Here in Los Angeles, My Generation g-g-g-g-got to #24 on the KRLA Tune-dex and #29 on the KFWB Fabulous Forty. KHJ never played it.
DRC Madness #31 - I Can't Believe It Wasn't A Top 40
- Thread starter sadchild
- Start date
Now I know how you got your name! It was either that or you were a fan of the Pure Comedy Channel on SXM.
When I was a kid – last century – KFWB was a top-40 station known as "Color Radio, Channel 98." It was my favorite station, even after KHJ switched from adult contemporary to top-40 as "Boss Radio" in 1965. KFWB switched to a news format in March 1968 and today is regional Mexican oldies "980 La Mera Mera" ("The best of the best").
#18 Talking Heads "And She Was"
David Byrne was inspired to write "And She Was" by "a blissed-out hippie chick in Baltimore. She once told me that she used to do acid and lay down on the field by the Yoo-hoo chocolate soda factory. Flying out of her body, etc." It was a top 40 hit in Australia, New Zealand, Ireland, The Netherlands and the UK.
But here in the US, it peaked at #54. That's THREE Talking Heads classics that charted high overseas but didn't make the top 40 here. How many times is Billboard gonna Byrne this band??
David Byrne was inspired to write "And She Was" by "a blissed-out hippie chick in Baltimore. She once told me that she used to do acid and lay down on the field by the Yoo-hoo chocolate soda factory. Flying out of her body, etc." It was a top 40 hit in Australia, New Zealand, Ireland, The Netherlands and the UK.
But here in the US, it peaked at #54. That's THREE Talking Heads classics that charted high overseas but didn't make the top 40 here. How many times is Billboard gonna Byrne this band??
#17 AC/DC "Highway To Hell"
On March 1, 2020, eight bands turned Canning Highway into a six mile concert stage as they performed AC/DC songs for more than 150,000 people in honor of the 40th anniversary of Scott's funeral. The road runs from where Bon Scott used to live to The Raffles, a bar he used to frequent. That highway was also the inspiration for AC/DC's first Hot 100 entry "Highway To Hell". Over 4,000 people walked through the doors of Scott's old watering hole that day.
"Highway To Hell" reached the top 40 in Australia, Germany, Sweden, Switzerland, The Netherlands and the UK. But here in the uptight US, maybe it was Angus Young's devil horns on the album cover that helped not only push the song onto the Hot 100... but keep it from the top 40. Whatever the explanation might be, we at DRC are taking everything in stride. We don't need reason. Don't need rhyme. We know a rock masterpiece when we hear it.
On March 1, 2020, eight bands turned Canning Highway into a six mile concert stage as they performed AC/DC songs for more than 150,000 people in honor of the 40th anniversary of Scott's funeral. The road runs from where Bon Scott used to live to The Raffles, a bar he used to frequent. That highway was also the inspiration for AC/DC's first Hot 100 entry "Highway To Hell". Over 4,000 people walked through the doors of Scott's old watering hole that day.
"Highway To Hell" reached the top 40 in Australia, Germany, Sweden, Switzerland, The Netherlands and the UK. But here in the uptight US, maybe it was Angus Young's devil horns on the album cover that helped not only push the song onto the Hot 100... but keep it from the top 40. Whatever the explanation might be, we at DRC are taking everything in stride. We don't need reason. Don't need rhyme. We know a rock masterpiece when we hear it.
#16 Bow Wow Wow "I Want Candy"
Malcom McLaren had a long and varied career. From fashion designer to band manager to musician to film producer, it seems he did it all. He ran a boutique named Sex that helped create the fashion of punk subculture. He managed Adam and the Ants. He helped form and guide the Sex Pistols. He had two solo UK top 10's with "Buffalo Gals" and "Double Dutch". And he teamed three ex-Ants up with a 14 year old girl to form Bow Wow Wow, who by the way was nude on the band's debut album cover (dirty bits not showing to the camera).
"I Want Candy" was the band's third trip to the top 40 in the UK. And it was a top 40 hit in Australia, Belgium, Ireland and New Zealand. But only reached #62 in the US. How couldn't Billboard not see that we want "I Want Candy"?!
Malcom McLaren had a long and varied career. From fashion designer to band manager to musician to film producer, it seems he did it all. He ran a boutique named Sex that helped create the fashion of punk subculture. He managed Adam and the Ants. He helped form and guide the Sex Pistols. He had two solo UK top 10's with "Buffalo Gals" and "Double Dutch". And he teamed three ex-Ants up with a 14 year old girl to form Bow Wow Wow, who by the way was nude on the band's debut album cover (dirty bits not showing to the camera).
"I Want Candy" was the band's third trip to the top 40 in the UK. And it was a top 40 hit in Australia, Belgium, Ireland and New Zealand. But only reached #62 in the US. How couldn't Billboard not see that we want "I Want Candy"?!
Here is the original version of I Want Candy by the Strangeloves, a trio formed by songwriters/producers Bob Feldman, Jerry Goldstein and Richard Gottehrer. They co-wrote this with Bert Berns. (Berns composed the music for several hits including Twist & Shout, Hang On Sloopy, Tell Him, Twenty-Five Miles and Piece Of My Heart.) In Los Angeles, I Want Candy got to #27 on the KRLA Tune-dex and #29 on the KFWB Fabulous Forty in July 1965. It reached #11 on the Billboard Hot 100 in August.
#15 Van Halen "Right Now"
If you watch the credits roll on the 1984 film The Wild Life, you'll hear an instrumental version of "Right Now". Reportedly David Lee Roth had no interest in fleshing the song out and putting it on an album. Eight years later, the song, now completed with lyrics that Sammy Hagar called "best lyric I've ever written in Van Halen", peaked at #55 in the US.
