The Number Ones

December 22, 2018 9:02 AM

Since late January, Tm Breihan has been writing a long-term project for Stereogum: starting with The Platters' "Smoke Gets In My Eyes" - the first ever Billboard #1 Single, in 1958 - Breihan is going through each #1 single, in order, posting a write-up, review, reassessment and musical history lesson, every single weekday. He's now into 1970. The latest is "American Woman," by the Guess Who?
posted by Navelgazer (38 comments total)

(Correction: Ricky Nelson's "Poor Little Fool" was the first #1, and I didn't see that there was even further back to go. My apologies.)
posted by Navelgazer at 9:05 AM on December 22, 2018 [1 favorite]

As always, don't read the comments (e.g, "This song sucks")
posted by stevil at 9:26 AM on December 22, 2018 [1 favorite]

The origin story for American Woman is interesting, but I wish he'd also written how the intro got in. Here's the rarely played full version (much better, IMO).
posted by still_wears_a_hat at 9:34 AM on December 22, 2018 [5 favorites]

On this note, I'd highly recommend the Hit Parade podcast, which does an in-depth history of musical trends, the music business, and artists careers all centered around the billboard charts.
posted by Jon_Evil at 9:41 AM on December 22, 2018 [2 favorites]

It's funny that the American Woman article starts by mentioning Led Zeppelin and Whole Lotta Love, considering how similar the guitar riffs are.
posted by still_wears_a_hat at 9:42 AM on December 22, 2018

Ah, yes, the famous American Woman who was responsible for Vietnam.

It's interesting that he never once suggests that this song's popularity is about the very standard "American women [who won't have sex with me] are controlling, castrating bitches [unlike French women or Chinese women or any other women I haven't actually met]" line of sixties pop culture. I really, really hate this song, and no amount of "but it's about Vietnaaaaaaaaaam [as symbolized by, like, women]" will ever reconcile me to it.
posted by Frowner at 9:51 AM on December 22, 2018 [13 favorites]

I always felt that the American woman in the song was the Statue of Liberty. You know, symbolism, irony, etc.
posted by ashbury at 9:55 AM on December 22, 2018 [1 favorite]

Thank you for linking to this. I was almost 13 when Ricky Nelson's "Poor Little Fool" topped the charts. I intend to read and listen and sing along with all of these.
posted by Carol Anne at 10:00 AM on December 22, 2018 [4 favorites]

1970 was a rather psychedelic time. Which perhaps explains the unique popularity of American Woman. It wasn't about any one thing. It was about:

A. Vietnam,
B. a Canadian hoser's impression of the difference between American and Canadian women,
C. a Canadian hoser's impression of the difference between America and Canada,
D. American women [who won't have sex with me] are controlling, castrating bitches [unlike French women or Chinese women or any other women I haven't actually met]"
E. the statue of Liberty (which was used in some of the advertising)
F. all manner of other possible stuff.
posted by philip-random at 10:04 AM on December 22, 2018 [3 favorites]

G. Burton Cummings' great voice.
posted by still_wears_a_hat at 10:10 AM on December 22, 2018 [4 favorites]

The article notes that the song was first v improvised at a live show - I'd love to hear that bootleg.
posted by Going To Maine at 10:11 AM on December 22, 2018

According to Fred Bronson, in The Billboard Book of #1 Hits, the first #1 of all (before the Hot 100 that Breihan's writing about existed) was "I'll Never Smile Again," in July 1940, a Tommy Dorsey hit sung by Frank Sinatra. Bronson starts his book with 'Rock Around the Clock' in July 1955, the first rock and roll record to top the charts, devoting a page to it and each of the 932 #1s that followed through the beginning of 2003.

The Billboard charts led to an interesting MeFi Music challenge back in 2010: perform the song that was #1 on the day you were born.

p.s. That smoke the Platters sang about got in 'your' eyes, not 'my' eyes. (I don't smoke.)
posted by LeLiLo at 10:12 AM on December 22, 2018 [1 favorite]

Ah, yes, the famous American Woman who was responsible for Vietnam.

