|
Post by mkarns on Jun 4, 2017 14:05:02 GMT -5
2: ALWAYS – ATLANTIC STARR (4) - This song became a very popular wedding song and was a far cry from their other Top Ten hit, which was about infidelity. This was my favorite of their Top 40 hits. Atlantic Starr did have another top 5 hit in 1992 with "Masterpiece" (AT40 #4, Hot 100 #3, R&R/CT40 #2).
|
|
|
Post by Hervard on Jun 4, 2017 16:59:07 GMT -5
2: ALWAYS – ATLANTIC STARR (4) - This song became a very popular wedding song and was a far cry from their other Top Ten hit, which was about infidelity. This was my favorite of their Top 40 hits. Atlantic Starr did have another top 5 hit in 1992 with "Masterpiece" (AT40 #4, Hot 100 #3, R&R/CT40 #2). (AT40 #4, Hot 100 #3, R&R/CT40 #2, R&R AC #1). Actually, I meant to say their LAST Top Ten hit. I have amended said critique.
|
|
|
Post by retrodaddy on Jun 5, 2017 13:49:36 GMT -5
American Top 40 - June 6, 1987
40. Heart and Soul - T'pau - One of my summer of 1987 favorites. Love the intro. Coupled with the video, it has somewhat of a dreamy, atmospheric vibe to it. Always puts a smile on my face. 39. Soul City - Partland Brothers - I don't remember this song at all from back in the day, so this was a new listen for me. Apparently they're from Toronto and had hockey hair, and upon watching this video on YouTube it was followed by fellow Canadians Glass Tiger's very tepid, nondescript hit Someday. That was fitting. 38. Rock the Night - Europe - It's my favorite of their three singles from this album, which is like saying Gary Johnson was my favorite amongst the schmucks on the 2016 presidential ballot. Not a fan of Europe (the band; the continent is pretty cool, though). 37. Restless Heart - I'll Still Be Loving You - As with Soul City, this was a new listen for me. Not sure if that has to do with South Florida radio stations being as likely to play a country crossover as a polka song in German or me turning the station immediately if hearing this back in '87, but either way I don't recall this song at all. And I could do with never hearing it again. Just not big at all on country. 36. Funkytown - Pseudo Echo - For the longest time I thought this might have been one of the lamer remakes of all-time. I thought it an awful cover with an equally awful video. Given proper time for reflection, I may have been too harsh. The song isn't bad. It just doesn't compare to what was a disco classic still fresh in my mind back in '87. Echo gave it a guitar-driven rock sound I can now dig. That video, though....still lame. And what's with the lead singer of an Aussie band wearing a NY Yankees t-shirt? Couldn't find his Collingwood Magpies t-shirt that morning? 35. Sweet Sixteen - Billy Idol - I dig his entire catalog. A little mellower than most of his singles, but it also shows his versatility. Known as a rocker, he had many good slower songs. 34. Endless Nights - Eddie Money - Not a bad song from Eddie, just not particularly exciting or terribly noteworthy, either. 33. Every Little Kiss - Bruce Hornsby & The Range - Doesn't do a whole lot for me, though I have a lot of respect for Bruce's songwriting and musical ability. Ranks near the bottom of his charting singles to these ears. 32. You Can Call Me Al - Paul Simon - Just hasn't aged that well to me. Really enjoyed it when it was on the charts. Also, thinking of the video reminds me of a time when Chevy Chase was still likable. 31. Shakedown - Bob Seger - Lots of energy and, of course, Seger's amazing voice. Not one of my favorites from Seger, but works well for the Beverly Hills Cop II soundtrack. 30. Something So Strong - Crowded House - Solid follow-up to one of my favorite songs from 1987. Wish we heard more from Split Enz / Crowded House back in the 80s. I think Neil Finn is very underrated over here. 29. Point of No Return - Expose - I'm such a sucker for these girls. I love all the singles from this album, thought this one is probably my favorite. Saw them late last year in Fort Lauderdale, and they sounded terrific live. 28. Day-In - Day-Out - David Bowie - When you're one of the best rock / pop artists of all-time, even the songs which aren't big hits are pretty good. 27. Talk Dirty to Me - Poison - Love it. Fun song, totally dig the chorus. 26. Jammin' Me - Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers - I like the song, though it's not nearly as catchy as most of his 80s hits. 25. La Isla Bonita - Madonna - Easily my favorite of the True Blue singles. I dig the tropical / Spanish vibe. Still played a lot on South Florida 80s stations, and I don't tune away when it comes on. 24. Fascinated - Company B - Nice segment from Casey on the burgeoning freestyle scene in South Florida. Growing up in South Florida but well north of Miami, I didn't realize this style of music was mainly a regional thing. However, I do remember Power 96 (whose PD was mentioned by Casey if I recall correctly) basically making its living by playing a heavier mix of freestyle than the other pop stations in town. Fascinated was a much-played song the spring / summer of '87. I remember my buddy Andy, who was into rock / alternative and viewed dance music with disdain, asking me one night upon hearing Fascinated, "What is this Company B nuts?" I think he just answered his own question. 