Ask “Mr. Music”
Jerry Osborne



FOR THE WEEK OF APRIL 25, 2016

DEAR JERRY: One line that gets my attention in the Okee Dokee Boys' "Through the Woods" is "I'm wondering if you'd go wandering with me."

I like the use of wondering and wandering, and I am now wondering if any popular song has two consecutive words that sound the same but have different meanings?
—Martina Tillman, Medford, Ore.

DEAR MARTINA: As you probably know, wondering and wandering are pronounced differently, so even if they were together in a song they would not meet your requirements.

Consecutive homophones are rare in song lyrics, but since you asked for "any" I'll give you the first, and so far the only, one that comes to mind.

In "How Can I Be Sure," a Top 5 hit in 1967 by the Young Rascals, you'll find these words: "How's the weather, whether or not we're together."

I don't have songs to go with these other homophones, but it seems they might have lyrical potential:

How about a sundae, Sunday
They're having a sail sale
I can't believe I ate eight (fill in the item)
Yogi is almost a bare bear
Greece grease is the best
There was wear where you'd expect to see wear
We have only won one game
Be sure to read the revue review

DEAR JERRY: We just watched the PBS special about Loretta Lynn, and her close friend and mentor, Patsy Cline. If you were to compile a vinyl era Top 40 of female country singers, would both be on the list?
—Buddy Gillespie, Covington, Ky.

DEAR BUDDY: It makes sense that folks in the Bluegrass State would be interested in the life of the coal miner's daughter, from Butcher Hollow, Ky.

At your request I did put together the Top 40 country gals, in order of overall vinyl era singles success, through 1989.

Loretta and Patsy are both here, but at opposite ends of the list.

Following each name is the year of that lady's first charted tune, and their last, though not beyond 1989. Some of these stars continued to record well into the 21st century, but that's another era.

Next is what I feel is their best-known song, one that may or may not be their top seller, and the peak chart position of that tune, based on one or more of the national surveys.

Not surprisingly, most of these selections reached No. 1:

1. Dolly Parton (1967-1989) "Here You Come Again" (#1)
2. Loretta Lynn (1960-1988) "Coal Miner's Daughter" (#1)
3. Tammy Wynette (1966-1989) "Stand By Your Man" (#1)
4. Kitty Wells (1952-1979) "It Wasn't God Who Made Honky Tonk Angels" (#1)
5. Crystal Gayle (1970-1989) "Don't It Make My Brown Eyes Blue" (#1)
6. Tanya Tucker (1972-1989) "Just Another Love" (#1)
7. Barbara Mandrell (1969-1989) "One of a Kind Pair of Fools" (#1)
8. Lynn Anderson (1966-1989) "Rose Garden" (#1)
9. Anne Murray (1970-1989) "A Little Good News" (#1)
10. Dottie West (1963-1985) "Everytime Two Fools Collide" (with Kenny Rogers) (#1)
11. Emmylou Harris (1975-1989) "Sweet Dreams" (#1)
12. Connie Smith (1964-1985) "Once a Day" (#1)
13. Janie Fricke (1977-1989) "He's a Heartache (Looking for a Place to Happen)" (#1)
14. Reba McEntire (1976-1989) "Whoever's in New England" (#1)
15. Charly McClain (1976-1989) "Radio Heart" (#1)
16. Donna Fargo (1972-1987) "The Happiest Girl in the Whole U.S.A." (#1)
17. Skeeter Davis (1958-1976) "The End of the World" (#1)
18. Rosanne Cash (1979-1989) "I Don't Know Why You Don't Want Me" (#1)
19. Billie Jo Spears (1968-1984) "Blanket on the Ground" (#1)
20. Sammi Smith (1968-1986) "Help Me Make It Through the Night" (#l)
21. Brenda Lee (1957-1985) "Big Four Poster Bed" (#2)
22. Juice Newton (1976-1989) "The Sweetest Thing (I've Ever Known)" (#1)
23. Jan Howard (1960-1978) "For Loving You" (with Bill Anderson) (#1)
24. Susan Raye (1970-1984) "(I've Got a) Happy Heart" (#3)
25. Lacy J. Dalton (1979-1989) "Takin' It Easy" (#2)
26. Linda Ronstadt (1974-1988) "Blue Bayou" (#1)
27. Sylvia (1979-1987) "Nobody" (#1)
28. Margo Smith (1975-1988) "Don't Break the Heart That Loves You" (#1)
29. Wanda Jackson (1954-1974) "In the Middle of a Heartache" (#4)
30. Louise Mandrell (1978-1988) "I Wanna Say Yes" (#5)
31. Melba Montgomery (1963-1986) "No Charge" (#1)
32. Gail Davies (1978-1989) "I'll Be There (If You Ever Want Me)" (#3)
33. Jennie Seely (1966-1978) "Don't Touch Me" (#1)
34. Barbara Fairchild (1969-1986) "Teddy Bear Song" (#1)
35. Patsy Cline (1957-1982) "I Fall to Pieces" (#1)
36. Jody Miller (1965-1979) "He's So Fine" (#4)
37. Shelly West (1981-1986) "Jose Cuervo" (#1)
38. Jeannie C. Riley (1968-1976) "Harper Valley P.T.A." (#1)
39. Christy Lane (1977-1987) "One Day at a Time" (#1)
40. Jeanne Pruett (1971-1987) "Satin Sheets" (#1)

IZ ZAT SO? Donna Fargo is the only one of the above Top 40 whose first four entries on Billboard's Hot Country Singles reached No. 1:

"The Happiest Girl in the Whole U.S.A." (1972)
"Funny Face" (1972)
"Superman" (1973)
"You Were Always There" (1973)

Donna nearly made it five consecutive, as her next single, "Little Girl Gone" (1973), peaked at No. 2.

No one else even had two in a row, and only these three managed to kick-start their chart history with one No. 1 hit:

Kitty Wells "It Wasn't God Who Made Honky Tonk Angels" (1952)
Connie Smith "Once a Day" (1964)
Jeannie C. Riley "Harper Valley P.T.A." (1968)





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