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Post by dukelightning on Feb 9, 2015 12:36:44 GMT -5
Not saying this is right or wrong but in the first AT40 leading up to their hit at #1 is when Casey said there name came from an Australian expression.
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Post by mga707 on Feb 9, 2015 13:32:28 GMT -5
Not saying this is right or wrong but in the first AT40 leading up to their hit at #1 is when Casey said there name came from an Australian expression. I'll cast a third vote for Australian, not Canadian, expression.
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Post by bestmusicexpert on Feb 9, 2015 13:57:27 GMT -5
The truth is, it was Australian.
See Songfacts.com and Wikipedia who match that story.
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Post by slf on Feb 9, 2015 23:15:50 GMT -5
For the week ending February 5, 1972:
I'm back. I was going to write a critique for the previous week's '79 countdown, but the overall quality of that show did not provide enough inspiration for me to pour out three hours of effort over my keyboard to critique it; i. e., I just got lazy . But, being that this particular countdown was so good, I'm gonna make up for last week by critiquing one extra song to make it 41 songs. (Though, if you read between the lines, you may already SMELL what's coming.)
40. Everything I Own/Bread--Another masterfully arranged mellow hit by this underrated band, which teaches the valuable lesson that it takes less effort to keep a good woman than to try to win her back if you lose her.
39. My World/The Bee Gees--I had forgetten about this song, but, upon hearing it for the first time in year last Sat, I did recognize it from my childhood. I was especially impressed by the dramatic, hypnotic chorus. It's one of this trio's better pre-disco songs.
38. Ain't Understanding Mellow/Jerry Butler & Brenda Lee Eager--A while back, I mentioned that I own a 6-CD box set of '70's R&B classics. Not only does it contain soul classics that I have loved for years, it contains many songs that I have discovered or rediscovered and have grown to love. This splendid ballad falls into the latter group. Although most of the song is fairly mellow, both the male/female vocals and the orchestral accompaniment emanate drama and tension, til the tempo speeds up at the end as Jerry & Brenda repeat the title over and over. This is a truly lost R&B gem.
37. Together Let's Find Love/The Fifth Dimension--This smooth, sweet, yet powerful ballad was a departure from the typical latter-day Fifth Dimension hit in that Marilyn McCoo's hubby Bill joined her on lead vocals, which was definitely fitting, considering the nature of the song.
36. Foot-Stompin' Music/Grand Funk Railroad--Although it wasn't enough to make me stomp my foot, I still enjoyed the song's energy and its fine organ work.
35. Sweet Seasons/Carole King--Another exhilarating, well-crafted pop song by one pop music's most ingenious, masterful composers.
34. Feelin' Alright/Joe Cocker--Although it's fairly catchy with nice piano work, I consider this and most of this late singer's hits to be only slightly above average. (One notable exception: "You Are So Beautiful" which, by its simplicity and sincerity, is one POWERFUL love song!)
33. Floy Joy/The Supremes--Although it doesn't reach the lofty heights of the stellar "Stoned Love", I was intrigued by the bouncy, piano-plinking retro-style production, which made it sound like a Motown release from eight years previous.
32. It's One Of Those Nights (Yes, Love)/The Partridge Family--I remember my sisters having the 45 single of this song and playing it a lot back in the day. And it was a pleasure hearing it for the first time in years on the countdown. It has a great piano riff, sharp lyrics, and a powerful, beautiful chorus. It definitely rises above the group's bubblegum reputation.
31. Bang A Gong (Get It On)/T. Rex--Although most Americans are unaware of it, T Rex, despite being a one-hit wonder here, were phenomenally successful in their native U.K. , with eleven top 10 hits and three charttoppers, including this song. It's a shame they didn't replicate that success stateside, for this is one thrilling, hard-driving rock classic, from the bass intro repeated throughout, to Marc Bolan's whispery vocals, to the way the chorus, with its accompanying horns, just explodes with throbbing energy. (Eat you heart out, Power Station!) I would love to have heard their other British hits on the radio here.
30. Family Affair/Sly & The Family Stone--Another fine funky workout by Sly & Co, with great bass vocals by Larry Graham. (BTW, did you hear that Sly Stone, who currently lives out of his vehicle, was awarded a large settlement for back royalties? I hope he uses this windfall to get himself back on his feet and his life straightened up.)
29. Don't Say You Don't Remember/Beverly Bremers--I remember WOWO, Ft Wayne playing the song a lot in early '72. The fond memories it evokes are part of why it's one of my favorite songs of the countdown. That and the strong vocals, the gorgeous, lush arrangement, and the inclusion of what sounds like a french horn.
Optional train wreck, er, extra: Once You Understand/Think--As a rule, I don't bother with the optional extras (I often don't even hear them, at least on the '70's shows) but this is one I just couldn't resist commenting on. (I had to listen to the first hour a second time on another station that did play it.) I was mercifully spared from hearing his song at time, and I had heard it only once before, around 1985. Even then, I was rather shaken by the uber-preachy, melodramatic, tearjerking nature of this release. But like any musical train wreck, I just had to check it out again this week. All I can say is that it's the musically equivalent of that dead kid ad for Nationwide Insurance played during the Super Bowl or that "Today in school I learned a lot" anti-bullying PSA on the radio, just too overwrought to be listenable. One more thing: I own a book called "The Worst Rock And Roll Records Of All Time" which list the authors' choices for 50 worst records and 50 worst albums. Of the records, their choice for all-time worst is Chuck Berry's "My Ding-a-Ling". I'll let you guess what came right behind it a #2.
28. That's The Way I Feel About Cha/Bobby Womack--Not bad, but it pales in comparison to most of the other, superior R&B songs on this week's countdown.
