Obit: Alex Chilton, 59; Former Box Tops Frontman

[DToTheJ]

With the Box Tops, Chilton enjoyed modest hit songs such as "The Letter," as well as "Cry Like A Baby" and "Soul Deep."

Chilton died of an apparent heart attack in Louisiana.

Full story:
http://www.cnn.com/2010/SHOWBIZ/Music/03/18/obit.alex.chilton/

 

[ixnay]

Don't "cry like a baby" for Alex, folks. He was simply given a ticket for an airplane to R&R heaven. RIP.

ixnay

 

[hornet61]

I really liked "Neon Rainbow" .......I collect versions of "Whiter Shade of Pale" they had a decent version. Box Tops.... nice blue-eyed Soul. Wow 59 , then he was only 16 when they recorded "the Letter.

 

[firepoint525]

"The Letter" wasn't a "modest" hit. It spent a month at #1! By the way, if he was only 59, then that would have made him just 16 when "The Letter" became a hit. I knew that he started young, but I didn't know that it was that young!

 

[DToTheJ]

Indeed, "The Letter" was a Number 1 song; I had grouped all the titles in one sentence. I should have worded that statement better, my apologies.

 

[hornet61]

"The Letter" wasn't a "modest" hit. It spent a month at #1! By the way, if he was only 59, then that would have made him just 16 when "The Letter" became a hit. I knew that he started young, but I didn't know that it was that young!

Talk about being on the same wavelength we posted at the same exact time.

 

[Al Timiter]

Alex Chilton, thank you also for "Soul Deep" "Sweet Cream Ladies" and "I Met Her in Church" as well! And later you formed the group Big Star-a highly under-rated group in it's day. RIP and here's hoping wherever you are, here's hoping for "Neon Rainbows" for you.

 

[billdavis]

Alex was indeed 16 when "The Letter" came out. As also stated, he deserves HUGE props for Big Star, maybe the very first power pop group. I still listen to "#1 Record", "Third/Sister Lovers" and "Radio City"...absolute classics that were virtually ignored by mainstream radio in the day. Stax and Columbia had no idea how to market Big Star....what a shame.

 

[firepoint525]

Big Star (the Memphis grocery store chain that inspired the name for Alex's second group) apparently never sued Chilton (or even threatened to) over the name.

Which is interesting because Target (the store chain) threatened legal action against a radio station in Memphis that was at that time (1994 or so) going by the name "Target 98." They changed their name to "Star 98" because of the threatened litigation. When I was told of that, I asked them, "Is Big Star about to sue you now?" ;D

 

[hornet61]

Big Star (the Memphis grocery store chain that inspired the name for Alex's second group) apparently never sued Chilton (or even threatened to) over the name.

Which is interesting because Target (the store chain) threatened legal action against a radio station in Memphis that was at that time (1994 or so) going by the name "Target 98." They changed their name to "Star 98" because of the threatened litigation. When I was told of that, I asked them, "Is Big Star about to sue you now?" ;D

Chicago dropped the Transit Authority......because of threats...I Believe???

 

[firepoint525]

"The Letter" was the second shortest song (that I know of) to reach #1. The shortest was "Stay" by Maurice Williams and the Zodiacs.

Interesting to note that the longest song to hit #1 ("Hey Jude" by the Beatles) came just one year after "The Letter." ("American Pie" was longer, but was split over both sides of the 45.)

 

[hornet61]

"The Letter" was the second shortest song (that I know of) to reach #1. The shortest was "Stay" by Maurice Williams and the Zodiacs.

Interesting to note that the longest song to hit #1 ("Hey Jude" by the Beatles) came just one year after "The Letter." ("American Pie" was longer, but was split over both sides of the 45.)

American Pie pts 1 and 2 is listed at number, so isn't it really the longest.

 

[firepoint525]

"The Letter" was the second shortest song (that I know of) to reach #1. The shortest was "Stay" by Maurice Williams and the Zodiacs.

Interesting to note that the longest song to hit #1 ("Hey Jude" by the Beatles) came just one year after "The Letter." ("American Pie" was longer, but was split over both sides of the 45.)