23. Don't Disturb This Groove - Another favorite from the summer of '87. I don't know anything else from them and for the longest time wondered how I never heard a follow-up from The System. It's a fantastic song. 22. (I Just) Died in Your Arms - Cutting Crew - It didn't do a whole lot of me at the time of charting, and it was played A LOT on pop radio and MTV / VH-1. I appreciate the song a little more these days. Good lyrics, well-sung, good beat. I can dig it. 21. Lessons in Love - Level 42 - Having listened to more of 42's stuff in recent years, I really dig their work. Mark King is awesome on the bass. Wish we heard more from them in the states. Lessons has a good groove, easy to listen to. 20. Alone - Heart - One of my favorites of '87, and possibly my favorite Heart song of the 80s. 19. If She Would Have Been Faithful - Chicago - A whole bunch of meh. No thanks. 18. Looking For a New Love - Jody Watley - For a dance hit, it's boring and doesn't have much energy. Don't You Want Me, a very good single from Jody released later in '87, is what this song wishes it could be. 17. Songbird - Kenny G - He's obviously a talented dude. But this song does nothing for me. 16. Heat of the Night - Bryan Adams - It's a little, I dunno, darker, edgier (looking for words here, not finding them...) than a lot of his earlier 80s stuff. I didn't appreciate how good this song was at the time. It's now one of my favorites by him. 15. Meet Me Half Way - Kenny Loggins - Not a fan. Too sappy. 14. I Know What I Like - Huey Lewis & The News - I know what I like and I know what I don't like, and this song fits somewhere in between. Big fan of Huey & the News, but this one just isn't a favorite. 13. Just to See Her - He's Smokey f'ing Robinson. With that voice, he can do no wrong. Always great to hear him. 12. Nothing's Gonna Change My Love - Glenn Medeiros - It's solid as far as ballads go. 11. Right on Track - Breakfast Club - Somehow, despite this song fitting right in my wheelhouse of what I listened to back in 1987, I don't remember hearing this song or seeing the Pee Wee's Playhouse - knockoff video back in the day. It's a very catchy pop / dance song, a total guilty pleasure. 10. I Wanna Dance With Somebody - Whitney Houston - Another success in a string of very successful hits for Whitney. I appreciate it as a great pop song even if it's not a song I particularly wanna hear a lot. 9. Diamonds - Herb Alpert - I don't know the official length of this song (or the video, which had a long into if I remember correctly), but it seems to go on for 15 minutes or so. Perhaps because I find it so repetitive. I typically change the station whenever I hear this song come on. 8. Big Love - Fleetwood Mac - Perhaps my favorite Mac song of the 80s. Ever see Lindsay Buckingham do this song solo? Saw him perform it on VH1's Storytellers Fleetwood Mac episode. It's all kinds of awesome. 7. Wanted Dead of Alive - Bon Jovi - It's their best song, imo. A true classic. Saw them live in Atlanta in 2003 and this was definitely the highlight of the night. Given how much airplay it received and how big Bon Jovi was at the time, it's surprising to me that it didn't get to number one. 6. In Too Deep - Genesis - I guess it was this song that began Phil Collins' descent in the late 80s. He had a lot more hits, to be sure. It's just that most of us don't want to hear any of them ever again. 5. With or Without You - U2 - A great song from one of the best albums of the 80s. Certainly worthy of number one. 4. The Lady in Red - Chris DeBergh - Couldn't stand this song when it was on the charts. Oh, the mind of an uncomplicated 16-year-old. I appreciate the song a lot more now, though it's not something I need to be hearing very often. 3. Head to Toe - Lisa Lisa & Cult Jam - The move from straight freestyle to more of a pop sound certainly worked for them. Dig this song. Feel good vibe from that summer, for sure. 2. Always - Atlantic Starr - Beautifully song yet boring song. Meh. 1. You Keep Me Hangin' On - Kim Wilde - Huge international hit which revitalized Kim's career, though we were never to hear from her in the top 40 again. It's the first version I heard of this song. I think it's on a par with the original, certainly better than Vanilla Fudge's version. Wish we could have heard more from her in the 80s, especially her early new wave stuff.
