As I often do, I was listening to 98.7 on my Sunday morning Starbucks run. Many of you are probably unfamiliar with what transpires on Sunday mornings on 98.7 so let me fill you in, they replay Kasey Kasem’s top 40 from the particular week on the calendar randomly picking the year.
(denim on denim with a tie? This guy must of been quite something back in the day if he thought he could pull off double denim, there are only two people in today’s world who could pull off a similar look, Justin Timberlake and Adam Levine)
For those of you unfamiliar with the concept of the top 40 they play the Billboard top 40 hits of that particular week. What is somewhat troubling about the format is that at the beginning of the show they replay the top three songs from the prior week as if those songs are going to plummet out of the top 40 and not be heard that week. What is even more troubling is that they played 40 songs from that specific time period, try to come up with ten songs currently played on the radio that are “new” releases that you think would be worthy of some type of best of list. No real surprise that they are typically scraping the bottom of the barrel until they get to the top three or four songs, and then it still can be dicey. The song “Sugar Don’t Bite” made it into the top 40 at one point in Billboard music history and this is how it went:
Pricey show, worthy to mention
Dreams of a drifters at heart y’all
Bodies dance thru the doctors submission
Leave you no where to stand, no
Nobody hears you scream babe, now
Just take me far with you
All through the night (The night)
I bet you taste sweeter
I just want to please you
Don’t make me beg ya’
Don’t make me tease ya, no
You know I’m a bleeder
Don’t make this boy a (This boy)
Little misdemeanor, no
Just sprinkle it on me
Do what ya’ can, oh (Do what ya can, to me)
Do what ya’ can to me
A pounding into my intentions
The heat of a dance, it gets hot y’all
In a trance we got no inhibitions
Singing[edit]
Harris got his start as the grand champion singer of Star Search in its premiere season in 1983. He gained acclaim and became best known for his winning rendition of the song “Over the Rainbow” on the show.[1][2][3][4][5] “Over the Rainbow” has since become his signature song.[6] His appearance on Star Search led to him landing a contract with Motown Records. His first single, “Sugar Don’t Bite,” was a Top 40hit, reaching #36 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart in November 1984.[7] He is a multi-million selling recording artist with nine studio albums to his credit. He can also be heard on numerous concert, guest artist, and cast recordings. He has toured extensively in concert and has played to sold-out audiences at major venues including New York’s Carnegie Hall, Los Angeles’ Universal Amphitheatre, and London‘s West End. He has appeared with the Boston Pops Orchestra, at the White House, and has sung on a variety of television specials and live productions. On February 12, 2008, he released a new single entitled “War on War” that became an Internet phenomenon with music videos made by the general public. The song became a part of his album, Free, which was released that summer. The single “Change Is On The Way” was written to support the Obama campaign and was heard on numerous television shows and behind Internet videos around the time of the election. In 2010, Sam wrote and released “My Reclamation,” which has become an anthem for marriage equality.[8] Rolling Stone Magazine sited him as “One of the greatest 100 singers of all time.” (Did he write his own Wikipedia page, or did all that stuff really happen?)
While I thought this guy was a no talent ass clown, apparently he parlayed one of the worst songs ever to crack the Top 40 into millions of record sales as well as a place on Rolling Stones Top 100 singers of all time, if you believe his Wikepdia page. (I am not sure who is on that list, but if Michael Bolton is, the list loses all credibility).
I had never heard of Sam Harris but there is one guy who has routinely hit the billboard top 40 who everyone has heard of, Kenny Rogers. One of his songs was played yesterday morning and I believe it actually reached number one. I caught the tail end of the Kenny Rogers phenomena so I can’t speak to why it happened, how it happened, or how truly awful it was since I didn’t really live through it, but there are definitely points about Kenny Rogers that need to be made. Here is some interesting info about Kenny:
Kenneth Ray Rogers (born August 21, 1938) is an American retired singer, songwriter, actor, record producer, and entrepreneur. He is a member of the Country Music Hall of Fame.[1]
Though he has been most successful with country audiences, Rogers has charted more than 120 hit singles across various music genres, topped the country and pop album charts for more than 200 individual weeks in the United States alone, and has sold over 100 million records worldwide, making him one of the best-selling music artists of all time.[2] On September 25, 2015, Rogers announced on NBC’s Today Show that he was retiring from show business after a final tour to spend more time with his wife and twin boys.
Two of his albums, The Gambler and Kenny, are featured in the About.com poll of “The 200 Most Influential Country Albums Ever”.[3] He was voted the “Favorite Singer of All-Time” in a 1986 joint poll by readers of both USA Today and People.[4] He has received numerous such awards as the AMAs, Grammys, ACMs and CMAs, as well as a lifetime achievement award for a career spanning six decades in 2003.[5]
Later success includes the 2006 album release, Water & Bridges, an across the board hit, that hit the Top 5 in the Billboard Country Albums sales charts, also charting in the Top 15 of the Billboard 200. The first single from the album, “I Can’t Unlove You,” was also a sizable chart hit. Remaining a popular entertainer around the world, the following year he completed a tour of the United Kingdom and Ireland, telling BBC Radio 2 DJ Steve Wright his favorite hit was “The Gambler“. He has also acted in a variety of movies and television shows, most notably the title roles in Kenny Rogers as The Gambler and the MacShayne series as well as his appearance on The Muppet Show.[6][7] He is also a co-founder of the restaurant chain Kenny Rogers Roasters.
Apparently his success at making hits as well as roasting a mean bird impinged on his ability to keep it together domestically:
Marriages[edit]
- Janice Gordon, May 15, 1958 – April 1960, divorced; 1 child[11]
- Jean Rogers, October 1960 – 1963, divorced[12]
- Margo Anderson, October 1964 – 1976, divorced; 1 child[13]
- Marianne Gordon, October 1, 1977 – 1993, divorced; 1 child[12][13]
- Wanda Miller, June 1, 1997 – present; 2 children[12][13]
If you are keeping track at home that’s four baby mommas and five marriages. No wonder the guy had to keep performing, his child support bill was probably higher than the GNP of most third world countries and when you have to give half your shit to your ex-wife four times, that can take a toll on your financial well being even if you have had such amazing chart toppers as “Lady” and “We’ve Got Tonight”.
Wanda and Kenny look totally in love don’t they? I’m sure Wanda was expecting Kenny to pass away along time ago, but apparently multiple face lifts add years to your life, poor Wanda. (Kenny turned 79 in August and probably hasn’t had a boner since the second Bush presidency)
Could Kenny have come along today and peddled his terrible music, awful movies, and mediocre chicken? Probably not, he was in the right place at the right time, as were Jon Tesch, Jimmy Buffet (his net worth is north of $450 million, and I have contributed at least $100 to that fortune by attending two of his concerts and drinking to the point that I didn’t hear his awful music anymore) Adam Sandler, and a host of other people who have bamboozled society into thinking they have actual talent. But to Kenny’s credit he was indirectly responsible for comedy gold and when it is all said and done I’d like to think he will be most remembered for “The Chicken Roaster” episode 8 season 8.
Director:
Writers:
Larry David (created by), Jerry Seinfeld (created by) |4 more credits »
serenitynowinsanitylatercom 