For the second week in a row, a blog superstar has released a new song, and, like Colorjoy's debut last week, the new Deb Browning song, "Think I Found Forever" picks up right where she left off.
Are you surprised? I'm not.
On March 9, Carolina Beach Music sensation Deb Browning debuted her new single on Jim Quick's radio show on 94.9 The Surf. It is the official follow-up to last year's "3 More Minutes", which was both my "song of the summer" and "song of the year" for 2022. Not bad for someone who, two years ago, I never heard of.
 |
| Deb Browning at the legendary Fat Harold's Beach Club in North Myrtle Beach to debut her video for her new single "Think I Found Forever", the Top Debut at #28. |
While I didn't discover her talents until two years ago, she actually came racing onto the scene back in 2019. Not bad for someone who came a long way to get there. Although she has sang much of her life, it was usually in churches. At the age of 14, she played organ in her hometown church in Fayetteville NC, and then sang and played with various choirs in churches for many years.
And then her life got interrupted in 2011 when she was diagnosed with breast cancer. After rounds of chemo, radiation and the like, she survived it, and perhaps all her experiences with church paid off as the good Lord must have wanted her to come and provide joy to her many friends out there.
It was in 2019 that she decided to sing professionally and that beach music, centered around North Myrtle Beach was for her. Her first single release was "Dancin'", and that was quickly followed by a cover of "You're No Good". After that came "In My Dreams". At one point in June 2020 those three songs were #1, #2 and #3 on John Hook's Beach Music Top 40!!! What a way to make a debut! Those are Drake and Taylor Swift numbers there!! Given the state of that chart these days when music takes its sweet time moving up that chart---Starbuck's "You're the Reason" finally makes #1 there, taking 27 weeks to do so--Deb came on like gangbusters, winning out over artists who had been around forever. Incidentally, the #4 song that week was "Still Falling" by Jerry Powell, of Carnival Band and "Merry-Go-Round" fame.
As for me, although I've been a fan of beach music for 40 years---actually more since I found out some of my favorite songs of the sixties qualified as such---I decided to inject some Shag music into my Scenes 'n' Soundwaves Top 100 playlist, starting in 2018. "I Don't Wanna Be WIthout You" by The James Hunter Six became a top 3 blot hit and landed at #17 on that year-end list. Then the following year, I added songs like "Got the Rhythm" by Too Much Sylvia, "Whatever it Takes" by "Yours" by The Holiday Band, and "I Count the Tears" by Dana Jones and the Bruce Caldwell Project. All but the Dana Jones song made my Top 100 for 2019 with "I Count the Tears" just missing it. Beach music was on its way, and it was an interesting mix with the alternative music I was mostly listening to. My wife and I took a trip to visit friends down in Ocean Isle Beach, NC in May 2019, adding to the interest, and I actuallly got a shag lesson!
Since then, I would randomly, every three months or so, add a beach music song. Unfortunately, beach music for me took a step back in 2020, with no songs making my year-end list at all. Apparently for me, the novelty wore off.
I almost forgot about the genre in the first half of 2021, but with summer arriving, for the heck of it, I added three new beach music songs: "Whispers Gettin' Louder" by R. Mark Black, "I Wanna Go Back' by Too Much Sylvia, and a song called "Stop Messin' With My Man" by one Deb Browning who was pretty much just another name at the time. "Stop Messin'" was the highest debut of the three, and the second highest debut that week (to Modest Mouse) at #75. What intrigued me the most at the time about the song and made it stand out was its video, which took place at a bar, with keeping along with the song's lyrics were about women hitting on a guy seated at the bar, while Deb was singing ("my man", at the bar, was in fact played by Deb's husband Bob, who have been together for over 40 years).
Sometimes, repeated listens of the song catch on with me, and after slowly rising each week, it peaked at #7 on August 15, 2021. In its descent on my chart, I was looking for a follow-up. While there wasn't any at that time, I went back and added a prior single "In My Dreams" which went halfway up the chart here. Meanwhile, Deb was voted "Rising Star" by the Carolina Beach Music Association in the year 2021.
In my year-end list of 2021, "Stop Messin' With My Man" came in at #24 (one of two beach songs on that list that year). Normally, that would have been it, but as I've done in the past, I looked on her website as well as her Facebook page. She was thanking many of those DJ's who had played her song and included her music on their charts, including the year-end of 2021. While my chart is vastly different from theirs, I commented on a post of hers about her year-end position on SNS.
While I usually don't get a response, I was very surprised to get a positive reaction from her, and she posted that #24 standing on her page! WOW! I had read her bio when I did my year-end blog, but it was her reaction that really hit home for me that this was a genuine, sincere and humbled person.
