50s/60s/70s non-top 40 hits
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Topic: 50s/60s/70s non-top 40 hits
Posted By: sriv94
Subject: 50s/60s/70s non-top 40 hits
Date Posted: 07 February 2008 at 7:57am
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MTV's probably the reason there's a ton of 80s songs that didn't chart highly but are still well-known, but could we compile a list for 50s/60s/70s music as well?
I'm more familiar with BILLBOARD than with CASHBOX, so if any of these hit the top 40 on CASHBOX I'll humbly withdraw them. But a few that come to mind: La Grange - Z Z Top Purple Haze - Jimi Hendrix More Than A Woman - Bee Gees Sail On Sailor- Beach Boys Break On Through (To The Other Side) - The Doors New York City Rhythm - Barry Manilow Scenes From An Italian Restaurant - Billy Joel Anyone care to append? ------------- Doug --------------- All of the good signatures have been taken. |
Replies:
Posted By: AndrewChouffi
Date Posted: 07 February 2008 at 8:19am
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Hi Doug,
Great topic! For correction purposes "Fortunate Son" reached 14 as a Billboard side & 6 as a Cashbox side. It certainly was a hit at the time & a hit for all-time. Andy |
Posted By: sriv94
Date Posted: 07 February 2008 at 8:30am
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Correction made.
Also thought of: Lights - Journey Living In The U.S.A. - Steve Miller Band Mexico - James Taylor Roll Over Beethoven - Electric Light Orchestra Guitar Man - Elvis Presley (1968 version) Rebel Rebel - David Bowie ------------- Doug --------------- All of the good signatures have been taken. |
Posted By: eriejwg
Date Posted: 07 February 2008 at 10:02am
| Interesting observation here. "Living In The U.S.A." was originally on a 1968 release, Sailor. The album was re-released as Living In The U.S.A. in 1973. |
Posted By: sriv94
Date Posted: 07 February 2008 at 11:52am
And "Living In The U.S.A." (the song) charted after "The Joker" took off. I figured the 80s songs on the list far outdistance the earlier decades combined--to do one for each of the decades would be very short lists. ------------- Doug --------------- All of the good signatures have been taken. |
eriejwg wrote:Posted By: bdpop
Date Posted: 07 February 2008 at 1:10pm
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My 2 cents:
Too Late - Journey I'll Supply the Love - Toto Make You Feel Love Again - Wet Willie Crying In the Night - Buckingham Nicks Georgy Porgy - Toto Walk Right Now - The Jacksons Blame It On the Boogie - The Jacksons One Life To Live - Lou Rawls Alison - Elvis Costello Midnight Light - LeBlanc & Carr Clouds - David Gates Part Time Love - David Gates Who Was It - Hurricane Smith Hurt - The Manhattans In the Bush - Musique San Francisco - Village People Drivin' Around - The Raspberries Carolina In the Pines - James Taylor Knock Knock Who's There - Mary Hopkin Ma Na Ma Na - Piero Umilllni Showdown - ELO Ma Ma Ma Belle - ELO Flashback - 5th Dimension Tequila Sunrise - The Eagles Roll With the Changes - REO Speedwagon Time For Me To Fly - REO Speedwagon (Had this song come out in the 80's, it would had been a number one hit) |
Posted By: sriv94
Date Posted: 07 February 2008 at 1:39pm
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I think "Time For Me To Fly" was rereleased in 1980 (before Hi Infidelity came out).
And I believe the James Taylor track you're referring to is "Carolina In My Mind." "Tequila Sunrise" is a great choice. A few more: Danny's Song - Loggins & Messina (before that bitch Anne Murray ruined it [kidding]) Bandstand Boogie - Barry Manilow Isn't She Lovely - Stevie Wonder Wheel In The Sky - Journey Let It Bleed - Rolling Stones ------------- Doug --------------- All of the good signatures have been taken. |
Posted By: Brian W.
Date Posted: 07 February 2008 at 1:47pm
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"Tiny Dancer" was top 40 in both Cash Box and Record World, Doug.
I think "More Than a Woman" is considered a BeeGees classic only because they wrote it, just like "Nothing Compares 2 U" is a Prince classic. "Scenes from an Italian Restaurant" never charted because it wasn't released as a single. But good list... keep 'em coming. |
Posted By: Brian W.
