In its usual place on the front page and the latest news box

Thanks for the Commentary, Suedehead2 - Merry Christmas.

 

If anyone can add to what I'm adding next, then please do so.

Likewise, if anyone spots any errors in it - Thanks.

 

THE TRASHMEN - 'SURFIN' BIRD' (THE OLDEST RECORDING TO REACH TOP 10?)

 

So, 'Surfin' Bird', by The Trashmen, is at No.3.

(It was also a No.50 UK Hit, in the W/E 2nd May 2009 Chart).

 

It was originally a No.4 USA Hit, in 1963.

 

So, the Recording is 47 Years old. I believe that it is the oldest

Recording to reach the UK Top 10. (Ever).

 

BUT - NOT THE OLDEST SONG TO REACH THE TOP 10!

 

The oldest Song, to reach the UK Top 10, was 'Silent Night',

which Bros, took to No.2, in the W/E 3rd December 1988 Chart.

(As a Double 'A' Side, with 'Cat Among The Pigeons').

 

It did this in the Top 10:, 2-4-5-6-8-10

 

The Lyrics for 'Silent Night', were originally written, in 1816, by Austrian

Priest, Father Joseph Mohr. In December 1818, he asked Austrian Headmaster,

Franz Xaver Gruber, to compose the Melody for it. It was first performed that very

Christmas. Of course, it was originally written in German - 'Stille Nacht, Heilige

Nacht''. ('Silent Night, Holy Night').

In 1859, John Freeman Young, published the English translation. He was

a Bishop, in Florida, USA.

 

So, the Melody is from 1818, & the English Lyrics are from 1859.

 

Therefore - when Bros had a Top 10 Hit with it, in 1988, it was

170 Years old, as a Melody, & 129 Years old as an English Song.

 

It was probably the oldest Song, to reach the UK Top 10, in December 1952,

when Bing Crosby took it to No.8. The UK Singles Chart was less than 2 Months

old at the time. The Song was already 134 Years old, (Melody), & 93 Years old,

(English version), when Bing reached No.8, with it.....(W/E December 20th 1952)

 

TOP 10 HITS BASED ON CLASSICAL MUSIC

 

BUT - I know very little about Classical Music, & there may well be Top 10

Hits that utilise parts of the Melody of Classical 'pieces'. I heard that 'A Whiter

Shade Of Pale', by Procol Harum, did that. (No.1 - 1967). But, I've checked.

Whilst parts of the Melody were 'inspired', by 'Sleepers Wake', (Johann

Sebastian Bach - 1731) - it did not actually 'pinch' his Melody.

 

'A LOVER'S CONCERTO' - THE TOYS (1965)

 

I see that this 1965 UK No.5 Hit, by USA Girl Group, The Toys, was based on

a very old Melody. (It was also a No.2 Hit in the USA).

 

The Melody in this Hit was based on 'Minuet In G Major', which is a 1725

'piece', by Johann Sebastian Bach. So, its Melody was 240 Years old, when

The Toys had a Hit with, 'A Lovers Concerto', in 1965.

 

'Surfin' Bird' is really based on 2 Songs, by USA Group, The Rivington's

- 'Papa-Oom-Mow-Mow', (1962), & 'Bird Is The Word', (1963).

 

The Rivington's seem to have had about as much imagination as Simon Cowell.

One of their subsequent Singles was, 'Mama-Oom-Mow-Mow'! (Doh!).

Edited December 19, 201014 yr by zeus555

Thanks for all the extra info you've provided throughout the year zeuaa. There's also Mozart Symphony No 40, written in 1788 and a number five hit for Waldo del los Rios in 1971, 183 years later. Also, Beach Boys' Lady Lynda was based on Jesu Joy Of Man's Desiring written by J S Bach. Not sure when it was written but he died in 1750 so it will be some time before then.

And possibly even older, and relevent at this time of year, In Dulce Jubilo by Mike Oldfield can trace its origins back to a mystic in 1328.

Thanks for all the extra info you've provided throughout the year zeuaa. There's also Mozart Symphony No 40, written in 1788 and a number five hit for Waldo del los Rios in 1971, 183 years later. Also, Beach Boys' Lady Lynda was based on Jesu Joy Of Man's Desiring written by J S Bach. Not sure when it was written but he died in 1750 so it will be some time before then.

Jesu... was first performed in 1723.

re: The oldest recordings

 

I believe the oldest original song ever to reach the chart in the first place is Etta James' At Last which reached #69 in September, over 47 years after its first release.

 

Surfin' Bird must be the oldest to reach Top 10.

Greg Lake used Sergei Prokofiev's Lietenat Kije Suite From Troika in his xmas hit I Beileve In Father Christmas.

 

I believe that would count as classical. He also covered Fanfare For The Common Man with ELP - again a classical piece

Manfred Mann's Joybringer used the tune from Holst's Jupiter - part of the Planets Suite.

 

The Byrds' version of Bob Dylan's Turn Turn Turn didn't make the top ten but it is based on a passage from the Bible so it's quite old.

In terms of samples, Lou Bega's Mambo No 5 (#1 in 1999) sampled Perez Prado's version from 1949. Shaft's (Mucho Mambo) Sway, which was #2 the same week, also sampled a Perez Prado track.

In terms of lyrics, I think nothing beats Cliff's "The Millennium Prayer"... Approx 1999 years old?!