Tag / Nancy Faust

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Book 20 (of 52) – Chili Dog MVP

Chili Dog MVP: Dick Allen, The ’72 White Sox and a Transforming Chicago – John Owens and David J. Fletcher

The early 70s were a time of change on the south side of Chicago.  As the ballclub that called Comiskey Park home recovered from the then-worst season in franchise history in 1970 and threats to move the club out of the city they’d called home for seven decades, the demographics of the surrounding neighborhoods started to shift and noted White Sox fan Richard J. Daley, longtime mayor of the city, started to lose his vice-like grip on the Democratic party.  Those changes crystalized in 1972, with the arrival of Dick Allen, a baseball superstar whose reputation was perhaps less than stellar.  But, taking a young ballclub under his wing, he led the upstart White Sox to their best season in five years, challenging the budding dynasty in Oakland for the AL West title.

Chili Dog MVP: Dick Allen, The ’72 White Sox and a Transforming Chicago, by authors John Owens and David J. Fletcher and editor George Castle, tells the tale of that 1972 White Sox team, while also touching on the things going on around it, both physically and temporally.  They cover the ownership transfers from Arthur Allyn to his brother John in 1970 and then again to Bill Veeck in 1975.  The interconnected revival of Harry Caray’s career announcing for the White Sox with the rise of young organist Nancy Faust, who would spend 40 years with the franchise.  The arrival of Roland Hemond and Chuck Tanner in late 1970, who helped turn the franchise around and were instrumental in the acquisition of Allen and convincing him to come play in Chicago.  And, of course, the career of Dick Allen, especially his three years in Chicago, from the promising beginning to the bitter end, when he quit on the team and temporarily retired towards the end of the 1974 season.

The 1972 White Sox were just a little before my time, so this was a nice glimpse into the franchise just a few years before I was born.  If I have one complaint about its composition, it is that it is treated, and edited, more a collection of one-off essays rather than as a comprehensive story, so details and characters are re-introduced and re-described numerous times.  That small change could have streamlined the tale and probably cut a good ten pages or so from the tome.

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iTunes Top 200 Artists: #170-180

Music.  It is a powerful thing that brings people together, creates memories, and evokes emotions.  It is the universal language that speaks to the soul.  It forms the soundtrack of our lives.

It has now been five years since we last counted down the Top 200 artists in my iTunes library, featuring the songs I have listened to the most since 2007.  It is time to do so again, seeing which performers still resonate and if any newer ones have joined the fray.  So, without further ado, here are my most listened to artists, based on number of plays as of January 1, 2026.

We continue today with our next batch of ten artists, covering the genres of pop and rock, with an actor and a stadium organist for good measure.  We have a single group making their debut on the list this week.

#180: Nancy Faust
iTunes stats: 64 plays
Previous ranking: #140

The former White Sox organist, who returned for a few Sunday appearances last season, drops another 40 spots due to the removal of her then-final performance of Take Me Out to the Ballgame from my victory playlist, which means she only gained four new listens over these past five years.

#178: Firehouse
iTunes stats: 65 plays
Previous ranking: #188

The glam band, who somehow beat out both Alice in Chains and Nirvana for Favorite Heavy Metal/Hard Rock New Artist at the 1992 American Music Awards, added 20 new listens to the three songs that make up their play total.

#178: Letters to Cleo
iTunes stats: 65 plays
Previous ranking: #164

The years have not been kind to the Boston-based band, who have dropped 86 spots on this last over the past nine years, adding twelve listens to the three songs, only two of which I have actually listened to, in my collection.

#176: Depeche Mode
iTunes stats: 66 plays
Previous ranking: #178

Members of the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame class of 2020, the English band formed in 1980 picks up 17 additional plays of their three songs in my collection.

#176: Jason Segel
iTunes stats: 66 plays
Previous ranking: #169

The human star of The Muppets picked up fourteen additional plays for the four songs credited to him in my collection.

#170: Joan Jett & The Blackhearts
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iTunes Top 200: #3

Music.  It is a powerful thing that brings people together, creates memories, and evokes emotions.  It is the universal language that speaks to the soul.  It forms the soundtrack of our lives.

It has now been five years since we last counted down the Top 200 songs in my iTunes library, featuring he songs I have listened to the most since 2007.  It is time to do so again, seeing which older songs still resonate and if any newer ones have joined the fray.  So, without further ado, here are my most listened to songs, based on number of plays as of January 1, 2025.