Its music video won three awards from MTV in 1992 and it peaked at #27 on the Cash Box singles chart. We at DRC demand Billboard do a recount! Surely the songs higher on the chart that week by Giggles, Karyn White, Gerald Levert, Lidell Townsell, Joe Public, Stacy Earl, Kathy Troccoli, Williams Brothers, Jodeci, MC Brains and Mint Condition musta had some kinda payola scandal going on, right?
If you watch the credits roll on the 1984 film The Wild Life, you'll hear an instrumental version of "Right Now". Reportedly David Lee Roth had no interest in fleshing the song out and putting it on an album. Eight years later, the song, now completed with lyrics that Sammy Hagar called "best lyric I've ever written in Van Halen", peaked at #55 in the US.
Its music video won three awards from MTV in 1992 and it peaked at #27 on the Cash Box singles chart. We at DRC demand Billboard do a recount! Surely the songs higher on the chart that week by Giggles, Karyn White, Gerald Levert, Lidell Townsell, Joe Public, Stacy Earl, Kathy Troccoli, Williams Brothers, Jodeci, MC Brains and Mint Condition musta had some kinda payola scandal going on, right?
#14 10,000 Maniacs "These Are Days"
In 1981, high school friends John Lombardo and Robert Buck joined a band originally named Still Life, then invited Natalie Merchant, a local sixteen-year-old ‘timid hippie girl’, to jam with them at a party. Within a few years, the band was packing hipster clubs along the US east coast. It didn't take very long for their 1992 album Our Time In Eden to go double platinum, largely thanks to its Alternative Songs chart-topper “These Are Days”.
However, these are days when I wonder who determined how the Hot 100 works. And when they were fired. How could this alt rock classic only top out at #66? Well, we can at least appreciate that Natalie's solo career includes three top 40s.
In 1981, high school friends John Lombardo and Robert Buck joined a band originally named Still Life, then invited Natalie Merchant, a local sixteen-year-old ‘timid hippie girl’, to jam with them at a party. Within a few years, the band was packing hipster clubs along the US east coast. It didn't take very long for their 1992 album Our Time In Eden to go double platinum, largely thanks to its Alternative Songs chart-topper “These Are Days”.
However, these are days when I wonder who determined how the Hot 100 works. And when they were fired. How could this alt rock classic only top out at #66? Well, we can at least appreciate that Natalie's solo career includes three top 40s.
IdRatherBeSkiing
Sherbert is NOT and NEVER WILL BE ice cream.
The band formed in 1981. Their fifth album Our Time in Eden came out in 1992.
#13 Natalie Imbruglia "Torn"
Here's an example of what happens every time you change the rules for what makes a song qualify for the Hot 100. In December 1998, Billboard began to allow songs that had not been released as physical singles to chart on the Hot 100. Prior to this, "Torn" reached #1 on the Airplay Chart on 4/25/98 and held the position for ELEVEN weeks. On 12/5/98, with no physical single ever released and as it was sliding down the Airplay Chart, it was allowed to debut on the Hot 100 at #42.
The song to hold the #1 Hot 100 spot the longest in 1998 (and be named the biggest song of the year) was "Too Close" by Next - holding the top spot for only FIVE weeks. If they had changed the rules in December 1997, a year earlier, it's pretty likely "Torn" would have easily been earned the honor of being biggest song of 1998. But Natalie got screwed over by the timing of the rule change.
I guess the upside is, she's technically not a one hit wonder? Boy, that's a crappy consolation prize!
Here's an example of what happens every time you change the rules for what makes a song qualify for the Hot 100. In December 1998, Billboard began to allow songs that had not been released as physical singles to chart on the Hot 100. Prior to this, "Torn" reached #1 on the Airplay Chart on 4/25/98 and held the position for ELEVEN weeks. On 12/5/98, with no physical single ever released and as it was sliding down the Airplay Chart, it was allowed to debut on the Hot 100 at #42.
The song to hold the #1 Hot 100 spot the longest in 1998 (and be named the biggest song of the year) was "Too Close" by Next - holding the top spot for only FIVE weeks. If they had changed the rules in December 1997, a year earlier, it's pretty likely "Torn" would have easily been earned the honor of being biggest song of 1998. But Natalie got screwed over by the timing of the rule change.
I guess the upside is, she's technically not a one hit wonder? Boy, that's a crappy consolation prize!
#12 Doors "Break On Through"
"Break On Through" was not only the first track of their first album, and their first single, but the last song the band performed live before the early passing of Jim Morrison. In all the band scored eight top 40 hits, but despite Billboard calling it an "excitement filled rocker" that represents a "powerful debut", this song only bubbled under at #26 (when the chart had a whopping 35 positions in the bubbler!)
The Guardian later ranked the song number two on their list of the 30 greatest Doors songs and Louder Sound ranked it number five on their list of the 20 greatest Doors songs. But back in 1967, on initial release, it just couldn't break on through to the Hot 100. Why?!
"Break On Through" was not only the first track of their first album, and their first single, but the last song the band performed live before the early passing of Jim Morrison. In all the band scored eight top 40 hits, but despite Billboard calling it an "excitement filled rocker" that represents a "powerful debut", this song only bubbled under at #26 (when the chart had a whopping 35 positions in the bubbler!)
The Guardian later ranked the song number two on their list of the 30 greatest Doors songs and Louder Sound ranked it number five on their list of the 20 greatest Doors songs. But back in 1967, on initial release, it just couldn't break on through to the Hot 100. Why?!
Here in Los Angeles, Break On Through got to #30 on the KFWB Fabulous Forty. KRLA had an all-request format in 1967 and published a weekly "Most Requested" top 40. Break On Through never made the list. The song reached #42 on the Fabulous 57 of WMCA in New York City.