Whatever Happened to Instrumental Songs?

Yesterday we looked at trends in novelty songs over the past several decades....  Today, let's look at instrumentals:

 

Again, my perception is that there simply aren't as many instruments as there used to be.  So, what does the data say??  Note: This listing is songs by performers classified as "Instrumental". It is not actually instrumental songs. So, all Herb Alpert songs are included, even though at least 1 of his 39 wasn't instrumental. But I think the trends are still valid...

 

 

 

 

 

 

Wow.  I'd say the trend is even clearer than yesterday.  Almost 93% of the songs from Instramental artists were relaeased in the 50's 60s and 70's.  And there were 90x as many songs in the 60's as in the 70's.  Which brings me back to my original question:  Has popular music simply lost it’s diversity?  Or are the youths of today simply hung up on words?

 

And the top 10 instrumental artists, based on Song Database's ranking system?  See below, with their top hit, and number of Top 40's songs:

 

 

1. Herb Alpert - Rise #1 in 1979, 19 Top 40 Hits
2. Billy Vaughn - Melody Of Love #2 in '54, 13 Top 40 Hits
3. Booker T. & The MG's - Green Onions, #3 in '62, 7 Top 40 Hits
4. Bill Black's Combo - White Silver Sands #9 in '60, 8 Top 40 Hits
5. Henry Mancini & His Orchestra - Love Theme fro Romeo & Juliet #1 in '69, 7 Top 40 hits
6. Ventures - Walk Don't Run #2 in '60, 5 Top 40 Hits
7. Kenny G - Songbird #4 in '87, 6 Top 40 Hits
8. Floyd Cramer - Last Date #2 in '60, 4 Top 40 Hits
9. Bert Kaempfert & His Orchestra - Wonderland By Night #1 in '61, 4 Top 40 Hits
10. Ferrante & Teicher - Exodus #2 in '61, 5 Top 40 Hits
    
    
    
     

 

In an effort to be more accurate, I decided to look at actual songs.  Becasue of the sheer volume of data, and the format in which it is available, i"ll be looking at just the biggest hits.  Stay tunde to see how it compares.

The Alamo - 02

New serires:  Vintage Photos
Several years ago, we came across a collection of old B and W photos.  Presumably taken by my father.  But this was well after he passed away, so we really don't know much about them.  I've had them for several years, and have finally gotten around to starting the scanning process...

I'm guessing they were taken in the late 40's, sometime after my father returned from WWII, but before he graduated college and started his career....  If anybody can discern any clues from the photos, let me know!!

"The Alamo, San Antonio, Texas"

There are several photos in the series from the Alamo.  I'll try and group them together.

It Was 54 Years Ago Today...

Lennon - McCartney

According to This Day In Music

July 6th, 1957, John Lennon and Paul McCartney met for the first time at The Woolton Church Parish Fete where The Quarry Men were appearing. As The Quarry Men were setting up for their evening performance, McCartney eager to impress Lennon picked up a guitar and played ‘Twenty Flight Rock’ (Eddie Cochran) and ‘Be-Bop-A-Lula’ (Gene Vincent). Lennon was impressed, and even more so when McCartney showed Lennon and Eric Griffiths how to tune their guitars, something they'd been paying someone else to do for them

Music Birthdays, June 6th

July 6th: Born on this day


Bill Haley, (William John Clifton Haley), singer, guitarist - 1925 (died February 1981)
Gene Chandler, (Eugene Dixon) singer - 1937
Rik Elswit, guitar, Dr Hook - 1945
Mike Shrieve, drums, Santana - 1949
Nanci Griffith, singer / songwriter - 1954

Whatever Happened to Novelty Songs?

So…. Last month’s music project was to look each at the Billboard charts for “this day” of a different year. June 1st was 1961, June 2nd was 1962, etc. I listed the top 5, a few songs from the rest of the Top 40, and a few songs from the rest of the Hot 100. I thought it was interesting, although the late 80’s were kind of grim.

 

So, what about July? It’s already the 5th, and I finally don’t really have a plan…. Suggestions are welcome.

 

For today, let’s look at “Novelty” songs: My perception is that novelty songs have faded in popularity since the 70s. But how about some data? Looking through my favorite reference, song-database.com, they list 285 songs between 1950 and 2010. A whopping 83% of them are from the 50’s, 60’s, 70s. And only 17% from the 80’s. 90’s or 00’s.

 

 

So what gives? Have the youths of America lost their sense of humor through the generations? Or has popular music simply lost it’s diversity?

 

Using the points system at Song Database, here’s the top 10 Novelty acts through the years, and their biggest hit:

 

1. Ray Stevens – The Streak #1 in 1974
2. David Seville – Witch Doctor #1 in 1958
3. Spike Jones & His City Slickers – All I Want For Christmas Is My 2 Front Teeth #1 in 1948
4. Stan Freberg – St. George & The Dragnet #1 in 1953
5. Jim Stafford – Spiders & Snakes #3 in 1974
6. Dickie Goodman – Mr. Jaws #4 in 1974
7. Cheech & Chong – Earache My Eye #9 in 1974
8. Weird Al Yankovic – White & Nerdy #9 in 2006
9. Sheb Wooley/Ben Colder – Purple People Eater #1 in 1958
10. Lou Monte – Pepino The Italian Mouse #5 in 1963

Look 'em up on Youtube.....

