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Also, I just learned this cool news: All recordings 1922 and earlier will become public domain (in the US) on 1 January 2022. Suddenly a lot of really old music that I may have obtained questionably will become legal. This short article explains the process well. https://www.pdinfo.com/copyright-law/public-domain-sound-recordings.php Even those early Elvis recordings will become public domain starting in 2066. Elvis still makes an amazing amount of money, despite being dead (probably) for 44 years. But I've got to think by 2066, he won't be making nearly as much. Interesting stuff.

50 years before today’s virtual #1 song… It’s November 1941 and the #1 song is “You and I” by Glenn Miller. What?! It’s been 8 months since a Glenn Miller #1…I guess even Glenn had to get out of the way of the surging Dorsey Brothers’ various hits. But don’t worry, Glenn will have plenty of visits to the top over the next few months. “You and I” isn’t one of the better remembered songs of Glenn’s career. It’s written by Meredith Willson, who also wrote “It’s Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas” and was the genius behind the musical The Music Man, which our family will happily have a quote war against your family. (My second daughter is named after a minor character in the movie…I hesitate to name which one, but I’ll just say, she doesn’t dawdle…I will acknowledge if someone figures that one out). The song is a gentle swing–a romantic song between two lovers. The vocal is by Ray Eberly, brother of Bob who had sung on so many Jimmy Dorsey hits earlier this year. (The Eberly brothers!). Welcome back, Glenn. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YkYKyGMcJUQ

25 years before today’s virtual #1 song… It’s November 1966 and the #1 song is “You Keep Me Hangin’ On” by The Supremes. I doubt that I’ll have to convince many that this song is great–it seems to get plenty of love. What does Tom think of the Supremes rocking a little? https://www.stereogum.com/2016131/the-number-ones-the-supremes-you-keep-me-hangin-on/columns/the-number-ones/ Tom gave it a 10. It is a great one, and has inspired many covers over the years, including the warped version by Vanilla Fudge which reached #6 in 1967, and the Hi-NRG version that Kim Wilde took to #1 20 years later. I really like the shift between the minor key chorus and the major key verses. Lots of good energy in this song. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wDda0TNKqhY

25 years before today’s virtual #1 song… It’s November 1966 and the #1 song is “The Poor Side of Town” by Johnny Rivers. Johnny seemed to go back and forth between soulful rocker (“Memphis”, “Secret Agent Man”) and soulful adult contemporary artist (“Poor Side of Town”, “Slow Dancin'' (Swayin’ to the Music). Here’s Tom’s take on today’s song: https://www.stereogum.com/2015846/the-number-ones-johnny-rivers-poor-side-of-town/columns/the-number-ones/ Tom gave it a 4. I give it a 9. The sadness is real and palpable. Johnny Rivers sounds stiff and lacking soul, but he sounds real to me. His clumsiness is a benefit to the song I think. And I TOTALLY get how folks would balk at the strings (and flute!) and canned background singers (Darlene Love, though), but since I LOVE 50s/60s era easy listening froth, that also helps the song for me. Really, before throwing this one away, if you love “Wichita Lineman” (admittedly a better song), then there has to be something here you love, too. Do-doo-doo-wah, shoo-bee-doo-bee. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NM6si31GsvE

This song had it's moment and disappeared, so when I got back into the music scene a year later I don't remember hearing it. It's a good one. I dig the interpretation that Prince is singing to himself...it takes some of the implied dirtiness out of the song (not that Prince wanted that). The general groove is good enough, but it's not one that I would get out and play that often. In the ensuing year or two Prince put out some songs that have lasted well with me, though at the time they didn't seem so groundbreaking, because you set the bar so high with a guy like Prince. I really liked "The Most Beautiful Girl in the World" when it came out. I ignored but now love "Diamonds and Pearls"--what a cool song. BUT still not as cool and apocalyptic as my favorite Prince song, "7". Heck yeah that's a 10! Love it. As far as Cream goes...in another universe I am a small farm dairy farmer (an unfulfilled dream) and so I always appreciate dairy metaphors. Maybe Prince also shared an unfulfilled desire to milk cows--that is an image I am enjoying in my head. This song is an 8.

But it was a great commercial.

Sorry to be that guy, but it's Bill Wardlow. If we're going to shake our fists and curse at him, we have to get get his name correct, so the curse isn't deflected. :)

No offense, I hope, irishbear.

