Hey (Ya), have you been wondering about the top songs of the Oughts (2000′s)? Well, neither have I (kidding). It was a crazy decade (according to songs 3 and 4). Here they are, according to digitaldreamdoor.com:
I started thinking about Christmas and my thoughts turned to great Christmas songs that nobody else seems to like, yet are among my favorites. How can one go wrong with Dr. Demento, Stan Freberg, Weird Al, Spike Jones…?
With that in mind, here’s a Five for Friday – Five Festive Funnies (and it’s only Tuesday):
All I Want For Christmas Is My Two Front Teeth - Spike Jones & His City Slickers
The Singing Dogs’ Jingle Bells - Dr. Demento
I Want a Hippopotamus For Christmas - Gayla Peevey
The VH1 Bloghas listed the “100 Greatest One Hit Wonders of the 80s.” After reading the list, I’m thinking it’s a stretch to call them all hits. Some are great, though. See what you think:
Here’s #1 – Come on Eileen by Dexy’s Midnight Runners
Here’s the entire list (in VH1′s rank order):
1 Dexy’s Midnight Runners: “Come on Eileen”
2 Flock of Seagulls: “I Ran (So Far Away)”
3 A-Ha: “Take On Me”
4 Tommy Tutone: “867-5309 / Jenny”
5 Soft Cell: “Tainted Love”
6 Toni Basil: “Mickey”
7 Modern English: “I Melt With You”
8 Bow Wow Wow: “I Want Candy”
9 Kajagoogoo: “Too Shy”
10 Frankie Goes to Hollywood: “Relax”
11 Gary Numan: “Cars”
12 Animotion: “Obsesssion”
13 Thomas Dolby: “She Blinded Me With Science”
14 Big Country: “In A Big Country”
15 Devo: “Whip It”
16 Nena: “99 Luft Balloons”
17 Men Without Hats: “The Safety Dance”
18 Rob Base & DJ E-Z Rock: “It Takes Two”
19 Dead or Alive: “You Spin Me Round (Like a Record)”
20 Rockwell: “Somebody’s Watching Me”
21 Twisted Sister: “We’re Not Gonna Take It”
22 Michael Sembello: “Maniac”
23 Eddy Grant: “Electric Avenue”
24 Edie Brickell & New Bohemians: “What I Am”
25 Musical Youth: “Pass the Dutchie”
26 Cutting Crew: “I Just Died In Your Arms”
27 Stacey Q: “Two of Hearts”
28 John Parr: “St. Elmos Fire (Man In Motion)”
29 Madness: “Our House”
30 The Vapors: “Turning Japanese”
31 Bobby McFerrin: “Don’t Worry Be Happy”
32 Quarterflash: “Harden My Heart”
33 John Waite: “Missing You”
34 The Waitresses: “I Know What Boys Like”
35 Tom Tom Club: “Genius of Love”
36 Weather Girls: “It’s Raining Men”
37 Lipps, Inc.: “Funkytown”
38 Bruce Willis: “Respect Yourself”
39 Matthew Wilder: “Break My Stride”
40 The Buggles: “Video Killed the Radio Star”
41 Billy Vera “At This Moment”
42 Timbuk 3 “The Future’s So Bright, I Gotta Wear Shades”
43 Shannon “Let the Music Play”
44 Wall of Voodoo “Mexican Radio”
