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Brian W.
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| Posted: 14 June 2013 at 10:23pm | IP Logged
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All I can add is that I don't really like "I'm Sorry" and I always liked "Calypso," so it could be that I simply took no notice when "I'm Sorry" was played back in the day.
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JMD1961
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| Posted: 15 June 2013 at 2:24am | IP Logged
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Interesting discussion. I'd just add that my own personal recollection is that both songs got substantial airplay on WBBQ in Augusta, GA. Just at separate times. "I'm Sorry" was played heavily for several weeks, then (after appearing on a TV special) "Calypso" took over. I wasn't a big single buyer at the time and had no access to either Billboard OR AT40, so it wasn't until much later that I found out that the two songs were on the same 45.
What's always bugged me is that Billboard's handling of the tracks has always given the combined 45 an "inflated" historical placement. Let me explain.
For years, I've used a personal point system to rank each year's top hits. Using my system, "I'm Sorry/Calypso" ranks as the #3 hit of 1975. The reason is that, because of Billboard's policy of combining airplay points for 45s with both sides getting airplay, it spent a total of 9 weeks in the Top 10 on the chart. Only one other song that year spent more weeks (The Eagles' "One Of These Nights".)
I've always felt that Billboard's policy gave the single an unfair advantage on the year end chart, as while both songs were qualified hits, separately neither would have finished the year so high up the chart. (I believe that Billboard later revised this policy and only counted the airplay points for whichever side was getting the most actual airplay in a given week, but don't quote me on that one.)
BTW, my way of handling the issue on my personal 1975 ranking was to treat them separately, and only count points for each based on which side was listed as the A-side on the chart. Both still made the year-end Top 100, but neither in the Top 10. Oh, and using that method, "Calypso" out ranked "I'm Sorry".
On a separate note, I have no issue with Joel Whitburn's decision to combine the two songs as a single listing in the latest editions of his books. But if he's going to do that, shouldn't he go back and give the combined 45 credit for their 9-week run in the top 10 in Pop Annual? In the past, "I'm Sorry" was only given credit for the 4 weeks it was listed as the A-Side, which made sense with the tracks being separated. If the 45 is now being listed as one position, that should change, and "I'm Sorry/Calypso" should be moved from #32 and up to #13 where it would fall using it's total top-10 run.
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Paul Haney
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| Posted: 15 June 2013 at 3:15am | IP Logged
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I've been doing some more research on this topic and here's what I've found...
Cash Box had a wonderful little list called "Radio Active" that listed the percentage of stations adding and listing a song for each given week. On 9/13/75 they listed "I'm Sorry" on a whopping 94% of the reporting stations (I think this puts to rest the notion that "I'm Sorry" wasn't huge on Top 40 radio). The ONLY time they mentioned "Calypso" was on 10/4/75 when they showed 10% of the stations adding it and 14% total listing it.
I'm very surprised that Record World's "AM Action" column never noted "Calypso" at all. However, Record World did begin showing "I'm Sorry/Calypso" on their Top 100 chart on 9/27/75, as the song was at #5 and headed to #1.
All of this makes me wonder how Radio & Records covered this issue. I wonder if they really did show it as a double-sided hit all the way through or if they added "Calypso" somewhere down the line (wish we had the actual back issues from 1975). It's appearing more and more now that most Top 40 stations started with "I'm Sorry" and once that one peaked, some of them started switching over to "Calypso", kinda like a follow-up single.
I think the facts that I've cited above (along with Jim's ARSA stats) make a pretty strong case that, despite any personal preferences, "I'm Sorry" was actually the bigger hit.
Now, as for "Colour My World" by Chicago...:)
Edited by Paul Haney on 15 June 2013 at 3:23am
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Brian W.
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| Posted: 15 June 2013 at 9:15am | IP Logged
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Good points, Paul. And the fact remains that the ONLY major chart that listed "Calypso" as a separate single was "Cash Box," and it only ranked it as #26.
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EdisonLite
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| Posted: 15 June 2013 at 11:48am | IP Logged
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Jim, it's ok if we disagree. I hadn't noticed it was on EVERY point :) But I feel confident one day we'll agree on at least something. Perhaps some statistician can go through every comment ever made on this board and determine the % Disagree/Agree ratio we actually have.
I don't think it's 100%/0%, though. I think it's closer to the ratio of stations playing "I'm Sorry/Calypso".
Edited by EdisonLite on 15 June 2013 at 11:48am
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jimct
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| Posted: 15 June 2013 at 1:08pm | IP Logged
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Really enjoyed your comment, Gordon!
For the record, personally, I liked "Calypso" 100 times more than I ever
did "I'm Sorry."
But I tried to look at this if I were a doctor, getting ready to operate on a
patient. Whether they're a celebrity, or just a "regular Joe", I'm always
gonna try to do my absolute best, either way. (Although some recommend
I steer clear of sharp objects!)
Gordon, based on you last comment, I hold out hope that, someday, we
may yet be able to turn you into a statistician! I suspect your "ratio" is
likely more accurate than my guess was!
Appreciate your good nature on this, my friend! :)
Edited by jimct on 15 June 2013 at 4:50pm
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Brian W.
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| Posted: 15 June 2013 at 4:18pm | IP Logged
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I wish we had a "like" button for that post, Gordon.
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sriv94
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| Posted: 15 June 2013 at 7:33pm | IP Logged
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jimct wrote:
For the record, personally, I liked "Calypso" 100 times more than I ever did "I'm Sorry."
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This. + infinity.
"Calypso"'s a great song.
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EdisonLite
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| Posted: 15 June 2013 at 9:20pm | IP Logged
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jimct wrote:
Really enjoyed your comment, Gordon!
For the record, personally, I liked "Calypso" 100 times more than I ever
did "I'm Sorry." |
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Hey, we're friends, and I'm still very thankful for all the single versions/edits you've turned me on to since day 1. And all the knowledge you've brought to us all!
And wow, your "0% Agreement" guess has officially been debunked and thrown out - based on what you said above! Because I like "Calypso" 100 times more than I ever did "I'm Sorry". So there's at least 1 thing we agree on :)
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KentT
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| Posted: 26 June 2013 at 4:06pm | IP Logged
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In Eastern Tennessee, "I'm Sorry" did better. On AC,
Country formats, and on Top 40.
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I turn up the good and turn down the bad!
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Steve Carras
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| Posted: 19 February 2014 at 10:51pm | IP Logged
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sriv94 wrote:
jimct wrote:
For the record, personally, I liked "Calypso" 100 times more than I ever did "I'm Sorry."
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This. + infinity.
"Calypso"'s a great song. |
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Seconded!
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Top 40 Music on Compact Disc : Chat Board
Topic: John Denver - "Calypso"
