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Post by Hervard on Sept 9, 2015 13:47:34 GMT -5
3) To me, Premiere's optional extra of "Lola" by the Kinks was their way of saying "there weren't many good records to choose from (that fits our format)." That chart week had many great potential extras, but most of them were not popular on AC, Hot AC or AOR radio. It was just a very lame choice for the show! Why they played the studio version of "Lola" from ten years before, instead of the live version is beyond me. Unless they couldn't find a clean copy of the live version.
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Post by davewollenberg on Sept 12, 2015 11:56:18 GMT -5
Actually, blackbowl, 'Turn it on again', DID make the Hot 100, peakin' at #58. So, it wasn't just an album cut.
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Post by Hervard on Sept 12, 2015 16:25:45 GMT -5
There are three repeat shows this weekend; instead of posting recycled commentaries, I'll post links to my original ones: September 18, 1976 (Near the middle of the page; the first of four critiques in a row, as it was part of the WMGN marathon on July 4 weekend in 2009) September 18, 1982 (My last post on the page) September 8, 1984 (My first post on the page)
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Post by slf on Sept 16, 2015 20:23:37 GMT -5
For the week ending September 18, 1976: I'm BAAACK! (I warned you all I'd probably pop up again.) It just so happens that I've never done a critique from the 2nd half of 1976, so with I believe one exception, these are all new songs I'll be commenting on. And after all these months, I hope, like Ralph Malph, I still got it. 40. Sunrise/Eric Carmen--The first five countdown songs are either ones I had never heard before or had otherwise forgotten how they sounded. This first one was probably my favorite of these, and the best Eric Carmen song of that year. I remember it having a big, radiant sound. 39. It's OK/The Beach Boys--Add the word "barely" to the title and that would be my opinion of this tepid, latter-day Beach Boy release. 38. Get The Funk Out Ma Face/The Brothers Johnson--Oh, don't you just love how some people like to use "funk" as a substitute for that other FCC-forbidden word? How original! Anyway, this was another less-than-impressive release, but, hey, at least the bros would redeem themselves next year with the stellar "Strawberry Letter 23". 37. (The System Of) Dr. Tarr & Professor Fether/The Alan Parsons Project--Despite the bewildering title, I remember the song itself being fairly dramatic and powerful (though I don't remember what it was all about.) 36. Superstar/Paul Davis--Although not in the same league as The Carpenters' gorgeous song of the same title, I seem to remember this being rather pleasant and polished, just the same. 35. I Only Want To Be With You/The Bay City Rollers--I seem to remember hearing the song a LOT that autumn, partly because I think my sisters had the 45 single of this song. I was immediately impressed by the catchy melody and sharp, sunny arrangement. Then, years later, I was introduced to Dusty Springfield's original, and was even more enamored with her rendition. (Oh, and in between, I remember Nicolette Larson's fine version. Oh, heck, it's just a great song period!) 34. Kiss And Say Goodbye/The Manhattens--Except for the staccato horn riff played throughout, it's just so-so musically, but the words are emotionally stirring. 33. Don't Stop Believing/Olivia Newton-John--Although not as great as the ubiquitous Journey classic of the same name, this is one of ONJ's better hits. It has a radiant, positive sound, and she provides sweet vocals. 32. I Can't Hear You No More/Helen Reddy--This is one of only a few of her hits that I don't recall hearing at the time. But I enjoyed hearing it for the first time; it was nicely upbeat and it had a catchy rhythm. 31. Don't Fear The Reaper/Blue Oyster Cult--A fine classic rock number with a stirring guitar hook and spacey atmosphere and vocals. This is one of those rock classics that the anti-rock zealots love to rail against; they supposedly believe the lyrics promote suicide. I choose to give the band the benefit of the doubt and say that they were only meaning to tell a supernatural tale. To me, the tale is reminiscent of the classic Twilight Zone episode "Nothing In The Dark" (Spoiler Alert!) The episode features a paranoid old woman who answers a knock on the door to find a handsome young man (a young Robert Redford). He reveals himself to be a death angel and successfully persuades her to take his hand and go with him to the Other Side. I wonder if the members of BOC were influenced by that story? 30. Baby, I Love Your Way/Peter Frampton--Although not nearly as enjoyable as the bouncy "Show Me The Way", the smooth, relaxed feel of this love ballad has grown on me in recent years. 29. This Masquerade/George Benson--A fairly enjoyable light jazz number. 28. One Love In My Lifetime/Diana Ross--A typical Diana Ross solo release from the '70's: pretty, stirring, dramatic 27. Street Singin'/Lady Flash--This dynamic song was probably my favorite surprise of the countdown. I loved the electrifying doowop harmonizing of those ladies. One of my reference books says that these were Barry Manilow's backup singers and that he wrote and produced this record. Although I'm sure they were glad for the great gig they had, they still deserved more than one-hit wonder status as a stand-alone group. 26. Magic Man/Heart--It's a fine classic rock staple, full of drama and tension, but a couple steps down in quality from their majestic debut "Crazy On You". 25. Heaven Must Be Missing An Angel/Tavares--I could almost title this release "Heaven Must Be Missing A Song", for this sparkling, shimmering disco classic sounds like it was sent down from St. Peter himself. Oh, and the lyrics are sure to melt any woman's heart. 24. Let 'Em In/Wings--It's a dumb but catchy song. (So dumb and inoffensive that within months of its release, I remember it being played on "Captain Kangaroo". Even then I though the song fit right in.) 23. Rock 'N Me/The Steve Miller Band--Although I am rather impressed with Steve's wild guitar playing on this charttopper, the song is otherwise so-so, at best. 22. Shower The People/James Taylor--As mediocre as most of his songs. 21. That'll Be The Day/Linda Ronstadt--A vastly inferior cover of the Buddy Holly classic. It lacks the timeless rockabilly guitar and vocal charm of the original. 20. She's Gone/Hall & Oates--Although the chorus is delightfully dramatic, the mumbled verses do nothing for me. And, guys, it's "carbon monoxide", not "carbon and monoxide". 19. Wham Bam (Shang-A-Lang)/Silver--With its high energy production and catchy, punchy chorus, this is one of my favorite songs of the countdown. 18. Who'd She Coo/The Ohio Players--So-so, at best (The funk is a little too hard core for me.) 17. Get Away/Earth, Wind, & Fire--A far superior soul number than the previous one, with a sunnier, more polished arrangement. And I love Phillip Bailey's falsetto vocals. 16. Still The One/Orleans--A nicely breezy, peppy light rock classic. 