TWELVE TANTRUMS: Make it an even dozen for Fitz & the Tantrums as the outfit nabs its 12th #1 here on my blog, with "123456", making its way to the top in a crowded four-way field. The poppish song jumps 3-1, just a shade ahead of The Black Keys' "Lo/Hi", which drops to #2, still bulleted. It also pushes down Lil Peep's "I've Been Waiting" a notch, while Nick Waterhouse's "I Feel An Urge Coming On" still bullets at #4.
It's getting to the point that Michael Fitzpatrick can sing the phone book and still have a hit on my blog. Despite the band moving away from its retro-soul roots, Fitzpatrick's voice still echoes a reminder of that earlier style. The band first hit #1 on December 20, 2010 with "MoneyGrabber", from their debut album Pickin' Up the Pieces, and never looked back. As for "123456", it is the first single from an as-yet unannounced fourth album.
However, despite the blog hoopla over the L.A. indie pop band, there are some negative signs with the song. It appears the song has peaked two weeks ago on Billboard's Alternative chart, at #24; this week, it falls to #34. As a frame of reference, the first single from their third, self-titled album, "HandClap", reached #5, as well as having mid-chart status on the Billboard Hot 100, their best showing to date on the big chart. But the album before that, More Than Just A Dream, yielded two
Alternative #1's, "Out of My League", and "The Walker". The Triple-A chart, in which they shined with "MoneyGrabber", has not added the song. Even the Adult Top 40 chart, in which their 2017 single, "Fool", reached the top 20 (but missed both Alternative charts), does not list the new song. It seems that perhaps in an effort to capture the pop fans, the band is losing their old ones.
It will be interesting to see what the new album, whenever it is released, brings.
As for the Black Keys, "Lo/Hi" reaches the top spot on Alternative songs, to match it's multiple week at the top on the Triple-A list. It is possible that this song....or Fitz, Lil Peep and Waterhouse, for that matter, could head back to the top. These four songs are far and away ahead of the pack.
ROCKETING UPWARD: For the second week in a row, a vintage Classic Rock male singer/musician has the Top Debut. Following Bruce Springsteen last week, Elton John, debuts with his new single, "I'm Gonna Love Me Again", coming in a #61---the same position Bruce debuted in last week. While, Springsteen has, as mentioned last week, keeping a high profile, so has Elton, an artist whose work has spanned fifty years. The artist has had many phases of his musical life, beginning with his introspective singer/songwriter roots, along with lyricist Bernie Taupin ,made his mark in the early 1970's, in which some say is his finest work: Elton John, Tumbleweed Connection, Madman Across the Water and Honky Chateau.
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| Elton John will be the subject of a new movie, "rocketman" opening May 31 |
Not to be complacent, he then switched gears and jumped on the glam rock train; his songs got more uptempo, his stage presence much more flamboyant, and he became the "Superstar of the 70's". at least the first half of the decade. Goodbye Yellow Brick Road was a masterpiece, with many styles. Captain Fantastic and the Brown Dirt Cowboy became the first album to debut at #1 in Billboard. Like Springsteen, Elton was on the cover of Time that year.
After the inevitable backlash occurred around 1977, Elton retreated and his songs became more slow and somber and had a different writing partner, but still found some success. The 1980's found Elton still relevant and churning out hit singles. In fact, Elton John had at least one top 40 hit on the Billboard Hot 100 every year from 1970 to 1999. In the nineties he branched out further, writing soundtracks to movies such as The Lion King. On a more personal level, he came out about his sexuality and became a leader in the fight against AIDS, as well as other issues affecting the gay community.
The catalyst behind all this, is a new biopic movie, Rocketman, which will open in theaters on May 31. The new single is from that movie's soundtrack and features Taron Egerton, an actor who will portray Elton in the movie. As for the song, it is a straight, rhythmic pop infection that, while not echoing his vintage work, still has a textured feel that many current pop songs do not have. As for chart prospects, don't count on pop radio adding the song, although, similar to Queen's music after the similar Bohemian Rhapsody, sales on the single may be enough to crack the chart.
The song is Elton's first to make the SNS 100, and he becomes the fifth oldest (in terms of first chart appearance) to make my playlist, following the Beach Boys, Paul McCartney (with the Beatles), Tommy James (with the Shondells), and Santana. And speaking of James, his latest, "So Beautiful" cracks the top 20 at #18; he is the second artist from the sixties to crack the top 20, following Santana.
AIN'T NOTHING LIKE SHAGGING: A couple weeks ago, we took a trip to visit friends living in Ocean Isle Beach, NC, which is about 20 minutes up the coast from Myrtle Beach. As I had indicated in a prior blog, I was curious as to whether I would hear Carolina Beach music. I had added three songs over the past few weeks, perhaps in anticipation. Our friends, Ruth and Rick Walton, formerly from upstate New York, had moved down to the Raleigh, North Carolina area around 1995 and have lived in that area since. A year ago, however, they moved and bought a house in Ocean Isle Beach, just 3 miles from the shoreline. Being the music fan I am, I had asked if they had ever heard of Beach Music. The answer, a resounding "yes". In fact, the couple had taken shagging lessons--the Shag is the official dance of Beach Music as well as the state dance of both Carolinas. Ruth even taught me a few steps. In addition, they had radio station 94.9, "The Surf" in the car, which plays Beach Music---vintage R&B songs, along with more obscure newer songs. While I didn't hear any of the three songs moving up my list---The James Hunter Six's "Whatever It Takes", Too Much Sylvia's "Got the Rhythm" or The Holiday Band's "Yours", or at least not recognized them, some really great music was heard. Beach Music was even played in a bagel shop that we went to one morning, and I heard it in a few other places.
