(The Hit Hammer is where I'm reviewing each #1 song on the Billboard Hot 100. Starting from when the chart started in 1958 and eventually working my way to the present. To see my inspiration and more information about this blog, please refer to the "Poor Little Fool" post.)
Mr. Acker Bilk - "Stranger On the Shore"
Hit Number 1: May 26, 1962
Stay at Number 1: 1 Week
Times were a lot different in 1962 than they are now. You could allow your children to be out in the streets until dark, and not worry about some psycho trying to abduct them. People weren't so confused about what gender they were. Racism was a problem, but it was getting better than it was in the 50s, and people at least knew what "racism" meant back then. All in all, it seemed like people were so much more happier and nicer in 1962 than they are today. I feel like it was only fitting that the top song of the year was a very soothing song by famed clarinet player Acker Bilk, despite it staying at the top spot for only a week. Today, the top song of the year looks like it's going to be "Old Town Road" if I had to guess, and while it's a decent song, it got it's main fame from "Tik Tok", that ridiculously stupid app that basically replaced Vine, which was way funnier.
But we're not here to discuss "Old Town Road", at least not today. "Stranger On the Shore" was written and put together by Acker Bilk himself, and was originally named "Jenny" after his young daughter, cause he made the song for her. But it's name got changed when it was used for the TV show "Stranger On the Shore". When it hit the top spot on the charts, it was the first #1 song on the Hot 100 by a British artist. So in case you might have thought it was the Beatles, it was actually Acker Bilk. In fact, the Beatles weren't even the first group to score a #1 hit in America. That would be the Tornados, and they will be in this blog fairly soon with another instrumental "Telstar". I guess the Beatles were at least the first British act to have a #1 hit in America with lyrics.
"Stranger On the Shore" certainly isn't a very lively piece of music, but it isn't supposed to be. The only thing I can think about when I hear it, is how innocent and stress-free times were in 1962 to allow something like this to be the most successful song in a year. A lot of people my age (I'm 22 by the way) probably don't realize, is that teenagers and young adults could resonate with something like this back in the day. Instrumentals were a very popular deal in this time, and would continue to be like that for the next several years, before eventually dying down in the late 80s. In fact, "Miami Vice Theme" by Jan Hammer was the last instrumental to hit #1 on the Hot 100, when it did so in 1985, before "Harlem Shake" by Baauer hit #1 in 2013. I'm not sure you can really call "Harlem Shake" an instrumental, as I'm almost positive no real instruments were being played on the track, but there's no words in it, so we'll go ahead and call it an instrumental.
Needless to say, instrumentals were certainly very sought after at one point. But where does "Stranger On the Shore" stack up with the rest? I think it's about in the middle. It gives you a sense of comfort and peace, which I love. But I can also very easily see this being something to play as "background music". Maybe over a candlelit dinner, a drive by the ocean on a sunny day, or listening to it while taking a walk through the park. I feel like you really need to be in the right mood and in the right setting to listen to "Stranger On the Shore" to really get that peaceful feeling. But if you find the right spot, it works very well.
GRADE: 6/10
As you know, this is one of my favorites. A true musician that didn't rely on fancy post production to sound good. I love the background violins and if you listen closely I think there might be a harp. Or at least something that sounds a lot like one. Put this song on and feel your stress melt away.