We continue this week with the third most popular song in my collection, which became a sports staple in 1977 thanks to an organist on the south side of Chicago.

#3: Steam – Na Na Hey Hey Kiss Him Goodbye
iTunes stats: 215 plays, most recently on 10/16/2019
Previous ranking: #3

Originally written as a blues shuffle in the early 1960s, the song was recorded and released in 1969 by the then-fictitious band called Steam.  It reached #1 for two weeks in December, finishing as Billboard’s final multi-week number 1 hit of the 1960s.  The song got a second life in 1977, thanks to the South Side Hitmen and their organist, Nancy Faust.  With the White Sox hitting the cover off the ball and finding themselves in a surprising first place, Faust started playing the song after home runs.  Eventually, she also started playing it when the opposing pitcher was chased from the game.

The song became a hit once again, and Faust was awarded a RIAA gold record from Mercury Records to acknowledge her contributions.  It was a mainstay at Comiskey Park and its successors until Faust’s retirement in 2010.  Post-COVID, a recording of the song still makes the occasional appearance, though not as often as in Faust’s heyday.  The high play total is a result of the songs inclusion on every iteration of my White Sox victory playlists.

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iTunes Top 200: #4

Music.  It is a powerful thing that brings people together, creates memories, and evokes emotions.  It is the universal language that speaks to the soul.  It forms the soundtrack of our lives.

It has now been five years since we last counted down the Top 200 songs in my iTunes library, featuring he songs I have listened to the most since 2007.  It is time to do so again, seeing which older songs still resonate and if any newer ones have joined the fray.  So, without further ado, here are my most listened to songs, based on number of plays as of January 1, 2025.

We continue this week with the fourth highest ranked song, a sing-a-long classic and the oldest composition on this list which has notched 242 plays since my stats began in late 2007.

#3: Harry Caray – Take Me Out To The Ballgame
iTunes stats: 242 plays, most recently on 9/27/2024
Previous ranking: #5

First written in 1908, Take Me Out to the Ball Game was popularized through many vaudeville acts and is considered one of the three-most recognizable songs in the country, although most people today have only heard the chorus.  It is thought to have first been played at a ballpark in 1934 and made an appearance later that year in Game 4 of the World Series.

Harry Caray joined the White Sox broadcast booth in 1971, becoming popular with the South Side faithful and enjoying a reputation for joviality and public carousing.  Returning owner Bill Veeck, knowing that Caray would sing along to Take Me Out To The Ballgame in the broadcast booth during the Seventh Inning Stretch, wanted Caray to lead the crowd in stadium-wide event.  Early in the 1976 season, Veeck secretly installed a public address microphone into the broadcast booth and turned it on once organist Nancy Faust started playing the song.  Caray initially did not want to do it, but, as Veeck explained, “Anybody in the ballpark hearing you sing Take Me Out to the Ball Game knows that he can sing as well as you can. Probably better than you can. So he or she sings along. Hell, if you had a good singing voice, you’d intimidate them, and nobody would join in.”  Caray finally agreed to sing it live, accompanied by Faust on the organ, and went on to become famous for singing the tune.

This version features Caray and Faust and comes from a YouTube video compilation of Caray’s performances from the late 1970s.  While Caray left the White Sox following the 1981 season and passed away in 1998, I still include the song on my White Sox victory playlists, attributing to its high play total.

by admin

iTunes Top 200: #19 – 27

Music.  It is a powerful thing that brings people together, creates memories, and evokes emotions.  It is the universal language that speaks to the soul.  It forms the soundtrack of our lives.

It has now been five years since we last counted down the Top 200 songs in my iTunes library, featuring he songs I have listened to the most since 2007.  It is time to do so again, seeing which older songs still resonate and if any newer ones have joined the fray.  So, without further ado, here are my most listened to songs, based on number of plays as of January 1, 2025.

With the top of the charts in sight, we continue this week with songs ranking from 27th place with 56 plays up to those with 65 plays apiece, good enough for 19th place since my stats began in late 2007.

#27: Veruca Salt – Seether
iTunes stats: 56 plays, most recently on 2/5/2024
Previous ranking: #29

The group’s debut single was ranked as the 10th greatest grunge song of all time by Paste magazine in 2014.

#27: Garbage – Bad Boyfriend
iTunes stats: 56 plays, most recently on 10/26/2022
Previous ranking: #23

This lead track from the band’s fourth album features Dave Grohl, of Foo Fighters and Nirvana fame, on drums.