15. A Little Bit More/Dr. (gag me with a) Hook--You have to know that any song with a line such as "When you're body's had enough of me" has to be a stinker! Not only are his vocals as obnoxious as ever, the lyrics seem to imply that he wants to force himself on his woman, even after "her body's had enough". I'm sorry if some of you consider this a sweet live song, but, to me, it's anything but. 14. Don't Go Breaking My Heart/Elton John & Ki Ki Dee--Ah, talk about the perfect antidote for the previous toxic number! This has always been one of my favorite songs by Sir Elton. It's just such a lively, peppy, and masterfully-crafted pop song that it's impossible not to love. BTW, how many of you remember that classic episode of "One Day At A Time", where the daughters performed this song at a New Years' Eve show, with Julie playing Ki Ki and Barbara impersonating Elton John, big glasses and all. It was a riot; you had to see it to believe it. 13. Disco Duck/Rick Dees And His Cast OF Idiots--Ah, yes, who can forget this multi-Grammy winning future ROR Hall Of Fame Inductee? Actually, I can't help but have a soft spot for outrageous novelty hits like this. Admit it, doesn't the call-and-response between the female backups and the duck make YOU chuckle at least a little bit? 12. With Your Love/Jefferson Starship--With the gentle, breezy, guitar-and-marimba arrangement, and Marty Balin's mellow, soulful vocals, this is a highly enjoyable lite rock classic. 11. Say You Love Me/Fleetwood Mac--I can take it or leave it. 10. You Should Be Dancing/The Bee Gees--Powerful, assertive disco classic that was a major precursor to their future masterpieces from Saturday Night Fever. (This song was actually included on the soundtrack.) 9. If You Leave Me Now/Chicago--I find it so mind-boggling that sharp, masterful, dynamic Chicago hits such as "Beginnings", "Make Me Smile", and "25 or 6 To 4" fell short of hitting #1, but this tepid ballad managed to do the trick. 8. Summer/War--With its relaxed, tropical feel, this just might be the group's best hit song. 7. Devil Woman/Cliff Richard--I can take it or leave it. 6. Lowdown/Boz Scaggs--I was very much a Johnny-come-lately to CD's; I didn't buy my first CD player until 2001. And the very first CD I bought for my new toy was a used Boz Scaggs greatest hits CD. And, of course, this was the lead-off single. With its breezy flute melody and the two dramatic bursts of brass, this was always a much-loved hit, as well as several other of the guy's hits. (I discovered three other great lesser-known songs on that CD, as well.) 5. You'll Never Find Another Love Like Mine/Lou Rawls--A fairly enjoyable soul classic, with gorgeously lush arrangement and amazing vocals. 4. A Fifth Of Beethoven/Walter Murphy & The Big Apple Band--See #2 3. I'd Really Love To See You Tonight/England Dan & John Ford Coley--A nicely breezy, mellow feel-good pop song, with piano, rock guitar, and strings creating just the right arrangement. 2. (Shake, Shake, Shake) Shake Your Booty/KC & The Sunshine Band--As disco classics go, these are only average. They definitely pale in comparison to the stellar dance song by Tavares earlier in the countdown. 1. Play That Funky Music/Wild Cherry--I have always considered this an obnoxious, highly overrated dance song. I'd take the mediocre afore-mentioned KC and Walter Murphy songs over this any day. And my favorite song of the countdown: "Heaven Must Be Missing An Angel" edges out the great songs by Silver and Sir Elton because, apart from the magnificent arrangement, it's also a sweet love song. Thank you and good night!
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Post by mga707 on Sept 17, 2015 16:19:40 GMT -5
31. Don't Fear The Reaper/Blue Oyster Cult--A fine classic rock number with a stirring guitar hook and spacey atmosphere and vocals. This is one of those rock classics that the anti-rock zealots love to rail against; they supposedly believe the lyrics promote suicide. I choose to give the band the benefit of the doubt and say that they were only meaning to tell a supernatural tale. To me, the tale is reminiscent of the classic Twilight Zone episode "Nothing In The Dark" (Spoiler Alert!) The episode features a paranoid old woman who answers a knock on the door to find a handsome young man (a young Robert Redford). He reveals himself to be a death angel and successfully persuades her to take his hand and go with him to the Other Side. I wonder if the members of BOC were influenced by that story? I've long pondered the somewhat obtuse lyrics to this song and, like you, reject the simplistic 'suicide is far-out' allegation. But, until now, I've never quite been able to figure them out. Darned if you haven't nailed it: It most certainly does sound like the plot of this particular "Twilight Zone" episode!
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Post by reachinforthestars on Sept 17, 2015 23:52:29 GMT -5
One of my favorite songs of 1976 and therefore I know a bit about the story behind it. But I'll let the man who wrote it explain it in his words: Story behind "Don't Fear The Reaper"
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Post by laura on Sept 19, 2015 13:57:10 GMT -5
It was seven years ago when I started this thread, and my opinions on some of these songs has changed quite a bit, and I figured hey, since it's airing again this week, why don't I give an update on my first critique? My new critique will be in blue.
40: PARANOIMIA – THE ART OF NOISE WITH MAX HEADROOM(a rather spacy song, but I guess that's how The Art Of Noise is)/(Still kind of feel the same about it. I also prefer their remake of "Kiss" which charted a couple years later.) 39: WE DON’T HAVE TO TAKE OUR CLOTHES OFF – JERMAINE STEWART (fun song)/(I like the message of the song. Helps that it's upbeat) 38: MAD ABOUT YOU – BELINDA CARLISLE (one of my faves in this particular show)/(It holds up pretty well. Not a bad start for this then-former Go-Go) 37: GIRL CAN’T HELP IT - JOURNEY(not one of my absolute favorite songs from the band)/(I warmed up to it quite a bit since then. It's a little catchy.) 36: GLORY OF LOVE (THEME FROM “THE KARATE KID PART II”) – PETER CETERA (not that big on ballads like this)/(Opinion holds true to this day. Sounds overdone.) 35: POINT OF NO RETURN – NU SHOOZ (nice, but TOO MUCH DRUM!)/(I rather "I Can't Wait" but this was also a fine dance song.) 34: EARTH ANGEL (FROM “KARATE KID PART II”) – NEW EDITION(decent cover)/(Don't care much for it, honestly) 33: I DIDN’T MEAN TO TURN YOU ON – ROBERT PALMER (a very funky dance tune that I like)/(One of my favorites from this chart. No surprise especially with who produced it.) 32: SWEET LOVE – ANITA BAKER (her voice on this song is just beautiful)/(A nice jazzy transition here.) 31: MONEY$ TOO TIGHT (TO MENTION) – SIMPLY RED (a really cool song the first time I heard it)/(Another social message song, but I still like it.) 30: TRUE COLORS – CYNDI LAUPER (wonderful tune!)/(I prefer her more upbeat songs, but it's too beautiful to have me say anything bad about it.) 29: A MATTER OF TRUST – BILLY JOEL (should have charted higher IMO)/(A great song from him, but not necessarily his best.) 28: RUMORS – TIMEX SOCIAL CLUB (guilty pleasure, no matter how bad it may sound)/(Same, seven-years-younger version of me. Same) 27: PAPA DON’T PREACH – MADONNA (not my fave Madonna song)/(Still not my fave Madonna song) 26: LOVE WALKS IN – VAN HALEN (it's Van Halen! What else? )/(Don't have much of an opinion on Van Halen, but I prefer their stuff with David Lee Roth more.) 25: TWIST AND SHOUT – THE BEATLES (and it's the Beatles! Who doesn't love their music?)/(An absolute classic. Ferris Bueller was on last night and that part' still funny.) 