"It's Gonna Take a Miracle" is a popular song written by Teddy Randazzo, Bobby Weinstein, and Lou Stallman. It was first an R&B hit in 1965 for The Royalettes, who reached the Top 30 on the U.S. R&B chart and peaked at number 41 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 and number 37 on Cash Box.
The most successful version of "It's Gonna Take a Miracle" was the 1982 remake by R&B and gospel artist Deniece Williams. Her version went to number one on the R&B chart for two weeks and reached number ten on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100.
The song was originally written and intended for Little Anthony & The Imperials, but they never recorded it due to a royalty dispute with the song's writers/label owners Teddy Randazzo and Don Costa at the group's record label, DCP (Don Costa Productions) Records.
"I'll Be Around" is a song recorded by the American R&B vocal group The Spinners (known as "Detroit Spinners" in the UK). The song was co-written by Thom Bell and Phil Hurtt and produced by Bell.
Recorded at Philly's Sigma Sound Studios, the house band MFSB provided the backing. The production of the song gives it a smooth, mid-tempo feel, with the signature guitar riff (in octaves) played by Norman Harris at the forefront and punctuation from female background singers, the MFSB horns & strings and conga-playing from Larry Washington. Bobby Smith handles lead vocals on the song.
The song was included on the group's 1972 self-titled album on Atlantic Records, their first album release for the label. It was initially released as the B-side of the group's first single on Atlantic Records, with "How Could I Let You Get Away" being the A-side. Radio deejays, however, soon opted for "I'll Be Around" which led to Atlantic flipping the single over and the song became an unexpected hit, eventually spending five weeks at number one on the U.S. R&B chart (the group's first number-one on the R&B chart), and reaching number three on the U.S. Pop chart in the fall of 1972. It also reached sales of over one million copies, The Spinners' first record ever to do so. The success of "I'll Be Around" would be the first in a series of chart successes The Spinners and Bell would have together during the 1970s.
"The Tracks of My Tears" is a song written by Smokey Robinson, Pete Moore, and Marv Tarplin. It is a multiple award-winning 1965 hit R&B song originally recorded by their group, The Miracles, on Motown's Tamla label. In 1967, Johnny Rivers covered the song and his version was a number 10 hit on the Billboard Hot 100. Linda Ronstadt recorded a hit cover of her own in 1975 that reached number 25 on the Hot 100 chart. Numerous other artists have recorded the song over the years.
"Just One Look" is a song co-written by American R & B singers Doris Troy and Gregory Carroll. The recording by Doris Troy was a hit in 1963. The Hollies, Anne Murray and Linda Ronstadt recorded hit versions of their own. There have also been many other versions of this song.
Doris Troy had an extensive musical pedigree, and during her career she would write for and work with luminaries such as Dee Clark, Jackie Wilson, Chuck Jackson, Solomon Burke, the Drifters, James Brown, George Harrison, Ringo Starr, Tom Jones, Steven Stills and many others. Despite all of this, she would chart only once, with her very first single for Atlantic, “Just One Look,” a killer number that is a beach music favorite even today.
"Groovin" is a single released in 1967 by the Young Rascals that became a number-one hit and one of the group's signature songs.
Written by group members Felix Cavaliere and Eddie Brigati and with a lead vocal from Cavaliere, it is a slow, relaxed groove, based on Cavaliere's newfound interest in Afro-Cuban music. Instrumentation included a conga, a Cuban-influenced bass guitar line from ace session musician Chuck Rainey, and a harmonica part, performed first for the single version by New York session musician, Michael Weinstein, and later for the album version by Gene Cornish.
The single became an instant hit in May 1967, spending four weeks atop the Billboard pop singles chart, but not four consecutive weeks. The sequence was interrupted by Aretha Franklin's "Respect", which spent a week at No. 1 in the middle of "Groovin'"'s run. The song was RIAA-certified a gold record on June 13, 1967.
"Groovin'" dropped so quickly from the charts that Casey Kasem remarked on it in his radio show American Top 40 five years later.
"Natural High" is a song performed by Bloodstone, released as the first single and title track from their second album. The song was written by the band's bassist Charles McCormick, and it was the first song from the band to enter the Billboard Hot 100, peaking at #10 in 1973.
In 1992, R&B group After 7 covered the song in a medley alongside The Originals' "Baby, I'm for Real". Released as "Baby, I'm for Real/Natural High", the song peaked at #55 on the Billboard Hot 100.
"I Do Love You" is a song written and performed by Billy Stewart. It reached #6 on the U.S. R&B chart and #26 on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1965. The song was featured on his 1965 album, I Do Love You.