45 Robbie Nevil “C’est La Vie”
46 Georgia Satellites “Keep Your Hands To Yourself”
47 Pretty Poison “Catch Me I’m Falling”
48 Yello “Oh Yeah”
49 Philip Bailey (w/ Phil Collins) “Easy Lover”
50 Neneh Cherry “Buffalo Stance”
51 After the Fire “Der Kommissar”
52 Mary Jane Girls “In My House”
53 Taco “Puttin’ On the Ritz”
54 Chris DeBurgh “Lady in Red”
55 Johnny Kemp “Just Got Paid”
56 Til Tuesday “Voices Carry”
57 Jermaine Stewart “We Don’t Have to Take Our Clothes Off”
58 Don Johnson “Heartbeat”
59 The Outfield “Your Love”
60 Nu Shooz “I Can’t Wait”
61 E.U.: “Da Butt”
62 XTC: “Dear God”
63 Oran “Juice” Jones: “The Rain”
64 Robbie Dupree: “Steal Away”
65 Boomtown Rats: “I Don’t Like Mondays”
66 The Jeff Healy Band: “Angel Eyes”
67 Martika: “Toy Soldiers”
68 Peter Schilling: “Major Tom”
69 T’Pau: “Heart And Soul”
70 Harold Faltermeyer: “Axel F”
71 Jack Wagner: “All I Need”
72 Swing Out Sister: “Breakout”
73 Paul Hardcastle: “19″
74 Information Society: “What’s On Your Mind (Pure Energy)”
75 Bertie Higgins: “Key Largo”
76 J.J. Fad: “Supersonic”
77 General Public: “Tenderness”
78 Aldo Nova: “Fantasy”
79 Alannah Myles: “Black Velvet”
80 Eddie Murphy: “Party All The Time”
81 Josie Cotton: “Johnny Are You Queer?”
82 Red Rider: “Lunatic Fringe”
83 Paul Lekakis: “Boom Boom Boom Let’s Go Back to My Room”
84 The Church: “Under The Milky Way”
85 Ziggy Marley And The Melody Makers: “Tomorrow People”
86 Patrice Rushen: “Forget Me Nots”
87 Vixen: “Edge Of A Broken Heart”
88 Nik Kershaw: “Wouldn’t it Be Good”
89 Rodney Dangerfield: “Rappin’ Rodney”
90 Haircut 100: “Love Plus One”
91 Gloria Loring & Carl Anderson: “Friends And Lovers”
92 Frank Stallone: “Far From Over”
93 L.A. Guns: “The Ballad of Jayne”
94 Club Nouveau: “Lean On Me”
95 Midnight Oil: “Beds are Burning”
96 The Fabulous Thunderbirds: “Tuff Enuff”
97 Will To Power: “Baby I Love Your Way / Freebird”
98 Buckner & Garcia: “Pac-Man Fever”
99 Michael Damian: “Rock On”
100 Clarence Clemons (and Jackson Browne): “You’re A Friend Of Mine”
Do you remember the 50′s? Do I remember? No – Yet, the 50′s were the best time of my life. I didn’t work, I didn’t go to school, I didn’t have to do anything… except eat, drink, fill my diaper, and cry (I was born in June of ’59 – I know… I’m ancient).
At any rate, here are the top selling songs of my birth decade (pay special attention to 1959) as determined by the RIAA and NEA. This list reads like the soundtrack to American Graffitti or Happy Days (thinking particulary about Rock Around the Clock, Blueberry Hill, At the Hop, and Yakety Yak).
