By Roger Nead
May 25, 2004
MORRISSEY IN A COMA?:
Well...no, but that would explain why he hasn’t been seen on the Modern Rock charts for the past decade. Until this week that is!
The massive popularity of the former SMITHS singer was one of the reasons Billboard started a Modern Rock chart, back in 1988, and he was a mainstay there for five straight years. However, he hasn’t charted since “The More You Ignore Me, The Closer I Get” spent seven weeks at #1, in April of 1994.
MORRISSEY’S new song, “Irish Blood, English Heart” debuts this week at #37, and it’s his 12th song to make the Modern Rock chart. It was just over fifteen years ago that he first debuted with “The Last of the Famous International Playboys,” giving him one of the longest chart spans in the history of the Modern Rock chart.
THE SMITHS broke up in 1987, pre-dating the Modern Rock charts, but they did have many hits on the UK singles chart, beginning with “This Charming Man” in November of 1983. Some of their UK chart highlights include: “Heaven Knows I’m Miserable Now” (#10, 1984), “How Soon Is Now?” (#24, 1985), “Panic” (#11, 1986), “Shoplifters Of The World Unite” (#12, 1987), “Sheila Take A Bow” (#10, 1987), and “Girlfriend In A Coma” (#13, 1987).
On The US Hot 100, MORRISSEY’S sole chart hit was “The More You Ignore Me” which reached #46, in 1994.
GOOD NEWS & BAD NEWS FOR “EMO” FANS:
First, the bad news: Emo/Alt band THE ANNIVERSARY has broken up.
In their short career, they only released two full-length LPs, DESIGNING A NERVOUS BREAKDOWN in 2000, and YOUR MAJESTY, in 2002. However, THE ANNIVERSARY leave behind some of the best “Emo” songs ever, including: “Sweet Marie,” “All Things Ordinary,” and “Crooked Crown.” For more info on their breakup, and what’s next, go to: www.anniversaryrock.com
Now the good news: Indie label Immortal Records is re-releasing the 1998 “Emo” break-through album “Water & Solutions,” by now defunct alt-rockers FAR, with a collectors DVD of rare video footage. Those unfamiliar with FAR, this short-lived “indie” band’s style has influenced many of today’s popular “Emo” artists, including: THURSDAY, THREE DAYS GRACE, FUNERAL FOR A FRIEND, and SAVES THE DAY, among others. For more info on this release, go to: www.immortalrecords.com.
U.S. Singles Chart:
Here are this week’s Top 10 singles:
1) Burn by USHER
2) I Don’t Wanna Know by MARIO WINANS Featuring ENYA & P. DIDDY
3) Yeah! by USHER Featuring LIL JON & LUDACRIS
4) Naughty Girl by BEYONCE
5) The Reason by HOOBASTANK
6) Overnight Celebrity by TWISTA
7) This Love by MAROON5
8) If I Ain’t Got You by ALICIA KEYS
9) All Falls Down by KANYE WEST Featuring SYLEENA JOHNSON
10) Freek-A-Leek by PETEY PABLO
U.S. Album Chart:
Here are this week’s Top 10 albums:
1) Confessions by USHER
2) Here For The Party by GRETCHEN WILSON
3) Living Legends by 8BALL & MJG
4) D12 World by D12
5) La Dona by TEENA MARIE
6) The Reason by HOOBASTANK
7) Musicology by PRINCE
8) Now 15 by VARIOUS ARTISTS
9) Hurt No More by MARIO WINANS
10) Still Writing In My Diary: 2nd Entry by PETEY PABLO
Top 10 Most Downloaded Tracks:
Here are this week’s Top 10 Hot Digital Tracks:
1) The Reason by HOOBASTANK
2) Roses by OUTKAST
3) Burn by USHER
4) Naughty Girl by BEYONCE
5) This Love by MAROON5
6) I Don’t Wanna Know by MARIO WINANS Featuring ENYA & P. DIDDY
