# Why did they/it never make it in America? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [May 28, 2010, 12:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-did-they-it-never-make-it-in-america/541015 "2010-05-28T00:32:41Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![woodstockbirdybird](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/woodstockbirdybird/32/7905_2.png) [@woodstockbirdybird](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/woodstockbirdybird)\ **Post date:** [May 28, 2010, 4:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-did-they-it-never-make-it-in-america/541015/41 "2010-05-28T16:57:13Z")
> [@Gyrate](#): > > There’s also the “pale imitation” factor. Why would the US want to listen to Cilla Black, who was essentially doing Dionne Warwick’s act, when we actually had Dionne Warwick? Why listen to Lulu do the Isley Brothers when we had the Isley Brothers? (To be fair to Lulu, “To Sir With Love” did hit #1 in the US IIRC). > > On the other hand Dusty Springfield, a true original, did quite well in the US. I think that explains why Cliff Richard never really broke through here, either. Terence Trent D’Arby’s first album was pretty heavily pushed by the record company in the U.S., and “Wishing Well” was a hit, but his subsequent albums (which were more experimental and arguably better) were buried. I remember hearing his ego did him in, too, but I think it was more that he abandoned the more obvious top 40 sound of his debut on his following releases. ---
**Author:** ![Wheelz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wheelz/32/5718_2.png) [@Wheelz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wheelz)\ **Post date:** [May 28, 2010, 4:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-did-they-it-never-make-it-in-america/541015/42 "2010-05-28T16:58:11Z")
> [@hogarth](#): > > [Coffee Crisp chocolate bars.](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coffee_Crisp) It’s a nice, light snack, for God’s sake – who doesn’t like one of those?? Ooooh, yes, I _love_ Coffee Crisp! And I hate that I can never find it here. A small candy shop in my town used to carry it, but no longer does. :mad: Kylie Minogue’s version of “The Loco-Motion” did hit #3 in the U.S., and as I recall, she was pretty successful as a teen-pop act along the lines of Tiffany or Debbie Gibson. I think that was the problem, because when she re-imaged herself as a grownup, it just didn’t take here. ---
**Author:** ![Starving\_Artist](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/aeb1de/32.png) [@Starving\_Artist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Starving_Artist)\ **Post date:** [May 28, 2010, 5:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-did-they-it-never-make-it-in-america/541015/43 "2010-05-28T17:29:32Z")
> [@woodstockbirdybird](#): > > Terence Trent D’Arby’s first album was pretty heavily pushed by the record company in the U.S., and “Wishing Well” was a hit, but his subsequent albums (which were more experimental and arguably better) were buried. I remember hearing his ego did him in, too, but I think it was more that he abandoned the more obvious top 40 sound of his debut on his following releases. Good point. And now that I think about it, I believe he even changed his name to reflect the different direction of his music. > [@Wheelz](#): > > Kylie Minogue’s version of “The Loco-Motion” did hit #3 in the U.S., and as I recall, she was pretty successful as a teen-pop act along the lines of Tiffany or Debbie Gibson. I think that was the problem, because when she re-imaged herself as a grownup, it just didn’t take here. Good point, too. I had almost forgotten about her early stuff. [Here’s an example of of Minogue in the era you’re talking about.](http://www.bing.com/videos/watch/video/kylie-minogue-i-should-be-so-lucky/d300d11b2f25d1f48a24d300d11b2f25d1f48a24-73416704340) Cute vid, though. ---
**Author:** ![74westy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/74westy/32/3950_2.png) [@74westy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/74westy)\ **Post date:** [May 28, 2010, 5:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-did-they-it-never-make-it-in-america/541015/44 "2010-05-28T17:31:08Z")
[Robertson Screws](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robertson_screwdriver) are vastly superior to the Phillips and whatnot used in the US but are rarely seen outside Canada. The usual explanation was that Americans couldn’t accept that a product better than their standard might exist but the link above suggests it had more to do with Robertson’s refusal to license the design after being screwed [sorry] by a British licensee. That doesn’t explain why Americans didn’t adopt the design after the patent expired in 1964. ---
