Phil 20

Yes it falls into that ambiguous category of whether the written version is classed as the "original", even when it was never actually performed by the writer, as is the case here. Chesneys version is the original sung version although it was written by someone else. Nik Kershaw made a fortune from it anyway....... :D

The thing with cover versions is that there are several types really:- a) the obvious blatant cover, where the original song is well-known and everyone knows its a cover because the original is so famous b) a cover version of a fairly obscure song or album track, such as Chesney Hawkes covering Nik Kershaw's "I am the one and only" c) where someone has written a song specifically for another artist (is this classed as a "cover version" though)? But anyway, here's a few..... Most of Paul Youngs early hits were cover versions, such as "Everytime you go away", "Love of the common people", "Come back and stay", "Wherever I lay my hat" & "I'm gonna tear your playhouse down". Some of the most famous hits of the 50's and early 60's were covers of Carole King songs. These include "I'm into something good" by Hermans Hermits, "Will you still love me tomorrow" by The Shirelles and "Take good care of my baby" by Bobby Vee. Bruce Springsteen wrote some famous songs such as "Blinded by the light" by Manfred Manns earth band, "Pink Cadillac" by Natalie Cole and "Fire" by the Pointer Sisters.

I was actually thinking the other day that "someone like you" is really tedious and over-rated, but even worse are the succession of mindless club bangers which have reached no.1 this year. I would go as far as to say that 2011 is the worst year ever for no.1 singles; there is not one that I would buy or even choose to listen to - a dreadful selection. Looking at the current 20 best sellers of the year, I'd say "Moves like Jagger" and "Rolling in the deep" are head and shoulders above the rest, in fact they are pretty decent pop songs in any era.

Without You - Harry Nilsson. Written by Badfinger (more or less) Mandy - Barry Manilow. Written by Scott English. Ex-Mud member Rob Davis wrote 3 famous chart-toppers - "Can't get you out of my head" for Kylie, "Toca's miracle" for Fragma and "If this ain't love" for Spiller. And anything by Blue is probably a cover version............

I think Gerry Polci sang lead on "December '63" by the four seasons, instead of the more famous singer Frankie Valli. Having said that, Polci sang vocals on several of their hits around that time.

Surprised nobody has mentioned "Vienna" and "Shaddup you face" in the same breath yet...............well apart from me obviously.

1 – Queen – Greatest Hits (1981) – 5.7 million 2 – The Beatles – Sgt Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band (1967) – 5.1 3 – Abba – Gold: Greatest Hits (1992) – 4.6 4 – Oasis – (What's the Story) Morning Glory (1995) – 4.5 5 – Dire Straits – Brothers in Arms (1985) – 4.1 6 – Pink Floyd – Dark Side of the Moon (1973) – 3.9 7 – Michael Jackson – Thriller (1982) – 3.9 8 – Michael Jackson – Bad (1987) – 3.9 9 – Queen – Greatest Hits II (1991) – 3.8 10 – Madonna – The Immaculate Collection (1990) – 3.6 11 – Simply Red – Stars (1991) – 3.5 12 – Amy Winehouse – Back to Black (2006) – 3.4 13 – Fleetwood Mac – Rumours (1977) – 3.4 14 – Shania Twain – Come on Over (1997) – 3.4 15 – Adele – 21 (2011) – 3.2 16 – The Verve – Urban Hymns (1997) – 3.1 17 – Dido – No Angel (1999) – 3.1 18 – James Blunt – Back to Bedlam (2004) – 3.1 19 – Simon & Garfunkel – Bridge Over Troubled Water (1970) – 3.1 20 – Bob Marley & The Wailers – Legend (1984) – 3.1 21 – The Corrs – Talk on Corners (1997) – 3.0 22 – Spice Girls – Spice (1996) – 3.0 23 – The Beatles – 1 (2000) – 3.0 24 – David Gray – White Ladder (1998) – 3.0 25 – Meat Loaf – Bat Out of Hell (1977) – 2.9 26 – Dido – Life for Rent (2003) – 2.9 27 – Phil Collins – ...But Seriously (1989) – 2.9 28 – Take That – Beautiful World (2006) – 2.9 29 – Travis – The Man Who (1999) – 2.9 30 – Coldplay – A Rush of Blood to the Head (2002) – 2.8 31 – U2 – The Joshua Tree (1987) – 2.8 32 – Abba – Greatest Hits (1975) – 2.7 33 – Alanis Morissette – Jagged Little Pill (1995) – 2.7 34 – Lady Gaga – The Fame (2008) – 2.7 35 – Michael Bublé – Crazy Love (2008) – 2.7 36 – Scissor Sisters – Scissor Sisters (2004) – 2.7 37 – Keane – Hopes and Fears (2004) – 2.7 38 – Robbie Williams – I've Been Expecting You (1998) – 2.6 39 – Mike Oldfield – Tubular Bells (1973) – 2.6 40 – Coldplay – Parachutes (2000) – 2.6 Bolded the ones I've got

