Saturday, June 26, 2004

The Killers charted with “Mr. Brightside”

Mr. Brightside

The Killers

Writer(s): Brandon Flowers, Dave Keuning, Mark Stoermer, Ronnie Vannucci Jr. (see lyrics here)


Released: September 29, 2003


First Charted: June 26, 2004


Peak: 10 US, 10 RR, 11 A40, 3 AR, 10 UK, 5 CN, 29 AU, 6 DF (Click for codes to charts.)


Sales (in millions): 3.0 US, 4.8 UK, 10.54 world (includes US + UK)


Airplay/Streaming (in millions): 0.5 radio, 467.0 video, 1797.97 streaming

Awards:

Click on award for more details.

About the Song:

The Killers “crawled out of Vegas armed with glitzy beats and faux Bowie accents.” RS’09 “Merging Duran Duran makeup, New Order hi-hats, and Bruce Springsteen-ian grandiosity, they gave rock fans a non-geriatric arena-ready alternative to the world’s Nickelbacks this decade.” PF

The group might have just been another of the pack of the new millennium’s wave of new dance-rock, but “‘Mr. Brightside’ made them famous.” RS’09 “Preening and posturing and fusing high drama, power pop, and rock gravitas into one perfectly transcendent song.” LR “In a stroke of genius they never quite equaled, these Las Vegas rockers married the infectious grooves of the then-trendy dance-rock scene to a surging melody straight out of the U2/ Coldplay handbook.” MX They brought along “a story line that sums up the first two seasons of Gossip Girl.” RS’09

The Killers’ lead singer Brandon Flowers had a girlfriend who cheated on him and the band’s guitarist, Dave Keuning, extracted revenge with this song about her. Flowers told Q magazine about discovering her unfaithfulness. “I was asleep and I knew something was wrong. I have these instincts. I went to the Crown and Anchor [a Vegas pub] and my girlfriend was there with another guy.” PF

However, Flowers’ anguish proved to have a “bright side.” The song didn’t just give The Killers their biggest hit, but one thoroughly embraced by fans. UK radio station XFM wrapped the decade with a listener poll to determine the top 1000 songs of all time and “Mr. Brightside” topped the list. While such a lofty position showed the weaknesses of turning an “all time” poll over to voters, it still showed just how much fans cherished the song.


Resources:


Related Links:


Last updated 7/24/2023.

Tuesday, June 22, 2004

American Film Institute: 100 Years, 100 Songs

American Film Institute:

The Top 100 Movie Songs of All Time

As explained on their website, jurors (it doesn’t say who they were or how many) were asked to select songs from feature-length films in English. They were asked to consider songs that were featured in films “that set a tone or mood, define character, advance plot and/or express the film’s themes in a manner that elevates the moving image art form.” They were also asked to consider the legacy and cultural impact by choosing “songs that have captured the nation’s heart, echoed beyond the walls of a movie theater.”

The TV special, hosted by John Travolta, aired on June 22, 2004. The website features a list of 400 nominated songs as well as the final 100 selected. Note: the performers listed with the songs are those who performed the rendition used in the movies. In some cases – especially with musicals – a remake of the song may have been more successful. In addition, the actor may be lip syncing and the actual singer is indicated. Also, the year indicated in parentheses refers to the release of the movie. In some cases, the song came out earlier.

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

1. Judy Garland “Over the Rainbow” (1939): The Wizard of Oz
2. Dooley Wilson “As Time Goes By” (1942): Casablanca
3. Gene Kelly “Singin’ in the Rain” (1952): Singin’ in the Rain
4. Henry Mancini with Audrey Hepburn “Moon River” (1961): Breakfast at Tiffany’s
5. Bing Crosby with the Ken Darby Singers "White Christmas (1942): Holiday Inn
6. Simon & Garfunkel “Mrs. Robinson” (1968): The Graduate
7. Cliff Edwards “When You Wish Upon a Star” (1940): Pinocchio
8. Barbra Streisand “The Way We Were” (1973): The Way We Were
9. Bee Gees “Stayin’ Alive” (1977): Saturday Night Fever
10. Julie Andrews “The Sound of Music” (1965): The Sound of Music