27. Make Me The Woman That You Go Home To/Gladys Knight & The Pips--Although it was rather smooth and lush, this, too, was one of the less impressive R&B entries this week.
26. I'd Like To Teach The World To Sing/The Hillside Singers--The first of two Coca-Cola ads in the countdown (no Pepsi ads, though . Although both renditions have an appealingly light and breezy feel to them, I think I prefer this version, because, as one poster pointed out earlier, it sounds more like the commercial jingle that it had become,which gives it its unique charm.
25. Fire & Water/Wilson Pickett--This was the first time I had ever heard this song. (This guy's releases after 1967 get virtually no radio airplay, which is a shame.) But I was quite impressed with the nice upbeat horns and the cool fuzz guitar.
24. Levon/Elton John--I can take it or leave it. (BTW, wasn't it Time magazine, not the New York Times, that declared on its cover "God Is Dead", or something to that effect, in 1966?)
23. Black Dog/Led Zeppelin--This classic rock mainstay is as bawdy and obnoxious as they come, which is what makes it so irresistible.
22. Witch Queen Of New Orleans/Redbone--This catchy, ominous record tells the story of a witch named Marie, if I was hearing correctly. This begs the question: was she Marie Laveau, from Bobby Bare's #1 country hit of the mid '70's? It would be quite a coincidence for both witches to be different but sharing the same first name.
21. Kiss An Angel Good Mornin'/Charlie Pride--Speaking of country charttopppers, I remember hearing this catchy, well-sung crossover hit on WOWO a lot also at the time. I know if I have a "angel" who I could kiss in the morning and love like the devil at night, I'd alway have a smile on my face, too!
20. The Lion Sleeps Tonight/Robert John--I have never been a big fan of this song, especially this cover version. Perhaps it was because this obnoxious version, with its hiccuping and cutesy horn in the bridge, was my first exposure to this song. Maybe if I had heard the Token's original first, I might have more favorable opinions of the song in general.
19. Stay With Me/The Faces--Although I enjoy the instrumental portions of this infectious rocker, particularly the keyboards and fuzz guitar, I don't care for the lyrics and overall misogynistic nature of this song. Not only does Rod come across as rude and insulting to his one-night-stand partner, he warns her not to show her face to him the next morning. It's clear he thinks of her as nothing but a sexual plaything to use and discard.
18. I'd Like To Teach.../The New Seekers--Coke Ad #2 is pleasant, sweet, and smooth (like you-know-what), but I enjoyed the first Coke Ad better, as I said before.
17. Drowning In The Sea Of Love/Joe Simon--Just like the Jerry Butler song from the first hour, I grew to love this song from hearing it on one of my 70's soul CD's. I love the understated R&B guitar, Joe's powerful vocals, and the big, majestic production, which captures perfectly the inherent dangers of the open sea, where one can easily drown.
16. Sugar Daddy/The Jackson 5--It has the same catchy appeal as their earlier bubblegum soul hits like "ABC" and "I Want You Back".
15. You Are Everything/The Stylistics--This soul gem has the same smooth vocals and lush arrangement as the rest of their classics, plus it has the intriguing addition of the swooping, surreal, almost psychedelic sound effect incorporated throughout.
14. Anticipation/Carly Simon--Also known as the Heinz ketchup jingle, Ms Simon delivers another fine vocal performance. I am also fixated by the drum work, especially the drawn-out rumbling to close the song.
13. Scorpio/Dennis Coffey & The Detroit Guitar Band--With its urban-sounding psychedelic brass and staccato guitar riffs, this is one exhilarating rock and roll instrumental.
12. Down By The Lazy River/The Osmonds--The adrenaline kept on running through my veins with this equally exhilarating rocker. If these brothers had released another dozen or so solid straight-up rockers like this, who knows, this group may just well have been taken seriously as a rock group and just maybe have an exhibit at a certain museum in Cleveland, Ohio right now.
11. Clean Up Woman/Betty Wright--This funky number has one of the most irresistible R&B guitar grooves of all time. And Betty's sassy vocals aren't too shabby, either.
10. Joy/Apollo 100--This pop/rock reworking of Bach's "Jesu, Joy Of Man's Desire" is gorgeously bombastic and downright goosebump-inducing in its power and majesty.
9. Hurting Each Other/The Carpenters--Another terrific, gut-wrenching release from Karen & Richard. I love how it opens suddenly with Karen's soft vocals and builds up to the thundering chorus, then scales back as she sings "without ever knowing why-y-y-y-y". Those lyrics are indeed insightful, as they tell the tale of a couple who love each other deeply but often act anything but loving towards one another.
8. Precious And Few/Climax--From the opening piano notes backed by strings, to Sonny Geraci's clear, sincere vocals, to the brass-infused bridge, to the final verse's majesty, followed by those piano notes, this light pop gem has had a special place in my heart from the moment I first heard it 43 years ago.
7. Sunshine/Jonathan Edwards--A light, breezy, fairly enjoyable acoustic release. As I said before in an earlier critique, I was rather shocked at the time at his use of the D word twice, which was still fairly rare in Top 40 radio at the time.
6. Never Been To Spain/Three Dog Night--It's OK, but they've had better hit songs.
5. Without You/Harry Nilsson--A delightfully sweet, sad love ballad, written by Peter Ham and Tom Evans of Badfinger
4. Day After Day/Badfinger--Speaking of which, the above duo wrote and recorded another magnificent record with this release. It just seems to have the perfect blend of rock rhythm, guitar wizardry (courtesy of George Harrison), and arresting beauty, especially in the choruses and the ending, featuring the gorgeous closing piano notes.
