Celebrating Black History Month: "Lift Every Voice and Sing" Black National Anthem

Lift Every Voice and Sing was written in 1900 by lyricist James Weldon Johnson and set to music by his brother J. Rosamond Johnson.  The song is a prayer of thanksgiving to God and a prayer for faithfulness and freedom.  

After its premiere in 1900, the hymn was sung within Black American communities and the NAACP began to promote it as a "Negro national anthem" in 1919. 

In 1923, the Manhattan Harmony Four, a male gospel group, recorded Lift Every Voice and Sing.  Their performance was added to the National Recording Registry in 2016.

In 2021, Representative Jim Clyburn sponsored a bill which proposed that Lift Every Voice and Sing be designated as the "national hymn" of the US, although other songs have been proposed to become the national hymn.  The Star Spangled-Banner will remain as the national anthem.

Lift Every Voice and Sing was sung on September 24, 2016 at the opening ceremonies of the National Museum of African American History and Culture, where President Obama gave the keynote address.

"Saturday Night Fever" soundtrack reaches #1 1978

The soundtrack album from the movie Saturday Night Fever reached #1 on the Billboard 200 January 21, 1978 and stayed there for 24 weeks.  It generated three singles from the Bee Gees and one from Yvonne Elliman.  It is the second biggest-selling soundtrack of all time.  It won the Grammy for Album of the Year and Best Pop Vocal Performance by a Duo or Group in 1979.  It won an American Music Award for Favorite Soul/R&B album in 1979.  

The album was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame in 2004 and, in 2014, was added to the Library of Congress' National Recording Registry for being culturally significant.

Cyndi Lauper releases "She's So Unusual" 1983

Cyndi Lauper released her debut album She's So Unusual October 14, 1983 to rave reviews.  It sold six million albums in the U.S. making it six times platinum, and sold over 16M world wide.  It got six Grammy Award nominations, winning Best New Artist and Best Album Package.  

It generated six singles: Girls Just Want to Have Fun, Time After Time (her first number-one hit), She-Bop (my favorite), All Through the Night, Money Changes Everything, and When You Were Mine.

She's so Unusual was selected by the Library of Congress for preservation in the National Recording Registry in 2019 for being "culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant."

Billy Joel reaches Top 40 for the first time with "Piano Man" 1974

My man Billy Joel reached the Billboard Hot 100 when Piano Man entered the charts at #33.  It would peak at #25  two weeks later.  

In 2005, it was selected by the Library of Congress' National Recording Registry for preservation. 

Janet Jackson, Patti LaBelle and Kermit the Frog selected for National Recording Registry

The National Recording Registry announced its selections for “audio treasures worthy of preservation for all time based on their cultural, historical or aesthetic importance in the nation’s recorded sound heritage” for 2020 yesterday, March 24, 2021.

Among the 25 selections are Janet Jackson's Rhythm Nation 1814 album, LaBelle's single Lady Marmalade, Kermit the Frog's performance of Rainbow Connection, and Kool & the Gang's Celebration.

See all the selections here:

https://variety.com/2021/music/news/library-of-congress-national-recording-registry-nas-janet-jackson-1234936992/

Glenn Miller's "In The Mood" reaches #1 1940

Glenn Miller's recording of In The Mood reached #1 in the US February 10, 1940.  Miller was the best-selling recording artist from 1939-1942 with 16 #1 hits.  

Miller released his recording in 1939 and NPR included it on its list of the "100 most important American musical works of the 20th century".  It was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame in 1983. In 2004, it was inducted into the Library of Congress National Recording Registry for being "culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant". 

Chic's "Le Freak" reaches #1 1978

R&B band Chic, third single from their album C'est Chic, Le Freak, reached #1 on the Billboard Hot 100 December 9, 1978.  It reached #1 on the Disco charts for seven weeks.  Billboard magazine ranked it as the number 3 song for 1979.  Le Freak is certified 4 x platinum.

It was selected for preservation in the National Recording Registry by the Library of Congress in 2018, for being "culturally, historically, or artistically significant." 

Billy Joel releases single "Piano Man" 1973

My man Billy Joel released the single Piano Man November 2, 1973.  It was the first single from the album of the same name, which he released November 9. It was a moderate hit hit only reaching #25 on the Billboard Hot 100.  After he released his next album The Stranger, his breakthrough album, Piano Man became one of his best-known, most-beloved songs.

