Sunday, February 9, 2014

Fifty Years Ago Today: The Beatles performed on The Ed Sullivan Show: February 9, 1964

image from EdSullivan.com

In what became one of the most important moments in rock history, The Beatles performed on The Ed Sullivan Show for the first time on February 9, 1964. A record-setting 73 million people and 45% of television households tuned in for the Fab Four’s first U.S. televised live performance. ES

The group had been hyped for weeks prior to their arrival. “I Want to Hold Your Hand”, one of the songs they performed that night, had already sold a million copies ES and was the #1 song in the country. The group also performed “All My Loving”, “Till There Was You”, “She Loves You”, and “I Saw Her Standing There”.

The Beatles became a sensation in their native England nearly a year before with the release of their debut album, 1963’s Please Please Me. The story goes that Ed Sullivan learned about the Beatles when arriving at London’s Heathrow airport with his wife on Halloween that year. Sullivan was curious why thousands of youngers were there. It turned out the Beatles were returning home from a tour in Sweden. It has been reported that once in his hotel room, Sullivan looked into booking the group for his show, ES a notion which Sullivan himself has purported. BA

The more accurate story would seem to be that the incident peaked Sullivan’s curiosity, but that it wasn’t until later that he actually followed through. Peter Prichard, a London theatrical agent who was employed by Sullivan and good friend’s with Beatles’ manager Brian Epstein, recommended Sullivan book The Beatles. While interested, Sullivan still wanted an angle to promote the group. Prichard said the group were the first “long haired boys” invited to appear before the Queen of England and Sullivan was convinced. BA Epstein then secured a deal for the Beatles to perform on three shows in 1964. Sullivan agreed to pay them $10,000 and cover transporation and lodging. When they arrived in New York at Kennedy Airport on February 7, 1964, three thousand fans greeted them. Beatlemania had reached a feverish pitch.

The February 24, 1964, issue of Newsweek panned the performance, saying “Musically, they are a near-disaster: guitars and drums slamming out a merciless beat that does away with secondary rhythms, harmony, and melody. Their lyrics (punctuated by nutty shouts of ‘yeah, yeah, yeah!’) are a catastrophe…the odds are they will fade away, as most adults confidently predict.” ES

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Saturday, February 8, 2014

Katy Perry’s “Dark Horse” hit #1

Last updated 2/6/2021.

Dark Horse

Katy Perry with Juicy J

Writer(s): Katy Perry, Jordan Houston, Lukasz “Dr. Luke” Gottwald, Sarah Hudson, Max Martin, Henry Walter (see lyrics here)

Released: December 17, 2013

First Charted: September 28, 2013

Peak: 14 US, 15 RR, 6 AC, 2 A40, 12 RB, 4 UK, 12 CN, 5 AU (Click for codes to singles charts.)

Sales (in millions): 10.3 US, 0.6 UK, 13.2 world (includes US + UK)

Airplay/Streaming (in millions): -- radio, 2924.0 video, 200.0 streaming

Awards: (Click on award for more details).

About the Song:

“Dark Horse” was the third official single from Perry’s fourth studio album, Prism. It was a #1 hit in the U.S., Canada, and the Netherlands and went to the top ten in nearly 20 countries. Perry worked with Dr. Luke and Max Martin on the track, who’d previously collaborated with her on #1 hits “I Kissed a Girl,” “California Gurls,” “Teenage Dream,” and “Roar.” Dr. Luke put Perry in touch with Memphis rapper Juicy J, whose Stay Trippy album was executive-produced by Dr. Luke. SF

Perry said of the song that she wanted it to have a “witchy…kind of black magic-y idea.” WK Inspired by the 1996 movie The Craft, she wrote it from the perspective of a witch warning a man not to fall in love with her, lest it be his last time. WK Musically, the song has been described as “a Southern rap-techno mashup, combining trap and hip hop” WK along with, according to MSN Entertainment’s Kathy Iandoli, elements fro “trippy pop, EDM, and dubstep.” WK

A Winnipeg Free Press writer described it as a “brooding, borderline sleazy trap-pop excurscion” that is “unexpected, unconventional, and unstoppable.” WK Spin magazine’s Marc Hogan called the lyrics a “cliché salad” but said the “soaring hooks” and “sleekly sculpted production” were likely to make it a hit. WK Blogcritics’ Dylan Mial said Perry’s vocals and Juicy J’s rap made for “a perfect musical storm.” WK

The video was directed by Matthew Cullen, who’d also worked with Perry on “California Gurls.” The video depicted Perry as a mystic queen in ancient Egypt. It evoked criticism from the Muslim community for depicting Perry killing a male subject wearing a pendant with the word “Allah.” It was digitially removed from the video after a petition was signed by more than 65,000 people. SF Another petition signed by more than 60,000 people protested the use of blasphemy by promoting witchcraft, paganism, and black magic. SF

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Friday, February 7, 2014

Arthur Collins, born 150 years ago. His Top 100 Songs

Arthur Collins

Top 100 Songs

Pioneering recording artist known as “The King of the Ragtime Singers.” He was born 2/7/1864 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Died 8/3/1933. This baritone singer specialized in African-American dialect songs performed on vaudeville and in minstrel shows. He worked as a soloist (1898-1920), with the Big Four Quartet (01), with Byron Harlan (01-18), and with the Peerless Quartet (09-18).

