For the last 41 months, this zine has been looking for a hit. A single hit released between 1080-2001. It must meet 3 simple criteria (thus no manufactured platinum single will do). It must be (a) a mega hit; (b) at least 5 people have recorded this song (this ensures we have a great song); and 9c) it covers at least 3 musical formats (has some range). Finder's Fee - $10. Well, we may have a real contender (and it just squeaked under the time limit).
Joel de Courcy Browne, Melbourne Australia, emailed me with this:
"I believe a song which fits all of the criteria is Celebration, originally charted by Kool and the Gang in 1980, it was number on the billboard charts for six consecutive weeks, and was the band's only number one hit. Australian band Dragon got it to number one again in 1987.
Tom Jones has covered it on many occasions. Kylie Minogue covered it on her Non-Stop History and Greatest Hits albums. It's also been covered by the following bands and artists: Guster, Artgap, Electronic Dream Factory, BC3 (A Capella version), Ida, Fun Factory, Sol Zim, Annie White Head, Argent, Norman Brown, Jonathan Butler, Chilldrin of da Ghetto, Armen Donelian, The Mick Clarke Band, Jimmy Sturr, Satelliters, Frankie Marcos (saxaphone version), Dynamic Dixie Travelers, Foster Brooks...(to name a few)
The boy band N'Sync covered it during their Face the Music tour in 1999
It appears on The Muppets From Space soundtrack (sung by alien Gonzos!), and also on The Muppets From Space musical score. It's on the Into the Arms of Strangers soundtrack (sung by Lee Holdridge), and last but not least, it's on the Streets is Watching soundtrack, performed by Team Roc."
I emailed him back and asked for a list of formats (he needed 3). He emailed these: disco/party (the original), lounge/club (MOR), Jazz/Instrumental, and "I think the Dynamic Dixie Travelers did a Polka version (shudder), movie soundtrack, boy-band/teen, and I'm pretty sure Kylie Minogue sung it at the Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras in Sydney in years past."
All I can say, after looking at the evidence is "We have our first winner!" Joel has found one hit in the last 2 decades. Congratulations. Prize won!
Now, I'm going to change the rules to find a hit from 1981-2001! Next contender...
| CLOTHING OR POTATOES |
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| Clothing or potatoes What should one do? If you buy clothes today and don't eat until tomorrow the clothes on the third day won't fit too tight. If potatoes today and buy clothes tomorrow they'll hang too loose on the following day Clothing or potatoes. What should one do? |
| A SINGLE CRICKET CHIRPS |
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| A single cricket chirps in the bitter cold. An old man stares at his house of long ago, Walls and roof in ruins and overgrown. The sun on the horizon vague, its bright light low. |
| MOON SHINE (quatro) |
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| Moonshine Moonshine |