Tuesday, December 31, 1996

Cashbox – Songs of the Year, 1950-1996

This list was created by taking Cash Box magazine’s top 100 song list (see here) and putting the songs in order by year and then by putting songs which hit #1 on Cash Box in order by number of weeks. In the event of ties, the song with more points in Dave’s Music Database was ranked higher.

  • 1950: The Third Man Theme…Anton Karas
  • 1951: It’s All in the Game…Tommy Edwards
  • 1952: Auf Wiederseh’n Sweetheart…Vera Lynn with the Ronald Shaw Orchestra
  • 1953: Where Is Your Heart (Song from “Moulin Rouge”)…Percy Faith with Felicia Sanders
  • 1954: Wanted…Perry Como with Hugo Winterhalter’s Orchestra
  • 1955: The Ballad of Davy Crockett…Bill Hayes
  • 1956: Singing the Blues…Guy Mitchell
  • 1957: All Shook Up…Elvis Presley
  • 1958: Smoke Gets in Your Eyes…The Platters
  • 1959: Mack the Knife…Bobby Darin

  • 1960: The Twist…Chubby Checker
  • 1961: Stand by Me…Ben E. King
  • 1962: Monster Mash…Bobby “Boris” Pickett & the Crypt-Kickers
  • 1963: I Want to Hold Your Hand…The Beatles
  • 1964: Hello, Dolly!...Louis Armstrong & the All-Stars
  • 1965: (I Can’t Get No) Satisfaction…The Rolling Stones
  • 1966: I’m a Believer…The Monkees
  • 1967: Love Is Blue…Paul Mauriat
  • 1968: Hey Jude…The Beatles
  • 1969: Sugar, Sugar…The Archies

  • 1970: I’ll Be There…The Jackson 5
  • 1971: Joy to the World…Three Dog Night
  • 1972: Alone Again (Naturally)…Gilbert O’Sullivan
  • 1973: Tie a Yellow Ribbon Round the Ole Oak Tree…Tony Orlando & Dawn
  • 1974: I Honestly Love You…Olivia Newton-John
  • 1975: Bohemian Rhapsody…Queen
  • 1976: Mary MacGregor…Torn Between Two Lovers
  • 1977: You Light Up My Life…Debby Boone
  • 1978: Le Freak…Chic
  • 1979: My Sharona…The Knack

  • 1980: Another One Bites the Dust…Queen
  • 1981: Endless Love…Lionel Richie & Diana Ross
  • 1982: Abracadabra…Steve Miller Band
  • 1983: Flashdance…What a Feeling…Irene Cara
  • 1984: Like a Virgin…Madonna
  • 1985: Say You, Say Me…Lionel Richie
  • 1986: Livin’ on a Prayer…Bon Jovi
  • 1987: Faith…George Michael
  • 1988: Sweet Child O’ Mine…Guns N’ Roses
  • 1989: Another Day in Paradise…Phil Collins

  • 1990: Because I Love You (The Postman Song)…Stevie B
  • 1991: Everything I Do (I Do It for You)…Bryan Adams
  • 1992: End of the Road…Boyz II Men
  • 1993: Whoomp! There It Is…Tag Team
  • 1994: I’ll Make Love to You…Boyz II Men
  • 1995: Macarena (Bayside Boys Mix)…Los Del Rio
  • 1996: I Love You Always Forever…Donna Lewis
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Thomas Ryan American Hit Radio

Thomas Ryan:

American Hit Radio

Thomas Ryan’s 1996 book American Hit Radio covered 40 years of popular music, highlighting nearly 500 songs from the rock and roll era. They are presented chronologically in the book. They’ve been listed here alphabetically by artists’ names.

Click here to see other lists from critics and individuals and here to see other lists from publications and/or organizations.

  1. Abba “Waterloo” (1974)
  2. Abba “Take a Chance on Me” (1977)
  3. Aerosmith “Sweet Emotion” (1975)
  4. Arthur Alexander “You Better Move On” (1961)
  5. Alive and Kicking “Tighter Tighter” (1970)
  6. Herb Alpert & the Tijuana Brass “A Taste of Honey” (1965)
  7. Herb Alpert & the Tijuana Brass “This Guy’s in Love with You” (1968)
  8. The Animals “The House of the Rising Sun” (1964)
  9. The Animals “Don’t Let Me Be Misunderstood” (1965)
  10. The Animals “We Gotta Get Out of This Place” (1965)

  11. Louis Armstrong “What a Wonderful World” (1967)
  12. Badfinger “No Matter What” (1970)
  13. Badfinger “Day after Day” (1971)
  14. Badfinger “Baby Blue” (1972)
  15. The Band “Up on Cripple Creek” (1969)
  16. Len Barry “One Two Three (1-2-3)” (1965)
  17. The Beach Boys “In My Room” (1963)
  18. The Beach Boys “Don’t Worry Baby” (1964)
  19. The Beach Boys “California Girls” (1965)
  20. The Beach Boys “Good Vibrations” (1966)

  21. The Beach Boys “God Only Knows” (1966)
  22. The Beach Boys “Wouldn’t It Be Nice” (1966)
  23. The Beach Boys “Sloop John B” (1966)
  24. The Beatles “I Want to Hold Your Hand” (1963)
  25. The Beatles “I Saw Her Standing There” (1963)
  26. The Beatles “Please Please Me” (1963)
  27. The Beatles “Eight Days a Week” (1964)
  28. The Beatles “A Hard Day’s Night” (1964)
  29. The Beatles “Can’t Buy Me Love” (1964)
  30. The Beatles “I Feel Fine” (1964)

  31. The Beatles “And I Love Her” (1964)
  32. The Beatles “She’s a Woman” (1964)
  33. The Beatles “I’ll Cry Instead” (1964)
  34. The Beatles “Thank You Girl” (1964)
  35. The Beatles “Yesterday” (1965)
  36. The Beatles “Help!” (1965)
  37. The Beatles “Ticket to Ride” (1965)
  38. The Beatles “Day Tripper” (1965)
  39. The Beatles “We Can Work It Out” (1965)
  40. The Beatles “Nowhere Man” (1965)