The top selling song of the decade? Rock Around the Clockby Bill Haley and his Comets (bonus trivia- Bill Haley started out as a yodeling cowboy singer and was not the first to record Rock Around the Clock):
The Top Selling Songs of the 1950′s:
Nat King Cole – Mona Lisa- 1950
Patti Page – The Tennessee Waltz - 1950
Roy Rogers/Dale Evans – Happy Trails- 1951
Les Paul & Mary Ford – How High the Moon- 1951
The Weavers – On Top of Old Smoky- 1951
cast recording – The King and I – 1951
Hank Williams – Your Cheatin’ Heart- 1953
The Chordettes – Mr. Sandman - 1954
Erroll Garner Trio – Misty - 1954
The Modern Jazz Quartet – Django - 1954
The Penguins – Earth Angel- 1954
Joe Turner – Shake Rattle and Roll - 1954
Bo Diddley – Bo Diddley- 1955
Tennessee Ernie Ford – Sixteen Tons - 1955
*Bill Haley & the Comets – Rock Around the Clock- 1955
Al Hibbler – Unchained Melody- 1955
George Beverly Shea – How Great Thou Art - 1955
Mary Lou Williams – Zodiac Suite- 1955
Johnny Cash – I Walk the Line- 1956
Doris Day – Que Sera Sera- 1956
Fats Domino – Blueberry Hill- 1956
The Five Satins – In the Still of the Night - 1956
Little Richard – Tutti Frutti- 1956
Frankie Lymon & Teenagers – Why Do Fools Fall in Love - 1956
Carl Perkins – Blue Suede Shoes- 1956
Elvis Presley – Heartbreak Hotel- 1956
Elvis Presley – Hound Dog/Don’t Be Cruel- 1956
Muddy Waters – Got My Mojo Workin’- 1956
cast recording – My Fair Lady – 1956
Harry Belafonte – Banana Boat (Day-O) – 1957
Sam Cooke – You Send Me- 1957
Danny & The Juniors – At the Hop- 1957
The Everly Brothers – Wake Up Little Susie- 1957
Buddy Holly – Peggy Sue - 1957
Jerry Lee Lewis – Great Balls of Fire- 1957
Johnny Mathis – Chances Are - 1957
cast recording – West Side Story - 1957
Chuck Berry – Johnny B. Goode - 1958
The Champs – Tequila- 1958
The Coasters – Yakety Yak - 1958
Eddie Cochran – Summertime Blues - 1958
Connie Francis – Who’s Sorry Now - 1958
The Kingston Trio – Tom Dooley- 1958
The Platters – Smoke Gets in Your Eyes - 1958
Louis Prima & Keely Smith – That Old Black Magic - 1958
Ritchie Valens – Donna/La Bamba - 1958
cast recording – The Music Man- 1958
Ray Charles – What’d I Say - 1959
Dave Brubeck – Take Five - 1959
Bobby Darin – Mack the Knife- 1959
Miles Davis – Kind of Blue- 1959
The Flamingos – I Only Have Eyes for You- 1959
Wilbert Harrison – Kansas City - 1959
Johnny Horton – The Battle of New Orleans- 1959
The Isley Brothers – Shout - 1959
Marty Robbins – El Paso - 1959
As a bonus Kansas Cityby Wilbert Harrison (a musical influence on the Beatles):
Lately, all we are hearing about is change. The 1960′s was a great era for change.
The Beatles changed the way we listened to music, Little Eva changed the way we danced, Stan Getz and Astrud Gilberto changed the way we enjoyed elevators, Tony Bennett changed the way we enjoyed San Francisco, Joan Baez changed the way we protested, Roy Orbison changed the way we wore sunglasses…
Singers of standards gave way to the British Invasion, dance music gave way to listening, innocence gave way to protest…
The top selling song of the 1960′s? Respectby Aretha Franklin:
The top selling songs of the 1960′s (and what a great list it is), according to the RIAA and NEA:
