#1 Songs on Hot 100 that should have been

[oldies76]

#1 does not neccesarily equal "really good song". See Dominique

I think I would favor that Jane Birkin song over "Dominique".

"Je T' Aime...Moi Non Plus" should have made top 10, not #58 in 1970. Even the B-side "Jane B" is very good!

1963's "Sukiyaki" is a winner too!

 

[hornet61]

#1 does not neccesarily equal "really good song". See Dominique

I think I would favor that Jane Birkin song over "Dominique".

"Je T' Aime...Moi Non Plus" should have made top 10, not #58 in 1970. Even the B-side "Jane B" is very good!

1963's "Sukiyaki" is a winner too!

I am also of the opinion that "it's in the ear of the beholder"..I think Dominique is not that bad..The Birken song "Je T' Aime...Moi Non Plus" is a great song(charted #1 in England, sexual content songs were banned worldwide in 1969 when this debuted).....but very few stations dare play it back then. My gosh the 45 melts on the turntable as it plays, the song is so hot. Same with "Jungle Fever" by the chakas...

 

[firepoint525]

Another example of a great song being held out of #1 by something that most of us would now consider "crap": Elvis Presley had to settle for #2 with "Burning Love," one of his best (and most "rockin") records in many years, because Chuck Berry was holding down the #1 spot at that time with "My Ding-a-Ling." If the King had gotten #1 with "Burning Love," that would have extended his chart-topping streak into the '70s. Of course, Elvis had 17 #1s, while Chuck's only chart-topper was "My Ding-a-Ling." It's almost embarrassing that for all the great music he put out there ("Johnny B. Goode," "Maybelline," etc.), that his only #1 hit would be with some forgettable novelty song. :

For what it's worth, "Burning Love" was still Elvis' biggest hit of the '70s. Elvis, Chuck Berry, and Rick Nelson (also in the top 10 about that time) were all in the midst of "mini-comebacks" in the fall of 1972.

 

[hornet61]

An all bridesmaid countdown show...works nicley, say the top 15 #2 songs of all time 55-75

kingsmen - Louie Louie #2 for 6 wks.
woman - john lennon #2 for 3 wks.

I have to go on a one day trip , post some more, please, till we get to 15 ...I'll verify from the whitburn book when i get back.

 

[firepoint525]

Agony is John Lennon stalling at #2 with Woman ....he would have been the only artist with twp posthumous #1's.

Yeah, Woman is a great song that should have been #1. I guess Reo and Blondie had other plans.
Also Rolling Stones "Start Me Up" or Styx "Best of Times" should have peaked at 1.
The problem with 1981, three songs occupied #1 for 27 weeks total, about half the year, essentially blocking other songs. Physical (81-82), Bette Davis Eyes & Endless Love.

In '82 you had: I Love Rock & Roll, Ebony & Ivory, Eye of the Tiger & Centerfold, taking up 26 more weeks, half the year, blocking even more chart movement.

You bring up an interesting point. "Eye of the Tiger" prevented John Cougar (Mellencamp) from reaching #1 with "Hurts So Good," although he hit #1 later in the year with "Jack & Diane." Interestingly, though, "Hurts So Good" was the (slightly) bigger hit of the two.

In 1980, Christopher Cross had a #2 hit with "Ride Like the Wind," followed by a #1 with "Sailing." I believe the latter was the one that won all the awards (Grammys, etc.) for him, but I believe "Ride Like the Wind" was actually the bigger hit for him.

 

[firepoint525]

"Louie Louie" by The Kingsmen likely would have hit #1 if it hadn't been banned by some stations for (allegedly) obscene lyrics (It really was, "I smell magnolias in her hair", and not that other line.)

In the case of "I Want Your Sex" by George Michael (which also peaked at #2), I believe the opposite was true. In other words, it wouldn't have gone as high on the charts as it did, if not for the controversy surrounding it. (Of course, I could be wrong, because the next four George Michael singles ALL hit #1! If "I Want Your Sex" had also hit #1, George Michael would be in a tie with that other Michael (Jackson) for the most #1 hits from a single album.)

 

[RMarino]

And we all know what Olivia did to Foreigner in late 1981...Talk about agony!! Well at least Foreigner got some revenge in '85.

If only Olivia would have taken a vacation in '81, "Waiting for a Girl Like You" would have been #1 for 8 or 9 weeks! (I know it was at #2 for 10 weeks, but I believe a Hall & Oates song was #1 for the other one or two.)

 

[oldies76]

but I believe a Hall & Oates song was #1 for the other one or two.)

"I Can't Go For That"

Yeah, the "Physical" thing was just too long at #1. Maybe give 3 weeks to Olivia and 7 weeks for Foreigner. The Richard Simmons thing, John McEnroe..etc..was too much of an influence then, I guess.

 

[firepoint525]

And we all know what Olivia did to Foreigner in late 1981...Talk about agony!! Well at least Foreigner got some revenge in '85.

