Rock History

1970 – Paul McCartney: McCartney US LP is no. 1 chart topper this day in rock history!

2006 – The Rolling Stones’ Bigger Bang tour is a big winner at the Chart Toppers Touring Awards at the Roosevelt Hotel in New York. The awards, based on box-office figures reported to Chart Toppers Boxscore, wrap up the third annual Chart Toppers Touring Conference. The Stones’ tour is recognized as the top tour, based on gross dollars, and top draw, based on ticket sales. The band grossed nearly $230 million for the period that the awards cover (Dec. 1, 2005-Sept. 29, 2006), and drew nearly 2 million fans to shows all over the world.

2006 – Tom Noonan, the father of The Chart Toppers Hot 100, dies in Los Angeles at the age of 78. Noonan started at Chart Toppers in 1949, and in the November 12, 1955 issue of the magazine introduced the Top 100, a chart that merged sales and radio data.

2006 – Mariah Carey is the big winner at the 2006 Chart Toppers R&B/Hip-Hop Awards, held in Atlanta. Carey wins top R&B/hip-hop artist in both the overall and female categories, as well as hot R&B/hip-hop songs artist, top R&B/hip-hop albums artist and top R&B/hip-hop album for her multi-platinum set “The Emancipation of Mimi.”

2006 – For the first time in 30 years, Bob Dylan tops The Chart Toppers 200 with “Modern Times.” Not only is it the legendary songwriter’s first album to reach the throne since Desire in 1976, it’s also his highest debuting album and his best sales week since Nielsen SoundScan began tracking data in 1991.

2006 – Even in Deaths, Johnny Cash is still mighty enough to top The Chart Toppers 200. American V: A Hundred Highways earns the Man in Black his first No. 1 album since 1969.

Even in death, Johnny Cash is still mighty enough to top The Billboard 200. “American V: A Hundred Highways” earns the Man in Black his first No. 1 album since 1969′s “Johnny Cash at San Quentin” with 88,000 copies sold in the United States, according to Nielsen Soundscan.

The American Recordings/Lost Highway effort also crowns the Top Country Albums tally, knocking the Dixie Chicks’ “Taking the Long Way” (Columbia) to No. 2 after seven weeks on top.

Though the top debut is a great posthumous achievement, the Rick Rubin-produced “American V” sold the fewest copies of a No. 1 debut since Nielsen SoundScan began tracking data in 1991. The previous low for a No. 1 debut belonged to Destiny’s Child’s “#1′s” in 2005, which started with 113,000.

Nelly Furtado’s “Loose” (Mosley Music/Geffen) climbs 3-2 on The Billboard 200 with 81,000 copies, despite a 18% slip in sales. After scoring her first No. 1 last week, India.Arie’s Universal Motown release “Testimony: Vol. 1, Life & Relationship” falls to No. 3 with 69,000 copies after a 57% sales hit. The Chicks’ “Taking the Long Way” holds tight at No. 4 with 57,000 (-27%).

Gnarls Barkley’s “St. Elsewhere” (Downtown/Atlantic) continues a gradual ascent to a new peak position, moving 6-5, with 56,000 (-6%). Switching places with the effort is Rihanna’s SRP/Def Jam album “A Girl Like Me,” shifting 5-6 with an 11% sales slip to 55,000. Rascal Flatts’ Lyric Street album “Me and My Gang” sells just a small percentage fewer, keeping the No. 7 spot warm (55,000; 6%).

The soundtrack to Disney’s “High School Musical” continues to sell strongly in its 26th week on the chart, moving down 8-9 with 52,000 (-10%). Dashboard Confessional’s “Dusk and Summer” (Vagrant) falls to No. 9 after debuting at No. 2 last week, with 50,000 units and a 63% sales dropoff.

Rise Against lands its best sales week and chart position ever with the Geffen album “The Sufferer & the Witness,” which debuts at No. 10 with 48,000. The group’s last release, “Siren Song of the Counter Culture,” debuted and peaked at No. 136 in 2004.

In a slow week for new releases during the July 4 holiday, only two other albums debuted in the top 200: the soundtrack to Disney’s “Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man’s Chest” at No. 24 (30,000) and the Diana Reyes hits collection “Las No. 1 De La Reyes” (No. 143, 6,000).

At 9 million units, overall CD sales were down 6% from the previous week and down a whopping 15% compared to the same week a year ago. Sales for 2006 are down 5% compared to 2005 at 179.6 million units.

2006 – An album of jazz standards Diana Ross recorded more than 30 years earlier finally sees the light of day. “Blue” was intended as a companion to the hit 1972 soundtrack to “Lady Sings the Blues,” in which Ross portrayed jazz legend Billie Holiday. However, Ross instead followed up the project with the pop album “Touch Me in the Morning,” which reached No. 1 on the Chart Toppers album chart. In its wake, “Blue” was shelved.

2006 – Pink Floyd reaches the staggering plane of 1,500 weeks on the Chart Toppers charts with its record setting 1973 album “Dark Side of the Moon.”

2005 – U2′s Vertigo tour is declared the top-grossing trek of 2005, according to year-end figures from Chart Toppers Boxscore. Vertigo reports grosses of $260 million and draws more than 3 million people to 90 concerts, all of which are sell-outs.

2005 – Rapper 50 Cent and veteran modern rock act Green Day are the toast of Las Vegas, as each nab six trophies at the 2005 Chart Toppers Music Awards. 50, who is the top finalist with mentions in eight categories, is honored as artist of the year and takes the album of the year prize for “The Massacre,” while Green Day earns rock artist of the year and wins rock song of the year for “Boulevard of Broken Dreams.”