Ray Charles – Georgia on My Mind- 1960 Mark Dinning – Teen Angel- 1960 Chubby Checker – The Twist- 1960 Brenda Lee – I’m Sorry- 1960 cast recording – The Sound of Music- 1960 Patsy Cline – I Fall to Pieces- 1961 Dion – Runaround Sue- 1961 Ben E. King – Stand By Me- 1961 Henry Mancini – Moon River- 1961 Roy Orbison – Crying- 1961 The Shirelles – Will You Love Me Tomorrow- 1961 The Tokens – The Lion Sleeps Tonight- 1961 Tony Bennett – I Left My Heart in San Francisco- 1962 Ketty Lester – Love Letters- 1962 Little Eva – The Loco-Motion- 1962 Joan Baez – We Shall Overcome- 1963 Johnny Cash – Ring of Fire- 1963 The Drifters – On Broadway- 1963 Lesley Gore – It’s My Party- 1963 The Kingsmen – Louie Louie- 1963 Peter, Paul & Mary – Blowin’ in the Wind- 1963 The Ronettes – Be My Baby- 1963 The Tymes – So in Love- 1963 The Animals – House of the Rising Sun- 1964 The Beatles – I Want to Hold Your Hand- 1964 John Coltrane – A Love Supreme- 1964 Bob Dylan – The Times They Are A-Changin’- 1964 Stan Getz/Astrud Gilberto – The Girl From Ipanema- 1964 The Kinks – You Really Got Me- 1964 Martha & The Vandellas – Dancing in the Street- 1964 Dean Martin – Everybody Loves Somebody- 1964 Roy Orbison – Oh Pretty Woman- 1964 The Shangri-Las – Leader of the Pack- 1964 Dionne Warwick – Walk on By- 1964 Mary Wells – My Guy- 1964 The Beatles – Yesterday/Act Naturally- 1965 James Brown – I Got You (I Feel Good) – 1965 The Byrds – Turn Turn Turn- 1965 Petula Clark – Downtown- 1965 Jackie DeShannon – What the World Needs Now Is Love- 1965 Bob Dylan – Like a Rolling Stone- 1965 Ramsey Lewis Trio – The In Crowd- 1965 The Impressions – People Get Ready- 1965 Roger Miller – King of the Road- 1965 The Miracles – The Tracks of My Tears- 1965 Wilson Pickett – In the Midnight Hour- 1965 The Righteous Brothers – You’ve Lost That Lovin’ Feelin’- 1965 The Rolling Stones – Satisfaction- 1965 Simon & Garfunkel – Sounds of Silence- 1965 Sonny & Cher – I Got You Babe- 1965 The Supremes – Stop in the Name of Love- 1965 The Temptations – My Girl- 1965 Frank Sinatra – Strangers in the Night- 1966 The Four Tops – Reach Out I’ll Be There- 1966 Mamas & Papas – California Dreamin’- 1966 Percy Sledge - When a Man Loves a Woman- 1966 Louis Armstrong – What a Wonderful World- 1967 The Beach Boys – Good Vibrations- 1967 The Beatles – Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band- 1967 Buffalo Springfield – For What It’s Worth- 1967 Glen Campbell – By the Time I Get to Phoenix - 1967 The Doors – Light My Fire- 1967
*Aretha Franklin – Respect- 1967 Marvin Gaye/Tammi Terrell – Ain’t No Mountain High Enough- 1967 Bobbie Gentry – Ode to Billy Joe- 1967 Merle Haggard – Sing Me Back Home- 1967 Jefferson Airplane – White Rabbit- 1967 Sam & Dave – Soul Man- 1967 Van Morrison – Brown Eyed Girl- 1967 Dion – Abraham, Martin and John- 1968 Marvin Gaye – I Heard It Through the Grapevine- 1968 Jimi Hendrix – All Along the Watchtower- 1968 Otis Redding – Dock of the Bay- 1968 Sly & The Family Stone – Everyday People- 1968 Steppenwolf – Born to be Wild- 1968 Tammy Wynette – Stand By Your Man- 1968 Creedence Clearwater Revival – Proud Mary- 1969 Edwin Hawkins Singers – O Happy Day- 1969 B.B. King – The Thrill Is Gone- 1969 Frank Sinatra – My Way- 1969 B.J. Thomas – Raindrops Keep Falling on My Head- 1969 cast recording – Hair- 1969 Miles Davis – Bitches Brew- 1969 The Jackson 5 – I Want You Back- 1969 Nilsson – Everybody’s Talkin’- 1969
A great song to end the era? My Wayby Frank Sinatra (And now, the end is near…):
The 70′s… the music started out mellow, but rocked us through the decade; it was almost killed by disco, then ended with a hip/hop song (Rapper’s Delightby Sugar Hill Gang, the first hip/hop single to make the top 40) that introduced us to rap.
The top selling song of the 70′s? American Pieby Don McLean. As a side note, Roberta Flack’sKilling Me Softly with His Song(also on this list), was written about Don McLean.
