See post #6
Jayne Mansfield in "Too Hot to Handle "
I’m not sure that counts. IIRC, Grammar came from a musical theater background before appearing on “Cheers.” I saw him recently in the new revival of “La Cage Aux Folles” and he performed pretty well.
Although the first person I thought of after reading this thread was Linda Lavin, who sang the theme song to her show “Alice,” but upon reflection I think it’s the same case at Grammar.
Oh hell, what about the cast from “Buffy the Vampire Slayer”?
http://www.silverstatechronicles.com/wordpress/music/try-a-little-tenderness-by-jack-webb
Domm-da-domm-domm!
Yeah, I was kind of debating whether or not to mention him, but I figured since he didn’t put out any albums or perform any concerts where he only sang (as far as I know) then it was OK to mention him.
The Ballad Of Davy Crockett, by Fess Parker
Oh, anything by Nico, Jane Birkin, and other models/actors who started singing. Nico was one who actually ended up making a career out of it, if only for awhile.
Very much the same case with Patty Duke, who had a #8 hit with “Don’t Just Stand There” in 1965. It’s said that a session singer sang in unison with her on this and other recordings, and the two voices were blended to cover up Ms. Duke’s deficiencies.
Patty absolutely did not want a singing career…she knew she couldn’t sing, but she had managers from hell who insisted upon it to cash in on her success with The Patty Duke Show.
I Wish I Was Eighteen Again, by George Burns.
You’re wrong on two counts.
“I’m Easy” made it to #17 on the Billboard Hot 100 and #1 on Billboard’s Adult Contemporary chart. In no way can such a placing be considered “a minor hit.” In fact, the song received quite a bit of radio play.
Furthermore, it won the Academy Award for best song of 1976. Oscars for a given year are given out at ceremonies several months into the year that follows. “I’m Easy” entered the Billboard Hot 100 in May of 1976 – long before it received the Academy Award.
“Ringo” by actor and future dog food pitchman Lorne Greene.
There was this really bizarre “song” in 1967 by a Grand Rapids newscaster named Victor Lundberg called “An Open Letter to my Teenage Son” that briefly went top 10. This song far outdoes anything that Lawrence Welk ever sdreamed of. In this “song” Lundberg talks (with music of “Battle Hymn of the Republic” as a backing track) talks about issues of the day. He gives his son permission to wear long hair because many great men have had long hair…but be sure to understand what freedom means. As far as what happens if Lundberg Jr burns his draft card…well, “Your mother will love you because she is a woman. But if you burn your draft card, then burn your birth certificate at the same time. From that moment on, I have no son.”
You could call Tom Lehrer a non-singer. He described himself so.
Johnny Crawford, who became famous yelling “Paw” on “The Rifleman” (best opening for a tv show ever), had a music career…Five top 40 hits, including one at #8 It has always been popular to give child stars a record deal to see if they can sell their pap to their fellow child customers.
Steve Martin… King Tut
Red Sovine- Teddy Bear… he doesn’t even try to sing. His music is really prose.
Telly Savalas had a huge hit with If in the mid-70s
Exactly who I came in here to mention. Duke says that sometimes when she’s eating in a restaurant someone will push a copy of her LP under her nose and ask her to autograph it. She immediately loses her appetite.
DChord568, I still consider that a minor hit. The Adult Contemporary chart is minor. #17 is minor. (You’ll notice that I did look up and read the Wikipedia entry, so I considered that before I wrote my post. I always look at the Wikipedia entry before I write a post.) This may be just an argument about what the term “minor hit” means. I don’t think very many people remember the song because it got some airplay in 1976. I remember that time, and it didn’t get that much airtime. In so far as it’s remembered today, it’s because it was in Nashville and won an Oscar, I think.
Recap of above songs
Title - Artist - Chart position (all charts for Hot 100 USA unless otherwise noted)
I’m Easy - Keith Carradine #17 (#1 AC)
Heartbeat - Don Johnson #5
Till I LOved You - Don Johnson & Barbra Streisand (#25)
*She’s Like The Wind *- Patrick Swayze & Wendy Fraser (#3)
Respect Yourself - Bruce Willis (#5)
Party All the Time - Eddie Murphy (#2)
Put Your Mouth On Me - Eddie Murphy (#27)
MacArthur Park - Richard Harris (#2)
My Boy - Richard Harris (#41)
My Dad - Paul Petersen (#6)
She Can’t Find Her Keys - Paul Petersen (#19)
Johnny Angel - Shelly Fabares (#1)
Johnny Loves Me - Shelly Fabares (#21)
Deck of Cards by Wink Martindale (#7)
Thunder Road - Robert Mitchum.(#60)
Don’t Give Up on Us - David Soul (#1)
Silver Lady - David Soul (#52) [#1 for three weeks in the UK]
Wandering Star - Lee Marvin (didn’t chart)
Vicki Lawrence - The Night the Lights Went Out in Georgia (#1)
The Ballad Of Davy Crockett - Fess Parker (#5)
Je T’Aime…Moi Non Plus - Jane Birkin & Serge Gainsbourg (#58)
Don’t Just Stand there - Patty Duke (#8)
Say Something Funny - Patty Duke (#22)
Ringo - Lorne Greene (#1)
I Wish I Was Eighteen Again - George Burns (#49)
King Tut - Steve Martin (#17)
*Soul Man *- The Blues Brothers (#14)
Rubber Biscuit - The Blues Brothers (#37)
Gimme Some Lovin’ - The BLues Brothers (#18)
Who’s Making Love - The Blues Brothers (#39)
Cindy’s Birthday - Johnny Crawford (#8)
Your Nose Is Gonna Grow - Johnny Crawford (#14)
Rumors - Johnny Crawford (#12)
Proud - Johnny Crawford (#29)
Looking For Freedom - David Hasselhoff (#1 Austria, #1 Germany)
Do the Limbo Dance - David Hasselhoff (#1 Austria, #12 Germany)
If I Could Only Say Goodbye - David Hasselhoff (#35 UK)
Jump in My Car - David Hasselhoff (#3 UK)
New Songs
Rick Dees - Disco Duck #1
Al Corely - Square Rooms (#80)
Sixteen Reasons - Laverne & Shirley (#65)
Those Were The Days - Carroll O’Connor & Jean Stapleton (#43)
The Children Of Saint Monica - Don Grady with the Windupwatchaband (#132)
Take Off - Bob & Doug McKenzie (#16)
He’s So Fine - Kristy & Jimmy McNichol (#70)
Ballad of the Green Berets by Staff Sgt. Barry Sadler.