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“Bennie and the Jets” – Elton John

[media=https://youtu.be/qT-vsQ41LxM]
On this day in 1974, Elton John’s “Bennie and the Jets” went to #1 on the US Billboard Hot 100 chart. The record also made it to #1 in Canada. John was initially opposed to its release as a single because he believed it would fail.

Before the song became a national hit in the US and Canada, it was given heavy airplay on a Top 40 radio station in Windsor, Ontario, and it soon rose to #1 in the Detroit market. Other radio stations in both countries took note and began playing the record, resulting in its rise to the top in the national charts.

“Bennie” was also a hit on the US R&B chart, making it to #15, and helped to expand John’s fan base. It also earned him a May 1975 guest appearance on Soul Train, where he performed the song along with another #1 hit, “Philadelphia Freedom”.

As a lifelong fan of soul/R&B music, John was especially proud of his song’s success on the R&B chart. He was also a big fan of the Soul Train TV show and said he and his band would frequently watch it while they were on tour.
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supersnipe · 61-69, M
A catchy record with some amusing twists. Funnily enough, that track was only a minor hit in the UK a couple of years later! However, the host album, Goodbye Yellow Brick Road, went to No. 1 and also yielded a clutch of hit singles. It was one of maybe half a dozen 'musicassettes, I had to play in the car and so it became part of the soundtrack of my life.
Rutterman · 46-50, M
@supersnipe Right. The song barely cracked the Top 40 in the UK. The album is one of John's best, in my opinion, so I'm not surprised it reached #1 in the UK, just as it did in the US, Canada, and Australia.
Tumbleweed · F
Elton John..... I've loved that man my whole life!! 💕💕💕
ShenaniganFoodie · 36-40, M
@Iwillwait Quicker but some they it is cheating
Iwillwait · M
@ShenaniganFoodie You play beautifully.
ShenaniganFoodie · 36-40, M
@Iwillwait I play OK after 21 years of lessons & 31 years of practice
Iwillwait · M
Soul Train was an Awesome show!
TheShanachie · 61-69, M
@Iwillwait agreed I loved it!!
Rutterman · 46-50, M
@Iwillwait They certainly showcased some amazing performers and exposed them to a wider audience that might otherwise have been unfamiliar with them.
Iwillwait · M
@Rutterman I loved Saturday Late Mornings.
Heretochat · 46-50, M
Love that song
Rutterman · 46-50, M
@Heretochat So do I.
TheShanachie · 61-69, M
On the single release,this goes to show that you should listen to the producer even when it seems wrong.
Rutterman · 46-50, M
@TheShanachie Yeah, I think the producer might sometimes recognize the hit potential of a song better than the artist who recorded it.
JohnOlinger81 · 41-45, M
@Rutterman Will I be born in the year 1952 so I can experience the 1970s
JohnOlinger81 · 41-45, M
@Rutterman Will I be born in the year 1959 so I can be a teen in the 70s
JohnOlinger81 · 41-45, M
@Rutterman Will I be born in 1946 so i can be a hippie in the 60s
JohnOlinger81 · 41-45, M
@Rutterman Will I be born in 1942 so I can a teen greaser in the 50s

 
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