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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 that are connected to members of 'The Rock And Roll Hall of Fame'. Working alphabetically through the list, tonight Paul plays tracks by The Comets, who were inducted separately to Bill Haley, and Sam Cooke. In 'A Matter Of Life And Death', we celebrate the birthday on this day in 1946 of Peter Wolf of The J. Geils Band by featuring the title track of the group's number one album 'Freeze-Frame'. Paul also pays tribute to performer, poet and lyricist Rod McKuen, who has recently died. We hear Dusty Springfield sing 'If You Go Away' - Rod McKuen's English lyric to Jacques Brel's 'Ne Me Quitte Pas' . 'It's Not The Same Old Song' highlights 'Keep On Loving You' by REO Speedwagon and a different song with the same title by country duo Steel Magnolia.

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 Kinks and Billy Idol. 'The Other Number Ones' are records that reached the top of the American chart in 'Cash Box' magazine, but not in the 'Billboard' Hot 100. This week's examples are by Carole King and Michael Jackson.

Our R&B hits are from 1974 and now by the Spinners and Kem. We hear Country number ones from 1980 and this week by Willie Nelson and Sam Hunt. Our featured past and present Rock number ones are by Crash Test Dummies and Hozier. The best selling song of the week is 'Uptown Funk!' featuring Bruno Mars.

1 hour, 57 minutes

Last on

Fri 13 Mar 2015 03:00
Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ Radio 2

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28/02/2015

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14/03/2015

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

Music Played

  • Roy Orbison

    ITΒ’S OVER

    This date in 1857: the sport of baseball decided that a game ended after nine innings; after that, unless itΒ’s a tie ...itΒ’s over

  • Taylor Swift

    WONDERLAND

    Top Ten hit

  • Natt Reuss

    NOTHING WITHOUT LOVE

    New hit single

  • Bill Haley and His Comets

    SHAKE, RATTLE AND ROLL

    The Rock And Roll Hall of Fame: The Comets

  • YOUΒ’RE THE BEST LOVER THAT I EVER HAD

    Top Forty album: Terraplane

  • The J. Geils Band

    FREEZE-FRAME

    Born this day in 1946: Peter Wolf (lead vocalist)

  • Dusty Springfield

    IF YOU GO AWAY

    Rod McKuen - born 29 April 1933; died 29 January 2015

  • Sam Hunt

    BREAK UP IN A SMALL TOWN

    Top Twenty album: Montevallo

  • The Detroit Spinners

    MIGHTY LOVE

    R&B Number One this date in 1974

  • Kem

    NOBODY

    Adult R&B Number One - third week

  • REO Speedwagon

    KEEP ON LOVING YOU

    ItΒ’s Not The Same Old Song: Number One in 1981

  • Steel Magnolia

    KEEP ON LOVINΒ’ YOU

    ItΒ’s Not The Same Old Song: Top Five Country Hit in 2009

  • Natalie Rose

    SOMEBODY (featuring Jeremih)

    Top Twenty

  • The Kinks

    A WELL RESPECTED MAN

    Beyond The Sea (a UK artistΒ’s best selling album in the US) The KinksΒ’ Greatest Hits! - The Kinks

  • Sam Smith

    LAY ME DOWN

    New hit single

  • Carole King

    JAZZMAN

    Number One in Cashbox in 1974 (Terrific Two in the Billboard Hot 100)

  • Michael Jackson

    REMEMBER THE TIME

    Number One in Cashbox in 1992 (Number Three for four weeks in the Billboard Hot 100)

  • Aaron Watson

    THAT LOOK

    Top Twenty Album: The Underdog

  • Sam Cooke

    YOU SEND ME

    The Rock And Roll Hall of Fame: Sam Cooke

  • Willie Nelson

    MY HEROES HAVE ALWAYS BEEN COWBOYS

    Country Number One this date in 1980

  • Sam Hunt

    TAKE YOUR TIME

    Current Country Number One - sixth week

  • Crash Test Dummies

    MMM MMM MMM MMM

    Rock Number One this date in 1994

  • Hozier

    TAKE ME TO CHURCH

    Current Rock Number One - eighteenth week

  • Billy Idol

    EYES WITHOUT A FACE

    Beyond The Sea (a UK artistΒ’s best selling album in the US) Rebel Yell - Billy Idol

  • Imagine Dragons

    I BET MY LIFE

    Number One in the current Album Chart: Smoke + Mirrors

  • The Beatles

    Eight Days A Week

    Number One this date in 1965

  • Terry Jacks

    SEASONS IN THE SUN

    Number One this date in 1974

  • Mark Ronson

    Uptown Funk (feat. Bruno Mars)

    Current Number One - returns for an eighth week

Broadcasts

  • Sat 7 Mar 2015 20:00
    Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ Radio 2
  • Fri 13 Mar 2015 03:00
    Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ Radio 2