  41. The Beatles “Yellow Submarine” (1966)
  42. The Beatles “Eleanor Rigby” (1966)
  43. The Beatles “Paperback Writer” (1966)
  44. The Beatles “Rain” (1966)
  45. The Beatles “Strawberry Fields Forever” (1967)
  46. The Beatles “Penny Lane” (1967)
  47. The Beatles “All You Need Is Love” (1967)
  48. The Beatles “Hello Goodbye” (1967)
  49. The Beatles “Hey Jude” (1968)
  50. The Beatles “Revolution” (1968)

  51. The Beatles “Lady Madonna” (1968)
  52. The Beatles “Something” (1969)
  53. The Beatles with Billy Preston “Get Back” (1969)
  54. The Beatles “Come Together” (1969)
  55. The Beatles “The Ballad of John and Yoko” (1969)
  56. The Beatles “Don’t Let Me Down” (1969)
  57. The Beatles “Let It Be” (1970)
  58. Bee Gees “The Lights Went Out in Massachusetts” (1967)
  59. Bee Gees “To Love Somebody” (1967)
  60. Bee Gees “Words” (1968)

  61. Bee Gees “I’ve Gotta Get a Message to You” (1968)
  62. Bee Gees “The First of May” (1969)
  63. Harry Belafonte “Banana Boat (Day-O)” (1957)
  64. Tony Bennett “I Left My Heart in San Francisco “ (1962)
  65. Tony Bennett “The Good Life” (1963)
  66. Brook Benton “It’s Just a Matter of Time” (1959)
  67. Brook Benton “Rainy Night in Georgia” (1970)
  68. Chuck Berry “Maybellene” (1955)
  69. Chuck Berry “School Days” (1957)
  70. Chuck Berry “Johnny B. Goode” (1958)

  71. Big Brother & the Holding Company “Piece of My Heart” (1968)
  72. Bobby “Blue” Bland “Ain’t Nothin’ You Can Do” (1964)
  73. Gary "U.S." Bonds “New Orleans” (1960)
  74. Booker T. & the MG’s “Green Onions” (1962)
  75. David Bowie “Modern Love” (1983)
  76. The Box Tops “The Letter” (1967)
  77. The Box Tops “Cry Like a Baby” (1968)
  78. Boyz II Men “End of the Road” (1992)
  79. Toni Braxton “Breathe Again” (1993)
  80. James Brown “Night Train” (1962)

  81. James Brown “Prisoner of Love” (1963)
  82. James Brown “Out of Sight” (1964)
  83. James Brown “Papa’s Got a Brand New Bag” (1965)
  84. James Brown “I Got You (I Feel Good)” (1965)
  85. James Brown “It’s a Man’s Man’s Man’s World” (1966)
  86. The Buckinghams “Kind of a Drag” (1967)
  87. Buffalo Springfield “For What It’s Worth” (1967)
  88. The Byrds “Mr. Tambourine Man” (1965)
  89. The Byrds “Eight Miles High” (1966)
  90. Glen Campbell “By the Time I Get to Phoenix” (1967)

  91. Glen Campbell “Wichita Lineman” (1968)
  92. Mariah Carey “Vision of Love” (1990)
  93. Johnny Cash “I Walk the Line” (1956)
  94. Johnny Cash “I Guess Things Happen That Way” (1958)
  95. Ray Charles “What’d I Say” (1959)
  96. Ray Charles “Georgia on My Mind” (1960)
  97. Ray Charles “Ruby” (1960)
  98. Ray Charles “I Can’t Stop Loving You” (1962)
  99. Ray Charles “You Don’t Know Me” (1962)
  100. The Chiffons “He’s So Fine” (1963)

  101. The Chiffons “One Fine Day” (1963)
  102. The Chi-Lites “Oh Girl” (1972)
  103. Lou Christie “Lightning Strikes” (1966)
  104. Lou Christie “I’m Gonna Make You Mine” (1969)
  105. Derek & the Dominos “Layla” (1970)
  106. Dave Clark Five “Glad All Over” (1964)
  107. Dave Clark Five “Because” (1964)
  108. Dave Clark Five “Can’t You See That She’s Mine” (1964)
  109. Petula Clark “Downtown” (1964)
  110. Petula Clark “I Couldn’t Live Without Your Love” (1966)

  111. Petula Clark “Don’t Sleep in the Subway” (1967)
  112. Patsy Cline “Walkin’ after Midnight” (1957)
  113. Patsy Cline “Crazy” (1961)
  114. Patsy Cline “I Fall to Pieces” (1961)
  115. Patsy Cline “She’s Got You” (1962)
  116. The Coasters “Yakety Yak” (1958)
  117. Eddie Cochran “Summertime Blues” (1958)
  118. Eddie Cochran “C’Mon Everybody” (1958)
  119. Joe Cocker “Feelin’ Alright” (1969)
  120. Dave Collins & Ansell “Double Barrel” (1971)

  121. Phil Collins “Against All Odds (Take a Look at Me Now)” (1984)
  122. Commodores “Night Shift” (1985)
  123. The Contours “Do You Love Me?” (1962)
  124. Sam Cooke “You Send Me” (1957)
  125. Sam Cooke “Wonderful World” (1960)
  126. Sam Cooke “Bring It on Home to Me” (1962)
  127. Sam Cooke “A Change Is Gonna Come” (1964)
  128. Alice Cooper “School’s Out” (1972)
  129. The Corsairs “Smoky Places” (1962)
  130. The Count Five “Psychotic Reaction” (1966)

  131. The Cowsills “Rain, the Park, and Other Things” (1967)
  132. Creedence Clearwater Revival “Proud Mary” (1969)
  133. Creedence Clearwater Revival “Fortunate Son” (1969)
  134. Creedence Clearwater Revival “Bad Moon Rising” (1969)
  135. Creedence Clearwater Revival “Green River” (1969)
  136. Creedence Clearwater Revival “Down on the Corner” (1969)
  137. Creedence Clearwater Revival “Who’ll Stop the Rain” (1970)
  138. Creedence Clearwater Revival “Up Around the Bend” (1970)
  139. Creedence Clearwater Revival “Someday Never Comes” (1972)
  140. Crowded House “Don’t Dream It’s Over” (1986)