24: MAN SIZE LOVE (FROM “RUNNING SCARED”) - KLYMAXX (rather low point in the show IMO)/(One of my 180 turns when it comes to songs. It's actually pretty good.) 23: ALL CRIED OUT – LISA LISA & CULT JAM WITH FULL FORCE (nice, but prefer her dancy stuff she released a year later)/(Uhhhh her voice is so shrill) 22: HEAVEN IN YOUR EYES - LOVERBOY (I just skipped it)/(Same again. Their rockers are way better.) 21: PRESS – PAUL McCARTNEY (Makes you yearn for more Beatles songs IMO)/(Yeah, definitely not his best work.) 20: HEARTBEAT – DON JOHNSON (should have stuck to acting)/(I'll admit that this is a pretty guilty pleasure now, even though the song is still terrible.) 19: TYPICAL MALE – TINA TURNER (pretty good I guess)/(I prefer her stuff off "Private Dancer," but it's good, I guess.) 18: MISSIONARY MAN – THE EURYTHMICS (one of their last hits, I believe, but it's still a cool-sounding song)/(A pretty strong song. My absolute fave is "Here Comes The Rain Again," but that's for another critique.) 17: THROWING IT ALL AWAY - GENESIS (great cut from a great album)/(Still hold that opinion to this day.) 16: THE CAPTAIN OF HER HEART - DOUBLE (a good sleep aide)/(Very mellow there. Too soft for me to pay actually attention to.) 15: TWO OF HEARTS – STACEY Q (such a cute song, can't resist!)/(I find this song a bit annoying now. That I-I-I-I-I-I thing makes me want to yank my hair off, especially with it being repeated so many times.) 14: WHEN I THINK OF YOU – JANET JACKSON (one of my faves from Janet)/(I loved all the singles that were released from the "Control" album. Guess it helps that my mom played her Design of a Decade tape in the car a lot when I was younger.) 13: SWEET FREEDOM (THEME FROM “RUNNING SCARED”) – MICHAEL McDONALD (Favorite song on the countdown)/(Still one of my favorites. Also like "I Keep Forgettin'" from four years before.) 12: HIGHER LOVE – STEVE WINWOOD (Used to like it, now... not sure)/(A very nice comeback for him.) 11: LOVE ZONE – BILLY OCEAN (boring)/(More smoothness) 10: BABY LOVE - REGINA (comes in at a close second for my favorite song on the chart)/(Yet another Madonna wannabe, though she was able to work with someone who worked with Madonna, so there's that.) 9: DREAMTIME – DARYL HALL (I could care less)/(Wow, young me, pretty harsh. I really like this song now.) 8: DON’T FORGET ME (WHEN I’M GONE) – GLASS TIGER (makes me happy)/(It's one of those songs I just can't skip over if I had to. This was the one I liked the most out of the four or so hits they had.) 7: VENUS - BANANARAMA (nice and danceable)/(Not much of a Bananarama fan. I guess I'll put this as my favorite.) 6: WALK THIS WAY – RUN-D.M.C. (If it wasn't for this group, then Aerosmith would not have came back! This song made history, IMO)/(That last part was a bit of a stretch, but it did push Aerosmith back into the mainstream. Also this was rap back when it was tolerable.) 5: WORDS GET IN THE WAY – MIAMI SOUND MACHINE (too slow for me, but the melody is a thing of beauty)/(A nice ballad that showed that a dance band like them can pull off having a softer side.) 4: TAKE MY BREATH AWAY (THEME FROM “TOP GUN”) - BERLIN (once again, not to big on soundtrack ballads)/(Yawn. That's all) 3: FRIENDS AND LOVERS – CARL ANDERSON AND GLORIA LORING (I skipped this one too)/(Look to the song above for the opinion.) 2: DANCING ON THE CEILING – LIONEL RICHIE (For once, I agree with VH1 on this song)/(Not one of his best, but it's not as bad as some may make it out to be.) 1: STUCK WITH YOU – HUEY LEWIS & THE NEWS (This one I don't agree with VH1, but I prefer their stuff from Sports)/(Great song. I also like "Doing It All For My Baby" and "Hip to Be Square" from that same album.)
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Post by Hervard on Sept 19, 2015 18:15:36 GMT -5
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Post by blackbowl68 on Sept 20, 2015 13:10:49 GMT -5
CASEY KASEM’S AMERICAN TOP 40: The 70s – September 19, 2015 This week presentation is for the Billboard pop chart for the week ending September 18, 1971
PERSONAL: I was living as a young tot in England with my family on a USAF base. I was too young to know the existence of AT40 or Billboard. All I was aware of at the time Sesame Street & Looney Tunes.
DROPPERS: (Announced by Casey before the first song played) K-JEE –THE NITE-LITERS (39) I LIKES TO DO IT – THE PEOPLE’S CHOICE (38) HOT PANTS (PT. 1) – JAMES BROWN (37) GO DOWN GAMBLIN’ – BLOOD, SWEAT & TEARS (36) SWEET HITCHHIKER – CREEEDENCE CLEARWATER REVIVAL (22) MR. BIG STUFF – JEAN KNIGHT (21)
And here we go… 40: YO-YO – THE OSMONDS (debut) Ogden family group do an interesting take on obscure Billy Joe Royal number. 39: I’VE FOUND SOMEONE OF MY OWN – THE FREE MOVEMENT (debut) Studio group takes soulful song about breaking up to new heights. 38: SURRENDER - DIANA ROSS (40) Former Supreme gets a little demanding on this decent single. 37: I AIN’T GOT TIME ANYMORE - THE GLASS BOTTLE (debut) New Jersey sextet led by Gary Criss breaks through with modest pop single first issued as a B-side. The original AT40 broadcast of this show played the wrong side of this single but got the correct song remastered here. 36: THE LOVE WE HAD (Stays On My Mind) - THE DELLS (debut) Doo-wop soul group from Harvey, IL scores a good number with an elaborate arrangement. 35: THIN LINE BETWEEN LOVE & HATE – THE PERSUADERS (debut) New York soul group lays out what can happen if you come home too late at night. 34: THE BREAKDOWN (PT. 1) –RUFUS THOMAS (debut) “The world’s oldest teenager” shows us more dance steps that’s easier said than dunn. 33: THE WEDDING SONG (There Is Love) - PAUL STOOKEY (34) Noel steps out from his trio to give us this beautiful folk number. 32: IF NOT FOR YOU - OLIVIA NEWTON-JOHN (29) Australian lass does light hearted take on Bob Dylan song and makes her American debut. 31: MERCY MERCY ME (THE ECOLOGY) - MARVIN GAYE (15) DC native hits with another brilliant message song from a landmark album. 30: SATURDAY MORNING CONFUSION - BOBBY RUSSELL (31) Singer songwriter takes “Watching Scotty Grow” theme & turns it into chaos. 29: RAIN DANCE - GUESS WHO (33) I will never understand this effort from Canadian rock outfit. 28: RIDERS ON THE STORM - THE DOORS (25) Great but haunting effort from L.A. rock band marking the swan song for their charismatic lead singer. PREMIERE OPTIONAL EXTRA: MICHAEL – THE HIGHWAYMEN (1961) The #1 song this week in that year is done by a quintet of fraternity brothers with a nice folk rendition of a song that has a very interesting history of its own. 27: MAKE IT FUNKY (PT. 1) - JAMES BROWN (30) Soul brother #1 lays down what this picnic basket jam needs to have. 26: BEGINNINGS – CHICAGO (19) Rerelease of single from group’s debut album is still a winner even in its edited version. 25: SO FAR AWAY - CAROLE KING (32) Singer-songwriter wishes her man was closer to home on this sparse single. 24: THE STORY IN YOUR EYES - THE MOODY BLUES (26) Brit prog rock band charts with a number that has a better groove than last year’s “Question.” 23: BANGLA-DESH - GEORGE HARRISON (23) Former Beatle makes plea to the public to help the people of this savaged nation. 22: CHIRPY CHIRPY CHEEP CHEEP - MAC & KATIE KISSOON (27) West Indies pair wins cover battle against Middle of the Road for US chart supremacy of bubblegum stomper. Not sure which one is the original. 21: SWEET CITY WOMAN – THE STAMPEDERS (35) Canadian band makes a banjo sound very funky on this summertime track. 20: IF YOU REALLY LOVE ME - STEVIE WONDER (28) The wonder man feels his partner isn’t taking their relationship seriously on this gutsy track. 