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Paul Gambaccini presents tracks from the US charts and hits from the last six decades. The featured hitmakers include Johnny Cash, Mario Lanza, Guns N' Roses and Cee Lo Green.

Paul Gambaccini presents tracks from this week's US charts and hits from the last six decades.

In the feature Baby What A Big Surprise [they really were Number One albums] we hear God's Gonna Cut You Down by Johnny Cash from American Recordings V: A Hundred Highways. It was released in 2006 - three years after his death - and became his first number one album in 37 years. We also hear Drink, Drink, Drink by Mario Lanza from his 1954 album The Student Prince And Other Great Musical Comedies. It topped the chart for 42 weeks!

In the regular feature The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face songs are featured from LPs by Guns N' Roses and Little Esther Phillips. It's Not The Same Old Song highlights Real Love by the Doobie Brothers and a different song with the same title by The Beatles.

In A Matter Of Life And Death, Paul celebrates the birth on this date in 1941 of Art Garfunkel and pays tribute to the recently deceased producer and songwriter Paul Leka with one of his biggest hits Na Na Hey Hey (Kiss Him Goodbye) by Steam. The double A-sided single by Queen We Will Rock YouWe Are The Champions features in the Grammy Hall Of Fame Singles list.

Our R&B Number Ones are from 1945 - The Honeydripper by Joe Liggins - and this week - Fool For You by Cee Lo Green and Melanie Fiona. We hear Country Number Ones from 1962 and now by Hank Snow and Blake Shelton. This week's past and present Rock Number Ones are by My Chemical Romance and Bush.

Adele's album 21 is Number One for a thirteenth week in the US album chart. On the singles side, We Found Love by Rihanna and Calvin Harris is Number One.

2 hours

Last on

Sat 5 Nov 2011 20:00
ΒιΆΉΤΌΕΔ Radio 2

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Previous

29/10/2011

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19/11/2011

See all episodes from Paul Gambaccini with America's Greatest Hits

Music Played

  • Rose Royce

    Car Wash

    This date in 1895: George B. Selden received the first American patent for an automobile

  • Justin Bieber

    Mistletoe

    New Entry in the Top Five

  • Christina Perri

    A Thousand Years

    New Entry in the Top Forty

  • Johnny Cash

    God's Gonna Cut You Down

    Baby What A Big Surprise [they really were Number One albums] American Recordings V: A Hundred Highways - Johnny Cash (2006) [His first number album in 37 years - he had been dead for three years]

  • Casting Crowns

    Courageous

    New Entry at Number Two in the Album Chart: Come To The Well

  • Art Garfunkel

    I Only Have Eyes For You

    Born 1941: Art Garfunkel

  • Steam

    Na Na Hey Hey (Kiss Him Goodbye)

    Paul Leka (producer and songwriter) - born 20th February 1943; died 12th October 2011

  • Luke Bryan

    I Don't Want This Night To End

    Top Thirty

  • Joe Liggins & The Honeydrippers

    The Honeydripper

    R&B Number One this date in 1945

  • CeeLo Green

    FOOL FOR YOU (featuring Melanie Fiona)

    Adult R&B Number One: NEW

  • The Doobie Brothers

    Real Love

    It’s Not The Same Old Song: reached Number Five in 1980

  • The Beatles

    Real Love

    It’s Not The Same Old Song: Number Eleven in 1996

  • M83

    Midnight City

    New Entry in the Top Twenty of the Album Chart: Hurry Up, We’re Dreaming

  • Guns N' Roses - Welcome To The Jungle

    The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face (debut hit albums) Appetite For Destruction - Guns N’ Roses (29 August 1987)

  • Chris Isaak

    Ring Of Fire

    New Entry in the Top Forty of the Album Chart: Beyond The Sun

  • Queen

    We Will Rock You/We Are The Champions

    Grammy Hall Of Fame Double-A side Single: released in 1977 - reached Number Four

  • Joe

    Time Of Your Life

    New Entry in the Top Ten of the Album Chart: The Good The Bad The Sexy

  • Mario Lanza

    Drink, Drink, Drink

    Baby What A Big Surprise [they really were Number One albums] The Student Prince & Other Great Musical Comedies - Mario Lanza (1954) [His fifth chart-topping album - this LP was 42 weeks at number one]

  • Jane’s Addiction

    Irresistible Force (Met The Immovable Object)

    New Entry in the Top Twenty of the Album Chart: The Great Escape Artist

  • Hank Snow

    I've Been Everywhere

    Country Number One this date in 1962

  • Blake Shelton

    God Gave Me You

    Current Country Number One - fourth week

  • My Chemical Romance

    Welcome To The Black Parade

    Rock Number One this date in 2006

  • Bush

    The Sound Of Winter

    Current Rock Number One - second week

  • Esther Phillips

    Release Me

    The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face (debut hit albums) Release Me- β€œLittle Esther” Phillips (5 January 1963)

  • Adele

    Set Fire To The Rain

    Current Number One in the Album Chart: 21 - 13th week - most weeks since Titanic soundtrack album in 1998

  • Eddie Kendricks

    KEEP ON TRUCKIN' (Part 1)

    Number One this date in 1973

  • Meat Loaf

    I'D DO ANYTHING FOR LOVE (But I Won't Do That)

    Number One this date in 1993

  • Rihanna

    We Found Love (feat. Calvin Harris)

    Current Number One: NEW (Rihanna’s eleventh American number one)

Broadcast

  • Sat 5 Nov 2011 20:00
    ΒιΆΉΤΌΕΔ Radio 2