If only Olivia would have taken a vacation in '81, "Waiting for a Girl Like You" would have been #1 for 8 or 9 weeks! (I know it was at #2 for 10 weeks, but I believe a Hall & Oates song was #1 for the other one or two.)

Actually, Hall & Oates was #1 on both sides of "Physical." "Private Eyes" was #1 for a week or two prior to "Physical," and then "I Can't Go for That" finally overthrew "Physical" from #1 after two (nearly three!) months at #1.

Hall & Oates themselves got robbed of a #1 hit a couple of years later, when they were forced to hold at #2 with "Say It Isn't So" while "Say Say Say" was stuck at #1.

 

[firepoint525]

but I believe a Hall & Oates song was #1 for the other one or two.)

"I Can't Go For That"
Yeah, the "Physical" thing was just too long at #1. Maybe give 3 weeks to Olivia and 7 weeks for Foreigner. The Richard Simmons thing, John McEnroe..etc..was too much of an influence then, I guess.

I'm not sure if this has anything to do with anything, but it seems to me that there is often less turnover on the charts during the holiday season. And Billboard used to "freeze" the charts for the week between Christmas and New Year's, giving whoever was at #1 that week an automatic "bonus" week at #1. And playing that dreaded Christmas "muzak" often takes away airplay from whatever is current at the time.

Granted, the "Physical" thing was an extreme version of this, holding at #1 all through Thanksgiving, Christmas, and well into the new year. Wasn't that a cold winter? I'm thinking that weather may have had an effect on singles sales that winter. This holiday "holdover" also affected "Say Say Say" (as I mentioned earlier) in '83-'84, and "Like a Virgin" in '84-'85. Both of those were on top for six weeks each.

 

[Captainfirst]

Taking this back to the 1960s for a minute...I can still not believe that "Reflections" by Diana Ross & The Supremes stalled at #2 on Billboard. If I recall correctly, three other singles jumped over it to reach the top spot before it finally began to drop back down the chart. Interesting thread!

 

[cyberdad]

I'll dial it back to the '50s and express my continuing astonishment that Fats Domino never hit the top spot.

"Blueberry Hill","Ain't That a Shame" "Blue Monday", "I'm Walkin'", and "Whole Lotta Lovin" among those that come to mind as being more than worthy.

 

[firepoint525]

Taking this back to the 1960s for a minute...I can still not believe that "Reflections" by Diana Ross & The Supremes stalled at #2 on Billboard. If I recall correctly, three other singles jumped over it to reach the top spot before it finally began to drop back down the chart. Interesting thread!

It was held out of #1 by "Ode to Billy Joe" by Bobbie Gentry. I don't know of "three other singles jumping over it" to reach the top spot, but it marked the only time that a Supremes single made it into the top three without going on to #1.

In the '70s, Paul McCartney and Wings' "Live and Let Die" was indeed held at #2 for three consecutive weeks by three different singles at #1!

 

[hornet61]

Taking this back to the 1960s for a minute...I can still not believe that "Reflections" by Diana Ross & The Supremes stalled at #2 on Billboard. If I recall correctly, three other singles jumped over it to reach the top spot before it finally began to drop back down the chart. Interesting thread!

It was held out of #1 by "Ode to Billy Joe" by Bobbie Gentry. I don't know of "three other singles jumping over it" to reach the top spot, but it marked the only time that a Supremes single made it into the top three without going on to #1.

In the '70s, Paul McCartney and Wings' "Live and Let Die" was indeed held at #2 for three consecutive weeks by three different singles at #1!

Ode To Billie Joe and the the Letter both kept "Reflections" out of Number One and then it began it's decent down the charts..The Letter leaped over both Ode (fell to#2) and Reflections (fell to #3 )on its way to #1 w/e 9/23/1967.

 

[semoochie]

For what it's worth and as I understand it, "Louie, Louie" was recorded in Portland OR by both the Kingsmen and Paul Revere & the Raiders, in the same studio, within a week of each other. The Raiders' version was the bigger hit locally but the controversy sent the Kingsmen into the bigtime! Incidentally, there's nothing wrong with "Dominique". It a perfectly reasonable adult song, that was a big hit in 1963. I remember it very well. You have to consider the time and that virtually no one over 18 or so was interested in rock n roll. For comparison, try going back about a hundred years. Some of those #1 hits were so racist, you can't even say the titles in public now!

 

[firepoint525]

Taking this back to the 1960s for a minute...I can still not believe that "Reflections" by Diana Ross & The Supremes stalled at #2 on Billboard. If I recall correctly, three other singles jumped over it to reach the top spot before it finally began to drop back down the chart. Interesting thread!

It was held out of #1 by "Ode to Billy Joe" by Bobbie Gentry. I don't know of "three other singles jumping over it" to reach the top spot, but it marked the only time that a Supremes single made it into the top three without going on to #1.

Ode To Billie Joe and the the Letter both kept "Reflections" out of Number One and then it began it's decent down the charts..The Letter leaped over both Ode (fell to#2) and Reflections (fell to #3 )on its way to #1 w/e 9/23/1967.