|
|
|
Post by pb on Jun 5, 2017 17:51:20 GMT -5
May 31, 198017. Michael Jackson - She's Out Of My Life (19) - This haunting ballad was the fourth single from his "Off The Wall" album - good song! Kind of a foreboding intro quote from Michael that Casey used on this show.
|
|
|
Post by mrjukebox on Jun 7, 2017 17:26:29 GMT -5
I too prefer the Pseudo Echo version of "Funkytown".
|
|
|
Post by mrjukebox on Jun 7, 2017 17:28:50 GMT -5
Kim Wilde had one other top forty hit in 1982-It was called "Kids In America"-It deserved to be a much bigger hit.
|
|
|
Post by Hervard on Jun 10, 2017 9:00:40 GMT -5
American Top 40: The 70s - June 10, 2017 This week's presentation - June 16, 1979 DROPPERS: GOOD TIMIN' - THE BEACH BOYS (40) - wtf did this sound like again? LITTLE BIT OF SOAP - BATH TIME EXPLOSION NIGEL OLSSON (34) - I don't remember how this went either, but I seem to remember that I liked this song better than his hit from earlier in the year, "Dancin' Shoes". IT MUST BE LOVE - ALTON McCLAIN & DESTINY (32) - I vaguely remember this song - it was nothing I'd go out of my way to listen to. (IF LOVING YOU IS WRONG) I DON'T WANT TO BE RIGHT - BARBARA MANDRELL (31) - Of course, this was a cover of the old Luther Ingram song. I liked it, but preferred the original. LOVE IS THE ANSWER - ENGLAND DAN & JOHN FORD COLEY (24) - . Their last of six Top 40 hits, four of them Top Tens, including this one, it is one of my favorites of the bunch. In fact, I don't think there were any songs that I didn't like (though I'd have to listen to "Gone Too Far" to be able to tell for sure, as that is the only song from them that I don't remember). LW#3: WE ARE FAMILY – SISTER SLEDGE LW#2: HOT STUFF – DONNA SUMMER LW#1: LOVE YOU INSIDE OUT – THE BEE GEES 40: DON’T EVER WANNA LOSE YOU – NEW ENGLAND (debut) - I was busy finishing my critique for the 6/30/79 show, which I'd just realized I had only gotten half done when it was run last year, so I forget how this one went. I seem to remember it wasn't anything exceptional. 39: DO IT OR DIE – ATLANTA RHYTHM SECTION (debut) - Though I preferred their two Top Ten hits, this one was also a good one. 38: HEART OF GLASS - BLONDIE (27) - This band has sort of an odd chart history - they either hit #1 or missed the Top 20 entirely with their eight hits. This was the first of four #1s. It was good, but I preferred "Call Me" and "Rapture". LDD: I WILL STILL LOVE YOU - STONEBOLT - This song has been used as a LDD at least twice, that I know of. Had it been a big Top Ten hit, it might have become one of the most popular LDD requests, due to its subject matter (similar to "Still" by the Commodores, which did go on to be a frequent request. I really liked this song - heard it many a time on my Barry Scott's Lost 45s CD. 37: HOT NUMBER - FOXY (21) - Well, this isn't really a hot number to me, as I'm not into this type of music (but you already know that, right?) 36: AIN’T LOVE A BEEOTCH – ROD STEWART (22) - Sorry; I know that's not how it's spelled, but if I spelled it correctly, it would end up being "pregnant dog". Anyway, this was Rod's follow-up to one of his biggest hits ever, "Da Ya Think I'm Sexy". However, it was nowhere near as successful, as it ran out of gas before it even hit the Top 20. It was pretty good, but definitely far from being his best. 35: I WAS MADE FOR LOVIN’ YOU - KISS (debut) - They seemed to have jumped on the disco bandwagon at this point (not a good move, as this was just before Steve Dahl's infamous Disco Demolition). This would be their last Top 40 hit for over ten years - they finally returned in early 1990 with what would be their second Top Ten hit - like the first one, it was a ballad. 34: SHAKEDOWN CRUISE – JAY FERGUSON (38) - The second of two Top 40 hits for this man from the San Fernando Valley. I preferred the first one, "Thunder Island", which charted the year before. ARCHIVES: SUNDOWN – GORDON LIGHTFOOT - OK, I am indeed a Gordon Lightfoot fan, and I like a lot of his songs, but this ain't one of them. So many of his great songs went unreleased. OPTIONAL EXTRA: SAD EYES - ROBERT JOHN - Who knew that this song would take until October to hit #1 on the charts! It tied "Hot Child In The City" by Nick Gilder for the record for the slowest climb to the top. I'm glad it made it, though, as it was a great song. 33: DOES YOUR MOTHER KNOW - ABBA (37) - This was Abba's first charted singles that featured Björn Ulvaeus on lead vocals instead of Agnetha Faltskog and Frida. It was a pretty good song, but it doesn't hold a candle to "Dancing Queen" or "The Winner Takes It All". 32: YOU CAN’T CHANGE THAT - RAYDIO (39) - This song and their 1981 song "A Woman Needs Love" sounded very similar. I slightly prefer this one though (but both of them are great songs. 