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Post by Hervard on Jul 20, 2014 12:44:59 GMT -5
This week's 80s show is a repeat, so that means a recycled commentary...
American Top 40: The 80s - July 19, 2014
This week’s presentation: July 19, 1980
I’m kind of disappointed that they didn’t wait until next week to do 1980, since that was the week that “Why Not Me” by Fred Knoblock debuted. That’s one of my all-time favorite songs. Oh well, I have a copy of that show and, of course, that song, so I can hear it any old time I want to. Besides, that show was run more recently than this one. Anyhoo, here is my commentary on this week’s show.
Droppers: CALL ME - BLONDIE (33) - Great song! This song became the top song for all of 1980, and deservedly so. DON’T FALL IN LOVE WITH A DREAMER - KENNY ROGERS w/KIM CARNES (32) - Great song! One of my favorites from both artists. Shame that it fell off, but at least we did hear it on the last 1980 show. SHOULD’VE NEVER LET YOU GO - NEIL SEDAKA & DARA SEDAKA (30) - Great song! Shame that it fell off,
LW#3: THE ROSE - BETTE MIDLER LW#2: IT’S STILL ROCK AND ROLL TO ME - BILLY JOEL LW#1: COMING UP - PAUL McCARTNEY & WINGS
I’ll comment on all of the above later on.
40: A LOVER’S HOLIDAY - CHANGE (debut) - Hmm, odd that this song only spent a single week on the chart, seeing as it spent nine weeks atop the Dance/Disco chart. I guess it was a reminder that disco was pretty much dead by this time. Anyway, this song was OK, but nothing I’d go out of my way to listen to. 39: ALL OUT OF LOVE - AIR SUPPLY (debut) - No. Just no. 38: I CAN’T LET GO - LINDA RONSTADT (debut) - This was OK, but possibly my least favorite of her remakes. Speaking of which, Casey mentioned that Linda moved into first place as female singer with the most Top 40 remakes, surpassing Aretha Franklin. And there was a lot more where that came from! 37: CARS - GARY NUMAN (29) - Great song, though as I’ve said before, it could have used more lyrics - especially verses. But it’s a great song nonetheless. Oddly enough, we heard this song on the last two 1980 shows, since it had staying power - this was its 17th and final week in the Top 40. 36: KING OF THE HILL - RICK PINETTE & OAK (38) - Great song. Sounds a little like something that Barry Manilow should have recorded (especially with the piano and the horns). Needless to say, this is not the theme from the TV show of the same name. 35: SHE’S OUT OF MY LIFE - MICHAEL JACKSON (24) - Great song - my favorite song from the Off The Wall album. Casey mentioned that Michael had been on the chart for 47 consecutive weeks - the longest streak for any male singer for over 20 years. RIP, Michael. 34: BIGGEST PART OF ME - AMBROSIA (18) - Great song! My favorite by them, and one of their most successful on the charts (in fact, it was THE most successful on the R&R chart, spending four weeks at #1 in May). 33: MAKE A LITTLE MAGIC - DIRT BAND (40) - Great song! Not sure if I prefer this or “An American Dream”. I’d say it’s a toss-up between the two. 32: WALKS LIKE A LADY - JOURNEY (34) - Wow, quite a departure from their usual hard rock style. Has sort of an R&B flavor to it, believe it or not. Anyway, not too crazy about this one - I generally prefer their later material. AT40 ARCHIVES: CATHY’S CLOWN - EVERLY BROTHERS - Good song. WRVF opted not to play any of the archive songs. (Heck, I’m surprised they even went with this show, since they usually skip the shows from 1980). OPTIONAL EXTRA: FAME - IRENE CARA - Oddly enough, WRVF played this one - with their own voiceover, but at least they played it. It’s a good song, though not my favorite from Irene - I prefer her two other big movie hits (“Out Here On My Own”, also from Fame and “Flashdance...What A Feeling”). 31: JOJO - BOZ SCAGGS (39) - Great song, though my favorite song by him is “Lido Shuffle”. 30: INTO THE NIGHT - BENNY MARDONES (36) - Good song. I associate this more with 1989 than 1980, since I don’t remember it at all the first time around. But in 1989, I played it all the time and got tired of it. Still a tad burned out on it, but it’s good to hear every now and then. 29: OLD-FASHIONED LOVE - THE COMMODORES (37) - Great song. One of my favorites from them! LDD: DANNY’S SONG - LOGGINS & MESSINA - This song was OK, but kind of cheesy. Very appropriate for the dedication, though. 28: TAKE A LITTLE RHYTHM - ALI THOMPSON (35) - Great song. Sounds a little like Paul McCartney. 27: AGAINST THE WIND - BOB SEGER (12) - Great song! One of my favorites from him and my second favorite from the Against The Wind album, behind “Fire Lake”. 26: STAND BY ME - MICKEY GILLEY (28) - Good remake of the old Ben E. King classic. 25: LET MY LOVE OPEN THE DOOR - PETE TOWNSHEND (31) - Great song, and interesting story about Townshend’s ear problems that resulted from his band The Who constantly playing loud music. 24: MISUNDERSTANDING - GENESIS (27) - Great song! One of their best. Deserved a higher peak than #14 (though it did peak at #3 on the R&R chart - must have been a poor seller). 23: SAILING - CHRISTOPHER CROSS (26) - Nice, mellow song. This one can make you feel as though you’re out there on the water. 22: EMPIRE STRIKES BACK - MECO (25) - Great discofied medley of Darth Vader and Yoda’s Theme. I guess you could call this a guilty pleasure. AT40 ARCHIVES: EVERYBODY’S SOMEBODY’S FOOL - CONNIE FRANCIS - wtf did this sound like again? OPTIONAL EXTRA: I’M ALRIGHT - KENNY LOGGINS - Great song - reminds me of the dancing gopher at the end of Caddyshack. Instead of this song, however, WRVF played “Another One Bites The Dust” by Queen, as if I hadn’t heard that song enough already! 21: ALL NIGHT LONG - JOE WALSH (23) - This song was OK, but I’m not a big Joe Walsh fan. 20: FUNKYTOWN - LIPPS INC. (7) - Not too crazy about this one. I prefer the remake by Pseudo-Echo, which was charting around this time in 1987. 19: GIMME SOME LOVIN’ - BLUES BROTHERS (20) - Great song! I definitely like this one better then the original Spencer-Davis Group version. It just sounds more energetic. 18: LOVE THE WORLD AWAY - KENNY ROGERS (21) - Yes! This is one of the best songs on the countdown this week, as well as one of my favorite Kenny Rogers songs. 17: EMOTIONAL RESCUE - THE ROLLING STONES (22) - I love this song! This is another song that you could call a guilty pleasure, since a lot of people hate it - including my supervisor in the AV department at the library. They actually played the long version of the song this week. 16: I’M ALIVE - ELECTRIC LIGHT ORCHESTRA (16) - OK song, but I prefer many others by them, generally their 70s music. 