The best christmas songs not to have reached #1 are:- I wish it could be christmas every day - Wizzard Fairytale of New York - Pogues and KM Christmas Wrapping - The Waitresses I'd be happy to see (hear) any of them at the top on Dec 25th

Much like "The first time" by Robin Beck.......

Albatross has a grand total of 5 weeks at no.2, behind 4 different songs at no.1 (and Albatross also reached the top). These weeks weren't all in the same chart run. But its an interesting stat anyway.

Correct, I think its the only song ever in the UK to sell 1 million copies in two completely separate chart runs. To date it has sold around 2.35 million I believe.

Showing my age here, but "You spin me round" by Dead or Alive spent around 4 months in the T100 before reaching number 1.

Alexandra Burke is mentioned at the top of this thread, yet many of her hits (and number ones) are actually "featuring someone else", so are they really solo hits? In any case (and here's a whole new thread really) there are hardly any "solo" songs around really. Most hits are written by someone else with someone else creating the backing music and someone else tweaking the vocals using various computers and sound machines anyway.

I think David Bowie has 5 1975 Space Oddity 1980 Ashes to ashes 1981 Under Pressure 1983 Lets Dance 1985 Dancing in the streets Off the top of my head.....

The good, the bad and the ugly reached #1, not 2.

A Flock of seagulls - Wishing Aztec Camera - Oblivious Teardrop Explodes - Reward XTC - Senses working overtime Headgirl - Please don't touch Grandmaster Flash - White lines / The Message The Associates - Party fears two The Look - I am the beat All superb early 80's songs. Shame the decade went downhill from about 85 onwards...........

Completely agree with the Stevie Wonder song. He's a marvellous artist but that is an atrocious song.

As a general rule, a number one is terrible if it is:- - by Gareth Gates - by Westlife - a Charity song - an X-Factor song - by Robson and/or Jerome - a dodgy cover version (which more or less means all the above, plus a few other one-offs as well) Purely my opinion of course........ :teresa:

Eye of the Tiger had sold around 1274000 when the million-sellers programme was broadcast last year. Therefore if we add approx 20K for the last few months of 2010, and another 42K for this year then I'd estimate its sold around 1336000 in total. It's very close to being in the top 40 best sellers of all time in the UK.

Found another one. David Essex - "Lamplight" - 1973/74 8-{7}-7-8-8-8-10

White Lines by Grandmaster Flash managed it in 1984 10-9-8-7-7-10-9-10 In fact it stayed in the T100 for virtually the entire year, but only peaked at #7.