3. Brand New Key/Melanie--Well, I guess even overall exceptional countdowns like this have to have at least one clunker, and this silly, annoying piece of vinyl embarrassment fits the bill perfectly. Oh, well, it could be worse; that OE train wreck from earlier could have risen this high in the countdown. (Is that a frightening thought or what?)
2. Let's Stay Together/Al Green--This fine soul number, with its loping, military beat and positive message, was about to become Rev Al's only charttopper. But this week it would have to play second fiddle to a certain pop juggernaut that wasn't yet ready to budge from the top spot.
1. American Pie/Don McLean--From the opening tribute to Buddy Holly, to the catchy, upbeat verses full of intriguing imagery, to the rousing chorus, this epic hit truly deserves its legendary status. I was rather perplexed, however, at how Casey quoted lyrics from that final, slowed down verse, but then played the shortened version of that song that doesn't even include that verse. What a ripoff!
And my favorite song of the countdown (drum roll):
There are probably a dozen songs that could easily fit the bill, but I've got to go with "Precious And Few".
Thank you and good night!
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Post by pb on Feb 10, 2015 9:43:20 GMT -5
40. Everything I Own/Bread--Another masterfully arranged mellow hit by this underrated band, which teaches the valuable lesson that it takes less effort to keep a good woman than to try to win her back if you lose her. Although it makes sense to interpret the lyrics as being about a lost lover, David Gates would later say it was about the death of his father.
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Post by pb on Feb 10, 2015 18:54:10 GMT -5
Optional train wreck, er, extra: Once You Understand/Think--One more thing: I own a book called "The Worst Rock And Roll Records Of All Time" which list the authors' choices for 50 worst records and 50 worst albums. Of the records, their choice for all-time worst is Chuck Berry's "My Ding-a-Ling". I'll let you guess what came right behind it a #2. Since I was born a few years after this song was on the chart, I only knew of it from that book until I heard another early 72 AT40 rerun recently.
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Deleted
Deleted Member
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Post by Deleted on Feb 10, 2015 18:57:37 GMT -5
Hello everyone!
This is my first time doing a chart critique.
I am going to do the AT40 year end countdown from 2002.
I will not be doing the whole year end countdown.
96: DOWN 4 U - IRV GOTTI- No. Just no. I hate Ja Rule's annoying and obnoxious singing voice.
95: DIRRTY - CHRISTINA AGUILERA- An awesome song by an awesome artist.
94: OOPS (OH MY) - TWEET- I don't care for this song.
90: OBJECTION - SHAKIRA- Another song I don't care for.
85: EMOTION - DESTINY'S CHILD- I like this remake. It's much better than the original version.
82: JENNY FROM THE BLOCK - JENNIFER LOPEZ- I like how AT40 used the alternate version instead of the original Trackmasters Remix.
79: UH HUH - B2K- No. Just no.
77: FOR ALL TIME - SOLUNA- Nice song. I love the harmonies.
76: ROLL OUT (MY BUSINESS) - LUDACRIS- Meh.
70: SUPERMAN (IT'S NOT EASY) - FIVE FOR FIGHTING- Good song, but why is this on the Top 100 of 2002 when it was on the Top 100 of 2001?
67: HAPPY - ASHANTI- I love Ashanti. She has a nice voice.
62: HERE IS GONE - GOO GOO DOLLS- No. Just no.
58: IF I COULD GO - ANGIE MARTINEZ- Awesome song. This is on the Top 100 of 2003 as well.
57: LOSE YOURSELF - EMINEM- One of his best songs.
56: IT'S BEEN AWHILE - STAIND- Great song!
54: I'M REAL - JENNIFER LOPEZ- Ja Rule is also in this and his singing voice is not annoying for once.
53: CLEANIN' OUT MY CLOSET - EMINEM- Way to go AT40. Omitting an entire verse from this song. Not cool.
51: JUST A FRIEND 2002 - MARIO- This is horrible. No. Just no.
50: CARAMEL - CITY HIGH- This is the Trackmasters Remix and this song has the rapper Eve.
46: TURN OFF THE LIGHT - NELLY FURTADO- Good song. One of my favorites by her.
41: SK8ER BOI - AVRIL LAVIGNE- I used to hate this song but now I love it.
40: GANGSTA LOVIN' - EVE F/ ALICIA KEYS- Alicia Keys did a great job on this.
37: UNDERNEATH IT ALL - NO DOUBT FEATURING LADY SAW- No. Just no. Lady Saw is so annoying.
33: I NEED A GIRL (PART 1) - P.DIDDY F/ USHER AND LOON- Great song! I like Diddy and Usher.
31: ALWAYS ON TIME - JA RULE F/ASHANTI- I don't like this song.
30: HEAVEN - DJ SAMMY & YANOU- This is the annoying and obnoxious Techno version. They should've played the Candlelight Mix instead.
26: HELLA GOOD - NO DOUBT- I love this song.
21: HERO - CHAD KROEGER F/JOSEY SCOTT- I love Chad Kroger and Nickelback.
20: JUST LIKE A PILL - PINK- I love Pink. She has a nice singing voice.
19: HEY BABY - NO DOUBT- Another awesome song.
16: CAN'T GET YOU OUT OF MY HEAD - KYLIE MINOGUE- Kylie Minogue is awesome. So is this song.
15: DILEMMA - NELLY F/KELLY ROWLAND- Another nice song. I love the lyrics and Kelly Rowland did a great job.
14: WHAT'S LUV - FAT JOE F/ASHANTI- Is Ashanti even singing on this? It sure doesn't sound like her.
13: FAMILY AFFAIR - MARY J. BLIGE- Meh. Rainy Dayz is much better.
7: DON'T LET ME GET ME - PINK- I like the lyrics.