15: MORE LOVE - KIM CARNES (17) - Great song! I did prefer her duet with Kenny Rogers that dropped out this week. 14: IN AMERICA - CHARLIE DANIELS BAND (15) - Pretty good song, but nothing special. AT40 EXTRA: DESPERADO - THE EAGLES - Great song! One of their best! And very interesting story tying in with this song, about the frustrated songwriter. 13: ONE FINE DAY - CAROLE KING (14) - Great rendition of the song originally recorded by the Chiffons (and written by Carole King herself). 12: TIRED OF TOEIN’ THE LINE - ROCKY BURNETTE (13) - Great song! Too bad this was his only hit. AT40 ARCHIVES - ALLEY-OOP - HOLLYWOOD ARGYLES - I just vaguely remember this song. I’ll have to listen to it to refresh my memory. OPTIONAL EXTRA: UPSIDE DOWN - DIANA ROSS - Good song, but not one of my favorites by her. This song was at #71 on the Hot 100 this week and would debut on AT40 on August 9 - in a major way. That week, it came roaring onto the Top 40 chart way up at #10! That was the highest debut in nearly a decade. WRVF went with “You Shook Me Al Night Long” by AC/DC instead. I like that song. 11: TAKE YOUR TIME (DO IT RIGHT) - S.O.S. BAND (19) - This song is OK, but not one of my favorite songs on the chart this week. This was the #1 soul song this week. 10: LET ME LOVE YOU TONIGHT - PURE PRAIRIE LEAGUE (10) - Great song! This is possibly my favorite song from them (though I seem to recall liking “Still Right Here In My Heart”, which was played on the last 1981 show that we heard). 9: LET’S GET SERIOUS - JERMAINE JACKSON (9) - This song was OK, but I prefer his mid-80s songs. 8: THE ROSE - BETTE MIDLER (3) - Good song, though I prefer her early-90s songs, including songs that only charted at AC radio, such as “Night And Day”, “Every Road Leads Back To You” and “In My Life”. 7: MAGIC - OLIVIA NEWTON-JOHN (8) - Great song! One of her best movie songs. LDD: NO NO SONG - RINGO STARR - Great song, and appropriate for the dedication, from a girl who used to be addicted to speed - a habit that cost her the hearing in her right ear. 6: STEAL AWAY - ROBBIE DUPREE (6) - Yet another great song! Sounds like it could have been inspired by “What A Fool Believes” by the Doobie Brothers. 5: SHINING STAR - THE MANHATTANS (11) - Good song! Much better than the miserably depressing “Kiss And Say Goodbye”. 4: CUPID/I’VE LOVED YOU FOR A LONG TIME - THE SPINNERS (5) - Great remake of the old Sam Cooke classic. 3: LITTLE JEANNIE - ELTON JOHN (4) - Great song! One of his best 80s songs! OPTIONAL EXTRA: BOULEVARD - JACKSON BROWNE - Great song! And wouldn’t you know that WRVF played a sucky song in its place - “Whip It” by Devo. I think you know what three words I have to say about that song... 2: COMING UP (LIVE AT GLASGOW) - PAUL McCARTNEY & WINGS (1) - Great song! On the last 1980 show, when this song was starting its climb, we heard the lame-o studio version of this song. This week, however, we got to hear the much better live version - twice! 1: IT’S STILL ROCK AND ROLL TO ME - BILLY JOEL (2) - I’ve kind of learned to like this song better than I had previously. A classic hit by Billy Joel, though I still prefer many others by him.
Predictions for next week: I'm hoping for the July 25, 1987 show, simply because we haven't gotten any regular shows from that month (the Top 40 Hits of the 1980s So Far doesn't count). However, it's possible that they'll run the July 25, 1981 show, since that one was originally planned for last year, but technical difficulties forced them to go with the show from a week later). Plus, it's been awhile since we've gotten anything from 1988 - the last time was May, and it's very rare for there not to be a 1988 show in June or July (unless they run the ever=popular 8/6/88 show). So, using that logic, my prediction for next week is July 23, 1988 with July 25, 1981 as my back-up prediction (because really - it's entirely possible that there are problems with both Casey-hosted July, 1987 shows for them to have held off on running them for so long. Then again, it could just be that they just haven't gotten around to them yet.
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Post by mga707 on Jul 20, 2014 13:07:47 GMT -5
40. (Remember The Days Of The) Old Schoolyard/Cat Stevens--It was pretty fun and energetic, uncharacteristically so for a Cat Stevens song. This was the last we'd here from him before he converted to Islam and converted his name to Yusuf Islam. Cat would release one more LP the following year ("Back to Earth") but it would not score any top 40 singles. Thou shalt not dis one of my all-time favorite songs!!! And where does Dean mention smoking pot? This song SO captures summer '77 for me. And this week's show is the week the teenage (19) me lost my virginity! (Not to this song, though--that would have been perfect ) According to Rod, no. Just a good story song that he wrote. And they played both parts 1 and 2 on this show. Usually they only played part 1. No way! The all-time greatest seduction song didn't hit #1 until 1973! Never seen Mr. Furnier (Alice) in concert, but on his long-running syndicated radio show I don't think I've ever heard him play this good tune, or "How You Gonna See Me Now". He does play "Only Women" on the show sometimes, and I've heard "I Never Cry", but rarely. But then, his show is targeted at Classic Rock stations, so that may be why. Again, no way. But she did do a good job covering Boz Scaggs' "We're All Alone". The man who's gone further on minimal talent than anyone prior to Taylor Swift, IMHO... How can a fantasy song be obnoxious? Probably the only hit by Babs that I actually like. ...and finally, the song I (we) DID lose my (our) virginity to that magic summer!
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Post by jamie9012 on Jul 20, 2014 17:33:33 GMT -5
Greetings
It is always nice to hear the American Top 40 because featured in the Episodes are lots of songs that I would never have known. Every time that I hear an Episode, it is filled with surprises. This is especially true for those from the early 1980s. Of course there are also many classics that help my interest. As I am listening to the Episode from 1980, I hear many nice songs. Although I will list all of songs on the Chart for that week, I will start with those that I have heard so far.
