Today in 1954, ABC Radio banned Rosemary Clooney’s “Mambo Italiano” for what it termed “offensive lyrics” (decide for yourself):
The number one album today in 1978 was Billy Joel’s “52nd Street”:
No comments on Presty the DJ for Nov. 18
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For some, the catchiest songs are a blessing. For others, they’re a curse. Whatever side of the fence it is that you sit on, for the artist, it doesn’t matter — so long as the song is unforgettable, that’s a job well done. Whether it’s one that you love to the point of repeated listens or an utter annoyance that doesn’t leave your mind for weeks, there’s a science behind why some songs stick with us and others don’t.
In a 2016 research paper released by St. Andrews University in Scotland, researchers unveiled the formula they contend creates catchy music. According to the findings, the equation can be expressed as “Receptivity + (predictability minus surprise) + (melodic strength) + (1.5 times rhythmic repetition) equals a tune that sticks in your head.”
If a musician adheres to this guidance, they’re on the path to producing a successful song. However, what exactly does this formula signify? Apparently, it all boils down to this: a musical “earworm” needs to have five crucial components to exist. According to researcher Bede Williams, this includes surprise, predictability, rhythmic repetition, melodic potency and, most importantly, listeners must be receptive to the creation on a basic level.
As Williams put it: “If you look at the songs which emerged from the research, they all have a distinctive rhythmic fingerprint. If we remove the melody, they’re still recognisable by their rhythm alone.”
In his research, there were a number of tracks that adhered to this pattern of catchiness …
We interrupt this blog to bring you the top 10 catchiest songs of all time, which does not include …
… but starts with number 10:
… Pharrell Williams is in second place with ‘Happy’, which appeared on the soundtrack to Despicable Me 2. Remarkably, Williams had nine previous tracks rejected for the film, but it turned out to be tenth time lucky for the singer. “I’m thankful for all the people behind the song’s success and how I was constantly pushed to do more — my song submissions for this scene in Despicable Me 2 were rejected nine times,” he said to The New York Times about the song’s success. “I’m thankful that people now know my name where they hadn’t before.”
And now the number one catchiest song of all time according to Science!
In his research, there were a number of tracks that adhered to this pattern of catchiness, with Queen’s ‘We Will Rock You’ coming out on top. Although a lot of scientific researchers have suggested that this song was manufactured in a lab, it actually materialised after the band performed a concert in Stafford.
Speaking to BBC Radio 1 in 1977, Brian May explained: “We did an encore and then went off, and instead of just keeping clapping, they sang ‘You’ll Never Walk Alone’ to us, and we were just completely knocked out and taken aback – it was quite an emotional experience really, and I think these chant things are in some way connected with that.”
Queen undeniably nailed the formula, especially given the fact that ‘We Will Rock You’ is not the only example of the top-ten catchiest songs of all time. Clearly, they had a knack for creating songs with lasting impressions, as ‘We Are The Champions also secured the third position on the ranking, while ‘Bohemian Rhapsody’ landed at the sixth spot.
Despite these three songs being some of the most popular songs in history, May himself isn’t such a big fan. In fact, he much prefers the band’s lesser-known material, like ‘The Miracle’, which he also incidentally calls his favourite Queen song of all time. At the same time, however, ‘We Will Rock You’ is still his favourite to perform live. “I would have to say [my favourite to perform live is] ‘We Will Rock You’,” May admitted during an interview on The One Show. “Especially as this is the moment, when we’re relaunching the musical that is named after that song. It always gives me a good feeling.”
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Hang down your head for the number one single today in 1958:
The number one British single today in 1966:
Today in 1978, one of the most awful things ever foisted upon the American viewing public was shown by ABC-TV:
The number one British single today in 1979:
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[U.S.] Rep. Abigail Spanberger, who managed to turn a Red Virginia district Blue and keep it that way after redistricting made the task more difficult, has announced she will run for governor in 2025. According to the Washington Post, Spanberger is considered one of the most “bipartisan” members of Congress.
It’s true that Spanberger clashed with Nancy Pelosi at times and has occasionally criticized the Biden presidency. My guess, though, is that these gestures were mostly to prevent her constituents from viewing her as the standard-issue Democrat she is when it comes time to vote on legislation.
I also believe that, if elected governor, Spanberger, now free from the constraints of representing a swing district, would govern from the left. Recall that Kirsten Gillibrand struck a somewhat moderate pose when she represented a swing district in upstate New York, but became a left-liberal once elected to the Senate.
