John Scott's Top 40 Songs from Jacksonville (Part II)
The second half of John Scott's Top 40 songs from Jacksonville. Jacksonville’s contributions to pop music are enormous and sadly, mostly overlooked. This list of Jacksonville’s Top 40 hopes to end the overlooking and start the appreciating. John Scott is part of Jacksonville's Big Show on 99.1 WQIK on from 5:30AM - 10AM.
Jacksonville’s contributions to pop music are enormous and sadly, mostly overlooked. This list of Jacksonville’s Top 40 hopes to end the overlooking and start the appreciating. Just to explain some guidelines in this list, the songs used in this list had to be released as singles and had to have charted on a Billboard US chart. What constitutes “from Jacksonville”? Those born here, those that lived here for at least a year or so, or bands that were formed here.
The rankings are subjective, I’ve tried to combine the longevity of living in this area with the enormity of the actual song (and actually, it’s just fun to put Limp Bizkit and Pat Boone adjacent to each other), so please don’t take the adjoining numbers too seriously, just enjoy the incredible variety of music that has come forth from the area.
The list is in two parts. 40 - 20 are found on here.
19. Ramblin’ Man – Allman Brothers (1973) Although Macon is the official home of the Allmans, Jacksonville was the first place the band played as The Allman Brothers Band and drummer Butch Trucks was born and raised here. This is their biggest pop hit, peaking at number two on the Billboard Hot 100.
18. “Boys of Summer” – Don Henley (1984) Although Ribault High grad Mike Campbell is best known from his association as Tom Petty’s right hand man in the Heartbreakers, the biggest pop hit he is associated with is this Don Henley classic, which he co-wrote, co-produced and added that signature guitar lick.
17. “Caught Up in You” – 38 Special (1982) 38 Special’s first couple of albums were in the normal Southern Rock vein, good stuff, but it didn’t stand out. Then the Jacksonville band co-wrote with veteran hit songwriter Jim Peterik whose more streamlined, pop radio-friendly songs took 38 Special to platinum status without losing their Southern flair. “Caught Up in You” was number one on the Rock Charts and a top 10 Pop Hit.
16. “Whoot, There it Is” – 95 South (1993) The Jacksonville duo of AB and Daddy Black drove this Miami sound to a top 20 hit. The bigger hit came from an Atlanta group Tag Team, whose similarly titled “Whoomp, there it is” was the massive hit most people know.
15. “Higher and Higher” – Rita Coolidge (1977) Of all the songs from Jacksonville, I would’ve never pegged this one to be one of the most played songs in radio history, yet here it is, amassing over 6 millions plays on radio. The laid-back lite R&B groove of the Jackie Wilson song was the biggest hit in Jackson grad Rita Coolidge’s career.
14. “Oh, Pretty Woman” – Roy Orbison (1964) Robert Nix is the only person to make it on this list in three separate incarnations. He is represented already as a member of Atlanta Rhythm Section and Classics IV and makes it here on one of THE Rock n Roll classics. That unmistakable snare drum is Robert Nix, making the first noise for Roy’s best known song.
13. “Flirtin’ with Disaster” – Molly Hatchet (1979) The title track to the band’s second album is a thundering Southern Rock anthem. Danny Joe Brown’s gruff vocals and Dave Hlubek’s blisteringly tight solos put Hatchet square on the rock and roll map, helping take the album double platinum.
12. “Tootsee Roll” – 69 Boyz (1994) “to the left, to the left” this ubiquitous dance classic comes from a group of Ribault High School guys whose Miami sound was THE sound of hip hop in ’94, it went platinum.
11. “That Ol’ Black Magic “– Billy Daniels (1950) Many versions of this song have been recorded, but few can lay claim to it like Jacksonville’s Billy Daniels. Daniels left Jacksonville to attend Columbia University and made his mark in the nightclubs of New York, Vegas and worldwide. His version of the Arlen/Mercer tune sold in the millions making Daniels one of the first African American stars to crossover to the mainstream.
