DRC Madness #31 - I Can't Believe It Wasn't A Top 40
- Thread starter sadchild
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#27 Traveling Wilburys "Handle With Care"
When Warner Brothers asked George Harrison for another song to put on his "This Is Love" single, he mentioned over dinner it to Jeff Lynne - the man who co-wrote the album with him. Harrison told Lynne, "It doesn't matter. It's not the A-side. It's not even the B-side. It's the C-side. It's just the third extra one."
Roy Orbison was at that dinner since Lynne was producing his album at the time. Orbison offered, "If you do anything tomorrow give me a call. I'd love to come by." When Harrison asked about a recording studio, Lynne suggested calling Bob Dylan who had "a tiny tape machine in his garage". Harrison needed to pick up his guitar from Tom Petty's house, who asked if he could come along too. The next day, all five met at Dylan's house and Harrison told Dylan, "Give us some lyrics, you famous lyricist." When Dylan asked what the song was about, Harrison saw a box behind the garage door with a label on it: "Handle With Care".
When Harrison turned in a song with Dylan, Petty, Orbison and Lynne on it, Warner Brothers knew they couldn't just make it a "C-Side" - and that's how the Traveling Wilburys were born. "Handle" was their debut single and it reached #2 in Canada, #3 in Australia, #12 in Ireland and #21 in the UK. But in the US, it only climbed to #45. Come on Billboard, don't you have some love to give? Won't you show us that you really care?
When Warner Brothers asked George Harrison for another song to put on his "This Is Love" single, he mentioned over dinner it to Jeff Lynne - the man who co-wrote the album with him. Harrison told Lynne, "It doesn't matter. It's not the A-side. It's not even the B-side. It's the C-side. It's just the third extra one."
Roy Orbison was at that dinner since Lynne was producing his album at the time. Orbison offered, "If you do anything tomorrow give me a call. I'd love to come by." When Harrison asked about a recording studio, Lynne suggested calling Bob Dylan who had "a tiny tape machine in his garage". Harrison needed to pick up his guitar from Tom Petty's house, who asked if he could come along too. The next day, all five met at Dylan's house and Harrison told Dylan, "Give us some lyrics, you famous lyricist." When Dylan asked what the song was about, Harrison saw a box behind the garage door with a label on it: "Handle With Care".
When Harrison turned in a song with Dylan, Petty, Orbison and Lynne on it, Warner Brothers knew they couldn't just make it a "C-Side" - and that's how the Traveling Wilburys were born. "Handle" was their debut single and it reached #2 in Canada, #3 in Australia, #12 in Ireland and #21 in the UK. But in the US, it only climbed to #45. Come on Billboard, don't you have some love to give? Won't you show us that you really care?
I never knew the Wheelbarrow's back story. Cool.
I love how these guys are so good at songwriting that they can take anything as a starting point, get out of the way, and make a song in a few hours.
They are like McGuyver. Take those notes from when you cat stepped on the piano keys, the beat from when the drummer was warming up, and gimme some lyrics about......er......dryer lint. BAM! Top 45 hit! We would have broken 40 if we sang about shoe laces.
I love how these guys are so good at songwriting that they can take anything as a starting point, get out of the way, and make a song in a few hours.
They are like McGuyver. Take those notes from when you cat stepped on the piano keys, the beat from when the drummer was warming up, and gimme some lyrics about......er......dryer lint. BAM! Top 45 hit! We would have broken 40 if we sang about shoe laces.
Mister Hectic is probably too young to remember Dodie Stevens' lone top-40 hit. Pink Shoe Laces, written by Mickie Grant, reached #3 on the Hot 100 in April 1959. Mickie Grant's real name is Minnie Louise Perkins. She's an actress/singer/songwriter who now goes by the name Micki Grant, Dodie Stevens' real name is Geraldine Ann Pasquale. She was only 12 when she recorded this. The uncredited male voice is Randy Van Horne, whose musical group, the Randy Van Horne Singers, sang the theme songs for The Flintstones and The Jetsons.
IdRatherBeSkiing
Sherbert is NOT and NEVER WILL BE ice cream.
Another complete surprise. This song should have been top 10 based on just who was singing it. Bonus that it is a killer song. #27 does not give it justice. I see from your writeup that Canadians do have good taste.
It just had bad luck. In round 5 it was up against "I Melt With You". But it beat everything else before that round - which is when the Sweet 16 joined the party.
IdRatherBeSkiing
Sherbert is NOT and NEVER WILL BE ice cream.
I feel the same about this song as you do about most Beatles songs. To me, it's like a low-key We Are the World.
It would have made it if it were a sweet 18. But the Beatles took that #16 spot in the sweet 16.
IdRatherBeSkiing
Sherbert is NOT and NEVER WILL BE ice cream.
