The Elegants-Little Star

Billboard 雜誌The Hot 100排行榜從1958年八月四日推出之後，第一首由合唱團所唱的冠軍曲是由哪一個團體獲得的呢﹖

答案是The Elegants的 "Little Star" ，這一首歌是繼Ricky Nelson的"Poor Little Fool" 與 Domenico Modugno的"Nel Blu Dipinto Di Blu (Volaré)"之後 The Hot 100排行榜第三首冠軍曲。

The Elegants來自紐約Staten Island是一個唱doo-wop的白人合唱團。

doo-wop是流行音樂的一個分支，1950年代及1960年代早期流行於紐約、費城、匹茲堡、底特律...等黑人社區，這一種樂風是當年較有流行味的R&B音樂主流，這一種歌曲通常由高音歌手主唱，再由低音歌手在歌曲中間去複述歌詞，doo-wop因有和諧動聽的旋律、用簡單的節拍、沒意義的音節，配以一點（甚而完全不用）樂器伴奏，給1960年代及後來的soul、pop與 rock 合唱團帶有一定程度的影響。

The Elegants的"Little Star"於1958年七月21日推出，八月25日獲得單週排行榜冠軍 (四天後Michael Jackson出生於印第安那州Gary)。

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hqOn4W9yK0o

Little Star

Words and Music by Vito Picone and Arthur Venosa

Where are you little star?

(Where are you?)

Whoah oh, oh, oh-uh-oh

Ratta ta ta too-ooh-ooh

Whoah oh, oh, oh-uh-oh

Ratta ta ta too-ooh-ooh

Twinkle twinkle little star

How I wonder where you are

Wish I may, wish I might

Make this wish come true tonight

Searched all over for a love

You're the one I'm thinkin' of

Whoah oh, oh, oh-uh-oh

Ratta ta ta too-ooh-ooh

Whoah oh, oh, oh-uh-oh

Ratta ta ta too-ooh-ooh

Twinkle twinkle little star

How I wonder where you are

High above the clouds somewhere

Send me down a love to share

Whoah oh, oh, oh-uh-oh

Ratta ta ta too-ooh-ooh

Whoah oh, oh, oh-uh-oh

Ratta ta ta too-ooh-ooh

Whoa-uh-oh-oh-oh-oh-oh

Oh there you a-a-re

High ab-o-ove

Oh-oh sta-a-ar

Send me a lo-o-o-o-ove

Oh there you a-a-re

Li-i-ighting u-up the sky

I need a lo-o-o-ove

Oh me-oh, me-oh, my-y-y-y

Twinkle twinkle little star

How I wonder where you are

Wish I may, wish I might

Make this wish come true tonight

Whoah oh, oh, oh-uh-oh

Ratta ta ta too-ooh-ooh

Whoah oh, oh, oh-uh-oh

Ratta ta ta too-ooh-ooh

Oh ra, ta, ta

Ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh

There you are little star!!! (ooh)

Yvonne Elliman - If I can't have you

還記得電影"Saturday Night Fever"｢周末夜狂熱｣當中的插曲"If I Can't Have You"嗎﹖演唱這一首歌的Yvonne Elliman與先生Allan Alexander，八月16日因攜帶大麻和安非他命入境，在關島被罰款一萬美金，而且不准離境，她到關島是應邀參加天主教學校慈善演唱會。

Disco電影"Saturday Night Fever"｢周末夜狂熱｣捧紅了John Travolta，插曲更讓Bee Gees的 Gibb三兄弟合唱團創下歌唱事業的巔峰。

"Saturday Night Fever"電影插曲專輯自1978年元月至七月在Billboard專輯排行榜連續獲得24週冠軍，至少賣了一千五百萬套，停留在排行榜120週，直到1980年三月才退出Billboard專輯排行榜。