It's interesting that he never once suggests that this song's popularity is about the very standard "American women [who won't have sex with me] are controlling, castrating bitches [unlike French women or Chinese women or any other women I haven't actually met]" line of sixties pop culture. I really, really hate this song, and no amount of "but it's about Vietnaaaaaaaaaam [as symbolized by, like, women]" will ever reconcile me to it.
p

That's kinda weird take about the article. Because it does pretty much specifically mention the why about American women. I suppose I can see how it makes sense if they viewed American women as so intimidating. Which would also dovetail with cultural and military American dominance, also fit into the song. All things that go together to make the lyric work. The big question is how it got so popular in the US, as he mentions. "Controlling, castrating bitches" may very well be your interpretation, but it's not exactly the same as Cummings' explanation, and I'm willing to take his at face value rather than play psychologist about what was really intended.

FWIW, I'm not a particular fan of the song. But I think I do own a copy via Rhino's old Have a Nice Day 70s compilation. Pretty sure it's on that collection.
posted by 2N2222 at 10:28 AM on December 22, 2018 [2 favorites]

The reason I argue that "American Woman" is best understood as an example of late sixties/early seventies misogyny is that its logic is the logic of the counter-culture - that women represent civilization, demands, war, capitalism, consumption and everything that prevents the left (implicitly male) from triumphing, and/or young people from having a good time. You see this logic over and over in countercultural materials - comics and novels particularly. Sexual resentment and complaint disguised as a narrative about politics is incredibly standard for sixties popular culture.

Thinking "I am intimidated by the girls I meet on tour, they seem so grown up" and leaping to "American woman, you with your war machine and racism - stay away from me" (as the songwriter alleges he did) is textbook misogyny. (I mean, you'd think that he'd take responsibility for staying away from them if the real issue is that he's intimidated.) Attacking national problems by associating them with women's behavior or using women as a metaphor for the problems is also textbook.
posted by Frowner at 10:41 AM on December 22, 2018 [17 favorites]

(Correction: Ricky Nelson's "Poor Little Fool" was the first #1, and I didn't see that there was even further back to go. My apologies.)

Good to see that he credits Tom Ewing's Popular on that first entry for giving him the idea (Tom's been reviewing every UK number one single, from 1952 onwards, since 2003). It's the cat's pyjamas.
posted by rory at 10:57 AM on December 22, 2018 [2 favorites]

A friend won some tickets, so I saw the Guess Who in concert, and they were very bad. They tried to compensate by being very, very loud. Or maybe they thought the Boston audience enjoyed punishment because they liked Amer. Woman. Whatever. The opening band was far superior, but I don't remember their name. Friend and I walked out in the middle of Guess Who's set.
posted by Kirth Gerson at 11:25 AM on December 22, 2018 [1 favorite]

And before, there's...

Billboard
1/4/1936
Network Song Census
Selections listed below represent The Billboard's accurate check on three networks, via WIZ, WEAF and WABC.
Only songs played at least once during each program day are listed. Idea is to organize consistency rather than gross score. Period covered is from Friday, December 20, to Thursday, December 26, both dates inclusive.

On Treasure Island 28
Thanks a Million 28
Moon Over Miami 25
With All My Heart 25
Little Bit Independent 23
Eeny Meeny Miney Mo 21
Why Shouldn't I? 18
Broken Record 13
If I Should Lose You 13
I Dream Too Much 11
I Wanna Woo 9
posted by issue #1 at 11:42 AM on December 22, 2018

I found the popularity of 'American Woman' a bit surprising, considering how repetitive & monotonous the song is. The critic is also kinda dismissive of the B-side 'No Suger Tonight', which is a more interesting composition and a better display of the band's talents, in my view.

Also note: Burton Cummings would sometimes tease their audiences by segueing into 'Whole Lotta Love' lyrics. So the similarity is noted.
posted by ovvl at 12:22 PM on December 22, 2018 [3 favorites]

if you think this song is misogynist, the version on the live album is much worse
posted by pyramid termite at 1:54 PM on December 22, 2018 [1 favorite]

Thank you for this -- a great idea for a n article series
posted by davidmsc at 2:43 PM on December 22, 2018

Previously, the British #1s rated. He's still at it, and up to 2002.
posted by CrunchyFrog at 4:29 PM on December 22, 2018 [1 favorite]

(not that I hate repetitive & monotonous music; there's a lot of disco, trance, & krautrock that I really like, Just not this song;)
posted by ovvl at 5:24 PM on December 22, 2018

This is really fun. Thanks.
posted by freakazoid at 6:03 PM on December 22, 2018

It's really the Guess Whom.
posted by Chrysostom at 7:49 PM on December 22, 2018 [5 favorites]

Holy hell, early sixties...
posted by Navelgazer at 8:09 PM on December 22, 2018

Holy hell, early sixties...