  141. The Crystals “He’s a Rebel” (1962)
  142. The Crystals “Da Doo Ron Ron (When He Walked Me Home)” (1963)
  143. Terence Trent D’Arby “Wishing Well” (1987)
  144. Bobby Darin “Mack the Knife” (1959)
  145. Bobby Darin “Beyond the Sea” (1959)
  146. David + David “Welcome to the Boomtown” (1986)
  147. Spencer Davis Group “Gimme Some Lovin’“ (1966)
  148. Desmond Dekker & the Aces “The Israelites” (1969)
  149. Neil Diamond “Holly Holy” (1969)
  150. Neil Diamond “I Am...I Said” (1971)

  151. Dion “Runaround Sue” (1961)
  152. Fats Domino “Ain’t That a Shame (aka ‘Ain’t It a Shame’)” (1955)
  153. Fats Domino “I’m Walkin’” (1957)
  154. Fats Domino “Walking to New Orleans” (1960)
  155. The Doobie Brothers “What a Fool Believes” (1978)
  156. The Doors “Light My Fire” (1967)
  157. The Dramatics “Whatcha See Is Whatcha Get” (1971)
  158. The Drifters “Save the Last Dance for Me” (1960)
  159. The Drifters “This Magic Moment” (1960)
  160. The Drifters “Up on the Roof” (1962)

  161. The Drifters “On Broadway” (1963)
  162. The Drifters “Under the Boardwalk” (1964)
  163. Bob Dylan “Like a Rolling Stone” (1965)
  164. Bob Dylan “Subterranean Homesick Blues” (1965)
  165. Bob Dylan “Lay Lady Lay” (1969)
  166. Eagles “Hotel California” (1976)
  167. Earth, Wind & Fire “That’s the Way of the World” (1975)
  168. The Easybeats “Friday on My Mind” (1966)
  169. Tommy Edwards “It’s All in the Game” (1951)
  170. Eurythmics “Would I Lie to You?” (1985)

  171. The Everly Brothers “Bye Bye Love” (1957)
  172. The Everly Brothers “Cathy’s Clown” (1960)
  173. The Faces “Stay with Me” (1971)
  174. Percy Faith “A Summer Place (Theme from)” (1960)
  175. The Flamingos “I Only Have Eyes for You” (1959)
  176. Fleetwood Mac “Over My Head” (1975)
  177. Frankie Ford “Sea Cruise” (1959)
  178. Foreigner “I Want to Know What Love Is” (1984)
  179. The Foundations “Build Me Up Buttercup” (1969)
  180. The Four Seasons “Walk Like a Man” (1963)

  181. The Four Seasons “Let’s Hang On” (1965)
  182. The Four Seasons “Working My Way Back to You” (1966)
  183. Four Tops “Baby I Need Your Loving” (1964)
  184. Four Tops “I Can’t Help Myself (Sugar Pie, Honey Bunch)” (1965)
  185. Four Tops “It’s the Same Old Song” (1965)
  186. Four Tops “Reach Out (I’ll Be There)” (1966)
  187. Four Tops “Standing in the Shadows of Love” (1966)
  188. Four Tops “Bernadette” (1967)
  189. Aretha Franklin “Respect” (1967)
  190. Aretha Franklin “You Make Me Feel Like a Natural Woman” (1967)

  191. Aretha Franklin “Chain of Fools” (1967)
  192. Aretha Franklin “I Never Loved a Man the Way I Love You” (1967)
  193. Aretha Franklin “I Say a Little Prayer” (1968)
  194. Aretha Franklin “Think” (1968)
  195. Aretha Franklin “Sweet Sweet Baby, Since You’ve Been Gone” (1968)
  196. Aretha Franklin “Don’t Play That Song” (1970)
  197. Aretha Franklin “Rock Steady” (1971)
  198. Aretha Franklin “Until You Come Back to Me That’s What I’m Gonna Do” (1973)
  199. Funkadelic “One Nation Under a Groove” (1978)
  200. Peter Gabriel “In Your Eyes” (1986)

  201. Marvin Gaye “Can I Get a Witness” (1963)
  202. Marvin Gaye “How Sweet It Is to Be Loved by You” (1964)
  203. Marvin Gaye “I Heard It Through the Grapevine” (1968)
  204. Marvin Gaye & Tammi Terrell “Ain’t Nothing Like the Real Thing” (1968)
  205. Marvin Gaye “What’s Going On” (1971)
  206. Marvin Gaye “Inner City Blues (Make Me Wanna Holler)” (1971)
  207. Marvin Gaye & Tammi Terrell “You’re All I Need to Get By “ (1971)
  208. Marvin Gaye “Sexual Healing” (1982)
  209. Gerry & The Pacemakers “Don’t Let the Sun Catch You Crying” (1964)
  210. Gerry & The Pacemakers “Ferry Cross the Mersey” (1965)

  211. Stan Getz & Astrud Gilberto “The Girl from Ipanema” (1964)
  212. The Grass Roots “Let’s Live for Today” (1967)
  213. The Grass Roots “Midnight Confessions” (1968)
  214. The Grass Roots “Temptation Eyes” (1971)
  215. Dobie Gray “The In Crowd” (1965)
  216. Dobie Gray “Drift Away” (1973)
  217. Al Green “Let’s Stay Together” (1971)
  218. Al Green “Tired of Being Alone” (1971)
  219. Al Green “I’m Still in Love with You” (1972)
  220. Al Green “You Ought to Be with Me” (1972)

  221. Al Green “Call Me (Come Back Home)” (1973)
  222. Al Green “L-O-V-E” (1975)
  223. Richard Harris “MacArthur Park” (1968)
  224. Isaac Hayes “Shaft (Theme from)” (1971)
  225. The Jimi Hendrix Experience “All Along the Watchtower” (1968)
  226. Don Henley “The Boys of Summer” (1984)
  227. Don Henley “Heart of the Matter” (1989)
  228. Clarence "Frogman" Henry “Ain’t Got No Home” (1957)
  229. Herman’s Hermits “Listen People” (1966)
  230. Herman’s Hermits “There’s a Kind of Hush” (1967)

  231. The Hollies “Bus Stop” (1966)
  232. The Hollies “Carrie-Anne” (1967)
  233. The Hollies “He Ain’t Heavy He’s My Brother” (1969)
  234. Buddy Holly & the Crickets “That’ll Be the Day” (1957)
  235. Buddy Holly & the Crickets “Peggy Sue” (1957)
  236. The Human Beinz “Nobody But Me” (1967)
  237. Janis Ian “Society’s Child (Baby I’ve Been Thinking)” (1967)
  238. The Impressions featuring Jerry Butler “For Your Precious Love” (1958)
  239. Chris Isaak “Wicked Game” (1989)
  240. The Jackson 5 “I Want You Back” (1969)

