Chartbeat...

[From Billboard]

SONGS IN THE KEY OF OLD: If Alicia Keys is the youngest songwriter in the top 10 of The Billboard Hot 100, then it's no small coincidence that the oldest songwriter almost shares her last name. If he were still alive, Francis Scott Key would be 222. Of course, he would also be a medical miracle.

Key is in the top 10 of the Hot 100 for the first time, courtesy of Whitney Houston's 10-year-old recording of "The Star Spangled Banner" (Arista). With no decline in the wave of patriotism that has swept the country since the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, the commercial single maintains its No. 1 status on the Hot 100 Singles Sales chart. Sales fuel a healthy 13-6 move on the main Hot 100. That makes "The Star Spangled Banner" the first complete 18th-century melody to reach the top 10 since February 1972, notes William Simpson of Los Angeles. (Although Key's lyrics weren't written until the war of 1812, John Stafford Smith's melody was published in 1780 in England.) The U.K. studio band known as Apollo 100 went to No. 6 with the instrumental "Joy," from a chorale melody originally titled "Jesu, Joy of Man's Desiring" when it was composed by J.S. Bach in 1715.

Before you ask, "What about Walter Murphy's 'A Fifth of Beethoven'?", Beethoven composed his original Symphony No. 5 in 1807-08. "Amazing Grace" wasn't a top 10 hit, but came close, peaking at No. 11 in a rendition by the Royal Scots Dragoon Guards in 1972. But it doesn't matter, because while the lyrics to "Amazing Grace" were written in 1779, the melody wasn't composed until 1844.

Back to the 21st century, "The Star Spangled Banner," which peaked at No. 20 when it was first released, belatedly becomes Whitney Houston's 23rd top 10 hit and her first since "My Love Is Your Love" peaked at No. 4 in January 2000.

WINGING IT: Technically, Paul McCartney extends his run on the Adult Contemporary chart to five decades with the debut of "From a Lover to a Friend" (MPL/Capitol) at No. 30. It's the first new McCartney recording to appear on the AC chart in slightly more than eight years, since "Off the Ground" went to No. 27 in June 1993. (McCartney's "Wonderful Christmastime" reached No. 29 in January 1996.)

As a solo artist, McCartney's first AC appearance was with "Another Day," a No. 4 hit in 1971. The Beatles had a mere six AC chart entries. "Let It Be" spent four weeks at No. 1 in 1970. The only Beatles single to chart AC in the '60s was "Something," which peaked at No. 17 in 1969. While "Something" was a George Harrison song, it was credited to the group, giving McCartney that five-decade AC span.

FENDER BENDER: After a 23-year absence, Texas-born Freddy Fender is back on Top Country Albums with "Forever Gold" (St. Clair), which debuts at No. 70. It's Fender's first appearance on this chart since "Swamp Gold" peaked at No. 44 in 1978.
--Fred Bronson

NEWSFILE: 19 OCTOBER 2001