#27: Foo Fighters – Monkey Wrench
iTunes stats: 56 plays, most recently on 10/28/2024
Previous ranking: #36

The first single from the band’s second album, chronicling the disintegration of singer/song writer Dave Grohl’s four-year marriage to Jennifer Youngblood.

#27: Barenaked Ladies – If I Had $1,000,000
iTunes stats: 56 plays, most recently on 2/5/2023
Previous ranking: #23

This live version of the song was recorded at Chicago’s own Metro theatre.

#26: The Cast of Buffy the Vampire Slayer – The Mustard
iTunes stats: 57 plays, most recently on 2/5/2023
Previous ranking: #22

A short interlude from the musical episode of Buffy the Vampire Slayer about the joys of dry cleaning.

Continue reading →

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iTunes Top 200 Artists: Wrapup

Last week, we wrapped up our latest look at the top 200 artists I’ve listened to, according to iTunes, since 2008. Now it’s time to take a final look at those 200 artists and the songs that put them on the list. The average number of listens per group was just over 172 1/2, with the median number being 84 1/2.  There were 23 new artists debuting on the list, with the highest being John Travolta at #117.

Largest Increase

George Carlin – 1211
Garbage – 954
Patton Oswalt – 812
The Beatles – 694
Garfunkel and Oates – 410

Largest Percentage Increase

Florence + The Machine – 284%
Taylor Swift – 248%
George Carlin – 239%
John Morris – 237%
Ron Funches – 234%

Smallest Increase

Artie Lange – 0
Nancy Faust – 1
The Outfield – 10
Jason Segel – 12
P.O.D. – 13

Smallest Percentage Increase

Artie Lange – 0%
Nancy Faust – 2%
Klaus Badelt – 10%
The Outfield – 11%
P.O.D. – 13%

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iTunes Top 200 Artists: #140-148

It’s been 4 years since we last counted down the Top 200 artists in my iTunes library.  Since my iTunes stats are still intact, across multiple PCs, iPods, iPads, and iPhones, I figured it was time to take another look at the artists that have entertained me the most based on number of plays from late 2007 through January 1, 2021.

We are a quarter of the way through the countdown and continue today with our next batch of 10 artists, the remaining 3 tied for 148th place, the single artist in 147th, the 4 tied for 143rd, and the first 2 holding down the 140th spot.  For the first time, we have no newcomers making their debut this week.

#148: The Dandy Warhols
iTunes stats: 57 plays
Previous ranking: #105

A big 43 spot drop, thanks to only 14 new listens, for the band responsible for the original Veronica Mars theme song.

#148: Lisa Loeb
iTunes stats: 57 plays
Previous ranking: #185

The first artist to ever hit #1 on the Billboard Hot 100 without a recording contract, Loeb adds a track and 32 new listens to power her 37 slot jump.

#148: The Doors
iTunes stats: 57 plays
Previous ranking: #164

A 29 play increase for the 3 tracks in my collection from the seminal LA rock group fronted by Jim Morrison.

#147: Alice Cooper
iTunes stats: 58 plays
Previous ranking: #167

The so-called Godfather of Shock Rock rises 20 spots on the chart thanks to 31 additional plays spread across 3 different tracks.

#143: Katy Perry
iTunes stats: 59 plays
Previous ranking: #108

Despite adding 2 new tracks to my collection, although 2 tracks which never made it to my phone, the pop singer suffers a 35 spot drop after adding a mere 17 new listens spread across 3 songs.

#143: Cher
Continue reading →

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iTunes Top 200 Wrap-Up

itunes_imageLast week, we wrapped up our latest look at the top 200 songs I’ve listened to, according to iTunes, since late 2007.  Now it’s time to take a final look at those 200 songs and the 122 (or so) artists that made them.  The average number of listens was just under 44, with the median number being 34.  There were 52 new entries, and of the returning entries, there was an average increase of just a tad over 15 listens per song.