Naturally I was interested in anything else she had to offer, and it was around this time in March 2022 that she was featured on a duet with Florida contingent The Six Piece Suits, "Take Me By The Hand". That song would become the first beach music song to get #1 on my blog. In the meantime, I explored--and made friends were other beach music artists, such as Lesa Hudson, Sharon Woodruff, Jimmy Ogburn, Bubba D. Liverance, Jerry Powell and many others. The floodgates opened for beach music on my list, often accounting for half the top 20 and over a quarter of the SNS 100. I had wondered had I never reached out to Deb in the first place, if this Jersey guy would feel "at home" on the Carolina coasts.
Deb's prior songs "In My Dreams", "Dancin'" and "Stop Messin' With My Man" jumped back on the chart, with "Dancin'" reaching my top 20 and "Messin'" logging 49 total weeks, tied for fifth longest on my blog chart history. Then it was time for "3 More Minutes".
That song debuted at #38 on the May 15, 2022 chart and quickly hit the top 10, hitting the top spot on June 26, just two weeks after "Take Me By the Hand" did. It became the SNS "Song of the Summer", and eventually for 2022 as the song stayed in the top 10 for months. It topped many beach music countdown as late as January of this year. In fact, it stayed in the top 40 here for 39 straight weeks before finally dropping out of it this week.
Another duet with the Six Piece Suits, "It Don't Get Better Than This" also hit the top spot here, and it was knocked out by "Here Comes Amazon", Deb's holiday entry, recorded in 2020, but officially released in time for the 2022 holiday season on her album Here Comes Christmas. It was only the fifth time that an artist succeeded themselves at the time. Another song from that set, "All Over the World" also reached my top 20.
All this has set the stage for "Think I Found Forever". It debuts this week at #28, the same position that Colorjoy's "Golden Age" did just last week. Only seven songs have debuted in the top 30 since I started my blog in 2010, and three of them---including Rick Strickland and Lesa Hudson's "Got It Right (The First Time)" have done it in the past two months.
As for the song, Deb has delivered the goods with her emotion and soulfulness, endearing to her genre. While "3 More Minutes" was about a "final fling" before parting the ways, "Think I Found Forever" is a song of newfound love and beginnings. In the song, she may not have "got it right" the first time, but she has definitely gotten it right. This song has delivered the goods and another lengthy run on the chart is guaranteed. And if her prior output is any indication, this will be on the top of the charts all summer long on the various radio and web stations.
Another thing that makes Deb stand out from the others is her videos. While making a music clip is commonplace all around the music industry and has been for almost 45 years, it's pretty rare in the Carolina beach music community. While many of the songs are available on YouTube, thanks to @SomeBeachMusic, they are usually set to still photos of the scenery or a song placard. Deb has made videos for all her solo work dating back to "In My Dreams" and as mentioned above, "Stop Messin' With My Man", as well as "3 More Minutes". Her "Think I Found Forever" was debuted in grand fashion at the legendary Fat Harold's club in North Myrtle Beach on March 10, a day after the song debuted. The clip has immediately won accolades; it was selected by The American Golden Picture International Film Festival selected this video for March 2023.
It's a great video in which Deb and several of her friends are in a home theater gearing up for a movie after grabbing popcorn. The "movie" is a couple in love walking along the beach, and at night amidst candles on the beach, the guy proposed to his girl, as Deb sings on the couch. The movie is touching to the point that the girls are grabbing their tissues in tears. It all just adds to the emotion of the song. Credit not only goes to Deb and her friends but also to producer Tim Sidden of Cat 5 Band fame as well as the Tony Murnahan, who directed the video.
It's a shame that more artists don't make videos like this. Can you imagine if Rick and Lesa made one for "Got It Right (The First Time)"? Lesa Hudson had a great one for "Sunny Days" but I can't remember anyone else making a real video in the beach genre. I realize that these regional beach music songs are driven by radio play and requests and videos are secondary, but I hope that Deb's accolades will affect other artists here.
Finally, I want to add that we are planning on returning to visit friends at Ocean Isle Beach and are planning on catching Deb and her singing partner Marissa Kay Small at the American Legion Hall in Little River SC on April 7 where I hope to finally meet Deb in person!!!
YOU DO BRING ME 'FLOWERS': Miley Cyrus finally grabs the top spot on this week's SNS 100 with "Flowers", ending the five-week run of "Got It Right (The First Time)". It's Miley's third blog #1, following "Malibu" in 2017 and "Midnight Sky" in 2020. "Flowers" had a six-week run on Billboard and is currently #2 (and I wouldn't be surprised if it returned to the top); it is far and away Miley's biggest hit ("Wrecking Ball", her prior Billboard hit, was on top for three weeks). It's the 13th song to top both the Hot 100 and Scenes 'n' Soundwaves, and first since Steve Lacy's "Bad Habit" in October 2022.
