go to: www.goldcashgold.com
#1 ON BILLBOARD’S CHARTS
Here’s a look at what topping all the various pop culture charts this week:
#1 on the R&B Singles Chart = Yeah! by USHER Featuring LIL JON & LUDACRIS
#1 on the R&B Albums Chart = Tough Luv by YOUNG GUNZ
#1 on the Country Singles Chart = American Soldier by TOBY KEITH
#1 on the Country Albums Chart = When The Sun Goes Down by KENNY CHESNEY
#1 on the Latin Singles Chart = Te Quise Tanto by PAULINA RUBIO
#1 on the Latin Albums Chart = Intimamente: En Vivo Live by INTOCABLE
#1 on the Dance Music Club Play Chart = Burning by ROBBIE RIVERA & AXWELL
#1 on the Mainstream Rock Chart = Figured You Out by NICKELBACK
#1 on the Adult Contemporary Chart = You Raise Me Up by JOSH GROBAN
#1 on the Top Internet Album Sales Chart = Feels Like Home by NORAH JONES
#1 on the Top DVD Sales Chart = THE LION KING 1½
#1 on the Top Video Rentals Chart = RUNAWAY JURY
#1 on the Top Music Videos Chart = Live In Texas by LINKIN PARK
#1 on the Top Video Game Rentals Chart = PS2-MAFIA
FUN & GAMES:
LISTEN TO THE MUSIC:
Check out my radio show.
This week: Hear the official weekly Billboard Top 50 chart from 19 years ago, March 9th, 1985!
TOP O’ THE CHARTS:
Let’s go through time and see what was at #1 this week on the various popular music charts!
#1 Song on Billboard’s Modern Rock Chart, March 9, 1996:
Wonderwall by OASIS
#1 Song on Billboard’s Mainstream Rock Chart, March 9, 1991:
She Talks To Angels by THE BLACK CROWES
#1 Song on the U.K. Chart, March 9, 1986:
Chain Reaction by DIANA ROSS
#1 Song on Billboard’s R&B Chart, March 9, 1981:
Don’t Stop The Music by YARBROUGH & PEOPLES
#1 Song on Billboard’s Adult Contemporary Chart, March 9, 1976:
Venus (Disco Version) by FRANKIE AVALON
#1 Album on Billboard’s Top 200 Chart, March 9, 1971:
Pearl by JANIS JOPLIN
#1 Song on Billboard’s Hot 100 Chart, March 9, 1966:
The Ballad Of The Green Berets by SSGT BARRY SADLER
#1 Song on Billboard’s Country & Western Chart, March 9, 1961:
Don’t Worry by MARTY ROBBINS
REMEMBER THESE?:
Here are the official Top Ten Charts, 5, 15, 25, and 35 years ago this week:
MARCH 9, 1999:
1) Believe by CHER
2) Angel Of Mine by MONICA
3) Heartbreak Hotel by WHITNEY HOUSTON Featuring FAITH EVANS & KELLY PRICE
4) Angel by SARAH McLACHLAN
5) All I Have To Give by THE BACKSTREET BOYS
6) I Still Believe by MARIAH CAREY
7) Nobody’s Supposed To Be Here by DEBORAH COX
8) ...Baby One More Time by BRITNEY SPEARS
9) Every Morning by SUGAR RAY
10) No Scrubs by TLC
MARCH 9, 1989:
1) Lost In Your Eyes by DEBBIE GIBSON
2) The Living Years by MIKE & THE MECHANICS
3) You Got It (The Right Stuff) by NEW KIDS ON THE BLOCK
4) Roni by BOBBY BROWN
5) Paradise City by GUNS N’ ROSES
6) Surrender To Me by ANN WILSON & ROBIN ZANDER
7) Girl You Know It’s True by MILLI VANILLI
8) The Lover In Me by SHEENA EASTON
9) My Heart Can’t Tell You No by ROD STEWART
10) Straight Up by PAULA ABDUL
MARCH 9, 1979:
1) I Will Survive by GLORIA GAYNOR
2) Da Ya Think I’m Sexy? by ROD STEWART
3) Tragedy by BEE GEES
4) Fire by THE POINTER SISTERS
5) Heaven Knows by DONNA SUMMER & BROOKLYN DREAMS
6) A Little More Love by OLIVIA NEWTON-JOHN
7) Shake Your Groove Thing by PEACHES & HERB
8) What A Fool Believes by THE DOOBIE BROTHERS
9) Y.M.C.A. by THE VILLAGE PEOPLE
10) Sultans Of Swing by DIRE STRAITS
MARCH 9, 1969:
1) Dizzy by TOMMY ROE
2) Proud Mary by CREEDENCE CLEARWATER REVIVAL
3) Everyday People by SLY & THE FAMILY STONE
4) Build Me Up Buttercup by THE FOUNDATIONS
5) Traces by CLASSICS IV Featuring DENNIS YOST
6) Crimson & Clover by TOMMY JAMES & THE SHONDELLS
7) This Girl’s In Love With You by DIONNE WARWICK
8) Indian Giver by 1910 FRUITGUM COMPANY
9) Time Of The Season by THE ZOMBIES
10) This Magic Moment by JAY & THE AMERICANS
POP CULTURE CALENDAR:
Here are some pop-culture events that happened this week:
MARCH 9TH:
(1984) Touchstone Pictures release RON HOWARD’S second feature: SPLASH!, starring TOM HANKS, to theaters nation-wide
(1990) New Line Cinema release the first of the lucrative film series HOUSE PARTY, to theaters nation-wide.
