# Do You Know This Song? "I don't give a damn where I am in the charts" **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [April 12, 2020, 7:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-know-this-song-i-dont-give-a-damn-where-i-am-in-the-charts/851647 "2020-04-12T19:36:53Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 8\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![ianzin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/ed655f/32.png) [@ianzin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ianzin)\ **Post date:** [April 12, 2020, 7:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-know-this-song-i-dont-give-a-damn-where-i-am-in-the-charts/851647/1 "2020-04-12T19:36:53Z")
This is a longshot as I have so little to go on, but no harm in trying. I’m trying to locate a song I heard once, on the radio, a long time ago. I heard it in the 1970s. Female solo performer with a guitar, like Joni Mitchell or Joan Baez but I don’t believe it was either of those. There may have been other instruments but the main artist was as described. Fairly breezy, moderately up-tempo track, with the performer singing about doing her own thing and not trying to be chart fodder. All I really remember is one line of the lyrics, which went something like “I don’t give a damn where I am in the charts”. I’ve googled a lot but didn’t get anywhere. I know it’s scant info but does anyone know what I heard? ---
**Author:** ![Stephe96](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/bbe5ce/32.png) [@Stephe96](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stephe96)\ **Post date:** [April 12, 2020, 8:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-know-this-song-i-dont-give-a-damn-where-i-am-in-the-charts/851647/2 "2020-04-12T20:57:59Z")
Billy Joel’s “The Entertainer” has a line about staying on the charts. Perhaps a woman covered the song? I see Helen Reddy covered it in 1978. ---
**Author:** ![Kamino\_Neko](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kamino_neko/32/34_2.png) [@Kamino\_Neko](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kamino_Neko)\ **Post date:** [April 12, 2020, 9:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-know-this-song-i-dont-give-a-damn-where-i-am-in-the-charts/851647/3 "2020-04-12T21:23:47Z")
The Entertainer is basically the opposite of what’s described, thematically though. While it is upbeat, it’s a lament that the singer _can’t_ do what they want, because they want a career, and if they don’t keep charting, they won’t be able to maintain it. ‘If you want a hit, it’s gotta fit, so they cut it down to 3:05.’ ---
**Author:** ![ianzin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/ed655f/32.png) [@ianzin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ianzin)\ **Post date:** [April 12, 2020, 9:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-know-this-song-i-dont-give-a-damn-where-i-am-in-the-charts/851647/4 "2020-04-12T21:42:27Z")
Thank you. I’ll look into it. ---
**Author:** ![Sean\_the\_Dog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ed8c4c/32.png) [@Sean\_the\_Dog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sean_the_Dog)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2020, 9:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-know-this-song-i-dont-give-a-damn-where-i-am-in-the-charts/851647/5 "2020-04-13T09:45:07Z")
Can’t help wondering if it was Melanie (Safka)…? Sounds like something she would do, but I can’t actually find anything. Maybe Buffy Sainte-Marie? Just WAGs in truth, Wish I could help. * * * “Stay the blazes home” - Stephen McNeil, Premier of Nova Scotia ---
**Author:** ![Horatio\_Hellpop](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/e5b9ba/32.png) [@Horatio\_Hellpop](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Horatio_Hellpop)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2020, 11:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-know-this-song-i-dont-give-a-damn-where-i-am-in-the-charts/851647/6 "2020-04-13T11:40:00Z")
Joan Jett? “I don’t give a damn about my bad reputation!” ---
**Author:** ![ianzin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/ed655f/32.png) [@ianzin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ianzin)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2020, 7:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-know-this-song-i-dont-give-a-damn-where-i-am-in-the-charts/851647/7 "2020-04-13T19:20:02Z")
> [@Sean\_the\_Dog](#): > > Can’t help wondering if it was Melanie (Safka)…? Sounds like something she would do, but I can’t actually find anything. > > Maybe Buffy Sainte-Marie? > > Just WAGs in truth, Wish I could help. Thanks, I’ll investigate. ---
**Author:** ![ianzin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/ed655f/32.png) [@ianzin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ianzin)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2020, 7:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-know-this-song-i-dont-give-a-damn-where-i-am-in-the-charts/851647/8 "2020-04-13T19:23:00Z")
> [@Horatio\_Hellpop](#): > > Joan Jett? “I don’t give a damn about my bad reputation!” Thank you. That line is fairly close to what I believe I remember but it’s not quite right. And I think this memory comes from a time before I would have been hearing any JJ on the radio. At this point I’m wondering if there’s a weird Mandela effect going on – maybe I never heard it at all!