  241. The Jackson 5 “I’ll Be There” (1970)
  242. The Jackson 5 “ABC” (1970)
  243. The Jackson 5 “The Love You Save” (1970)
  244. The Jackson 5 “Never Can Say Goodbye” (1971)
  245. Michael Jackson “Got to Be There” (1971)
  246. Michael Jackson “Don’t Stop ‘Til You Get Enough” (1979)
  247. Michael Jackson “Billie Jean” (1982)
  248. Tommy James & the Shondells “Crimson and Clover” (1968)
  249. Jesus Jones “Right Here Right Now” (1991)
  250. Billy Joel “The River of Dreams” (1993)

  251. Elton John “Your Song” (1970)
  252. Elton John “Levon” (1972)
  253. Elton John “Someone Saved My Life Tonight” (1975)
  254. Elton John “Blue Eyes” (1982)
  255. Elton John “Empty Garden” (1982)
  256. Elton John “Sacrifice” (1989)
  257. Little Willie John “Fever” (1956)
  258. Tom Jones “It’s Not Unusual “ (1965)
  259. Bert Kaempfert “Red Roses for a Blue Lady” (1965)
  260. Ernie K-Doe “Mother-in-Law” (1961)

  261. Ben E. King “Spanish Harlem” (1960)
  262. Ben E. King “Stand by Me” (1961)
  263. The Kinks “You Really Got Me” (1964)
  264. The Kinks “Lola” (1970)
  265. The Kinks “Don’t Forget to Dance” (1983)
  266. Led Zeppelin “Black Dog” (1971)
  267. Brenda Lee “Break It to Me Gently” (1962)
  268. The Left Banke “Walk Away Renee” (1966)
  269. John Lennon “Instant Karma (We All Shine On)” (1970)
  270. John Lennon “Imagine” (1971)

  271. John Lennon “Number Nine (#9) Dream” (1974)
  272. Annie Lennox “Why” (1992)
  273. Barbara Lewis “Hello Stranger” (1963)
  274. Jerry Lee Lewis “Great Balls of Fire” (1957)
  275. Jerry Lee Lewis “Whole Lotta Shakin’ Going On” (1957)
  276. Little Richard “Tutti Frutti” (1955)
  277. Little Richard “Long Tall Sally” (1956)
  278. Little Richard “Good Golly Miss Molly” (1958)
  279. Living Colour “Cult of Personality” (1988)
  280. The Lovin’ Spoonful “Do You Believe in Magic” (1965)

  281. The Lovin’ Spoonful “You Didn’t Have to Be So Nice” (1965)
  282. The Lovin’ Spoonful “Summer in the City” (1966)
  283. The Lovin’ Spoonful “Darling Be Home Soon” (1967)
  284. Lulu “To Sir with Love” (1967)
  285. Gloria Lynne “I Wish You Love” (1964)
  286. Madonna “Crazy for You” (1985)
  287. The Mamas & the Papas “I Saw Her Again” (1966)
  288. The Manhattans “Kiss and Say Goodbye” (1976)
  289. Martha & the Vandellas “Heat Wave” (1963)
  290. Martha & the Vandellas “Dancing in the Street” (1964)

  291. Martha & the Vandellas “Jimmy Mack” (1967)
  292. The Marvelettes “Please Mr. Postman” (1961)
  293. Johnny Mathis “It’s Not for Me to Say” (1957)
  294. Johnny Mathis “Wonderful Wonderful!” (1957)
  295. Johnny Mathis “Misty” (1959)
  296. Paul & Linda McCartney “Uncle Albert/Admiral Halsey” (1971)
  297. Clyde McPhatter “A Lover’s Question” (1958)
  298. Melanie “Lay Down (Candles in the Rain)” (1970)
  299. John Cougar Mellencamp “Pink Houses” (1983)
  300. Lee Michaels “Do You Know What I Mean?” (1971)

  301. The Miracles “Shop Around” (1960)
  302. The Miracles “You’ve Really Got a Hold on Me” (1962)
  303. The Miracles “The Tracks of My Tears” (1965)
  304. The Miracles “Ooo Baby Baby” (1965)
  305. The Miracles “The Tears of a Clown” (1967)
  306. The Miracles “I Second That Emotion” (1967)
  307. Guy Mitchell “Singing the Blues” (1956)
  308. Domenico Modugno “Volare (Nel Blu Dipinto Di Blue)” (1958)
  309. The Monkees “I’m a Believer” (1966)
  310. The Monkees “Last Train to Clarksville” (1966)

  311. The Monkees “I’m Not Your Steppin’ Stone” (1966)
  312. The Monkees “Daydream Believer” (1967)
  313. The Monkees “Pleasant Valley Sunday” (1967)
  314. The Monkees “A Little Bit Me, a Little Bit You” (1967)
  315. Van Morrison “Brown-Eyed Girl” (1967)
  316. Van Morrison “Domino” (1970)
  317. Van Morrison “Wild Night” (1971)
  318. Willie Nelson “Blue Eyes Crying in the Rain” (1975)
  319. Aaron Neville “Tell It Like It Is” (1966)
  320. Harry Nilsson “Everybody’s Talkin’” (1968)

  321. Nirvana “Smells Like Teen Spirit” (1991)
  322. Sinéad O’Connor “Nothing Compares 2 U” (1990)
  323. The O’Jays “Back Stabbers” (1972)
  324. Roy Orbison “Only the Lonely” (1960)
  325. Roy Orbison “Crying” (1961)
  326. Roy Orbison “In Dreams” (1963)
  327. Roy Orbison “Oh Pretty Woman” (1964)
  328. Tony Orlando & Dawn “Candida” (1970)
  329. Outsiders “Time Won’t Let Me” (1966)
  330. Freda Payne “Band of Gold” (1970)

  331. Ann Peebles “I Can’t Stand the Rain” (1973)
  332. Michael Penn “No Myth” (1989)
  333. Phil Phillips & the Twilights “Sea of Love” (1959)
  334. Wilson Pickett “In the Midnight Hour” (1965)
  335. Wilson Pickett “Mustang Sally” (1966)
  336. The Platters “Smoke Gets in Your Eyes” (1958)
  337. PM Dawn “I’d Die Without You” (1992)
  338. The Police “Every Little Thing She Does Is Magic” (1981)
  339. The Police “Every Breath You Take” (1983)
  340. Elvis Presley “Heartbreak Hotel” (1956)