Rick and Lesa drop to #2, while Bubba D. Liverance regains its bullet and moves to #3 with "Ti Ta Ti Ta Ti Ta Ta". But the action is elsewhere in the top 10. Arlo Parks "Weightless" jumps from 10-5, and Say She She's "In My Head" grabs Impact honors in a 23-7 move joining, "Trouble" in the top 10. Last week's Debut, Colorjoy, goes 28-10 grabbing Mover honors. The second ten remains active as many of the songs gain points but have trouble moving up. Jenna Ren and Caroline Rose do advance a few positions. Devon Gillfillian has his second top 20 hit with "All I Really Wanna Do" (24-17), and Tim Izzard moves back into the top 20 with "Walk the Walk" (21-19) after being forced out last week.
Nine debuts this week, topped by "Think I Found Forever", but the latest from Yeah Yeah Yeah's "Wolf", which follows their top 10 "Burning", enters at an impressive #48. It's an emotional, grandiose production and lead singer Karen O delivers a heartffelt performance and goes along with the change in temp midway through the song then snaps right back. "Burning" was in and out of the Top 10, but this one should top it and stay there longer.
With women grabbing a majority of the top ten and top 40 with awesome songs, adding to that well deserved blitz is "Cowboy Gangster Politician" by blog newcomer Goldie Boutiller. The singer/songwriter, born Kristin Kathleen Boutiller, hails from Nova Scotia and has released albums since 2012. This song and artist were recommended by Spotify. This is another emotional and very palatable song that is fitting right in with what I am listening right now. I'll tell you, the top 10 is going to be very crowded in a few weeks!
Steve Lacy follows his dual Billboard/SNS #1 "Bad Habit" with "Helmet". While the last song straddled both the alternative and hip-hop lists, this one has more of an eclectic sound and is doing well on the Triple-A format. Not too far off from the prior hit, but it's sort-of retro feel (love the wah-wahs on it) to it should result in another winner on the blog. Very catchy and worthy follow-up.
Nick Waterhouse, speaking of retro-sounding, enters with his latest "Late in the Garden". The artist has had three number one's here, including the 2018 year-end blog topper, "Straight Love Affair". This one has more of a haunting folk-rock feel and the vocals remind me of Bob Dylan. It's been a while since Waterhouse had a blog hit, but this one has a chance with repeated listens.
Danielle Ponder follows her #11 blog hit "The Only Way Out" with "So Long". This is more rhythmic and perhaps straddles rock, hip-hop and even gospel, but Ms. Ponder sings with so much soul and emotion that it drives the song to its max. Michigander follows the top 30 "Stay Out of It" with "Superglue", with alt-pop overtones; and Lucius takes another shot with the rather sparse but dreamy "Muse" which picks up a bit of steam as it goes along. It's okay but I yearn for the "Hey Doreen" days.
WALLEN WALLOPING: The final add this week is the current number one song on the Billboard Hot 100, "Last Night",by country artist Morgan Wallen. The song has been in the top ten for a few weeks but moves to the top as his album was released. Aside from "Last Night" he has sort of a top 10 blitz as he also owns half the top 10 with numbers 7 thru 10. But he also has 34 songs on the Hot 100, by far a record. I guess all is forgiven with his controversy (although the negative comments abounded when Billboard posted it on Instagram). As for the song? I'll give it a chance, but it has a long way to go to match his blog peak of #21 with "7 Summers" several years back. It debuts at #97 here.
