Once You Understand - Think
Printed From: Top 40 Music on CD
Category: Top 40 Music On Compact Disc
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URL: https://top40musiconcd.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=746
Printed Date: 16 April 2025 at 6:16pm
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Topic: Once You Understand - Think
Posted By: mike sparrow
Subject: Once You Understand - Think
Date Posted: 06 March 2006 at 1:24pm
| This spoken-word record from 1971/72 is one of the few Top 40 Hits from the early 70's not yet available on a domestic CD, but it has just been released on an Ace (UK) import, "Dead! The Grim Reaper's Greatest Hits" (Ace #1100). |
Replies:
Posted By: edtop40
Date Posted: 06 March 2006 at 1:26pm
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thanks for the heads up.....any others you've uncovered??? ------------- edtop40 |
Posted By: Paul C
Date Posted: 08 September 2020 at 8:10am
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This monstrosity is mono on the Ace CD. The US
commercial 45 is stereo. |
Posted By: crapfromthepast
Date Posted: 08 September 2020 at 8:24am
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Monstrosity? Are you saying that this song is not the feel-good dance hit of the summer?
I honestly can't see how this got any airplay at all in the early '70s. I occasionally play it on my show, and even though I routinely play bad novelty songs, this song still grinds my radio to a halt. ------------- There's a lot of crap on the radio, but there's only one http://www.crapfromthepast.com" rel="nofollow - Crap From The Past . |
Posted By: aaronk
Date Posted: 08 September 2020 at 8:28am
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I recently dubbed the stereo version on the vinyl LP, and it's wider stereo than the 45. Also, the backing track is quite a bit lower on the LP. Lastly, the LP starts with "things get a little easier" panned completely to the left. It's centered on the stereo 45. ------------- 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: Paul Haney
Date Posted: 08 September 2020 at 9:05am
| Believe it or not, this "song" actually charted twice (1971 & 1974)! Even as a little kid, I found it pretty cringy. |
Posted By: eriejwg
Date Posted: 08 September 2020 at 10:25am
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Here in Erie, PA, the song ended up being #24 for the
entire year on the WJET Top 50 Of 1971! ------------- John Gallagher Erie, PA https://www.johngallagher.com" rel="nofollow - John Gallagher Wedding & Special Event Entertainment / Snapblast Photo Booth |
Posted By: Santi Paradoa
Date Posted: 08 September 2020 at 6:24pm
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Good guess that since the last time this song charted it gets little to no spins on commercial or internet radio that still play music from the 70s. Along with "Desiderata" and the Tom Clay medley
of "What The World Needs Now Is Love/Abraham, Martin and John" these three records are probably guaranteed channel changers. Times sure have changed. Love the word Paul C. used to describe this "classic." ------------- Santi Paradoa Miami, Florida |
Posted By: eriejwg
Date Posted: 08 September 2020 at 7:00pm
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70s on 7 recently spun the Tom Clay selection for a couple
of weeks. I think from time to time they throw in a nugget or two. I haven't heard Think or Les Crane since 1971 anywhere. And, none of them made the recently aired, listener voted Top 700 of the 70s. ------------- John Gallagher Erie, PA https://www.johngallagher.com" rel="nofollow - John Gallagher Wedding & Special Event Entertainment / Snapblast Photo Booth |
Posted By: Hykker
Date Posted: 10 September 2020 at 5:02am
I'm not sure I'd call any of these songs a "nugget", though they all were somewhat topical in their day. Songs like these generally have a very short shelf life. As for "Once You Understand", those of us of a certain age remember the so-called "generation gap" of that era which seemed unbridgeable at the time so the record did resonate with many. I have no idea why it was reissued in 1974...it sounded very out of place then. |
eriejwg wrote:Posted By: Paul Haney
Date Posted: 10 September 2020 at 7:58am
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According to a story in Cash Box, WRKO-AM in Boston started playing the record again in January 1974 and other stations
started picking up on it too. Big Tree purchased the master from Laurie and the record once again charted in early March 1974. |
Posted By: Hykker
Date Posted: 10 September 2020 at 8:32am
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Huh. Just checked my WRKO surveys, and indeed it was on
their chart for 7 weeks, peaking at #16 in mid-Feb. Don't EVER recall hearing it though...maybe it was dayparted. Seems an odd record to go out on a limb for on a station that had as tight of a playlist as WRKO did around that time. Somewhere I think I have the Big Tree reissue. |
Posted By: AdvprosD
Date Posted: 10 September 2020 at 7:16pm
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Holy Jamolie!
I remember this from back then. I just looked it up on Youtube and remembered. I couldn't place the song just by reading about it here, so naturally I had to look... Ugh! Some things are better left forgotten! ------------- <Dave> Someone please tell I-Heart Radio that St. Louis is not known as The Loo! |
Posted By: FrankG
Date Posted: 11 September 2020 at 7:15pm
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My other creepy/odd "favorite" from this time is "D.O.A"
by Bloodrock. That one creeps me the hell out. lol. I can kind of handle the mawkishness of "Once You Understand" compared to "D.O.A". For my old-timer radio friends out there, did "D.O.A" actually get much airplay when it hit the top 40? |
Posted By: Yah Shure
Date Posted: 11 September 2020 at 9:54pm
See this separate https://www.top40musiconcd.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=1214&PN=11 - "D.O.A." thread |