[Mick]

Yes, that's true. But what I'd had in mind is that none of them have ever had a single hit #1 on the Billboard Hot 100, although Bruce Springsteen wrote Manfred Mann's Earth Band's "Blinded by the Light" which reached #1.

Wow .... I wouldn't have guessed CCR songs never reached #1 but per wikipedia it's true .... 5 reached #2 but none made it to the top!  (Not that I doubted you but, stunning that the creators of Fortunate Son, Proud Mary, Born on the Bayou, and so many other greats (and Stanford band fodder) didn't reach that milestone!)

What surprised me is that I really, really liked all but two of those bands...but the more that I think about it, the more I realize that they all appeal to niches compared to the commercial groups. The Beatles had 20 #1 hits, the Rolling Stones had eight, The Who...nada.

Then other bands have multiple hits (e.g., Three Dog Night with three #1s) but don't get into the R&R HoF.  Funny business.

[Mick]

Yes, that's true. But what I'd had in mind is that none of them have ever had a single hit #1 on the Billboard Hot 100, although Bruce Springsteen wrote Manfred Mann's Earth Band's "Blinded by the Light" which reached #1.

Wow .... I wouldn't have guessed CCR songs never reached #1 but per wikipedia it's true .... 5 reached #2 but none made it to the top!  (Not that I doubted you but, stunning that the creators of Fortunate Son, Proud Mary, Born on the Bayou, and so many other greats (and Stanford band fodder) didn't reach that milestone!)

What surprised me is that I really, really liked all but two of those bands...but the more that I think about it, the more I realize that they all appeal to niches compared to the commercial groups. The Beatles had 20 #1 hits, the Rolling Stones had eight, The Who...nada.

Then other bands have multiple hits (e.g., Three Dog Night with three #1s) but don't get into the R&R HoF.  Funny business.

[Mick]

Others who never had a #1 hit: Backstreet Boys, James Brown, Cheryl Crow, MC Hammer, Pat Benatar, Pointer Sisters, Chaka Khan, Martha and the Vandellas, One Direction.

This one's for the lawyers...Jefferson Airplane never had a #1 ("Somebody to Love" got to #5, their best), Jefferson Starship never had a #1 ("Miracles" hit #3) but Starship had three #1s, including 'We Built This City" which was so reviled, that it was named the worst song in rock 'n roll history in a 2011 Rolling Stone poll and separately by GQ and Blender  magazine. It did, however, receive a Grammy nomination for Best Song.

The song was written by longtime Elton John collaborator Bernie Taupin and Martin Page. Page said he and Taupin envisoned a much darker, edgier song, but producer Bill Bottrell engineered into a pop tune. Page later approved of the treatment.

[Mick]

Others who never had a #1 hit: Backstreet Boys, James Brown, Cheryl Crow, MC Hammer, Pat Benatar, Pointer Sisters, Chaka Khan, Martha and the Vandellas, One Direction.

This one's for the lawyers...Jefferson Airplane never had a #1 ("Somebody to Love" got to #5, their best), Jefferson Starship never had a #1 ("Miracles" hit #3) but Starship had three #1s, including 'We Built This City" which was so reviled, that it was named the worst song in rock 'n roll history in a 2011 Rolling Stone poll and separately by GQ and Blender  magazine. It did, however, receive a Grammy nomination for Best Song.

The song was written by longtime Elton John collaborator Bernie Taupin and Martin Page. Page said he and Taupin envisoned a much darker, edgier song, but producer Bill Bottrell engineered into a pop tune. Page later approved of the treatment.

[BostonCard]

New question…

What are some songs that you might not have fully appreciated when they first came out, but re-listening to them years or decades later you appreciate much more.

I’ll start with Tonight, tonight by the Smashing Pumpkins

https://open.spotify.com/track/7bu0znpSb...xWA67Y6I9g

I liked it fine the first time I listened to it, but on a closer listen recently I’ve come to appreciate that it featured a 30-piece string section contrasting with the guitar riffs, the driving snares (so much snare), the song has really grown on me over the years.

BC

[BostonCard]

New question…

What are some songs that you might not have fully appreciated when they first came out, but re-listening to them years or decades later you appreciate much more.

