Guess Who did a song called Broken. "I don't know." No, he's on third. "Who?" Who is on first. "What are ya askin' me for? So who did a song called Broken?" No, Guess Who did. "I don't know." Third base!
DRC Madness #31 - I Can't Believe It Wasn't A Top 40
- Thread starter sadchild
- Start date
#24 Talking Heads "Road to Nowhere"
David Byrne told Q Magazine that "Road To Nowhere" is "this little ditty about how there's no order and no plan and no scheme to life and death and it doesn't mean anything, but it's all right."
You know what's NOT all right? This song never entered the Hot 100 here in the US - it peaked at #5 on the Bubbling Under Chart. Overseas, ut reached the top 10 in several countries including the UK, Germany, Austria, New Zealand and South Africa. So what gives, Billboard? This is the second time DRC has had to point out that your chart needs to start making sense when it comes to the Talking Heads!
David Byrne told Q Magazine that "Road To Nowhere" is "this little ditty about how there's no order and no plan and no scheme to life and death and it doesn't mean anything, but it's all right."
You know what's NOT all right? This song never entered the Hot 100 here in the US - it peaked at #5 on the Bubbling Under Chart. Overseas, ut reached the top 10 in several countries including the UK, Germany, Austria, New Zealand and South Africa. So what gives, Billboard? This is the second time DRC has had to point out that your chart needs to start making sense when it comes to the Talking Heads!
#23 Beatles "If I Fell"
On February 9, 1964, the Beatles performed "I Want To Hold Your Hand" on The Ed Sullivan Show, effectively launching Beatlemania. Seven months later, The Beatles had seven concurrent entries on the Hot 100. "Matchbox" and "Slow Down" debuted that week. "A Hard Day's Night", "Ain't She Sweet" and "I'll Cry Instead" were on their way down. "And I Love Her" and its b-side "If I Fell" were both peaking at #12 and #53.
"If I Fell" reached #1 in Norway, #3 in The Netherlands, and also made the top 40 in Canada & West Germany. With the public's insatiable appetite for The Beatles here in the US in 1964, how could their "first attempt at a ballad proper" not be a smash hit here too?
On February 9, 1964, the Beatles performed "I Want To Hold Your Hand" on The Ed Sullivan Show, effectively launching Beatlemania. Seven months later, The Beatles had seven concurrent entries on the Hot 100. "Matchbox" and "Slow Down" debuted that week. "A Hard Day's Night", "Ain't She Sweet" and "I'll Cry Instead" were on their way down. "And I Love Her" and its b-side "If I Fell" were both peaking at #12 and #53.
"If I Fell" reached #1 in Norway, #3 in The Netherlands, and also made the top 40 in Canada & West Germany. With the public's insatiable appetite for The Beatles here in the US in 1964, how could their "first attempt at a ballad proper" not be a smash hit here too?
Bingo. I liked the Talking Heads at the time too. Martha Quinn and MTV gave them a lot of air time. I was a good boy in college. Not very good with grades or showing up for class but I didn't do any drugs. I was starting to get away from Chicago albums and starting exploring alternative music.
The original video showed a snipet in the bottom corner of David running nowhere
#22 Pearl Jam "Jeremy"
When Pearl Jam released their debut album in 1991, all four singles didn't qualify for the Hot 100 because they weren't released commercially (radio promo only). Same thing happened with songs from their sophomore album in 1993. Several months after releasing their third album, songs from their first two began charting on Billboard's Bubbling Under Chart. In July 1995, "Daughter", "Dissident" and "Jeremy" appeared. In February 1996, "Alive" debuted. In May 1996, "Evenflow" showed up.
We at DRC stand with our arms raised in a 'V' yelling "WTF?!" Billboard didn't give attention to these songs a few years earlier? Why did five old songs suddenly start bubbling under? "Jeremy" even jumped onto the Hot 100 for nine weeks, peaking at #79. Our jaws are dropped wide open. Because if you're gonna chart one of the biggest songs of the 90s three years too late, you might as well let it break into the top 40 where it deserves to be!
When Pearl Jam released their debut album in 1991, all four singles didn't qualify for the Hot 100 because they weren't released commercially (radio promo only). Same thing happened with songs from their sophomore album in 1993. Several months after releasing their third album, songs from their first two began charting on Billboard's Bubbling Under Chart. In July 1995, "Daughter", "Dissident" and "Jeremy" appeared. In February 1996, "Alive" debuted. In May 1996, "Evenflow" showed up.