Tony Blackburn returns to BBC Radio 2 for another special bank holiday chart and this time counts down the 30 biggest selling songs from the movies, of all time (in the UK). Using sales data provided by The Official Charts Company, a track is only eligible for this chart if it was recorded specifically for a film. Previously released songs later included on film soundtracks have not been included. (I don't know why OCC has included Rock Around The Clock - this was a previously released single added to Blackboard Jungle. Also Strangers In The Night was recorded as an instrumental score for A Man Could Get Killed and the Sinatra version was released subsequently). The chart is based on physical and download sales, up to and including 27th February 2011. I have estimated likely total sales and would be interested if anyone has any suggestions, particularly for those still selling in quantity like Ghostbusters and Eye Of The Tiger. Title / Artist / [Movie (Movie Year)] / Year Single Released / Est. Sales 1. You’re The One That I Want - John Travolta and Olivia Newton-John [Grease (1978)] 1978 2,015,000 2. Love Is All Around - Wet Wet Wet [Four Weddings And A Funeral (1994)] 1994 1,825,000 3. I Just Called To Say I Love You - Stevie Wonder [The Woman In Red (1984)] 1984 1,815,000 4. (Everything I Do) I Do It For You - Bryan Adams [Robin Hood: Prince Of Thieves (1991)] 1991 1,670,000 5. Summer Nights - John Travolta and Olivia Newton-John [Grease (1978)] 1978 1,570,000 6. I Will Always Love You - Whitney Houston [The Bodyguard (1992)] 1992 1,460,000 7. My Heart Will Go On - Celine Dion [Titanic (1997)] 1998 1,420,000 8. (We’re Gonna) Rock Around The Clock - Bill Haley and his Comets [blackboard Jungle (1955)] 1955 1,410,000 9. Gangsta’s Paradise - Coolio feat. L.V. [Dangerous Minds (1995)] 1995 1,370,000 10. Eye Of The Tiger - Survivor [Rocky III (1982)] 1982 1,310,000 11. Bright Eyes - Art Garfunkel [Watership Down (1978)] 1979 1,185,000 12. Ghostbusters - Ray Parker Junior [Ghostbusters (1984)] 1984 1,085,000 13. The Young Ones - Cliff Richard and the Shadows [The Young Ones (1961)] 1962 1,060,000 14. Fame - Irene Cara [Fame (1980)] 1982 1,035,000 15. The Next Time / Bachelor Boy - Cliff Richard and the Shadows [summer Holiday (1963)] 1963 980,000 16. I Don’t Want To Miss A Thing - Aerosmith [Armageddon (1998)] 1998 910,000 17. Help! - The Beatles [Help! (1965)] 1965 910,000 18. Men In Black - Will Smith [Men In Black (1997)] 1997 890,000 19. How Deep Is Your Love - Bee Gees [saturday Night Fever (1977)] 1977 880,000 20. Into The Groove - Madonna [Desperately Seeking Susan (1985)] 1985 860,000 21. White Christmas - Bing Crosby [Holiday Inn (1942)] 1942 850,000 22. Living Doll - Cliff Richard and the Drifters [serious Charge (1959)] 1959 840,000 23. Nothing’s Gonna Stop Us Now - Starship [Mannequin (1987)] 1987 830,000 24. Take My Breath Away (Love Theme From ‘Top Gun’) - Berlin [Top Gun (1986)] 1986 830,000 25. Rule The World - Take That [stardust (2007)] 2007 810,000 26. Night Fever - Bee Gees [saturday Night Fever (1977)] 1978 800,000 27. Jailhouse Rock - Elvis Presley [Jailhouse Rock (1957)] 1958 790,000 28. Strangers In The Night - Frank Sinatra [A Man Could Get Killed (1966)] 1966 775,000 29. Don’t Stop Movin’ - S Club 7 [The Parole Officer (2001)] 2001 750,000 30. Wooden Heart - Elvis Presley [G.I. Blues (1960)] 1961 740,000 From the million-sellers programme last year, I think there are one or two minor differences to your list. Rock around the clock was already on 1,416,000 The Young Ones was already on 1,070,000 Fame was already on 1,045,000 For some of the others it looks as if you've taken the last given figures and added on a logical estimate, which is fine. Hopefully they will give the official TD sales anyway during the countdown.