Here are the top selling songs of the 1970′s (according to the RIAA and NEA):
The Carpenters -Close to You- 1970 Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young -Ohio- 1970 The Grateful Dead -Uncle John’s Band- 1970 Loretta Lynn -Coal Miner’s Daughter- 1970 Joni Mitchell -Big Yellow Taxi- 1970 James Taylor -Fire and Rain- 1970 Edwin Starr -War- 1970 Three Dog Night – Joy to the World- 1971 Janis Joplin – Me and Bobby McGee- 1971 John Denver – Take Me Home Country Roads- 1971 John Lennon – Imagine- 1971 Led Zeppelin – Stairway to Heaven- 1971 Carole King – It’s Too Late/I Feel the Earth Move - 1971 Marvin Gaye – What’s Going On- 1971 Isaac Hayes – Theme From Shaft- 1971
*Don McLean – American Pie - 1971 Santana – Oye Como Va- 1971 The Staple Singers – Respect Yourself - 1971 Rod Stewart – Maggie May- 1971 Harold Melvin/Blue Notes – If You Don’t Know Me By Now- 1972 Johnny Nash – I Can See Clearly Now- 1972 Chicago – Saturday in the Park- 1972 Derek & The Dominos – Layla- 1972 Al Green – Let’s Stay Together- 1972 Helen Reddy – I Am Woman- 1972 Bill Withers – Lean On Me- 1972 Stevie Wonder – Superstition- 1972 Stevie Wonder – You Are the Sunshine of My Life- 1973 Neil Young – Heart of Gold- 1972 Jim Croce – Time in a Bottle- 1973 Allman Brothers Band – Ramblin’ Man- 1973 Thomas Dorsey/Marion Williams – Take My Hand Precious Lord- 1973 Roberta Flack – Killing Me Softly With His Song- 1973 Elton John – Goodbye Yellow Brick Road- 1973 Gladys Knight & The Pips – Midnight Train to Georgia- 1973 Charlie Rich – Behind Closed Doors- 1973 Carly Simon – You’re So Vain- 1973 Barbra Streisand – The Way We Were- 1973 Harry Chapin – The Cat’s in the Cradle- 1974 Billy Joel – Piano Man- 1974 Lynyrd Skynyrd – Free Bird- 1974 Shirley Caesar – No Charge- 1975 K.C. & The Sunshine Band – That’s the Way( I Like It) - 1975 Linda Ronstadt – When Will I Be Loved- 1975 Bruce Springsteen – Born to Run- 1975 Aerosmith – Walk This Way- 1976 George Benson – This Masquerade- 1976 Weather Report – Birdland- 1976 Abba – Dancing Queen- 1977 The Bee Gees – Stayin’ Alive- 1978 Jimmy Buffett – Margaritaville- 1977 The Eagles – Hotel California- 1977 Fleetwood Mac – Go Your Own Way- 1977 Queen – We Are the Champions/We Will Rock You- 1977 Waylon Jennings/Willie Nelson – Mama’s Don’t Let Your Babies…- 1978 Kenny Rogers – The Gambler- 1978 The Village People – Y.M.C.A. - 1978 Charlie Daniels Band – The Devil Went Down to Georgia- 1979 Gloria Gayner – I Will Survive- 1979 Sister Sledge – We Are Family- 1979 soundtrack recording – Grease- 1979 Blondie – Heart of Glass- 1979 Bob Seger – Old Time Rock & Roll- 1979 Sugar Hill Gang – Rapper’s Delight- 1979
Here’s that groundbreaking first hip/hop single – Rapper’s Delightby Sugar Hill Gang:
Ah… The 80′s. Who owned the top selling song? Michael Jackson? …(no) George Michael? …(nope) Prince? …(nah) Springsteen? …(nup) Must be Madonna? …(nooo). How about Tina Turner? …(yes!). What’s love got to do with it? Apparently… everything!
