Every Billboard Hot 100 #1 Hit

This is a project that I have been working on for the last few months. It is a compilation of video footage from every song to reach #1 on the Billboard Hot 100, the main US music popularity chart. It begins at the beginning of the “rock era” in July of 1955 and ends with December of 2016, the time of upload. I thought it would be interesting to see how popular music has changed over the decades and to see the various TV shows that these artists performed their songs on through the years.

I tried to find video for every song, but there were some that I couldn’t. If you know of a song that has video that I am missing, please let me know in the comments.

I broke it down by decades to make it shorter, but considering how many songs there are, each video is still about an hour. Feel free to watch as much or as little as you want.

Part 1: 1955 – 1959

Part 2: 1960s

Part 3: 1970s

Part 4: 1980s

Part 5: 1990s

Part 6: 2000s

Part 7: 2010 – 2016

Weekly News Journal #10

Week 11 – 11/13/2016

Amazon Lockers Hope To Stop Stolen Package Problems Locally

• NBC 5 DFW News
• Author: Larry Collins

Amazon Locker

• Amazon has implemented a new service that is hoped to combat recent incidents of thieves stealing packages from customers’ doorsteps. The customer will be able to redirect their deliveries to a locker located near them and then pick up the package at their own convenience. The author provides background information about the recent thefts that have been occurring and also links to the Amazon locker locator so that readers can find lockers nearest them. The director of the Irving Mall, Annette Fonseca, is quoted regarding the lockers’ effect on foot traffic and the positive effect they have had on business in the past three weeks. The article is very well-written, has perfect grammar usage and is informative.

South Carolina city ‘creeped out’ by suspected serial killer

• CNN
• Author: Darran Simon

Suspected serial killer Todd Kohlhepp

• Residents of the town of Spartanburg, South Carolina are surprised to find out that a local real estate agent confessed to killing four people and is a suspected serial killer. The article mostly features quotes from neighbors who express their shock and disbelief that someone who they were familiar with through his business could do something so horrific. The author makes sure to give the age of every person he quotes, which is helpful. Various emotions were conveyed through the quotes, such as disbelief, shock, and surprise. The author also provides background information about Kohlhepp’s life and criminal record, which helps the reader get an insight on who this man was. There are no grammatical errors, and it is a very well-written article.

Refrigerator Eyed as ‘Possible’ Origin of Oakland Warehouse Fire, Official Says

• ABC News
• Author: Julia Jacobo

Firefighter at the scene of the fire

• Authorities have identified a refrigerator as a possible cause of the Oakland, CA warehouse fire that killed 36 people Friday night. The author does not make note of how the refrigerator could have started the fire, although we do know it was an electrical fire. The rest of the article recaps the tragedy that happened. It mentions some complaints that city officials had previously noted about the warehouse, such as hazardous garbage and “illegal interior building structures.” The article is an adept summary of the tragedy with some new developments that have come up in the last few days.

Weekly Song Review #10 – “Itsy Bitsy Teenie Weenie Yellow Polka Dot Bikini” by Brian Hyland

 

• Title: “Itsy Bitsy Teenie Weenie Yellow Polka Dot Bikini”
• Artist: Brian Hyland
• Writer: Paul Vance, Lee Pockriss
• Producer: Richard Wolfe
• Label: Kapp
• #1 for 1 week: 08/08/1960
• Video: Dick Clark’s Saturday Night Beechnut Show (1960)

Copyright 1960 Kapp Records

This song is just as inane as the title makes it sound, but it combines two forms of music popular at the time that I have already discussed previously: novelty songs and teen idols. It tells the story of a girl who is afraid to wear the titular swimsuit at the beach. Believe it or not, the record label actually considered this to be a risque subject matter until one of the writers assured him that the girl was only a child. Hyland isn’t the best singer, but the production is really tight and it has a nice cowbell that leads into the chorus which is cool. There isn’t much more to say about this one, really. It’s just another song that embodies the aesthetic of early ’60s pop music in that it wasn’t taken too seriously and was sometimes lacking substance but fun nonetheless.