7) Hey Mama by BLACK EYED PEAS
8) Ocean Avenue by YELLOWCARD
9) Everytime by BRITNEY SPEARS
10) My Band by D12
Modern Rock Tracks:
Here are this week’s Top 10 Modern Rock tracks:
1) Lying From You by LINKIN PARK
2) Cold Hard Bitch by JET
3) The Reason by HOOBASTANK
4) Ch-Check It Out by BEASTIE BOYS
5) Slither by VELVET REVOLVER
6) (Can’t Get My) Head Around You by THE OFFSPRING
7) Talk Show On Mute by INCUBUS
8) Love Song by 311
9) The Outsider by A PERFECT CIRCLE
10) Float On by MODEST MOUSE
My Own Personal Top 30 Chart:
1) California Songs by LOCAL H
2) The Reasons by THE WEAKERTHANS
3) Spitting Games by SNOW PATROL
4) Homewrecker by HELLOGOODBYE
5) Don’t Forget To Breathe by BEULAH
6) Wake Up by THE VANISHED
7) Somebody Told Me by THE KILLERS
8) Am I The Same Girl by KING RADIO
9) It’s All The Same by REVERIE SOUND REVUE
10) Stakeout by FREEZEPOP
11) Laura by SCISSOR SISTERS
12) Passing By by ZERO 7
13) Make Up by ELEFANT
14) 1979 Semi-Finalist by THE BAD PLUS
15) Madness by DELTRON 3030
16) The One You Want by THE GET UP KIDS
17) Vaporize by YEAR OF THE RABBIT
18) Catherine Was My June by FROM BUBBLEGUM TO SKY
19) Ghosts by SLEEPING AT LAST
20) Beautiful Stones by GOLD CASH GOLD
21) Assessment by THE BETA BAND
22) The Road Leads Where It’s Led by SECRET MACHINES
23) Check Your Messages by THE MELIGROVE BAND
24) Trouble by DJ ME DJ YOU
25) Hello Tomorrow by ZEBRAHEAD
26) You’re Gone by MARILLION
27) Is It Me? Is It True? by MIDTOWN
28) Walking Around Waiting Downtown by REVERIE SOUND MACHINE
29) Solitary Man by HIM
30) Push For New by APHASIA
FUN & GAMES:
LISTEN TO THE MUSIC:
Check out my radio show
This week: Hear the official weekly Billboard Top 50 chart from 34 years ago, May 25TH, 1970!
THE LOST 70’S
Ok, it’s time to re-live the seventies!
Be warned, this is not your local radio station’s “Disco Saturday Night.” But, if you thrill to the likes of: CHILLIWACK, RUBINOOS, HERMAN BROOD, STEALERS WHEEL, HOT CHOCOLATE and so-forth...Click here and rock on!
I’ll up date this one every couple of weeks.
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 Hot 100 Chart, May 25, 1997:
Mmmbop by HANSON
#1 Song on Billboard’s Modern Rock Chart, May 25, 1992:
The Ballad Of Peter Pumpkinhead by XTC
#1 Song on Billboard’s R&B Chart, May 25, 1987:
Head To Toe by LISA LISA & CULT JAM
#1 Song on Billboard’s Mainstream Rock Chart, May 25, 1982:
No One Like You by THE SCORPIONS
#1 Song on Billboard’s Adult Contemporary Chart, May 25, 1977:
Margaritaville by JIMMY BUFFETT
#1 Song on the U.K Chart, May 25, 1972:
Metal Guru by T. REX
#1 Album on Billboard’s Top 200 Chart, May 25, 1967:
More Of The Monkees by THE MONKEES
#1 Song on Billboard’s Country & Western Chart, May 25, 1962:
She Thinks I Still Care by GEORGE JONES
REMEMBER THESE?:
Here are the official Top Ten Charts, 14, 24, 34, and 44 years ago this week:
MAY 25, 1990:
1) Vogue by MADONNA
2) All I Wanna Do Is Make Love To You by HEART
3) Nothing Compares 2 U by SINEAD O’CONNOR
4) Hold On by WILSON PHILLIPS
5) Alright by JANET JACKSON
6) Poison by BELL BIV DEVOE
7) Sending All My Love by LINEAR
8) It Must Have Been Love by ROXETTE
9) U Can’t Touch This by M.C. HAMMER
10) This Old Heart Of Mine by ROD STEWART With RONALD ISLEY
MAY 25, 1980:
1) Funkytown by LIPPS, INC.
