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Song of the Day #6,091: ‘The Birds and the Bees’ – Jewel Akens

The week of March 9, 1965, was stacked with hits. This is one of those weeks when the top three songs are repeats not because they’ve been featured on previous Throwback Weekends, but because they are classic songs I’ve written about for other reasons.

At #1 was a little group called The Beatles, whose ‘Eight Days a Week‘ topped the chart for the first time that week. Right behind it was ‘My Girl‘ by the Temptations. And rounding out the top three was another Motown classic, The Supremes’ ‘Stop! In the Name of Love.’

Imagine living your daily life while those three songs were all new releases.

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Song of the Day #6,090: ‘The Crazy Otto Medley’ – Johnny Maddox

Throwing back to the week of March 8, 1955, we find The McGuire Sisters atop the Billboard singles chart with ‘Sincerely,’ its sixth straight (and last) week at #1.

In the #2 spot was an instrumental ragtime recording called ‘The Crazy Otto Medley,’ performed by pianist Johnny Maddox. What a different world it was 70 years ago, when a song like this could be a major hit, spending seven weeks at #2.

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Song of the Day #6,089: ‘Sunshine Superman’ – Donovan

The next inductee into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame class of 2012 is the Scottish singer-songwriter Donovan, a staple of the 60s who intersected with a legion of living legends.

Donovan was a friend, fan, and collaborator with members of The Beatles, The Rolling Stones, and Led Zeppelin. He hung out with Bob Dylan and Joan Baez. And he was a staple of both the folk and flower power movements. He stood in plenty of giants’ shadows but cast a decent sized one himself.

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Song of the Day #6,088: ‘That’ll Be the Day’ – The Crickets

Among the backing bands that weren’t inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame with their frontmen, The Crickets seem to have gotten the rawest deal.

While Buddy Holly did release a solo album before his death, his first release was credited to a proper band — The Crickets. That album, 1957’s The “Chirping” Crickets, is considered one of the great early rock records and an inspiration for countless other artists.

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Song of the Day #6,087: ‘Rock Around the Clock’ – Bill Haley & His Comets

The Comets are another backing band inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame years after its frontman received the solo honor.

In this case that frontman is Bill Haley, who was admitted to the Hall of Fame in 1987, the institution’s second year (after failing to make it into the inaugural class). The Comets would have to wait another 25 years.

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