19: TIRED OF BEING ALONE - AL GREEN (24) Soul crooner says he needs love and affection on this breakthrough single. 18: SIGNS - FIVE MAN ELECTRICAL BAND (9) Canadian band does great message song stating too many boundaries are being held up to limit the people. 17: LIAR - THREE DOG NIGHT (13) L.A. septet does justice to this song first done by Argent but I dislike this single mix. 16: DO YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN - LEE MICHAELS (20) Session musician is surprised to learn his girl is with his best friend on his only major hit. 15: WON'T GET FOOLED AGAIN - THE WHO (16) One of the Brit band’s best singles which is heard today on CSI: Miami reruns and a new commercial. 14: I WOKE UP IN LOVE THIS MORNING - THE PARTRIDGE FAMILY (18) Cool song from TV group starring David Cassidy. PREMIERE OPTIONAL EXTRA: A NATURAL MAN – LOU RAWLS – Casey says Chicago soul man was telling kids to stay in school but ironically sings about how he’s doing your own thing. 13: TAKE ME HOME, COUNTRY ROADS - JOHN DENVER with FAT CITY (8) New Mexico singer/songwriter breaks through with single about natural wilderness. 12: SUPERSTAR - CARPENTERS (17) East Coast family duo does brilliant rendition of decadent song about fan modulation. 11: STICK-UP – THE HONEY CONE (14) L.A. female trio does tongue-in-cheek number about men who don’t take care of business. 10: WHATCHA SEE IS WHATCHA GET - THE DRAMATICS (11) Motor City vocal group takes their sound to Memphis & gives Motown a run for their money. 9: HOW CAN YOU MEND A BROKEN HEART – THE BEE GEES (6) British family group scores first #1 in US with very slow, morbid ballad. 8: THE NIGHT THEY DROVE OLD DIXIE DOWN - JOAN BAEZ (12) More cohesive rendition of legendary track first done by the Band. 7: I JUST WANT TO CELEBRATE - RARE EARTH (7) Motown rock band scores another top 10 hit this time with an original optimistic number. 6: SMILING FACES SOMETIMES – THE UNDISPUTED TRUTH (3) Motown psychedelic soul group scores only major pop hit with message song first recorded by the Temptations. 5: UNCLE ALBERT/ADMIRAL HALSEY - PAUL & LINDA McCARTNEY (5) Former #1 by former Beatle (and his wife) doing an odd medley about two interesting characters. 4: MAGGIE MAY - ROD STEWART (10) British lad breaks through with “Mrs. Robinson” type ballad more interesting than original A-side. 3: AIN'T NO SUNSHINE - BILL WITHERS (4) West Virginia native scores first major hit with bluesy ballad that was actually the flip side of the track Casey was describing. PREMIERE OPTIONAL EXTRA: GYPSYS, TRAMPS & THIEVES – CHÉR – Casey talked about her child with husband Sonny who was named after the title of her 1969 film, which she played a woman similarly described in this future #1 hit single. 2: SPANISH HARLEM - ARETHA FRANKLIN (2) The Queen of Soul goes once again to the Ben E. King songbook & injects black pride into this classic. 1: GO AWAY LITTLE GIRL - DONNY OSMOND (1) Ogden native becomes first artist to take a remake of previous #1 to the top of the charts with a light hearted rendition of song about unrequited love.
SYNOPSIS: This was a transitional period in pop music. The recent deaths of several rock icons and the breakup of several legendary groups led to many solo careers getting started. The importance of albums was now being utilized by genres outside of rock and roll. This was also a strong time for teen pop, but for some reason wasn’t being taken seriously by the critics despite massive sales.
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Post by jamie9012 on Sept 23, 2015 15:22:27 GMT -5
Greetings.
Here is my Critique for the Ep. from 1975. However, as I did not hear the Episode, my notes will only concern the Songs.
September 27, 1975
40: LYIN’ EYES – THE EAGLES - I will say that I do not know many of these Songs in the chart for this Week. Yet, this one is a big exception. 39: IF I EVER LOSE THIS HEAVEN – THE AVERAGE WHITE BAND - Originally from Quincy Jones. Earlier in 1975, The Average White Band reached #1 with "Pick Up The Pieces". 38: I ONLY HAVE EYES FOR YOU – ART GARFUNKEL - Mr. Garfunkel released his own version of this often-recorded standard. 37: I GOT STONED AND I MISSED IT – JIM STAFFORD - This was an odd novelty Song written by Shel Silverstein. Jim Stafford had several hits in the 1970s, and it seems that this was his final. 36: SOLITAIRE – THE CARPENTERS - And I thought that "Rainy Days And Mondays" was sad! It seems that there are quite a few remakes on this Chart. This was written by Neil Sedaka (and he will appear a bit later). 35: WHAT A DIFF’RENCE A DAY MAKES – ESTHER PHILLIPS - Another remake! Originally from the 1930s, and also recorded by Dinah Washington in the 1950s. 34: YOU’RE ALL I NEED TO GET BY – TONY ORLANDO & DAWN - Good. 33: DO IT ANY WAY YOU WANNA – PEOPLES CHOICE - I will have to listen to this Song again. 32: THEME FROM “JAWS” – JOHN WILLIAMS - Very, very scary. 31: CAROLINA IN THE PINES – MICHAEL MURPHY - Another hit from this Singer, who is from Texas. His biggest hit on the American Top 40 was "Wildfire", which appeared in the Charts in the Spring/Summer of 1975. 30: WHO LOVES YOU – THE FOUR SEASONS - This sounds very different from other Songs that I know from them. It features a more aggressive rock sound, which is in contrast to some of their others (even those that Frankie Valli recorded by himself). 29: LADY BLUE – LEON RUSSELL - Not bad. Another hit from him, "Tight Rope", also entered the Top 40. 28: GET DOWN TONIGHT – K.C. & THE SUNSHINE BAND - A huge disco Classic from Harry Wayne Casey and the others. #1 in August of 1975. 27: MIRACLES – JEFFERSON STARSHIP - A big hit from this band, and was written by Marty Balin. 26: GONE AT LAST – PAUL SIMON & PHOEBE SNOW - Both singers did great with this gospel-sounding Song. 25: BAD BLOOD – NEIL SEDAKA - And now, here is Neil Sedaka (with Elton John singing in the background). Such strong lyrics in this one, but I enjoy it all the way. #1 in October of 1975 24: ROCKY – AUSTIN ROBERTS - Sad lyrics in this Song, but good music. Although I was confused as to who died. I will have to search for the Lyrics later. 23: BRAZIL – THE RITCHIE FAMILY - Nice song to dance to! 22: THE PROUD ONE – THE OSMONDS - Yet another remake (although there may have been others)! This was the last song from The Osmonds to reach the Top 40, and it peaked here at #22. 21: HOW LONG (BETCHA’ GOT A CHICK ON THE SIDE) – THE POINTER SISTERS - Good vocals in the Verses. 20: DAISY JANE - AMERICA - This nice Song follows their hit "Sister Golden Hair", which reached #1 in June of 1975. 19: FALLIN’ IN LOVE – HAMILTON, JOE FRANK AND REYNOLDS - A former #1 hit for this trio. Their previous American Top 40 hit was "Don't Pull Your Love" from 1971. 18: THEY JUST CAN’T STOP IT (THE GAMES PEOPLE PLAY) – THE SPINNERS - Very good! I really like how this one sounds. I wonder who the female vocalist was? 17: IT ONLY TAKES A MINUTE - TAVARES - I liked this Song. 16: FEELINGS – MORRIS ALBERT - A melancholy Song of regret and lost love. 15: I BELIEVE THERE’S NOTHING STRONGER THAN OUR LOVE – PAUL ANKA & ODIA COATES - Excellent! 14: MR. JAWS – DICKIE GOODMAN - A funny novelty Song that was similiar to "Convention '72" from The Delegates. 13: THAT’S THE WAY OF THE WORLD – EARTH, WIND & FIRE - Interesting lyrics and very nice music! A good combination. 12: DANCE WITH ME - ORLEANS - Parts of this Song reminded me of "Ride Captain Ride" from The Blues Image. 11: AIN’T NO WAY TO TREAT A LADY – HELEN REDDY - She had a good voice. 