But, as that PSY song makes a good dent onto my SNS chart this week as the top debut at #54, we have to go back a few decades to remember the accomplishments of Andy Williams, the singer who had many middle-of-the-road hits in the 1950's right on through the early 70's. He passed away Wednesday at the age of 84, after battling cancer for over a year. His contributions, however are very memorable.
I do have to admit that, growing up, I had never considered Andy Williams "cool", and perhaps that was a mistake. He had a clean-cut appearance, and sang "safe" ballads. But as I grew up, you must realize that he was actually pretty cool, especially for a singer in his genre. I remember in the mid-60's when I was in grammar school, and we went to music class with our teacher Mrs. Miller. In an era where we were so into the pop music of the day, we were singing stuff like "You Can Sing a Rainbow", which some of the kids though was "sissy" and beneath them. Mrs. Miller "yelled" at us, saying it's not, and citing the fact "Andy Williams sings this".
Well, what a career he had. Let's start with "Moon River", his signature song. He didn't chart with the song from 1962's "Breakfast At Tiffany's" because it wasn't released as a single, but when you see his name, you immediately think of this song. I played it on the piano when I was a kid. More importantly, it was played at our wedding, with Barb dancing to it with her father. Very sentimental, indeed. It's not a coincidence that many of my friends decided to post this song over anything else on the day that he passed. Simply, it's a great song.
And over the last few holiday seasons, his "It's The Most Wonderful Time of the Year" as well as "Happy Holidays/It's the Holiday Season", after not being heard for decades, are now two of the most played Christmas songs of the season. Williams also had his legendary Christmas specials, and, along with Perry Como and Bing Crosby, has shared the nickname of "Mr. Christmas" because of his long association with the holiday.
Plus, don't forget his long-running variety show, which started in 1962 and continued until 1970. He was the one responsible for introducing five brothers from Provo, UT, The Osmonds, including an apparence by then four-year-old Donny, and later, Marie. I remember watching in later seasons, his show, which had a great share of comedy. And any doubt about Williams' hipness was squashed when he publically defended John Lennon and his right to stay in this country.
Williams came to prominence in the 1940's as part of a singing trio The Williams Brothers before stepping out on his own. Even his nephews. Andrew and David also made the charts a couple of times in different eras. In 1974, as pre-teens, they appeared on an episode of The Partridge Family, and even made the charts as "Andy and David Williams" with a remake of the Don and Juan song, "What's Your Name". Then, in stark contrast, as serious adult artists in 1992 (billed as "The Williams Brothers"), they charted again with the more serious (and sad) song "Can't Cry Hard Enough", and I wouldn't be surprised if they might perform it at their uncle's funeral.
In recent years, he had opened up his "Moon River" theater in Branson, MO, and had performed there until his recent illness. He definitely had earned respect over the years, and in a year in which we'vev lost so many recording starts, he will sorely be missed.
BACK TO THE CHART: Pink's "Blow Me (One Last Kiss)" despite still being much talked about, finally relinquishes the top spot, to the strange, eclectic instrumental "Elizabeth's Song" by Dirty Beaches. I shot some footage for a planned video that I thought about making, as mentioned early, during my shore "chill day" last week.
FRIENDS PICKS: While Pink's new album The Truth About Love debuted at #1 this week, next week looks to see a very impressive entry at the top by Mumford and Sons' Bebel will have an impressive sales week. And some friends posted their latest hit, the #2 alternative song "I Will Wait". Unless last time out, it's good to be on board with this one, as it advances to #9 on SNS.
The aforementioned PSY's "Gangnam Style" leads the debuts at #54, with a video that has gone viral with close to 300 million hits (that's not a misprint), which is a catchy piece of early 90's-era techno, laced with hooks and of course the dance that everyone's been doing. It's now #2 on the Hot 100, just behind Maroon 5's "One More Night". As the song was added last week, it is not eligible for my Pick of the Week, however.
That belongs to "Yet Again", by Grizzly Bear, another from the popular Brooklyn music scene. Coming in at #76, the quartet has been around for a decade, and their fourth album, Shields was released this month. They are described as a psychedelic indie pop, but they seem to traverse several styles. Unfortunately, you won't be seeing them around here anytime soon, but if you head out to Chicagoland, they'll be part of the Midpoint Festival this week with bands like Best Coast and Sleigh Bells, before heading off to Europe, Australia and New Zealand this fall.