  341. Elvis Presley “Don’t Be Cruel” (1956)
  342. Elvis Presley “My Baby Left Me” (1956)
  343. Elvis Presley “Jailhouse Rock” (1957)
  344. Elvis Presley “One Night “ (1958)
  345. Elvis Presley “Are You Lonesome Tonight?” (1960)
  346. Elvis Presley “Suspicious Minds” (1969)
  347. Pretenders “Brass in Pocket (I’m Special) “ (1979)
  348. Prince “Little Red Corvette” (1982)
  349. Prince & the Revolution “Purple Rain” (1984)
  350. Procol Harum “A Whiter Shade of Pale” (1967)

  351. ? & The Mysterians “96 Tears” (1966)
  352. The Young Rascals “Groovin’” (1967)
  353. The Rascals “How Can I Be Sure” (1967)
  354. The Rascals “A Beautiful Morning” (1968)
  355. Otis Redding “Try a Little Tenderness” (1966)
  356. Otis Redding “Sittin’ on the Dock of the Bay” (1968)
  357. Lou Reed “Walk on the Wild Side” (1972)
  358. R.E.M. “The One I Love” (1987)
  359. R.E.M. “Losing My Religion” (1991)
  360. Paul Revere & the Raiders “Kicks” (1966)

  361. The Righteous Brothers “You’ve Lost That Lovin’ Feelin’” (1964)
  362. The Righteous Brothers “Unchained Melody” (1965)
  363. The Righteous Brothers “You’re My Soul and Inspiration” (1966)
  364. Smokey Robinson “Cruisin’” (1979)
  365. The Rolling Stones “I Can’t Get No Satisfaction” (1965)
  366. The Rolling Stones “Get Off of My Cloud” (1965)
  367. The Rolling Stones “The Last Time” (1965)
  368. The Rolling Stones “Paint It Black” (1966)
  369. The Rolling Stones “19th Nervous Breakdown” (1966)
  370. The Rolling Stones “Mother’s Little Helper” (1966)

  371. The Rolling Stones “Lady Jane” (1966)
  372. The Rolling Stones “Ruby Tuesday” (1967)
  373. The Rolling Stones “She’s a Rainbow” (1967)
  374. The Rolling Stones “Dandelion” (1967)
  375. The Rolling Stones “Jumpin’ Jack Flash” (1968)
  376. The Rolling Stones “Honky Tonk Women” (1969)
  377. The Rolling Stones “Brown Sugar” (1971)
  378. The Rolling Stones “Wild Horses” (1971)
  379. The Rolling Stones “Happy” (1972)
  380. The Rolling Stones “Tumbling Dice” (1972)

  381. The Ronettes “Be My Baby” (1963)
  382. The Ronettes “Baby I Love You” (1963)
  383. Diana Ross “Ain’t No Mountain High Enough” (1970)
  384. Ruby & the Romantics “Our Day Will Come” (1963)
  385. Merrilee Rush & the Turnabouts “Angel of the Morning” (1968)
  386. Salt-N-Pepa with En Vogue “Whatta Man” (1994)
  387. Boz Scaggs “Lowdown” (1976)
  388. Seal “Crazy” (1990)
  389. The Searchers “Needles and Pins” (1964)
  390. Bob Seger & the Silver Bullet Band “Night Moves” (1976)

  391. The Shangri-La’s “Leader of the Pack” (1964)
  392. The Shangri-La’s “Remember Walking in the Sand” (1964)
  393. The Shangri-La’s “Give Him a Great Big Kiss” (1964)
  394. Del Shannon “Runaway” (1961)
  395. The Shirelles “Will You Love Me Tomorrow” (1960)
  396. The Silhouettes “Get a Job” (1958)
  397. Carly Simon “You’re So Vain” (1972)
  398. Simon & Garfunkel “The Dangling Conversation” (1966)
  399. Simon & Garfunkel “Mrs. Robinson” (1968)
  400. Simon & Garfunkel “The Boxer” (1969)

  401. Frank Sinatra “All the Way” (1957)
  402. Frank Sinatra “Witchcraft” (1958)
  403. Frank Sinatra “Summer Wind” (1966)
  404. Frank Sinatra & Nancy Sinatra “Somethin’ Stupid” (1967)
  405. Nancy Sinatra “These Boots Are Made for Walkin’” (1966)
  406. The Skyliners “Since I Don’t Have You” (1959)
  407. Percy Sledge “When a Man Loves a Woman” (1966)
  408. Sly & the Family Stone “Everyday People” (1968)
  409. Sly & the Family Stone “Thank You Falettinme Be Mice Elf Agin” (1969)
  410. Sly & the Family Stone “Hot Fun in the Summertime” (1969)

  411. Sly & the Family Stone “Family Affair” (1971)
  412. Sly & The Family Stone “Everybody Is a Star” (1970)
  413. Sonny & Cher “I Got You Babe” (1965)
  414. Spanky and Our Gang “Sunday Will Never Be the Same” (1967)
  415. Dusty Springfield “I Only Want to Be with You” (1964)
  416. Dusty Springfield “You Don’t Have to Say You Love Me” (1966)
  417. Dusty Springfield “Son of a Preacher Man” (1968)
  418. Bruce Springsteen “Born to Run” (1975)
  419. Bruce Springsteen “Born in the U.S.A.” (1984)
  420. Bruce Springsteen “Dancing in the Dark” (1984)

  421. Bruce Springsteen “I’m on Fire” (1984)
  422. Bruce Springsteen “Streets of Philadelphia” (1994)
  423. Terry Stafford “Suspicion” (1964)
  424. The Standells “Dirty Water” (1966)
  425. The Staple Singers “Respect Yourself” (1971)
  426. The Staple Singers “I’ll Take You There” (1972)
  427. Ringo Starr “It Don’t Come Easy” (1971)
  428. Steely Dan “Reeling in the Years” (1972)
  429. Steely Dan “Rikki Don’t Lost That Number” (1974)
  430. Steely Dan “Deacon Blues” (1977)

