Monday, September 16, 2013

GUESS WHO / BURTON CUMMINGS HIT LIST

As promised, here is a recap of the chart history of The Guess Who ... as well as Burton Cummings as a solo artist.  

Peak positions shown for are for the US Charts, the Chicago Charts and the Canadian Chart.  (Their British Chart peak position is shown for the only two Guess Who singles that charted there, a fact that STILL completely blows my mind!)

BBC  (Before Burton Cummings)
In fact, this group is actually Chad Allan and the Expressions ... their record company put "Guess Who" on the label, thinking that curious disc jockeys and program directors might play it just to see what it was.  The name stuck ... and they've been The Guess Who ever since.

Their first chart hit was a remake of the 1960, #1 British Pop Hit "Shakin' All Over" originally done by Johnny Kidd and the Pirates ... Great Britain ignored it ... as they did ALL of The Guess Who singles (with the exception of two!!!)   

1965 - Shakin' All Over  (US - #13 / Chicago - #10 / Canada - #4)
1965 - Tossin' And Turnin'  (only charted in Canada - #35)
1965 - Hey Ho, What You Do To Me  (US - #125 / Chicago - #39 / Canada - #33)
1966 - And She's Mine  (only charted in Canada - #33)

In 1967, Burton Cummings joined the band and the group scored it's first British Hit.  Incredibly, they would only chart in Great Britain one more time.  ("American Woman" hit #19 in 1970)  Perhaps even MORE incredible is the fact that this GREAT, little known gem didn't chart ANYWHERE else ... not even back home in Canada! 
 

Reminiscent of The Dave Clark Five's ballad "Come Home" (especially the intro), the group was heavily influenced by what was coming out of England at the time.  Nearly fifty years later Burton Cummings would resurrect the old Cliff Richard hit "Don't Talk To Him" for his "Jukebox" reunion album with Randy Bachman ... another FINE example of early, pre-Beatles British pop music.

THE GUESS WHO:
1967 - His Girl  (UK - #45 ... this record did not chart in the US, Canada or Chicago)
1969 - These Eyes  (US - #3 / Chicago - #2 / Canada - #1)
This is the record that broke thru for the band ... things were never the same after this!
1969 - Laughing  (US - #5 / Chicago - #10 / Canada - #9)
1969 - Undun  (US - #22 / Chicago - xx / Canada - #3)
1970 - No Time  (US - #3 / Chicago - #1 / Canada - #9)
1970 - American Woman  (US - #1 / Chicago - #1 / Canada - #1 / Great Britain - #19 ... their ONLY other chart hit in the UK)
1970 - No Sugar Tonight  (US - #1 as a tag-along B-Side / Chicago - #1 as a tag-along B-Side / Canada - #1 as a tag-along B-Side)  Also charted at #39 on its own in Cash Box Magazine here in The States
1970 - Hand Me Down World  (US - #13 / Chicago - #7 / Canada - #3)
1970 - Share The Land  (US - #5 / Chicago - #3 / Canada - #3)
(They played the heck out of the B-Side of this record ... "Bus Rider" ... here in Chicago ... but it never officially charted)
1971 - Hang On To Your Life  (US - #22 / Chicago - #4 / Canada - xx)
1971 - Broken  (US - #51 / did not chart in Chicago or Canada)
1971 - Albert Flasher  (US - #22 / Chicago - #31 / Canada - #5)
 
 

1971 - Rain Dance (US - #11 / Chicago - #24 / Canada - #3)
1972 - Sour Suite  (US - #41 / Chicago - xx / Canada - #7)
1972 - Heartbroken Bopper  (US - #26 / did not chart in Chicago or Canada)
1972 - Guns Guns Guns  (US - #66 / did not chart in Chicago or Canada)
1972 - Runnin' Back To Saskatoon (Live)  US - #74 / Chicago - xx / Canada - 5)
1973 - Follow Your Daughter Home  (US - #61 / Chicago - xx / Canada - #12)
1973 - Orly  (Only charted in Canada, peaking at #19)
1973 - Glamour Boy  (US - #83 / Chicago - xx / Canada - #11)
1974 - Star Baby  (US - #30 / Chicago - #3 / Canada - #14)
1974 - Clap For The Wolfman  (US - #6 / Chicago - #11 / Canada - #3)
1975 - Dancin' Fool  (US - #24 / Chicago - #14 / Canada - #13)
1975 - Seems Like I Can't Live With You, But I Can't Live Without You  (US - #88 / did not chart in Chicago or Canada)
1975 - Roseanne  (US - #105 / did not chart in Chicago or Canada)
1975 - When The Band Was Singin' 'Shakin' All Over'  (US - #102 / did not chart in Chicago or Canada)

BURTON CUMMINGS  (solo artist)
1977 - Stand Tall  (US - #5 / Chicago - #3 / Canada - #2)
1977 - I'm Scared  (US - #61 / Chicago - xx / Canada - #11)
1977 - My Own Way To Rock (US - #74 / Chicago - xx / Canada - #16)
1977 - Your Back Yard  (only charted in Canada, peaking at #21)
1978 - Break It To Me Gently  (US - #81 / Chicago - xx / Canada - #4)
NOTE:  In 1979, "Takes A Fool To Love A Fool" charted on Billboard's Country Chart (#33) ... but nowhere else.  
1980 - Fine State Of Affairs  (only charted in Canada, peaking at #11)
1981 - You Saved My Soul  (US - #32 / Chicago - xx / Canada - #13)
 




THIS JUST IN:
Want a chance to win a pair of free tickets to see the show on Friday Night, September 27th???

Ron Onesti, President and CEO of Onesti Entertainment and The Arcada Theater has graciously donated a pair of tickets for us to give away to one lucky Forgotten Hits Reader.

You MUST be able to attend the show on the 27th in order to enter ... so if there is any chance that you can't really go, please DO NOT take away the chance to win from another local, major fan.

Just drop me a line between now and Thursday Night ... and on Friday ... one week before the concert ... we'll pick one lucky winner.  Tickets will be held in your name at The Arcada Theatre Box Office.

This is a GREAT Grand Prize as the finale to a GREAT interview / series ... so don't miss your chance to win a pair of free tickets.  Get your emails in to me NOW!!!