Rating: 6/10

 

Weekly Song Review #9 – “I’m Sorry” by Brenda Lee

• Title: “I’m Sorry”
• Artist: Brenda Lee
• Writer: Ronnie Self
• Producer: Owen Bradley
• Label: Decca
• #1 for 3 weeks: 07/18/1960 – 08/01/1960
• Video: WPIX-TV Local Program (1960)

Copyright 1960 Decca Records

Brenda Lee, along with Connie Francis, was the other major female pop star of the early ’60s. Though she tends to be more remembered and recognized for her talents, I still feel that her success has been forgotten about in recent years. While Connie Francis tended to dabble in smooth vocal pop, Brenda Lee had her roots in rockabilly and country, which gave her more of an edge. Also notable was her young age, 15 at the time of this release, that belied a powerful voice. This particular song is a string-laden ballad that was originally intended as a B-side to the more uptempo “That’s All You Gotta Do.” Though I do prefer that song because it showcases Lee’s raucous vocal delivery, “I’m Sorry” is also a lovely song that shows her soft, smooth side. The success of this song resulted Lee recording ballads more often in her career than rock ‘n’ roll songs, which I would have argued against, but its phenomenal success ensured that she was one of the top stars of her era.

Rating: 8/10

Weekly Song Review #8 – “Alley Oop” by Hollywood Argyles

 

• Title: “Alley Oop”
• Artist: Hollywood Argyles
• Writer: Dallas Frazier
• Producer: Kim Fowley
• Label: Lute
• #1 for 1 week: 07/11/1960
• Video: Dick Clark’s Saturday Night Beechnut Show (1960)

Copyright 1960 Lute Records

One type of song that was very popular in the early ’60s that has almost disappeared in modern times is the novelty song. These were goofy, comedic songs that weren’t meant to be taken seriously. Most of the time, their humor doesn’t really hold up, and “Alley Oop” is no exception. It tells the story of a caveman named Alley Oop, based on a popular comic strip of the time. Despite the fact that it is credited to a band, The Hollywood Argyles, the song is really performed by a solo singer, Gary Paxton. The story goes that he was under contract to another label as part of a duo, Skip & Flip, at the time. The only way he could release this solo record was under a fictitious alias. He looked up at a street sign in L.A. and saw the corner of Hollywood St. and Argyle St. Paxton sings the song with a heavy, exaggerated accent that sounds ridiculous in hindsight. The video clip that I linked to up above just adds another layer of strangeness. It features the “band” dressed up as cavemen banging clubs around. It’s not very musically enjoyable, but as a cultural artifact, it’s worth a listen just for curiosity’s sake.

Rating: 3/10

 

 

Weekly Song Review #7 – “Everybody’s Somebody’s Fool” by Connie Francis

 

• Title: “Everybody’s Somebody’s Fool”
• Artist: Connie Francis
• Writer: Jack Keller, Howard Greenfield
• Producer: Arnold Maxin
• Label: MGM
• #1 for 4 weeks: 06/27/1960 – 07/04/1960
• Video: The Ed Sullivan Show (1960)

Copyright 1960 MGM Records

Connie Francis was one of the biggest female pop stars of the late ’50s and early ’60s but no one really seems to talk about her anymore. In 1960, she had her first of three #1’s with “Everybody’s Somebody’s Fool,” a country-tinged number featuring a prominent, though dated, organ throughout the record. The lyrics describe how love can make you a fool and how the protagonist is in love with someone despite the fact that he treats her bad. It made sense in 1960, at least. Francis’ voice is one of the best of the era. It is clear and smooth and she manages to emote pure joy whenever she sings an upbeat song like this.

This song is extremely catchy, it’s upbeat, and it’s just plain fun.

Rating: 7/10

 

Weekly Song Review #6 – “Cathy’s Clown” by The Everly Brothers

 

• Title: “Cathy’s Clown”
• Artist: The Everly Brothers
• Writer: Don Everly, Phil Everly
• Producer: Wesley Rose
• Label: Warner Bros.
• #1 for 4 weeks: 05/23/1960 – 06/20/1960
• Video: British Concert Performance (1960)

Copyright 1960 Warner Bros. Records

The Everly Brothers were a duo consisting of brothers Don and Phil Everly who were popular in the late ’50s and early ’60s. They were among the first rock ‘n’ roll duos and their layered vocal harmonies set the standard for future groups such as The Beach Boys and Simon & Garfunkel. “Cathy’s Clown” was their third and final #1 hit. It was recorded in Nashville, TN. and features a great arrangement and instrumentation by some of Nashville’s most revered session musicians such as Floyd Cramer and Buddy Harman. The protagonist of the song laments the way his girlfriend, Cathy, treats him and proclaims he doesn’t want her love anymore.