31: HEART OF THE NIGHT - POCO (debut) - The second of their two 1979 hits - I liked it about the same as "Crazy Love". Still, I think their best hit ever was "Nothing To Hide", from early 1990. 30: DAYS GONE DOWN – GERRY RAFFERTY (debut) - I must say, it was quite refreshing to hear a song by him besides the grossly overplayed "Baker Street" (though I did hear "Right Down The Line" on the oldies station last weekend). This one was actually a good song - too bad this one didn't go Top Ten. 29: DEEPER THAN THE NIGHT – OLIVIA NEWTON-JOHN (11) - Her second of two hits from 1979. I personally preferred her other one, "A Little More Love", but this wasn't far behind at all, as it was also a great song! 28: I CAN’T STAND IT NO MORE – PETER FRAMPTON (36) - Well, try he might, he just couldn't come close to equaling the success of his Frampton Comes Alive album. As for this song, it wasn't bad, but I preferred a few songs from said album, as well as the title track from his second album I'm In You. 27: AIN’T NO STOPPIN’ US NOW – McFADDEN AND WHITEHEAD (35) - The only Top 40 hit by the founders of Philly soul music, this was one of the best Philly soul hits of all time, IMO! I remember this one quite well. 26: WHEN YOU’RE IN LOVE WITH A BEAUTIFUL WOMAN – DR. HOOK (33) - As we all know, my favorite song from them was "Better Love Next Time", but this was a good one too - and it became one of their most successful hits. 25: IN THE NAVY – VILLAGE PEOPLE (17) - As we all know, their biggest hit was one of my "No. Just no" songs (and sometimes it would get a rating even worse than that). This one, on the other hand, I actually really like. Probably because there wasn't a goofy, overdone dance to go along with it (they could have easily done that with the "They want you! They want you! They want you as a new recruit!" chant, but to my best of knowledge, that has not materialized - yet). 24: GOLD – JOHN STEWART (30) - Here's one of several R&R-only #1 songs on this week's chart (there are several of those on this week's chart, I believe). This one featured Stevie Nicks & Lindsey Buckingham on background vocals - making an already great song even better! 23: DANCE THE NIGHT AWAY – VAN HALEN (29) - I generally prefer the Van Hagar area, but this was actually one of my favorite songs of theirs before 1986. ARCHIVES: ROCK THE BOAT – THE HUES CORPORATION - Where did I get the notion to rock the boat? It just came randomly to my mind, that's where! OPTIONAL EXTRA: GOOD TIMES - CHIC - Well, I do prefer this over the grossly overrated song "Le Freak", but I preferred their hit that came in between that and this one, "I Want Your Love'", which was a Top Ten hit in the spring of 1979. 22: RENEGADE - STYX (16) - I'm surprised that this song only got as high was #16, given all the airplay it received back in the day. It is also a classic rock staple. I liked it, but preferred "Blue Collar Man", from the same album, Pieces of Eight. 21: GET USED TO IT – ROGER VOUDOURIS (23) - The only Top 40 hit from this Sacramento native, but what a great song it was! 20: SHINE A LITTLE LOVE – ELECTRIC LIGHT ORCHESTRA (25) - Here's another R&R-only #1 song. This would peak at #8 on the AT40 chart. It was a great song - one of their best! 19: I WANT YOU TO WANT ME – CHEAP TRICK (24) - Now here's one I remember quite well from the summer of 1979, as I heard it regularly on the jukebox at the beach house that I went to a lot that summer, plus WLS played it regularly. I liked this song a lot. 18: MAKIN’ IT – DAVID NAUGHTON (20) - This one hit the Top Five on the Hot 100, but only reached #25 on the R&R chart. As for my opinion on this song, it was OK, but a little gimmicky. 17: GOODNIGHT TONIGHT - WINGS (13) - This was the last of their Top Ten hits from the 70s (they would have one more, which would end up becoming one of their biggest hits of all-time, a year later). This was a great song, but I preferred a few others, including said 1980 #1). 16: MINUTE BY MINUTE – DOOBIE BROTHERS (18) - The title track from their #1 album, which had topped the chart back in April/May. The Doobies would replace themselves on the chart the following week - this one would move in as "What A Fool Believes" stepped off the chart. Of course, that was the song that I preferred of the two. LDD: WE ARE THE CHAMPIONS - QUEEN - This song definitely fit the dedication - even Casey said they'd earned it, as it was from a girl to her swimming team, who always fell short of winning the state title - until now, that is. As for the song, I loved it - one of my favorite Queen songs. 15: DISCO NIGHTS – G.Q. (12) - This was the first of two hits (from the same year, no less) from this soul group from the Bronx. This was one of several songs sampled in Kon Kan's 1989 hit "I Beg Your Pardon". I seem to recall that I preferred their other hit, "I Do Love You", which charted later that summer. 