Date Posted: 07 February 2008 at 1:50pm
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I'll add:
Pinball Wizard - Elton John (promo single only) Isn't She Lovely - Stevie Wonder (Stevie Wonder wouldn't allow a commercial release or an edit, as covered in other threads) Song for Guy - Elton John (#1 hit in England but only bubbled under in the U.S.) |
Posted By: sriv94
Date Posted: 07 February 2008 at 1:52pm
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A lot of these never charted because they weren't single releases, or they were B-sides that didn't get listed. "More Than A Woman" is a great example--radio tended to play the Bee Gees' version more than Tavares' version (even though Tavares' version squeaked into the top 40, while the Bee Gees' version wasn't issued as a single then). ------------- Doug --------------- All of the good signatures have been taken. |
Posted By: sriv94
Date Posted: 07 February 2008 at 1:55pm
Already added.
Was that an edited single, or a straight reissue of the LP version? ------------- Doug --------------- All of the good signatures have been taken. |
Posted By: Brian W.
Date Posted: 07 February 2008 at 2:05pm
Running time matches the album version, according to Eltonography.com. |
Posted By: mstgator
Date Posted: 07 February 2008 at 2:06pm
This one made #22 in Billboard (it was the flip side of his smash "Donna"). Perhaps you're thinking of the equally catchy "Come On, Let's Go" which only hit #42. |
Posted By: Brian W.
Date Posted: 07 February 2008 at 2:20pm
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"All My Loving" actually made it to #31 in Cash Box, #32 Record World, Doug. (Cash Box, at least, was still completely sales-based at the time; I believe Record World was, too.)
Etta James' "At Last" made it to #30 in Cash Box. Don't have Record World info for that year. |
Posted By: sriv94
Date Posted: 07 February 2008 at 2:21pm
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A few more (a lot of these tend to be AOR/classic rock staples):
Fool For The City - Foghat Woman From Tokyo - Deep Purple Highway Star - Deep Purple Jailbreak - Thin Lizzy Someone To Lay Down Beside Me - Linda Ronstadt ------------- Doug --------------- All of the good signatures have been taken. |
Posted By: sriv94
Date Posted: 07 February 2008 at 2:24pm
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Now that I think about it, "Jessica" also hit the top 40 in CASH BOX.
This may be the first thread ever where I edit it to complete nothingness. :) ------------- Doug --------------- All of the good signatures have been taken. |
Posted By: Hykker
Date Posted: 07 February 2008 at 5:51pm
What station plays these songs today? The few songs on this list that I've even heard of disappeared from the radio when they dropped off whatever chart they appeared on in the first place. "Favorite songs that should have been hits" is a whole 'nother thread. BTW, wasn't "Carolina In The Pines" by Michael Murphey? JT's song was "Carolina In My Mind". |
Posted By: TimNeely
Date Posted: 07 February 2008 at 6:33pm
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You have two different categories of songs here: Those that never charted because they were never issued as commercial singles (or weren't until years after their albums were issued, by which time most stations couldn't add the song as a "current hit" with a straight face), and those that were issued as singles but didn't catch on with the Top 40 crowd.