10: FEEL LIKE MAKIN’ LOVE – BAD COMPANY - A rock Song that sounds like "Higher" from Creed. It peaked at this position. 9: BALLROOM BLITZ - THE SWEET - I don't think that I would want to be in there when the chaos breaks out! This reached #1 in Germany in 1973. 8: WASTED DAYS AND WASTED NIGHTS – FREDDY FENDER - Another Song that was at its peak position for this Week. 7: AT SEVENTEEN – JANIS IAN - I could sense the emotion as she sang this Song. 6: COULD IT BE MAGIC – BARRY MANILOW - Peaked here at #6. 5: RUN JOEY RUN – DAVID GEDDES - I hate to say this, however, I started to laugh when the female vocalist sang, "Daddy, please don't!" Still, it was not bad. 4: FIGHT THE POWER PT. 1 – THE ISLEY BROTHERS - Rebellious-sounding song (as I read the lyrics). 3: RHINESTONE COWBOY – GLEN CAMPBELL - It would have been awesome to hear this Episode (even if I don't know many of the songs in the Countdown). This was one of my favorites. 2: FAME – DAVID BOWIE - His third (?) hit to appear on the Top 40, and it reached #1. 1: I’M SORRY – JOHN DENVER - After his high-energy live recording of "Thank God I'm A Country Boy" reached #1 in June of 1975, Denver returns to the top with this soft ballad. It seems that the Song on its "B" side, "Calypso", was also a hit.
And here are my extras:
ER GEHÖRT ZU MIR - MARIANNE ROSENBERG- "...wie mein Name an der Tür," she sings on this disco-influenced German hit. "He belongs to me, like my name on the door". Yet, to me, she seems a bit afraid about the future with her love, and wonders if it will last forever. I think that this period (1975-1976) was her best time for hits. This one reached #7 on the German charts.
AU COEUR DE SEPTEMBRE - NANA MOUSKOURI- This is a french language version of the Song "Try To Remember", which has been recorded by singers including (but definitely not limited to) Harry Belafonte and Perry Como. It appeared on her album "Le jour où la colombe..." released in 1967. Although I really do not understand French good (so I cannot fully say what all of the Songs are about at the moment), I very much enjoyed listening to the Songs on the album. It also included a version of "The 59th Street Bridge Song (Feelin' Groovy)", written by Paul Simon.
Thank you for reading!
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Post by freakyflybry on Sept 26, 2015 1:41:38 GMT -5
September 30, 1978Falling off: Meat Loaf - Paradise By The Dashboard Light (39) - great song! I'm surprised it peaked so low considering it's probably his most played song these days. Walter Egan - Magnet And Steel (34) - great song! Rolling Stones - Miss You (33) - great song, one of his best! The Cars - Just What I Needed (27) - great song, what a way to kick off their career! Still sounds excellent today Frankie Valli - Grease (23) - great song, one of his best (including his Four Seasons classics) Evelyn "Champagne" King - Shame (19) - great song! Likely my favourite from her 40. Sylvester - Dance (Disco Heat) (debut) - not bad, but "You Make Me Feel (Mighty Real)" was better 39. Stonebolt - I Will Still Love You (debut) - nice song, it's forgotten even in Canada where they're from. 38. Foreigner - Double Vision (debut) - great song, this is full of energy as a lot of Foreigner's classics are! Still love this 37. Dolly Parton - Heartbreaker (40) - not bad but I think she was better in the 80's 36. Carly Simon & James Taylor - Devoted To You (38) - I like this but both artists have had so much better. How odd that both of their top 40 duets were remakes though! 35. Michael Johnson - Almost Like Being In Love (37) - it's ok but "Bluer Than Blue" was better 34. Earth, Wind & Fire - Got To Get You Into My Life (17) - great song! I do prefer the Beatles version but this was a nice, refreshing take on it! 33. Hall & Oates - It's A Laugh (debut) - I like this but I definitely prefer their 80's streak of hits 32. Steely Dan - Josie (36) - I like this but most of their other hits were better 31. Rolling Stones - Beast Of Burden (35) - great song! An all time classic, definitely deserving of its ongoing popularity! 30. City Boy - 5.7.0.5 (32) - I like this too! 29. Ambrosia - How Much I Feel (debut) - great song! One of the best 70's AM soft rock hits 28. Crystal Gayle - Talking In Your Sleep (31) - it's ok but I prefer "Don't It Make My Brown Eyes Blue" 27. Alicia Bridges - I Love The Night Life (30) - for some reason, I love a lot of the random faceless disco hits. This is no exception - great song! 26. The Who - Who Are You (29) - great song! Shame Keith Moon died so young though it doesn't seem to have stopped them any as they still hit in the 80's and tour to this day. 25. Donna Summer - MacArthur Park (debut) - great song! I don't get the hate for this by the critics, it's just a good disco song! 24. The Captain & Tennille - You Never Done It Like That (24) - um... you never done what like how? Next song please... 23. Aerosmith - Come Together (25) - great song! It takes a lot to do a great Beatles remake, but Aerosmith really had it. One of my favourite Beatles remakes ever! 22. Billy Joel - She's Always A Woman (26) - great song, though he's had many better. "The Stranger" is a great album! 21. Barbra Streisand - Love Theme From Eyes Of Laura Mars (Prisoner) (22) - No. Just no. (Well, at least it's not AS awful as her next single though!) 20. Linda Ronstadt - Back In The U.S.A. (24) - great song! Chuck Berry is another that it takes a lot to remake well but Linda always seems to do great remakes! 19. Foxy - Get Off (21) - good song! 18. Gerry Rafferty - Right Down The Line (20) - great song! 17. Chris Rea - Fool If You Think It's Over (12) - I like this, interesting how Gus Dudgeon worked with him on this after splitting from Elton John 16. Robin Gibb - Oh! Darling (18) - it's ok but I prefer his stuff with the Bee Gees 15. Foreigner - Hot Blooded (8) - great song! Another energy-filled anthem, I can see why this has stood the test of time 14. Bob Seger - Hollywood Nights (15) - great song, one of many he had in the 70's! 13. Rick James - You And I (13) - I like this but prefer his 80's stuff 12. Kenny Loggins & Stevie Nicks - Whenever I Call You Friend (16) - great song! One of my favourites from both artists, even if I associate Kenny Loggins with 80's movie hits. 11. Anne Murray - You Needed Me (14) - great song! Glad it was her first (and only) #1 10. Andy Gibb - An Everlasting Love (5) - great song, shame it didn't quite go to #1 9. John Paul Young - Love Is In The Air (11) - good song! 8. Little River Band - Reminiscing (10) - great song! I like most of their hits, but this might be my absolute favourite! 7. Nick Gilder - Hot Child in The City (9) - great song! He sure was patient, but he got his #1 with a medley of his hit. 6. Boston - Don't Look Back (7) - great song! As huge as their debut era was, this song definitely lived up to the hype 5. John Travolta & Olivia Newton-John - Summer Nights (6) - great song! The Grease soundtrack is filled with singalong classics and this is probably the best to do at karaoke 4. The Commodores - Three Times A Lady (4) - great song! I find a lot of their ballads cheesy but this is one guilty pleasure for me I just can't resist! 3. Olivia Newton-John - Hopelessly Devoted To You (3) - see what I said for #5 2. A Taste Of Honey - Boogie Oogie Oogie (1) - great song! See what I said earlier about faceless disco hits like this 1. Exile - Kiss You All Over (2) - great song! I do prefer Huey Lewis and the News's "Heart and Soul" which was a remake of one of their other songs though.