July 19, 1980
40. A LOVER'S HOLIDAY- CHANGE- So, this song only peaked at #40 on the Billboard Hot 100. Hmmm. 39. ALL OUT OF LOVE- AIR SUPPLY- This song is sad. 38. I CAN'T LET GO- LINDA RONSTADT- I heard this song last year, but I can't remember it. 37. CARS- GARY NUMAN- The Synthesizer gives this Hit a haunting sound. A classic. 36. KING OF THE HILL- OAK- I also heard this song last year. I wonder how it would sound if the singer were to describe a woman? 35. SHE'S OUT OF MY LIFE- MICHAEL JACKSON- I hear many of his Hits all around, but not this soft Ballad. 34. BIGGEST PART OF ME- AMBROSIA- With no doubt, this was one of my favorites in this Countdown! It features lyrics that really come from the heart. 33. MAKE A LITTLE MAGIC- THE DIRT BAND- It seems that they changed their name from "The Nitty Gritty Dirt Band"? 32. WALKS LIKE A LADY- JOURNEY- Like the song from Michael Jackson at #35, this is one song that I do not seem to hear. Actually, I am not sure that I know it. 31. JOJO- BOZ SCAGGS- There are several songs in this Countdown that I don't know. However, they played another hit from Boz Scaggs, called "Breakdown Dead Ahead" in an episode of American Top 40 from May of 1980 that was recently heard. 30. INTO THE NIGHT- BENNY MARDONES- Nice. 29. OLD-FASHION LOVE- THE COMMODORES- I am not familiar with this Song. 28. TAKE A LITTLE RHYTHM- ALI THOMPSON- Great. This was the Song that was playing when I, today, first heard the Episode. 27. AGAINST THE WIND- BOB SEGER AND THE SILVER BULLET BAND- When Casey Kasem recited lyrics from the first verse of the Song, I liked it. It reminded me of one of the Long Distance Dedications. 26. STAND BY ME- MICKEY GILLEY- Nice country remake of the big Hit from the 1960s. At first, I did not recognize it. 25. LET MY LOVE OPEN THE DOOR- PETE TOWNSEND- So cool! It sounds so pleasant. 24. MISUNDERSTANDING- GENESIS- I often hear this Classic on the Radio. I really like it! 23. SAILING- CHRISTOPHER CROSS- Although it was somewhat difficult to understand him, this was a relaxing song. I agree that it is nice to hear when out on a boat in water. 22. EMPIRE STRIKES BACK (MEDLEY)- MECO- I did not take any Notes for this song, yet I do remember that I liked it. AMERICAN TOP 40 EXTRA: EVERYBODY'S SOMEBODY'S FOOL- This song, in June of 1960, peaked at #1 on the Billboard Hot 100. It was excellent! It reminded me of "Everybody Plays The Fool" from The Main Ingredient. 21. ALL NIGHT LONG- JOE WALSH- Good. 20. FUNKYTOWN- LIPPS INC.- A Classic that reached #1 on the Billboard Hot 100. 19. GIMME SOME LOVIN'- THE BLUES BROTHERS- Good. 18. LOVE THE WORLD AWAY- KENNY ROGERS- This was a beautiful Song! I have never seen the movie "Urban Cowboy". 17. EMOTIONAL RESCUE- THE ROLLING STONES- I did not write any Notes for this one, and I do not remember how it sounds. 16. I'M ALIVE- ELECTRIC LIGHT ORCHESTRA- I have not heard this song before. It was great. 15. MORE LOVE- KIM CARNES- She sounded like Smokey Robinson, who first sang it along with The Miracles. 14. IN AMERICA- THE CHARLIE DANIELS BAND- There are many country Songs in this Chart. This sounded patriotic. AMERICAN TOP 40 EXTRA: DESPERADO- THE EAGLES- What a story that was told before this Song began! I am happy that the person surrendered, and that no one was hurt. I hope that, today, they are feeling better. 13. ONE FINE DAY- CAROLE KING- Excellent! 12. TIRED OF TOEIN' THE LINE- ROCKY BURNETTE- This song reminded of "Stay" from Jackson Browne (which was a remake). AMERICAN TOP 40 EXTRA: ALLEY-OOP- HOLLYWOOD ARGYLES- This song, in July of 1960, peaked at #1 on the Billboard Hot 100. Unfortunately, I did not hear it. 11. TAKE YOUR TIME (DO IT RIGHT)- THE S.O.S. BAND- One of my favorites from this Episode. 10. LET ME LOVE YOU TONIGHT- PURE PRAIRIE LEAGUE- This is also one of my favorite Songs in the chart! The music makes me think of a warm summer night. 9. LET'S GET SERIOUS- JERMAINE JACKSON- I did not take Notes for this Song. 8. THE ROSE- BETTE MIDLER- This is another song for which I took no Notes. As I remember, I was trying to balance between watching T.V. and listening to the Show. 7. MAGIC- OLIVIA NEWTON-JOHN- This was a good song! In August of 1980, it reached #1 on the Billboard Hot 100 and remained there for four weeks. 6. STEAL AWAY- ROBBIE DUPREE- I agree that this songs sounds like "What A Fool Believes" from The Doobie Brothers. 5. SHINING STAR- THE MANHATTANS- Although I missed the previous song because I had to turn down the Volume on the radio, I am happy that I turned it back up as this song began. I really like to hear it when the Clouds began to break after a rainy day. 4. CUPID/ I'VE LOVED YOU FOR A LONG TIME- SPINNERS- I did not know that two of their medleys were hits in 1980. I am most familiar with "Working My Way Back To You/Forgive Me Girl". 3. LITTLE JEANNIE- ELTON JOHN- This is one of my favorite songs from him. I have liked it since I first heard it in 2004. 2. COMING UP (LIVE AT GLASGOW)- PAUL MCCARTNEY AND WINGS- Although this song reached #1 on the Billboard Hot 100, and remained there for three weeks, I do not think that I have heard it often on the Radio. I am not familiar with the version of this Song that was recorded in the Studio. 1. IT'S STILL ROCK AND ROLL TO ME- BILLY JOEL- My observations of this Song is similar to the previous song. It peaked at #1 on the Billboard Hot 100, yet I have not heard it very often on the Radio. However, that doesn't mean that it is not played at all.
My own extra:
DER TEUFEL UND DER JUNGE MANN- PAOLA- One of five '45s that I have from this Swiss singer. On the German Charts, it peaked at #5.
I will add the Songs #40-29 tomorrow.
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Post by jamie9012 on Jul 20, 2014 17:58:08 GMT -5
AT40 ARCHIVES: EVERYBODY’S SOMEBODY’S FOOL - CONNIE FRANCIS - wtf did this sound like again? In my Critique, I typed that the lyrics reminded me of the Song "Everybody Plays The Fool" from The Main Ingredient. Connie Francis, in her song, stated that, "There are no exceptions to the rule". In the final Verse, she states to the person that she desires that if his heart is ever broken, he will understand how she feels. It began with the sound of an Organ.
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Post by Deleted on Jul 20, 2014 18:10:49 GMT -5
For week ending July 16, 1983: Well, for the first time since writing these critiques, I'm gonna pull a double--two critiques in one week! I just love the music of 1983 too much not to comment on it, and what a summer it was! The Thriller juggernaut was as formidable as ever, the '80's British Invasion was in full swing, Stalker's Anthem was in the middle of a eight week run at No. 1, and pop music royalty had one of my favorite songs of the decade in the countdown. This countdown had to be one of the definitive ones of the '80's. 30. Rock And Roll Is King/ELO--It's somewhat upbeat and enjoyable, but they've had so much better songs. In fact, this group has one of my FAVORITE songs of the decade, which, I think, is coming up in a show later in the year, another one which I'll make sure to critique. Let me guess, it's either "Hold on Tight" or "All Over the World", I like both, but prefer the former! Hold on Tight would have to be my favorite.
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Post by Deleted on Jul 20, 2014 18:27:22 GMT -5
Hold on Tight would have to be my favorite. Same here for me, "Hold on Tight" rocks and its music video is totally awesome! I also like Fire On High. Here is the Early Alternate Mix of Fire On High.
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Post by slf on Jul 20, 2014 19:55:54 GMT -5
31. Don't Stop/Fleetwood Mac--Much more upbeat and fun than the previous song. I get the feeling that Lindsey meant for this song to be a peace offering to Stevie, as if to say "Let's bury the hatchet and at least remain friends". Is I disagreeessment correct? You mean "Is my a$$essment correct? 21. Sad To Belong/England Dan & John Ford Coley--Although I love this group in general, this song has rather stupid lyrics. Here we have a stupid, fickle guy already in a solid relationship who would like to throw it all away after exchanging glances with a woman who he perceives as his "real" soulmate he's waited his whole life for. Hey, guy! Those feelings are fleeting. Let them pass. Everybody will be better off in the long run. Daniel Broderick, anyone? Yes, that is exactly what I meant to ask. Next time I'll "Preefreed my typong". And please refresh my memory; who's Daniel Broderick?
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Post by Hervard on Jul 21, 2014 21:13:14 GMT -5
Daniel Broderick was the very type of guy you described in your comment for the England Dan/John Ford Coley song. He was in a solid relationship with Betty Broderick (they had been married for sixteen years), and then he pretty much exchanged glances with a girl young enough to be his daughter, and cheated on Betty with her, which caused their marriage to fall apart - which was exactly what he wanted. This, along with a few other related factors, caused Betty to go insane - so much that she broke into their house one night and murdered them both. This was actually a highly profiled case, over 20 years ago.