Neal Peart and the Four Preps is not a connection that I could have imagined. Eh, I like "Love Me", too. But I'm unable to objectively rate early Elvis stuff, since I was playing those records at age 2. I remember hearing Robert Plant tell the story of when Zeppelin got to meet Elvis in his hotel room. Robert and Elvis had fun singing "Love Me" to each other, since it was one of Plant's favorite Elvis tunes.

The Crescendos--7. I didn't know this one either. I think the background vocal is unintentionally creepy. The Silhouette--9. Classic doo-wop. Elvis--10. I get what you're saying wes r, but I guess I give the song the benefit of the doubt. The performance of all involved is great. The Four Preps--9. I love the white cheesy side of the 50s. I love this song. Romance! Romance! Romance! Romance!

I so love "Dead Giveaway".

I completely agree.

And 75 years before today’s virtual #1 song… It’s November 1916 and the #1 song is ”Ireland Must Be Heaven, for my Mother Came from There” by Charles Harrison. I’ve left myself little time to review this song, so I’ll just post the video. Charles is the American born artist that kind of made a career singing these Irish tunes that were so popular back then. Enjoy. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=he9VpxiIi_g

Also 25 years before today’s virtual #1 song… It’s November 1966 and the #1 song is The Monkees “Last Train to Clarksville”. Hey hey, they’re the made-for-TV rock band that exploded to #1 with their debut single (and their second single as well). Here’s Tom’s review: https://www.stereogum.com/2015801/the-number-ones-the-monkees-last-train-to-clarksville/columns/the-number-ones/ Tom gave it a 9. I’m sure a lot of folks doubted their legitimacy at the time, since they weren’t playing their instruments at this point. But I’ll be darned if this isn’t a great song no matter how it was constructed. The ends justify the means in this case? It’s a fun one to hear anytime. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NIlZVj08EV0

25 years before today’s virtual #1 song… It’s November 1966 and the #1 song is “96 Tears” by ? and the Mysterians. This is a great one. Here’s Tom’s review: https://www.stereogum.com/2015332/the-number-ones-and-the-mysterians-96-tears/columns/the-number-ones/ He gave it an 8. I’d go at least 9. Ol’ ? sounds more than just a little disturbed in this song. He probably needs therapy. Come to think of it, a lot of good music is sung about people that probably need therapy. (We all could probably use a little therapy). Is it proto-punk? I guess maybe. But it is a whole lot of fun. I would never turn this if it came on the radio. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R7pCjuA--m4

Tom in the formerly adjacent cube says he liked "Secret Rendezous" better, but this one was fine. He goes 7.

Good work as always, rollerboogie.

Looking forward to it!

Bless the Twins (and anyone) for beating the Braves, who I still hold a grudge against, being a Pirates fan in the early 90s. (I generally don't hold grudges, but sports grudges are kinda fun.)

Ooof...back to songs of which I have zero recollection. The name Karyn White is hardly even a blip in my memory banks (which aren't getting any sharper over the years). I listened. It's that typical new jack swing, which I mildly appreciate, but I'm not enthusiastic about. Still, there's nothing overly problematic here. I guess I give it a 5 or 6.

Other Christmas songs in the Top 100 most recorded songs before 1955 (not best selling): 1) Silent Night 8) White Christmas 23) Jingle Bells 54) The Christmas Song 78) Santa Claus Is Coming to Town 82) Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer

I continue to ramble... Sometimes I even wonder if it's not newer styles of arrangements, but also, older sounding recordings that I prefer. I can't always blame the 'I-discovered-this-song-in-high-school' phenomenon, because I didn't find this song by the Singers Unlimited (a precursor to and inspiration for The Manhattan Transfer) until about 5 years ago, but it is like a warm blanket for me. From their 1972 Christmas album: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IitsbUydIi4

Over the last 10 years or so I've come to realize how much I love a capella choruses. BUT just like with all kinds of music, trends in musical styles/arrangements mean than songs nowadays just sound different than old ones--and I prefer old music. Let me say upfront that beatboxing during a capella music kinda annoys me. It is distracting. But even songs sans beatbox from Pentatonix...there's just something about them that I can appreciate, but I just can't love (usually). That said, I listened to and enjoyed all 3 of your songs here, reggie. The Pentatonix one was the only one that I'd heard before.

Simone Magus, thank you for this. Awesome.

I did. I'd never heard it before. Not bad!

Now I've got to go back and listen to SILY. It one of two songs I always skip on the album.

Agreed, it does sound more desperate than devotional. And it is much more muted sounding than other C&T hits. It was their first recording a year or so before "Love Will Keep Us Together". It was a regional west coast hit. After LWKUT became a smash in 1975, it was re-released and reached #4.

