Golden Hits Radio's Everything Oldies.........all the Oldies news that fits!
- The leader of a 70's supergroup wants their songs.....and he wants 'em NOW!
- Remember Sir Paul McCartney's new album we told you about yesterday? Take a listen to one of the tracks that features Eric Clapton.
- What are the most played Christmas songs on radio this holiday season?
- Your favorite Oldies stars are still making music! Click here to check out new releases on CD and digital download this week
- A lawsuit is settled between the surviving members of The Shirelles and the producers of a musical based on them
"What do you mean you don't have that song"?
The story behind the last #1 song of the 1970's (and 2nd #1 of the 1980's) has its origins in the same way many other classics do. It began its life out of the remnants of an unused track with a different title and what turned out to be a very different first line of the chorus, a line which might not have been nearly as memorable.
While reading New York's Village Voice newspaper one day, the song's singer and writer came across an ad in the "personals" section. In an interview, he said he became curious about what might happen if he answered the ad, and what if it turned out to be taken out by his wife? Had she become bored with him and needed an adventure? While he never actually went through with it, he put pen to paper and came up with "People Need Other People". Never heard of that one you say? Oh, I'm sure you have.
The original first line of the chorus wondered, "If you like Humphrey Bogart........". Most of his songs up to that point were ripe with movie references, so he decided to go in a different direction. Since this was a personal ad that sought someone to get away with her, a likely destination would be a tropical island. If you're on a tropical island, what do you normally drink? Certainly not beer. After considering a Mai Tai and a Daiquiri, the artist went with a drink he had never actually tried before, and has since said he hated the taste of it once he did.
While it became an unqualified international smash, it didn't start out that way. As it began to gain radio airplay, listeners began to jam radio request lines and bombard record stores wanting to hear or buy "the pina colada song". Since that wasn't the song's official title, DJs and record store workers had no idea what they were talking about. With sales initially slow, brighter minds at Infinity Records decided to change the title with all future pressings of the record. Sales and airplay skyrocketed, with the song hitting #1 in the U.S. and Canada and Top 5 status in Australia and New Zealand. Music fans weren't ready to "Escape", but they most definitely were ready to get their hands on "the pina colada song", leading to the tweak in the title that led to a smash........
From a guest shot on Solid Gold in 1981, Rupert Holmes performs his signature song, the last #1 song of the 70's that hit the top this week in 1979........
Golden Hits Radio's Burning Question of the Day
Which legendary supergroup performed live for the first time together today in 1968?
Come back to Everything Oldies tomorrow to find the answer, and leave a Comment below with your best guess!
Friday's Burning Question (and Answer) of the Day
The #1 song this week in 1969 was Peter, Paul, and Mary's classic "Leaving On A Jet Plane". You know who sang it, but do you remember who wrote it?
Answer: John Denver
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