The Anatomy of a Hit Song
Perched on a ladder yesterday, I was doing a little painting around the exterior of our house with the radio playing in the background. Since the reception wasn't good on the Classic Rock station where Uncle Jack plays some really great music, I had the radio on my second choice - the Oldies station.
Since all the songs they play on that station are from my youth, I guess that makes me an "oldie" as well, although I think I prefer to be referred to as a "classic" rather than an "oldie".
Though I was engrossed in my work, while at the same time fending off an occasional wasp whose territory I was violating, it caught my attention when the DJ said they would be playing the Top Five songs of all time with a body part mentioned in the title.
While a couple of my favorites were in there, as in BJ Thomas singing "Raindrops Keep Falling on my Head", and Roberta Flack's "The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face", the overall winner was by the Beatles: "I Want To Hold Your Hand".
If I'm not mistaken, "I Want to Hold Your Hand" was The Beatles very first #1 hit. While no one realized it at the time, it was the beginning of what would become known as the "British Invasion".
On my own personal Top Five list of songs with body parts in the name, I would have to give consideration to the following songs:
Footloose, by Kenny Loggins
Don't It Make My Brown Eyes Blue, by Crystal Gayle
Hungry Heart, by Bruce Springsteen
I've Just Seen a Face, by The Beatles
Lyin' Eyes, by the Eagles
Suite: Judy Blue Eyes, by Crosby, Stills & Nash
Back in my Arms Again, by The Supremes
Bette Davis Eyes, by Kim Carnes
Behind Blue Eyes, by The Who
I'm also a big fan of "Don't Give Me No Lines, and Keep Your Hands to Yourself!", the only hit the Georgia Satellites ever had.
I think two songs that have would have to be on my "all-time" list of body part songs are "Fat Bottomed Girls (You Make the Rockin' World Go Round!)(1978), by Queen, and the classic song by our fellow Missourian, Chuck Berry, "My Ding-a-ling"(1972), in which Mr. Berry describes a gift from his Grandma:
"When I was a little bitty boy
My grandma bought me a cute little toy
Two silver bells on a string
She told me it was my ding-a-ling-a-ling".
It goes downhill from there.
If you have a suggestion for a song with a body part in its name, send it to me.
I also received a great email with a video of how the theme song from "The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly" was recorded. While it does not have a body part in its name, pretty much all my body can be placed in one of those three classifications. Some may qualify for more than one classification.
If you would like to watch this amazing video (no joke), send me an email.
email: aboomer@embarqmail.com
-- (July 1, 2009)
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