#26 Talking Heads "Once In A Lifetime"
You may find yourself in 1981. And you may find yourself watching a bizarre video on MTV. And you may ask yourself, "What are these guys doing with their arms?" And you may tell yourself, "Hey, I think I really like this song."
You may also ask yourself, "How does the Hot 100 calculate chart positions?" And you may find yourself confused and disappointed. And you may ask yourself, "How did this stall at #3 on the Bubbling Under Chart?" And you may say to yourself, "My god! It was a top 30 in five other countries!"
A live version did enter the Hot 100 in 1986 - unfortunately only peaking at #91. But that's how it goes with Billboard: same as it ever was... same as it ever was... same as it ever was...
You may find yourself in 1981. And you may find yourself watching a bizarre video on MTV. And you may ask yourself, "What are these guys doing with their arms?" And you may tell yourself, "Hey, I think I really like this song."
You may also ask yourself, "How does the Hot 100 calculate chart positions?" And you may find yourself confused and disappointed. And you may ask yourself, "How did this stall at #3 on the Bubbling Under Chart?" And you may say to yourself, "My god! It was a top 30 in five other countries!"
A live version did enter the Hot 100 in 1986 - unfortunately only peaking at #91. But that's how it goes with Billboard: same as it ever was... same as it ever was... same as it ever was...
The album it's on, Remain in Light, was the cool album among my group of friends. The song was certainly a hit on alternative/new wave radio; but strictly speaking, it doesn't really make sense (they stopped making sense). I don't think the pop world embraces songs that are not about love and relationships. In fact, TH fans would probably be insulted if it was a top 40 hit.
Talking Heads were a band that I didn't get when they came out. I was too firmly rooted in rock and roll to embrace them, but I couldn't turn away when they were on. It took a while for their brilliance to......start making sense.
They were a curiosity to me early on when I was a young kid (Psycho Killer / Once In A Lifetime / Burning Down The House). When I was a teen and really getting into music, I didn't like "Road To Nowhere", and didn't mind "And She Was", "Stay Up Late" and "Wild Wild Life". But by then, they were already in the mainstream.
IdRatherBeSkiing
Sherbert is NOT and NEVER WILL BE ice cream.
I heard "Burning Down the House" in "Revenge of the Nerds" but didn't give it a second thought. I got into them with the "True Stories" CD. I had a new portable CD player and liked "Wild. Wild, Life" and I feel in love with the album. Then I saw a "Best of Talking Heads" CD and got hooked on the older stuff. I also picked up a "Stop Making Sense" CD for good measure. I guess if looking at my listening habits, I can't really say I am surprised by their lack of success on the charts.
We voted THREE Talking Heads songs into our "Top 40 songs that shoulda been Top 40 songs". So, two more coming...
#25 Billy Idol "Dancing With Myself"
Like "Turning Japanese", "Blister in the Sun" and "The Stroke", Billy Idol insists "Dancing with Myself" is not about masturbation. It was originally written while Idol was in the band Generation X after seeing people dancing with their mirror reflections in a dance club. Generation X had three UK top 40s in the late 1970s but "Dancing" was not one of them. It would only peak at #60. When Idol went solo, he had the song remixed and re-released but it didn't chart anywhere.
After the US top 40 success of "Hot In The City" and "White Wedding", "Dancing" was re-re-released and reached the top 10... in New Zealand. Here in the States it flopped again, reaching #2 on the Bubbling Under Chart. Now if I had the chance I'd ask the world, "How could this amazing song not even enter the Hot 100?" But instead I'll just sink another drink. Cuz it'll give me time to think. About some of the 101 songs that charted higher than this one in fall 1983 that suck. I'm looking at you Kenny & Dolly, Air Supply, Culture Club and Shalamar!
Like "Turning Japanese", "Blister in the Sun" and "The Stroke", Billy Idol insists "Dancing with Myself" is not about masturbation. It was originally written while Idol was in the band Generation X after seeing people dancing with their mirror reflections in a dance club. Generation X had three UK top 40s in the late 1970s but "Dancing" was not one of them. It would only peak at #60. When Idol went solo, he had the song remixed and re-released but it didn't chart anywhere.
After the US top 40 success of "Hot In The City" and "White Wedding", "Dancing" was re-re-released and reached the top 10... in New Zealand. Here in the States it flopped again, reaching #2 on the Bubbling Under Chart. Now if I had the chance I'd ask the world, "How could this amazing song not even enter the Hot 100?" But instead I'll just sink another drink. Cuz it'll give me time to think. About some of the 101 songs that charted higher than this one in fall 1983 that suck. I'm looking at you Kenny & Dolly, Air Supply, Culture Club and Shalamar!