To understand what a Spanberger administration would be like, consider her core message to Virginia voters, as described by the Post:
When we rise above the chaos and division, we can focus on what matters most to Virginians: lowering prescription drug prices, growing the middle class, lowering costs and easing inflation.. No more using teachers and our kids as political pawns — it’s about focusing on recruiting and retaining teachers, so all of our kids can succeed. And stopping extremists from shredding women’s reproductive rights. Even in this moment of deep division, we can seize the opportunity.
(Emphasis added)
Whether one calls this message “moderate,” “bipartisan,” or “liberal,” it is ruinous — and dishonest. Sure, I’d like to see lower prices for prescription drugs (assuming they don’t drop so low as to stop pharmaceutical companies from bringing new meds to market). And, yes, I’d prefer to see inflation “ease” by a few percentage points.
But these issues are nothing when compared to stopping the indoctrination of America’s school students in the destructive ideologies to which so many of them are now subjected. Americans can muddle through with high prescription drug prices and, say, a 6 percent inflation rate.
America is doomed if Americans believe their country is, and since its founding has been, fundamentally oppressive; that merit and excellence are dirty words; that membership in a racial, ethnic, or other such groups goes to the core of one’s identity; that criminals are really victims of a racist and patriarchal society; and that it’s okay to curb speech that hurts people’s feelings. Yet, these ideas are pushed in America’s schools from February (Black History Month) of a student’s kindergarten year all the way through college.
Thus, it is dishonest for Spanberger to claim that she opposes “using teachers and our kids as political pawns.” Students are already being used that way. Spanberger is content to have it to continue.
Unfortunately , Spanberger is more honest when she says the things that “matter most to Virginians” are lowering prescription drug prices and easing inflation. Virginians, like all Americans, seem to place paying a little less for things above providing their kids with a proper education — one that doesn’t demonize America or whites — and preserving free speech.
This sad state of mind applies even to Republican voters. Ron DeSantis has gotten very little mileage from his successful war as governor of Florida on woke education and wokeness in general. Pundits whose understanding of electoral politics exceeds mine have urged him to move away from that message and focus on the economy.
Indeed, the message is disappearing from the campaign. According to this report, the word “woke” was used only twice during the most recent debate — and not at all by DeSantis.
The candidates are probably following good political advice. Recent school board elections suggest they are. But if the war on wokeness doesn’t resonate even among GOP voters, that’s depressing.
Last week, Bari Weiss gave a stirring speech (the Barbara K. Olsen Memorial lecture) to the Federalist Society’s National Lawyers Convention. The title was “You are the last line of defense.”
Her thesis was that America faces a “war of ideas and of conviction and of will.” The war is against “the ideology of nihilism.” It’s a “fight for the West” and for “American values.” It’s not a fight for lower prices or for (or against) gay marriage. (Weiss is married to a woman.)
That war, Weiss insisted, must be waged “fearlessly and relentlessly if we seek to build a world fit for our children, and if we want to save America itself.”
Democrats, even “moderate” ones like Spanberger, won’t wage it. Instead, they will pooh-pooh it. It’s up to Republicans to lead the fight.
Donald Trump can lead a war of will, but not one of ideas and conviction. As his older sister — the former conservative federal judge who died this week — said, Trump lacks genuine conviction.
Some of Trump’s rivals are willing and able to wage a war of ideas and conviction. However, GOP voters don’t seem interested, so the candidates — whose chances of being nominated are slim in any case — move to other subjects.
Like I said, it’s depressing.
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The number one single today in 1959:
The number one single today in 1963:
Since a new Billboard Hot 100 list came out today, this was the number one single six days later, when John F. and Jacqueline Kennedy traveled to Dallas.
The number one album today in 1968 was the Jimi Hendrix Experience’s “Electric Ladyland”:
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Today in 1925, RCA took over the 25-station AT&T network plus WEAF radio in New York …
… making today the birthday of the original NBC radio network:
Today in 1965, the Rolling Stones made their U.S. TV debut on ABC’s “Hullabaloo”:
Today in 1966, the Doors agreed to release “Break on Through” as their first single, removing the word “high” to get radio airplay:
The number one single today in 1980:
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In the aftermath of another disappointing election night for Republicans, questions need to be asked about supposedly non-partisan get-out-the-vote (GOTV) operations Democrats are using to ensure their low-propensity voters – and only their low-propensity voters – get to the polls.