｢周末夜狂熱｣電影只是講紐約布魯克林的年輕人在迪斯可舞廳的比賽的一個故事，不可諱言因為插曲的動聽加上舞蹈的動人，電影和插曲都大賣。

The Bee Gees原來不在｢周末夜狂熱｣製作團隊中，John Travolta回憶: "The Bee Gees在電影開拍的時候並沒有來，我拍跳舞的時候都是放Stevie Wonder 及 Boz Scaggs的歌"。

在電影後製階段，The Bee Gees的經紀人Robert Stigwood接下了新創電影插曲的工作，The Bee Gees要寫四到五首歌，當時在法國的他們於是開始工作，Robert Stigwood與音樂指導Bill Oakes在聽了第一首歌的樣帶 "If I Can't Have You"之後覺得太好了，後來The Bee Gees就陸續完成'Night Fever' 與 'More Than a Woman'等歌，雖然Stigwood希望歌能更有Disco感，而實際上他們只有看到電影劇本的初稿而已。

The Bee Gees所錄的"If I Can't Have You"並沒有放到電影裡，而改用了Yvonne Elliman錄的版本，該插曲於1978年初推出後獲得排行榜冠軍。

Yvonne Elliman於1951年底出生於夏威夷火奴魯魯，她在搖滾樂劇與"Concept Album"｢概念專輯｣"Jesus Christ Superstar"｢萬世巨星｣當中，擔任女主角Mary Magdalene，曾當過Eric Clapton的伴唱歌手。

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X5YO2G-_Ij8

If I Can't Have You

Yvonne Elliman

(B. Gibb/M. Gibb/R. Gibb)

Don't know why

I'm survivin' ev'ry lonely day

When there's got to be no chance for me

My life would end

And it doesn't matter how I cry

My tears, so far, are a waste of time

If I turn away

Am I strong enough to see it through

Go crazy is what I will do

CHORUS:

If I can't have you

I don't want nobody, baby

If I can't have you...uh-huh, oh

If I can't have you

I don't want nobody, baby

If I can't have you...uh-hoh

Oh...da, da, da, da, da, da, da, da, da, da, da

Oooh, oooh

Aahhhh! Aahhhh!

Can't let go and it doesn't matter how I try

I gave it all so easily to you my love

To dreams that never will come true

Am I strong enough to see it through

Go crazy is what I will do

(CHORUS)

Oh!

Aahhhh! Aahhhh!

Oh!

(CHORUS X 2 with ad-libs, fade)

Ricky Nelson-Poor Little Fool

1958年八月四日，Billboard雜誌的Billboard Hot 100!排行榜正式登場，當年這個訊息並沒有放在雜誌封面，而是由總編輯在第二頁以"編者的話"的方式簡明的介紹..."The Billboard Hot 100"排行榜在第36及 37頁推出，它為美國唱片市場做最完整、最快的報導，這個排行榜有100首暢銷歌曲的排序，是一個當下流行歌曲的指南...。

Billboard雜誌配合"The Billboard Hot 100"59歲生日，也,整理出59個統計資料，老歌迷們一定會很有興趣來回味這些流行歌曲的歷史。

在"The Billboard Hot 100"之前Billboard雜誌有過Top100、Juke Box與Jockeys and Top100...排行榜，畢竟搖滾樂自1955年Bill Haley&His Comets以Rock Around The Clock走紅開始就蓬勃發展，因而才有 "The Billboard Hot 100" 59週年的故事發生。

"The Billboard Hot 100"排行榜第一首冠軍曲是Ricky Nelson'的"Poor Little Fool"。

Ricky Nelson是歷年暢銷歌星排行榜第22名的影、歌双棲｢青春偶像歌手｣"the teen idols"，而且是搖滾紀元的第一位，他參加約翰韋恩、狄恩馬丁主演的西部片電影"Rio Bravo"｢赤膽屠龍｣演出，並和Dean Martin 、Walter Brennan演唱插曲My Rifle, My Pony, and Me，留給歌迷很深的印象，1940年出生於紐澤西州Teaneck的他，1985年因墜機不幸喪生於德州Dekalb（45歲）。

"Poor Little Fool"於1958年八月四日創下 "The Billboard Hot 100"排行榜第一首冠軍曲的歷史紀錄，並獲得二週冠軍。

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R12H8QWnwvE

Poor Little Fool

Rick Nelson

I used to play around with hearts that hastened at my call,

But when I met that little girl I knew that I would fall.