I'm going to list some that you might hear on the radio today, usually on "classic rock" stations. These lists are far from complete. Never released as commercial singles (or not until years later): The Beach Boys -- All Summer Long The Beatles -- A Day in the Life The Beatles -- Michelle The Beatles -- Back in the U.S.S.R. The Beatles -- Here Comes the Sun The Beatles -- While My Guitar Gently Weeps The Beatles -- In My Life The Beatles -- Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da The Beatles -- Here, There and Everywhere The Beatles -- With a Little Help from My Friends The Beatles -- Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds David Bowie -- Ziggy Stardust The Doors -- L.A. Woman The Doors -- The End Eagles -- Desperado Eagles -- In the City Fleetwood Mac -- The Chain Arlo Guthrie -- Alice's Restaurant Massacree Jethro Tull -- Aqualung Billy Joel -- The Stranger Elton John -- Burn Down the Mission Elton John -- Love Song Elton John -- Captain Fantastic and the Brown Dirt Cowboy Elton John -- Teacher, I Need You [a top 5 hit in Philadelphia in 1973 as an LP cut] Led Zeppelin -- Stairway to Heaven Led Zeppelin -- Babe I'm Gonna Leave You Led Zeppelin -- All My Love Led Zeppelin -- Heartbreaker Steve Miller Band -- Serenade The Moody Blues -- Legend of a Mind Van Morrison -- Moondance The Rolling Stones -- Under My Thumb The Rolling Stones -- Sympathy for the Devil The Rolling Stones -- Gimmie Shelter Bob Seger -- Turn the Page (Live Bullet version) Bruce Springsteen -- Rosalita Bruce Springsteen -- The Promised Land Bruce Springsteen -- Thunder Road The Who -- Baba O'Riley The Who -- Bargain Andy Williams -- Moon River Low-charting, non-charting or B-sides of singles: David Bowie -- Suffragette City Jackson Browne -- The Pretender The Byrds -- Chestnut Mare Joe Cocker -- With a Little Help from My Friends Jimi Hendrix -- Purple Haze Jimi Hendrix -- Hey Joe Jimi Hendrix -- Foxey Lady Journey -- Feelin' That Way/Anytime Led Zeppelin -- Hey, Hey, What Can I Do Manfred Mann's Earth Band -- For You The Moody Blues -- Ride My See-Saw Pink Floyd -- Time Pink Floyd -- Comfortably Numb Pink Floyd -- Run Like Hell The Rolling Stones -- Street Fighting Man Bruce Springsteen -- Tenth Avenue Freeze-Out Thin Lizzy -- Jailbreak The Who -- My Generation The Who -- The Kids Are Alright The Who -- I Can't Explain The Who -- Love, Reign O'er Me |
Posted By: eriejwg
Date Posted: 07 February 2008 at 9:11pm
| "Time For Me To Fly" is from 1978. The LP has one of my favorite titles ever, You Can Tune a Piano But You Can't Tuna Fish. |
Posted By: MCT1
Date Posted: 07 February 2008 at 10:58pm
The '50s, '60s and '70s really predate my Top 40 listening, so I can't speak from firsthand experience, but the following seem like they may fall under #1 (or if not, then #2): "Under My Thumb" - Rolling Stones "Maybe I'm Amazed" (1970 studio version) - Paul McCartney "Isn't She Lovely" - Stevie Wonder "All My Love" - Led Zeppelin There are a lot of Beatles songs that were never released as singles that I hear regularly on Oldies/'60s & '70s stations today, including most of those that Tim listed. Did Top 40 radio play "Stairway To Heaven" when it was new? I remember hearing it on a Top 40 station in the early '80s. They had an all-request show on Friday night, and every Friday someone would call in and request it. Aside from that, you would rarely if ever hear the station in question play a Led Zeppelin song. Upthread, someone mentioned "Mexico" by James Taylor. While looking through a chart book a couple of years ago, I was surprised to realize that this song had missed the Top 40. It's not necessarily a matter of the song gaining in popularity over the years, because I can remember hearing it back in the '70s when I was small and the song must have been fairly new. Maybe it was a regional thing (I live near Boston, and Taylor obviously has ties to this area), I don't know. |
Posted By: TimNeely
Date Posted: 08 February 2008 at 3:53am
Definitely. Top 40 radio treated it as if it was the "third single" from Led Zeppelin's fourth album, after "Black Dog" (the first) and "Rock and Roll" (the second). I have a chart from WFIL, the big Top 40 station in Philadelphia at the time, dated November 13, 1972. The #1 song on that survey was "Stairway to Heaven" by Led Zeppelin, and the "last week" column also had it at #1. It had a note under it saying "(Based on Requests & LP Sales)". Most of the Top 40 stations didn't play the full 7:55 version, even though that is all they had available to them. Different stations created different edit versions to cut the song to between 4:30 and 5:00. I'm sure that once one station in a chain (such as Capital Cities) came up with a workable edit, it was "shared" with other stations in the same chain. As my initial experience with "Stairway to Heaven" was with the "WFIL edit," and I didn't listen to FM rock on the radio at the time, it wasn't until I checked out a copy of LZ IV from my local public library that I discovered there was more to "Stairway" than met the ears. |
Posted By: mstgator
Date Posted: 08 February 2008 at 7:45am
| *never mind* |
Posted By: Santi Paradoa
Date Posted: 24 November 2009 at 12:50pm