5: A THOUSAND MILES - VANESSA CARLTON- Again, I love the lyrics.
3: COMPLICATED - AVRIL LAVIGNE- It's tough to decide if I like SK8er Boi or this.
2: IN THE END - LINKIN PARK- I love everything about this song.
1: HOW YOU REMIND ME - NICKELBACK- The only song by them that I like.
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Post by mga707 on Feb 10, 2015 23:54:59 GMT -5
22. Witch Queen Of New Orleans/Redbone--This catchy, ominous record tells the story of a witch named Marie, if I was hearing correctly. This begs the question: was she Marie Laveau, from Bobby Bare's #1 country hit of the mid '70's? It would be quite a coincidence for both witches to be different but sharing the same first name. Yes, both songs were inspired by the same person, Marie Laveau, who was an actual historical figure. She was a well-known New Orleans Creole 'Voodoo priestess' of the mid-19th century. Good critique, as always. I agree with nearly everything you wrote. Although I do love Bobby Womack's "That's the Way I feel About 'cha" a whole lot. The late Mr. Womack was a most underrated talent. He had another excellent song that also made the lower reaches of the 40 a year later, "Harry Hippie".
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Post by jamie9012 on Feb 11, 2015 16:02:28 GMT -5
Hello everyone! This is my first time doing a chart critique. I am going to do the AT40 year end countdown from 2002. I will not be doing the whole year end countdown. 96: DOWN 4 U - IRV GOTTI- No. Just no. I hate Ja Rule's annoying and obnoxious singing voice. 95: DIRRTY - CHRISTINA AGUILERA- An awesome song by an awesome artist. 94: OOPS (OH MY) - TWEET- I don't care for this song. 90: OBJECTION - SHAKIRA- Another song I don't care for. 85: EMOTION - DESTINY'S CHILD- I like this remake. It's much better than the original version. 82: JENNY FROM THE BLOCK - JENNIFER LOPEZ- I like how AT40 used the alternate version instead of the original Trackmasters Remix. 79: UH HUH - B2K- No. Just no. 77: FOR ALL TIME - SOLUNA- Nice song. I love the harmonies. 76: ROLL OUT (MY BUSINESS) - LUDACRIS- Meh. 70: SUPERMAN (IT'S NOT EASY) - FIVE FOR FIGHTING- Good song, but why is this on the Top 100 of 2002 when it was on the Top 100 of 2001? 67: HAPPY - ASHANTI- I love Ashanti. She has a nice voice. 62: HERE IS GONE - GOO GOO DOLLS- No. Just no. 58: IF I COULD GO - ANGIE MARTINEZ- Awesome song. This is on the Top 100 of 2003 as well. 57: LOSE YOURSELF - EMINEM- One of his best songs. 56: IT'S BEEN AWHILE - STAIND- Great song! 54: I'M REAL - JENNIFER LOPEZ- Ja Rule is also in this and his singing voice is not annoying for once. 53: CLEANIN' OUT MY CLOSET - EMINEM- Way to go AT40. Omitting an entire verse from this song. Not cool. 51: JUST A FRIEND 2002 - MARIO- This is horrible. No. Just no. 50: CARAMEL - CITY HIGH- This is the Trackmasters Remix and this song has the rapper Eve. 46: TURN OFF THE LIGHT - NELLY FURTADO- Good song. One of my favorites by her. 41: SK8ER BOI - AVRIL LAVIGNE- I used to hate this song but now I love it. 40: GANGSTA LOVIN' - EVE F/ ALICIA KEYS- Alicia Keys did a great job on this. 37: UNDERNEATH IT ALL - NO DOUBT FEATURING LADY SAW- No. Just no. Lady Saw is so annoying. 33: I NEED A GIRL (PART 1) - P.DIDDY F/ USHER AND LOON- Great song! I like Diddy and Usher. 31: ALWAYS ON TIME - JA RULE F/ASHANTI- I don't like this song. 30: HEAVEN - DJ SAMMY & YANOU- This is the annoying and obnoxious Techno version. They should've played the Candlelight Mix instead. 26: HELLA GOOD - NO DOUBT- I love this song. 21: HERO - CHAD KROEGER F/JOSEY SCOTT- I love Chad Kroger and Nickelback. 20: JUST LIKE A PILL - PINK- I love Pink. She has a nice singing voice. 19: HEY BABY - NO DOUBT- Another awesome song. 16: CAN'T GET YOU OUT OF MY HEAD - KYLIE MINOGUE- Kylie Minogue is awesome. So is this song. 15: DILEMMA - NELLY F/KELLY ROWLAND- Another nice song. I love the lyrics and Kelly Rowland did a great job. 14: WHAT'S LUV - FAT JOE F/ASHANTI- Is Ashanti even singing on this? It sure doesn't sound like her. 13: FAMILY AFFAIR - MARY J. BLIGE- Meh. Rainy Dayz is much better. 7: DON'T LET ME GET ME - PINK- I like the lyrics. 5: A THOUSAND MILES - VANESSA CARLTON- Again, I love the lyrics. 3: COMPLICATED - AVRIL LAVIGNE- It's tough to decide if I like SK8er Boi or this. 2: IN THE END - LINKIN PARK- I love everything about this song. 1: HOW YOU REMIND ME - NICKELBACK- The only song by them that I like. It has been so long now since I have heard most of these Songs. And yet, many that I do not recognize. Some of my favorites include #70, #57, #21, #7, #5, #3 (which I hear very often), #2, and #1.