14: SHAKE YOUR BODY (DOWN TO THE GROUND) - JACKSONS (9) - Meh, not one of their best by any means. As I've said several times before, I preferred their earlier songs. 13: ROCK ‘N’ ROLL FANTASY – BAD COMPANY (14) - Here's one that I definitely associate with the summer of 1979 - I heard this one many times on the beach house juke box that I mentioned earlier. 12: YOU TAKE MY BREATH AWAY – REX SMITH (15) - Another song that I heard a lot back in the summer of '79 (though I'm not sure if the juke box had it - I generally heard this on the radio). This song was from the TV movie Sooner Or Later, in which Rex himself was the star. I loved this song when it was on the charts and still love it today! ARCHIVES: ROCK YOUR BABY – GEORGE McRAE - I believe this was said to be the very first disco hit. Or was it the first disco song to reach #1? I keep forgetting - my brain cells ain't what they used to be anymore. As for the song, I like it. I guess disco ain't so bad - it's just if you listen to it too long, it all starts sounding the same. 11: BAD GIRLS – DONNA SUMMER (28) - Wow! What a jump! It was clear that this was headed to #1 and I'm sure that many fans were thinking that it was entirely possible that she would succeed herself at #1 (though, as it turned out, that didn't happen - more on that in awhile). 10: BOOGIE WONDERLAND – EARTH, WIND & FIRE (19) - A one-time team-up between these two acts. The song was OK, but I preferred most of EW+F's other material (and the only other song I've heard by the Emotions was "Best Of My Love" - yes, I preferred that one too). 9: REUNITED – PEACHES AND HERB (4) - This was by far their biggest hit ever, spending the entire month of May at the top. It is also my favorite song from them - one of the best love songs of all time! 8: SHE BELIEVES IN ME – KENNY ROGERS (10) - Here's one that I remember quite well from '79! This one would peak at #5 for on AT40, but on the R&R chart, it managed to sneak in a week at #1. 7: CHUCK E’S IN LOVE – RICKIE LEE JONES (8) - Another R&R #1, this song would peak at #4 a few weeks later. The song wasn't bad, but definitely not one I'd want to hear all the time. 6: THE LOGICAL SONG - SUPERTRAMP (7) - Hey, three R&R #1 songs in a row, how about that! I just heard this song on my car radio when I was having my car washed this past week. Anyway, this was my favorite song in the world back in the summer of 1979. WLS played this song all the time, starting around the beginning of the summer and pretty much straight through to the early fall - at which time I finally decided to buy the Breakfast In America album. 5: LOVE YOU INSIDE OUT – BEE GEES (1) - Ah, the song that was said to have been artificially moved to #1 so as not to interrupt their streak at #1. Whether or not that is true I have no idea, but regardless, it is still a good song! 4: JUST WHEN I NEEDED YOU MOST – RANDY VANWARMER (5) - The only Top 40 song from this man from Colorado who, sadly, passed away eleven years ago. It was a really good song, but not one to listen to when feeling depressed, especially over a recent breakup. 3: RING MY BELL – ANITA WARD (6) - If she'd just stuck to her job as a schoolteacher, Donna Summer would have succeeded herself at #1, as this was the song that hit #1 in between her two big summer hits. OPTIONAL EXTRA: GETTING CLOSER - WINGS (debut) - Musically, this is a pretty decent song, but what the hell does Paul mean by "my salamander"? Is that a British term of endearment or something? 2: WE ARE FAMILY – SISTER SLEDGE (3) - This song looked like this might hit #1, but due to the competition at #1, the song fell a spot short. This song has definitely stood the test of time - still receives quite a lot of airplay 36 years later! I myself think it's a good song, which says a lot, considering I'm not much for disco music. 1: HOT STUFF – DONNA SUMMER (2) - How fast this went to #1, plus the fact that it rebounded to #1 this week is what makes people suspicious about the Bee Gees' song back at #5 being a legit #1. I liked this song - my second favorite of her 1979 hits, behind "Heaven Knows".
|
|
|
Post by Hervard on Jun 17, 2017 8:21:23 GMT -5
American Top 40: The 80s - June 17, 2017
This week's presentation - June 19, 1982
Well, that leaves only one 1982 show, one from February 27. Perhaps we'll hear that one next year. We'll have to wait and see. Meanwhile, you'll sort of have deja vu with my commentary from the recently aired June 12 show (because seriously - how much can my opinions of the song change over the course of two weeks?) There will be at least eight exceptions, however, so it won't ALL be the same.