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Post by Hervard on Jul 26, 2014 11:08:35 GMT -5
American Top 40 - July 26, 2014
This week's presentation - July 25, 1987
YES!! Finally, they have gotten around to airing at least one regular show from each month of the Casey Kasem era of AT40 in the 1980s!
DROPPERS: WHY YOU TREAT ME SO BAD - CLUB NOUVEAU (39) - This song was OK, but definitely not one of my favorite songs. The song was sampled in many songs, the most successful being "I'm Gonna Be Alright" by Jennifer Lopez featuring Nas in 2002. DIAMONDS - HERB ALPERT f/JANET JACKSON & LISA KEITH (38) - No big loss. I was never a big fan of this song. FLAMES OF PARADISE - ELTON JOHN w/JENNIFER RUSH (37) - Great song! The song only lasted three weeks on the chart, so the only chance of hearing the song on this show would be the regular July 4 show. LESSONS IN LOVE - LEVEL 42 (35) - Great song! Shame that it fell off, but at least we did hear it on the last 1987 show, unlike two of the droppers. IN TOO DEEP - GENESIS (29) - Great song! Another song we heard on the last 1987 show back in late May. LW#1: ALONE - HEART 40: LOVE POWER - DIONNE WARWICK & JEFFREY OSBORNE (debut) - Great song! One of my favorites by both artists! Today, this would be billed as "Dionne Warwick & Jeffrey Osbourne featuring Kenny G". 39: SINCE YOU'VE BEEN GONE - THE OUTFIELD (debut) - My favorite song by them would be "All The Love In The World", but this would be a close second. 38: ONE FOR THE MOCKINGBIRD - CUTTING CREW (40) - Great song! I felt this one was totally underrated, especially given that their first hit from earlier in the year hit #1. This song, on the other hand, only got as high as #38 on the chart and spent as many weeks as "(I Just) Died In Your Arms" spent at the top. 37: JUST TO SEE HER - SMOKEY ROBINSON (27) - Good song. I like this and "One Heartbeat", which would be hitting the chart a few weeks later, about the same (I used to like the latter a lot better, but now that I've listened to a tape containing that song multiple times, that sort of dimmed my like for that song. 36: HYPNOTIZE ME (FROM "INNERSPACE") - WANG CHUNG (debut) - Great song! Too bad it wouldn't match the success of their last two hits - it debut position was actually where it 35: LIVING IN A BOX - LIVING IN A BOX (debut) - Good song. I figured this group would become a one-hit wonder, and I was indeed right. 34: CAN'T WE TRY - DAN HILL (DUET WITH VONDA SHEPARD) (debut) - This is another artist who seemed destined to become a one-hit wonder, but, nearly ten years after his first chart appearance, he surprised everyone and came back. After this, however, he would never again hit the Top 40, but would go on to have many hits on the AC charts. 33: ALWAYS - ATLANTIC STARR (32) - Great song! Kind of weird that the song only dropped one spot, especially after a big drop the week before. In fact, I remember back when this show originally aired, there were heavy thunderstorms in the area early that morning and it knocked out the transmitter for the station (U93), and it came back on in the middle of song #39. When Casey read off the droppers, and this song was not among them, then it was a logical assumption that this would have been the song at #40. So you can imagine my surprise when this song started playing after the "Number 33" jingle. 32: IT'S NOT OVER ('TIL IT'S OVER) - STARSHIP (34) - Good song, but I preferred their bigger 1987 song. 31: HEAD TO TOE - LISA LISA & CULT JAM (18) - This was OK, but one of my least favorites from them. OPTIONAL EXTRA: STRANGELOVE - DEPECHE MODE - Great song! Too bad this one didn't hit the Top 40 (it was debuting on the Hot 100 this week and only got as high as #76, but would spend three weeks on top of the dance chart. 30: LA BAMBA - LOS LOBOS (36) - This was OK, but I preferred their next hit, "Come On, Let's Go" by far. 29: HEARTS ON FIRE - BRYAN ADAMS (30) - Not a cover of Randy Meisner's 1981 hit, but pretty much the same concept (as both songs, whose titles imply a plural of hearts, actually use the word in the lyrics with a contraction, meaning "heart is on fire"). Anyway, this was a great song - definitely underrated, as it only got as high as #26. 28: EVERY LITTLE KISS - BRUCE HORNSBY & THE RANGE (16) - Great song! I liked all three songs from his debut album. 27: SEVEN WONDERS - FLEETWOOD MAC (31) - Great song! By far my favorite song from Tango In The Night! LDD: ENDLESS LOVE – DIANA ROSS & LIONEL RICHIE - Great song, and definitely fitting for the dedication, which I must say was quite moving. 26: WHO'S THAT GIRL - MADONNA (33) - This was mediocre at best. One of my least favorite of her hits and possibly my least favorite of her #1s. 25: MOONLIGHTING (THEME) - AL JARREAU (23) - Great song! I've only watched this show a few times, but I'm not much into detective drama. The song, on the other hand, was a great one. I'm surprised that this song didn't do any better than it did (only got to #38 on the R&R chart). This song was, however, a #1 AC hit, so that's cool. 24: BACK IN THE HIGH LIFE AGAIN - STEVE WINWOOD (25) - This was pretty good (James Taylor does killer back-up vocals!). Still, I prefer many others from him. 23: ROCK STEADY - THE WHISPERS (26) - Good song. 22: DON'T MEAN NOTHING - RICHARD MARX (28) - Good song, but definitely not his best. 21: ONLY IN MY DREAMS - DEBBIE GIBSON (24) - See my opinion for #22, only change the gender word. OPTIONAL EXTRA: HERE I GO AGAIN - WHITESNAKE - Good song - not sure if I prefer this or "Is This Love". Depends on my mood at the time. 20: HAPPY - SURFACE (23) - Great song! I do, however, prefer their two 1991 hits. 19: SONGBIRD - KENNY G (11) - Good song, but I preferred his next hit "Don't Make Me Wait For Love", as well as the unreleased "You Make Me Believe" - both vocal collaborations from Duotones. 18: I'D STILL SAY YES - KLYMAXX (19) - Great song! My favorite of their three Top 40 hits! 17: THE PLEASURE PRINCIPLE - JANET JACKSON (17) - This was OK, but I wasn't a huge fan of her dance hits. Still, I was disappointed that this song ended her Top Ten streak - otherwise, she would have had the distinction of her first 20 Top 40 hits hitting the Top Ten - which would have been a record that would still stand today, I'm sure (actually, I'm talking the R&R chart, since I'm not sure how her hits after November, 1991 did). 