  431. Steppenwolf “Born to Be Wild” (1968)
  432. Steppenwolf “Magic Carpet Ride” (1968)
  433. Rod Stewart “Maggie May” (1971)
  434. The Supremes “Where Did Our Love Go” (1964)
  435. The Supremes “Baby Love” (1964)
  436. The Supremes “Back in My Arms Again” (1965)
  437. The Supremes “Stop! In the Name of Love” (1965)
  438. The Supremes “I Hear a Symphony” (1965)
  439. The Supremes “You Can’t Hurry Love” (1966)
  440. The Supremes “You Keep Me Hangin’ On” (1966)

  441. The Supremes “My World Is Empty Without You” (1966)
  442. The Supremes “Love Child” (1968)
  443. The Supremes & the Temptations “I’m Gonna Make You Love Me” (1968)
  444. The Supremes “Someday We’ll Be Together” (1969)
  445. The Syndicate of Sound “Little Girl” (1966)
  446. Talking Heads “Take Me to the River” (1978)
  447. Tears for Fears “Everybody Wants to Rule the World” (1985)
  448. The Temptations “My Girl” (1964)
  449. The Temptations “The Way You Do the Things You Do” (1964)
  450. The Temptations “Ain’t Too Proud to Beg” (1966)

  451. The Temptations “I Know I’m Losing You” (1966)
  452. The Temptations “I Wish It Would Rain” (1967)
  453. The Temptations “Ball of Confusion (That’s the World Is Today)” (1970)
  454. The Temptations “Just My Imagination Running Away with Me” (1971)
  455. The Temptations “Papa Was a Rollin’ Stone” (1972)
  456. 10cc “I’m Not in Love” (1975)
  457. Them “Mystic Eyes” (1965)
  458. B.J. Thomas “Hooked on a Feeling” (1968)
  459. Irma Thomas “Wish Someone Would Care” (1964)
  460. Thunderclap Newman “Something in the Air” (1969)

  461. Til Tuesday “Voices Carry” (1985)
  462. The Tokens “The Lion Sleeps Tonight (Wimoweh)” (1961)
  463. The Tornadoes “Telstar” (1962)
  464. The Toys “A Lover’s Concerto” (1965)
  465. T-Rex “Bang a Gong (Get It On)” (1971)
  466. The Turtles “Happy Together” (1967)
  467. The Turtles “She’d Rather Be with Me” (1967)
  468. The Turtles “Elenore” (1968)
  469. U2 “With or Without You” (1987)
  470. U2 “One” (1991)

  471. UB40 “Red Red Wine” (1983)
  472. Ritchie Valens “La Bamba” (1958)
  473. Frankie Valli “Can’t Take My Eyes Off of You” (1967)
  474. Junior Walker & the All-Stars “Shotgun” (1965)
  475. Junior Walker & the All-Stars “What Does It Take to Win Your Love” (1969)
  476. War “Low Rider” (1975)
  477. Dionne Warwick “Don’t Make Me Over” (1962)
  478. Dionne Warwick “Anyone Who Had a Heart” (1963)
  479. Dionne Warwick “Walk on By” (1964)
  480. Dionne Warwick “Trains and Boats and Planes” (1966)

  481. Dionne Warwick “Alfie” (1967)
  482. Dinah Washington “What a Diff’rence a Day Makes” (1959)
  483. Mary Wells “My Guy” (1964)
  484. The Who “Won’t Get Fooled Again” (1971)
  485. The Who “Behind Blue Eyes” (1971)
  486. Andy Williams “Can’t Get Used to Losing You” (1963)
  487. Jackie Wilson “Lonely Teardrops” (1958)
  488. Jackie Wilson “Doggin’ Around” (1960)
  489. Steve Winwood “While You See a Chance” (1981)
  490. Stevie Wonder “Uptight (Everything’s Alright)” (1965)

  491. Stevie Wonder “I Was Made to Love Her” (1967)
  492. Stevie Wonder “Signed, Sealed, Delivered, I’m Yours” (1970)
  493. Stevie Wonder “Superstition” (1972)
  494. Stevie Wonder “Don’t You Worry ‘Bout a Thing” (1974)
  495. Stevie Wonder “I Wish” (1976)
  496. World Party “Ship of Fools” (1987)
  497. Gary Wright “Love Is Alive” (1976)
  498. The Zombies “Time of the Season” (1968)

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    First posted 4/22/2025.

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Ace Collins: Top 100+ Country Songs

Ace Collins:

Top 100+ Country Songs

As Collins explains in the introduction of his book, The Stories Behind Country Music’s All-Time Greatest 100 Songs, “these are not necessarily the best one hundred or the one hundred records with the highest sales…What we have tried to do is look at the history of country music and choose the songs which were the most important.” The songs are not ranked, but listed chronologically. Also, instead of identifying specific recordings, the songs are identified with the writers. I’ve also made some minor corrections where all the writers weren’t credited and the song’s date was listed as later than its original publishing date.

Finally, this list actually includes 104 songs. “I’m Thinking Tonight of My Blue Eyes,” “The Great Speckled Bird,” “The Wild Side of Life,” and “It Wasn’t God Who Made Honky Tonk Angels” were also listed as one entry. Also, “Blue Christmas” is listed as a “holiday bonus” track. I’ve reworked the list so that these titles are where they belong chronologically.

Click here to see other lists from critics and individuals and here to see other lists from publications and/or organizations

1. J.A. Roff, adapted by A.P. Carter “Wabash Cannonball” (1882)
2. Wallace Saunders “Casey Jones” (1910)
3. Guy Massey “The Prisoner’s Song” (1925)
4. A.P. Carter “Wildwood Flower” (1928)
5. Jimmie Rodgers “Blue Yodel #1 (T for Texas)” (1928)
6. Jimmie Rodgers “In the Jailhouse Now” (1928)
7. Irving Mills and Cliff Friend “Lovesick Blues” (1928)
8. Guy Massey, adapted by A.P. Carter “I’m Thinking Tonight of My Blue Eyes” (1929)
9. Bob Nolan “Tumbling Tumbleweeds” (1934)
10. Gene Autry and Jimmy Long “That Silver-Haired Daddy of Mine” (1935)