My Billboard Book of Number One Hits shows "Reflections" at #4 for that week, with "Come Back When You Grow Up" by Bobby Vee at #3. At any rate, once a record loses its bullet, and starts moving back down the chart, you can no longer say that only one other record is holding it out of #1. You can only say that it "peaked at #2." But the Supremes had 12 #1 hits (more than anyone other than Elvis and the Beatles up to that time) and they had already had 10 of them by 1967, so I wouldn't say that it was "Nothing But Heartaches" for the Supremes. (Interesting to note that they had at least one British #1 in the '70s, after "Ms. Ross" had left the group! 8))

 

[hornet61]

Taking this back to the 1960s for a minute...I can still not believe that "Reflections" by Diana Ross & The Supremes stalled at #2 on Billboard. If I recall correctly, three other singles jumped over it to reach the top spot before it finally began to drop back down the chart. Interesting thread!

It was held out of #1 by "Ode to Billy Joe" by Bobbie Gentry. I don't know of "three other singles jumping over it" to reach the top spot, but it marked the only time that a Supremes single made it into the top three without going on to #1.

Ode To Billie Joe and the the Letter both kept "Reflections" out of Number One and then it began it's decent down the charts..The Letter leaped over both Ode (fell to#2) and Reflections (fell to #3 )on its way to #1 w/e 9/23/1967.

My Billboard Book of Number One Hits shows "Reflections" at #4 for that week, with "Come Back When You Grow Up" by Bobby Vee at #3. At any rate, once a record loses its bullet, and starts moving back down the chart, you can no longer say that only one other record is holding it out of #1. You can only say that it "peaked at #2." But the Supremes had 12 #1 hits (more than anyone other than Elvis and the Beatles up to that time) and they had already had 10 of them by 1967, so I wouldn't say that it was "Nothing But Heartaches" for the Supremes. (Interesting to note that they had at least one British #1 in the '70s, after "Ms. Ross" had left the group! 8))

I used the whitburn 60's book of week by week complete charts 520 pages, It reached #2 with a bullet, ode at #1, , next week still at # 2 no bullet still behind ode, next week The letter at #1 , Ode at #2 and Reflections at #3 started down the charts ...the original response was that two songs kept reflection out of number 1, because of the fact that ode moved to number 2 bumping reflection to three, allow the letter to go to number one is just verifying that two songs kept the letter out of #1..there have songs slip and till go back up.

 

[firepoint525]

I used the whitburn 60's book of week by week complete charts 520 pages, It reached #2 with a bullet, ode at #1, , next week still at # 2 no bullet still behind ode, next week The letter at #1 , Ode at #2 and Reflections at #3 started down the charts ...the original response was that two songs kept reflection out of number 1, because of the fact that ode moved to number 2 bumping reflection to three, allow the letter to go to number one is just verifying that two songs kept the letter out of #1..there have songs slip and till go back up.

There's a difference between "jumping over" another song to reach #1, and merely "holding something out" of #1. Sometimes a record can do both simultaneously, but "The Letter" did not. If "Reflections" lost its bullet while at #2 behind "Ode," it was not likely ever going to make #1 regardless of whatever else happened. It had already reached its sales and airplay peak. You can say that if a song was #3, then two other records held it out of #1. But you could also say that if a given song was #47, then 46 other records kept it out of #1. But "The Letter" never singlehandedly held "Reflections" out of #1, because "Reflections" had peaked before "The Letter" did.

A situation like you described actually happened in 1988, when "Shattered Dreams" by Johnny Hates Jazz was #2 for a week, then dropped to #3 for a week, then returned to #2 for two more weeks.

 

[hornet61]

I used the whitburn 60's book of week by week complete charts 520 pages, It reached #2 with a bullet, ode at #1, , next week still at # 2 no bullet still behind ode, next week The letter at #1 , Ode at #2 and Reflections at #3 started down the charts ...the original response was that two songs kept reflection out of number 1, because of the fact that ode moved to number 2 bumping reflection to three, allow the letter to go to number one is just verifying that two songs kept the letter out of #1..there have songs slip and till go back up.

There's a difference between "jumping over" another song to reach #1, and merely "holding something out" of #1. Sometimes a record can do both simultaneously, but "The Letter" did not. If "Reflections" lost its bullet while at #2 behind "Ode," it was not likely ever going to make #1 regardless of whatever else happened. It had already reached its sales and airplay peak. You can say that if a song was #3, then two other records held it out of #1. But you could also say that if a given song was #47, then 46 other records kept it out of #1. But "The Letter" never singlehandedly held "Reflections" out of #1, because "Reflections" had peaked before "The Letter" did.

A situation like you described actually happened in 1988, when "Shattered Dreams" by Johnny Hates Jazz was #2 for a week, then dropped to #3 for a week, then returned to #2 for two more weeks.

Tio

 

[Markieo]

"Wooly Bully" by Sam the Sham and the Pharoahs stalled at #2 for 2 weeks, but was on the charts for an incredible 18 weeks, Billboard declared it the #1 song of 1965!