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A track from 1978 that was a big dance and radio hit in south Florida was "Ain't Nothin' Gonna Keep Me From You" by Teri DeSario. The single only reached #43 in the summer of '78 (BB Top 100) but should have been bigger (especially since it was written and produced by Barry Gibb). Maybe if it had been released just five months earlier when Samantha Sang, Andy Gibb and the Bee Gees were all in the top 10. I don't think the 45 version has been released domestically on CD. ------------- Santi Paradoa Miami, Florida |
Posted By: KentT
Date Posted: 06 January 2010 at 6:56pm
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"More Than A Woman" by The Bee Gees was originally an LP track in the USA. The US 45 single debut was on the RSO Top Line reissue single "Night Fever" the flip side. In some European countries "More Than A Woman" was released as a single. "Isn't She Lovely" was an album track only. Stevie Wonder didn't want it edited so refused to issue it as a single. Was an airplay hit on Top 40 radio. ------------- I turn up the good and turn down the bad! |
Posted By: Hykker
Date Posted: 07 January 2010 at 7:00am
Anyone know why he was so adamant about the song not being edited? Shortening the long harmonica solo at the end wouldn't have really cut anything "important" out (and many stations that played the song did their own edits anyway). OTOH, it was the 70s when artists recorded long songs because they could. |
Posted By: Hykker
Date Posted: 07 January 2010 at 7:04am
I don't ever recall hearing edits of this song played at least here in New England (any station I worked at that played the song played the full version). It's not a song that lends itself to editing in the first place. I read somewhere once about WLS creating a 6:30 edit, but received so many complaints about it that they relented and played the LP version. |
Posted By: jimct
Date Posted: 07 January 2010 at 12:42pm
| There was a 1972 promo-only, mono/stereo 45 of the full 7:55 version issued to radio for "Stairway To Heaven". When I first started working for my Top 40 station in 1977, an unplayable, cracked copy was, for some reason, still filed in with our station library. This promo had a "stock" # of PR 175, according to old notes I made at the time. One of my research books also shows a second, promo-only, 1973 mono/stereo 45 release for "Stairway...", # PR 269. Although I have never seen a copy of this second promo, my best info is that this 45 also featured the full, 7:55 version on both sides. |
Posted By: Yah Shure
Date Posted: 07 January 2010 at 2:24pm
Jim, I think I'd posted a label scan link to my copy in another thread some time back, but http://i257.photobucket.com/albums/hh240/YahShure/LedZep-Stairway.jpg - here it is again. Perhaps it was a simply a reservice of the 1973 PR 269, but Atlantic sent my copy no earlier than the fall of 1974. In any event, I didn't program it at my college station, for the simple reason that it wouldn't have remained in playable condition for more than one day (then again, we always marveled that our stereo promo 45 of Roberta Flack's "The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face" lasted for years with nary a scratch. Go figure.) Your timing hunch was correct: PR 269 is 7:55/7:55, but it is stereo/stereo, with the same robin's-egg blue label present on both sides. |
Posted By: jimct
Date Posted: 07 January 2010 at 3:41pm
| Your first-person info is always very much appreciated, John. The incorrect info for the PR 269 promo 45 I referenced was taken from the usually-reliable, 1998 edition of Goldmine/Tim Neely's "Standard Catalog Of American Records: 1950-1975". I know that Tim is a fellow chart boarder here (he has even posted earlier inside this very thread!) So, if Tim hasn't yet updated his incorrect year & mono/stereo info previously published for PR 269, he may want to do so at this time. |
Posted By: Yah Shure
Date Posted: 07 January 2010 at 3:48pm
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Thanks, Jim. It would appear that Tim has already corrected the PR 269 configuration info: in my 2003 copy of the Goldmine Price Guide To 45 RPM Records, Tim has it listed as "stereo/stereo."
I can't vouch for the 1973 issue date; PR 269 could very well have been first issued that year, but my copy did not arrive until at least the fall of '74 or maybe even 1975. The station's date stamper's range ran from the years 1968 to 1974, but I wasn't about to tarnish that record's label with a date stamp in any event! :) |
Posted By: EdisonLite
Date Posted: 07 January 2010 at 10:35pm
I heard a completely different story - I heard that Stevie felt "Isn't She Lovely" (about the birth of his newborn child) was much too personal and didn't want it released for that reason. I've heard this story many times. Never heard the one about him not wanting it edited. Anyone else hear why this song was never a single? Looks like, either way, it was a Stevie decision, but just what was his reason? |
Posted By: anthology123
Date Posted: 11 January 2010 at 5:51pm
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Couple that come to mind:
White Bird - It's A Beautiful Day Baba O'Riley - The Who |
Posted By: Hykker
Date Posted: 11 January 2010 at 8:18pm
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"White Bird" was released as a single, albeit in a highly edited form (just over 3 min as I recall vs 6 for the album cut). David LaFlamme also recorded a solo version in the mid-ish 70s.