On March 7, 2021, Executive Order on Promoting Access to Voting, President Biden instructed every federal agency to submit a plan to leverage their agency’s personnel and assets to help turn out the vote. For example, agencies might use internal data to identify aid recipients who are not registered to vote, then use agency personnel to get them registered and ensure their ballot is cast and counted.
Anyone who criticizes GOTV efforts gets accused of wanting to suppress voting. But it’s not voting to which we should object – it’s the exclusive collection of ballots from Democratic voting blocks.
Citing the need for “equity,” Biden’s order explicitly directed agencies to target Black and Native American communities, Hispanic and Latino voters, “civil rights and disability rights advocates,” convicted felons, and voters who work for the federal government.
What does each of these voting blocs have in common? As I explained in my book, “The Puppeteers,” all of these groups have a long history of lopsided support for Democrats. One of the reasons the left is so good at getting low-propensity voters to the polls may be because they’ve figured out how to make taxpayers fund their GOTV operations.
So, what did these agencies do ahead of the 2022, 2023, and the upcoming 2024 election? Taxpayers don’t get to know that. The Biden administration has refused to disclose the plans submitted by hundreds of federal agencies, claiming executive privilege prevents their release.
Freedom of Information Act lawsuits are in the courts, but the executive privilege claim by Biden is slowing the release of the action plan. Why so secretive if it is so good and important?
That secrecy argument is bogus on its face. But it may take ongoing lawsuits years to force their disclosure. Meanwhile Democrats are winning elections with the help of more than 2 million federal employees.
Elections are administered by states. Federal employees are hired to administer federal programs, not to help the ruling party get out the vote to specific groups that tend to vote for the ruling party. In fact, federal employees are explicitly prohibited by law from participating in political activities.
The 1939 Hatch Act was created to “ensure that federal programs are administered in a nonpartisan fashion.” But by targeting Democratic constituencies, Biden has weaponized the whole federal government in pursuit of partisan objectives and partisan candidates.
Biden’s approval rating is underwater on nearly every critical issue. Republicans should have the wind at their backs on the economy and inflation, on energy, on foreign policy, on border issues, on crime and many more. Yet for three cycles in a row, Republican candidates have underperformed expectations.
The truth is the Biden administration doesn’t really want to get out all the votes. They want to get out all the Democratic voters. And it’s working very well for them. Nonprofits, unions, and now the federal government work non-stop to get out the preferred vote.
So, what did these agencies do ahead of the 2022, 2023, and the upcoming 2024 election? Taxpayers don’t get to know that. The Biden administration has refused to disclose the plans submitted by hundreds of federal agencies, claiming executive privilege prevents their release.
Where is the Republican infrastructure to turn out our own low propensity voters? What is the party doing to support those who are challenging the partisan deployment of federal agencies? Voters will tell you their No. 1 issue is the economy and inflation. But what lobby is out there targeting voters who care about that issue? And where is the dragnet of attorneys fighting for the integrity of the vote?
As 2024 approaches, Republicans cannot afford to sit back and watch as Democrats vacuum up all of their low-propensity voter ballots while the GOP fights among themselves. Republicans have to get serious about challenging the left’s dominance in this area.
It isn’t enough to be right on the issues. Winning campaigns need appealing candidates and a plan to get out the vote. This is the challenge for Republicans.
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The number one single today in 1960:
The number one British single today in 1981:
The number one British album today in 1981 was “Queen Greatest Hits”:
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Here are 10 interesting findings in the new Marquette poll this week that you might not have heard about.
You’ve probably heard mostly about the topline findings in the new Wisconsin poll; namely that Biden would beat Trump by 2% but would lose to Ron DeSantis or Nikki Haley, with Haley being the strongest Republican choice. Republicans have lost the abortion issue and women especially care a lot about it. But Trump is favored for his handling of the economy and is also perceived as stronger on the border and foreign policy, all issues with a lot of currency right now.
However, buried in the crosstabs are some interesting findings that you might not have read about. They show some weakness for Democrats with some of their key constituency groups, providing openings for Trump and/or another Republican nominee.
1. Voters don’t like the idea of redrawing the redistricting maps
The poll shows the Democratic glee for redrawing redistricting maps could backfire on them, especially if the liberal court redraws the maps, forcing everyone’s legislative votes to be essentially invalidated. Most Wisconsinites are not with them. Democrats risk overplaying their hand on this.