11. Judy Garland “The Man That Got Away” (1954): A Star Is Born
12. Marilyn Monroe “Diamonds Are a Girl’s Best Friend” (1953): Gentlemen Prefer Blondes
13. Barbra Streisand “People” (1968): Funny Girl
14. Celine Dion “My Heart Will Go On” (1997): Titanic
15. Fred Astaire with Leo Reisman’s Orchestra “Cheek to Cheek” (1935): Top Hat
16. Barbra Streisand “Evergreen (Love Theme from ‘A Star Is Born’)” (1976): A Star Is Born
17. Marni Nixon “I Could Have Danced All Night” (1964): My Fair Lady
18. Liza Minnelli “Cabaret” (1972): Cabaret
19. Adriana Caselotti “Some Day My Prince Will Come” (1937): Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs
20. Marni Nixon “Somewhere” (1961): West Side Story

21. Elvis Presley “Jailhouse Rock” (1957): Jailhouse Rock
22. Harry Nilsson “Everybody’s Talkin’” (1968): Midnight Cowboy
23. B.J. Thomas “Raindrops Keep Falling on My Head” (1969): Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid
24. Paul Robeson “Ol’ Man River” (1928): Show Boat
25. Tex Ritter “High Noon (Do Not Forsake Me, Oh My Darlin’)” (1952): High Noon
26. Judy Garland “The Trolley Song” (1945): Meet Me in St. Louis
27. The Righteous Brothers “Unchained Melody” (1990): Ghost
28. Giorgio Tozzi “Some Enchanted Evening” (1958): South Pacific
29. Steppenwolf “Born to Be Wild” (1968): Easy Rider
30. Lena Horne “Stormy Weather (Keeps Rainin' All the Time)” (1943): Stormy Weather

31. Liza Minnelli “Theme from New York, New York” (1977): New York, New York
32. Gene Kelly “I Got Rhythm” (1951): An American in Paris
33. Ren Woods & Ensemble “Aquarius” (1979): Hair
34. Fred Astaire & Ginger Rogers “Let’s Call the Whole Thing Off” (1937): Shall We Dance
35. Rita Morena, George Chakiris, & Ensemble “America” (1961): West Side Story
36. Julie Andrews, Dick Van Dyke, & Ensemble “Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious” (1964): Mary Poppins
37. Bing Crosby “Swinging on a Star” (1944): Going My Way
38. Isaac Hayes “Theme from Shaft” (1971): Shaft
39. Chorus “Days of Wine and Roses” (1962): Days of Wine and Roses
40. Public Enemy “Fight the Power” (1989): Do the Right Thing

41. Gene Kelly, Frank Sinatra, & Jules Munshin “New York, New York” (1949): On the Town
42. Marlon Brando & Ensemble “Luck Be a Lady” (1955): Guys and Dolls
43. Fred Astaire “The Way You Look Tonight” (1936): Swing Time
44. Bette Midler “Wind Beneath My Wings” (1989): Beaches
45. Fred Astaire, Nanette, Fabray, Jack Buchanan, & Oscar Levant “That’s Entertainment” (1953): The Band Wagon
46. Barbra Streisand “Don’t Rain on My Parade” (1968): Funny Girl
47. James Baskett “Zip-a-Dee-Doo-Dah” (1946): Song of the South
48. Doris Day “Whatever Will Be, Will Be (Que Sera, Sera)” (1956): The Man Who Knew Too Much
49. Donald O’Connor “Make ‘Em Laugh” (1952): Singin’ in the Rain
50. Bill Haley & the Comets “We’re Gonna Rock Around the Clock” (1955): Blackboard Jungle

