I guess I’m still not old . . .
From Eric Zorn of the Chicago Tribune:
Reader Mike Carniello sent me a list several years ago of top summer songs of each year going back.
He maintained that by “using this list, you can pinpoint exactly when middle age kicked in” by identifying the first song on the list for which you can’t kind of hum the melody. His choice to list the most popular song in August struck me as apt, as August tends to be the idlest, most radio listenin’ month.
I expanded and updated his list, and invite you to take the test:
August 1958 — “Poor Little Fool” –Ricky Nelson
August 1959 –“A Big Hunk o’ Love” –Elvis Presley
August 1960 — “It’s Now or Never” — Elvis Presley
August 1961 –“Tossin’ and Turnin'” — Bobby Lewis
August 1962 — “Breaking Up Is Hard to Do” Neil Sedaka
August 1963 — “Fingertips Pt. 2” Little Stevie Wonder
August 1964 — “A Hard Day’s Night” The Beatles
August 1965 — “I Got You Babe” Sonny & Cher
August 1966 — “Summer in the City” — The Lovin’ Spoonful
August 1967 “Light My Fire” — The Doors
August 1968 — “People Got to Be Free” The Rascals
August 1969 — “In the Year 2525” Zager and Evans
August 1970 — “(They Long to Be) Close to You” — The Carpenters
August 1971 — “How Can You Mend a Broken Heart?” — Bee Gees
August 1972 — “Alone Again (Naturally)” — Gilbert O’ Sullivan
August 1973 — “The Morning After” — Maureen McGovern
August 1974: “(You’re) Having My Baby” — Paul Anka with Odia Coates
August 1975: “Jive Talkin'” — the Bee Gees
August 1976: “Don’t Go Breaking My Heart” — Elton John & Kiki Dee
August 1977: “I Just Want to Be Your Everything” –Andy Gibb
August 1978: “Miss You” — Rolling Stones
August 1979: “My Sharona” — the Knack
August 1980: “Magic” — Olivia Newton-John
August 1981– “Jessie’s Girl” — Rick Springfield
August 1982 — “Eye Of The Tiger” — Survivor
August 1983: “Every Breath You Take” — the Police
August 1984: “Ghostbusters” — Ray Parker Jr.
August 1985: “The Power of Love” — Huey Lewis & the News
August 1986: “Papa Don’t Preach” — Madonna
August 1987: “I Still Haven’t Found What I’m Looking For” — U2
August 1988: “Roll With It” — Steve Winwood
August 1989: “Right Here Waiting” — Richard Marx
August 1990: “Vision of Love” — Mariah Carey
August 1991: “(Everything I Do) I Do It for You” –Bryan Adams
August 1992: “Baby Got Back” — Sir Mix-A-Lot
August 1993: “(I Can’t Help) Falling in Love With You –UB40
August 1994: “Stay (I Missed You)” — Lisa Loeb & Nine Stories
August 1995: “Waterfalls” — TLC
August 1996: “Macarena” — Los Del Rio
August 1997: “I’ll Be Missing You” — Puff Daddy & Faith Evans
August 1998: “The Boy Is Mine” — Brandy & Monica
August 1999: “Genie in a Bottle” — Christina Aguilera
August 2000: “It’s Gonna Be Me” — ‘N Sync
August 2001: “Bootylicious” — Destiny’s Child
August 2002: “Hot In Herre” — Nelly
August 2003: “Crazy In Love — Beyonce featuring Jay-Z
August 2004: “Confessions Part II” — Usher
August 2005: “We Belong Together” — Mariah Carey
August 2006: “Promiscuous” — Nelly Furtado featuring Timbaland
August 2007: “Big Girls Don’t Cry” — Fergie
August 2008: “Leavin'” — Jesse McCartney
I can hum everything from 1969 – 1996 with the exception of "right here waiting"
Michael Jackson's talent and huge celebrity cannot be disputed, but it seems odd that he doesn't appear somewhere on this list considering the span of his career.