11. A.P. Carter (adapted by), Ada Habersoln, Charles Gabriel “Can the Circle Be Unbroken (By and By)” (1935)
12. Ervin T. Rouse “Orange Blossom Special” (1936)
13. Adapted by Reverend Guy Smith “The Great Speckled Bird” (1938) 14. Bob Wills “San Antonio Rose” (1938)
15. Jimmie Davis and Charles Mitchell, based on a song by Paul Rice “You Are My Sunshine” (1940)
16. Ernest Tubb “Walking the Floor Over You” (1941)
17. Ted Daffan “Born to Lose” (1943)
18. Zeke Clements and Earl Nunn “Smoke on the Water” (1944)
19. Spade Cooley “Shame on You” (1946)
20. Merle Travis “Sixteen Tons” (1946)

21. Steve Nelson and Bob Hilliard “Bouquet of Roses” (1948)
22. Hal Blair, Eddie Dean, and Darest Dean “One Has My Name, the Other Has My Heart” (1948)
23. Pee Wee King and Redd Stewart “Tennessee Waltz” (1948)
24. Hank Williams “I’m So Lonesome I Could Cry” (1949)
25. Floyd Tillman “Slipping Around” (1949)
26. George Morgan “Candy Kisses” (1949)
27. Bob Wills and John Wills “Faded Love” (1950)
28. Hank Snow “I’m Movin’ On” (1950)
29. Lefty Frizzell and Jim Beck “If You’ve Got the Money, I’ve Got the Time” (1950)
30. Jay Johnson and Billy Hayes “I’ll Have a Blue Christmas Without You” (1950)

31. Hank Williams “Cold, Cold Heart” (1951)
32. Ned Washington and Dimitri Tiomkin “High Noon (Do Not Forsake Me, Oh My Darlin’)” (1952)
33. Arlie Carter and William Warren “The Wild Side of Life” (1952)
34. J.D. “Jay” Miller “It Wasn’t God Who Made Honky Tonk Angels” (1952)
35. Hank Williams “Your Cheatin’ Heart” (1953)
36. Audrey Grisham, Mary Jean Schurz, and Russ Hall “There Stands the Glass” (1953)
37. Don Robertson and Jack Rollins “I Don’t Hurt Anymore” (1954)
38. Jimmy Work “Making Believe” (1955)
39. Red Hayes and Jack Rhodes “Satisfied Mind” (1955)
40. Stan Kester “I Forgot to Remember to Forget” (1955)

41. Melvin Endlsey “Singing the Blues” (1956)
42. Don Gibson “Sweet Dreams” (1956)
43. Johnny Cash “Folsom Prison Blues” (1956)
44. Ralph Mooney and Charles Seals “Crazy Arms” (1956)
45. Carole Joyner and Rick Cartey “Young Love” (1956)
46. Boudleaux Bryant and Felice Bryant “Bye Bye Love” (1957)
47. Otis Blackwell “Great Balls of Fire” (1957)
48. Harlan Howard “Pick Me Up on Your Way Down” (1958)
49. Bill Anderson “City Lights” (1958)
50. Harland Howard “Heartaches by the Number” (1959)

51. Jimmy Driftwood “The Battle of New Orleans” (1959)
52. Marty Robbins “El Paso” (1959)
53. Willie Nelson, Walt Breeland, and Paul Buskirk “The Night Life” (1959)
54. Joe Allison and Audrey Allison “He’ll Have to Go” (1960)
55. Don Robertson and Hal Blair “Please Help Me, I’m Falling” (1960)
56. Bill Anderson “Tips of My Fingers” (1960)
57. Don Gibson “I’d Be a Legend in My Time” (1960)
58. Harland Howard and Hank Cochran “I Fall to Pieces” (1961)
59. Kendall Hayes and Gary Walker “Walk on By” (1961)
60. Floyd Cramer, Boudleaux Bryant, and Skeeter Davis “Last Date” (1961)

61. Willie Nelson “Hello Walls” (1961)
62. Mel Tillis “Heart Over Mind” (1961)
63. Merle Kilgore and Claude King “Wolverton Mountain” (1962)
64. Willie Nelson “Crazy” (1962)
65. Hank Cochran “She’s Got You” (1962)
66. Penny Jay “Don’t Let Me Cross Over” (1962)
67. Earl Greene and Carl Montgomery “Six Days on the Road” (1963)
68. Danny Dill and Mel Tillis “Detroit City” (1963)
69. Johnny Russell and Vonei Morrison “Act Naturally” (1963)
70. Buck Owens “Together Again” (1964)

71. Bill Anderson “Once a Day” (1964)
72. Roger Miller “King of the Road” (1965)
73. Dallas Frazier “There Goes My Everything” (1965)
74. Hank Cochran “Don’t Touch Me” (1966)
75. Lewis DeWitt “Flowers on the Wall” (1966)
76. Loretta Lynn “You Ain’t Woman Enough to Take My Man” (1966)
77. Merle Haggard “Mama Tried” (1968)
78. Tammy Wynette and Billy Sherrill “Stand by Your Man” (1968)
79. Merle Haggard “Okie from Muskogee” (1969)
80. Jan Crutchfield “Statue of a Fool” (1969)

81. Joe South “I Never Promised You a Rose Garden” (1970)
82. Conway Twitty “Hello Darlin’” (1970)
83. Kris Kristofferson “Help Me Make It Through the Night” (1971)
84. Ben Peters “Kiss an Angel Good Mornin’” (1971)
85. Tom T. Hall “The Year That Clayton Delaney Died” (1971)
86. Alex Harvey and Larry Collins “Delta Dawn” (1972)
87. Joe Allen “The Midnight Oil” (1973)
88. Dolly Parton “I Will Always Love You” (1974)
89. Paul Fraser and Terry Stafford “Amarillo by Morning” (1974)
90. Vivian Keith and Ben Peters “Before the Next Teardrop Falls” (1975)

91. Ed Bruce and Patsy Bruce “Mammas, Don’t Let Your Babies Grow Up to Be Cowboys” (1978)
92. Charlie Daniels, Tom Crain, Taz Digregorio, Fred Edwards, Charlie Hayward, and Jim Marshall “The Devil Went Down to Georgia” (1979)
93. Bobby Braddock and Curly Putman “He Stopped Loving Her Today” (1980)
94. Bob Morrison, Wanda Mallette, and Patti Ryan “Looking for Love” (1980)
95. Randy Owen “Tennessee River” (1980)
96. Kenny O’Dell “Mama He’s Crazy” (1984)
97. Bill Monroe “Uncle Pen” (1984)
98. Paul Overstreet and Don Schlitz “Forever and Ever, Amen” (1987)
99. Paul Overstreet and Don Schlitz “When You Say Nothing at All” (1988)
100. Hank Williams, Jr. “Are You Ready for Some Football?” (1989)

101. Vince Gill and Tim DuBois “When I Call Your Name” (1990)
102. DeWayne Blackwell and Earl “Bud” Lee “Friends in Low Places” (1990)
103. Alan Jackson, Roger Murra, and Keith Stegall “Don’t Rock the Jukebox” (1991)
104. Susan Longrace and Rick Giles “Is There Life Out There” (1992)

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First posted 8/25/2022; last updated 8/26/2022.