                    (chorus)

Poor little fool, oh yeah, I was a fool, uh huh..

She played around and teased me with her carefree devil eyes,

She'd hold me close and kiss me but her heart was full of lies.

                    (chorus)

She told me how she cared for me and that we'd never part,

And so for the very first time I gave away my heart.

                    (chorus)

The next day she was gone and I knew she'd lied to me,

She left me with a broken heart and won her victory.

                    (chorus)

I'd played this game with other hearts but I never thought I'd see,

The day that someone else would play love's foolish game with me.

                    (chorus)

Glen Campbell-Wichita Lineman

Glen Campbell在和阿茲海默症對抗六年後不幸於八月八日在納許維爾去世，這一位81高齡去世的老歌星與老年癡呆症的抗爭過程，在2014年的電影“I’ll Be Me”｢我仍將是我｣當中有所描述。

Glen Campbell出生於阿肯色州Billstown，在附近的 Delite成長，他跟叔叔Boo學吉他，發現他對樂器演奏很有天分，起初他曾加入Boo 的樂隊，後來到洛杉磯擔任錄音室的樂手，他在Gold Star Studio錄音室跟著1960年代傳奇樂隊The Wrecking Crew學到很多。

Glen Campbell曾經在貓王Elvis Presley的“Viva Las Vegas”、 the Byrds的“Mr. Tambourine Man”、 Frank Sinatra的“Strangers In The Night”、 the Righteous Brothers 的“You’ve Lost That Lovin’ Feeling” 及the Beach Boys的“Fun Fun Fun” 這些暢銷曲錄音時擔任吉他手，他還跟the Beach Boys巡迴演出，擔任該團的靈魂人物Brian Wilson的替補樂手。

Glen Campbell成了歌手之後，從1967 年至1978年有二十首top 40暢銷曲，包括冠軍曲“Rhinestone Cowboy” (1975) 與“Southern Nights” (1977)，他還有75首鄉村歌曲榜暢銷曲，和 42首抒情歌曲榜the Easy Listening charts暢銷曲，他的“Wichita Lineman” (#3-1969)、“Galveston” (#4-1969) 與 “It’s Only Make Believe” (#10-1970)都是歌迷們非常喜愛的歌。

Glen Campbell主持過CBS電視節目“Glen Campbell Goodtime Hour”（ 1968 -1972），還應影壇巨星約翰韋恩之邀參加電影“True Grit”｢大地驚雷｣的演出。

Glen Campbell得到過六座Grammy獎，還被提名過11次，2012年並得到Grammy終生成就獎。

Glen Campbell於2005被選入鄉村音樂名人堂，他最後一張專輯“Adios”於今年五月推出。

1968年推出獲得第三名的“Wichita Lineman”，是Glen Campbell第 一首Top10暢銷曲，在滾石雜誌五百大歌曲榜獲得第192名，是一首令人難忘的歌。

Rest in Peace legend

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RKeqXyY-9xA

Wichita Lineman

Artist: Glen Campbell (peak Billboard position # 3 in 1968-69)

Words and Music by Jimmy Webb

I am a lineman for the county and I drive the main road

Searchin' in the sun for another overload

I hear you singin' in the wire, I can hear you through the whine

And the Wichita Lineman is still on the line

I know I need a small vacation but it don't look like rain

And if it snows that stretch down south won't ever stand the strain

And I need you more than want you, and I want you for all time

And the Wichita Lineman is still on the line

And I need you more than want you, and I want you for all time

And the Wichita Lineman is still on the line

Don McLean-American Pie

以1972年的四週冠軍歌曲American Pie 一曲成名的Don McLean，七月24日因家暴在他的家鄉緬因州Camden遭到拘捕，後來以三千美金交保，並切結一年內不得再犯。