We at DRC stand with our arms raised in a 'V' yelling "WTF?!" Billboard didn't give attention to these songs a few years earlier? Why did five old songs suddenly start bubbling under? "Jeremy" even jumped onto the Hot 100 for nine weeks, peaking at #79. Our jaws are dropped wide open. Because if you're gonna chart one of the biggest songs of the 90s three years too late, you might as well let it break into the top 40 where it deserves to be!
#21 REM "It's The End Of The World As We Know It"
What do Leonard Bernstein, Leonid Brezhnev, Lenny Bruce and Lester Bangs have in common? Not only are their initials LB, but they were named-dropped in a song that never made, but shoulda made, the top 40!
After scraping the bottom of the Hot 100 a few times, REM's "The One I Love", the lead single of their fourth album, reached the top 10 in the US. The follow-up single "It's The End Of The World As We Know It" reached the top 40 in France & Italy. On re-release a few years later, it reached the top 40 in Ireland & the UK. But here in the US it never got past #69. And that's something we here at DRC don't feel fine about!
What do Leonard Bernstein, Leonid Brezhnev, Lenny Bruce and Lester Bangs have in common? Not only are their initials LB, but they were named-dropped in a song that never made, but shoulda made, the top 40!
After scraping the bottom of the Hot 100 a few times, REM's "The One I Love", the lead single of their fourth album, reached the top 10 in the US. The follow-up single "It's The End Of The World As We Know It" reached the top 40 in France & Italy. On re-release a few years later, it reached the top 40 in Ireland & the UK. But here in the US it never got past #69. And that's something we here at DRC don't feel fine about!
I remember it coming on the radio in 1988 and not liking it. But I thought it came on the radio enough that I just assumed it was a top 40. Hence my surprise on learning it wasn't - and helping it to rank this high here!
#20 ZZ Top "Sharp Dressed Man"
After watching the 1974 film The California Kid, Billy Gibbons had Buffalo Motor Cars build a custom 1933 Ford Coupe which would not only end up as the cover of ZZ Top's 8th album but feature in three music videos for the singles from it. "Gimme All Your Lovin'", the first single, broke into the top 40, and the third single "Legs" cracked the top 10. The album Eliminator has gone on to become one of only 92 albums in history to achieve Diamond certification (10 million sold).
But what of the album's second single? MTV played the video constantly. It reached the top 30 in Belguim, Ireland, the UK (where the single was certified Gold) & The Netherlands. Why not here in the US? We at DRC demand a recount! Especially since on the week "Sharp Dressed Man" peaked, Paul Anka and Air Supply were ahead of them on the charts! What kind of payola-crapola was going on there?!
After watching the 1974 film The California Kid, Billy Gibbons had Buffalo Motor Cars build a custom 1933 Ford Coupe which would not only end up as the cover of ZZ Top's 8th album but feature in three music videos for the singles from it. "Gimme All Your Lovin'", the first single, broke into the top 40, and the third single "Legs" cracked the top 10. The album Eliminator has gone on to become one of only 92 albums in history to achieve Diamond certification (10 million sold).
But what of the album's second single? MTV played the video constantly. It reached the top 30 in Belguim, Ireland, the UK (where the single was certified Gold) & The Netherlands. Why not here in the US? We at DRC demand a recount! Especially since on the week "Sharp Dressed Man" peaked, Paul Anka and Air Supply were ahead of them on the charts! What kind of payola-crapola was going on there?!
#19 Who "My Generation"
"My Generation" was ranked the #11 greatest song of all time by Rolling Stone in 2004 and 2010. It was added to the RRHOF's 500 songs that shaped rock and roll and inducted into the Grammy HOF for historical, artistic and significant value. On release, it reached the top 10 in Australia, Austria, Canada, Ireland, West Germany, The Netherlands and the UK.
I'm starting to think the people at Billboard try to keep good songs d-down. How did a classic like "My Generation" peak at #74 here in the States? I can't explain. I know the kids are all alright, it must be the chart. I'll tell you this: when it comes to relying on the Hot 100 to know what's hot, I won't get fooled again.
"My Generation" was ranked the #11 greatest song of all time by Rolling Stone in 2004 and 2010. It was added to the RRHOF's 500 songs that shaped rock and roll and inducted into the Grammy HOF for historical, artistic and significant value. On release, it reached the top 10 in Australia, Austria, Canada, Ireland, West Germany, The Netherlands and the UK.
I'm starting to think the people at Billboard try to keep good songs d-down. How did a classic like "My Generation" peak at #74 here in the States? I can't explain. I know the kids are all alright, it must be the chart. I'll tell you this: when it comes to relying on the Hot 100 to know what's hot, I won't get fooled again.