According to Joel Whitburn, "Silent Night" was the most recorded song from 1890-1954. Whenever I think of this Streisand album, I always think of her version of "Jingle Bells?", which is pretty great. And how many key changes are there within the second verse of the song?

This is awesome trivia!

75 years before today’s virtual #1 song… It’s October 1916 and the #1 song is “Pretty Baby” by BIlly Murray. This song was featured in a musical revue on Broadway entitled The Passing Show of 1916 (which also featured George Gershwin’s first song to make Broadway). But this song wasn’t by Gershwin…it was by ragtime artist Tony Jackson. But the lyrics were naughty. A couple of songwriters ( Egbert Van Alstyne and Gus Kahn) liked the melody, so they bought the rights to the song (a courtesy not always followed) and rewrote it as “Pretty Baby”. It’s a cute song–almost too cute, with Billy singing so many comparisons of his girl to a baby, that it gets kinda uncomfortable. But one line says, Your mother says you were the cutest kid No wonder dearie, that i'm wild about you …which seems to assure us that the object of his affection isn’t a kid any longer. It’s meant to be a sweet love song, but it comes across a little awkward through the lens of the 21st century. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gKt5QI5xmAs

50 years before today’s virtual #1 song… It’s October 1941 and the #1 song is Kay Kyser’s “(Lights Out) ‘Til Reveille”. This is truly light and easy pop music that kids’ moms and grandmothers would have approved of in 1941, which, of course, means I also approve. I have this dream that I will run into some lucid 90 year old that was a huge music fan from way back when and I can talk about all of this old music with them. My chances for such a scenario diminish each day. That’s depressing. Kay Kyser calls out his quartet by name (“Harry Babbitt, and later, Ginny, Jack and Max!”) and they sing of how they dream of their significant other from Taps till Reveille. Not all of Kay’s #1 hits in the upcoming years will be so proper and mild…in a few years we’ll hear the pro-war “Praise the Lord and Pass the Ammunition” as well as “Strip Polka”. But for now, lights out…which is apropos, since this almost could be a lullabye. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V29HqwdCJcM

25 years before today’s virtual #1 song… It’s October 1966 and the #1 song is “Reach Out, I’ll Be There” by the Four Tops. What a massive song. Here’s Tom’s review: https://www.stereogum.com/2015175/the-number-ones-the-four-tops-reach-out-ill-be-there/columns/the-number-ones/ Tom gave it a 10. It’s difficult to argue with that. Despite covering the lows from the bass to the highs from the piccolo, the song seems almost sparse…but then the void is filled by Levi Stubbs passionate, wailing vocal work. If I didn’t like it as a young-un and if I choose sometimes not to listen to it now, it’s only because of how intense the song is. Sometimes I’m just not ready for that kind of intensity. But it’s a great one. This is why Motown remains legendary. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=huWqhoGEhoQ

For me, I just resent that someone with so many generic-sounding songs has hit #1 so many times. I would never ever call her non-talented. I think actually that there was a little bit of similar disdain for Whitney, as a lot of her 80s #1s weren't exactly enjoyable, but she just kept hitting the top. (Some of them were enjoyable). And then there's her attitude. She comes across full diva to me. Not unlike Diana Ross. I'm not sure I'd invite her over for dinner. (She wouldn't accept the invitation, anyways. Her loss.)

Attention: it is ok to like this Captain and Tennille song. Even our commenter TLeo likes this one. It's a 9. And TWO from Linda! I do confess, I tolerate her version of "Heat Wave", but I don't love it. A 6 for me. But "Love Is a Rose" is a 10/10.

Tom in the formerly adjacent cube says that Mariah was in 'full throated cockiness' here as she practices her scales at the end of the song. "She knows the radio will still play it and you will listen! She laughs at us. Wellll, I laugh at her! 5" By the way, Tom in the formerly adjacent cube just got a promotion on station (with a little raise) and yesterday was his first day leading in his new position. Give him a congrats!