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Post by Hervard on Sept 26, 2015 9:40:55 GMT -5
American Top 40: The 80s - September 26, 2015
This week's presentation - September 24, 1983
LW#2: TELL HER ABOUT IT – BILLY JOEL LW#1: MANIAC – MICHAEL SEMBELLO 40: COLD BLOODED – RICK JAMES (debut) - This was actually the first time I'd ever heard this song, since this was its only week on AT40. The song was OK, but I'm not a huge Rick James fan. 39: IF ANYONE FALLS – STEVIE NICKS (debut) - She was still doing quite well as a solo artist, and this was one of my favorite solo hits from her - definitely my favorite from The Wild Heart. 38: IT’S A MISTAKE – MEN AT WORK (22) - Well, they definitely had a great year, but their chart days were nearing the end. This would end up being their last Top Ten hit. It was my second favorite of theirs, behind "Overkill". 37: IT MUST BE LOVE - MADNESS (38) - Well, "Our House" was indeed a big hit, but this one, on the other hand, didn't even touch the Top 30. I thought it was pretty good, but I preferred their first one. 36: SITTING AT THE WHEEL – THE MOODY BLUES (39) - They were more famous for their 60s and 70s hits, but I actually preferred their 80s hits, including this one, which hit #1 on my Personal Top 30 back in the fall of 1983. 35: SUDDENLY LAST SUMMER – THE MOTELS (40) - They had four Top 40 hits, and I liked all of them. This one would peak at #9, like their first hit "Only The Lonely". I think that we all know that my favorite song from them was "Suddenly Last Summer". 34: DON’T FORGET TO DANCE – THE KINKS (36) - Well, their 80s comeback was short-lived, but not before they had their biggest hit ever, "Come Dancing" earlier in the summer. This song didn't do quite as well, but the station that I listened to, U93, played it quite regularly. 33: LADY LOVE ME – GEORGE BENSON (33) - A great jazz artist here! This song had his trademark scat singing during the bridge. This was one of my favorite of his songs that charted at Top 40 radio, but I preferred a few others that charted at smooth jazz and AC. 32: DON’T YOU GET SO MAD – JEFFREY OSBORNE (25) - For some reason, I associate this song and the George Benson song together, since they climbed the R&R chart together. More often than not, it seemed, they were back to back, like they are on this week's countdown. I liked this song a lot, but preferred a few others from Osborne. OPTIONAL EXTRA: LOVE IS A STRANGER - THE EURYTHMICS - Not a fan of this one - I actually prefer their song on this week's chart, as overplayed as it is. 31: TONIGHT I CELEBRATE MY LOVE – PEABO BRYSON AND ROBERTA FLACK (34) - This was one of several duets from them, though it was the only one that charted on AT40 (the second, "You're Looking Like Love To Me" just missed, in early 1983). 30: DELIRIOUS - PRINCE (37) - Meh, I'm not a fan of this one. Give me "Little Red Corvette" any day! 29: BIG LOG – ROBERT PLANT (32) - The first solo hit by the lead singer of the legendary band Led Zeppelin. I've always wondered how high "Stairway To Heaven" would have climbed had it been released as a single. As for this song, it was a good one, but I generally prefer his Led Zeppelin singles, including the one mentioned above. 28: TELL HER NO – JUICE NEWTON (31) - Here's another song that got heavy airplay on U93 in the fall of 1983, so I'm kinda aurprised that this song only peaked in the low 20s. It was a good one, but, as we know all too well, I preferred her 1982 songs. LDD: I WILL ALWAYS LOVE YOU – DOLLY PARTON - Wow, wasn't this used as a LDD on a show a few weeks ago? It's no surprise that it became a popular LDD request after Whitney Houston's cover of it became a huge pop hit nearly ten years later. This song was indeed fitting for the dedication. 27: (KEEP FEELING) FASCINATION – THE HUMAN LEAGUE (20) - Definitely a group that's associated with the 80s, with their electronic, new wave sound. I preferred "Don't You Want Me" and their next hit after this one, "Mirror Man", but I like this song too. 26: KISS THE BRIDE – ELTON JOHN (27) - This song wasn't bad, but I can see why it wasn't one of his bigger hits. 25: TELEFONE (LONG DISTANCE LOVE AFFAIR) – SHEENA EASTON (30) - I generally prefer her slower songs, but this one was an exception. One of my all-time faves from her! 24: HUMAN TOUCH – RICK SPRINGFIELD (21) - I was never a huge fan of this song. One of my least favorites from him. 23: BURNING DOWN THE HOUSE – THE TALKING HEADS (28) - No. Just no. 22: DEAD GIVEAWAY - SHALAMAR (23) - This one isn't quite as good as "Second Time Around", but I like it a lot better than "Dancing In The Sheets". 21: ONE THING LEADS TO ANOTHER – THE FIXX (29) - This song is very overplayed. What's sad is that this is the only song of theirs that gets any kind of recurrent airplay while other great songs of theirs are ignored. OPTIONAL EXTRA: UPTOWN GIRL - BILLY JOEL - Ah, his salute to the Four Seasons. I like this song a lot better than his other song on the chart this week. 20: I’LL TUMBLE 4 YA – CULTURE CLUB (18) - aka "The Mexican Hat Dance Song". I liked this song when it first came out (I even bought the 45), then eventually, I hated it (gave it "No. Just No" status a few times, IIRC). Now I like it almost as much as I did during its chart run. 19: LAWYERS IN LOVE – JACKSON BROWNE (13) - I remember when a friend of mine thought that this song was called "Laurie's In Love" back in the day. I think the song's not bad, but I prefer many others from her. 18: SHE WORKS HARD FOR THE MONEY – DONNA SUMMER (11) - Another overplayed song, but at least radio does play a few other songs by her, unlike The Fixx. 17: ISLANDS IN THE STREAM – KENNY ROGERS DUET WITH DOLLY PARTON (26) - I've grown to like this song a lot better than I have over the past few years. Still, there are other songs by both artists that I prefer. 