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Thursday, December 12, 1996

On This Day (1896): Dan Quinn “A Hot Time in the Old Town” hit #1

A Hot Time in the Old Town

Dan Quinn

Writer(s): Theodore August Metz (music), Joe Hayden (words) (see lyrics here)

First Charted: December 12, 1896

Peak: 17 PM (Click for codes to charts.)

Sales (in millions): --

Airplay/Streaming (in millions): -- radio, 0.03 video, -- streaming

Awards (Quinn):

Click on award for more details.

Awards (Spencer):

.

Awards (Gaskin):

.

About the Song:

August Metz was a German-born musician with the McIntyre and Heath Minstrels. Legend says the group were arriving by train in Old Town, Louisiana and Metz saw children starting a fire near the tracks. One of the members of the troupe said “there’ll be a hot time in old town tonight” and Metz wrote it down. The next day he wrote a march using the phrase for the title and the Heath Minstrels ended up using in in their street parades. WM

It has been suggested that Metz heard a singer named Mama Lou sing “Hot Time” at the Castle, Babe Connor’s brothel in St. Louis, Missouri in 1893. WK However, it seems more likely that she helped popularize the song since the train story suggests the song was written as far back as 1886. SS

Then again, it was an instrumental piece for several years before Joe Hayden, a singer in the minstrel company, added lyrics at Metz’ request. SS so is it possible Mama Lou had words to it before Hayden? It was published in February 1896 as “In Old Town To-Night” and copyrighted in July as “A Hot Time in Old Town Tonight.” SS It has also been called “There’ll Be a Hot Time in the Old Town Tonight.” It “became popular with minstrel shows everywhere.” WM

The title “There’ll Be a Hot Time in the Old Town Tonight” was referenced on December 31, 1891 in the Kansas newspaper the Salina Herald. The article described a fire in a Chicago Hotel where the last notes played on an organ were “Hot Time.” WK There’s yet another story that in Centralia, Wisconsin on March 8, 1890, a piece was published in The Centralia Enterprise and Tribune of Centralia with quotations around the phrase “there will be a hot time in the old town tonight,” which suggested that it was an already familiar phrase in pop culture. WK

Three versions of the song charted in 1896 and ’97. Dan Quinn and Len Spencer both reached #1 while George J. Gaskin peaked at #2. They were considered the top three vocal recording stars of the 1890s PM with Quinn being #1. His version of the song was the most successful, giving him his 11th of 16 chart-toppers. Over his 20-year career, he recorded around 2500 titles. PM

It became sort of the theme for the Spanish-American War, accompanying future president Teddy Roosevelt’s Rough Riders in their charge up San Juan Hill. SS An instrumental version of the song is featured in the 1927 stage and 1936 film versions of the musical Show Boat. When the Looney Tunes cartoon series launched in 1930, “Hot Time” was the original theme song. Mae West performed it in the 1936 film Klondike Annie and it was featured in 1941’s Citizen Kane 1962’s The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance, and 2021’s The Power of the Dog. The Joker sings the title in a scene from 1989’s Batman. It shows up again in Batman Returns when Catwoman refers to the title. WK

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First posted 9/5/2023.

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Saturday, December 7, 1996

No Doubt's "Don't Speak" toppped airplay chart for first of 16 weeks

Don’t Speak

No Doubt

Writer(s):Gwen Stefani/Eric Stefani (see lyrics here)

Released: April 15, 1996

First Charted: October 19, 1996

Peak: 116a US, 19 RR, 6 AC, 114 A40, 12 AA, 2 MR, 13 UK, 12 CN, 18 AU, 1 DF (Click for codes to charts.)

Sales (in millions): 3.0 US, 1.12 UK, 5.36 world (includes US + UK)

Airplay/Streaming (in millions): 0.9 radio, 1198.34 video, 820.92 streaming

Awards:

Click on award for more details.

About the Song:

“Don’t Speak” is one of the biggest #1 pop songs in history, but it never hit the Billboard Hot 100. During the ‘90s, record companies often held radio songs back from release to push album sales instead. While Billboard did track airplay, they didn’t permit songs without a physical single release to chart on the Hot 100. With 16 weeks on the airplay chart, the only song on one of Billboard’s pop charts to spend more weeks at #1 is 1947’s “Near You” by Francis Craig. The song did top the charts in more than a dozen countries including Australia, Canada, and the United Kingdom. It was also nominated for a Grammy for Song of the Year. WK

No Doubt had previously released two albums which had gone largely unnoticed before 1995’s Tragic Kingdom. Top-ten alternative rock hits “Just a Girl” and “Spiderwebs” finally put the spotlight on the band; “Don’t Speak” propelled the album to the top of the Billboard album chart for nine weeks.

According to Tom Dumont, the band’s guitarist, the original version of “Don’t Speak” was written primarily by Eric Stefani, a former band member, as a love song. WK Gwen Stefani, his sister and lead singer of the band, changed the lyrics almost completely after her breakup with bandmate Tony Kanal. WK As she said, “It used to be more upbeat, more of a seventies rock-type thing. [When] Tony and I broke up…it turned into a sad song.” WK

The video put a different twist on the song by turning it into a commentary on the media attention given to Gwen. During the video, the rest of the band appear upset and shoot dirty looks at her. Kanal said, “We didn’t want it to be about a normal breakup. So we thought, ‘What would be the saddst thing that could happen? The band splitting up?’ So that’s what the video’s about.” SF

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First posted 1/22/2020; last updated 1/14/2025.

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