I’ll start with Tonight, tonight by the Smashing Pumpkins

https://open.spotify.com/track/7bu0znpSb...xWA67Y6I9g

I liked it fine the first time I listened to it, but on a closer listen recently I’ve come to appreciate that it featured a 30-piece string section contrasting with the guitar riffs, the driving snares (so much snare), the song has really grown on me over the years.

BC

[Mick]

Oddly enough, most of Led Zeppelin's songs. Didn't like them when they came out, can't get enough now.

[Mick]

Oddly enough, most of Led Zeppelin's songs. Didn't like them when they came out, can't get enough now.

[BostonCard]

This one is more along the lines of the “forgotten bangers” category, because I liked it at the time, largely forgot about it, and started listening again, but “How soon is now?” By the Smiths.

https://open.spotify.com/track/5gXlabeho...OSGO8fqwIg

(The “forgotten bangers” Reddit thread is a good one).

I’m thinking that now that the collegiate sports season is over, we can resurrect this thread; as I’m always looking for new or resurrected music.

BC

[BostonCard]

This one is more along the lines of the “forgotten bangers” category, because I liked it at the time, largely forgot about it, and started listening again, but “How soon is now?” By the Smiths.

https://open.spotify.com/track/5gXlabeho...OSGO8fqwIg

(The “forgotten bangers” Reddit thread is a good one).

I’m thinking that now that the collegiate sports season is over, we can resurrect this thread; as I’m always looking for new or resurrected music.

BC

[Hurlburt88]

Oddly enough, most of Led Zeppelin's songs. Didn't like them when they came out, can't get enough now.

IMO Led Zep was very original and transformational.  I loved it when that "boxed set" came out in late 1990 or whenever it was!

[Hurlburt88]

Oddly enough, most of Led Zeppelin's songs. Didn't like them when they came out, can't get enough now.

IMO Led Zep was very original and transformational.  I loved it when that "boxed set" came out in late 1990 or whenever it was!

[BostonCard]

Oddly enough, most of Led Zeppelin's songs. Didn't like them when they came out, can't get enough now.

IMO Led Zep was very original and transformational.  I loved it when that "boxed set" came out in late 1990 or whenever it was!

Oh you sweet summer child…

https://youtu.be/MZ2GuvUWaP8

The whole thing is worth a listen, but if you are interested in Led Zeppelin’s… “inspiration”… the relevant section starts at 8:30.  But as I said, the whole thing is worth a listen to, because the series includes not just music, but movies and other examples of reuses and remixes.  These thesis of the series is that almost everything is a remix, and that you can get great music, movies, and art by taking bits and pieces of earlier works as inspiration.

BC

[BostonCard]

Oddly enough, most of Led Zeppelin's songs. Didn't like them when they came out, can't get enough now.

IMO Led Zep was very original and transformational.  I loved it when that "boxed set" came out in late 1990 or whenever it was!

Oh you sweet summer child…

https://youtu.be/MZ2GuvUWaP8

The whole thing is worth a listen, but if you are interested in Led Zeppelin’s… “inspiration”… the relevant section starts at 8:30.  But as I said, the whole thing is worth a listen to, because the series includes not just music, but movies and other examples of reuses and remixes.  These thesis of the series is that almost everything is a remix, and that you can get great music, movies, and art by taking bits and pieces of earlier works as inspiration.

BC

[PAsportsfan]

 as I’m always looking for new or resurrected music.

BC

New music try:

Arc de Soleil- go to Spotify and play their popular songs 

The Hip Abduction-Spotify popular 

Resurrected: based on your Smiths

The Ocean Blue-Spotify popular 

Bob Mould-play the first ten songs off the Black Sheets of Rain and Workbook albums.

Maybe try the Pixies Doolittle album.

[PAsportsfan]

 as I’m always looking for new or resurrected music.

BC

New music try:

Arc de Soleil- go to Spotify and play their popular songs 

The Hip Abduction-Spotify popular 

Resurrected: based on your Smiths

The Ocean Blue-Spotify popular 

Bob Mould-play the first ten songs off the Black Sheets of Rain and Workbook albums.

Maybe try the Pixies Doolittle album.