16: WOT'S IT TO YA - ROBBIE NEVIL (21) - Great song! I liked this and "Dominoes" about the same. 15: LUKA - SUZANNE VEGA (22) - Good song. I liked this better than her droning "Tom's Diner". 14: CROSS MY BROKEN HEART - THE JETS (15) - This was OK, but, as we all know, I preferred their ballads over their dance songs. 13: KISS HIM GOODBYE - THE NYLONS (14) - Great a capella rendition of the classic #1 by Steam. 12: GIRLS, GIRLS, GIRLS - MOTLEY CRUE (13) - Good song, though I generally preferred their 1990s hits. 11: FUNKYTOWN - PSEUDO ECHO (6) - Good song. I liked this better than the original. OPTIONAL EXTRA: DOING IT ALL FOR MY BABY - HUEY LEWIS & THE NEWS - Good song, but possibly my least favorite of his doo-wop type hits. 10: POINT OF NO RETURN - EXPOSE (5) - Great song! Definitely my favorite from the Exposure album! 9: DON'T DISTURB THIS GROOVE - THE SYSTEM (4) - Good song, but I preferred their next release "Nighttime Lover" - too bad that one didn't hit the Top 40. 8: HEART AND SOUL - T'PAU (12) - Mediocre at best. Nothing special. LDD: STUCK ON YOU – LIONEL RICHIE - Wow, both of this week's LDDs are by the same artist! Anyway, this was a good song - my favorite of this week's LDD picks. 7: SOMETHING SO STRONG - CROWDED HOUSE (10) - Great song, and, yes, my favorite of their two Top 40 hits. 6: RHYTHM IS GONNA GET YOU - GLORIA ESTEFAN & MIAMI SOUND MACHINE (10) - This song was OK, but like the Jets, I prefer their slow songs. Casey sort of jinxed this one, saying that it could have been their first #1 hit, but it only got one spot higher. They did, however, have their first chart topper three singles later. 5: I WANT YOUR SEX - GEORGE MICHAEL (9) - Blegh! Not a fan of this one at all. If not for its lyrical content and being banned on many radio stations, this one would definitely have gone to #1, possibly for multiple weeks! 4: I WANNA DANCE WITH SOMEBODY (WHO LOVES ME) - WHITNEY HOUSTON (3) - Great song, though by the time of the original airing of this show, I'd had it with this song, given its airplay. But I somehow came to like it shortly after its airplay waned and was glad it came out on top for the year on the R&R chart. 3: I STILL HAVEN'T FOUND WHAT I'M LOOKING FOR - U2 (7) - Good song. My favorite of their two #1s from The Joshua Tree. OPTIONAL EXTRA: A TOUCH OF GREY - GRATEFUL DEAD - Great song! One of my favorites from them (yet, I hear that they seldom performed this at their shows). 2: SHAKEDOWN - BOB SEGER (2) - Good song, but definitely not his best. This became his first #1 hit. 1: ALONE - HEART (1) - Great song! Definitely deserving of three weeks on top, and, as far as I'm concerned, THIS was the #1 song of 1987, not that annoyance by the Bangles.
Predictions for next week: Hmm, this is a toughie. Casey Kasem's last show from 1988 was done last year, in honor of the 25th anniversary of that show. But, given Casey Kasem's recent death, they might do that one next week as well. There's also the remote possibility that, since they didn't get the July 25, 1981 show remastered in time last year and played the August 1 show instead, that they could air that show the first week of August, but I doubt that they will - this would have been the week to run that show. My prediction for next week will be August 2, 1986, with August 7, 1982 as my back-up prediction.
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Post by Hervard on Jul 26, 2014 15:13:27 GMT -5
American Top 40: The 70s - July 26, 2014 This week's presentation - July 29, 1978. Here is a recycled commentary from 2010, the last time this show aired. Droppers: PROVE IT ALL NIGHT - BRUCE SPRINGSTEEN (33) - wtf did this sound like again? YOU'RE THE ONE THAT I WANT - JOHN TRAVOLTA & OLIVIA NEWTON-JOHN (31) - Fun song. This song had kind of a weird chart run. Two weeks before, the song dropped 14-33. One would think it was out of there next week, right? No, the song actually defied the law of gravity and moved back up to #31. Its resurge was a fluke, however, as it dropped to #44 this week. WONDERFUL TONIGHT - ERIC CLAPTON (29) - Good song. Considering how much airplay this song still gets today, one would think it was a Top Ten hit, but it only got up to #16. What's even weirder - it missed the R&R chart (which was a Top 30 chart in 1978) entirely. TWO OUT OF THREE AIN'T BAD - MEAT LOAF (28) - Great song - shame that it fell off. We missed this one, as well as many great gems, due to the long gap between shows from 1978. Oh well, now on with the countdown... 40: MACHO MAN - VILLAGE PEOPLE (debut) - Meh, not a big fan of this one, but it’s much better than that piece of crap that is “Y.M.C.A”. 39: MR. BLUE SKY - ELECTRIC LIGHT ORCHESTRA (debut) - One of their more obscure songs - I don’t remember hearing this song at all back in 1978. The first time I ever remember hearing it was in early 1989 when it was a Long Distance Dedication on AT40. Speaking of Long Distance Dedications, we were four weeks away from the very first one ever heard on the show. 38: TWO TICKETS TO PARADISE - EDDIE MONEY (debut) - Great song! This one occasionally pops up on the radio. 37: RIVERS OF BABYLON - BONEY M (39) - This one was kinda weird - obviously inspired by “Nobody Knows How Dry I Am”. 36: FOOL (IF YOU THINK IT’S OVER) - CHRIS REA (debut) - Great song - one I remember quite well. About ten years after he charted with this, he recorded a new version, which did not do justice to the original at all. 35: YOU - RITA COOLIDGE (debut) - Great song, though I prefer her two 1977 songs. 34: STUFF LIKE THAT - QUINCY JONES f/ASHFORD & SIMPSON and CHAKA KHAN (38) - Meh, nothing special - sounds like most of the disco material from the late-70s. 33: SHAME - EVELYN “CHAMPAGNE” KING (37) - OK, but there’s much better on this week’s chart. 32: LOVE OR SOMETHING LIKE IT - KENNY ROGERS (34) - Pretty good song. I don’t believe I’d ever heard this one before until hearing in on the 2010 airing of this show. 31: THANK GOD IT’S FRIDAY - LOVE AND KISSES (22) - It’s alright, I guess. Sounds a little like a vocal version of “Manhattan Skyline”. 30: CAN WE STILL BE FRIENDS - TODD RUNDGREN (32) - Good song. Casey mentioned how he played all the instruments and provided the vocals on all five of his Top 40 hits, and how he was the only person that he knew of that did that (or something like that). Little did he know that someone else who did all that would come along in the early 1980s. 29: AN EVERLASTING LOVE - ANDY GIBB (40) - Great song! Definitely one of his best, right up there with “I Just Want To Be Your Everything”! Casey mentioned that Gibb had already had three number one hits and was looking for his fourth. Unfortunately, that was not to be, although this song did hit #5, which isn’t too shabby. 