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Post by Hervard on Feb 14, 2015 9:22:55 GMT -5
American Top 40: February 14, 2015
This week's presentation - February 16, 1985
Droppers:
MISTAKE NO. 3 - CULTURE CLUB (33) - I liked this song, but I can see why it didn't do as well as their other hits. JAMIE - RAY PARKER, JR. (31) - Great song! Too bad this one didn't fare as well on the chart as "Ghostbusters". Ray wasn't completely gone from the chart, as a song that he produced is coming up in Hour 2. RUN TO YOU - BRYAN ADAMS (25) - Good song. He'd be back the following week with "Somebody" and the next single after that became one of his biggest hits ever. ALL I NEED - JACK WAGNER (24) - Great song! Shame that it dropped off!
40: JUST ANOTHER NIGHT – MICK JAGGER (debut) - This one was OK, but I generally preferred him with the Rolling Stones. 39: TRAGEDY – JOHN HUNTER (debut) - Good song. I felt this one was underrated. 38: I WANNA HEAR IT FROM YOUR LIPS – ERIC CARMEN (39) - Good song, but I preferred several others from him, such as his two Top 20 hits from 1976, as well as "Make Me Lose Control". At this point, Casey gave an update on George Harrison, saying that he doubts he'll ever record again. He only kept those plans for about two years. 37: HIGH ON YOU - SURVIVOR (40) - Good song, though not quite their best. I preferred their two songs that bookended this one (in fact, as I recall, "I Can't Hold Back" was still one of my favorite songs in the world at the time, sort of in a battle with the song at #7 on this week's show. 36: OOH OOH SONG – PAT BENATAR (38) - This song was pretty good, but I thought the title was pretty stupid. 35: SAVE A PRAYER – DURAN DURAN (debut) - Great song! One of their best songs ever! Much better than "The Wild Boys", which I felt was somewhat obnoxious. 34: MATERIAL GIRL - MADONNA (debut) - Good song, but this is just like the situation with the Survivor song - I preferred the song that preceded it, as well as its follow-up (only difference is that "Like A Virgin" wasn't one of my favorite songs in the world at the time). 33: KEEPING THE FAITH – BILLY JOEL (37) - Good song. Kind of a curveball hit, since it had been a half a year since his last release from An Innocent Man. 32: MONEY CHANGES EVERYTHING – CYNDI LAUPER (27) - This was OK, but definitely not her best (though her 1987 hit "Change Of Heart" sounded a little like this one, and that one is one of my favorites from her). 31: NAUGHTY NAUGHTY – JOHN PARR (36) - This was OK, but not quite as good as "St. Elmo's Fire". 30: ONLY THE YOUNG - JOURNEY (34) - Good song, but I prefer many others from them. OPTIONAL EXTRA: RHYTHM OF THE NIGHT - DeBARGE - Good song, but far from being my favorite song from them. 29: LOVE LIGHT IN FLIGHT – STEVIE WONDER (22) - Great song! This wasn't one of his biggest hits, but it might of at least hit the Top Ten had it been a hit around the Songs Of The Key Of Life era - sounded a little more suitable for that time period, IMO. 28: RELAX – FRANKIE GOES TO HOLLYWOOD (35) - Meh, not my cup of tea... LDD: THROUGH THE YEARS – KENNY ROGERS - Great song! As I mentioned in another thread, this song led the pack in the LDD department for many years. This was especially a popular LDD request for wedding anniversaries. 27: TENDERNESS – GENERAL PUBLIC (28) - This one was kind of just there - I neither liked it nor hated it. 26: ROCKIN’ AT MIDNIGHT – THE HONEYDRIPPERS (29) - Wow, they really went back for this one - all the way back to the Big Band Era! This was a pretty good rendition of this oldie. 25: PRIVATE DANCER – TINA TURNER (30) - Great song! Is it me, or did they cut out the second verse? 24: LOVER GIRL – TEENA MARIE (32) - This song was OK, but I preferred her other Top 40 hit from four years prior. Back in the day, I hated this song with a passion. 23: TOO LATE FOR GOODBYES – JULIAN LENNON (26) - Another mediocre song. I definitely preferred the other two Valotte singles. 22: JUNGLE LOVE – THE TIME (23) - I actually like this song, which is kind of surprising, given what kind of music it is. 21: CALL TO THE HEART - GUIFFRIA (15) - Great song! Their musical style reminded me of Triumph. 20: OPERATOR – MIDNIGHT STAR (18) - This song was pretty good. I liked the electronic voices. OPTIONAL EXTRA: ONE MORE NIGHT - PHIL COLLINS - Great song! Possibly my favorite of his No Jacket Required singles. 19: I WOULD DIE 4 U – PRINCE & THE REVOLUTION (10) - Good song. This one had a fast-rise, fast-fall chart run as I recall. 18: FOOLISH HEART – STEVE PERRY (19) - Great song! Possibly my favorite Street Talk single (though "She's Mine" would be a close second). 17: LIKE A VIRGIN - MADONNA (9) - Great song! Definitely one of her biggest hits ever! 16: MISLED – KOOL & THE GANG (20) - Good song, though their next song was my favorite song from the Emergency album. 