Collins has three songs featured in the DMDB book The Top 100 Songs of the Pre-Rock Era, 1890-1953 – “Alexander’s Ragtime Band” and “The Darktown Strutters’ Ball” are duets with Bryon Harlan while “Bill Bailey, Won’t You Please Come Home?” is a solo recording.

For a complete list of this act’s songs and albums honored by the DMDB, check out the DMDB Music Maker Encyclopedia entry.

Click here to see other acts’ best-of lists.

Awards:

Top 100 Songs

Dave’s Music Database lists are determined by song’s appearances on best-of lists, appearances on compilations and live albums by the featured act, and songs’ chart success, sales, radio airplay, streaming, and awards. Songs which reached #1 on the U.S. pop charts are noted. Those songs which were duets with Byron Harlan are noted with BH.

DMDB Top 1%:

1. Alexander’s Ragtime Band (w/ BH, 1911) #1
2. Bill Bailey, Won’t You Please Come Home? (1902) #1
3. Darktown Strutters’ Ball (w/ BH, 1918) #1
4. The Aba Daba Honeymoon (w/ BH, 1901) #1
5. The Preacher and the Bear (1905) #1
6. Under the Bamboo Tree (1902) #1
7. Put Your Arms Around Me Honey (I Never Knew Any Girl Like You) (w/ BH, 1911) #1
8. Down Where the Wurzburger Flows (w/ BH, 1902) #1
9. Hello Ma Baby (1899) #1

DMDB Top 5%:

10. When the Midnight Choo Choo Leaves for Alabam’ (w/ BH, 1913) #1
11. Goodbye Dolly Gray (Big Four Quartet, 1901) #1
12. The Right Church But the Wrong Pew (w/ BH, 1909) #1
13. Ma Tiger Lily (1900) #1
14. Any Rags? (1903) #1
15. Under the Yum Yum Tree (w/ BH, 1911) #1
16. Hurrah for Baffin’s Bay (w/ BH, 1903) #1
17. I Love the Ladies (w/ BH, 1914) #1
18. Goodbye Eliza Jane (1903) #1
19. Mandy Lee (1900) #1
20. Everybody’s Doin’ It Now (w/ BH, 1912)

21. Camp Meetin’ Time (w/ BH, 1906) #1
22. Oh How She Could Yacki Hacki Wicki Wachi Woo (That's Love in Honolulu) (w/ BH, 1916) #1
23. That’s-a-Plenty (1909)
24. Alabama Jubilee (w/ BH, 1915)
25. Steamboat Bill (1911)
26. Tammany (w/ BH, 1905)
27. Coax Me (w/ BH, 1905)
28. Oh, You Circus Day (w/ BH, 1912)
29. What You Goin' to Do When the Rent Comes 'Round? (Rufus Rastas Johnson Brown) (1905)
30. The Old Grey Mare (Whiffle Tree) (w/ BH, 1918)

31. I’ve Got a Feelin’ for You (1904)
32. I’d Leave My Happy Home for Love (1899) #1
33. My Irish Molly-O (1905)
34. When Uncle Joe Plays a Rag on His Old Banjo (1912)
35. I’m a Jonah Man (1903)
36. Melinda’s Wedding Day (w/ BH, 1913)
37. If Money Talks, It Ain’t on Speakin’ Terms with Me (1902)
38. Down Among the Sugar Cane (w/ BH, 1909)
39. Down in Jungle Town (w/ BH, 1908)
40. They're Wearing 'Em Higher in Hawaii (w/ BH, 1917)

41. I Love, I Love, I Love My Wife, But Oh You Kid! (1909)
42. Snookey Ookums (w/ BH, 1913)
43. The Oceana Roll (1911)
44. You Can’t Fool All the People All the Time (1903)
45. The Cubanola Glide (w/ BH, 1910)
46. The Wedding of Reuben and the Maid (w/ BH, 1901)
47. My Gal Irene (w/ BH, 1908)
48. Cindy, I Dream About You (1901)
49. Waiting for the Robert E. Lee (w/ BH, 1912)

DMDB Top 10%:

50. That Mesmerizing Mendelssohn Tune (w/ BH, 1910)
51. Under the Anheuser Busch (w/ BH, 1904)
52. Under the Bamboo Tree (w/ BH, 1903)
53. Parody on “Hiawatha” (w/ BH, 1903)
54. The International Rag (w/ BH, 1913)
55. If I’m Goin’ to Die, I’m Goin’ to Have Some Fun (1907)
56. I Love It! (1911)
57. In My Merry Oldsmobile (w/ BH, 1905)
58. Tell Me Dusky Maiden (1902)
59. The Leader of the German Band (w/ BH, 1906)
60. Nobody (1905)