AND FREEZE: Next week, I will be away on vacation, thus the chart will be frozen, although the week will "count" toward chart statistics. That will mean that "Elizabeth's Song" will be at the top for a second week, while "Lights" and "Somebody That I Used to Know" will log their 37th week on the chart.
DOWN THE ROAD: There will be a lot to look forward to when I get back. I'll talk more about "Gangnam Style" as it stacks up to other dance "crazes" of the past; check to see if any music was popular on my trip, and it looks like Leila's first full length album will be out by the time I'm back, at which time I'll have a review. Hopefully Rachel Allyn will have her's done by then as well. A lot of good music to be had these days, and with fun., Alex Clare, Ellie Goulding and Neon Trees in the top 10 on the pop chart, and Mumford and Sons alsoimpressively moving up the chart, perhaps rock is making a comeback after all. Stay tuned!
SCENES'N'SOUNDWAVES 100 for Week of September 24, 2012
|
This Week
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Last Week
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ARTIST-Title
|
Weeks on List
|
|
1
|
2
|
DIRTY BEACHES
"Elizabeth's Theme"
(Single Only)
|
7
|
|
2
|
1
|
Pink - Blow Me (One Last Kiss)
|
12
|
|
3
|
3
|
The Heavy - What Makes A Good Man
|
14
|
|
4
|
6
|
Rebecca Ferguson - Nothing's Real But Love
|
8
|
|
5
|
9
|
Django Django - Default
|
6
|
|
6
|
4
|
Dignan Porch - Picking Up Dust
|
11
|
|
7
|
12
|
The Satellites - Lost in Time
|
4
|
|
8
|
5
|
Foxygen - Make It Known
|
10
|
|
9
|
10
|
Mumford & Sons - I Will Wait
|
7
|
|
10
|
7
|
The Avett Brothers - Live and Die
|
11
|
|
11
|
8
|
Two Door Cinema Club - Sleep Alone
|
10
|
|
12
|
13
|
Ty Segall Band - I Brought My Eyes
|
17
|
|
13
|
14
|
Grassfight - Look Homeward Heathen
|
12
|
|
14
|
18
|
Snow Patrol - In the End
|
9
|
|
15
|
11
|
Matchbox Twenty - She's So Mean
|
15
|
|
16
|
26
|
TOP 20 IMPACT OF THE WEEK:
HEDLEY
"Kiss You Inside Out"
Album: Storms
|
5
|
|
17
|
23
|
Tristan Prettymen - My Oh My
|
7
|
|
18
|
15
|
Basement Batman - On A Streak
|
9
|
|
19
|
22
|
Phillip Phillips - Home
|
18
|
|
20
|
27
|
Kopechy Family Band - Heartbeat
|
4
|
|
21
|
25
|
Yeasayer - Henrietta
|
6
|
|
22
|
28
|
Youngblood Hawke - We Come Running
|
7
|
|
23
|
17
|
Grouplove - Itchin' On A Photograph
|
8
|
|
24
|
29
|
The Shins - It's Only Life
|
6
|
|
25
|
16
|
Green Day - Oh Love
|
10
|
|
26
|
21
|
The Features - Another One
|
12
|
|
27
|
20
|
The Black Keys - Little Black Submarine
|
15
|
|
28
|
42
|
Churchill - Change
|
3
|
|
29
|
19
|
The Raveonettes - Observations
|
13
|
|
30
|
24
|
The Killers - Runaways
|
11
|
|
31
|
36
|
Grace Potter & the Nocturnals - Stars
|
3
|
|
32
|
30
|
Mayer Hawthorne - No Strings
|
7
|
|
33
|
33
|
Taylor Swift - We Are Never Getting Back Together
|
6
|
|
34
|
32
|
The Lumineers - Ho Hey
|
13
|
|
35
|
35
|
Maroon 5 - One More Night
|
9
|
|
36
|
43
|
Those Darlins - Mystic Mind
|
3
|
|
37
|
41
|
Jack White - Freedom at 21
|
6
|
|
38
|
34
|
Fun. - Some Nights
|
26
|
|
39
|
