How Beatles lost a hard day's fight with Lee Marvin
The Beatles' final single, Let It Be, was yesterday named the greatest chart-topper that never was. The song, held off the prime spot in 1970 by Lee Marvin's Wanderin' Star, topped a poll of the best songs that were denied a number one and peaked a place below.
The Beatles' final single, Let It Be, was yesterday named the greatest chart-topper that never was.
The song, held off the prime spot in 1970 by Lee Marvin's Wanderin' Star, topped a poll of the best songs that were denied a number one and peaked a place below.
After last week's listing of Britain's best-loved number one singles to mark the 50th anniversary of the UK music charts, this follow-up survey, might provide consolation to England's beleaguered cricket team, as it proves that winning really is not everything.
Many songs now considered classics were kept from the top spot by decidedly less timeless tunes, according to the opinion poll, commissioned by the digital music channel Music Choice.
Elvis Presley's Suspicious Minds was unable to fight the dominance of Rolf Harris's Two Little Boys in 1969, and the Rolling Stones' Brown Sugar was blocked by the less durable Knock Three Times by Dawn in 1971. The music partnership of the television actors Robson and Jerome proved to be as strong as Lee Marvin, having prevented both Common People by Pulp and Wonderwall by Oasis from making it to number one, both in 1995.
At least the surviving Beatles can console themselves that, even in a chart for the runners-up of British pop music, they still come top: Let It Be received 43% of the vote. Whether DJ Sammy's dance remix of Bryan Adams' Heaven - currently number two - inspires such loyalty in 30 years' time remains to be seen.
The top 10 number 2s
1 The Beatles - Let it Be (1970), eclipsed by Wanderin' Star by Lee Marvin.
2 Elvis Presley - Suspicious Minds (1969), beaten by Two Little Boys by Rolf Harris.
3 Oasis - Wonderwall (1995), held down by Up on
the Roof by Robson and Jerome.
4 Elton John - Rocket Man (1977), beaten by Metal Guru by T Rex.
5 The Rolling Stones - Brown Sugar (1971), beaten by Knock Three Times by Dawn.
6 The Beach Boys - God Only Knows (1966), beaten by Yellow Submarine by The Beatles.
7 The Verve - Bittersweet Symphony (1997), blocked by I'll be Missing You by Puff Daddy and Faith Evans.
8 The Who - My Generation (1965), beaten by Carnival is Over by The Seekers.
9 Pulp - Common People (1995), kept down by Unchained Melody by Robson and Jerome.
10 The Jacksons - I Want You Back (1970), beaten by Lee Marvin's Wanderin' Star.
The song, held off the prime spot in 1970 by Lee Marvin's Wanderin' Star, topped a poll of the best songs that were denied a number one and peaked a place below.
After last week's listing of Britain's best-loved number one singles to mark the 50th anniversary of the UK music charts, this follow-up survey, might provide consolation to England's beleaguered cricket team, as it proves that winning really is not everything.
Many songs now considered classics were kept from the top spot by decidedly less timeless tunes, according to the opinion poll, commissioned by the digital music channel Music Choice.
Elvis Presley's Suspicious Minds was unable to fight the dominance of Rolf Harris's Two Little Boys in 1969, and the Rolling Stones' Brown Sugar was blocked by the less durable Knock Three Times by Dawn in 1971. The music partnership of the television actors Robson and Jerome proved to be as strong as Lee Marvin, having prevented both Common People by Pulp and Wonderwall by Oasis from making it to number one, both in 1995.
At least the surviving Beatles can console themselves that, even in a chart for the runners-up of British pop music, they still come top: Let It Be received 43% of the vote. Whether DJ Sammy's dance remix of Bryan Adams' Heaven - currently number two - inspires such loyalty in 30 years' time remains to be seen.
The top 10 number 2s
1 The Beatles - Let it Be (1970), eclipsed by Wanderin' Star by Lee Marvin.
2 Elvis Presley - Suspicious Minds (1969), beaten by Two Little Boys by Rolf Harris.
3 Oasis - Wonderwall (1995), held down by Up on
the Roof by Robson and Jerome.
4 Elton John - Rocket Man (1977), beaten by Metal Guru by T Rex.
5 The Rolling Stones - Brown Sugar (1971), beaten by Knock Three Times by Dawn.
6 The Beach Boys - God Only Knows (1966), beaten by Yellow Submarine by The Beatles.
7 The Verve - Bittersweet Symphony (1997), blocked by I'll be Missing You by Puff Daddy and Faith Evans.
8 The Who - My Generation (1965), beaten by Carnival is Over by The Seekers.
9 Pulp - Common People (1995), kept down by Unchained Melody by Robson and Jerome.
10 The Jacksons - I Want You Back (1970), beaten by Lee Marvin's Wanderin' Star.
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