Sunday, November 21, 2021

Music History Today: November 21, 2021

November 21, 1981: Olivia Newton-John takes over the top of the US Hot 100 chart with "Physical." 

“Physical” was a phenomenon. The song’s 10-week run at #1 tied a record previously set four years earlier by Debby Boone’s “You Light Up My Life.”

Olivia Newton-John
Olivia Newton-John
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“Physical” had most of its run at #1 in 1981, but Billboard still named it 1982’s #1 single. Years later, Billboard listed “Physical” as the best-selling single of the entire decade. 
Read more: Stereogum

November 21, 1953: "Rags to Riches" by Tony Bennett finishes the last five weeks of the year at the top of the charts.

"Rags To Riches" was written in 1953 by Richard Adler and Jerry Ross, who first started writing songs together in 1950. Together they wrote the Broadway shows The Pajama Game (1954) and Damn Yankees (1955). Combined, the original Broadway productions of all of their musicals won a total of 11 Tony Awards. Many of their songs became part of the Great American Songbook (such as "Hey There," a #1 hit for Rosemary Clooney in 1954). 
Read more: Songfacts

November 21,  1964: "Come a Little Bit Closer" by Jay & the Americans peaked at Number 3 on Billboard's Hot 100 singles chart.

"Come a Little Bit Closer" was written by songwriters Tommy Boyce and Bobby Hart, as well as Wes Farrell, and became Boyce and Hart's first top 10 hit.

"Come a Little Bit Closer" album by Jay and the Americans

The lyrics tell the story of a young woman who is romantically involved with a man named José, but seduces the narrator with flattering words until he is love-stricken. After they kiss, José arrives and the narrator flees only to hear, as he is running away, the young woman using on José the same enticing words she had used on him. 
Read more: Wikipedia

November 21, 1970:  Three Dog Night debuted the highest on the US music chart, at Number 55, with "One Man Band."

"One Man Band" is a song written by Billy Fox, Tommy Kaye, and January Tyme and performed by Three Dog Night. It was featured on their 1970 album, Naturally. It was produced by Richard Podolor. In the US, "One Man Band" went to #19 on the Billboard chart in 1971. 
Read more: Wikipedia

November 21, 1997: Ben Folds Five released the single "Brick" from their album Whatever and Ever Amen.

"Brick" is a 1997 song by the Ben Folds Five. The song is sometimes referred to as the "saddest song in the happiest chord" because its sensitive subject matter is set to the key of D major. 

Ben Folds Five "Brick"

The song was a departure from the band's typical piano rock sound. It was Ben Fold's Five biggest hit, charting at number 26 in the U.K, and although it wasn't released as a single in the U.S., the song still received mainstream radio airplay in the states. 
Read more: Music Banter

Physical
Olivia Newton-John

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