This week, I had added a fourth Beach Music song: Dana Jones & the Bruce Caldwell Project's "I Count the Tears". It is a big mover on the Beach Music 45 chart. The song is a remake of The Drifter's 1960 hit which reached #17 as sung by Ben E. King. Perhaps the chorus of "na na na..." may remind listeners of "Let's Live for Today", a Grass Roots top ten hit in 1967 with a similar choral melody of "sha la la". The new version is faithful to the vintage version, which is, once again, an awesome refreshing diversion from today's music. The song enters here at #76.
Other songs added include new released from SNS faves Foxygen and Silversun Pickups, blog debuts from Ava Max and Cosmo Sheldrake, and a track by Billie Elish from a previous album. The singer, who is red hot both at Alternative and pop---"Bury A Friend" will be the next #1 on Alternative---is, although talented, her music, more pop than anything, is something I just can't get into. "Bury" drops to #98 this week here. None of the other popular tracks don't tickle my fancy, either. However, one song from her 2017 EP Don't Smile At Me, "Idontwannabeyouanymore" is a heartfelt, soulful ballad which struck a chord with me. As her current set When We All Fall Asleep, Where Do We Go, is at #1 on the Billboard album chart, I figure I had to add something of hers.
BRIEFLY: My friend Tom Corea, who has produced some great local music over the years will be releasing a 36-song, 2 CD set by his bar band Bad Attitude. Titled "More Than Just a Name", the set will encompass the Central Jersey Bar Band's 25-year recorded history. The band's lead singer, Jamie Heath, passed away earlier this year. Included will be an extensive collection from all of the band's session with Heath as its lead singer; the proceeds will go to help Heath's family with financial issues. The CDs will cost $25, which includes shipping. More information will be available upon release. The band, best known to SNS readers for their #2 holiday song "Merry Christmas Anyway" (not included here), provides a great mix of covers and originals, and some of these were newly recorded prior to Heath's passing. Speaking of Corea, a friend going back to Roselle Park days, I hope to devote an entire blog to him, stay tuned for that.
Woodstock 50 remains in limbo. While the festival celebrating the golden anniversary of the original three day event at Yasgur's Farm hasn't officially been canceled yet, the news seems to fluctuate from day to day, with promotion companies getting on board, only to have additional issues leaving their involvement in doubt. With only three months until the event, tickets still have not yet been on sale.
I've always been a fan of local bands, especially ones that have played festivals, fair or food truck events. The Big Takeover, Shannon Marsyada, Rachel Allyn, The Doughboys, and Spinn come to mind. I was at the Hackettstown NJ, "Maifest" over the weekend (my wife's business had a booth there). At the Czeg Meister Brewing Company's bier garden, they had live music, including a five-piece band, The Outcrops. They play a mix of blues, Americana, soul and classic rock. While the songs they played were covers, they did announce a release of a new CD later in the year, which will be worth waiting for. In the meantime, they have an extensive touring schedule of places in northwestern New Jersey. You can check their Facebook page: Outcrops on Facebook
Finally, this week will begin the annual SNS "Song of the Summer" measurement, which will continue until mid-September. What will it be this year? Keep tuned in!
Scenes ‘n’ Soundwaves 100
May 12 & 19, 2019
| This Week | Last Week | ARTIST-Title | Weeks on List |
| 1 | 3 |
NUMBER ONE:
(Single Only)
|
6 |
| 2 | 1 | The Black Keys - Lo/Hi | 8 |
| 3 | 2 | Lil Peep and IloveMakonnen f Fall Out Boy - I've Been Waiting | 7 |
| 4 | 4 | Nick Waterhouse - I Feel An Urge Coming On | 5 |
| 5 | 6 | Slothrust - Rotten Pumpkin | 10 |
| 6 | 7 | Lady Gaga and Bradley Cooper - Shallow | 20 |
| 7 | 11 | AJR - 100 Bad Days | 7 |
| 8 | 8 | Florence + The Machine - Moderation | 7 |
| 9 | 10 | Wild Belle - Mockingbird | 6 |
| 10 | 5 | The Kooks - Chicken Bone | 12 |
| 11 | 17 | Tame Impala - Patience | 4 |
| 12 | 13 | Dreamers - Die Happy | 8 |
| 13 | 14 | Mark Ronson f. Miley Cyrus - Nothing Breaks Like A Heart | 13 |
| 14 | 15 | Elle King - Baby Outlaw | 15 |
| 15 | 9 | Kungs f Ritual - You Remain | 12 |
| 16 | 20 | The Struts f. Kesha - Body Talks | 8 |
| 17 | 21 |
TOP 20 IMPACT OF THE WEEK:
(Single Only)
|
6 |
| 18 | 12 | Cage the Elephant - Ready to Let Go | 12 |
| 19 | 22 | Tommy James - So Beautiful | 7 |
| 20 | 18 | The Revivalists - Change | 14 |
Songs
with the greatest increase in favorite points over the prior week.
● Songs
with 25 or more plays on my iPod.
▲ Songs with 50 or more
plays on my iPod.
¨ Songs with 100 or more
plays on my iPod.
The “Scenes ‘n’ Soundwaves 100” is a list
of current and recent song playlist which I am listening to.
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