Ironically, the biggest selling hit for hard rock band Kiss
was a soft
love ballad entitled Beth; it has been their only top 10
tune to date.
There have been over 1600 versions of Louie, Louie recorded (second only to Yesterday).
Music experts claim that Bing Crosby's recording of White Christmas is the best selling single of all time. But, Bing says his personal notes indicate that his best selling song is actually Silent Night.
The same artist who recorded the smash #1 love ballad Without You, also recorded the top 10 novelty hit Coconut (Harry Nilsson).
Back in the days of vinyl 45 singles, rock group Steam's Na Na Hey Hey Kiss Him Goodbye was intended the be the "B" flipside of a different hit. But, DJ's hated the intended hit, and instead played the flipside over the air, turning it into a smash. It continues to be one of the most recognizable tunes, as it receives multi-plays at sporting events.
The biggest hit for 1970's rock group Three Dog Night was Joy to the World (Jeremiah was a Bullfrog), #1 for six weeks in 1971. But, the lyrics were actually written by country music star Hoyt Axton (as was another Three Dog Night smash Never Been to Spain).
Just sit right back and hear this tale: according to a poll conducted by Nickelodeon's TV Land, the most popular TV series theme song belongs to Gilligan's Island.
The next to last line from the theme song of sitcom's All in the Family ("Those Were the Days") proved so difficult to understand that producers had series stars Carroll O'Conner and Jean Stapleton re-record it, emphasizing that they should sing the line slowly and enunciate ("Gee, our old LaSalle ran great!").
The biggest selling one-hit-wonder hit was Zager and Evans' In the Year 2525 in 1969. The song was recorded in a barn in Nebraska, and the Zagar family went on to operate a television sales and repair business.
Songstress Shelley Fabares who took Johnny Angel to #1, had only one other hit, #21 Johnny Loves Me. But, her true claims to fame were her starring TV sitcom roles as Mary Stone in The Donna Reed Show, and as Christine, coach Hayden Fox' love interest in Coach.
Rock band Chicago was one of the most popular bands of the
1970's with 9 of their first 17 top-40 hits reaching the top 10 between 1970 and
mid-1976. But, they never reached that elusive #1 plateau until they
released If You Leave Me Now in August, 1976.
Pop group Dawn reached #1 three times in the 1970's, each under a different version of the same "group name". They recorded Knock Three Times (1970) as simply "Dawn", Tie a Yellow Ribbon (1973) as "Dawn featuring Tony Orlando", and He Don't Love You as "Tony Orlando and Dawn".
While R&B star James Brown recorded his first top 40 hit Think in 1960 at the age of 32, his biggest and final hit was Living in America (1986) when he was 58. He had 42 hits between the two.
Stevie Wonder's very first hit reached #1 in 1963. It was entitled Fingertips - Pt. 2 and featured a harmonica solo (including a bar of Mary Had a Little Lamb). He was known as Little Stevie Wonder at that time and was only 13 years old.
Hit dance song The Locomotion was recorded in 1962 by "sweet and innocent" Little Eva. But, it was also recorded by hard rock band Grand Funk in 1974. Both versions reached #1 on the charts.