[BostonCard]

Two notable deaths on opposite ends of the musical spectrum this week.  Most, I’m sure, are aware of Ozzy Osbourne’s death.  Here’s the Guardian’s obituary:

https://www.theguardian.com/music/2025/j...e-obituary

His voice was not pretty but it was impossible to ignore as it sliced through Sabbath’s dense sludge of drums, bass and fuzz-toned guitar. “Sabbath never set out to be legendary,” Osbourne said in 2005. “The only thing we set out to do was scare people.”

On the other end of the spectrum, Chuck Mangione also passed away this week.  

https://www.nytimes.com/2025/07/24/arts/...-dead.html

Mangione was one of the pioneers of smooth jazz, and while I can’t say that it is my favorite flavor of jazz, his song Feels So Good will be indelibly burned into my mind, as it is one of my father’s favorites.

Feels so Good: https://open.spotify.com/track/2M7EflZCP..._dBOZ1rJQw
Paranoid: https://open.spotify.com/track/1Y373Mqad...hIT2Sn4ZCQ

BC

[BostonCard]

Two notable deaths on opposite ends of the musical spectrum this week.  Most, I’m sure, are aware of Ozzy Osbourne’s death.  Here’s the Guardian’s obituary:

https://www.theguardian.com/music/2025/j...e-obituary

His voice was not pretty but it was impossible to ignore as it sliced through Sabbath’s dense sludge of drums, bass and fuzz-toned guitar. “Sabbath never set out to be legendary,” Osbourne said in 2005. “The only thing we set out to do was scare people.”

On the other end of the spectrum, Chuck Mangione also passed away this week.  

https://www.nytimes.com/2025/07/24/arts/...-dead.html

Mangione was one of the pioneers of smooth jazz, and while I can’t say that it is my favorite flavor of jazz, his song Feels So Good will be indelibly burned into my mind, as it is one of my father’s favorites.

Feels so Good: https://open.spotify.com/track/2M7EflZCP..._dBOZ1rJQw
Paranoid: https://open.spotify.com/track/1Y373Mqad...hIT2Sn4ZCQ

BC

[BostonCard]

Tom Lehrer passed away today in his 90’s.

https://youtu.be/U2cfju6GTNs?si=NmRty2Dahyebe6m5

As a chemist, always loved the elements song.

BC

[BostonCard]

Tom Lehrer passed away today in his 90’s.

https://youtu.be/U2cfju6GTNs?si=NmRty2Dahyebe6m5

As a chemist, always loved the elements song.

BC

[Publius]

This one is more along the lines of the “forgotten bangers” category, because I liked it at the time, largely forgot about it, and started listening again, but “How soon is now?” By the Smiths.

I've given up hope on a Morrissey & Marr reunion so bought tickets to see Morrissey (with the distinct possibility that he cancels).  It was thought that Morrissey was the obstacle to a reunion having turned down a brobdingnagian payday by Coachella with an additional offer to make the whole festival vegan.  (Morrissey complained about the smell of burnt flesh from a previous appearance).  Now it's come out that Morrissey agreed to a reunion with a big payday but Marr said no because of his objection to Morrissey's politics.

In terms of new 2025 music, here are my recommendations so far:

In Love with a Memory by SASAMI ft Clairo
Ultraviolet by Clover County
Old Tape by Lucius
Take a Sexy Picture of Me by CMAT
Bloom Baby Bloom by Wolf Alice
She Wants to Go Dancing by Mt. Joy
Touch Me Like a Gangster by Jessie Murph
Wish You Well by Emma Louise

[Publius]

This one is more along the lines of the “forgotten bangers” category, because I liked it at the time, largely forgot about it, and started listening again, but “How soon is now?” By the Smiths.

I've given up hope on a Morrissey & Marr reunion so bought tickets to see Morrissey (with the distinct possibility that he cancels).  It was thought that Morrissey was the obstacle to a reunion having turned down a brobdingnagian payday by Coachella with an additional offer to make the whole festival vegan.  (Morrissey complained about the smell of burnt flesh from a previous appearance).  Now it's come out that Morrissey agreed to a reunion with a big payday but Marr said no because of his objection to Morrissey's politics.