DROPPERS: MURPHY’S LAW - CHERI (39) - Ah, the law that states "Anything that can go wrong will go wrong"! Ever have one of those days? I certainly have. As for the song itself, well, surprisingly, I like it. When I first heard it on Backtrax USA about fifteen years ago, I was like, “What is this crap?” But the laid-back jazzy melody makes up for the weird voices. FRIENDS IN LOVE – DIONNE WARWICK AND JOHNNY MATHIS (38) - A one-time duet from two artists who, at the time, had 47 solo songs between them (by now, it must be at least 50). Anyway, it was a great song - one of my favorite songs from both artists. Too bad this was all the higher the song got (but it did quite well on the AC charts, peaking at #5. I DON’T KNOW WHERE TO START – EDDIE RABBITT (35) - Known more for his upbeat songs like "Drivin' My Life Away" and "I Love A Rainy Night", he did have a few ballads, like this one, that had a country-folk sound to it. I liked it, but I preferred several others from him, including the two I mentioned above. FANTASY – ALDO NOVA (32) - The only Top 40 hit for this Montreal native. It was a great song - one I remember hearing on the radio regularly back in 1982. WHEN HE SHINES – SHEENA EASTON (30) - As I've said before, I generally prefer her slow songs, but this is an exception, as there are several of her upbeat songs that I prefer over this one. It's a pretty good song, but a little too sappy. RUN FOR THE ROSES – DAN FOGELBERG (23) - A song about racehorses that can bring me to tears, especially after hearing it as a LDD to Secretariat in late 1989, as well as hearing it the same day as the tragic death of Eight Belles (the show for that weekend happened to be 1982). DID IT IN A MINUTE – DARYL HALL & JOHN OATES (22) - One of several Top Ten songs from them that radio all but ignores anymore, which is a shame, as this was one of their best hits ever! ’65 LOVE AFFAIR – PAUL DAVIS (18) This song has that malt shop era sound to it (I believe the title was originally "'55 Love Affair", but for some reason, they moved it up a decade). This was a great song - Davis' highest peaking hit and one of his all time best, IMO.
(I'll post the rest of the droppers a little later on).
LW#3: DON'T YOU WANT ME - THE HUMAN LEAGUE LW#2: DON'T TALK TO STRANGERS - RICK SPRINGFIELD LW#1: EBONY & IVORY - PAUL McCARTNEY & STEVIE WONDER 40: STONE COLD - RAINBOW (debut) - Both a one-hit wonder and a one-week wonder on AT40. This song was moving up two spots this week (bulletless) and then dropped to, #72, I believe. As I recall, the other droppers fell quite far down the Hot 100, which, of course, became the norm in 1982. This song was a pretty good one. 39: BE MINE TONIGHT - NEIL DIAMOND (debut) - The third and final single from On The Way To The Sky. It was OK, but nothing exceptional. This is where the song peaked - might have done a little better had it been released a few years earlier. 38: HOPE YOU LOVE ME LIKE YOU SAY YOU DO - HUEY LEWIS & THE NEWS (40) - This was their second Top 40 hit, so they weren't really an established act yet. That might be why this song, which has the doo-wop sound like several of their other Top 40 hits, didn't do so well, peaking at #36 the following week, which is a shame, as it is one of my all-time faves from them! 37: THIS MAN IS MINE - HEART (debut) - Interesting story about the rainstorm that made the roof collapse where they were performing! As for the song, it was pretty good, but not quite my favorite from them. 36: ABRACADABRA - THE STEVE MILLER BAND (debut) - Exactly five years before, they were poised to hit the Top Ten with "Jet Airliner", which would be their last Top Ten for five years. But this song didn't stop there - it went all the way to #1. I was getting tired of the song near the end of its chart run, but now I think it's a good song, since it's not overplayed as a recurrent. 35: AFTER THE GLITTER FADES - STEVIE NICKS (37) - Fleetwood Mac was a little higher up on the chart with a song on which Lindsey Buckingham and Christine McVie shared lead vocals, but Stevie Nicks (who sang back-up on the song) had her own hit on the chart as well. It was definitely one of her best songs ever and quite underrated (as it only peaked a spot higher). 34: KEEP THE FIRE BURNIN' - REO SPEEDWAGON (debut) - Did anyone notice that when Casey was reading off their singles from Hi Infidelity, he listed them in reverse order of release? Anyway, this was their only upbeat song that hit the Top Ten. It was pretty good, but I generally preferred their power ballads. 