Most Represented Band

Foo Fighters – 15
The Cast of Buffy The Vampire Slayer – 10
The Beatles – 8
The Lonely Island – 6
Garbage – 6
Tegan and Sara – 6

Largest Increase

78 – AC/DC – Thunderstruck
71 – Harry Caray – Take Me Out To The Ballgame
71 – Steam – Na Na Hey Hey Kiss Him Goodbye
70 – Captain Stubby and the Buccaneers – Let’s Go-Go-Go White Sox
32 – Van Halen – Jump

Smallest Increase

2 – Nancy Faust – Take Me Out To The Ballgame
4 – The Cast of Buffy the Vampire Slayer – Coda
4 – Mazzy Star – Fade Into You
5 – The Lonely Island – Lazy Sunday (ft. Chris Parnell)
5 – 2008 White Sox Central Division Champs Montage

Most Recently Played

12/30/2019 2:42 PM – Aerosmith – Janie’s Got A Gun
12/30/2019 2:34 PM – The Beatles – Eight Days A Week
12/30/2019 2:31 PM – Florence + The Machine – Shake It Out
12/29/2019 11:59 AM – The Beatles – Helter Skelter
12/20/2019 2:57 PM – Hole – Doll Parts

Least Recently Played

10/16/2018 5:05 PM – The Lonely Island – Lazy Sunday (ft. Chris Parnell)
10/22/2018 6:02 PM – 10,000 Maniacs – Because The Night
12/17/2018 6:50 AM – Mark Snow – X-Files Theme
12/19/2018 9:08 PM – Foo Fighters – Everlong
1/17/2019 6:53 AM – Letters To Cleo – Here & Now

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iTunes Top 200: #3

itunes_image4 years ago, we last counted down the Top 200 songs in my iTunes library. Since my iTunes stats are still intact, across multiple PCs, iPods, iPads, and iPhones, I figured it was time to take another look at my most listened to songs, based on number of plays as of January 1, 2020.

Today, we come to our penultimate entry, with the song with the third highest total of listens, 215, since my stats began in late 2007.

#3: Steam – Na Na Hey Hey Kiss Him Goodbye
iTunes stats: 215 plays, most recently on 10/16/2019
Previous ranking: #4

Originally written as a blues shuffle in the early 1960s, the song was recorded and released in 1969 by the then-fictitious band called Steam.  It reached #1 for two weeks in December, finishing as Billboard’s final multi-week number 1 hit of the 1960s.  The song got a second life in 1977, thanks to the South Side Hitmen and their organist, Nancy Faust.  With the White Sox hitting the cover off the ball and finding themselves in a surprising first place, Faust started playing the song after home runs.  Eventually, she also started playing it when the opposing pitcher was chased from the game.

The song became a hit once again, and Faust was awarded a RIAA gold record from Mercury Records to acknowledge her contributions.  It was a mainstay at Comiskey Park and its successors until Faust’s retirement in 2010.  Since then, the song is still performed, though not as often.  The high play total is a result of the songs inclusion on all of my White Sox victory playlists.

by admin

iTunes Top 200: #5

itunes_image4 years ago, we last counted down the Top 200 songs in my iTunes library. Since my iTunes stats are still intact, across multiple PCs, iPods, iPads, and iPhones, I figured it was time to take another look at my most listened to songs, based on number of plays as of January 1, 2020.

Today, we enter the top 5, where we will go more in depth into each song.  The fifth most listened to song in my library, with 168 plays since my stats began in late 2007, is a traditional favorite and a live performance from the late 1970s.

#5: Harry Caray – Take Me Out To The Ballgame
iTunes stats: 168 plays, most recently on 11/20/2019
Previous ranking: #10

Harry Caray joined the White Sox broadcast booth in 1971, becoming popular with the South Side faithful and enjoying a reputation for joviality and public carousing.  Returning owner Bill Veeck, knowing that Caray would sing along to Take Me Out To The Ballgame in the broadcast booth during the Seventh Inning Stretch, wanted Caray to lead the crowd in stadium-wide event.  Early in the 1976 season, Veeck secretly installed a public address microphone into the broadcast booth and turned it on once organist Nancy Faust started playing the song.  Caray initially did not want to do it, but, as Veeck explained, “Anybody in the ballpark hearing you sing Take Me Out to the Ball Game knows that he can sing as well as you can. Probably better than you can. So he or she sings along. Hell, if you had a good singing voice, you’d intimidate them, and nobody would join in.”  Caray finally agreed to sing it live, accompanied by Faust on the organ, and went on to become famous for singing the tune.

This version features Caray and Faust and comes from a YouTube video compilation of Caray’s performances from the late 1970s.  While Caray left the White Sox following the 1981 season and passed away in 1998, I still include the song on my White Sox victory playlists, attributing to its high play total.