In 2015, it was selected to be preserved by the Library of Congress' National Recording Registry for being "culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant". 

Donna Summer's "I Feel Love" certified Gold 1977

Released as a single from the album I Remember Yesterday in July 1977, I Feel Love by Donna Summer was certified Gold November 9, 1977.  It reached #6 on the Billboard Hot 100 but reached the top in the UK, Australia, Austria, Belgium, France, Italy and the Netherlands.

It is considered one of the most influential songs of all time and in 2011, Library of Congress added it to the National Recording Registry as "culturally, historically, or aesthetically important".

Take a look at how many different charts have acclaimed it for being necessary, indispensable, or just down-right awesome!

Publication	Country	Accolade	Year	Rank
Les Inrockuptibles	France	1000 Indispensable Songs	2006	*
		1000 Necessary Songs	2015	*
Volume		200 Records that Changed the World	2008	*
Musikexpress	Germany	The 700 Best Songs of All Time	2014	134
Rolling Stone		The 500 Best Songs of All Time	2004	458
Spex		The Best Singles of the Century	1999	*
NPO Radio 2	Netherlands	Top 40 Songs by Year 1969-2000	2013	18
Panorama	Norway	The 30 Best Singles of the Year 1970-98	1999	1
BBC	United Kingdom	Pop on Trial, Top 50 Songs from the 1970s	2008	*
Robert Dimery		1001 Songs You Must Hear Before You Die: And 10,001 You Must Download	2010	*
The Guardian		1000 Songs Everyone Must Hear	2009	*
		A history of modern music	2011	*
IDJ Magazine		The 50 Greatest Dance Singles	2004	37
Mixmag		The 100 Best Dance Singles of All Time	1996	12
Mojo		The 100 Records That Changed the World	2007	96
Gary Mulholland		This Is Uncool: The 500 Best Singles Since Punk Rock	2002	*
Muzik		The 50 Most Influential Records of All Time	2003	*
NME		The 100 Best Songs of NME's Lifetime	2012	79
		The 100 Best Songs of the 1970s		6
		The 500 Greatest Songs of All Time	2014	3
Q		The 50 Most Exciting Tunes Ever	2002	44
		100 Songs That Changed the World	2003	36
		The 1001 Best Songs Ever		*
		The 1010 Songs You Must Own	2004	*
		Top 20 Singles from 1970-1979		3
		The Ultimate Music Collection	2005	*
Paul Roland		CD Guide to Pop & Rock, 100 Essential Singles	2001	*
Uncut		The 100 Greatest Singles from the Post-Punk Era		11
		100 Rock and Movie Icons	2005	68
Blender	United States	Standout Tracks from the 500 CDs You Must Own	2003	*
Dave Marsh, Kevin Stein		The 40 Best of the Top 40 Singles by Year	1981	15
Michaelangelo Matos		Top 100 Singles of the 1970s	2001	4
Pitchfork		The Pitchfork 500	2008	*
		The 200 Best Songs of the 1970s[25]	2016	4
PopMatters		The 100 Best Songs Since Johnny Rotten Roared	2003	38
Rolling Stone		The 500 Greatest Songs of All Time	2004	411
		40 Songs That Changed the World	2007	*
Time		The All-Time 100 Songs	2011	*
Treble		The Top 200 Songs of the 1970s	2012	14
(*) designates lists that are unordered.

Bill Haley & His Comets' "Rock Around The Clock" first pop song to hit #1 on Billboard Pop Charts 1955

Rock Around the Clock, recorded and released by Bill Haley & His Comets, was released in May 1954 as the B-side to Thirteen Women (and Only One Man in Town).  Remember that classic hit?  No?  Neither do I. 

Rock Around the Clock was considered a commercial disappointment until 1955, when it was used for the opening credits of the movie, Blackboard Jungle.  The rest is history.

July 9, 1955 it became the first rock and roll recording to top Billboard's Pop charts and stayed their for 8 weeks.  Rolling Stone lists it as #158 of the 500 Greatest Songs of All Time.

In 2018, it was selected for preservation into the National Recording Registry by the Library of Congress as being "culturally, historically, or artistically significant."

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rock_Around_the_Clock