47
|
Linkin Park - Lost In the Echo
|
5
|
|
40
|
46
|
Coldplay - Hurts Like Heaven
|
6
|
|
41
|
49
|
Alex Clare - Too Close
|
18
|
|
42
|
51
|
Sean Rowe - Horses
|
7
|
|
43
|
31
|
Beach House - Lazuli
|
16
|
|
44
|
75
|
Silversun Pickups - The Pit
|
2
|
|
45
|
40
|
Emeli Sande - Next To Me
|
14
|
|
46
|
64
|
Allen Stone - Sleep
|
4
|
|
47
|
37
|
The Mungers - B School
|
12
|
|
48
|
86
|
MOVER OF THE WEEK:
ZZ WARD
"Put The Gun Down"
Album: Til The Casket Drops
|
2
|
|
49
|
62
|
Neon Trees - Everybody Talks
|
11
|
|
50
|
38
|
Chromatics - Into the Black
|
9
|
|
51
|
48
|
Of Monsters and Men - Mountain Sound
|
15
|
|
52
|
58
|
Aerosmith - Legendary Child
|
9
|
|
53
|
39
|
Joanna Burns - Simply Speak
|
9
|
|
54
|
----
|
TOP DEBUT:
PSY
"Gangnam Style"
Album: Psy's Best 6th Part 1
|
1
|
|
55
|
50
|
Kelly Clarkson - Dark Side
|
17
|
|
56
|
52
|
Best Coast - The Only Place
|
19
|
|
57
|
74
|
Helvetia - Nothing in Rambling
|
3
|
|
58
|
54
|
Trails and Ways - Nunca
|
18
|
|
59
|
55
|
Meiko - Leave the Lights On
|
13
|
|
60
|
44
|
Weeks - The House We Grew Up In
|
13
|
|
61
|
53
|
M83 - Reunion
|
19
|
|
62
|
80
|
Ellie Goulding - Anything Could Happen
|
2
|
|
63
|
56
|
Those Darlins - Screws Get Loose
|
29
|
|
64
|
45
|
The Royal Concept - Gimme Twice
|
14
|
|
65
|
69
|
Dirty Heads - Dance All Night
|
5
|
|
66
|
89
|
Taylor Swift - Ronan
|
2
|
|
67
|
57
|
Grace Potter & the Nocturnals - Never Go Back
|
24
|
|
68
|
67
|
The Wombats - Jump Into the Fog
|
29
|
|
69
|
78
|
Little Big Town - Pontoon
|
3
|
|
70
|
61
|
A Place to Bury Strangers - You Are the One
|
11
|
|
71
|
87
|
Metric - Breathing Underwater
|
2
|
|
72
|
77
|
Walk the Moon - Tightrope
|
4
|
|
73
|
79
|
The Soft Moon - Insides
|
3
|
|
74
|
59
|
Oberhofer - Away From You
|
23
|
|
75
|
66
|
The Shins- The Rifle's Spiral
|
25
|
|
76
|
----
|
Grizzly Bear - Yet Again
|
1
|
|
77
|
73
|
Maroon 5 - Come Away To the Water
|
27
|
|
78
|
60
|
Daniel Powter - Cupid
|
11
|
|
79
|
68
|
No Doubt - Settle Down
|
10
|
|
80
|
83
|
Imagine Dragons - Radioactive
|
3
|
|
81
|
70
|
Metric - Youth Without Youth
|
22
|
|
82
|
63
|
Mayer Hawthorne - Henny and Gingerale
|
20
|
|
83
|
65
|
Linkin Park - Burn It Down
|
22
|
|
84
|
76
|
Gotye f. Kimbra - Somebody That I Used to Know
|
36
|
|
85
|
72
|
The Kooks - Is It Me
|
18
|
|
86
|
----
|
No Doubt - Looking Hot
|
1
|
|
87
|
82
|
Carly Rae Jepsen - Call Me Maybe
|
17
|
|
88
|
95
|
The XX - Angels
|
6
|
|
89
|
99
|
OneRepublic - Feel Again
|
2
|
|
90
|
71
|
Bloc Party - Octopus
|
9
|
|
91
|
----
|
Sick/Sea - Robot
|
1
|
|
92
|
85
|
Ellie Goulding - Lights
|
36
|
|
93
|
88
|
Electric Guest - This Head I Hold
|
30
|
|
94
|
----
|
Daughtry - Start of Something Good
|
1
|
|
95
|
----
|
Muse - The Madness
|
1
|
|
96
|
----
|
Sad Robot - Hold On
|
1
|
|
97
|
94
|
Ty Segall & White Fence - I Am Not A Game
|
27
|
|
98
|
RE ENTRY
|
Train - 50 Ways to Say Goodbye
|
15
|
|
99
|
81
|
Wolf Gang - The King and All His Men
|
17
|
|
100
|
90
|
The Gaslight Anthem - 45
|
18
|
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