GQ released a version of the song as a single in July 1979 which reached #5 on the U.S. R&B chart and #20 on the Billboard Hot 100. The song was featured on their 1979 album, Disco Nights.
The single ranked #99 on the Billboard Year-End Hot 100 singles of 1979.
"Two Lovers" is a single released in 1962 by Mary Wells on the Motown record label. The song was the third consecutive hit to be both written and produced by Smokey Robinson of The Miracles and recorded by Mary Wells, the two previous charters being "The One Who Really Loves You" and "You Beat Me to the Punch." The song's cleverly devised lyrics at first appear to be about a girl singing to one lover who is "sweet and kind" and a second who treats her bad and makes her sad; eventually, the girl reveals that the two lovers are actually the same person. The song became Wells's most successful release to date, reaching #1 on the Billboard R&B chart and #7 on the Billboard pop chart. Its success would be eclipsed two years later by the singer's most successful release ever, the signature tune "My Guy."
Millions of listeners have no doubt heard “Workin’ on a Groovy Thing”; problem is they are probably more familiar with the 5th Dimension’s Top 40 version than the original by Patti Drew. Although Drew' recorded a number of fine tunes, she never quite hit it big, and the stress of what was in her words a “brutal” touring schedule led her to suddenly retire from the music industry in 1971. Yet despite her limited output, she gave beach music audiences two excellent recordings in “Tell Him” and “Workin’ on a Groovy Thing.”
Patti Drew was born in Charleston, South Carolina, but her family moved to Evanston, Illinois, in 1956. There Patti and her sisters, Lorraine and Erma, sang in the choir at their local church. Patti’s mother was a housekeeper for Maury Lathowers, the regional promotional manager for Capitol Records, and one Sunday, she asked Lathowers to come to church to hear her daughters sing. Lathowers ending up booking a formal audition for the girls, and after playing the demo for Capitol exec Peter Wright, they signed the group to a contract. Calling themselves the Drew-vels, for their first release they recorded a song Erma’s husband, Carlton Black, had written. “Tell Him,” with Black singing bass, was a huge regional hit in the Chicago area in 1964, though it only made it to #90 on the national R&B charts. The group released a few more singles, but having had no national success, they decided to break up.
Top 40 Charts (January 13, 2018) - American Top 40 (commonly abbreviated to AT40) is an internationally syndicated, independent song countdown radio program created by Casey Kasem, Don Bustany, Tom Rounds and Ron Jacobs. The program is currently hosted by Ryan Seacrest and presented as an adjunct to his weekday radio program, On Air with Ryan Seacrest. Enjoy this week top 40.
01. Camila Cabello - Havana Ft. Young Thug
02. Ed Sheeran - Perfect
03. Halsey - Bad At Love
04. Maroon 5 - What Lovers Do Ft. Sza
05. Imagine Dragons - Thunder
06. Post Malone - Rockstar Ft. 21 Savage
07. Dua Lipa - New Rules
08. Sam Smith - Too Good At Goodbyes
09. Demi Lovato - Sorry Not Sorry
10. Charlie Puth - "How Long"
11. Selena Gomez, Marshmello - Wolves
12. Portugal. The Man - "Feel It Still"
13. Taylor Swift - End Game Ft. Ed Sheeran, Future
14. Max - Lights Down Low Feat. Gnash
15. Nf - Let You Down
16. Liam Payne - Strip That Down Ft. Quavo
17. Macklemore Feat Kesha - Good Old Days
18. Hailee Steinfeld, Alesso - Let Me Go Ft. Florida Georgia Line, Watt
19. Logic - 1-800-273-8255 Ft. Alessia Cara, Khalid
20. Niall Horan - Too Much To Ask
21. Charlie Puth - Attention
22. G-eazy & Halsey - Him & I
23. Khalid - Young Dumb & Broke
24. Sofi Tukker - Best Friend Feat. Nervo, The Knocks & Alisa Ueno
25. Taylor Swift - …ready For It?
26. Bebe Rexha - Meant To Be (Feat. Florida Georgia Line)
27. Walk The Moon - One Foot
28. Niall Horan - Slow Hands
29. Calvin Harris - Faking It Ft. Kehlani, Lil Yachty
30. Shawn Mendes - There's Nothing Holdin' Me Back
31. Cheat Codes – Feels Great Ft. Fetty Wap
32. P!nk - What About Us
33. Cheat Codes - No Promises Ft. Demi Lovato
34. Kendrick Lamar - Love. Ft. Zacari
35. Imagine Dragons - Believer
36. Bts 'mic Drop (Steve Aoki Remix)'
37. Zedd, Alessia Cara - Stay
38. Demi Lovato - Tell Me You Love Me
39. French Montana - Unforgettable Ft. Swae Lee
40. Lauv - I Like Me Better
"La-La (Means I Love You)" is a R&B/soul song by American vocal group The Delfonics. Released on January 26, 1968 by Philly Groove Records, the song was written by Thom Bell and William Hart and produced by Bell and Stan Watson.
