Snippets

Vaguely Interesting Snippets | 31 December 2013

  • According to Popb!tch, there hasn’t been an instrumental (i.e. no vocals) Number 1 in any major music market in 21st Century. The last one? Mr Oizo, Flat Beat in UK, 1999.

  • Many people can guess the world’s best selling singles – Bing Crosbie’s “White Christmas” (50 million), Elton John’s “Candle in the Wind 1997” (33 million) and USA for Africa “We Are the World” (20 million). I was, however, surprised to see Euro disco sensations Baccara with “Yes Sir, I Can Boogie” at number 7 with 16 million copies.
  • A startling demonstration of the power of compound interest and investment gain is provided by the fate of the National Fund. The National Fund was created in 1928 to be held in trust until the UK was close to paying off all its debts.The fund was to be used to pay off the “entire national debt” – but that currently stands at £1.2 trillion, more than 3,000 times the £350m in the fund. Attempts are now being made to change the charitable purposes of the fund so that it can be used.