15: MR. TELEPHONE MAN – NEW EDITION (21) - This was said Ray Parker, jr. produced hit, and you can definitely tell - it sounded a lot like a few of Ray's old songs with Raydio. Anyway, this was a great song - one of my favorites from them, and possibly my favorite song on the chart this week! LDD: I’M STILL STANDING – ELTON JOHN - Great song, and definitely fitting for the dedication, as it was about two guys in the military who were both victims of the dreaded "Dear John letter". 14: THE OLD MAN DOWN THE ROAD – JOHN FOGERTY (17) - Great song! Too bad the title track from Centerfield didn't hit the Top 40, as that was my favorite from that album. 13: YOU’RE THE INSPIRATION - CHICAGO (6) - Good song. I seem to remember that this one became a popular LDD request. 12: SOLID – ASHFORD & SIMPSON (12) - This is a song that improves with age. I did not like it at all back in the day, now I think it's a good one. 11: SUGAR WALLS – SHEENA EASTON (14) - Meh, not a fan of this one. I generally preferred her earlier songs. OPTIONAL EXTRA: I'M ON FIRE - BRUCE SPRINGSTEEN - Great song! One of seven hits from Born In The USA, definitely one of the biggest albums of the 80s. 10: CALIFORNIA GIRLS – DAVID LEE ROTH (13) - Good song - I even prefer this over the original Beach Boys video. 9: THE BOYS OF SUMMER – DON HENLEY (5) - Great song! One of his best solo hits. I can't help but wonder how much better this would have done on the charts if it had ben released in late spring or early summer rather than early winter. 8: THE HEAT IS ON – GLENN FREY (11) - Wow, two former Eagles back to back on the charts! Anyway, my favorite of the two was the song at #9. 7: CAN’T FIGHT THIS FEELING – REO SPEEDWAGON (16) - Great song! This one was on its way to becoming their biggest hit ever - in terms of weeks at #1, that is; their biggest hit overall was "Keep On Lovin' You", another great power ballad! 6: NEUTRON DANCE – THE POINTER SISTERS (8) - Not a fan of this one. I think KT Tunstall was inspired by this song for her first big hit. 5: METHOD OF MODERN LOVE – DARYL HALL & JOHN OATES (9) - Not bad, but I prefer many others by them. 4: LOVER BOY – BILLY OCEAN (5) - Good song, but not his best. 3: EASY LOVER - PHILIP BAILEY w/PHIL COLLINS (2) - Great song! The two Phils sounded quite good together. 2: I WANT TO KNOW WHAT LOVE IS - FOREIGNER (1) - The New Jersey Mass Choir and Jennifer Holliday's ad libs near the end well enhanced an already great song! 1: CARELESS WHISPER – WHAM FEATURING GEORGE MICHAEL (3) - We all know my opinion about this song - the infamous middle school dance slight totally killed this one for me.
Predictions for next week: It's already been revealed.
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Post by blackbowl68 on Feb 14, 2015 18:57:49 GMT -5
Casey answered a trivia question about artists having the most consecutive years hitting the top 10. (The question came from a listener in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada, which I am ironically listening to the broadcast on CPKE from that city.) His answer was two acts: The Temptations and Stevie Wonder.
The former is correct but the latter is not. The Temptations did indeed make the top 10 every year from 1965 to 1973. Stevie Wonder, on the other hand, never made the top 10 in 1972. He actually has two strings: 1966 to 1971, and 1973 to 1977. His song "Superstition" entered the top 10 the first chart week of 1973, and Casey's mistake could be attributed to thinking it got in the week before. Unfortunately, it doesn't account for why he thought Stevie missed in 1975.
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Post by mga707 on Feb 14, 2015 22:13:55 GMT -5
Casey answered a trivia question about artists having the most consecutive years hitting the top 10. (The question came from a listener in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada, which I am ironically listening to the broadcast on CPKE from that city.) His answer was two acts: The Temptations and Stevie Wonder. The former is correct but the latter is not. The Temptations did indeed make the top 10 every year from 1965 to 1973. Stevie Wonder, on the other hand, never made the top 10 in 1972. He actually has two strings: 1966 to 1971, and 1973 to 1977. His song "Superstition" entered the top 10 the first chart week of 1973, and Casey's mistake could be attributed to thinking it got in the week before. Unfortunately, it doesn't account for why he thought Stevie missed in 1975. I wondered about that myself when I heard it, and checked the charts. I agree with you--I would count 1975 and not count 1972 for Stevie, but I think that the AT40 staff's reasoning MIGHT have been the following: "Superstition" entered the top 10 the week ending January 6, 1973, which means that the first day of that chart week was December 31, 1972. "Boogie On Reggae Woman" entered the top 10 the week ending December 28, 1974, and stayed in the top 10 through the week ending February 15, 1975. So, if they were going strictly by the day that a song entered the top 10, they counted 1972 and did not count 1975. But I too would count 1975 and not count 1972, as would you.