10. “C’Mon and Ride It (The Train)” – Quad City DJs (1996) The guys who brought us “Whoot, There it Is” as 95 South show up as the Quad City DJ’s, giving us this double platinum single that can still be heard at sporting events around the world.
9. “Traces” – Classics IV (1969) Lead singer Dennis Yost had one of the most recognizable voices in pop music and his “tear-in-the-eye” vocals were perfect to this sentimental gem that is one of the top 20 most played songs in radio history.
8. “Joy to the World” – Three Dog Night (1971) – Hoyt Axton cannot even claim to have the biggest song of his family on this list (his mom trumped him at number 4), but the songwriter made his mark as a writer and later performer, especially here on his song that Three Dog Night made into the number one song of 1971.
7. “Feel So Good” – Mase (1997) Mason Betha (Mase) was born in Jacksonville, moved to Harlem, then back to Jacksonville for a short time, attending Robert E. Lee High. Upon his return to New York City, he connected with Sean Combs’ Bad Boy Productions and this, his debut single went platinum. His later collaborations with Diddy and Notorious B.I.G. landed him as one of the superstars of hip hop in the late 90s.
6. “Second Chance” – Shinedown (2008) Shinedown formed here in 2001 and began their recording career in 2003 to instant success that built by their third album to include this song which shattered every chart record they had achieved. It was number one on various charts and top 10 on the pop charts, attaining double platinum status. Lead singer Brent Smith said the song was about “the moment you wake up and decide you want to go for every single dream you ever wanted.”
5. “What’d I Say” – Ray Charles (1959) Charles lived in the LaVilla area of town for a little over a year(1946-7), after spending 8 years at Florida School for the Blind in St Augustine. He married gospel and R&B and invented “soul music”. This song was originally improvised after Charles’ shows and received such reaction from the audience that he recorded it. It was his first crossover in to the pop charts and is widely considered one of the most influential songs in American popular music history.
4. “Heartbreak Hotel” – Elvis Presley (1956) Mae Boren Axton was a teacher at Paxon; she was also a songwriter. She co-wrote this with Tommy Durden after seeing an article about a man whose suicide note read “I walk a lonely street.” Axton knew Elvis’ manager, the song got to him, and “Heartbreak Hotel” became Elvis Presley’s first number one pop hit, selling millions.
3. “Free Bird” – Lynyrd Skynyrd (1974) The song known as a punch line to encores (FREEEEEE BIRRRRRD) is still as majestic and invigorating to me nearly 40 years after it was released. It really is hard to quantify the magnitude this song has on the rock n roll landscape. The studio version begins with the funereal organ that morphs into the perfectly mixed jam at the end; the live version shows the imperfection of the mix, losing some of the dynamics of the guitars but still captivates. What else can you say? Just light your lighter, or hold up your cell phone….no, you need to light your lighter for this one.
2. “Georgia on My Mind” – Ray Charles (1960) The song was written by Hoagy Carmichael and Stuart Gorrell in 1930 and many versions have been recorded. And though, I haven’t heard every version, undoubtedly, THE version of this song was not released until 1960 when Ray Charles made it his own. The song, on the strength of Charles’ version, has become the official state song of Georgia (Ray’s birth state) and one of the all-time classic recordings. Charles’ Jacksonville connection was his years-long stay at the Florida School for the Blind in St. Augustine and the subsequent years he spent in Jacksonville after quitting school, where he literally invented “soul” music.
1. “Sweet Home Alabama” – Lynyrd Skynyrd (1974) If you would have asked anyone in the mid-1970s, “which song do you think will be more popular throughout the years than it is now?” it is doubtful “Sweet Home Alabama” would have shown up anywhere on that list. But it is what it is. “Sweet Home Alabama” has a life of its own; from its humble beginnings as a reply to Neil Young’s “Southern Man”, it has lived on Classic Rock, classic Hits, Oldies and Country formats, not to mention the loudest sound heard during Jacksonville Jaguars games is when it is played in the stadium. It has sold millions. Its enduring popularity shows in that it is the second most downloaded song ever to be originally released in the 20th century (second only to Journey’s “Don’t Stop Believin’”). When the iconic guitar-picked intro comes on, I still cannot help but smile and of course shout along with Ronnie Van Zant, “turn it up.”