**Author:** ![Starving\_Artist](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/aeb1de/32.png) [@Starving\_Artist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Starving_Artist)\ **Post date:** [May 28, 2010, 5:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-did-they-it-never-make-it-in-america/541015/45 "2010-05-28T17:46:29Z")
My guess would be that because they have different size recesses they require different size screwdrivers. With a slotted or Phillips head screw you can generally make do with whichever slotted or Phillips driver you have on hand. P.S. - What do you call a drink made from orange juice, vodka and Milk of Magnesia? A “Phillips” screwdriver. Ha, ha…Ouch! Ow! Stop it! Stop! _MODS?!_ ---
**Author:** ![Tapioca\_Dextrin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Tapioca\_Dextrin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tapioca_Dextrin)\ **Post date:** [May 28, 2010, 6:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-did-they-it-never-make-it-in-america/541015/46 "2010-05-28T18:06:13Z")
> [@Starving\_Artist](#): > > I came in to mention Kylie Minogue too. She is HUGE in England 😕 She’s five foot nothing! 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Mrchristie](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e0b2c6/32.png) [@Mrchristie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mrchristie)\ **Post date:** [May 28, 2010, 6:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-did-they-it-never-make-it-in-america/541015/47 "2010-05-28T18:07:40Z")
I remember a few years ago how it seemed like everyone in Canada was shaking their heads at why The Tragically Hip could not break through into the US market – there were even articles in daily papers about it, which might reflect our need to be liked LOL! They did have some catchy songs and are still making music but they never did taste much success in the US. I am not too sure how to post a link but I’ll give it a try … this is I think their first big song in Canada after being “discovered”. [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/vPJ2rcYQC88/maxresdefault.jpg "The Tragically Hip - Little Bones (Official Video)") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vPJ2rcYQC88) ---
**Author:** ![Starving\_Artist](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/aeb1de/32.png) [@Starving\_Artist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Starving_Artist)\ **Post date:** [May 28, 2010, 6:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-did-they-it-never-make-it-in-america/541015/48 "2010-05-28T18:19:46Z")
> [@Tapioca\_Dextrin](#): > > 😕 She’s five foot nothing! > > 😃 😃 I remember reading somewhere that she’s actually 4’11". Which means that at 5’3", Truman Capote would _tower_ over her. :eek: Still, you know what they say - [Dynamite, small packages…](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YHood00sNJU) (Definitely NSFW) ---
**Author:** ![hogarth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hogarth/32/1773_2.png) [@hogarth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hogarth)\ **Post date:** [May 28, 2010, 6:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-did-they-it-never-make-it-in-america/541015/49 "2010-05-28T18:26:02Z")
> [@74westy](#): > > [Robertson Screws](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robertson_screwdriver) are vastly superior to the Phillips and whatnot used in the US but are rarely seen outside Canada. To be fair, it’s not like they’re really that common inside Canada, either. I use my Phillips screwdriver way, way more often than a Robertson one. ---
**Author:** ![GESancMan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gesancman/32/2923_2.png) [@GESancMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GESancMan)\ **Post date:** [May 28, 2010, 6:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-did-they-it-never-make-it-in-america/541015/50 "2010-05-28T18:26:28Z")
Marillion. I got into them in ‘85, when _Misplaced Childhood_ was released, because “Kayleigh” got a tiny bit of radio airplay. They remain one of my favorite bands to this day. The way I understand it, they were absolutely freakin’ huge in Europe in the '80s, but very few people here in the states have heard of 'em. I’m actually quite happy with this arrangement… my little secret. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![gaffa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e68b1a/32.png) [@gaffa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gaffa)\ **Post date:** [May 28, 2010, 6:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-did-they-it-never-make-it-in-america/541015/51 "2010-05-28T18:27:14Z")
> [@74westy](#): > > [Robertson Screws](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robertson_screwdriver) are vastly superior to the Phillips and whatnot used in the US but are rarely seen outside Canada. > > The usual explanation was that Americans couldn’t accept that a product better than their standard might exist but the link above suggests it had more to do with Robertson’s refusal to license the design after being screwed [sorry] by a British licensee. That doesn’t explain why Americans didn’t adopt the design after the patent expired in 1964. They are used here, but they are not called “Robertson screws”, but “Square Drive”. They are popular among deck and stair builders. You go to a Home Depot or Lowes and you’ll find a wide range of them. That, and “Bristol Spline”, “Star Drive” or “Torx” screws. I personally can’t abide Phillips screws, and the only thing worse is a flat head. I always carry a square drive screwdriver in my kit, and always choose to buy them for any project. ---