"Baba O'Riley" was strictly an album cut. |
Posted By: anthology123
Date Posted: 13 January 2010 at 2:02pm
Sorry if I misunderstood the OP , but doesn't white bird fit this thread? It was released as a single in 1969 and it did not chart as a hit, but became well known much later. And doesn't Baba O' Riley fall into a similar realm as Stairway to Heaven? Not released as a single, but it did received as much airplay as most songs released as singles. |
Posted By: aaronk
Date Posted: 13 January 2010 at 7:24pm
I don't think your post was being disputed. I think Hykker was just adding that extra info to the discussion. |
Posted By: anthology123
Date Posted: 25 January 2010 at 11:05am
| Oops, sorry, my bad, glad to get any new info!! |
Posted By: aaronk
Date Posted: 17 August 2012 at 5:09pm
I can confirm that the actual running time of the promo 45 is 5:13. The printed time is 5:14. ------------- Aaron Kannowski http://www.uptownsound.com" rel="nofollow - Uptown Sound http://www.919thepeak.com" rel="nofollow - 91.9 The Peak - Classic Hip Hop |
Posted By: The Hits Man
Date Posted: 19 August 2012 at 7:59pm
What station plays these songs today? [/QUOTE] I have heard the above two songs on oldies radio. ------------- |
Posted By: Jody Thornton
Date Posted: 08 March 2022 at 7:10am
I was speaking about this very thing on a newer thread, and so far, all I've received is banter on how bad editing "Stairway ..." is because it ruins the song flow (all the while I never asked about that .... lol). Anyway, if you read this, do you recall at all what edit points they used back then? It sounds like it would be interesting. ------------- Cheers, Jody Thornton (Richmond Hill, Ontario) |
Posted By: AdvprosD
Date Posted: 08 March 2022 at 10:16pm
You have now gotten my curiosity up on this subject of "Stairway." I don't think any stations here in the Saint Louis area would even consider the idea. KSHE is and seemingly always "Has" been a classic rock station. Though, the more recent tunings I have had seem to deal a lot more with 80's & 90's Metal. I don't think they cater as much to the old 60's and 70's standards that made them a pillar of rock music in the past. I do remember they used to play White Bird back in the day. Probably, not anymore and especially never an edited version. That's a good song! I haven't yet looked, but is there anything on youtube that resembles any of the radio station versions? ------------- <Dave> Someone please tell I-Heart Radio that St. Louis is not known as The Loo! |
Posted By: Jody Thornton
Date Posted: 09 March 2022 at 8:03am
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Well here's what I came up with awhile ago. I think it kept the "flow", and you'd have to imagine never hearing the song before this. Imagine if this was the first way you've heard it. Mine times out to 6:40-ish.
https://1drv.ms/u/s!Aqf69xNYUTWUhUnMTTIV3aAcdyjU?e=8UVtPM - My Attempt at a Stairway Edit Here's a link to a Brazilian 12" single that edits the song. It's rough near the end though. Heck I like mine way better https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kky6FZjNazo - Brazilian 12" Edited Disc ------------- Cheers, Jody Thornton (Richmond Hill, Ontario) |
Posted By: eriejwg
Date Posted: 09 March 2022 at 9:35am
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Many of these songs get regular play on the Sirius satellite
channels. One of my favorite sites is xmplaylist.com to see what the verious channels play on a regular basis. You can also view the most played songs on each channel. Many bars and night spots have the Touchtunes jukeboxes. There's an app for that and you can see what people are playing on the jukeboxes in your neighborhood. Many of these songs get some play on the jukeboxes too. ------------- John Gallagher Erie, PA https://www.johngallagher.com" rel="nofollow - John Gallagher Wedding & Special Event Entertainment / Snapblast Photo Booth |