American Pie pts 1 and 2 is listed at number, so isn't it really the longest.

Thanks, just threw the "American Pie" thing in there as a disclaimer in case anyone contested me on it. "Hey Jude" is still the longest-playing single to reach #1.

 

[hornet61]

"The Letter" was the second shortest song (that I know of) to reach #1. The shortest was "Stay" by Maurice Williams and the Zodiacs.

Interesting to note that the longest song to hit #1 ("Hey Jude" by the Beatles) came just one year after "The Letter." ("American Pie" was longer, but was split over both sides of the 45.)

American Pie pts 1 and 2 is listed at number, so isn't it really the longest.

Thanks, just threw the "American Pie" thing in there as a disclaimer in case anyone contested me on it. "Hey Jude" is still the longest-playing single to reach #1.

OK, now I am really confused here...Hey Jude 7:03..Amer Pie pt 4:11 and pt 2 4:31 for 8:41

In the case of Fingertips and a couple of other #1's they specifically list either pt1 or pt2....Amer Pie lists pt 1 and 2 ...so wouldn't that make it longer than Hey Jude.

 

[firepoint525]

"The Letter" was the second shortest song (that I know of) to reach #1. The shortest was "Stay" by Maurice Williams and the Zodiacs.
Interesting to note that the longest song to hit #1 ("Hey Jude" by the Beatles) came just one year after "The Letter." ("American Pie" was longer, but was split over both sides of the 45.)

American Pie pts 1 and 2 is listed at number, so isn't it really the longest.

Thanks, just threw the "American Pie" thing in there as a disclaimer in case anyone contested me on it. "Hey Jude" is still the longest-playing single to reach #1.

OK, now I am really confused here...Hey Jude 7:03..Amer Pie pt 4:11 and pt 2 4:31 for 8:41
In the case of Fingertips and a couple of other #1's they specifically list either pt1 or pt2....Amer Pie lists pt 1 and 2 ...so wouldn't that make it longer than Hey Jude.

Okay, you got me there. Beginning November of 1969, Billboard combined listings of A and B sides of singles together, rather than charting A and B sides separately, as they had been doing up until that time. That would explain your confusion over "American Pie," versus those earlier examples that you gave, which would suggest that you are right about "American Pie" being "longer" than "Hey Jude." But I believe that "Hey Jude" would still hold the record for longest-playing single to hit #1 until "American Pie" set the new record almost four years later.

 

[hornet61]

"The Letter" was the second shortest song (that I know of) to reach #1. The shortest was "Stay" by Maurice Williams and the Zodiacs.
Interesting to note that the longest song to hit #1 ("Hey Jude" by the Beatles) came just one year after "The Letter." ("American Pie" was longer, but was split over both sides of the 45.)

American Pie pts 1 and 2 is listed at number, so isn't it really the longest.

Thanks, just threw the "American Pie" thing in there as a disclaimer in case anyone contested me on it. "Hey Jude" is still the longest-playing single to reach #1.

OK, now I am really confused here...Hey Jude 7:03..Amer Pie pt 4:11 and pt 2 4:31 for 8:41
In the case of Fingertips and a couple of other #1's they specifically list either pt1 or pt2....Amer Pie lists pt 1 and 2 ...so wouldn't that make it longer than Hey Jude.

Okay, you got me there. Beginning November of 1969, Billboard combined listings of A and B sides of singles together, rather than charting A and B sides separately, as they had been doing up until that time. That would explain your confusion over "American Pie," versus those earlier examples that you gave, which would suggest that you are right about "American Pie" being "longer" than "Hey Jude." But I believe that "Hey Jude" would still hold the record for longest-playing single to hit #1 until "American Pie" set the new record almost four years later.

Even Perry Mason couldn't have gotten out of that better, very good.

 

[DToTheJ]

"The Letter" was the second shortest song (that I know of) to reach #1. The shortest was "Stay" by Maurice Williams and the Zodiacs.
Interesting to note that the longest song to hit #1 ("Hey Jude" by the Beatles) came just one year after "The Letter." ("American Pie" was longer, but was split over both sides of the 45.)

American Pie pts 1 and 2 is listed at number, so isn't it really the longest.

