Destiny’s Child spend 11th week at #1 with “Independent Women”

Independent Women Destiny’s Child

Writer(s): Beyoncé Knowles, Cory Rooney, Samuel Barnes, Jean-Claude Olivier (see lyrics here) Released: September 4, 2000 First Charted: September 16, 2000 Peak: 111 US, 6 GR, 17 RR, 13 RB, 11 UK, 7 CN, 3 AU, 12 DF (Click for codes to charts.) Sales (in millions): 1.0 US, 0.6 UK, 1.74 world (includes US + UK) Airplay/Streaming (in millions): -- radio, 56.9 video, 227.24 streaming

Awards: Click on award for more details.

About the Song: Destiny’s Child, “a Supremes for the 21st century,” TB ironically had their greatest success at the time of their greatest upheaval. With Beyoncé Knowles becoming the obvious Diana Ross-style leader, the rotating cast behind her mattered little. This was the group’s first single to feature new member Michelle Williams on vocals. It also was the first appearance on a single for Farrah Franklin, but she had been jettisoned from the group by the time the video was filmed. WK The song was the biggest of Destiny Child’s career and spent more weeks atop the Billboard charts than any other soundtrack song in history up to that point. SF The song was also listed in the 2001 edition of the Guinness Book of World Records as the longest-running song by a female group. WK “Women” began life as a solo recording from Beyoncé. After an argument with her boyfriend, she recorded this declaration of female independence. She re-recorded it with her bandmates when Columbia Studios asked for the song’s inclusion in a new Charlie’s Angels movie. They changed some words, even mentioning the film’s stars Drew Barrymore, Cameron Diaz, and Lucy Liu in the lyrics. SF In the video, the band members took on the roles of the three Charlie’s Angels. SF “Part 1” was added in brackets to distinguish this version from the different version (that became “Part 2”) that appeared on the group’s album Survivor. SF “Part 2” was a bit slower and sported some different lyrics as well as “space-age sound effects.” TB “Part 2” was the original song and then the Pasadena remix became the single version and got moved to “Part 1” status. WK Resources: DMDB Encyclopedia entry for Destiny’s Child SF Songfacts TB Thunder Bay Press (2006). Singles: Six Decades of Hot Hits & Classic Cuts. Outline Press Ltd.: San Diego, CA. Page 291. WK Wikipedia First posted 1/12/2019; last updated 3/22/2023.

Today in Music (1901): Albert Campbell hit #1 with "Ma Blushin' Rosie"

Ma Blushin’ Rosie Albert Campbell

Writer(s): Edgar Smith (words), John Stromberg (music) (see lyrics here) First Charted: December 29, 1900 Peak: 17 PM, 3 GA (Click for codes to charts.) Sales (in millions): -- Airplay/Streaming (in millions): -- radio, -- video, -- streaming

Awards: Click on award for more details.

About the Song: Albert Campbell was a member of the hugely successful Peerless Quartet, which yielded six #1 hits including “Let Me Call You Sweetheart” and “I Didn’t Raise My Boy to Be a Soldier.” From 1904 to 1924, that group charted more than 100 hits. The quartet also gave Campbell a valuable duet partner in Henry Burr. They had their first chart hit in 1911 and charted 48 hits through 1925, including #1 hits like “Till We Meet Again,” “I’m Forever Blowing Bubbles,” “The Trail of the Lonesome Pine,” and five other #1 hits. From 1916 to 1922, the pair also recorded as the Sterling Trio with John Meyer, another member of the Peerless Quartet, and racked up another 13 hits. However, before any of those endeavors Campbell was a tenor balladeer whose recording career launched in 1897 on Berliner Records. He didn’t rack up many hits – he only charted nine times as a solo act prior to his run with the Peerless Quartet – he still had some success, most notably with #1 songs like “My Wild Irish Rose” and “Ma Blushin’ Rosie.” The latter marked Campbell’s greatest success as a solo act. Fay Templeton introduced the song in the 1900 Weber and Fields show Fiddle-Dee-Dee and by year’s end, Campbell charted with his recording of the song. S. H. Dudley hit #3 with his 1901 recording of the song. While it didn’t chart, Al Jolson also recorded what today is probably the easiest version of the song to find. He sang it in 1946’s The Jolson Story and 1949’s Jolson Sings Again. Resources: DJ David Jasen (2002). A Century of American Popular Music: 2000 Best-Loved and Remembered Songs (1899-1999). Routledge: Taylor & Francis, Inc. Page 126. PM Joel Whitburn (1986). Pop Memories 1890-1954. Record Research, Inc: Menomonee Falls, WI. Related Links: First posted 1/3/2012; last updated 5/16/2025.