Once again, these are only charting singles. Other great songs have Jacksonville origins or connections that have no chart record. Amazing songs, anthems even. That’s for another article. Until then, keep singing.
This list is in two parts. 40 - 20 are found here.
Article by John Scott, part of Jacksonville's Big Show
on 99.1 WQIK on from 5:30AM - 10AM.
The rankings are subjective, I’ve tried to combine the longevity of living in this area with the enormity of the actual song (and actually, it’s just fun to put Limp Bizkit and Pat Boone adjacent to each other), so please don’t take the adjoining numbers too seriously, just enjoy the incredible variety of music that has come forth from the area.
The list is in two parts. 40 - 20 are found on here.
19. Ramblin’ Man – Allman Brothers (1973) Although Macon is the official home of the Allmans, Jacksonville was the first place the band played as The Allman Brothers Band and drummer Butch Trucks was born and raised here. This is their biggest pop hit, peaking at number two on the Billboard Hot 100.
18. “Boys of Summer” – Don Henley (1984) Although Ribault High grad Mike Campbell is best known from his association as Tom Petty’s right hand man in the Heartbreakers, the biggest pop hit he is associated with is this Don Henley classic, which he co-wrote, co-produced and added that signature guitar lick.
17. “Caught Up in You” – 38 Special (1982) 38 Special’s first couple of albums were in the normal Southern Rock vein, good stuff, but it didn’t stand out. Then the Jacksonville band co-wrote with veteran hit songwriter Jim Peterik whose more streamlined, pop radio-friendly songs took 38 Special to platinum status without losing their Southern flair. “Caught Up in You” was number one on the Rock Charts and a top 10 Pop Hit.
16. “Whoot, There it Is” – 95 South (1993) The Jacksonville duo of AB and Daddy Black drove this Miami sound to a top 20 hit. The bigger hit came from an Atlanta group Tag Team, whose similarly titled “Whoomp, there it is” was the massive hit most people know.
15. “Higher and Higher” – Rita Coolidge (1977) Of all the songs from Jacksonville, I would’ve never pegged this one to be one of the most played songs in radio history, yet here it is, amassing over 6 millions plays on radio. The laid-back lite R&B groove of the Jackie Wilson song was the biggest hit in Jackson grad Rita Coolidge’s career.
14. “Oh, Pretty Woman” – Roy Orbison (1964) Robert Nix is the only person to make it on this list in three separate incarnations. He is represented already as a member of Atlanta Rhythm Section and Classics IV and makes it here on one of THE Rock n Roll classics. That unmistakable snare drum is Robert Nix, making the first noise for Roy’s best known song.
13. “Flirtin’ with Disaster” – Molly Hatchet (1979) The title track to the band’s second album is a thundering Southern Rock anthem. Danny Joe Brown’s gruff vocals and Dave Hlubek’s blisteringly tight solos put Hatchet square on the rock and roll map, helping take the album double platinum.
12. “Tootsee Roll” – 69 Boyz (1994) “to the left, to the left” this ubiquitous dance classic comes from a group of Ribault High School guys whose Miami sound was THE sound of hip hop in ’94, it went platinum.
11. “That Ol’ Black Magic “– Billy Daniels (1950) Many versions of this song have been recorded, but few can lay claim to it like Jacksonville’s Billy Daniels. Daniels left Jacksonville to attend Columbia University and made his mark in the nightclubs of New York, Vegas and worldwide. His version of the Arlen/Mercer tune sold in the millions making Daniels one of the first African American stars to crossover to the mainstream.
10. “C’Mon and Ride It (The Train)” – Quad City DJs (1996) The guys who brought us “Whoot, There it Is” as 95 South show up as the Quad City DJ’s, giving us this double platinum single that can still be heard at sporting events around the world.
9. “Traces” – Classics IV (1969) Lead singer Dennis Yost had one of the most recognizable voices in pop music and his “tear-in-the-eye” vocals were perfect to this sentimental gem that is one of the top 20 most played songs in radio history.