61. I Never Trouble Trouble Until Trouble Troubles Me (1901)
62. If He Comes in, I’m Going Out (1910)
63. Down in Chattanooga (w/ BH, 1914)
64. Sugar Moon (w/ BH, 1910)
65. Celebratin’ Day in Tennessee (w/ BH, 1914)
66. Hannah, Won’t You Open That Door? (1904)
67. The Honeymoon Glide (w/ BH, 1911)
68. And a Little Bit More (w/ BH, 1907)
69. I’m Crazy ‘Bout It! (w/ BH, 1906)
70. I’m Going Back to Dixie (aka “I Want to Be in Dixie”) (w/ BH, 1912)

71. That Mysterious Rag (w/ Arthur Campbell, 1912)

DMDB Top 20%:

72. Out in an Automobile (w/ BH, 1906)
73. Casey Jones (w/ BH, 1910)
74. Down Where the Wurzburger Flows (1904)
75. All Coons Look Alike to Me (w/ Vess Ossman, 1902)
76. It Looks Like a Big Night Tonight (w/ BH, 1908)
77. Kiss Me Honey Do (1899) #1
78. Here Comes My Daddy Now (w/ BH, 1913)
79. The Memphis Blues (w/ BH, 1915)
80. I Guess I’ll Have to Telegraph My Baby (1899) #1

81. Oh, That Beautiful Rag (1910)
82. On a Monkey Honeymoon (w/ BH, 1910)
83. Down Where the Big Bananas Grow (w/ BH, 1910)
84. Moonlight in Jungle Land (w/ BH, 1910)
85. Minstrel Parade (w/ BH, 1915)
86. When You Ain’t Got No More Money, Well, You Needn’t Come Around (1899) #1
87. Yip-I-Addy-I-Ay! (w/ BH, 1909)
88. I Don’t Know Where I’m Goin’ to Have Some Fun (1906)
89. Paddle Your Own Canoe (w/ BH, 1906)
90. Yaaka Hula Hickey Dula (w/ BH, 1916)

91. The Argentines, the Portuguese, and the Greeks (1920)
92. Camp Meeting Band (w/ BH, 1914)
93. My Wife’s Gone to the Country (Hurah! Hurah!) (w/ BH, 1909)
94. Down in Dear Old New Orleans (w/ BH, 1913)
95. Down at the Husking Bee (w/ BH, 1909)
96. In the Land of Harmony (1911)
97. On the 5:15 (w/ BH, 1915)
98. On the Old Fall River Line (w/ BH, 1914)
99. Lily of the Valley (w/ BH, 1917)
100. Here It Comes Again (1906)

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First posted 5/31/2019; last updated 6/6/2022.
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Saturday, February 1, 2014

50 years ago: The Beatles hit #1 in the U.S. with “I Want to Hold Your Hand”

I Want to Hold Your Hand

The Beatles

Writer(s): John Lennon/Paul McCartney (see lyrics here)

Released: November 29, 1963

First Charted: December 5, 1963

Peak: 17 US, 18 CB, 12 GR, 19 HR, 15 UK, 16 CN, 17 AU (Click for codes to singles charts.)

Sales (in millions): 4.0 US, 1.86 UK, 12.0 world (includes US + UK)

Airplay/Streaming (in millions): 3.0 radio, 67.9 video, 233.71 streaming

Awards:

Click on award for more details.

About the Song:

Beatlemania exploded in the UK in 1963. “From Me to You” hit #1 in May, followed by “She Loves You” in September and “I Want to Hold Your Hand” in December. Manager Brian Epstein couldn’t get Capitol Records (EMI’s American company) interested because, as one label executive said, “We don’t think the Beatles will do anything in this market.” FB He couldn’t have been more wrong.

“I Want to Hold Your Hand” ended up launching the group in the United States. Paul McCartney remembers the group telling Epstein, “We’re not going to America till we’ve got a #1 record.” RS500 They kept their promise. When the Beatles touched down in New York for their first U.S. visit, “I Want to Hold Your Hand” was the number one song in the U.S. BB On February 9, 1964, the Beatles performed for an estimated 73 million people on The Ed Sullivan Show.

It went on to become the biggest hit of the year WHC and the Beatles’ first of twenty #1’s on the Billboard Hot 100, a still untouched record. BB It was also the opening shot for the British Invasion. AMG Previously, only two British artists had topped the U.S. charts – Acker Bilk with “Stranger on the Shore” and the Tornados with “Telstar.” LW However, during 1964 and 1965, the Brits occupied a whopping 52 weeks at the American chart pinnacle. LW

The tame sexuality of the title phrase was mocked by some critics AMG but “the lyrics are typical of the period – all euphemism and innuendo.” TC The Beatles had more on their minds than hand holding. KL Their goal was to “make maximum impact rather than last as a transcendent song,” LW However, they achieved the latter nonetheless with “one of the most important songs in rock history.” AMG

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Last updated 11/24/2022.

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