**Author:** ![An\_Gadai](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/d6d6ee/32.png) [@An\_Gadai](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/An_Gadai)\ **Post date:** [May 28, 2010, 6:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-did-they-it-never-make-it-in-america/541015/52 "2010-05-28T18:39:42Z")
> [@gaffa](#): > > I have a dual-flush toilet right here and it is the most effective toilet I’ve ever used. I’ve experienced them in a number of homes. Pressing the lighter flush always seems to leave stuff in the bowl, one invariably ends up pressing the stronger one. My friend who had one installed complained about it. YMMV. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Death\_of\_Rats](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a6a055/32.png) [@Death\_of\_Rats](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Death_of_Rats)\ **Post date:** [May 28, 2010, 6:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-did-they-it-never-make-it-in-america/541015/53 "2010-05-28T18:44:22Z")
> [@Ellis\_Aponte\_Jr](#): > > An obscure but puzzling one: the song “Aserejé,” aka “The Ketchup Song,” by Las Ketchup. It was a Spanish record from 2002 that went to Number One in practically every European country, the UK, Ireland, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand - so basically all the Anglophone parts of the world - except it failed to break even the Top 40 in the USA. To explain that would be to reveal something interesting about the American music business. Unlike Europe, we learned our lesson from “The Macarena”. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![In\_Winnipeg](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/a8b319/32.png) [@In\_Winnipeg](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/In_Winnipeg)\ **Post date:** [May 28, 2010, 7:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-did-they-it-never-make-it-in-america/541015/54 "2010-05-28T19:04:54Z")
Robertsons aren’t as common as they once were in Canada; I remember my grandfather once telling me that at one point in the 30s, he remembered that they were pretty-much “everywhere” in Canada until WWII. Munitions builders dropped them in favour of Phillips’ and slotted, because most Allied countries had no real exposure to them. I find that they’re the easiest to work with, especially when you have to put in a screw from below – they sit right on the end of your screwdriver, and you can even get away with working one-handed if you have to. And yes, I like my Coffee “crisp”, too. Seems that Nestle just doesn’t want to bother with a distribution network, nor do they want to manufacture it in the US. Crispy Crunch was also exported down to the US at one point, but this was a distribution arrangement with the trading card maker Pro-Set, and when they imploded after saturating the hockey card market around 1993, that pretty much killed the deal off. You guys would like Crispy Crunch; it’s somewhat like a Butterfinger, but way better. ---
**Author:** ![gaffa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e68b1a/32.png) [@gaffa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gaffa)\ **Post date:** [May 28, 2010, 7:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-did-they-it-never-make-it-in-america/541015/55 "2010-05-28T19:13:22Z")
> [@An\_Gadai](#): > > I’ve experienced them in a number of homes. Pressing the lighter flush always seems to leave stuff in the bowl, one invariably ends up pressing the stronger one. My friend who had one installed complained about it. YMMV. 🙂 What I have is a Gerber “pressure assist” toilet, which uses the water pressure to fill an air tank. When you flush, it literally _fires_ the selected amount of water down the waterway, either 1.6 gallons (#2) or .9 gallon (#1). I always use the #1 for urine and even small bowel movements. I describe it as flushing with a fire extinguisher. A few US toilet manufacturers made crappy, cheap toilets that tried to use only gravity like the old 5 gallon toilets. That just doesn’t work. Tell your friend to replace it with a pressure assist toilet. My brother is a Master Plumber and installed this and he is a huge fan of these toilets. ---
