Access Atlanta > Entertainment > Radio Talk > Archives > 2007 > November > 17 > Entry
11/17: Lite 96.7 starts Christmas, B98.5 plays one-hit wonders
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
At midnight today, soft rock Lite 96.7 went all Christmas with Sting’s “I Saw Three Ships,” followed by “Merry Christmas Darling” by the Carpenters and Amy Grant’s version of “Jingle Bell Rock.” It’s the first Atlanta radio station to go all Christmas. The only problem is the signal is very weak and can only be heard south of I-20 so for you northsiders, you’ll have to wait a few more days. You could listen live online, too..
B98.5 and 104.7/The Fish are expected to go all Christmas on Thanksgiving.
Speaking of B98.5, the station is doing one of its quirkiest theme weekends in a while, a one-hit wonder weekend packed with truly obscure songs going back to the early 1970s. In fact, since the major signal Lite 94.9 disappeared, B98.5 has been taking more chances possibly because ironically the lack of direct competition makes it easier for them to do so.
Here are a few songs they’ve played so far that I seldom hear on the radio anymore: Johnny Bristol’s 1974 top 10 hit “Hang On In There Baby,” The Undisputed Truth’s “Smiling Faces Sometimes” (1971), Carol Douglas’ “Doctor’s Orders” (1974), LeBlanc and Carr’s “Falling” (1978), Netherlands duo Mouth & MacNeal’s “How Do You Do?” (1972), John Cafferty and the Beaver Brown Band’s “On the Dark Side” (1983), Kate Bush’s “Running Up That Hill” (1983), The Honeydrippers’ “Sea of Love” (1984), Baltimora’s “Tarzan Boy” (1985), Timmy T’s #1 single “One More Try” (1991), Londonbeat’s “I’ve Been Thinking About You (1991)” and Los Del Rio’s “Macarena.” (1996)
And the station’s definition of “one hit wonder” is often odd.
— For instance, the station played the Thompson Twins’ “Hold Me Now.” The act has had at least three other top 15 hits including “King For a Day,” “Doctor Doctor” and “Lay Your Hands On Me.”
— Then there’s Debbie Gibson’s “Lost In Your Eyes.” She had several other top 20 hits including “Electric Youth,” “Shake Your Love,” “Only In My Dreams,” “Foolish Beat” and “Out of the Blue.”
— Nelly Furtado’s “I’m Like a Bird” from 2000 was played earlier today. She not only had a top 5 hit after that song “Turn Out The Lights” but has had several hits the past year including two No. 1 hits “Promiscuous” and “Say It Right,” plus a featured spot on a third “Give It To Me.”
— And somehow, Joan Jett’s “I Love Rock and Roll” was included. She had two other top 10 hits, “Crimson and Clover” and “I Hate Myself For Loving You.”
Comments
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By Francesco Sinibaldi
November 17, 2007 2:54 PM | Link to this
Peace and silence.
Peace and silence in the soul of the present ; a bird, leaving the country, arrives near the care now reflecting your feeling and then, in the meantime, that beautiful flow seems a light in the heart of the wisdom.
Francesco Sinibaldi
By Lil' Jon
November 17, 2007 5:03 PM | Link to this
WWWHHHAAATTTTT?????
By Whatever
November 18, 2007 1:13 PM | Link to this
A one hit wonder weekend is a very good idea, but like you have pointed out Rodney, 98.5 doesn’t know what qualifies as a one-hit wonder. Truly pathetic…just like all of Atlanta radio.
By Steve Barton
November 18, 2007 5:02 PM | Link to this
Thanks for the heads up Rodney. Because of you I am enjoying the idiosyncratic B98.5 definition of “one hit wonder”, and it is pretty OK radio. Must I insert a slam on Atlanta radio here to join the discussion? Appears to be de rigeur. All the best, Steve Barton, Dunwoody, Georgia
By Drew ("Screw") Hayes
November 19, 2007 8:07 AM | Link to this
How about an all-Public Domain format?? Y’know, endless cover versions of “Row, Row, Row Your Boat”, “Yankee Doodle”, “Camptown Races”, etc., etc.??
By who cares!
November 19, 2007 4:41 PM | Link to this
Please! No more XMAS music 24/7! At least not until the week before XMAS. why not play stuff that has not been played before?
By Boomer
November 19, 2007 6:20 PM | Link to this
Franceso…go smoke some more weed. Sheesh! It’s been a year since the massacre of Clear Channel stations and the demise of TRUE radio in Atlanta. To Tom “The King” Hughes, The Kimmer, Wayne “NO OFFENSE!”, Snake Davis, and Christmas music 24/7 AFTER Thanksgiving…you are ALL missed.