My birthday is March 7, so in honor of my unbirthday, here are the #1 Billboard songs on my birthday.
2008 … “Low” by Flo Rida featuring T-Pain – don’t know what this is
2007 … “This Is Why I’m Hot” by Mims – don’t know
2006 … “You’re Beautiful” by James Blunt – even I know this one, and in fact managed to become sick of it
2005 … “Candy Shop” by 50 Cent featuring Olivia – don’t know
2004 … “Yeah!” by Usher featuring Ludacris & Lil Jon – heard this song a couple times, but wouldn’t say I KNOW it
2003 … “In Da Club” by 50 Cent – ditto
2002 … “Ain’t It Funny” by Jennifer Lopez featuring Ja Rule – don’t know
2001 … “Stutter [Double Take Remix]” by Joe featuring Mystikal – must have heard it, but not sticking to the brain
2000 … “Amazed” by Lonestar – ditto
1999 … “Believe” by Cher – classic Cher histrionics
1998 … “My Heart Will Go On” by Celine Dion – real histrionics. And I own it.
1997 … “Wannabe” by Spice Girls – fluff. Spice Girls didn’t offend me; I just didn’t much care.
1996 … “One Sweet Day” by Mariah Carey & Boyz II Men – this song was number 1 for something like 16 weeks. It showed up on JEOPARDY! when I was on in 1998, and for the life of me, I couldn’t remember the title. (I kept thinking One Fine Day, but I knew THAT was wrong. Category was Songs By the Numbers for $200.) When the Regis Philbin-hosted Who Wants to be a Millionaire was on, I think it was involved in a $250,000 clue. Oh, the song itself? It’s OK. I like the B2M harmonies.
1995 … “Take a Bow” by Madonna. Not remembering.
1994 … “The Sign” by Ace of Base. Annoyingly catchy.
1993 … “Informer” by Snow. Heard, don’t recall.
1992 … “To Be with You” by Mr. Big. Don’t know.
1991 … “Someday” by Mariah Carey. All of Mariah Carey’s songs from a certain period sound exactly the same to me.
1990 … “Escapade” by Janet Jackson. I like Janet actually, but this was pretty lightweight.
1989 … “Lost in Your Eyes” by Debbie Gibson – heard it, not remembering.
1988 … “Never Gonna Give You Up” by Rick Astley. Actually, I’ve probably heard more often in the 21st Century than at the time. Meh.
1987 … “Livin’ on a Prayer” by Bon Jovi. Never was a big Bon Jovi fan. Own none of their albums. It was as good a song as they did, I suppose.
1986 … “Kyrie” by Mr. Mister. Recall liking this, but I’d need to hear it again.
1985 … “Can’t Fight This Feeling” by REO Speedwagon. It became popular to dump on the Spudwagon, but it’s no worse than that corporate rock sound of any number of songs of the era.
1984 … “Jump” by Van Halen. My fondness probably comes from David Lee Roth on the video.
1983 … “Billie Jean” by Michael Jackson. Classic tune. Own.
1982 … “Centerfold” by J. Geils Band. I always liked the storyline. Own.
1981 … “I Love a Rainy Night” by Eddie Rabbitt. Dopey.
1980 … “Crazy Little Thing Called Love” by Queen. Lesser Queen; still, I used to try to imitate it. Own.
1979 … “I Will Survive” by Gloria Gaynor. Anthemic. Still, I still hear Jim Carrey do Tony Clifton, singing “I Will Surveeve” in the Man on the Moon movie. Own.
1978 … “(Love Is) Thicker than Water” by Andy Gibb. Andy Gibb was born on March 5, 1958 (and died March 10, 1988). You’d think I’d remember a big hit from a fellow Piscean, especially a dead one, wouldn’t you? I really don’t.
1977 … “Love Theme from ‘A Star Is Born’ (Evergreen)” by Barbra Streisand. Like Barbra’s voice. What can I say? Oh that the movie was filmed in part at the Union College campus in Schenectady, NY, which gives it special props. Own.
1976 … “December 1963 (Oh, What a Night)” by The Four Seasons – guilty pleasure, for sure. Own. (n.b., I see that some people don’t believe in guilty pleasures. OK.)
1975 … “Have You Never Been Mellow” by Olivia Newton-John. Dopey song, pleasant voice. Own.
1974 … “Seasons in the Sun” by Terry Jacks. Hated this song. Its sing-songy verse, its pretentious lyrics.
1973 … “Killing Me Softly with His Song” by Roberta Flack. Saw Roberta sing this live. A fan. Own.
1972 … “Without You” by Nilsson. For some reason, when he wails “Can’t li-i-i-ive…” it always gets to me, as though he really WOULD die. Own.
1971 … “One Bad Apple” by The Osmonds. This especially annoyed me, this faux Jackson Five song.
1970 … “Bridge Over Troubled Water” by Simon & Garfunkel. Beautiful instrumentation, practically tear-inducing singing by Artie. Own.
1969 … “Everyday People” by Sly & the Family Stone. My first favorite Sly song. Why CAN’T we all get along? Own.
1968 … “Love Is Blue” by Paul Mauriat. A lovely instrumental. Own.
1967 … “Love Is Here and Now You’re Gone” by The Supremes. I’m not much on people talking in songs. This is a rare exception. “You stripped me of my dreams…” Own.
1966 … “The Ballad of the Green Berets” by S/Sgt. Barry Sadler. I hated the politics of the song, yet had a grudging admiration for its unambiguous sincerity. It did inspire a truly dreadful 1968 John Wayne/David Janssen film that I saw at the time.
1965 … “Eight Days a Week” by The Beatles. The verse is pretty basic, but the chorus with the brief a cappella bits is nice. Own.
1964 … “I Want to Hold Your Hand” by The Beatles. The chorus and verse are good energy. But it’s the bridge that really makes it work. Own.
1963 … “Walk like a Man” by The Four Seasons. I was ten at the time, and a guy singing “walk like a man” in that register just cracked me up, I’m afraid to admit. A greater appreciation came later. Own.
1962 … “Hey! Baby” by Bruce Channel. I have at least three versions of this song, but I’m not particularly remembering his take.
1961 … “Pony Time” by Chubby Checker. Only vague recollection.
1960 … “Theme from ‘A Summer Place'” by Percy Faith. Another pretty instrumental. Own.
1959 … “Venus” by Frankie Avalon. Liked this, actually, in spite of myself.
1958 … “Don’t/ I Beg of You” by Elvis Presley. Like Don’t; not remembering the other. Own.
1957 … “Young Love” by Tab Hunter. The Sonny James version of this same song also went to #1 in 1957, and I like it a lot, but I don’t know the Tab Hunter version at all.
1956 … “Lisbon Antigua” by Nelson Riddle. Don’t know.
1955 … “Sincerely” by The McGuire Sisters. Lovely harmonies. Think Andrews Sisters or Lemmon Sisters. Own.
1954 … “Make Love to Me!” by Jo Stafford. Don’t know.
1953 … “Till I Waltz Again with You” by Teresa Brewer. Don’t know.
ROG
