EVERY ENTRY INTO THE BILLBOARD HOT 100 SINGLES CHART- 1969- PART 36

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Every Entry Into the Billboard Hot 100 Singles Chart- 1969. Part 36. Today’s entries onto the chart are “The Way It Used To Be- Engelbert Humperdinck, ” A Lover’s Question”- Otis Redding and “When He Touches Me [Nothing Else Matters}- Peaches and Herb.

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107. “The Way It Used To Be”- Engelbert Humperdinck. Parrot. Pop. Written by Roger Cook and Roger Greenaway. B-side-“A Good Thing Going.” When I was young I was always confused by Tom Jones and Engelbert Humperdinck- they seemed like the same person to me. Eventually I learned the difference- Tom Jones actually had talent. Engelbert was born Arnold Dorsey in India in 1936- the family relocated to Leicester in 1947. Tom Jones’s manager suggested to Dorsey that he change his name to Engelbert Humperdinck- the name of a famous German opera composer and he did.  His first hit was his biggest “Release Me” #4 in 1967. From 1967-83 he put 23 singles into the Hot 100 with 9 making the Top 40. “The Way It Used To Be” just failed to crack the 40- #42 with 11 weeks on the chart. Grade: C

 

 

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108. ‘A Lover’s Question”- Otis Redding. Atco. Soul. Written by Brook Benton and Jimmy Williams. B-side: “You Made A Man Out Of Me.” Otis Redding was killed in a plane crash in December 1967 just as he was gaining a head of steam on the pop music charts. Just days before his death he had recorded this classic “Dock Of The Bay.” He was only 26 at the time of his death. One of the greatest singers in rock and soul- who knows what he would have accomplished had he lived. During his too brief career he had 30 Hot 100 singles with 13 making the Top 40- ” A Lover’s Question” was released well over a year after his death- it peaked at #48 spending 6 weeks in the Hot 100. Grade: A-

 

 

 

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109. “When He Touches Me {Nothing Else Matters}- Peaches and Herb. Date. Soul. Written by Carolyn Varga  B-side: ” Thank You.” I became an avid Top 40 listener in 1977 and I can remember when Peaches and Herb were high on the charts in the late 70’s with “Shake Your Groove Thing” #5 in 18 and “Reunited” #1 1979- Casey telling us how Peaches and Herb had hits back in the late 60’s- I had no idea. The biggest hit they had in the first part of their career- was “Close Your Eyes” #8 1967- they had 5 Top 40 hits from 1966-67 then the gap in success until the late 70’s to early 80’s.  Peaches and Herb were Herb Feemster- aka Herb Fame- and Francine Barker. “When He Touches Me {Nothing Else Matters} peaked at #49 and spent 7 weeks in the Hot 100. Grade: B

 

19 responses to “EVERY ENTRY INTO THE BILLBOARD HOT 100 SINGLES CHART- 1969- PART 36”

  1. That fact that Engelbert Humperdinck kept Penny Lane/Strawberry Fields out of number 1 still festers in me…and I wasn’t even there! That is bizarre… changing your name to…Engelbert Humperdinck

    • That is mind blowing- the greatest beatles single ever – doesn’t get to #1 due to a no talent hack. One of the things I liked about Sinatra is they wanted to change his name from Sinatra- to something stupid and he said no- my name is Frank Sinatra….

    • I didn’t know that about Sinatra… It seems/is crazy to change his name…since he is known by that ONE name…Sinatra is all you have to say.

      Thinking about it…I’m wondering if the two songs may have cancelled each other out…I just can’t give Engelbert credit.

    • I think that is part of it- two strong songs on the same single- Penny Lane the more ‘commercial’ of the two- I reckon when it was released more than a few people were shaking their heads over Strawberry Fields-

    • I read somewhere…something like “housewives were listening to this strange piece of music called Strawberry Fields”….at the time it was very different…
      David Bowie once said about John Lennon…I’m sure you have seen this but it’s so true…He said that John’s could take Avant-Garde and make it appealing to the masses…better than anyone else.
      That is so true…Strawberry Fields and I Am The Walrus

    • I agree with the Bowie statement- he sure could. I wish I could have been there when all this stuff was first coming out…wouldn’t that have been exciting!

    • Off topic… have you read the book about Springsteen called “Bruce” by Peter A. Carlin? I haven’t and was thinking of getting it.

    • I have that book but haven’t read that one yet- I have read the two Dave Marsh books on The Boss from years ago. I was thinking of picking up the new one on his songs- forget the title a big sized book on what the songs are about etc..

  2. #1 Englebert ain’t Tom Jones, you’re right, and I agree with Max he had a good name should have stuck with it. #2 A song I love, sung just right by Otis. Why do so many of the superstars die so young??? #3 Never heard it before, never knew P&H were hitmakers a decade before their comeback, and I like this song and the way they give it life.

    • I am thinking about a list of those who died -with a lot left to give as far as music to the world. Otis would have to be high on the list- Buddy Holly too…

  4. Thanks, Hans for the Otis insert. We know this song by a few artists, Brook Benton, of course who co-wrote it and Clyde McPhatter amongst them but never knew of the Otis Redding cover. We like it too – which is a bonus.

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