Thanks, just threw the "American Pie" thing in there as a disclaimer in case anyone contested me on it. "Hey Jude" is still the longest-playing single to reach #1.

OK, now I am really confused here...Hey Jude 7:03..Amer Pie pt 4:11 and pt 2 4:31 for 8:41
In the case of Fingertips and a couple of other #1's they specifically list either pt1 or pt2....Amer Pie lists pt 1 and 2 ...so wouldn't that make it longer than Hey Jude.

Okay, you got me there. Beginning November of 1969, Billboard combined listings of A and B sides of singles together, rather than charting A and B sides separately, as they had been doing up until that time. That would explain your confusion over "American Pie," versus those earlier examples that you gave, which would suggest that you are right about "American Pie" being "longer" than "Hey Jude." But I believe that "Hey Jude" would still hold the record for longest-playing single to hit #1 until "American Pie" set the new record almost four years later.

Even Perry Mason couldn't have gotten out of that better, very good.

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Is-it...of-a-message-board-thread/279979714850?ref=ts

 

[hornet61]

"The Letter" was the second shortest song (that I know of) to reach #1. The shortest was "Stay" by Maurice Williams and the Zodiacs.
Interesting to note that the longest song to hit #1 ("Hey Jude" by the Beatles) came just one year after "The Letter." ("American Pie" was longer, but was split over both sides of the 45.)

American Pie pts 1 and 2 is listed at number, so isn't it really the longest.

Thanks, just threw the "American Pie" thing in there as a disclaimer in case anyone contested me on it. "Hey Jude" is still the longest-playing single to reach #1.

OK, now I am really confused here...Hey Jude 7:03..Amer Pie pt 4:11 and pt 2 4:31 for 8:41
In the case of Fingertips and a couple of other #1's they specifically list either pt1 or pt2....Amer Pie lists pt 1 and 2 ...so wouldn't that make it longer than Hey Jude.

Okay, you got me there. Beginning November of 1969, Billboard combined listings of A and B sides of singles together, rather than charting A and B sides separately, as they had been doing up until that time. That would explain your confusion over "American Pie," versus those earlier examples that you gave, which would suggest that you are right about "American Pie" being "longer" than "Hey Jude." But I believe that "Hey Jude" would still hold the record for longest-playing single to hit #1 until "American Pie" set the new record almost four years later.

Even Perry Mason couldn't have gotten out of that better, very good.

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Is-it...of-a-message-board-thread/279979714850?ref=ts

what?

 

[radioman148]

"The Letter" was the second shortest song (that I know of) to reach #1. The shortest was "Stay" by Maurice Williams and the Zodiacs.
Interesting to note that the longest song to hit #1 ("Hey Jude" by the Beatles) came just one year after "The Letter." ("American Pie" was longer, but was split over both sides of the 45.)

American Pie pts 1 and 2 is listed at number, so isn't it really the longest.

Thanks, just threw the "American Pie" thing in there as a disclaimer in case anyone contested me on it. "Hey Jude" is still the longest-playing single to reach #1.

OK, now I am really confused here...Hey Jude 7:03..Amer Pie pt 4:11 and pt 2 4:31 for 8:41
In the case of Fingertips and a couple of other #1's they specifically list either pt1 or pt2....Amer Pie lists pt 1 and 2 ...so wouldn't that make it longer than Hey Jude.

Okay, you got me there. Beginning November of 1969, Billboard combined listings of A and B sides of singles together, rather than charting A and B sides separately, as they had been doing up until that time. That would explain your confusion over "American Pie," versus those earlier examples that you gave, which would suggest that you are right about "American Pie" being "longer" than "Hey Jude." But I believe that "Hey Jude" would still hold the record for longest-playing single to hit #1 until "American Pie" set the new record almost four years later.

Even Perry Mason couldn't have gotten out of that better, very good.

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Is-it...of-a-message-board-thread/279979714850?ref=ts

Huh?

 

[Silkie]

Huh?

I would love to be able to say my sentiments exactly, but it's one of those meandering conversations. You know, the kind that you get involved with at a party, and then somebody finally says, "How did we get on to this?". LOL