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mmb
New Member
Posts: 42
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Post by mmb on Feb 14, 2015 23:47:43 GMT -5
Here's my critique of February 16, 1985 (14 at the time, a high point in my life) 40. JUST ANOTHER NIGHT- Mick Jagger: Enjoyable track, used to crank it up back in the day. 39. TRAGEDY- John Hunter: Don't remember hearing it in the day, but it's a pretty good track, that piano gets stuck in your head. 38. I WANNA HEAR IT FROM YOUR LIPS- Eric Carmen: I actually like this track, too bad it didn't go very far, he'd have to wait 2 years for his true comeback. 37. HIGH ON YOU- Survivor: Good track from VITAL SIGNS. 36. OOH OOH SONG- Pat Benetar: Not her best work, but a fun song to hear when you're on the road. 35. SAVE A PRAYER- Duran Duran: Good track, the B Side heard in the album ARENA is much better, it's clearer. 34. MATERIAL GIRL- Madonna: Take it or leave it, the first 2 tracks from LIKE A VIRGIN were my least favorites 33. KEEPING THE FAITH- Billy Joel: I like the radio remix they played on this show, good danceable track. 32. MONEY CHANGES EVERYTHING- Cyndi Lauper: Or GIRLS JUST WANT TO HAVE FUN lite. It's a good sounding track with a message that rings true. 31. NAUGHTY NAUGHTY- John Parr: A Rocker, he would have to wait a number of months for his biggest hit (and sadly his last). 30. ONLY THE YOUNG- Journey: Originally recorded by Scandal, this is not their best work but listenable. 29. LOVE LIGHT IN FLIGHT- Stevie Wonder: Like ONLY THE YOUNG, this is not Stevie's best work but it is a listenable song. 28. RELAX- Frankie Goes To Hollywood: Used to love hearing this song as a teen, never knowing what it was about. 27. TENDERNESS- General Public: Good track by a group once called The English Beat. 26. ROCKIN AT MIDNIGHT- Honeydrippers: Fun followup to the sombering SEA OF LOVE. 25. PRIVATE DANCER- Tina Turner: OK track written by Mark Knopfler (whose group would re-come alive in the summer) and guitar work by Jeff Beck. 24. LOVER GIRL- Teena Marie: Didn't care for it as a boy, listenable now. 23. TOO LATE FOR GOODBYES- Julian Lennon: Listenable but unexciting. VALOTTE and SAY YOU'RE WRONG were better tracks. 22. JUNGLE LOVE- The Time: Fun danceable track. 21. CALL TO THE HEART- Giuffria: When I first heard it, I thought it was Journey, good track, too bad they were one-hit wonders. 20. OPERATOR- Midnight Star: Danceable but unexciting. 19. I WOULD DIE 4 U- Prince and the Revolution: Not one of their best, but interesting lyrics. From PURPLE RAIN. 18. FOOLISH HEART- Steve Perry: Typical ballad that benefits from Steve's magical voice. Randy Jackson on Bass. 17. LIKE A VIRGIN- Madonna: Take it or leave it, though I didn't care for this track, it made Madonna not just a sex machine, but a hit machine. 16. MISLED- Kool & The Gang: Good song, they had a string of #10 hits. 15. MR. TELEPHONE MAN- New Edition: Fun track written by Ray Parker Jr. 14. THE OLD MAN DOWN THE ROAD- John Fogerty. Good track, CENTERFIELD was a great album on the whole despite his shots at the head of Fantasy Records. 13. YOU'RE THE INSPIRATION: Chicago: Love their ballads, if Kool and the Gang were the kings of #10 songs, Chicago was that of #3 songs. 12. SOLID- Ashford & Simpson: Good song by an underrated R&B duo as artists. 11. SUGAR WALLS- Sheena Easton: The Scotland singer no doubt was beautiful, but music wise her sexed up image didn't pan out well in my book. Does feature Bruce Hornsby on keyboards. 10. CALIFORNIA GIRLS- David Lee Roth: By the numbers version of the Beach Boys 1965 hit with Carl Wilson on backing vocals. Listenable but his followup remake is much better. 9. THE BOYS OF SUMMER- Don Henley: Good leadoff for the album BUILDING THE PERFECT BEAST. 8. THE HEAT IS ON- Glenn Frey: Good track for the founder of the Eagles who was back to back with the lead singer. 7. CAN'T FIGHT THIS FEELING- REO Speedwagon: Good ballad, though KEEP ON LOVING YOU is the better #1 ballad. 6. NEUTRON DANCE- Pointer Sisters: Danceable track played in one of the best car chase scenes in the 1980's, you know the movie. 5. METHOD OF MODERN LOVE- Hall & Oates: Best track from BIG BAM BOOM. 4. LOVERBOY- Billy Ocean: Track was overplayed when I was a boy, there's appreciation for it now. Love hearing how the movie OCEAN'S 11 inspired the former Leslie Charles to change his name. 3. EASY LOVER- Philip Bailey/Phil Collins: See #4. 2. I WANT TO KNOW WHAT LOVE IS- Foreigner: Powerful ballad that stands the test of time. 1. CARELESS WHISPER- George Michael: Yes, I know it's billed as WHAM!!! but I've read stories that Andrew Ridgeley was not in the studio when this song was recorded. Whether it's true or not, I still bill it as a George Michael song which is good. Thanks for reading my teen days critique. BTW, you guys were right it was Australia, I don't why Canada came to my head, been drinking too much Canada Dry I guess.
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Post by blackbowl68 on Feb 15, 2015 7:01:03 GMT -5
Actually "Careless Whisper" was billed as a George Michael solo single in most territories because they thought it was inconsistent with the teenybopper style Wham! was putting out. Andrew Ridgeley could have very well been present in its recording since he does have a writing credit on the song. It's a Wham! single in the US so they could include on the album Make It Big.