Don McLean 係於1945年出生於紐約州的New Rochelle，他的American Pie描述1959年的一場原來不再被人提起的空難，使得早期搖滾樂的名歌手Buddy Holly、The Big Bopper及 Ritchie Valens因之喪生，他在歌中唱道"day the music died"｢搖滾樂也因此逝去｣，在樂界很引起爭議，但Don McLean拒絕說明歌中所描述的人與事，也希望別人不要再問他。

American Pie 曾是RIAA｢美國唱片協會｣票選為二十世紀第五名的歌，今年（2017）美國國會圖書館也因這一首歌在文化、歷史、藝術上的重要性，而將之列入國家錄音紀錄。

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VsZFiMo8TIc&spfreload=5

（Don McLean - The meaning of American Pie (UPDATE) MV剪得非常好，歌迷們從中可以更了解這一首歌和當年的社會背景，enjoy it）

American Pie, Parts 1 & 2

Words and Music by Don McLean

A long long time ago

I can still remember how

That music used to make me smile

And I knew if I had my chance

That I could make those people dance

And maybe they'd be happy for a while

But February made me shiver

With every paper I'd deliver

Bad news on the doorstep

I couldn't take one more step

I can't remember if I cried

When I read about his widowed bride

But something touched me deep inside

**The day the music died**

So...

(Chorus)

Bye, bye Miss American Pie

Drove my Chevy to the levee but the levee was dry

Them good ole boys were drinking whiskey and rye

Singin' this'll be the day that I die

This'll be the day that I die

Did you write the book of love

And do you have faith in God above

If the Bible tells you so?

Now do you believe in rock and roll?

Can music save your mortal soul?

And can you teach me how to dance real slow?

Well, I know that you're in love with him

'cause I saw you dancin' in the gym

You both kicked off your shoes

Man, I dig those rhythm and blues

I was a lonely teenage broncin' buck

With a pink carnation and a pickup truck

But I knew I was out of luck

The day the music died

I started singin'

(Chorus)

Now, for ten years we've been on our own

And moss grows fat on a rolling stone

But, that's not how it used to be

When the jester sang for the king and queen

In a coat he borrowed from James Dean

And a voice that came from you and me

Oh nd while the king was looking down

The jester stole his thorny crown

The courtroom was adjourned

No verdict was returned

And while Lenin read a book on Marx

The quartet practiced in the park

And we sang dirges in the dark

The day the music died

We were singin'

(Chorus)

Helter skelter in a summer swelter

The birds flew off with a fallout shelter

Eight miles high and falling fast

Landed flat on the grass

The players tried for a forward pass

With the jester on the sidelines in a cast

Now the half-time air was sweet perfume

While sergeants played a marching tune

We all got up to dance

Oh, but we never got the chance

'cause the players tried to take the field

The marching band refused to yield

Do you recall what was revealed

The day the music died?

We started singin'

(Chorus)

Oh, and there we were all in one place

A generation lost in space

With no time left to start again

So come on Jack be nimble, Jack be quick

Jack Flash sat on a candlestick

'cause fire is the devil's only friend

And as I watched him on the stage

My hands were clenched in fists of rage

No angel born in Hell

Could break that Satan's spell

And as the flames climbed high into the night

To light the sacrificial rite

I saw Satan laughing with delight

The day the music died

He was singin'

(Chorus)

I met a girl who sang the blues

And I asked her for some happy news

But she just smiled and turned away

I went down to the sacred store

Where I'd heard the music years before

But the man there said the music wouldn't play

And in the streets the children screamed

The lovers cried, and the poets dreamed

But not a word was spoken

The church bells all were broken

And the three men I admire most-

the Father, Son, and the Holy Ghost-

They caught the last train for the coast

The day the music died

And they were singing

(Chorus, 2x)