The song was a number 4 US Billboard pop, number two R&B in 1968 and number 19 UK pop single in 1971. The song is one of the Delfonics' most enduring recordings and perhaps their best loved, seeing a number of cover versions as well.
"Where Did Our Love Go" is a 1964 song recorded by American music group the Supremes for the Motown label.
Written and produced by Motown's main production team Holland–Dozier–Holland, "Where Did Our Love Go" was the first single by the Supremes to go to the number-one position on the Billboard Hot 100 pop singles chart in the United States, a position it held for two weeks, from August 16 to August 29, 1964. It was also the first of five Supremes songs in a row to reach number one (the others being "Baby Love", "Come See About Me", "Stop! In the Name of Love", and "Back in My Arms Again"). The song also reached number one on the Cash Box R&B singles chart.
The Supremes' version is ranked #475 on Rolling Stone's 500 Greatest Songs of All Time and was selected for preservation in the National Recording Registry in 2016 due to its "cultural, historic, or artistic significance." Billboard named the song #4 on their list of 100 Greatest Girl Group Songs of All Time.
A brief return to his ballad statements, "Chained and Bound," despite its relative chart failure (it only made number 70 on the R&B charts), was one of Otis Redding's finest early works. A gospel-soaked ballad that tugs at the heartstrings, it's really a definitive soul ballad. The horn section is stupendous and drives the song's message of heartbreak home with a low-key fury.
Written with help from Alan Walden, the ballad “Chained and Bound” featured the most accomplished lyric Otis had composed to date. The playful irony of the title belies a song of celebration, sung by a man who’s “so glad, so glad, so glad” to be bound to a woman whose love is “sweeter than a grape on the vine.” Patterned on the chords and thirty-two-bar structure of “Pain in My Heart,” “Chained and Bound” was also the first song Otis had written that had a proper bridge. “I feel like standing up and telling the world,” he proclaims in this eight-bar interlude, which echoes the evangelical spirit of Solomon Burke’s recent hit “Everybody Needs Somebody to Love.” The uptempo B-side of the single sounded a similar note of confident assertion. “These are the words that I have to say / Live by them and love me . .. each and every day,” Otis sings in “Your One and Only Man.” Over the next three months, the single would sell more than 140,000 copies and rise to #6—by far Otis’s best showing to date—on the Cashbox R&B chart.
"Cry to Me" is a song written by Bert Berns (listed as "Bert Russell") and first recorded by American soul singer Solomon Burke in 1961. Released in 1962, it was Burke's second single to appear in both Billboard magazine's Hot R&B Sides and Hot 100 singles charts. Several other artists recorded the song, including Betty Harris (1963), Dionne Warwick (1963), the Pretty Things (1965), the Rolling Stones (1965), Freddie Scott (1967), Tom Petty (1979) and Precious Wilson (1980).
Released in 1962, "Cry to Me", backed with "I Almost Lost My Mind" (Atlantic 2131), became Burke's second entry in the US charts, peaking at number five on the R&B charts and number 44 on the Hot 100. On March 20, 1962, Burke sang "Cry to Me" on American Bandstand.
Several artists have recorded versions of the song. Betty Harris' rendition (also produced by Bert Berns) reached R&B number 10 and Hot 100 number 23 in September 1963. English band the Pretty Things recorded it in 1965 and their version reached number 28 on the UK Singles Chart. Also in 1965, a rendition by the Rolling Stones was included on their Out of Our Heads on both the UK and US editions of the album. Freddie Scott recorded the song in 1967; his single peaked at numbers 40 on the R&B and 70 on the Hot 100. Jamaican singer Precious Wilson released a version in 1980.
"You Beat Me to the Punch" is a soul single by Motown singer Mary Wells, released on the Motown label in 1962. It was co-written by Smokey Robinson of the Miracles, who was responsible for the majority of hits released by Wells while she was a Motown artist, and another Miracles member, Ronnie White.