16: HOW AM I SUPPOSED TO LIVE WITHOUT YOU – LAURA BRANIGAN (19) - Of course, it's pretty common knowledge that Michael Bolton wrote this one (and later on recorded his own version). This is my favorite of Laura's 1983 hits (including "Gloria", which ranked on 1983's year-end list), but I slightly prefer Bolton's version. 15: EVERY BREATH YOU TAKE – THE POLICE (6) - Not sure how a song about stalking managed to spend eight weeks at #1, but whatever. 14: PROMISES, PROMISES – NAKED EYES (15) - 1983 was definitely their heyday, as they had their two biggest hits that year (along with a minor hit at the very end). This was my favorite of their two Top 20 hits (I forget how "When The Lights Go Out" goes at the moment). 13: TRUE – SPANDAU BALLET (17) - PM Dawn and Nelly apparently like this song, as both artists sampled it in their songs. I think the song's pretty good, too, though I didn't like it too much during its chart run. EXTRA: YELLOW SUBMARINE – THE BEATLES - Interesting how the sound effects in the song came about. As for the song itself, it's not bad, but definitely not their best. 12: FAR FROM OVER – FRANK STALLONE (14) - This was the only Top 40 hit from actor Sylvester Stallone's younger brother. It was a great song, IMO. 11: KING OF PAIN – THE POLICE (16) - This is definitely a lot better (and less played) than their other song on the chart this week! 10: DON’T CRY - ASIA (10) - They were somewhat of a flash in the pan, as they only had three Top 20 hits, in the span of slightly over a year. This was a good one, though my least favorite of their Top 40 hits. 9: (SHE’S SEXY) + 17 – THE STRAY CATS (12) - For some reason, I was never a big fan of this song. Definitely my least favorite of their Top 40 hits. 8: PUTTIN’ ON THE RITZ – TACO (8) - Though the song was half a century old, it was remade very nicely to not sound too out of place for the 80s. I liked it. LDD: STAND BY ME – MICKEY GILLEY - I used to consider this a mediocre cover of the Ben E. King classic, but I've heard it many times (usually here on AT40) over the past few years and it is actually now my favorite version of the song. 7: HUMAN NATURE – MICHAEL JACKSON (13) - Michael was still cranking out hits from Thriller. This was the fifth of seven, and it was one of my favorite songs on the album. 6: SWEET DREAMS – THE EURYTHMICS (5) - The first of ten Top 40 hits from them, and it was their biggest hit, hitting #1 a few weeks back. It wasn't bad, but quite overplayed. 5: MAKING LOVE OUT OF NOTHING AT ALL – AIR SUPPLY (9) - The first of two songs in the Top Five written by Jim Steinman. I liked both of them about the same - they're both great hits! 4: MANIAC – MICHAEL SEMBELLO (1) - One of two #1 songs from the movie Flashdance. I preferred the title track over this one. 3: THE SAFETY DANCE – MEN WITHOUT HATS (3) - Of course, AT40 usually played the single version of the song which I preferred, because it pretty much got straight to the point, without all the instrumental mumbo jumbo and the spelling of "Safety", as if we didn't know how to spell it. That version is the one that gets virtually all of the recurrent airplay (and was the one that the radio stations I used to listen to played). 2: TOTAL ECLIPSE OF THE HEART – BONNIE TYLER (4) - The other Steinman-composed song on the chart this week, and this one would end up going all the way (in fact, it would block the other one from the #1 spot!) As I mentioned earlier, I liked both songs about the same. 1: TELL HER ABOUT IT – BILLY JOEL (1) - The first song from what could be Joel's most successful album ever (spawned six singles - only one of which didn't quite hit the Top 20). This was the biggest song from the album - it would hit #1 the following week, and had actually topped the R&R chart two weeks before - must have sold a tad slower. Anyway, this song wasn't bad, but was one of my least favorite songs from him.
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Post by davewollenberg on Sept 26, 2015 14:14:26 GMT -5
Chris (Hervard), Jeffrey NEVER spelled his last name with a U in it. FYI.
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Post by 80sat40fan on Sept 26, 2015 15:33:35 GMT -5
Chris (Hervard), Jeffrey NEVER spelled his last name with a U in it. FYI. Dave... Since this thread is called "Chart Critiques", I think people are supposed to critique the music featured on the shows and not other people's spelling.
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Post by Hervard on Sept 27, 2015 18:03:51 GMT -5
American Top 40: The 70s - September 26, 2015
This week's presentation - September 30, 1978
PARADISE BY THE DASHBOARD LIGHT - MEAT LOAF (39) - I don't remember how this one goes, but I seem to remember that it was really weird. MAGNET AND STEEL - WALTER EGAN (34) - On the AT40 chart, he was a one-hit wonder, but he did have a second hit on the R&R chart called "Fool Moon Fire". I actually preferred that one, although this is a good one too. MISS YOU - ROLLING STONES (33) - Glad to see this one drop off! Definitely one of my least favorites from them. JUST WHAT I NEEDED - THE CARS (27) - This song has aged quite well. Given all the airplay it receives on oldies and rock stations, I'm surprised that it peaked so low. GREASE - FRANKIE VALLI (23) - I just attended a Grease "singalong" at the library the other night (though only four other people showed up, including the two people who were running it), and heard this song several times. I actually like the song a little better than I did previously, though I still prefer the other charted songs from the movie. SHAME - EVELYN "CHAMPAGNE" KING (19) - Her first of four Top 40 hits. It's not bad, but my favorite song from her is "Love Come Down", which hit the Top 20 in the fall of 1982.
