Music History Today: March 1, 2022

March 1, 1986: James Brown peaked at Number 4 on Billboard's Hot 100 singles chart with "Living in America."

"Living in America" by James Brown was his first Top 40 hit in ten years on the US pop charts, and it would also be his last.

James Brown 1986

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In 1987, it was nominated for a Grammy Award for Best R&B Song and won Brown a Grammy Award for Best Male R&B Vocal Performance. 

Read more: Wikipedia

March 1, 1969: Blood, Sweat & Tears "You've Made Me So Very Happy" started their run up the US music singles.

"You've Made Me So Very Happy" was a hit for Brenda Holloway, reaching Number 39 on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1967.The first single from Blood, Sweat & Tears' second album, it reached Number Two on the same chart and earned a gold record. 

Read more: Nights with Alice Cooper

March 1, 1976: AC/DC released "TNT" from their Australian album TNT and the international version of High Voltage.

Originally unveiled in December 1975, T.N.T. was the second AC/DC album released in their native Australia, 

But is often overlooked outside the Land Down Under because its best tracks were later combined with those from the band's first domestic album, High Voltage, for reissue as their international debut from 1976 -- also entitled High Voltage. 

Read more: Allmusic

March 1, 1980: "Fire Lake" by Bob Seger moved from Number 65 to 40, entering the American Top 40 chart. 

Bob Seger had planned to record "Fire Lake" for his 1975 album Beautiful Loser, but the track wasn't finished.

Bob Seger

The song was included on his album Against the Wind. Seger and colleagues decided to make "Fire Lake" the first single from that LP because it was "totally and unequivocally unlike anything I'd ever done before." It reached number 6 on the Billboard Hot 100. 

Read more: Wikipedia

March 1, 1986: Mr. Mister had a Number 1 hit when "Kyrie" took over the top of the American chart. 

"Kyrie Eleison" is Greek for "Lord, have mercy." It is used as a prayer in both Roman Catholic and Greek Orthodox services. Greek was the original language of the New Testament and it was later translated in to Latin. When this was a hit, very few people listening to Top 40 radio had any idea that they were singing "Lord Have Mercy, Down the Road that I must travel!" The religious significance was mostly lost. 

Read more: Songfacts

Living in America
James Brown