Take the musical test — when did you get old?

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

This entry was posted in Pop Culture. Bookmark the permalink.

2 Responses to Take the musical test — when did you get old?

  1. kim says:

    I can hum everything from 1969 – 1996 with the exception of "right here waiting"

  2. Ren Young says:

    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.

Comments are closed.