In terms of new 2025 music, here are my recommendations so far:

In Love with a Memory by SASAMI ft Clairo
Ultraviolet by Clover County
Old Tape by Lucius
Take a Sexy Picture of Me by CMAT
Bloom Baby Bloom by Wolf Alice
She Wants to Go Dancing by Mt. Joy
Touch Me Like a Gangster by Jessie Murph
Wish You Well by Emma Louise

[SkiBum80]

Tom Lehrer passed away today in his 90’s.

https://youtu.be/U2cfju6GTNs?si=NmRty2Dahyebe6m5

As a chemist, always loved the elements song.

BC

He was a comedic genius

[SkiBum80]

Tom Lehrer passed away today in his 90’s.

https://youtu.be/U2cfju6GTNs?si=NmRty2Dahyebe6m5

As a chemist, always loved the elements song.

BC

He was a comedic genius

[BostonCard]

This one is more along the lines of the “forgotten bangers” category, because I liked it at the time, largely forgot about it, and started listening again, but “How soon is now?” By the Smiths.

I've given up hope on a Morrissey & Marr reunion so bought tickets to see Morrissey (with the distinct possibility that he cancels).  It was thought that Morrissey was the obstacle to a reunion having turned down a brobdingnagian payday by Coachella with an additional offer to make the whole festival vegan.  (Morrissey complained about the smell of burnt flesh from a previous appearance).  Now it's come out that Morrissey agreed to a reunion with a big payday but Marr said no because of his objection to Morrissey's politics.

In terms of new 2025 music, here are my recommendations so far:

In Love with a Memory by SASAMI ft Clairo
Ultraviolet by Clover County
Old Tape by Lucius
Take a Sexy Picture of Me by CMAT
Bloom Baby Bloom by Wolf Alice
She Wants to Go Dancing by Mt. Joy
Touch Me Like a Gangster by Jessie Murph
Wish You Well by Emma Louise

I mean, Oasis reunited, so you never know, but I don’t see the Smiths getting back together.

Thanks for the recommendations; I’ll have a listen.

BC

[BostonCard]

This one is more along the lines of the “forgotten bangers” category, because I liked it at the time, largely forgot about it, and started listening again, but “How soon is now?” By the Smiths.

I've given up hope on a Morrissey & Marr reunion so bought tickets to see Morrissey (with the distinct possibility that he cancels).  It was thought that Morrissey was the obstacle to a reunion having turned down a brobdingnagian payday by Coachella with an additional offer to make the whole festival vegan.  (Morrissey complained about the smell of burnt flesh from a previous appearance).  Now it's come out that Morrissey agreed to a reunion with a big payday but Marr said no because of his objection to Morrissey's politics.

In terms of new 2025 music, here are my recommendations so far:

In Love with a Memory by SASAMI ft Clairo
Ultraviolet by Clover County
Old Tape by Lucius
Take a Sexy Picture of Me by CMAT
Bloom Baby Bloom by Wolf Alice
She Wants to Go Dancing by Mt. Joy
Touch Me Like a Gangster by Jessie Murph
Wish You Well by Emma Louise

I mean, Oasis reunited, so you never know, but I don’t see the Smiths getting back together.

Thanks for the recommendations; I’ll have a listen.

BC

[BostonCard]

Kind of OT, but still interesting to a data nerd like me.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/resources/idt...692313b9b4

TL; DR Songs have been getting shorter because of Tik Tok and because streaming royalties are per song not by time.

BC

[BostonCard]

Kind of OT, but still interesting to a data nerd like me.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/resources/idt...692313b9b4

TL; DR Songs have been getting shorter because of Tik Tok and because streaming royalties are per song not by time.

BC

[BostonCard]

Tom Lehrer passed away today in his 90’s.

https://youtu.be/U2cfju6GTNs?si=NmRty2Dahyebe6m5

As a chemist, always loved the elements song.

BC

He was a comedic genius

So, Lehrer was in the NSA, and while there published a paper (internally) which included a fake reference that nobody picked up on until 60 years later.

https://bsky.app/profile/opalescentopal....xxx27nos23

Here’s the song alluded to in his fake reference.

https://youtu.be/gXlfXirQF3A

BC

[BostonCard]

Tom Lehrer passed away today in his 90’s.

https://youtu.be/U2cfju6GTNs?si=NmRty2Dahyebe6m5

As a chemist, always loved the elements song.