Following the success of the previous single, "The One Who Really Loves You", Motown released this record shortly after it was produced and the song performed similar work as "The One Who Really Loves You" did, becoming a Billboard Top 10 Pop smash, peaking at number nine on the pop chart and becoming her first number-one hit on the Billboard R&B singles chart. It also won Wells a Grammy nomination for Best Rhythm and Blues Recording.
"It's the Same Old Song" is a 1965 hit single recorded by the Four Tops for the Motown label. Written and produced by Motown's main production team Holland–Dozier–Holland, the song is today one of The Tops' signature songs, and was notably created - from initial concept to commercial release - in 24 hours. It reached number 5 on the Billboard Hot 100 and #2 on the Billboard R&B Singles chart. It also reached number 34 in the UK.
The songwriting team of Doris Payne and Gregory Carroll, authors of eight of the twelve tracks on the immortal Just One Look album - including the hit title track, conclude the disc with two minutes and forty-six seconds of this song, "Time". Artie Ripp's percussive production adds another dimension to the singer's multi-faceted album, one worthy of the cult attention it has garnered over the years. That attention comes not only because there are so few solo albums from this vital artist, but because the compositions and vocals are so overwhelmingly beautiful. Quasi reggae guitar and piano play off of the rolling drums creating an interesting platform for Doris Troy's superb voice. The dynamics of that voice slip over and under the tension created by the unorthodox rhythms. "Never in all my wildest dreams/did I think I'd find love so divine" she sings in the middle 8, that voice unveiling the secrets of the universe. Payne/Troy sang on dozens and dozens of important recordings, but why her own original music wasn't covered more, and why she didn't release thirty or forty of her own albums is more of a mystery when you listen to this brilliant track.
“This Magic Moment” Composers: Doc Pomus and Mort Shuman Original Artist: the Drifters Label: Atlantic Records; Recording: Atlantic #2050 (45) Release Year: 1960; Chart: #16 Billboard Hot 100 and #4 R&B Cover Artist: Jay and the Americans Label: United Artists Records; Recording: United Artists #50475 (45) Release Year: 1968; Chart: #6 Billboard Hot 100
Doc Pomus and Mort Shuman wrote so many famous songs in a very short period of time - “A Teenager in Love,” “Hushabye," “Turn Me I-oose,” “Little Sister," “His Latest Flame,” “Save the Last Dance for Me,” and “This Magic Moment” arc just a few. The latter was recorded first by Ben E. King and the Drifters in 1960 with a flawless siring section providing most of the accompaniment. It was a big hit on both the Pop and R&B charts.
Almost every single Ben E. King hit has been covered, and "This Magic Moment” is no exception. Very late in 1968, Jay Black and the Americans released their version. It quickly became the group’s fourth Top 10 hit and sold a million copies. For the song, the magic happened again.
Doc Pomus and Mort Shuman were both inducted (separately) into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.
"Come See About Me" is a 1964 song recorded by The Supremes for the Motown label.
The song became third of five consecutively released Supremes songs to top the Billboard pop singles chart in the United States (the others are "Where Did Our Love Go," "Baby Love," "Stop! In the Name of Love," and "Back in My Arms Again"). It topped the chart twice, non-consecutively; toppled by and later replacing The Beatles' "I Feel Fine" in December 1964 and January 1965.
"You've Lost That Lovin' Feelin'" is a song written by Phil Spector, Barry Mann, and Cynthia Weil. It was first recorded by the Righteous Brothers in 1964, and was produced by Phil Spector. Their recording is considered by some music critics to be the ultimate expression and illustration of Spector's "Wall of Sound" recording technique. It has also been described by various music writers as "one of the best records ever made" and "the ultimate pop record".
The original Righteous Brothers version was a critical and commercial success on its release, becoming a number-one hit single in both the United States and the United Kingdom in February 1965. It was the fifth best selling song of 1965 in the US. It also entered the Top 10 in the UK chart on an unprecedented three separate occasions.
"You've Lost That Lovin' Feelin'" has been covered successfully by numerous artists. A 1965 hit cover by Cilla Black reached number 2 in the UK Singles Chart. Dionne Warwick took her version to number 16 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart in 1969. A 1971 duet version by singers Roberta Flack and Donny Hathaway peaked at number 30 on the Billboard R&B singles chart. Long John Baldry charted at number 2 in Australia with his 1979 remake and a 1980 version by Hall and Oates reached number 12 on the US Hot 100.
In December 1999, the performing-rights organization Broadcast Music, Inc. (BMI) ranked the song as the most-played song on American radio and television in the 20th century, having accumulated more than 8 million airplays by 1999, and nearly 15 million by 2011. Additionally, the song was chosen as one of the Songs of the Century by RIAA and ranked No. 34 on the list of the 500 Greatest Songs of All Time by Rolling Stone. In 2015, the single was inducted into the National Recording Registry by the Library of Congress for being "culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant".
