06/12/2014
Paul Gambaccini blends digital tracks from the week's US charts of songs, albums, R&B, country and rock hits with LP and singles tracks from the last six decades.
Paul Gambaccini presents tracks from this week's US charts and hits from the last six decades.
Each week, songs are played by artists who have been inducted into 'The Rock And Roll Hall of Fame'. Working alphabetically through the list, tonight Paul plays Blondie's American number one 'Heart Of Glass'. We also hear 'Blue Jean Bop' to mark the induction of The Blue Caps - backing group for Gene Vincent.
In 'A Matter Of Life And Death' Paul celebrates the birthday in 1946 of Frankie Beverly, by playing 'Back In Stride' by Maze. We pay tribute to Jimmy Ruffin, who has recently died, by uncovering a rare version of 'What Becomes Of The Broken Hearted' with a spoken introduction. 'It's Not The Same Old Song' highlights 'Stay' by Jackson Browne and a 2013 hit with the same title by Rihanna featuring Mikky Ekko. In the feature called 'Beyond The Sea', Paul plays tracks from the biggest selling albums by UK artists in America. Tonight, we hear songs from LPs by The Rolling Stones and Eric Clapton. 'The Other Number Ones' highlights records that reached number one in the 'Cashbox' American chart, but not in the 'Billboard' Hot 100. Tonight's examples are by Norman Greenbaum and Dionne Farris.
Our R&B number ones are from 1984 and this week by Ashford & Simpson and Sam Smith. We hear Country number ones from 2000 and now by Brad Paisley and Carrie Underwood. This week's featured past and present Rock number ones are by U2 and Hozier. The number one album in America is 'Four' by One Direction and Taylor Swift has the best selling song of the week - 'Blank Space'.
Last on
Music Played
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Peter, Paul and Mary
TELL IT ON THE MOUNTAIN
This day in 1865: the thirteenth amendment to the US Constitution forbidding slavery was ratified by the required number of states
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Lorde
YELLOW FLICKER BEAT
Top Twenty album: The Hunger Games - Mockingjay Pt. 1 & single
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Ed Sheeran
THINKING OUT LOUD
Top Forty
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Blondie
HEART OF GLASS
The Rock And Roll Hall of Fame: Blondie
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Meghan Trainor
Lips Are Movin
Top Ten
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Maze featuring Frankie Beverly
BACK IN STRIDE (featuring Frankie Beverly)
Born this day 1946: Frankie Beverly
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Jimmy Ruffin
WHAT BECOMES OF THE BROKEN HEARTED (Long version with Spoken Intro)
Jimmy Ruffin - born 7 May 1939; died 17 November 2014
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James Newton Howard
THE HANGING TREE (Vocal: Jennifer Lawrence)
Hit Single (from The Hunger Games - Mockingjay Pt. 1 - Original Motion Picture Score)
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Ashford & Simpson
SOLID
R&B Number One this date in 1984
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Sam Smith
STAY WITH ME
Adult R&B Number One: ninth week
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Jackson Browne
STAY
ItΓ•s Not The Same Old Song: Number Twenty in 1978
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Rihanna
STAY (featuring Mikky Ekko)
ItΓ•s Not The Same Old Song: the tenth best-selling single of 2013
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Idina Menzel
BABY, IT'S COLD OUTSIDE (featuring Michael Buble)
Number Ten in the Album Chart: Holiday Wishes
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The Rolling Stones
GIMME SHELTER
Beyond The Sea (a UK artist's best selling album in the US) Hot Rocks 1964-1971 - The Rolling Stones (from 1972)
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Mr. Probz
Waves (Robin Schulz Remix)
Remix Artist: Robin Schulz.Top Ten
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Norman Greenbaum
Spirit In The Sky
Number One in Cashbox in 1970 (Number Three for three weeks in Billboard Hot 100)
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Dionne Farris
I KNOW
Number One in Cashbox in 1995 (Number Four in the Billboard Hot 100)
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Nickelback
WHAT ARE YOU WAITING FOR?
In the Top Five of the Album Chart: No Fixed Address
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Gene Vincent and The Blue Caps
BLUE JEAN BOP
The Rock And Roll Hall of Fame: The Blue Caps (inducted separately to Gene Vincent)
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Brad Paisley
WE DANCED
Country Number One this date in 2000
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Carrie Underwood
SOMETHING IN THE WATER
Current Country Sales Number One: fourth week
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U2
MYSTERIOUS WAYS
Rock Number One this date in 1991
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Hozier
TAKE ME TO CHURCH
Current Rock Number One - fifth week
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Eric Clapton
LAYLA
Beyond The Sea (a UK artist's best selling album in the US) Unplugged - Eric Clapton (from 1992)
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One Direction
NIGHT CHANGES
Number One in the Album Chart: Four - NEW
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Bing Crosby
White Christmas
Number One this date in 1942
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The Beach Boys
GOOD VIBRATIONS
Number One this date in 1966
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Taylor Swift
BLANK SPACE
Current Number One - third week
Broadcasts
- Sat 6 Dec 2014 20:00Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ Radio 2
- Fri 12 Dec 2014 03:00Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ Radio 2