Music History Today: March 8, 2022

March 8, 1986: Prince & The Revolution enter the US Top 40 with "Kiss." 

Originally, “Kiss” wasn’t supposed to be a Prince song.

Prince

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At the time, Brownmark, the bassist for Prince’s backing band the Revolution had a synth-funk side project called Mazarati, and they were signed to Prince’s Paisley Park label. Prince wrote “Kiss” with Mazarati in mind. 

Read more: Stereogum

March 8, 1958: "Tequila" by The Champs started a five-week run at the top of the American Top 10 chart.

"Tequila," a Mexican-flavored surf instrumental, became a No. 1 hit on both the pop and R&B charts at the time of its release and continues to be strongly referenced in pop culture to this day. 

Read more: Wikipedia

March 8, 1969: Dionne Warwick topped out at Number 7 on the US music chart with "This Girl's in Love with You."

"This Guy's in Love with You" is a song written by Burt Bacharach and Hal David, and recorded by Herb Alpert.

Dionne Warwick 1969

Several female vocalists have rendered the song as "This Girl's in Love with You". Nancy Sinatra debuted this version live on The Ed Sullivan Show on May 26, 1968. Dionne Warwick was the first to record this version of the song. 

Read more: Wikipedia

March 8, 1975: Benny Bell's novelty tune, "Shaving Cream," started a run up the Hot 100 charts after Dr. Demento added it to his playlist.

Sandwiched between “I Want ’a Do Something Funky to You” by Leon Haywood and “Fight the Power” by the Isley Brothers was 1975’s unlikeliest Top 40 hit: “Shaving Cream” by Benny Bell.

 

With its vaudevillian horns and borderline-naughty lyrics, it sounded every inch the jukebox curio it had been when Bell wrote the song in 1946. 

Read more: Inside Jersey

March 8, 1980: The Babys move into the American Top 40 chart with "Back on My Feet Again."

Straddling the late-'70's hard rock/new wave barrier and cranking out hits that ranged from orchestral ballads to slick pop/rock, the Babys' career was short but productive.

Built around John Waite's vocals and the band's nimble sound, they started off as Free-inspired rockers with a sentimental streak, hitting first with ballads like "Isn't It Time" and "Every Time I Think of You." They became an AOR radio staple thanks to hooky, up-tempo tracks like "Midnight Rendezvous" and "Back on My Feet Again." 

Read more: Allmusic

Kiss
Prince & The Revolution