**Author:** ![Markxxx](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/5daacb/32.png) [@Markxxx](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Markxxx)\ **Post date:** [May 28, 2010, 7:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-did-they-it-never-make-it-in-america/541015/56 "2010-05-28T19:17:32Z")
> [@Gyrate](#): > > There’s also the “pale imitation” factor. Why would the US want to listen to Cilla Black, who was essentially doing Dionne Warwick’s act, when we actually had Dionne Warwick? Why listen to Lulu do the Isley Brothers when we had the Isley Brothers? (To be fair to Lulu, “To Sir With Love” did hit #1 in the US IIRC). > > On the other hand Dusty Springfield, a true original, did quite well in the US. I would have to disagree. Lulu is great. She tore up that Isely Brothers song. Dionne Warwick is OK but nothing great in terms of vocal quality. Certainly other artists were much better. But you do bring up an excellent point. Perhaps some artists fill the gap in some countries. For instance, Olivia Newton-John is basically a female Cliff Richard. Which is not hard to see, as they are friends and used the same band members and writings and Olivia got her start on Cliff shows. If you look at chart performance, ONJ is no where near as big in the UK as she was in the UK She was the #1 female of the 70s in the USA but pretty much faded out in the UK. Even her “Physical” didn’t hit #1 in the UK which it did pretty much everywhere else. So perhaps Cliff wasn’t as big here as ONJ was filling the “need” so to speak in the USA. And ONJ wasn’t as big in the UK 'cause Cliff was already there. I imagine other artists have a similar effect ---
**Author:** ![Starving\_Artist](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/aeb1de/32.png) [@Starving\_Artist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Starving_Artist)\ **Post date:** [May 28, 2010, 8:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-did-they-it-never-make-it-in-america/541015/57 "2010-05-28T20:29:01Z")
> [@Markxxx](#): > > I would have to disagree. Lulu is great. She tore up that Isely Brothers song. I agree that Lulu’s great, but I think the Shangri-Las’ version is too. See what you think… [Lulu](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IAbbXbZKph0&feature=related) [The Shangri-Las](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=thEKxFNCuT4) (featuring Mary Weiss, who I believe was only 15 or 16 years old at the time). Lulu’s definitely got a lot the raspiness thing cornered, but all things considered I think I’d give the edge to the Shangs. ---
**Author:** ![lissener](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lissener/32/6139_2.png) [@lissener](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lissener)\ **Post date:** [May 28, 2010, 9:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-did-they-it-never-make-it-in-america/541015/58 "2010-05-28T21:02:27Z")
> [@Markxxx](#): > > I would have to disagree. Lulu is great. She tore up that Isely Brothers song. Dionne Warwick is OK but nothing great in terms of vocal quality. Certainly other artists were much better. Nuh uh. There were/are singers with stronger “instruments,” but Warwick stands near the top of any list of great stylists. Her phrasing, her delivery–she could sell a Bacharach song–a notoriously difficult to sing composer–better than anyone. ---
**Author:** ![Ellis\_Aponte\_Jr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/5daacb/32.png) [@Ellis\_Aponte\_Jr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ellis_Aponte_Jr)\ **Post date:** [May 28, 2010, 10:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-did-they-it-never-make-it-in-america/541015/59 "2010-05-28T22:22:13Z")
> [@Negative\_Lite](#): > > Asereje (The Ketchup Song) hit #1 in the U.S. Latin charts, but topped off at #39 in the mainstream U.S. Top 40. Foreign-language songs face almost impossible odds in the U.S., so just cracking the Top 40 at all is a major success. The chorus of “Aserejé” is sung in gobbledy-gook, so you’d think the song would sound equally foreign to everyone. ---
**Author:** ![elfkin477](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/a9a28c/32.png) [@elfkin477](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elfkin477)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2010, 1:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-did-they-it-never-make-it-in-america/541015/60 "2010-05-29T01:13:08Z")
> [@Sigmagirl](#): > > Damn! I came in to say Robbie Williams, but somebody beat me to it. So I backed out, and then came back in to post Cliff Richard. > So, I’m going to say . . . [Paolo Nutini](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paolo_Nutini)? He’s a phenomenon in the UK; here, nobody’s heard of him. I know who he is. I don’t like him, but I’m familar with a few of his songs. Didn’t really like the image of him being just a stain on someone’s sheet, for example. > [@Freudian\_Slit](#): > > Are you sure? My mom mention hearing it over and over again in this one diner where her friend was working back in the day. It’s pretty much the only Kate Bush song that my parents know–they think of her as some random artist who only had one real hit and that was it. Your parents aren’t necessarily even familar with her version of the song, though. [Pat Benatar covered it](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w5yZXJaUNgQ), and it was the only version I knew until I was an adult and finally heard of Kate Bush. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-did-they-it-never-make-it-in-america/541015.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-did-they-it-never-make-it-in-america/541015.md?page=4)