BC

He was a comedic genius

So, Lehrer was in the NSA, and while there published a paper (internally) which included a fake reference that nobody picked up on until 60 years later.

https://bsky.app/profile/opalescentopal....xxx27nos23

Here’s the song alluded to in his fake reference.

https://youtu.be/gXlfXirQF3A

BC

[BostonCard]

An obituary in the Economist for Lehrer:

https://www.economist.com/obituary/2025/...id=2098112

(should be a gifted article for a bit)

BC

[BostonCard]

An obituary in the Economist for Lehrer:

https://www.economist.com/obituary/2025/...id=2098112

(should be a gifted article for a bit)

BC

[BostonCard]

Blast from the past...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s5wLPr_XYos

I heard it while working out and the "Step left, around, and together with the right..." sample immediately triggered memories of this song, which i would have otherwise completely forgotten.

BC

[BostonCard]

Blast from the past...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s5wLPr_XYos

I heard it while working out and the "Step left, around, and together with the right..." sample immediately triggered memories of this song, which i would have otherwise completely forgotten.

BC

[Mick]

Pretty cool. And I like those dance tutorials from the 1970s. 

Here's another one:

The Rocky Horror Picture Show "Time Warp" (1975)

[Mick]

Pretty cool. And I like those dance tutorials from the 1970s. 

Here's another one:

The Rocky Horror Picture Show "Time Warp" (1975)

[BostonCard]

Can’t help but smile at the RHPS songs.

I was trying to figure out the original source of the sample.  If you google “Step left around and together with the right” you get a ton of references to the Bingoboys song, but not where is there a link to the original.  The best I found was in the band’s wikipedia page, which describe’s the extensive sampling that went into the song, and ends with “spoken male dialogue from a K-tel disco instructional album released in the 1970s.” A YouTube search for K-tel disco instructional album found this gem:

https://youtu.be/4YybpritkpE?t=730

“Step Left, Around, and Together with the Right”

The whole thing is a hoot.  You can, apparently, still buy the instructional books on Amazon:
LET'S DISCO A Complete Instructional System For Disco Dancing https://a.co/d/3eX051n

And on eBay:
https://www.ebay.com/itm/256454160703

BC

[BostonCard]

Can’t help but smile at the RHPS songs.

I was trying to figure out the original source of the sample.  If you google “Step left around and together with the right” you get a ton of references to the Bingoboys song, but not where is there a link to the original.  The best I found was in the band’s wikipedia page, which describe’s the extensive sampling that went into the song, and ends with “spoken male dialogue from a K-tel disco instructional album released in the 1970s.” A YouTube search for K-tel disco instructional album found this gem:

https://youtu.be/4YybpritkpE?t=730

“Step Left, Around, and Together with the Right”

The whole thing is a hoot.  You can, apparently, still buy the instructional books on Amazon:
LET'S DISCO A Complete Instructional System For Disco Dancing https://a.co/d/3eX051n

And on eBay:
https://www.ebay.com/itm/256454160703

BC

[cardcrimson]

My dad loved Tom Lehrer. As a Boy Scout, I always enjoyed "Be Prepared".

Rocky Horror. Another great movie memory from the 70's and the ASSU Sunday Flicks.

On another note, was driving and running errands with my daughter last weekend, and she had "The Subway" by Chappell Roan on an endless loop, for more than an hour, over and over. Enjoyable song. Great time with my daughter and a lasting memory. Very odd video, with a scene reminiscent of RHPS. . .. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=woLfAvD5iXI

[cardcrimson]

My dad loved Tom Lehrer. As a Boy Scout, I always enjoyed "Be Prepared".

Rocky Horror. Another great movie memory from the 70's and the ASSU Sunday Flicks.

On another note, was driving and running errands with my daughter last weekend, and she had "The Subway" by Chappell Roan on an endless loop, for more than an hour, over and over. Enjoyable song. Great time with my daughter and a lasting memory. Very odd video, with a scene reminiscent of RHPS. . .. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=woLfAvD5iXI