yet another song thread: What was the very first popular song you remember?

I remember listening to Elton John on my dad's record player...thought I somehow scratched the record when I heard "Buh-buh-buh-buh Bennie and the Jets."

 

"Little Jeannie" by Elton John in my mom's Oldsmobile station wagon when I was about three. We were probably on the way to pick Bubbler up from soccer practice or something like that.

Other songs I remember hearing when I was that young: Juice Newton's version of "Angel of the Morning", "Ride Like the Wind" by Christopher Cross, "I Love a Rainy Night" by Eddie Rabbitt, and "The Devil Went Down to Georgia".

 

"The Living Years" by Mike & the Mechanics. I have vivid memories of riding in my carpool to second grade with that song playing. I can pinpoint it to a location in my hometown. I also remember "Straight Up" by Paula Abdul during that time period, but "The Living Years" was first.

I also remember riding around with my dad and him playing the Beatles' blue greatest hits album in his car. I loved "Octopus's Garden." I was probably 7 or 8. To this day, that song reminds me of him.

 

Paradise City

 

"Dominique," by the Singing Nun was a big hit the year my family took a road trip from where we were living in South Texas to my grandparents' home in North Mississippi, and I think every radio station in Louisiana played it on a continuous loop as we passed through there. I guess I was maybe 7 or 8 at the time. After that, probably "I Want To Hold Your Hand," which was the first song by the Beatles I remember hearing.

 

Yeah, we were listening to the same music. I'd add Baker Street to that list.

 

Red Red Wine was first released in 1983, but was re-released in 1988 and went to No. 1, if that helps.

 

Wichita Lineman

 

I clearly recall dancing The Twist as a 3-year-old and all of the relatives getting a kick of it. Chubby Checker was a big deal in our house back in '61.

 

I think for me, the song was probably "Uncle Albert/Admiral Halsey" by Paul McCartney. The French horn opening of the "Admiral Halsey" part triggered the memory when I heard the song years later. I couldn't have been much older than three when the song came out.

 

Either "Jet" or "Band on the Run" by Wings.

 

First single I ever bought was "Will It Go Round In Circles" by Billy Preston (I was 7) and the first album I heard in its entirety was probably Machine Head by Deep Purple (around that same time) which the teenager next door played incessantly when I went to his place to wait for my parents to come home.

I have a distant memory of hearing "Morning Has Broken" by Cat Stevens on the car radio as a little kid.