33: HOLD ME - FLEETWOOD MAC (debut) - This is the Fleetwood Mac song I spoke of earlier. As a long-awaited hit, it debuted on the entire Hot 100 at #33 and would peak at #4, where it would stay for seven weeks. It was one of my favorites from them back in the day, but I have since grown tired of the song. 32: PERSONALLY - KARLA BONOFF (36) - Back in the late summer of 1994, I bought Karla’s Wild Heart Of The Young album, after hearing the title track playing over a scene in The Wonder Years (the last scene in the Broken Hearts and Burgers episode), and it turned out to be a worthy purchase, as I liked each and every song on the album, this one included. OPTIONAL EXTRA: ISLAND OF LOST SOULS - Blondie had spanned many different genres of music, including rock, disco, reggae and even rap. This one had a calypso flavor to it and, IMO, was a pretty decent song. 31: WHAT KIND OF FOOL AM I - RICK SPRINGFIELD (debut) - With such a high debut, and a move of seven spots the following week, some people were thinking that perhaps this would be another Top Ten hit like "Don't Talk To Strangers", but, in fact, the song would end up spending six weeks at #21 - possibly the longest peak for a song outside the Top 20. It did hit the Top Ten in R&R, though, which was good, as this was one of my favorite songs from Springfield. Too bad it's totally ignored by radio anymore. 30: STILL THEY RIDE - JOURNEY (34) - The fourth single from what is IMO one of their best albums ever, ESC4P3. Several other songs from the album were not released as singles, but were popular album cuts (i.e. "Stone In Love" and "Keep On Runnin'"). This song was by far my favorite song from the album. Too bad it didn't hit the Top Ten like the first three releases. 29: FORGET ME NOTS - PATRICE RUSHEN (33) - This song was sampled twice in the 1990s - first of all in George Michael's 1996 hit "Fastlove", then used as the bass line in one of Will Smith's most overplayed songs ever, "Men In Black" a year later. I dub this "The Blinker Song", as there was one time that a blinker that I was coming up to at the junction of Indiana State Road 2 and US Highway 6 kept perfect rhythm with the song , which I'm sure I've mentioned here a time or two. 28: BREAK IT UP - FOREIGNER (31) -This song was the fourth single from their album 4. The song's pretty good - sounds a little like several of their late-70s hits ("Cold As Ice" and "Blue Morning, Blue Day" come to mind). 27: DO I DO - STEVIE WONDER (debut) - Several songs on this week's chart that were sampled in future Top 40 hits, in this case, "Livin' It Up" by Cookie Monster - er, I mean Ja Rule. Of course, I preferred this song. LDD: (REACH OUT) I’LL BE THERE – THE FOUR TOPS - This was quite a moving LDD! I wonder if the mother ended up finding her daughter (I was sort of drifting in and out of sleep at this point in the show, so I'm not sure if it turned out that she had). Either way, this song did fit the dedication. 26: WHEN IT'S OVER - LOVERBOY (28) - Their third Top 40 hit - failed to make the Top 20, as did their first two (though both get significant recurrent airplay). They did manage to go Top 20 the following year (and came close to the Top Ten). Anyway, this song was OK, but one of my least favorites from them. 25: EMPTY GARDEN - ELTON JOHN (19) - A great tribute to the late John Lennon. One of Elton's best hits of the 80s. 24: WITHOUT YOU - FRANKE & THE KNOCKOUTS (24) - The beginning of this song reminds me of "How Deep Is Your Love" by the Bee Gees. As for this song, it's a great one - a close second to "Sweetheart" as far as my favorite songs from them. 23: PLAY THE GAME TONIGHT - KANSAS (28) - Their very first song with John Elefante as the lead singer, as former lead singer Steve Walsh had left the group to start a solo career. This was a pretty good song, but I generally preferred their earlier material. 22: TAKE ME DOWN - ALABAMA (27) - Wow, two groups named after states back to back in the countdown. That sure didn't happen often, did it? Anyway, this was one of four songs of theirs that crossed over to Pop. It wasn't bad, but didn't hold a candle to "Love In The First Degree" OPTIONAL EXTRA: EVEN THE NIGHTS ARE BETTER - AIR SUPPLY - In the intro to this song, Larry mentioned how it held the (unfortunate!) record as the song that took the longest fall out of the Top 40, tumbling clean off from #6. As for the song itself, it was a great one - one of my favorites from them! 21: ANY DAY NOW - RONNIE MILSAP (25) - One of several country crossover artists that hit during 1982. This was one of my favorite songs from Milsap - a great song indeed! 