8. “Joy to the World” – Three Dog Night (1971) – Hoyt Axton cannot even claim to have the biggest song of his family on this list (his mom trumped him at number 4), but the songwriter made his mark as a writer and later performer, especially here on his song that Three Dog Night made into the number one song of 1971.
7. “Feel So Good” – Mase (1997) Mason Betha (Mase) was born in Jacksonville, moved to Harlem, then back to Jacksonville for a short time, attending Robert E. Lee High. Upon his return to New York City, he connected with Sean Combs’ Bad Boy Productions and this, his debut single went platinum. His later collaborations with Diddy and Notorious B.I.G. landed him as one of the superstars of hip hop in the late 90s.
6. “Second Chance” – Shinedown (2008) Shinedown formed here in 2001 and began their recording career in 2003 to instant success that built by their third album to include this song which shattered every chart record they had achieved. It was number one on various charts and top 10 on the pop charts, attaining double platinum status. Lead singer Brent Smith said the song was about “the moment you wake up and decide you want to go for every single dream you ever wanted.”
5. “What’d I Say” – Ray Charles (1959) Charles lived in the LaVilla area of town for a little over a year(1946-7), after spending 8 years at Florida School for the Blind in St Augustine. He married gospel and R&B and invented “soul music”. This song was originally improvised after Charles’ shows and received such reaction from the audience that he recorded it. It was his first crossover in to the pop charts and is widely considered one of the most influential songs in American popular music history.
4. “Heartbreak Hotel” – Elvis Presley (1956) Mae Boren Axton was a teacher at Paxon; she was also a songwriter. She co-wrote this with Tommy Durden after seeing an article about a man whose suicide note read “I walk a lonely street.” Axton knew Elvis’ manager, the song got to him, and “Heartbreak Hotel” became Elvis Presley’s first number one pop hit, selling millions.
3. “Free Bird” – Lynyrd Skynyrd (1974) The song known as a punch line to encores (FREEEEEE BIRRRRRD) is still as majestic and invigorating to me nearly 40 years after it was released. It really is hard to quantify the magnitude this song has on the rock n roll landscape. The studio version begins with the funereal organ that morphs into the perfectly mixed jam at the end; the live version shows the imperfection of the mix, losing some of the dynamics of the guitars but still captivates. What else can you say? Just light your lighter, or hold up your cell phone….no, you need to light your lighter for this one.
2. “Georgia on My Mind” – Ray Charles (1960) The song was written by Hoagy Carmichael and Stuart Gorrell in 1930 and many versions have been recorded. And though, I haven’t heard every version, undoubtedly, THE version of this song was not released until 1960 when Ray Charles made it his own. The song, on the strength of Charles’ version, has become the official state song of Georgia (Ray’s birth state) and one of the all-time classic recordings. Charles’ Jacksonville connection was his years-long stay at the Florida School for the Blind in St. Augustine and the subsequent years he spent in Jacksonville after quitting school, where he literally invented “soul” music.
1. “Sweet Home Alabama” – Lynyrd Skynyrd (1974) If you would have asked anyone in the mid-1970s, “which song do you think will be more popular throughout the years than it is now?” it is doubtful “Sweet Home Alabama” would have shown up anywhere on that list. But it is what it is. “Sweet Home Alabama” has a life of its own; from its humble beginnings as a reply to Neil Young’s “Southern Man”, it has lived on Classic Rock, classic Hits, Oldies and Country formats, not to mention the loudest sound heard during Jacksonville Jaguars games is when it is played in the stadium. It has sold millions. Its enduring popularity shows in that it is the second most downloaded song ever to be originally released in the 20th century (second only to Journey’s “Don’t Stop Believin’”). When the iconic guitar-picked intro comes on, I still cannot help but smile and of course shout along with Ronnie Van Zant, “turn it up.”
Once again, these are only charting singles. Other great songs have Jacksonville origins or connections that have no chart record. Amazing songs, anthems even. That’s for another article. Until then, keep singing.
This list is in two parts. 40 - 20 are found here.
Article by John Scott, part of Jacksonville's Big Show
on 99.1 WQIK on from 5:30AM - 10AM.