28: BOOGIE OOGIE OOGIE - A TASTE OF HONEY (36) - Great song! This song was #1 on the Dance/Disco charts and was on its way to the same position on the Top 40 chart! 27: I’VE HAD ENOUGH - WINGS (30) - It’s OK, but not as good as his bigger songs from the latter half of the 1970s (but I’d still rather listen to it than their annoying early-70s crap - “My Love” comes to mind). OPTIONAL EXTRA: KISS YOU ALL OVER - EXILE - Good song, reminds me of that funny scene from Happy Gilmore. Unfortunately, this was the only Optional Extra that Radio Mojo (aka KPRC, Houston TX) played. 26: HOPEFULLY DEVOTED TO YOU - OLIVIA NEWTON-JOHN (35) - OK, after over two years, I decided to listen to this one (during the 2010 airing of this show). For those of you who don’t know, this was sort of a special song between my former girlfriend and myself. I hadn’t listened to it at all since we broke up in April, 2008. It wasn’t too hard to listen to after all! 25: SONGBIRD - BARBRA STREISAND (25) - This was a pretty decent song. I remember singing it in choir class in my sophomore year in high school. They cut out the second verse, such was the case with several songs on this chart, since songs were getting longer and longer at this point - about two months later, they’d extend the show to four hours. 24: KING TUT - STEVE MARTIN (26) - Meh, methinks Martin should have stuck to his job as a comedian. 23: STAY - JACKSON BROWNE (27) - Meh, I wasn’t too keen on this song. The falsetto part is quite annoying. I preferred “The Load-Out”, which was on the flipside and some stations played along with this one. 22: FM (NO STATIC AT ALL) - STEELY DAN (23) - Good song, but I prefer several others by them. 21: BLUER THAN BLUE (19) - Great song! I do, however, prefer his other Top 20 hit, “This Night Won’t Last Forever”. 20: DANCE WITH ME - PETER BROWN (16) - Meh, just another late-70s disco hit - one of nine on the chart this week. 19: IT’S A HEARTACHE - BONNIE TYLER (12) - Good song. Many people thought Tyler would be a one-hit wonder, but that assumption was put to rest five years later, when she hit the charts with her biggest hit ever, the #1 “Total Eclipse Of The Heart”. 18: I’M NOT GONNA LET IT BOTHER ME TONIGHT - ATLANTA RHYTHM SECTION (21) - OK song, but I prefer “So In To You” and “Imaginary Lover”. 17: TAKE A CHANCE ON ME - ABBA (9) - Good song, but I prefer many others by them, like “Dancing Queen” and “Winner Takes It All”. 16: MAGNET AND STEEL - WALTER EGAN (20) - This song was OK, but I preferred “Fool Moon Fire”, which didn’t hit the Top 40, but did peak at #29 on the R&R chart. 15: MY ANGEL BABY - TOBY BEAU (18) - Another pretty good song, has sort of the same music style of #16 above. 14: LIFE’S BEEN GOOD - JOE WALSH (17) - Meh, I wasn’t too crazy about this song. OPTIONAL EXTRA: HOT CHILD IN THE CITY - NICK GILDER - Good song, though I preferred his 1979 hit “(You Really) Rock Me”. 13: COPACABANA - BARRY MANILOW (15) - Great song, and very interesting for Manilow to be singing an upbeat song. This song caused “Even Now”, from earlier in the summer, to tank completely. 12: RUNAWAY - JEFFERSON STARSHIP (13) - Great song. They featured the story about bassist Craig Chaquico outrunning the law on a motor skateboard, which we heard a few months ago on the May 30, 1981 show. 11: HOT BLOODED - FOREIGNER (14) - Good song, but not quite as good as their next two songs. 10: LOVE WILL FIND A WAY - PABLO CRUISE (11) - Great song! One of my favorites by them, along with “Cool Love” from three years later. 9: THE GROOVE LINE - HEATWAVE (7) - Meh, not a fan of this one. Frankly, this is pretty much “Boogie Nights Pt. 2". I preferred “Always And Forever”. 8: USE TA BE MY GIRL - THE O’JAYS (8) - Great song! Possibly my favorite song by them. 7: STILL THE SAME - BOB SEGER & THE SILVER BULLET BAND (4) - Great song! Definitely one of his best! I associate this song more with 1979, though, because that was when my Mom listened to Seger’s Stranger In Town album, from which this was the first of four singles released. 6: THREE TIMES A LADY - THE COMMODORES (10) - Good song, but a little on the cheesy side. As far as I know, they never played the album version of this song on AT40 during its chart run (except that I heard they did feature that one on the year-end show). 5: GREASE - FRANKIE VALLI (6) - This one’s OK, but not one of my favorites. 4: LAST DANCE - DONNA SUMMER (5) - Good song, though it’s somehow kind of depressing. Now, if I were a teenager when this song was popular, I’d see why, because this would be the last song played at school dances and I’d be depressed, not having gotten a slow dance with a girl (unless I got lucky and someone actually asked me). But I was all of six years old when this song was popular and too young to experience that kind of heartbreak. 3: MISS YOU - ROLLING STONES (3) - No. Just no. OPTIONAL EXTRA: JUST WHAT I NEEDED - THE CARS - Great song! I’m surprised that this wasn’t a Top Ten hit, given the airplay that it receives today. 2: BAKER STREET - GERRY RAFFERTY (2) - This is OK, but quite overplayed. I preferred his next hit, “Right Down The Line”, which would debut four weeks later. 1: SHADOW DANCING - ANDY GIBB (1) - Not too crazy about this one - I much prefer his other song on the chart this week. The week before, the countdown was book ended by Andy Gibb songs, as “Everlasting Love” kicked off the show and this one wrapped it up. This song, by the way, was in its seventh and last week at #1. The fungus by the Rolling Stones at #3 would take over the following week. Indeed, the top portion of the chart sure left a lot to be desired. But that's just my opinion.
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Post by pb on Jul 27, 2014 9:09:36 GMT -5
30: CAN WE STILL BE FRIENDS - TODD RUNDGREN (32) - Good song. Casey mentioned how he played all the instruments and provided the vocals on all five of his Top 40 hits, and how he was the only person that he knew of that did that (or something like that). If Casey said this, it wasn't correct. "Hello It's Me" has other musicians and singers.
