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Non US Hits That Could Have Been


Russ_Horton

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I was always baffled how "I Don't Like Mondays" never came this way.

I don't think that's because the song wasn't played, or wasn't popular. The was zero promotion, not only due to possible legal action, but for social/political reasons as well, obviously. I'm sure that in many arenas there was a lot of opposition to this song, for many reasons. I wonder what Geldorf thought about that at the time. I happen to like it, quite a lot.

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Pretty much anything by Cold Chisel comes under this category. :grin:

Gotta second that one!

In Oz you could not have said to have lived without having heard "Khe Sahn" or "Flame Trees" or "Breakfast at Sweethearts" at least once a month for the last 25 years.

Absolute Australian classics.

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I don't think that's because the song wasn't played, or wasn't popular. The was zero promotion, not only due to possible legal action, but for social/political reasons as well, obviously. I'm sure that in many arenas there was a lot of opposition to this song, for many reasons. I wonder what Geldorf thought about that at the time. I happen to like it, quite a lot.

I think you're right there RE legal action. Wasn't the murder case against Brenda Ann Spencer being heard in California at the time it hit the charts in the UK? Plus the widespread feeling in the US that it glorified her killing spree?

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I really thought that we were correct on this. I checked wiki though, and they give a slightly different spin... wiki

Apparently Geldorf didn't think much of American radio during that period (still now as well, I think), and wiki cites that as part of the reason that the song did so well in the UK, but not here. The song was used as a Monday morning anthem by Album Oriented stations (which is probably why I know it well) in the US, but never got much mainstream airplay.

An interesting note... the tragedy took place in San Diego. It was performed at a theater less than a month later, in that city. I can't think that it was well recieved. Apparently it took years for San Diego stations to air the song. :P

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I really thought that we were correct on this. I checked wiki though, and they give a slightly different spin...

Fair enough. I don't remember reading that it was Geldoff himself who hindered airplay in the US... but, there it is in B&W. Maybe there was a media beat-up at the time (of the "ain't it awful - glorifying murder" kind) that has stuck in my mind all these years.

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I was always baffled how "I Don't Like Mondays" never came this way.

I always liked this song by The Boomtown Rats and also was surprised that it didn't do well in the U.S.

It was a #1 hit in the UK but it only reached #73 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 chart in 1979.

Another surprising song from the same year was:

"Message In A Bottle" ~ The Police

A great, well-known song but it only reached #74 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 chart, while it hit #1 in the UK.

Of course, the charts are calculated differently now and many artists don't release singles anymore. Radio airplay, digtal downloads and sales all come into play in today's world and radio stations playlists are being monitored electronically.

A song doesn't have to be a chart topper to be well-known, but if it's not on a chart, it's not getting much airplay.

There's also more charts today than there were in 1979. Besides a U.S. Hot 100 chart, there's also a Mainstream Rock Tracks chart, a Modern Rock chart, an album Rock Hit chart and other charts as well.

Two more songs from 1979:

"Since You Been Gone" ~ Rainbow :rockon:

It was a Top 10 hit in the UK but only reached #57 in the U.S. It should have placed in the Top 10, IMO.

"Children Of The Sun" ~ Billy Thorpe :rockon:

Great song, IMO, but it never reached commercial success in the U.S or the UK.

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I always liked the group Slade...they did great in the UK, but not so well in the US....never knew why...I liked Gudbye T Jane...and a few other tunes too.

Loved "Since You Been Gone" by Rainbow...I saw them in concert in 79 I think it was...

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I always liked the group Slade...they did great in the UK, but not so well in the US....never knew why...

Laurie,

Slade was one of my favorite bands growing up. I used to listen to "Run Runaway" and "Keep Your Hands Off My Power Supply" (the title track of the album). Don't know why they couldn't crack the US charts :crazy:

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Here's another Aussie classic that never quite made it in America. It's a very bitter song about lost love, but it also captures something quintessentially Australian in it's sound, if that makes sense. Just a sense of space and isolation and loneliness. I'm probably getting a bit too analytical! I just love it. One of my favourite songs ever. The sound on the Youtube really doesn't do it justice, but anyway ...

Wide Open Road - The Triffids

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