51. Irene Cara “Fame” (1980): Fame
52. Loulie Jean Norman “Summertime” (1959): Porgy and Bess
53. Shirley Bassey “Goldfinger” (1964): Goldfinger
54. Marni Nixon “Shall We Dance” (1956): The King and I
55. Irene Cara “Flashdance...What a Feelin’” (1983): Flashdance
56. Maurice Chevalier “Thank Heaven for Little Girls” (1958): Gigi
57. Noel Harrison “The Windmills of Your Mind” (1968): The Thomas Crown Affair
58. Bill Conti “Gonna Fly Now” (1977): Rocky
59. Marni Nixon “Tonight” (1961): West Side Story
60. Frank Sinatra/Harry Connick Jr. “It Had to Be You” (1989): When Harry Met Sally

61. Judy Garland “Get Happy” (1950): Summer Stock
62. Angela Lansbury “Beauty and the Beast” (1991): Beauty and the Beast
63. Bob Hope with Shirley Ross “Thanks for the Memory” (1939): The Big Broadcast of 1938
64. Julie Andrews “My Favorite Things” (1965): The Sound of Music
65. Whitney Houston “I Will Always Love You” (1992): The Bodyguard
66. Johnny Mandel “Suicide Is Painless” (1970): M*A*S*H
67. Carly Simon “Nobody Does It Better” (1977): The Spy Who Loved Me
68. Bruce Springsteen “Streets of Philadelphia” (1994): Philadelphia
69. Shirley Temple “On the Good Ship Lollipop” (1934): Bright Eyes
70. John Travolta, Olivia Newton-John, & Ensemble “Summer Nights” (1978): Grease

71. James Cagney “Yankee Doodle Boy” (1942): Yankee Doodle Dandy
72. Gene Kelly, Debbie Reynolds, & Donald O’Connor “Good Morning” (1952): Singin’ in the Rain
73. Maurice Chevalier & Jeannette MacDonald “Isn’t It Romantic?” (1932): Love Me Tonight
74. Kermit the Frog (voiced by Jim Henson) “The Rainbow Connection” (1979) The Muppet Movie
75. Joe Cocker with Jennifer Warnes “Up Where We Belong” (1982): An Officer and a Gentleman
76. Judy Garland “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas” (1945): Meet Me in St. Louis
77. Chorus “The Shadow of Your Smile” (1965): The Sandpiper
78. Dolly Parton “9 to 5” (1980): Nine to Five
79. Christopher Cross “Arthur’s Theme (Best That You Can Do)” (1981): Arthur
80. Ensemble “Springtime for Hitler” (1968): The Producers

81. Keith Carradine “I’m Easy” (1975): Nashville
82. Ensemble “Ding Dong the Witch Is Dead” (1939): The Wizard of Oz
83. Bette Midler “The Rose” (1979): The Rose
84. Anita Ellis “Put the Blame on Mame” (1946): Gilda
85. Nicole Kidman & Ewan McGregor “Come What May” (2001): Moulin Rouge!
86. Bill Medley with Jennifer Warnes “I’ve Had the Time of My Life” (1987): Dirty Dancing
87. Bob Hope “Buttons and Bows” (1948): The Paleface
88. Julie Andrews & Ensemble “Do Re Mi” (1965): The Sound of Music
89. Gene Wilder & Peter Boyle “Puttin’ on the Ritz” (1974): Young Frankenstein
90. Diane Keaton “Seems Like Old Times” (1977): Annie Hall

91. Carly Simon “Let the River Run” (1988): Working Girl
92. Gene Kelly & Martha Mears “Long Ago and Far Away” (1944): Cover Girl
93. Eminem “Lose Yourself” (2002): 8 Mile
94. The Temptations “Ain’t Too Proud to Beg” (1983): The Big Chill
95. Bing Crosby & Bob Hope “We’re Off on the Road Road to Morocco” (1942): Road to Morocco
96. Kenny Loggins “Footloose” (1984): Footloose
97. Ruby Keller, Dick Powell, & Ensemble “42nd Street” (1933): 42nd Street
98. Catherine Zeta-Jones & Rene Zellweger “All That Jazz” (2002): Chicago
99. Nathan Lane, Ernie Sabella, Jason Weaver, and Joseph Williams “Hakuna Matata” (1994): The Lion King
100. Bob Seger & Silver Bullet Band “Old Time Rock and Roll” (1983): Risky Business


Resources/Related Links:First posted 3/30/2021.