Sam Hopkins was a Texas country bluesman of the highest caliber whose career began in the 1920s and stretched all the way into the 1980s. Along the way, Hopkins watched the genre change remarkably, but he never appreciably altered his mournful Lone Star sound, which translated onto both acoustic and electric guitar. Hopkins' nimble dexterity made intricate boogie riffs seem easy, and his fascinating penchant for improvising lyrics to fit whatever situation might arise made him a beloved blues troubadour.
Hopkins' brothers John Henry and Joel were also talented bluesmen, but it was Sam who became a star. In 1920, he met the legendary Blind Lemon Jefferson at a social function, and even got a chance to play with him. Later, Hopkins served as Jefferson's guide. In his teens, Hopkins began working with another pre-war great, singer Texas Alexander, who was his cousin. A mid-'30s stretch in Houston's County Prison Farm for the young guitarist interrupted their partnership for a time, but when he was freed, Hopkins hooked back up with the older bluesman.
The pair was dishing out their lowdown brand of blues in Houston's Third Ward in 1946 when talent scout Lola Anne Cullum came across them. She had already engineered a pact with Los Angeles-based Aladdin Records for another of her charges, pianist Amos Milburn, and Cullum saw the same sort of opportunity within Hopkins' dusty country blues. Alexander wasn't part of the deal; instead, Cullum paired Hopkins with pianist Wilson "Thunder" Smith, sensibly re-christened the guitarist "Lightnin'," and presto! Hopkins was very soon an Aladdin recording artist.
"Katie May," cut on November 9, 1946, in L.A. with Smith lending a hand on the 88s, was Lightnin' Hopkins' first regional seller of note. He recorded prolifically for Aladdin in both L.A. and Houston into 1948, scoring a national R&B hit for the firm with his "Shotgun Blues." "Short Haired Woman," "Abilene," and "Big Mama Jump," among many Aladdin gems, were evocative Texas blues rooted in an earlier era.
A load of other labels recorded the wily Hopkins after that, both in a solo context and with a small rhythm section: Modern/RPM (his uncompromising "Tim Moore's Farm" was an R&B hit in 1949); Gold Star (where he hit with "T-Model Blues" that same year); Sittin' in With ("Give Me Central 209" and "Coffee Blues" were national chart entries in 1952) and its Jax subsidiary; the major labels Mercury and Decca; and, in 1954, a remarkable batch of sides for Herald where Hopkins played blistering electric guitar on a series of blasting rockers ("Lightnin's Boogie," "Lightnin's Special," and the amazing "Hopkins' Sky Hop") in front of drummer Ben Turner and bassist Donald Cooks (who must have had bleeding fingers, so torrid were some of the tempos).
But Hopkins' style was apparently too rustic and old-fashioned for the new generation of rock & roll enthusiasts (they should have checked out "Hopkins' Sky Hop"). He was back on the Houston scene by 1959, largely forgotten. Fortunately, folklorist Mack McCormick rediscovered the guitarist, who was dusted off and presented as a folk-blues artist; a role that Hopkins was born to play. Pioneering musicologist Sam Charters produced Hopkins in a solo context for Folkways Records that same year, cutting an entire LP, Lightnin' Hopkins, in Hopkins' tiny apartment (on a borrowed guitar). The results helped introduced his music to an entirely new audience.
Lightnin' Hopkins went from gigging at back-alley gin joints to starring at collegiate coffeehouses, appearing on TV programs, and touring Europe to boot. His once-flagging recording career went right through the roof, with albums for World Pacific; Vee-Jay; Bluesville; Bobby Robinson's Fire label (where he cut his classic "Mojo Hand" in 1960); Candid; Arhoolie; Prestige; Verve; and, in 1965, the first of several LPs for Stan Lewis' Shreveport-based Jewel logo.
Hopkins generally demanded full payment before he'd deign to sit down and record, and seldom indulged a producer's desire for more than one take of any song. His singular sense of country time befuddled more than a few unseasoned musicians; from the 1960s on, his solo work is usually preferable to band-backed material.
Filmmaker Les Blank captured the Texas troubadour's informal lifestyle most vividly in his acclaimed 1967 documentary, The Blues Accordin' to Lightnin' Hopkins. As one of the last great country bluesmen, Hopkins was a fascinating figure who bridged the gap between rural and urban styles.
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