This one of the Everly Bros. best songs and exemplifies the way their voices blend together to form a sound that is a mix of country and

Rating: 9/10

 

Chapter 10 Exercises

1. Contributors to my news blog will follow a strict policy of Fair Use. This means that any use of copyrighted material, such as words, graphics, or images, is only allowed if used for a “transformative” purpose. This means that the copyrighted material is used in order to provide commentary, criticism or parody. This is considered legal as part of the fair use doctrine, which was officially implemented into American law via the Copyright Act of 1976. Uses such as this can be done without the permission of the copyright holder.
2. • What type of libel plaintiff is the court likely to make Simmons?
     • Simmons is a private citizen.
   • What, then, will be the requisite standard of fault in this case?
     • Under the Restatement (Second) of Torts, a defendant who publishes a false and defamatory communication about a private individual is liable to the individual only if the defendant acts with actual malice or acts negligently in failing to ascertain whether a statement was false or defamatory. Because Simmons is a private individual, this means that PuffHo is liable only if they acted with actual malice or negligence. As counsel, I would argue that all claims of Simmons being arrested for suspicion of drunk driving were true and had no intent of damaging his reputation.
   • Will Simmons be able to prove the requisite standard fault?
     • He will not because everything stated in the article was reported as observed on the scene through verified sources.
   • Are there other defenses PuffHo might consider?
     • In this scenario, truth is the best defense for a libel lawsuit. Admitting that what was published was the absolute truth should clear PuffHo of any wrongdoing.
   • The counsel would not change because in the eyes of the law, tweets are considered to be published material no different from that of print.

Chapter 9 Exercises

1. .
2. Article:
   

   The Latest: Hot-Car Death Jury Adjourns Without Deliberating

   Source: ABC News

A Georgia man was accused of leaving his toddler to die in a hot car. This article discusses a time-stamped listing of what happened in court.

Sidebar: A Georgia man is charged with murder after leaving his son in a hot car. He pleads not guilty and insists that it was a tragic accident. So far, the jury has adjourned the case without deliberating and the final decision will be made on Nov. 8 before noon.

Weekly News Journal #9

Week 10 – 11/7/16

• Donald Trump mocks hip hop as ‘talking’

• CNN Politics
• Author: Jeremy Diamond

Donald Trump

• Donald Trump criticized a performance given by Jay-Z and Beyonce at a Hillary Clinton campaign rally, noting the excessive use of profanity and questioning whether the performance was “talking or singing.” The author goes on to state how this comment follows many awkward appeals to African-American voters that many have criticized as broad and bleak. Despite this, Trump claims that black voters are turning out in droves for him despite contradicting poll data. This article is well-written and provides background information about previous incident regarding Trump and the African-American community and also includes a video clip of him saying the comments the article refers to.

 

• U.S. Department of Justice Sending Staff to Monitor Dallas County Polling Places

• NBC 5 DFW News
• Author: Tim Ciesco
• The U.S. Department of Justice announced that it will be sending representatives from the Civil Rights division to monitor polling places in Dallas County on Election Day. The department will monitor whether voters are subject to qualification on the basis of race or member of a minority language group. The County Elections Administrator said that this is most likely due to previous complaints and lawsuits that have been filed within Dallas County. The author does a good job of explaining the situation and why it is necessary to poll these places, but he could have gotten some quotes from voters who are directly affected by these supposed qualifications in question.

 

• Ohio Woman Gets 65 Years in Prison for Thefts From Elderly

• ABC World News
• Author: Associated Press
• A woman received a 65-year sentence for stealing items from elderly persons while working as a nurse’s aide in various nursing homes over several years. Not much else information is provided. It is not yet been identified who the stolen items belong to. The article could be improved by providing more detail about the situation, such as the amount of items stolen, the value of said items and how long this activity has been going on.