Both genders and all age groups except the youngest voters think the current maps should stay in place. Only Democrats like the idea of redrawing them. It’s not popular with independents or Republicans. Every ethnic group opposes redrawing the maps. It’s unpopular everywhere except Madison and Milwaukee.
2. Democrats have lost Hispanics
Hispanics have turned against Biden and Democrats in a big way in this poll.
59% of Hispanics would pick Trump compared to 28% for Biden, with 13 percent undecided.
Only 32% of Hispanics think Evers is doing a good job. 59% do not. Hispanic voters also have a more unfavorable opinion of Tammy Baldwin than a favorable one.
3. Young voters and independents aren’t thrilled with Tammy Baldwin, and neither are voters under 60
U.S. Sen. Tammy Baldwin is showing some weakness. For example, on favorability ratings, slightly more young people have an unfavorable opinion of her than a favorable one.
She’s also upside down with men and with people ages 30-59. Only elderly people have a more favorable than unfavorable opinion of her.
Independents don’t like her either, with only 28% having a favorable opinion compared to 48% unfavorable. Hispanics don’t like her either. She’s upside down with them too.
4. The “enthusiasm gap” favors Republicans
Everyone knows that it’s not just how people are polling that matters; it’s who gets their voters to the polls. And this time around, at least in this poll, Republicans have a slight edge in the “enthusiasm gap.”
The percentage of people who said they were “very enthusiastic” about voting for president was highest for Republicans with leaners as independents, leaners as partisans, and without leaners. For example, 55% of Republicans were very enthusiastic, compared to 51% of those who lean Republican, 34% of independents, 37% who lean Democratic, and 44% who are Democrats.
Asked another way, 73% of people who are very conservative are very enthusiastic about voting compared to 36% of very liberal people.
5. Almost everyone disapproves of how Biden is doing his job
Biden’s unfavorable ratings are remarkably bad. Everyone except Democrats thinks he’s doing badly. He’s upside down with men and women, with all age groups, with all education levels, and all income levels. Only in the partisan category does he find a group that thinks he’s doing a better job than not – Democrats. Blacks also favor Biden but even with that core Democratic demographic group 31% do not think he’s doing a good job.
He’s even lost people in labor unions,
6. Did we mention? Democratic support among labor is soft
More than half of labor union members polled did not approve of the job Biden is doing.
Labor union respondents have an unfavorable opinion of Tammy Baldwin.
Although this is not true across the board, Democrats are showing some weakness with labor in a variety of categories in this poll.
7. Almost no one thinks the state is on the right track – especially black Wisconsinites – but women don’t blame it on Tony Evers
Almost no one thinks the state is on the right track. That’s true of both genders, all age groups, all education and income levels, and all ethnic groups (blacks were most likely to think the state is on the wrong track.)
Only Democrats think the state is on the right track, and over 40% of them don’t either.
Evers benefits from a huge gender gap. More men don’t approve of how he’s doing his job, but more women do approve. Weirdly, even 12 percent of Republicans like the job Evers is doing.
8. Never Trumpers could sink the presidential election
Never Trumpers seem to be alive and kicking. 10 percent of people who are “very conservative” would vote for Joe Biden over Trump! That’s also true of a combined 15% of people who are Republican or lean Republican.
If Trump is the nominee, the Republican Party and Trump have some work to do to get conservatives/Republicans to not vote for the Democrat. But this also presents an opportunity.
9. Trump has stronger support among Blacks than is normal for a Republican
When leaners are counted, Trump gets 28% of the Black vote. That’s compared to 48% of the white vote and 62% of Hispanics. According to Pew Research Center, only about one-in-ten Black adults identify with or lean toward the Republican Party.
10. No one cares that liberal Janet Protasiewicz talked about her views on issues
Judges aren’t supposed to take stands on issues that might come before the court. Maybe if the question had been asked that exact way, the answer would have been different.
The poll asked, “Should judicial candidates discuss during campaigns issues likely to come before them if elected so voters know what the candidates stand for, or should they avoid talking about such issues in order not to seem to be pre-judging the issues?”
Most voters think they should discuss issues – by very wide margins – and that’s also true of Republicans.
The reason for the headline is that the polls have been frankly wrong in picking elections, which either means people are lying to pollsters (which was clearly the case in 2016), or the election counts are suspicious.
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First: Today is, or was …
The number one album today in 1965 received no radio airplay on any pop radio station:
The number one British single today in 1968 was based on, but didn’t directly come from, a movie made in Italy with an American star:
Steve Prestegard.com: The Presteblog 