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Post by slf on Jul 27, 2014 9:10:33 GMT -5
For the week ending July 24, 1971: I have almost paradoxical feelings about this time in my life. That summer saw some of the best songs ever hit the Top 40. However, I was about to finish a three month stay at the world-famous Riley Hospital for Children here in Indianapolis. (As a 7 yr old little boy, I had been in the battle for my life due to serious gastrointestinal disorders.) 40. Love Means (Never Having To Say You're Sorry)/Sounds Of Sunshine--A rather lush, pretty ballad with a nicely done harmony vocal arrangement. 39. Riders On The Storm/The Doors--A haunting, yet truly beautiful, majestic swan song for this legendary group, hitting the top 40 after Morrison's death. I especially love the rain and thunder sounds dubbed in (Those inclusions in a song are always welcome to me.) and Manzerek's keyboard playing which simulated the sound of raindrops. 38. Want Ads/The Honey Cone--This excellent old school R&B charttopper charges out of the gate with a fierce guitar riff, sassy vocals ("Wanted: Young man single and free!"), and a dramatic "Ooh, ooh, ooh", all in the first 15 seconds! And the remaining 150 or so seconds of the song aren't too shabby, either. The group's follow-up hits are just as enjoyable, too. And who says girl groups were dead in the '70's? 37. Sweet Hitchhiker/Credence Clearwater Revival--Although I have always found this group to be overrated, this was a fine, intense rocker. My positive feelings were intensified about 20 yrs ago when I was jamming to this on the radio while on one of the expressways in Chicago. 36. If Not For You/Olivia Newton-John--A sweetly mellow song augmented splendidly by a fine slide guitar. It's hard to believe that an old-fashioned love song like this was written by, of all people, Bob Dylan. 35. Chicago/Graham Nash--Offhand, I forget how this song went, but I seem to remember liking it. 34. Summer Sand/Tony Orlando & Dawn--A beautiful pop song that is as good as "Candida" and "Knock Three Times", but has been unfairly forgotten by oldies stations. 33. Moon Shadow/Cat Stevens--If I ever lose my fingers, a way-ay-ay-ay-ay ay ay ay, I won't have to critique no more. A campy classic. 32. You've Got A Friend/Roberta Flack & Donny Hathaway--The first of two appearance of this classic in the countdown. Although I can't knock the sentiments, the song has never done anything for me musically. I like "Where Is The Love", their hit from the following summer, much better. 31. Liar/Three Dog Night--A little too strident and annoying for me, although not as annoying as "Mama Told Me Not To Come". (To be fair, they had some good songs, too.) 30. High Time We Went/Joe Cocker--Mediocre, like most of his hits. 29. Rings/Cymarron--A light, breezy, yet catchy lost gem. I'm really intrigued by the "Ring" motif, which covers doorbells, telephones, and wedding rings. (Rather clever) This fine song ends with a happily-ever-after wedding, a dramatic "Aaaah, Aaaah-h-h!", and a mellow guitar fade- out into the sunset. All in all, a masterfully-produced lost classic. 28. Wild Horses/The Rolling Stones--I can take it or leave it. 27. Funky Nassau/The Beginning Of The End--Indeed, a catchy, funky number. I especially like the blast of horns toward the end. 26. What The World Needs Now Is Love/Abraham, Martin, And John/Tom Clay--Ah, yes. This is the hit from that summer that all of you seemingly love to hate, which is understandable. But being the contrarian that I am, would like to assert that, in small doses, this spoken-word recording is tolerable and even down-right intriguing. I especially enjoy the bookend segments where an innocent child is asked about "bigotry" and "hatred", which seem to prove that those toxic ideas are, for the most part, taught. 25. Get It On/Chase--One of my favorite subgenres of rock n roll is horn rock. The sweetness and majesty of brass adds greatly to the appeal of rock and roll's energetic rhythms. That sweetness, majesty, and energy combine perfectly in this almost forgotten gem. The number opens like a brass locomotive and chugs along at a breakneck pace. The highlights occur, however, twice, after the singer goes, "It's gonna be just you and me, in ecstasy". This is when the horn's cascading notes and the frenetic drumming combine to create ecstasy, with an almost Christmas-like glorious sound. I know I'm long-winded here, but, man, this is one fantastic song! 24. Love The One You're With/The Isley Brothers--It's OK, like Steven Still's original, but I don't like the song's sentiments, that it's OK to cheat on your woman if she's not around. 23. Double Barrel/David & Ansel Collins-- It's a funky, catchy song, but I'm especially fixated by the sudden opening ("I AM THE MAGNIFICENT!") When I first heard it, I thought I was hearing the frightful opening to Arthur Brown's "Fire". 22. When You're Hot, You're Hot/Jerry Reed--A fun, enjoyable story song. Jerry sounded like he was having a ball recording it. 21. Signs/The Five Man Electrical Band--A goofy, but enjoyable song. I especially like the uplifting ending, in which God and the Church provides the open arms the singer finds missing everywhere else. 20. Hot Pants/James Brown--My parents were both strict Baptist who frequently railed against clothing they considered ungodly, including, well, hot pants. So I'll never forget the time that I caught Brown and his female singers perform this number on TV. And, following my parent's example, I exclaimed "That's ungodly!". (I no longer think hot pants or "Hot Pants" are inherently ungodly. In fact, this is one funky, catchy number.) 19. Beginnings/Chicago--Another glorious horn rock classic, almost on the level of the above song by Chase. The song has a pleasant, flowing first verse. But, boy, when those powerful horns kick in in the second verse, they send me to musical nirvana. The positive message of one's love for his woman just adds to the good vibes created by this musical jewel. 18. Bring The Boys Home/Freda Payne--A fine, punchy old school classic, better than her fine signature song "Band Of Gold" (Her best song is the stirring "Deeper And Deeper", though.) 17. I Don't Want To Do Wrong/Gladys Knight & The Pips--Slightly above average, but not exceptional. 16. Here Comes That Rainy Day Feeling Again/ The Fortunes--One of my favorite songs of the countdown. The melody is beautiful, the harmonies are exquisite, and the lead singer does a spot-on Frankie Valle. 15. Mercy, Mercy Me (The Ecology)/ Marvin Gaye--This song's lush arrangement is as enjoyable as that of its predecessor, "What's Goin' On". I am also fixated by the haunting ending, which seems to serve as a warning to mankind about our tragic fate if we don't fix our environmental problems. 14. She's Not Just Another Woman/The 8th Day--I am not too familiar with this song, and I was dozing off at this point in the countdown, so I'll pass on this. (I get up early on Sat mornings to listen to this on the internet, after working 36 hours between both jobs Wed-Fri. That's why I sometimes doze off during the show.) 13. Never-Ending Song Of Love/Delaney & Bonnie & Friends--Fun, bouncy song. It sounds a lot like Clapton (who was a part-time "friend") on lead vocals. Was it Clapton? 12. That's The Way I've Always Heard It Should Be/Carly Simon--A beautiful, haunting debut hit with insightful lyrics which seem to question whether entering into marriage is worth it. 11. Rainy Days And Mondays/The Carpenter--The last time I did a '71 critique, this song was rising in the Top 40 and I listed most of the reasons why I love it. But I accidently left out the most obvious thing: the gloriously bombastic close, where the duo dramatically belt out "Rainy Days and Mondays always geeeeeetttt" into what sounds like an echo chamber, followed by Karen's soft finish "meeee dowwwwwn",and a sweet harmonica putting the last touches on this pop masterpiece. 10. Sooner Or Later/The Grass Root--A catchy, punchy single, typical of their usually fine style. 9. Take Me Home, Country Roads/John Denver--A very fine, likeable debut release which always puts a smile on my face, although it's far from his best song. 8. How Can You Mend A Broken Heart/ The Bee Gees--It's somewhat sweet and pleasant, but IMHO all of this group's truly great songs are from their disco period. 7. Draggin' The Line/Tommy James--It's catchy and pleasant enough, but not enough to make me want to go out and, say, hug a tree. 6. Treat Her Like A Lady/Cornelius Bros & Sister Rose--It's OK, but not nearly as good as "Too Late To Turn Back Now" from the following summer. 5. Mr Big Stuff/Jean Knight--It's OK, but for an old school R&B song of the '70's, rather unimpressive. 4. Don't Pull Your Love/Hamilton, Joe Frank, & Reynolds--Great, well-produced pop classic. 3. You've Got A Friend/James Taylor--As I said before, it has a great message, but, musically, it's unimpressive. 2. It's Too Late/Carole King--A moody, well-crafted song about the breakup of a romantic relationship. (I presume that of Carole and Gerry Goffin.) 1. Indian Reservation/The Raiders--This almost aggressively dramatic social protest song still packs a punch after all these years. And my favorite song of the countdown (drum roll): You've probably guessed by now, "Get It On" by Chase (with "Beginnings" as an honorable mention.)
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Post by dukelightning on Jul 27, 2014 9:51:34 GMT -5
It's interesting how your first impression of a songs' meaning stays with you after all these years even if it might not be correct. I always thought "Love the One You're With" was referring to not being able to love the one you really wanted to love because they had other ideas and loving the one you are with instead. Along the lines of Glenn Frey's "The One You Love".
Although for not nearly as long as the above thought, I always thought that Clapton was not part of the Delaney & Bonnie song because he had formed Derek & the Dominoes the year before. Joel Whitburn implies that Eric was with D&B in the 1968-69 time frame.
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Post by jamie9012 on Jul 27, 2014 11:59:16 GMT -5
Greetings
It is a nice day outside now. It seems to me that many songs from the 1970s make me feel good. Of course, there are also many that make me feel sad. I will create a Critique for the Episode from the 70s.