I remember the song "Emotions" better than any of her previous singles, save "Vision of Love". It's probably all of those whistle register notes. Even without the title it does put one in the mind of "Best of My Love". I just can't get mad at it, though. It just is not the same song. In my mind there should be no writing credits given to the writers of "Best of My Love" and no settlements made. How many songs have the same dumb groove as others? It's pop music...artists borrow all the time. I know, there does come a point where copying is just copying, but to me that line is way farther forward than with some people. I will differ with Tom a bit on this statement: She’d already been deploying her whistle-register high notes like a special effect, but on “Emotions,” she pushes that stuff to new extremes. “Emotions” is a song about being dizzy in love, and Carey evokes that excitement by going into squeak overdrive. I think Tom is trying to claim that the super high notes at the end of the song are anything but showing off. I think it's simply showing off. And yet, she can hit those notes with ease, so why shouldn't she? Still, following them with the laughter does make it come across as cocky (Tom in the formerly adjacent cube's word, and he's right). The song overall isn't bad. I think it conjures up the disco feel fairly successfully. I give it a 7. By the way, there is a commercial for a clothing store (which one I cannot remember) during this Christmas season that totally copies the introduction of "Best of My Love". I wish I could remember which one. So that song left an impression not just 14 years later, but even 44 years later.

Then there’s my favorite ballad of the album, “Hold On My Heart” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mGfqB1-gHEM And finally, the epic album closer, “Fading Lights”. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J0Yyey5gODM

On 28 October 1991, Genesis released their 13th studio album, We Can’t Dance. I was on my mission and was oblivious to it, but Pete, my high school buddy, kept me in the loop by sending me a xeroxed copy of the liner notes of the CD in a letter. I wouldn’t get to hear the album until getting home in the summer of 92. It seems weird to be discussing the aging pop/prog-dinosaurs of Genesis in the progressive era of grunge and hip hop. But there’s a place for them all, right? The pop music landscape had changed significantly in the 5 ½ years since the release of the blockbuster that was Invisible Touch. Since the tour for that album ended in 1987, Phil Collins had 3 more solo #1 hits and Mike Rutherford even topped the charts with the Mechanics with “The Living Years”. So would the new album dive even deeper into pop music, or would the band retreat a little, back towards their prog roots? It appears they tried to do both on the sprawling 71 minute album (their longest since 1974’s 94 minute long The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway). That was the trend of the day–bands were recording albums that were probably a few songs too long now that the extended capabilities of CDs allowed it. The album spurred 5 singles in the US: No Son of Mine (#12) I Can’t Dance (#7) Hold On My Heart (#12) Jesus He Knows Me (#23) Never a Time (#21) All of those singles were respectable in their own way. “I Can’t Dance” sounded nothing like Genesis that anyone had heard up to that point, but was catchy and funny. (From what I can see, it is second in Spotify play counts…only behind “Invisible Touch”.) I remember how much flack even pop-era Genesis fans gave the band for playing “Hold On My Heart” on their reunion tour in 2007. It may not be a great concert song, but that tune is gorgeous. Hardly a simple Phil Collins ballad, it has Tony Banks’ sophisticated fingerprints all over it. And besides that, none of the lines rhyme–a trademark Tony Banks move. But equally as welcome as the modest pop success, I was delighted to hear the two 10 minute long songs “Driving the Last Spike” and “Fading Lights”. DTLS was a tribute to the mistreated workers that built British railroads in the 1800s. It’s well meaning, and comes across with sincerity, but the topic could have benefitted from someone helping Phil with the lyrics that may be overly simple. Still a good song. “Fading Lights” has become to fans the setting of the sun of Genesis’ pop glory days. It’s the last song on a Genesis album featuring Phil Collins, and comes across as the bittersweet ‘Amen’ of a great run. The song opens and closes with Tony’s chords over a drum machine, but the middle features a bombastic solo section with the band sounding as good as ever. I love it. It was a rare occurrence when I felt one of my favorite artists put out a new album that I liked better than their previous one. With Phil quitting the band after the tour, Genesis tried to regroup by replacing him with singer Ray Wilson and a couple of different drummers on 1997’s Calling All Stations, but reception was weak and the failing tour was cut short. The famous 5-man touring lineup with Chester Thompson on drums and Daryl Stuermer on guitar returned for the successful 2007 Turn It On Again Tour. And they just yesterday finished up their 2021 The Last Domino? Tour (though they have a few more dates in England in 2022) with a crippled Phil singing from a chair and sounding…not very young. It’s been a good run, but with Phil’s failing health, it’s difficult to imagine the band going any farther. Phil has said as much. There are not many bands that I like better than Genesis. Some days there are no bands that I like better than Genesis. So here’s a few songs from the album. The album’s lead single, “No Son of Mine” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0f2Pt1aqDMo

Well, there you go. Thanks for checking. Although I can't think of many things more important than your poll.

It's funny...I DID just get it. As with most jazz albums for me, it will get better with time, but I liked it.