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Post by Hervard on Feb 15, 2015 18:54:43 GMT -5
American Top 40: The 70s - February 14, 2015
This week's presentation - February 18, 1978
40: BREAKDOWN – TOM PETTY & THE HEARTBREAKERS (debut) - Good song. Surprising that this was the song's only week on AT40, given its recurrent airplay today. 39: GALAXY - WAR (40) - This song was OK, but nothing special. 38: DUST IN THE WIND - KANSAS (debut) - Great song - very haunting sounding. This ended up being their biggest hit (and their only Top Ten, believe it or not). 37: GOODBYE GIRL – DAVID GATES (debut) - Great song! He sounded just as good as a solo act as he did with Bread. 36: JACK & JILL - RAYDIO (39) - Great song! One of their absolute best! 35: OUR LOVE – NATALIE COLE (38) - I know I'm sounding like a broken record, but this is another great song! 34: CAN’T SMILE WITHOUT YOU – BARRY MANILOW (debut) - Yet another great song, like most of Manilow's songs IMO, and one I remember quite well from back in the day! 33: ALWAYS & FOREVER - HEATWAVE (36) - And the streak continues! This was one of my favorite songs from Heatwave, and has become one of the most popular love songs of all time! 32: FALLING – LeBLANC & CARR (35) - They may be falling, but their song is going the other way. And, yes, it was a great song IMO. 31: SERPENTINE FIRE – EARTH, WIND & FIRE (13) - Well, the streak ends here, since this one's mediocre, but this song takes a hard fall, so it's all good. 30: STREET CORNER SERENADE – WET WILLIE (31) - This one was another "okies" song. 29: WONDERFUL WORLD – ART GARFUNKEL WITH JAMES TAYLOR & PAUL SIMON (33) - Well, nothing beats the old Sam Cooke classic, but this one was actually a good remake. 28: THE WAY YOU DO THE THINGS YOU DO – RITA COOLIDGE (34) - And what do you know - two remakes back to back! This was a good one, but I do prefer the original by the Temptations. 27: DESIREE – NEIL DIAMOND (16) - Ah, the first LDD song ever! It was so/so, but definitely not one of Diamond's best songs. OPTIONAL EXTRA: POOR PITIFUL ME - LINDA RONSTADT - And the remake streak continues thanks to the first extra (I wonder if it was deliberately placed her because of that)? This was a good one; can't say that I've heard the Warren Zevon version, however. 26: HAPPY ANNIVERSARY – LITTLE RIVER BAND (29) - This was not bad, but one of my least favorites from them. 25: THEME FROM CLOSE ENCOUNTERS - MECO (26) - Good song. Not sure if I prefer this or the John Williams version. 24: TOO HOT TA TROT - COMMODORES (24) - This was OK, but definitely not one of my favorites from them! 23: FFUN – CON FUNK SHUN (25) - Meh, typical roof raising R&B music - not my cup of tea. 22: NAME OF THE GAME - ABBA (28) - Wow, there was a streak of great songs in the first hour - the second hour seems to have lots of mediocre songs. Like the LRB song, this was one of my least favorites from Abba. 21: NATIVE NEW YORKER - ODYSSEY (22) - Good songs - reminded me a little of the Bee Gees. 20: LONG, LONG WAY FROM HOME - FOREIGNER (21) - This one was pretty good, but I preferred their two 1977 hits. 19: THUNDER ISLAND – JAY FERGUSON (27) - Great song! My favorite of his handful of hits. 18: WHAT’S YOUR NAME – LYNYRD SKYNYRD (19) - I'm not a huge fan of them, but this was a good one. 17: NIGHT FEVER - THE BEE GEES (32) - Good song, but my least favorite of their three hits on the chart this week. 16: YOU’RE IN MY HEART (THE FINAL ACCLAIM) – ROD STEWART (11) - Great song! This is another one I remember from back in the day. 15: DON’T LET ME BE MISUNDERSTOOD – SANTA ESMERALDA (17) - Great song! This is one of those cases when I prefer the remake over the original. 14: THEME FROM CLOSE ENCOUNTERS OF THE THIRD KIND – JOHN WILLIAMS (20) - Good song. Meco had the bigger version of the two Star Wars themes, but John Williams fared better with the Close Encounters theme (as #25 was all the higher that Meco got). OPTIONAL EXTRA: FEELS SO GOOD - CHUCK MANGIONE - Great song! I'm not sure which of his two Top 40 hits I prefer - they're both great - among my favorite jazz instrumentals of all time! 13: PEG – STEELY DAN (15) - Great song! And here's an oddity - they edited out the second half of the first verse and the first chorus. 12: I GO CRAZY – PAUL DAVIS (14) - Good song - one that got quite a lot of mileage on the charts! 11: LAY DOWN SALLY – ERIC CLAPTON (18) - This one was really burning up the chart! Many thought this might hit #1, but everybody knows that unless you were involved with the Bee Gees or the Saturday Night Fever soundtrack, you pretty much had to settle for second best during the first five months of 1978. Anyway, I liked this song back in the day and still think it's pretty good. 10: HOW DEEP IS YOUR LOVE – THE BEE GEES (10) - Even with "Night Fever" racing up the chart like lightning and "Staying Alive" riding high on the charts, this one was still going pretty strong. It is my favorite of their three songs on the chart this week! 9: BABY COME BACK - PLAYER (7) - This song was the exception to the Bee Gees rule I mentioned a few songs back (perhaps being on the RSO label helped). Anyway, this was a good song - another one I remember from back in early 1978). 8: SHORT PEOPLE – RANDY NEWMAN (2) - Great song, with a great message - that short people are just like everyone else. 7: DANCE, DANCE, DANCE, YOWSAH, YOWSAH, YOWSAH - CHIC (9) - Meh, next song please... 6: EMOTION – SAMANTHA SANG (8) - Great song! As we all know, the Bee Gees sang back-up on this song. 5: SOMETIMES WHEN WE TOUCH – DAN HILL (6) - Good song. He seemed destined to be a one-hit wonder for nearly ten years, but he had a comeback song in the summer of 1987, which, of course, hit the Top Ten just like this one. 4: WE ARE THE CHAMPIONS - QUEEN (4) - Great song! One of my favorites from them! I remember this one, as well as "We Will Rock You", which the radio station I listened to almost always played together. 3: JUST THE WAY YOU ARE – BILLY JOEL (5) - Classic love song here! Also, this was Joel's first Top Ten hit, although he was already famous for what remains his signature hit, "Piano Man". OPTIONAL EXTRA: YOU HAVEN'T DONE NOTHIN' - STEVIE WONDER - Good song, and LOL @ the practical joke he played on Elton John! 2: LOVE IS THICKER THAN WATER – ANDY GIBB (3) - Good song - not quite as good as "I Just Want To Be Your Everything" and "Everlasting Love", but I do prefer this over "Shadow Dancing" and "(Our Love) Don't Throw It All Away". 1: STAYIN’ ALIVE – THE BEE GEES (1) - Great song! One of their best upbeat hits.
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