2) Coming Up by PAUL McCARTNEY
3) Biggest Part Of Me by AMBROSIA
4) Don’t Fall In Love With A Dreamer by KENNY ROGERS With KIM CARNES
5) Call Me by BLONDIE
6) The Rose by BETTE MIDLER
7) Against The Wind by BOB SEGER & THE SILVER BULLET BAND
8) Hurt So Good by LINDA RONSTADT
9) Cars by GARY NUMAN
10) Little Jeannie by ELTON JOHN
MAY 25, 1970:
1) Everything Is Beautiful by RAY STEVENS
2) American Woman by THE GUESS WHO
3) Love On A Two-Way Street by THE MOMENTS
4) Cecilia by SIMON & GARFUNKEL
5) Up Around The Bend by CREEDENCE CLEARWATER REVIVAL
6) Which Way You Goin’ Billy? by THE POPPY FAMILY
7) The Letter by JOE COCKER
8) Turn Back The Hands Of Time by TYRONE DAVIS
9) Vehicle by THE IDES OF MARCH
10) Let It Be by THE BEATLES
MAY 25, 1960:
1) Cathy’s Clown by THE EVERLY BROTHERS
2) Stuck On You by ELVIS PRESLEY
3) Good Timin’ by JIMMY JONES
4) He’ll Have To Stay by JEANNE BLACK
5) Greenfields by THE BROTHERS FOUR
6) Night by JACKIE WILSON
7) Paper Roses by ANITA BRYANT
8) Sixteen Reasons by CONNIE STEVENS
9) Burning Bridges by JACK SCOTT
10) Cradle Of Love by JOHNNY PRESTON
ROCK & ROLL TRIVIA QUESTION:
LAST WEEK’S QUESTION:
Which Top 40 artist doesn’t belong on this list, and why?
RICK SPRINGFIELD
HERB ALPERT
MICHAEL DAMIAN
THE AFTERNOON DELIGHTS
CHRISTOPHER CROSS
JACK WAGNER
THE ANSWER:
If you’re an avid watcher of soap-opera GENERAL HOSPITAL, this one was probably easy. The only artist on this list not to use the popularity of the TV soap to have a hit single was MICHAEL DAMIAN. You see, Damian was a cast member of competing soap THE YOUNG & THE RESTLESS!
Springfield was a cast member of GENERAL HOSPITAL when he reached #1 with “Jessie’s Girl” in 1981, and Wagner was on the show when “All I Need” made it to #2 in 1985.
HERB ALPERT’S second and final #1 hit was the instrumental disco song “Rise” which benefited from extensive play on the soap in 1979. (“Rise” was also sampled heavily on NOTORIOUS B.I.G.’S first #1 hit “Hypnotize” in 1997).
A year after Grammy winner CHRISTOPHER CROSS’S second LP flopped, G.H. turned the album track “Think Of Laura” into a Top 10 smash, and brought a little respect to “Another Page.”
And, THE AFTERNOON DELIGHTS (named after the #1 hit from 1976), rapped about the soap, with: “General Hospi-Tale,” back in 1981, and became one of the earliest “rap” groups to make the top 40.
THIS WEEKS QUESTION:
Ok, here’s a no-brainer (or, at least, a “little-brainer!”)
Name the only Hot 100 hit where both the artist name and the song title are palindromes.
Answer next week!
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