Sunday, June 13, 2004

In Concert: Rush

image from rushisaband.com


Venue: Sandstone Ampitheatre; Bonner Springs, KS
Tour: R30: 30th Anniversary Tour


The Set List:

1. 'R30 Overture' (medley, with retrospective Jerry Stiller dream intrlo): Finding My Way/Anthem/Bastille Day/A Passage To Bangkok/Cygnus X-1 (Prologue)/ Hemispheres (Prelude)
2. The Spirit of Radio
3. Force Ten
4. Animate
5. Subdivisions
6. Earthshine
7. Red Barchetta
8. Roll The Bones
9. Bravado
10. YYZ
11. The Trees (I Feel Fine & Day Tripper ending)
12. The Seeker
13. One Little Victory

Intermission/'That Darned Dragon' intro

14. Tom Sawyer
15. Dreamline
16. Secret Touch
17. Between the Wheels
18. Mystic Rhythms
19. Red Sector A
20. Drum Solo
21. Resist (acoustic)
22. Heart Full of Soul (acoustic)
23. 2112 (Overture/Temples of Syrinx/Grand Finale)
24. La Villa Strangiato
25. ByTor & the Snow Dog
26. Xanadu
27. Working Man (reggae ending)

Encore:

28. Summertime Blues
29. Crossroads
30. Limelight
31. Jerry Stiller outro movie

Saturday, June 12, 2004

50 years ago: Big Joe Turner “Shake, Rattle and Roll” topped the R&B chart

Shake, Rattle and Roll

Big Joe Turner

Writer(s): Charles Calhoun (words & music) (see lyrics here)


Released: April 1954


First Charted: May 8, 1954


Peak: 22 US, 13 RB, 3 DF (Click for codes to charts.)


Sales (in millions): --


Airplay/Streaming (in millions): -- radio, 6.6 video, 9.52 streaming

Awards:

Click on award for more details.

About the Song:

Big Joe Turner was 43 years old and had been in the music industry for a decade and a half when he broke through with “Shake, Rattle and Roll.” He was a Kansas City-born blues shouter who worked with boogie-woogie piano man Pete Johnson, jazz pianist Art Tatum, and Count Basie’s Orchestra. Ahmet Ertegun, the founder of Atlantic Records in 1947, saw Turner performing with Basie and signed him. Ertegun formed the business because, as he said, “I wanted to make records like the records I loved, which were real blues records.” TB

Ertegun actually provided backing vocals on Turner’s version of “Shake, Rattle and Roll,” a song written by Atlantic songwriter Jesse Stone under the pseudonym “Charles E. Calhoun.” TB He wore multiple hats for Altantic, but his most important role may be that “he realized that white kids would listen to R&B as long as it had a rhythm they could dance to.” SS Ertegun said Stone “did more to develop the basic rock & roll sound than anyone else.” SS

Indeed “Shake, Rattle and Roll” (a phrase Stone heard at a poker game) SS not only became a #1 R&B hit, but a pivotal song in shaping the early history of rock ‘n’ roll. Author Don Tyler said that song “along with ‘Rock Around the Clock’…launched the rock and roll craze that dominated popular music for the second half of the 20th century.” TY2

Bill Haley was not only the artist who recorded the chart-topping version of “Rock Around the Clock,” but a top-10, million-selling pop version of “Shake, Rattle and Roll.” Having white artists “clean up” the lyrics to R&B songs to make them into white hits became common practice in the early days of rock and roll. Music writer Dave Marsh argues that this is one of the songs that make “the strongest arguments for the idea that prudes really did have something to fear from rock and roll.” DM In “Shake,” we hear Turner “leer and drool with an indelicacy that would be comic if it weren’t so intense.” DM It became one of the most important components in giving early rock and roll its rebellious image.