40: DANCE - SYLVESTER (debut) - This song spent six weeks at #1 on Billboard's Disco chart, and didn't do too bad on the Hot 100 either, peaking at #19. It was OK, but not quite my cup of tea. 39: I WILL STILL LOVE YOU - STONEBOLT (debut) - The first time I heard this was as a LDD on an early 1980 show. Then, of course, I heard it multiple times on my Barry Scott's Lost 45s CD (Volume 2). A great song, IMO and quite underrated (as it only got as high as #29). 38: DOUBLE VISION - FOREIGNER (debut) - One of two songs from them on this week's chart. 37: HEARTBREAKER - DOLLY PARTON (40) - One of several artists heard on both shows this weekend. "Islands Of The Stream" was on its way up the 1983 countdown and this week, we have this song - which is good, but I actually preferred the song on the 1983 - such was not the case a year or so ago. Still, neither song is as good as "Here You Come Again", IMO. 36: DEVOTED TO YOU - CARLY SIMON & JAMES TAYLOR (38) - I wonder if the Everly Brothers were inspired by the church hymn "For The Beauty Of The Earth" when they wrote this song, since it sounds so much like it. 35: ALMOST LIKE BEING IN LOVE - MICHAEL JOHNSON (37) - This song had sort of a smooth jazz sound to it. It was good, but I preferred his other two Top 40 hits. 34: GOT TO GET YOU INTO MY LIFE - EARTH, WIND & FIRE (17) - This was an interesting rendition of the Beatles classic. Of course the original was the best, but this one was pretty good too. 33: IT'S A LAUGH - DARYL HALL & JOHN OATES (debut) - They were in their "down period" at this point in their career (as, between the spring of 1977 and the beginning of 1981, they did not hit the Top Ten). This song wasn't bad, but it was definitely not their best. 32: JOSIE - STEELY DAN (37) - This was a typical Steely Dan song with their traditional jazz/rock sound. It was a good one, but I preferred a few others from them. 31: BEAST OF BURDEN - ROLLING STONES (35) - Well you better never leave my pizza burning, especially if I'm paying for it! But seriously, this song wasn't bad - I definitely prefer it over their recent #1 hit. 30: 5705 - CITY BOYS (32) - They apparently chose to omit the prefix from the number, to spare people who happened to have such a number all the nuisance calls. Anyway, this song wasn't anything I'd go out of my way to listen to. 29: HOW MUCH I FEEL - AMBROSIA (debut) - This was their first of two Top Ten hits, and both of them are my favorites from them - not sure which one I prefer, but both of them are great songs! 28: TALKING IN YOUR SLEEP - CRYSTAL GAYLE (31) - She was mainly a country artist, but she did have a handful of songs that crossed over to the Pop charts. This was my favorite of the four that hit the Top 40. OPTIONAL EXTRA: BLUE COLLAR MAN (LONG NIGHTS) - STYX - Here's one I remember from back in the day. It's a good one, but I generally prefer their songs with Dennis DeYoung on lead vocals. 27: I LOVE THE NIGHTLIFE - ALICIA BRIDGES (30) - As we all know, I'm not a big disco fan, but this one is an exception - in fact, it is one of my favorite songs on this week's chart. There's just something about it that I really like. KEITH MOON (THE WHO) OBITUARY 26: WHO ARE YOU - THE WHO (29) - What I really want to know is who is the person whose idea it was to include the falsetto for the chorus of this song? It is supremely annoying and negates any redeeming qualities the song might have. But that's just me; the song did hit the Top 20 and still gets a lot of recurrent airplay on classic rock stations today, so it's all good. I just don't care for the song, that's all. 25: MACARTHUR PARK - DONNA SUMMER (debut) - Here's a song that formerly got "No. Just no" status, and not because of the fact that it was disco - that was actually the saving grace of the song. 24: YOU NEVER DONE IT LIKE THAT - THE CAPTAIN AND TENNILLE (28) - Interesting story about how their comedy show almost killed their recording career. As for this song, it definitely wasn't their best, but it's still better than the barf-inducing "Muskrat Love". 23: COME TOGETHER - AEROSMITH (25) - Another Beatles remake. I like both versions about the same. 22: SHE'S ALWAYS A WOMAN - BILLY JOEL (26) - The final release from The Stranger. This was possibly my favorite of them, but it would be in a horse race, as all four singles from that album were great, IMO. 21: PRISONER - BARBRA STREISAND (22) - She was a month away from debuting with her whiny duet with Neil Diamond. This song was peaking this week, which was a shame, since I thought it was a great one. It reminded me a little of "Wildflower" by Skylark. 20: BACK IN THE U.S.A. - LINDA RONSTADT (24) - I can't say whether I prefer this or Chuck Berry's version, since I've never heard the latter. Linda's version was so/so, but definitely not one of her best. 19: GET OFF - FOXY (21) - Not a huge fan of this one either, since it's the roof-raising R&B of which I'm not a huge fan. 18: RIGHT DOWN THE LINE - GERRY RAFFERTY (20) - This was his second chart entry, as well as his second highest charting song. Of the songs of his that I'm familiar with, this would be my favorite. 17: FOOL IF YOU THINK IT'S OVER - CHRIS REA (12) - He was one-hit wonder on the pop charts, but he did have an AC hit in the summer of 1989, entitled "On The Beach". That is actually my favorite of the two hits, although this one was a good one as well. 16: OH DARLING - ROBIN GIBB (18) - The last of the three hits from the Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band soundtrack. This one wasn't bad, but I preferred his other Top 40 hit from four years later, entitled "Boys Do Fall In Love". 15: HOT BLOODED - FOREIGNER (8) - Their second song by them on this week's chart, and the first single from the Double Vision album. It was my least favorite from that album, but it was still a great song. 14: HOLLYWOOD NIGHTS - BOB SEGER & THE SILVER BULLET BAND (15) - I don't remember this song from its chart run as I remember hearing it on the Stranger In Town album, which my Mom played all the time back in 1979. It's a pretty good song, but the only single from the album that I really liked was "Still The Same". There were several other songs on the album that I felt should have been released as singles. OPTIONAL EXTRA: STRAIGHT ON - HEART - Oddly enough, I forget how this song goes (since the station on which I listened to the show (KKPR) skipped over this one, but I seem to recall that it was pretty good. 13: YOU AND I - RICK JAMES (13) - Another artist heard on both shows this week (as "Cold Blooded" was on the 1983 show, spending its only week in the Top 40). As I said in the critique for that show, I'm not a big Rick James fan. 12: WHENEVER I CALL YOU FRIEND - KENNY LOGGINS & STEVIE NICKS (16) - YES!! This is possibly my favorite song on this week's chart - definitely one of my favorites from both artists involved! 11/LDD: YOU NEEDED ME - ANNE MURRAY (14) - The new Long Distance Dedication feature was indeed becoming more and more popular! This one was a sad one, as it was from a young lady in memory of the man to whom she was engaged, but he died in a car accident. The song definitely fit the dedication. 10: AN EVERLASTING LOVE - ANDY GIBB (5) - At first, this one looked like it was going to be another #1 for him, but as soon as it hit the Top Ten, it was unable to climb more than one spot at a time. But it was a Top Five hit, so that's cool. This was definitely one of my favorites from him - it's a close race between this and "I Just Want To Be Your Everything". 9: LOVE IS IN THE AIR - JOHN PAUL YOUNG (11) - Another disco song that I don't really mind, though nowhere near as good as the Alicia Bridges song, IMO. 8: REMINISCING - LITTLE RIVER BAND (10) - The first of two Top Ten hits from their album Sleeper Catcher. It's a great one but, of course, I preferred "Lady". 7: HOT CHILD IN THE CITY - NICK GILDER (9) - Of course, this song was about to set the record for the longest climb to the top. It was a good one. It's a good thing that the show extended to four hours the following week, as they butchered both this one and the Little River Band song. 6: DON'T LOOK BACK - BOSTON (7) - This one was edited as well, but it kinda had to be, as the full single version is six minutes long. I've somehow come to like this song better than I had previously (as I never cared for it). 5: SUMMER NIGHTS - JOHN TRAVOLTA & OLIVIA NEWTON-JOHN (6) - Here's another song I heard at the Grease Singalong event that I mentioned earlier in the critique. It's probably my favorite of the two John/Olivia duets (although "You're The One That I Want" is a great one as well). 4: THREE TIMES A LADY - COMMODORES (4) - This song became a very popular wedding song (and it did get a few LDD requests, as I recall). Good reason, as it's a great song - one of their best! 3: HOPELESSLY DEVOTED TO YOU - OLIVIA NEWTON-JOHN (3) - As I've mentioned before, this was a special song between me and my ex-girlfriend, so it's been sort of hard to listen to, but you know what, we never really listened to it that often, so I guess it's not as bad as it could have been, and I have been able to appreciate the natural beauty of this song more and more as the years have passed. Anyway, this was another song at the singalong event. OPTIONAL EXTRA: TOOK THE LAST TRAIN - DAVID GATES - Wow, I would have never guessed that this was David Gates, since I'm so used to hearing him sing love ballads. Anyway, this was a good song, but I generally prefer said ballads. 2: BOOGIE OOGIE OOGIE - A TASTE OF HONEY (1) - This is another one of my favorite disco songs. Glad that this one made it to #1! 1: KISS YOU ALL OVER - EXILE (2) - Interesting story about their persistance of trying to hit the big time - which they finally did this week, as this song would spend a month at #1!
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