In case you were wondering, GrrlScientist has a link to Billboard’s list of number one songs, so you can find out what people were listening to on important dates in recent history.
For instance, in the month when I was conceived, the number one song in the US was “Teddy Bear” by Elvis Presley, and on the day I was born it was “Young Love” by Tab Hunter. Mom does like Elvis, and those songs are so appropriate that this might beat astrology as a signifier of prospective character.
Unfortunately, the number one song on the day I was married was “Another Brick in the Wall” by Pink Floyd. Never mind.
bmurray says
Hmm, born under “Help”, by the Beatles. Damn I think this works.
moioci says
generic, but undeniably appropriate. “Hey! Baby” by Bruce Channel
idlemind says
“Purple People Eater?”
Jeremy says
Wait, what’s wrong with “Another Brick in the Wall?” You don’t like Pink Floyd? Say it ain’t so, PZ!
Jeremy says
Oh crud. The #1 song when I was born was “(I Just) Died in Your Arms” by Cutting Crew.
Dustin says
“Physical” by Olivia Newton John. Part of my soul just died.
RavenT says
A song called “Witch Doctor”, by some one-hit wonder no one’s ever heard of.
Well, that’s just beautiful, PZ. I think I’ll knock off work early on the dissertation today.
PZ Myers says
I love Pink Floyd, one of the best bands ever. It’s just that particular song isn’t exactly the kind of optimistic, hope-filled thing you think of on your wedding day.
Charlie Wagner says
RavenT wrote:
“A song called “Witch Doctor”, by some one-hit wonder no one’s ever heard of.”
Everyone’s heard of Ross Bagdasarian aka David Seville. He had one of the best selling and most popular records of all time, “The Chipmunk Song”
Ooo eee, ooo ah ah ting tang
Walla walla, bing bang
Ooo eee, ooo ah ah ting tang
Walla walla, bing bang…
Ooo eee, ooo ah ah ting tang
Walla walla, bing bang
Ooo eee, ooo ah ah ting tang
Walla walla, bing bang
Great song!
Hear it here:
http://www.charliewagner.net/witch.mp3
Ian H Spedding says
All I Want For Christmas Are My Two Front Teeth by Spike Jones.
Cyde Weys says
Don’t badmouth the Floyd! That’s a great song. You should be honored that could’ve been your wedding music.
Dawn says
Hmmmmm…Runaway by Del Shannon around my approximate conception date and Duke of Earl by Gene Chandler when I was born. Then…Like a Virgin by Madonna for my wedding day…..I don’t know….maybe this isn’t as accurate as I had hoped.
Some Random Madman says
The Theme from Rocky? What am I supposed to make of that?
snakelass says
“The Chipmunk Song”? I guess it could be worse, my wife got “Rhinestone Cowboy”. At least the day we met was “Independent Women Part 1” and our wedding was “Family Affair.”
Bachalon says
Actually, there’s already a field of study for this. It’s called “popstrology.”
And no, I’m not making this up.
There’s even a book available on amazon on the subject.
dbpitt says
If you are disappointed about Another Brick in the Wall because it’s a retaliation against school or a government-mandated education system, an expression of the beliefs of kids who refuse to do their homework and people who believe government should stay out of education, you have misinterpreted Rodger Water’s objectives. The song was intended to be a retaliation against a specific type of education, which Waters himself went through as a child, which involved thought control and dark sarcasm used by the teachers to mold children the way they wanted, to produce socially acceptable clones.
An educational system involving intelligent design would fit under this category of education in many respects, since it aims to replace the scientific knowledge of children with peoples personal fundamentalist theistic views.
Linkmeister says
For my birthdate: “Goodnight Irene,” by Gordon Jenkins and the Weavers.
I always did like that HUAC-despising Pete Seeger; now I know why.
Graculus says
Neil Sedaka.
Fire up the NIN, stat!
Alon Levy says
“Roll with It” by Steve Winwood. This list was the first time I heard of either the song or the singer.
Samnell says
“Another one Bites the Dust”. How terribly apt.
Keith Douglas says
I don’t normally pay attention to popular music, so I am not shocked that I haven’t heard of this ” “Rock’n Me” by Steve Miller Band ” result …
Sean Foley says
“Southern Nights” by Glen Campbell. I guess this means I’ve spent my whole life running from my birthright.
fusilier says
Riders in the Sky
You are all children; all of you.
fusilier
James2 :24
Molly Black says
1969 … “Everyday People” by Sly & the Family Stone (Birthday)
1982 … “Physical” by Olivia Newton-John (Husband’s birthday)
1999 … “If You Had My Love” by Jennifer Lopez (Met and fell in love with my husband)
We had two weddings, an elopement with two strangers as our witnesses in SF in January(home at the time) and one for the family that same year, just on 4th of July at my father’s house in NY. So I’m not even going there with that.
Michael Bains says
Birth — 1965 … “Yesterday” by The Beatles
Marriage 1 1994 … “I’ll Make Love to You” by Boyz II Men (liar! lol!)
Marriage 2 2004 … “Burn” by Usher (Yikes! Strike two on the same pitch. {shakin’head})
Damn man, I’m trying to ignore “signs” like this. They never work in forsight, just with hindsight, and these are spot on. Unfortunately, even the first one.
Life sure was easier for me the day before I was born.
heheheh
Jeff Chamberlain says
“Manana,” by Peggy Lee. Fusilier — Leave the youngsters be. The children are our future.
djlactin says
just too weird:
9/11 2001:
2001 … “Fallin'” by Alicia Keys
DouglasG says
“Hang on Sloopy” – I think I’ll go home now…
ArtK says
Another Purple People Eater