Music Birthdays, July 5th

July 5th: Born on this day

 Robbie Robertson is 68!

• Robbie Robertson, guitar, vocals, The Band - 1943
• Michael Monarch, guitar, Steppenwolf - 1946
• Huey Lewis, singer, Huey Lewis and the News - 1950
• Marc Cohn, singer, songwriter - 1959
• Adam Young, keyboards, vocals, Owl City - 1986

The Alamo - 01

New serires:  Vintage Photos
Several years ago, we came across a collection of old B and W photos.  Presumably taken by my father.  But this was well after he passed away, so we really don't know much about them.  I've had them for several years, and have finally gotten around to starting the scanning process...

I'm guessing they were taken in the late 40's, sometime after my father returned from WWII, but before he graduated college and started his career....  If anybody can discern any clues from the photos, let me know!!

"The Alamo, San Antonio, Texas"

There are several photos in the series from the Alamo.  I'll try and group them together.

Fireworks!

Just thought I'd share some photos from the local fireworks display last night. These ought to be view-able by anybody:

Fireworks!


Taken with my humble pocket sized Nikon Coolpix, braced against a fence post.... One of these years I should try it w/ my trusty D70 and a tripod!

Iaeger, WV

Several years ago, we came across a collection of old B&W photos.  Presumably taken by my father.  But this was well after he passed away, so we really don't know much about them.  I've had them for several years, and have finally gotten around to starting the scanning process...

I'm guessing they were taken in the late 40's, sometime after my father returned from WWII, but before he graduated college and started his career....  If anybody can discern any clues from the photos, let me know!!

"Iaeger, West Virginia"

Iaeger is in extreme southern WV, about 50 miles northwest of Bluefield, WV.  My Dad lived in Bluefield around then, but was born in Kimball, which is about 1/2 way between Bluefield and Iaeger.  Not exaclty a vacation hot-spot....

Born On The 4th Of July

July 4th: Born on this day


Bill Withers - 1938
Dave Rowberry, keyboards, The Animals - 1940 (died on June 2003)
Alan Wilson, guitar, harmonica, vocals, Canned Heat - 1943 (died September 1970)
Ralph Johnson, drums, Earth Wind and Fire - 1951

Cardinals vs Pirates

As of 7/2/2011

STL   45-39   0.536  ---
PIT    42-41   0.506  2.5

Pretty cool that the Pirates are over 500, and in 3rd place in July!  And the Cardinals have a lot of issues.  But my money's still on the Redbirds

Now THAT's A Train Set

There's a model railroading club in our town, they're set up on the main floor of one of the old village nuildings.  They had an open house recently, on the same day my son's scout troop was marching in the town's "homecoming" parade....    It was a fun place to pop in after walking; cool off look at the trains....

It's a pretty big setup and quite details.  They've even built some scenes that echo local landmarks. 

The nice folks even let the kids run some of the trains.  My son's favorite was one with a tiny camera mounted on the engine, which fed it's signal to a TV screen.  The kids could watch the view from the engine in real time.  Pretty cool!

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What Song Is It You Wanna Hear?

From Yahoo: 
'Southern rockers Lynyrd Skynyrd are "just getting started" on a new album, their follow-up to 2009's "God & Guns," according to frontman Johnny Van Zant."

Don't get me wrong, I'm a big Lynyrd Skynyrd fan.  I saw them in concert twice in 1976.  I saw Rossington Collins Band live in 1979.  I've got the Allen Collens Band album (which is quite good).  Heck, I even saw Johnny Van Zant in concert back in 1980 (and still have his 1st album).  I have alomost all of the post-crash (studio) albums, most of which are pretty decent.

But at some point, these guys stopped being Lynyrd Skynyrd.  For some, it was October 20th, 1977, when their plane crashed killing frontman Ronnie VanZant and guitarist Steve Gaines (among others). Or the subsequent deaths of Allen Collins (guitar), Leon Wilkeson (bass) or Billy Powell (piano).   They've had at least 25 individual members, including 7 different drummers.  21 different lineups.  Gary Rossington is the only remaining member of the band that put out those great albums in the 70's.
 
I wish they'd drop the Skynyrd name, call themselves the "Free Birds" or something.  But I suppose it's a business, and the name sells tickets.  Sigh.

Happy Independence Day!

Go watch some fireworks!

Photo above was taken last July 4th (2010), with my humble Nikon Coolpix digital camera.  Not bad for a cheapie pocket-camera.   You can pick up a little wobble from the hand-held, maybe I'll bring a tripod this year!

And here's 2 handfuls of "America" songs, to groove you into the holiday weekend:

• We’re An American Band – Grand Funk Railroad

• Song For America – Kansas
• In America – Charlie Daniels Band
•  American Girl – Tom Petty And The Heartbreakers
• Friday Night In America – New Grass Revival
• America – Simon And Garfunkel
• American Dream – Nitty Gritty Dirt Band
• American Tune – Paul Simon
• American Woman
• American Pie – Don McLean

Music Birthdays July 1

July 1st: Born on this day

Happy Birthday Debbie Harry (66 years old today!)

• Willie Dixon, blues singer, guitarist, 'the poet laureate of the blues'. - 1950 (died January 1992)
• Deborah Harry, singer, Blondie - 1945 
• Fred Schneider, vocals, The B-52's - 1951
• Dan Aykroyd, The Blues Brothers - 1952