Scenes ‘n’ Soundwaves 100 Playlist
March 12, 2023
|
This Week |
Last Week |
ARTIST-Title |
Weeks on List |
|
1 |
2 |
NUMBER ONE:  Album: Endless Summer Vacation |
9 |
|
2 |
1 |
Rick Strickland and Lesa Hudson
- Got it Right (The First Time) |
8 |
|
3 |
4 |
Rev. Bubba D. Liverance and the
Cornhole Prophets - Ti Ta Ti Ta Ti Ta Ta |
9 |
|
4 |
3 |
9 |
|
|
5 |
10 |
5 |
|
|
6 |
6 |
6 |
|
|
7 |
23 |
TOP 20 IMPACT OF THE WEEK:  (Single Only) |
3 |
|
8 |
5 |
17 |
|
|
9 |
7 |
9 |
|
|
10 |
28 |
MOVER OF THE WEEK:  Album: Golden Age |
2 |
|
11 |
15 |
6 |
|
|
12 |
12 |
7 |
|
|
13 |
13 |
7 |
|
|
14 |
16 |
5 |
|
|
15 |
9 |
Deb Browning and Six Piece Suits - It Don't Get Better Than
This |
19 |
|
16 |
24 |
4 |
|
|
17 |
19 |
6 |
|
|
18 |
14 |
9 |
|
|
19 |
21 |
7 |
|
|
20 |
18 |
8 |
|
|
21 |
11 |
8 |
|
|
22 |
8 |
21 |
|
|
23 |
26 |
5 |
|
|
24 |
25 |
9 |
|
|
25 |
17 |
17 |
|
|
26 |
30 |
6 |
|
|
27 |
29 |
7 |
|
|
28 |
--- |
TOP DEBUT:  (Single Only) |
1 |
|
29 |
20 |
11 |
|
|
30 |
34 |
3 |
|
|
31 |
22 |
14 |
|
|
32 |
32 |
5 |
|
|
33 |
31 |
19 |
|
|
34 |
27 |
15 |
|
|
35 |
37 |
4 |
|
|
36 |
41 |
3 |
|
|
37 |
45 |
Jimmy Ogburn's Salt Luvs Pepper
ft. David Cornelius - Love Me Like I Love You |
3 |
|
38 |
43 |
4 |
|
|
39 |
35 |
9 |
|
|
40 |
33 |
8 |
|
|
41 |
39 |
8 |
|
|
42 |
63 |
2 |
|
|
43 |
51 |
3 |
|
|
44 |
47 |
5 |
|
|
45 |
49 |
6 |
|
|
46 |
53 |
3 |
|
|
47 |
--- |
1 |
|
|
48 |
36 |
40 |
|
|
49 |
58 |
3 |
|
|
50 |
40 |
9 |
|
|
51 |
65 |
2 |
|
|
52 |
44 |
33 |
|
|
53 |
38 |
16 |
|
|
54 |
56 |
6 |
|
|
55 |
62 |
3 |
|
|
56 |
42 |
14 |
|
|
57 |
50 |
9 |
|
|
58 |
67 |
2 |
|
|
59 |
52 |
6 |
|
|
60 |
61 |
4 |
|
|
61 |
--- |
1 |
|
|
62 |
46 |
14 |
|
|
63 |
68 |
2 |
|
|
64 |
--- |
1 |
|
|
65 |
48 |
22 |
|
|
66 |
54 |
23 |
|
|
67 |
55 |
Carolina Coast Band ft Rhonda
McDaniel - The Thing About You● |
34 |
|
68 |
--- |
1 |
|
|
69 |
74 |
2 |
|
|
70 |
81 |
2 |
|
|
71 |
76 |
2 |
|
|
72 |
85 |
2 |
|
|
73 |
59 |
20 |
|
|
74 |
77 |
2 |
|
|
75 |
66 |
4 |
|
|
76 |
--- |
1 |
|
|
77 |
97 |
5 |
|
|
78 |
--- |
1 |
|
|
79 |
64 |
7 |
|
|
80 |
71 |
8 |
|
|
81 |
72 |
4 |
|
|
82 |
57 |
16 |
|
|
83 |
--- |
1 |
|
|
84 |
60 |
21 |
|
|
85 |
73 |
8 |
|
|
86 |
69 |
8 |
|
|
87 |
70 |
13 |
|
|
88 |
90 |
23 |
|
|
89 |
84 |
4 |
|
|
90 |
79 |
26 |
|
|
91 |
75 |
7 |
|
|
92 |
78 |
24 |
|
|
93 |
80 |
4 |
|
|
94 |
86 |
15 |
|
|
95 |
87 |
44 |
|
|
96 |
92 |
22 |
|
|
97 |
--- |
1 |
|
|
98 |
83 |
17 |
|
|
99 |
82 |
15 |
|
|
100 |
89 |
15 |
|
|
Songs
with the greatest increase in favorite points over the prior week. ●
Songs with
25 or more plays on iTunes/iPods ▲ Songs
with 50 or more plays. ▲Song
garnered most plays on Spotify in current or past month. ● Song among top 3 most
plays on Spotify in current or past month.
Songs
on the SNS 100 are included on the following public Spotify playlists
Scenes
‘n’ Soundwaves Top 40: Contains songs in positions 1-40 on the SNS
100
Scenes
Up and Coming: Songs below #40 that are moving up the chart.
Scenes
Recurrents: Songs which have
dropped below the top 40 but are still on the SNS 100
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