Resources:


First posted 3/23/2023.

Thursday, June 10, 2004

R.I.P. Ray Charles: His Top 50 Songs

Ray Charles

Top 50 Songs

R&B singer Ray Charles (click link for DMDB encyclopedia entry) was well known for integrating multiple genres into his music. He was born Ray Charles Robinson on 9/23/1930 in Albany, GA. He died on 6/10/2004.

His family moved to Greenville, Florida while he was still an infant. He was partially blind at age 5 and completely blind at age 7 from glaucoma. He studied classical piano and clarinet at the State School for Deaf and Blind Children, St. Augustine, Florida from 1937 to 1945. He worked with local Florida bands before moving to Seattle in 1948. He formed the McSon Trio (aka Maxim Trio and the Maxine Trio) with guitarist Gossady McGhee and bassist Milton Garret. His first recordings were in the King Cole Trio style. He formed his own band in 1954.

Among his career highlights are his 1962 album Modern Sounds in Country and Western Music and songs “Georgia on My Mind” (1960) and “I Can’t Stop Loving You” (1962), both featured in the DMDB book The Top 100 Songs of the Rock Era 1954-1999. Those two songs and “What’d I Say” (1959) also rank in the DMDB top 1000 of all time. Singer/actor Jamie Foxx won the Academy Award for Best Actor portraying Charles in Ray!

For a complete list of this act’s DMDB honors, check out the DMDB Music Maker Encyclopedia entry.

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

Awards:


Top 50 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 hit #1 on various charts are noted. (Click for codes to singles charts.)

1. I Can’t Stop Loving You (1962) #1 US, RB, AC, UK, AU
2. Georgia on My Mind (1960) #1 US
3. What’d I Say (1959) #1 RB
4. Hit the Road Jack (1961) #1 US, RB
5. Yesterday (1967)
6. I Gotta Woman (1955) #1 RB
7. Crying Time (1965) #1 AC
8. Hallelujah I Love Her So (1956)
9. Busted (1963)
10. Your Cheatin’ Heart (1962)

11. You Don’t Know Me (1962) #1 AC
12. Ol’ Man River (1963)
13. You Are My Sunshine (1962) #1 RB
14. Eleanor Rigby (1968)
15. America the Beautiful (1972)
16. That Lucky Old Sun (1963)
17. Makin’ Whoopee (1964)
18. Let’s Go Get Stoned (1966) #1 RB
19. Unchain My Heart (1961) #1 RB
20. One Mint Julep (1961) #1 RB

21. Take These Chains from My Heart (1962)
22. Come Rain or Come Shine (1960)
23. Here We Go Again (1967)
24. Lonely Avenue (1956)
25. Drown in My Own Tears (1956) #1 RB
26. Together Again (1965) #1 AC
27. Don’t Set Me Free (1963)
28. Born to Lose (1962)
29. Night Time Is the Right Time (1959)
30. No One (1963)

31. Ruby (1960)
32. Sticks and Stones (1960)
33. Baby It’s Cold Outside (with Betty Carter, 1961)
34. Without Love (with Aretha Franklin, 1974)
35. Hide Nor Hair (1962)
36. Don’t Change on Me (1970)
37. Mess Around (1953)
38. My Heart Cries for You (1964)
39. Baby Grand (with Billy Joel, 1986)
40. Without Love There Is Nothing (1963)

41. If You Were Mine (1970)
42. At the Club (1962)
43. I’m Movin’ On (1959)
44. No One to Cry To (1964)
45. A Tear Fell (1964)
46. I Didn’t Know What Time It Was (1969)
47. Booty Butt (1970)
48. I Choose to Sing the Blues (1966)
49. Swanee River Rock (1957)
50. In the Heat of the Night (1967)



Resources and Related Links:


First posted 5/20/2019; last updated 6/6/2022.