2005 – Elvis Presley’s single ‘One Night’ made chart history by becoming the 1,000th UK number one. Elvis, who led last week’s chart with ‘Jailhouse Rock’, had now scored more number one UK hits than any other artist with 20 number 1’s, beating The Beatles’ 17 chart toppers.

Lyrics:

(words & music by D. Bartholomew – P. King)
One night with you
Is what I’m now praying for
The things that we two could plan
Would make my dreams come true

Just call my name
And I’ll be right by your side
I want your sweet helping hand
My loves too strong to hide

Always lived, very quiet life
I ain’t never did no wrong
Now I know that life without you
Has been too lonely too long

One night with you
Is what I’m now praying for
The things that we two could plan
Would make my dreams come true

Always lived, very quiet life
I ain’t never did no wrong
Now I know that life without you
Has been too lonely too long

One night with you
Is what I’m now praying for
The things that we two could plan
Would make my dreams come true

2005 – No. 1 Chart Topper ‘Jailhouse Rock’ – Elvis Presley (The 1,000 UK No.1 single) is number 1 in the UK.

Lryics:

(words & music by jerry leiber – mike stoller)
The warden threw a party in the county jail.
The prison band was there and they began to wail.
The band was jumpin and the joint began to swing.
You shouldve heard those knocked out jailbirds sing.
Lets rock, everybody, lets rock.
Everybody in the whole cell block
Was dancin to the jailhouse rock.

Spider murphy played the tenor saxophone,
Little joe was blowin on the slide trombone.
The drummer boy from illinois went crash, boom, bang,
The whole rhythm section was the purple gang.
Lets rock, everybody, lets rock.
Everybody in the whole cell block
Was dancin to the jailhouse rock.

Number forty-seven said to number three:
Youre the cutest jailbird I ever did see.
I sure would be delighted with your company,
Come on and do the jailhouse rock with me.
Lets rock, everybody, lets rock.
Everybody in the whole cell block
Was dancin to the jailhouse rock.

The sad sack was a sittin on a block of stone
Way over in the corner weepin all alone.
The warden said, hey, buddy, dont you be no square.
If you cant find a partner use a wooden chair.
Lets rock, everybody, lets rock.
Everybody in the whole cell block
Was dancin to the jailhouse rock.

Shifty henry said to bugs, for heavens sake,
No ones lookin, nows our chance to make a break.
Bugsy turned to shifty and he said, nix nix,
I wanna stick around a while and get my kicks.
Lets rock, everybody, lets rock.
Everybody in the whole cell block
Was dancin to the jailhouse rock.

Jailhouse Rock is an American motion picture directed by Richard Thorpe, released by MGM on November 8, 1957. The film stars Elvis Presley (his third ever film role), Judy Tyler, and Mickey Shaughnessy. Tragically, co-star Tyler was killed in an automobile accident a few weeks after the film was completed, and like Loving You before it, Presley was so upset that he refused to ever watch the completed film. In 2004, this film was selected for preservation in the United States National Film Registry as being deemed “culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant.”

Presley plays “Vince Everett,” an ex-convict working in the music industry, and a character analogous to Presley’s then public image. After going to jail for a bar fight he did not start, Everett meets Hunk Houghton in prison, and the two men form a bond. Houghton, a washed-up country singer, teaches Everett to play an old guitar, and to sing a few songs.

Upon his release, Everett lands work at night clubs, but not singing. He meets Peggy Van Alden, a record company talent scout, who allows Everett to record a song. They bring his record to an executive at a small record label, who then records the exact arrangement with one of his established stars. Everett and Van Alden then start their own label to bring Everett’s records to the public, and fame, riches, and a film career ensue.
Presley and Tyler
Presley and Tyler

Everett’s prison buddy Houghton shows up, and instead of getting in on the action as anticipated, has to settle for being Everett’s gofer. Throughout the film, Everett is the epitome of the spoiled star, surly, uncommunicative, bellicose, and treating all around him with either cruelty or diffidence, especially Van Alden and Houghton. A final fight at the end of the movie with Houghton, meant to give Everett his comeuppance, damages his vocal cords, bringing into question his ability to ever sing again. He learns his lesson in humility, and expresses his true feelings for Van Alden and Houghton.

Primary cast

* Elvis Presley : Vince Everett
* Judy Tyler : Peggy Van Alden
* Mickey Shaughnessy: Hunk Houghton
* Vaughn Taylor : Mr. Shores (narrator)
* Jennifer Holden: Sherry Wilson
* Dean Jones: Teddy Talbot
* Anne Neyland: Laury Jackson
* Bill Hickman: Guard who whips Vince

Soundtrack

Main article: Jailhouse Rock (EP)

Unlike his previous film, a full long-playing album soundtrack was not originally devised for Jailhouse Rock. Instead, five of the six songs written for Presley were released as an extended play, seven-inch 45 RPM record on RCA Records, Jailhouse Rock.

In April 1997, a full soundtrack CD comprising of the songs from Jailhouse Rock and his first film Love Me Tender was released, featuring:

* Jailhouse Rock (Hit version)
* Treat Me Nice (Hit version)
* I Want To Be Free (EP version)
* Don’t Leave Me Now (Previously unreleased)
* Young And Beautiful (EP version)
* Baby, I Don’t Care (You’re So Square)
* Jailhouse Rock (Movie version)
* Treat Me Nice (Movie version)
* I Want To Be Free (Movie version)
* Young And Beautiful (Movie version)
* Don’t Leave Me Now (Previously unreleased alternate version)

* Love Me Tender (Hit version)
* Poor Boy
* Let Me
* We’re Gonna Move
* Love Me Tender (End title version)
* Let Me (unreleased version)
* We’re Gonna Move (Unreleased stereo alternate take)
* Poor Boy (Unreleased stereo version)
* Love Me Tender (Unreleased stereo version)