July 24, 1971
40. LOVE MEANS (YOU NEVER HAVE TO SAY YOU'RE SORRY)- SOUNDS OF SUNSHINE- I heard some of this Song when I turned on the Radio. 39. RIDERS ON THE STORM- THE DOORS- Casey Kasem acknowledged the death of lead singer Jim Morrison before the Song began. He died about two or three weeks (on July 3) before this Episode. 38. WANT ADS- THE HONEY CONE- All right! This is one of my favorites! It went to #1 on the Billboard Hot 100 in June of 1971. I do wish that this band had more Hits. They remind me of The Pointer Sisters. 37. SWEET HITCH-HIKER- CREEDENCE CLEARWATER REVIVAL- Good song! 36. IF NOT FOR YOU- OLIVIA NEWTON-JOHN- So great! Here is another Favorite! This is one of her earliest songs of which I am familiar. 35. CHICAGO- GRAHAM NASH- I did hear a part of this Song. 34. SUMMER SAND- DAWN- I did not hear this Song, along with the next. 33. MOON SHADOW- CAT STEVENS- Please read above. 32. YOU'VE GOT A FRIEND- ROBERTA FLACK AND DONNY HATHAWAY- I did not know that they collaborated on more than one Song. I am familiar with "The Closer I Get To You" (which,in 1978, appeared in the Billboard Hot 100), and I think that it is beautiful. This song was also nice. 31. LIAR- THREE DOG NIGHT- It was somewhat difficult for me to understand the lyrics in this Song. However, the music reminded me of "Do It Again" from Steely Dan. 30. HIGH TIME WE WENT- JOE Cocker- Good. AMERICAN TOP 40 EXTRA: WILD THING- THE TROGGS- This Classic reached #1 on the Billboard Hot 100 in July of 1966 and remained there for two Weeks. 29. RINGS- CYMARRON- The lyrics of this Song, unlike the song at #31, were easier for me to understand, but I did not hear many of them. However, I thought that the music was pleasant. 28. WILD HORSES- THE ROLLING STONES- I must return later with a Critique of this song. I had to set up in my Room. 27. FUNKY NASSAU (PART 1)- THE BEGINNING OF THE END- Please read above. 26. WHAT THE WORLD NEEDS NOW IS LOVE- TOM CLAY- Very interesting recording! 25. GET IT ON- CHASE- Excellent instruments! 24. LOVE THE ONE YOU'RE WITH- THE ISLEY BROTHERS- I agree with the Critique of this Song from slf. 23. DOUBLE BARREL- DAVID AND ANSIL COLLINS- A nice melody and beat. The Vocalist sounds like a DJ or a Magician! 22. WHEN YOU'RE HOT, YOU'RE HOT- JERRY REED- I really hope that the Narrator does not lose all of his money. It is bad enough that he was arrested. 21. SIGNS- THE FIVE MAN ELECTRICAL BAND- It is now time for me to hear many Songs that are new to me. This one is great! 20. HOT PANTS (PART 1)- JAMES BROWN- Did Casey Kasem say that he had eight Chart records so far in 1971? I do not know if all of them appeared in the American Top 40 (or appeared, at least, in the Billboard Hot 100), however that is very impressive! 19. BEGINNINGS- CHICAGO- I like many of their Hits. It seems that member Robert Lamm performed, on this song, the lead vocals. So, this Single was first released in 1969? Hmmm... 18. BRING THE BOYS HOME- FREDA PAYNE- A pleasant song with a good message. 17. I DON'T WANT TO DO WRONG- GLADYS KNIGHT AND THE PIPS- Awesome! I think that she really placed into this song her heart and soul. 16. HERE COMES THAT RAINY DAY FEELING AGAIN- THE FORTUNES- The feeling comes, for me, on a sunny day. The Narrator is obviously very sad. Nice song! 15. MERCY MERCY ME- MARVIN GAYE- This places to an end the long list of the Songs that I do not know (yet, I am positive that there will be many more in this Episode). This is a great Classic. 14. SHE'S NOT JUST ANOTHER WOMAN- THE EIGHTH DAY- He wants the listener to know how happy she makes him feel. In June, there was played an Episode of American Top 40 from 1981. That Episode featured a song called "This Little Girl" from a singer named Gary U.S. Bonds. The lyrics of this song (from The Eighth Day) remind me of that one. 13. NEVER ENDING SONG OF LOVE- DELANEY AND BONNIE AND FRIENDS- I did not hear this song. 12. THAT'S THE WAY I'VE ALWAYS HEARD IT SHOULD BE- CARLY SIMON- She seems to be afraid of marriage as she sings about the relationships that she sees other people experience. 11. RAINY DAYS AND MONDAYS- THE CARPENTERS- I think that, for music in the early 1970s, 1971 is among my favorite years. Although this song should sound sad, it actually makes me feel good! It peaked at #2 on the Billboard Hot 100. 10. SOONER OR LATER- THE GRASS ROOTS- Nice optimistic song. 9. TAKE ME HOME, COUNTRY ROADS- JOHN DENVER- Casey Kasem mentioned a story that involved an artist writing a song when he was bored. I think that this was it. 8. HOW CAN YOU MEND A BROKEN HEART- THE BEE GEES- I missed this song, and do not know how it sounds. It is odd, because so often, I hear their Hits on the radio. 7. DRAGGIN' THE LINE- TOMMY JAMES- When this song played, I was snapping my fingers! 6. TREAT HER LIKE A LADY- CORNELIUS BROTHERS AND SISTER ROSE- A great Classic. 5. MR. BIG STUFF- JEAN KNIGHT- I remember that, in 2012, an Episode was played which featured this Song as one of the Optional Extras. It peaked at #2 on the Billboard Hot 100. 4. DON'T PULL YOUR LOVE- HAMILTON, JOE FRANK AND REYNOLDS- The name of this Trio sounds like a law firm. This song, in the previous week, peaked at this position. In 1975, their song "Fallin' In Love" peaked at #1 on the Billboard Hot 100. 3. YOU'VE GOT A FRIEND- JAMES TAYLOR- For the following week, this song went to #1 on the Billboard Hot 100. Overall, a nice version of the song at #32. 2. IT'S TOO LATE- CAROLE KING- This Episode was filled with many songs that I like! As this one was playing on the radio, I played a few notes on my Guitar. This song spent five weeks at #1, and fell to #2 for this week. 1. INDIAN RESERVATION (THE LAMENT OF THE CHEROKEE RESERVATION INDIAN)- This song, which spent one week at #1 (this one), had an important message.
This is my Extra, as the radio station that I listen to does not play the Optional Extras
FREMDER MANN- MARIANNE ROSENBERG- Most of the "extras" that I have occasionally listed are songs that I like. Many of them are sung in German, such as this one. She longs to meet a stranger (Fremder Mann) that she sees all of the time. It was one of the first Hits for this German singer, and it peaked at #8 in Germany. I like several of her songs from the 1970s and 1980s.
Thank you for reading.
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Post by pb on Jul 27, 2014 13:00:47 GMT -5
Although for not nearly as long as the above thought, I always thought that Clapton was not part of the Delaney & Bonnie song because he had formed Derek & the Dominoes the year before. Joel Whitburn implies that Eric was with D&B in the 1968-69 time frame. D&B were an opening act for Blind Faith when they toured in 1969. Eric worked with D&B afterwards. Delaney had an influence on Eric's singing which may be why the earlier poster thought Eric was on that song.
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