You ain’t seen nothin yet!

This is really cool; I don’t always agree with his ratings (although I certainly agree with him on the two songs I just linked) but he seems to have done a lot of research on each song. All the background information is fascinating; I look forward to following this project through to its completion.
posted by TedW at 1:40 AM on December 23, 2018

"Ballad of the Green Berets" was a staple on the rock, pop, country and oldies radio stations well into the early 1980s. It might be mockable but it had a grip on middle America for decades.
posted by ardgedee at 4:43 AM on December 23, 2018

I always felt that the American woman in the song was the Statue of Liberty. You know, symbolism, irony, etc.

Yeah, this is the same impression I always had, especially considering the song’s overt references to war and racism. However, the lyrics being fairly opaque, I think it’s also reasonable to interpret them as sexist/misogynist. Certainly I could see a misogynist blasting this song and being all like “yeah, American women suck!!!” And from the article, it sounds like at least one band member did actually think it was about American women. There’s enough ambiguity there that I could understand why the song would make people uncomfortable today.

I The critic is also kinda dismissive of the B-side 'No Suger Tonight', which is a more interesting composition and a better display of the band's talents, in my view.

Agreed. Hard. No Sugar Tonight / New Mother Nature is one of my favorite classic rock jams of all time, period.
posted by panama joe at 7:16 AM on December 23, 2018 [3 favorites]

The author really hates Frankie Valli.
posted by Bourbonesque at 8:05 AM on December 23, 2018

Well, until you get to Walk Like a Man at least.
posted by Navelgazer at 8:21 AM on December 23, 2018

"Ballad of the Green Berets" was a staple on the rock, pop, country and oldies radio stations well into the early 1980s. It might be mockable but

and even so 1966 was a very good year for singles. Scratch that. 1966 was a positively utopian year for the 45 rpm art form. So much so that, in retrospect, it could only have meant that The Album was poised to be the next big thing, because where else could the single go beyond higher up a grade that had already achieved infinity.
posted by philip-random at 10:45 AM on December 23, 2018

I sporadically maintain this playlist of Billboard Hot 100 #1s from Poor Little Fool to present (or whenever I get around to it) on Spotify.
posted by Kwine at 11:07 AM on December 23, 2018 [3 favorites]

Whoah, Kwine! Thank you. Super cool!
posted by panama joe at 1:56 PM on December 23, 2018 [1 favorite]

"Ballad of the Green Berets" was a staple on the rock, pop, country and oldies radio stations well into the early 1980s.

It plays a role in an episode of Cheers from 1989, so yeah.
posted by Chrysostom at 10:07 PM on December 23, 2018

I am assuming its use quickly became ironical?
posted by Going To Maine at 10:24 PM on December 23, 2018

Gotta give a shout-out to Del Shannon's Runaway, and that cheesy/epic/insane Musitron organ riff in the middle:

If you wanted to reach — like really, really reach — you could call “Runaway” the first synthpop song to reach #1. It is, quite literally, a pop song with a synth on it. Max Cook, the keyboard player in Shannon’s band, played a Musitron, a sort of early-synth electric piano contraption that Cook had invented himself. On “Runaway,” it sounded grand and dramatic and otherworldly, an across-the-stars response to Shannon’s heartbreak.

posted by Bron at 8:18 AM on December 24, 2018 [2 favorites]

I am assuming its use quickly became ironical?

I'm not sure; I think the green beret became a red MAGA hat.
posted by TedW at 9:17 AM on December 24, 2018

I just ran into this via other routes a couple minutes ago, and I'm skipping this thread so there are no spoilers.

But: I hope it's good! Just skimming, it looks fascinating .
posted by not_on_display at 10:17 PM on January 18, 2019 [1 favorite]