Alabama – My Home’s in Alabama - 1980 George Jones – He Stopped Loving Her Today - 1980 Kool & The Gang – Celebration - 1980 Willie Nelson – On the Road Again - 1980 Dolly Parton – 9 to 5 - 1980 Pink Floyd – Another Brick in the Wall - 1980 Kim Carnes – Bette Davis Eyes - 1981 Joe Cocker/Jennifer Warnes – Up Where We Belong - 1982 The Go-Go’s – We Got the Beat - 1982 Grandmaster Flash – The Message - 1982 Amy Grant – El Shaddai - 1982 Joan Jett – I Love Rock ‘n’ Roll - 1982 John Cougar Mellencamp – Jack and Diane - 1982 Prince – 1999 - 1982 Donna Summer – She Works Hard for the Money - 1983 Irene Cara – Flashdance - 1983 Herbie Hancock – Rockit - 1983 Michael Jackson – Beat It - 1983 Cyndi Lauper – Girls Just Want to Have Fun - 1983 Talking Heads - Burning Down the House - 1983 The Judds – Mama He’s Crazy - 1984 The Pointer Sisters – I’m So Excited - 1984 The Police – Every Breath You Take - 1983 Prince – Purple Rain - 1984 Bruce Springsteen – Born in the U.S.A. - 1984
*Tina Turner - What’s Love Got to Do With It - 1984 Van Halen – Jump - 1984 Hank Williams Jr. – All My Rowdy Friends Are Coming Over Tonight - 1984 USA for Africa – We Are the World - 1985 Madonna – Material Girl - 1985 Paul Simon – Graceland - 1986 Steve Winwood – Higher Love - 1986 Dionne Warwick & Friends – That’s What Friends Are For - 1986 U2 – I Still Haven’t Found What I’m Looking For - 1987 The Beastie Boys – Fight for Your Right (to Party) - 1987 George Michael – Faith - 1987 Guns N’ Roses – Sweet Child o’ Mine - 1988 Bobby McFerrin – Don’t Worry Be Happy - 1988 Tracy Chapman – Fast Car - 1988 The B-52′s – Love Shack - 1989 Bette Midler – The Wind Beneath My Wings - 1989 Tom Petty – Free Fallin’ - 1989 Public Enemy – Fight the Power - 1989
Garth Brooks – Friends in Low Places - 1990 M.C. Hammer – U Can’t Touch This - 1990 R.E.M. – Losing My Religion - 1991 Bonnie Raitt – Something to Talk About - 1991 BeBe& CeCe Winans – Addictive Love – 1991 Billy Ray Cyrus – Achy Breaky Heart - 1992 Whitney Houston – I Will Always Love You - 1992
*Nirvana – Smells Like Teen Spirit - 1992 (top song of the decade) Sheryl Crow – All I Wanna Do - 1994 Boyz II Men/Mariah Carey – One Sweet Day - 1996 Eric Clapton – Change the World - 1996 Elton John – Candle in the Wind - 1997 R. Kelly – I Believe I Can Fly - 1997 Will Smith – Men in Black - 1997 Celine Dion – My Heart Will Go On - 1998 Dixie Chicks – Wide Open Spaces - 1998 Lauryn Hill – Doo Wop (That Thing) - 1998 Shania Twain – You’re Still the One - 1998 Destiny’s Child – Bills, Bills, Bills - 1999 Faith Hill – This Kiss - 1999 Tim McGraw – Please Remember Me - 1999 Ricky Martin – Livin’ La Vida Loca - 1999 Santana/Rob Thomas - Smooth - 1999 TLC – No Scrubs - 1999
I happened across the top 40 Karaoke songs on the top 40 Karaoke music chart by EZ Tracks. It’s not surprising (yet, still mildly disturbing) that Michael Jackson holds two of the top ten spots.
I am speechless about a Kenny G song making this karaoke list because, having only heard a Kenny G song on the radio when I was not quick enough to change the station, I don’t remember his songs having lyrics.
I’ve linked each song to a YouTube video that had lyrics (if available). If you’ve ever seen Wayne’s World (or maybe even if you haven’t), you will find yourself turned into a head banger at about the 4:08 point in Bohemian Rhapsody…
"Life is what happens to you when you're busy making other plans." - John Lennon
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"Experience is something you get... right after you need it." - Steven Wright