MARCH 10TH:
(1978) CBS TV airs the first episode of the series THE INCREDIBLE HULK, starring BILL BIXBY and LOU FERRIGNO, on Friday Night. The show will run five seasons on the network.
(1989) Columbia Pictures release TERRY GILLIAM’S THE ADVENTURES OF BARON MUNCHAUSEN, to theaters nation-wide.
MARCH 11TH:
(1982) ABC TV airs the second episode of the cult comedy series POLICE SQUAD!, titled: “Ring Of Fear,” but announced as: “A Dangerous Assignment,” Thursday night at 8pm.
(1989) FOX TV airs the premier episode of the reality series: COPS, Saturday night at 9pm. Except for moving the show up an hour, the hit series has remained unchanged 15 years later.
(1994) Warner Brothers release the Cohen Brothers comedy THE HUDSUCKER PROXY, to theaters, in limited release.
MARCH 12TH:
(1969) The last bachelor Beatle PAUL McCARTNEY, weds photographer LINDA EASTMAN in a private ceremony in London.
(1974) Ex-Beatle JOHN LENNON is tossed out of the Los Angeles club The Troubadour, for heckling THE SMOTHERS BROTHERS, and allegedly assaulting the duo’s manager, all while wearing a sanitary napkin on his head.
MARCH 13TH:
(1975) Country music sweethearts TAMMY WYNETTE, and GEORGE JONES officially split up after 6 years of marriage. During that time Wynette’s hits included: “Stand By Your Man,” and “D.I.V.O.R.C.E.”
(1979) ABC TV premiers the first THREE’S COMPANY spin-off: THE ROPERS, Tuesday night at 10pm.
(1982) ABC TV airs the first episode of WILLIAM SHATNER’S longest-running series: T.J. HOOKER. Hooker made it a half a season longer than STAR TREK.
(1987) DEG Films release SAM RAMI’S splatter-sequel: EVIL DEAD 2: DEAD BY DAWN, to theaters nation-wide.
(1992) 20TH Century Fox release the Academy Award winner MY COUSIN VINNY, to theaters nation-wide.
MARCH 14TH:
(1975) XAVIERA HOLLANDER, the former madam, turned best-selling author (THE HAPPY HOOKER), makes her big screen debut in the independently released MY PLEASURE IS MY BUSINESS, in US theaters.
(1975) Columbia Pictures release BARBRA STREISAND’S big-screen sequel: FUNNY LADY, to theaters nation-wide.
(1997) 20TH Century Fox release the enhanced version of GEORGE LUCAS’ STAR WARS: THE RETURN OF THE JEDI, to theaters nation-wide.
MARCH 15TH:
(1956) Colonel Tom Parker signed on to become ELVIS PRESLEY’S manager.
(1977) ABC TV airs the first episode of the family drama EIGHT IS ENOUGH, at 8pm.
(1977) ABC TV airs the first episode of the controversial and hugely popular comedy, THREE’S COMPANY, at 9pm.
(1988) ABC TV airs the premier episode of THE WONDER YEARS, the nostalgic 60’s comedy/drama starring FRED SAVAGE.
MUSICAL TIME MACHINE:
Ok, I’m resorting to recycling some of my previous pop trivia quizzes. At least you got something to do to pass the time!
I’ve listed a lyric from several well known pop hits from the past. Figure out what song each lyric is from, and then what year all these hits peaked!
1) “I’m alright Jack, keep your hands off of my stack.”
2) “I got a Nikon Camera, I love to take a photograph.”
3) “You’ve been tellin’ me you’re a genius since you were seventeen, and all the time I’ve known you, I still don’t know what you mean.”
4) “It makes a lame man walk, makes a blind man talk about seein’ again.”
5) “I’m a juvenile product of the working class, whose best friend floats in the bottom of a glass.”
6) “Wonder if I’ll find paradise. Somewhere there’s a home, sweet and nice.”
7) “Everybody here is out of sight. They don’t bark and they don’t bite.”
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