The week of April 6, 1965, found Freddie and the Dreamers atop the Billboard Hot 100 with ‘I’m Telling You Now,’ a Merseybeat track that had success in the UK two years earlier. When it was rereleased for the U.S. audience, it gave the band their only chart-topping hit.
The song kicked off a minor dance craze called “The Freddie,” which basically consisted of extending your arms and legs as if you’re doing half-assed jumping jacks. You can see it in the Ed Sullivan clip of this song.
Throwing back to the week of April 5, 1955, we have a trio of repeats atop the Billboard chart: Bill Hayes’ ‘The Ballad of Davy Crockett,’ Johnny Maddox’s ‘The Crazy Otto Medley,’ and The McGuire Sisters’ ‘Sincerely.’
At #4 that week, on its way to peaking at #3, was Georgia Gibbs’ recording of ‘Tweedle Dee.’ Gibbs had another song — ‘Dance With Me Henry (Wallflower)’ — in the top ten at the same time.
Phil Collins owned the top spot of the Billboard Hot 100 the week of March 30, 1985, with the first U.S. single from his album No Jacket Required. ‘One More Night’ spent two weeks at #1, giving Collins his second chart-topper, following ‘Against All Odds (Take a Look at Me Now)’ the year before.
I have a soft spot for anything by Phil Collins, and this song certainly goes down easy, but it sounds like it was written in about 15 minutes (which is pretty close to the truth).
Throwing back to the week of March 29, 1975, we find Labelle atop the Billboard Hot 100 with ‘Lady Marmalade,’ one of only nine songs to reach #1 recorded by two different artists (the other version was by Lil’ Kim, Mýa, Christina Aguilera, and Pink for the 2001 Moulin Rouge soundtrack).
At #2 that week was ‘Lovin’ You’ by Minnie Riperton, a song that would reach #1 the following week. This was the third single from Riperton’s 1974 album Perfect Angel, and the only hit in the singer’s brief career.
The Supremes’ ‘Stop! In the Name of Love‘ rules the Billboard Hot 100 the week of March 23, 1965. Right behind it was ‘Can’t You Heat My Heartbeat’ by Herman’s Hermits.
This was the British group’s first appearance in the top ten (and only their third single). Nine of their next eleven releases would repeat the feat, including two that reached #1 (‘Mrs. Brown, You’ve Got a Lovely Daughter’ and ‘I’m Henry VIII, I Am’).
Meet Me In Montauk 