20: ONLY THE LONELY - THE MOTELS (29) - The first of four Top 40 hits from this band from Los Angeles. I liked all four of those hits, my favorite being "Remember The Nights", from early 1984. This was their biggest hit overall, and the only one that gets any kind of recurrent airplay nowadays. 19: MAN ON YOUR MIND – THE LITTLE RIVER BAND (14) - They were done hitting the Top Ten at this point, but they had a few more Top 20 hits, this one included. It was a great one, though not quite their best. 18: I'VE NEVER BEEN TO ME - CHARLENE (11) - One of several guilty pleasures on this week's show! I do, however, see why many people don't like the song. Those who dislike this song especially hated the fact that they were subjected to the song twice on this week's show. 17: TAINTED LOVE - SOFT CELL (21) - Definitely one of the most overplayed songs of the 1980s. Of course, we all know that this song held the record for the longest consecutive run on the Hot 100 - in fact, I believe that the song has such a record for the pre-Soundscan era (remember - "What About Me" by Moving Pictures doesn't count, as that song had two chart-runs). EXTRA: LAST TRAIN TO LONDON - ELECTRIC LIGHT ORCHESTRA - The story to tie in with this song was the foreign city named in the most Top 40 hits. London, of course, came out on top. As for the song, it wasn't bad, but I preferred others from them. This song's bass sounds suspiciously like that of Heat Wave's two upbeat songs "Boogie Nights" and "The Groove Line". Not to mention the fact that the end of the chorus reminded me a lot of the Mary Tyler Moore theme. 16: CAUGHT UP IN YOU - .38 SPECIAL (20) - Definitely one of my absolute favorites from them! This was their first of two Top Ten hits (yes, I also thought they had more!) 15: 867-5309/JENNY - TOMMY TUTONE (8) - I wonder if anyone still has this phone number, and if they're still receiving nuisance calls from people asking for Jenny? Hope they have caller ID. Anyway, this was a good song. 14: DON'T TALK TO STRANGERS - RICK SPRINGFIELD (2) - Wow, what a huge drop from the runner-up position! In fact, the song holds the record for the biggest drop from #2 (wow, that's three records from 1982 that concern huge droppers. It's a wonder that the biggest fall from #1 did not happen that year). Anyhoo, this song had recently spent five weeks atop the R&R chart, but was still going strong on the Hot 100. Oddly enough, you don't hear it much on the radio. Pretty much all they play by him is "Jessie's Girl". Both of those are among my favorites by this man from Australia. 13: MAKING LOVE - ROBERTA FLACK (13) - A guilty pleasure of mine, as I know several people who would give this "No. Just no" status, but I really like it - especially the synths in the song. 12: LOVE'S BEEN A LITTLE BIT HARD ON ME - JUICE NEWTON (15) - Of course, this was one of my favorite songs from her, as it was one of her 1982 hits. I preferred the other two, but this is still a great one nonetheless! 11: BODY LANGUAGE – QUEEN (12) - Not a big fan of this one. Indeed, their music quality took a nosedive once the 80s started, IMO. OPTIONAL EXTRA: HARD TO SAY I'M SORRY - CHICAGO - Their comeback hit after they took a four-year hiatus from recording following the accidental shooting death of their drummer Terry Kath in 1978. And it turned out to be one of their biggest hits ever, hitting #1 in September. Of course, at one time, it was my favorite song in the world, but now, I'm pretty much burned out on the song (Az Yet's 1997 cover, which sounded much like the original, was instrumental in that), so much that I usually change the station when it comes on the radio. 10: IT'S GONNA TAKE A MIRACLE - DENIECE WILLIAMS (10) - This song had that "rainy day" sound to it, but it was still pretty good - not as good as her #1 hit two years later, though. 9: HURTS SO GOOD - JOHN COUGAR (17) - Here's one of the biggest songs of the decade that fell short of the #1 spot. Chart performance-wise, it was his biggest hit ever (before late 1991, anyway). A good song that has aged quite well. 8: LET IT WHIP - THE DAZZ BAND (16) - This was the week's #1 song on the soul chart, and it was on its way up the Hot 100, eventually peaking at #5. I wasn't a big fan of the song, however. 7: CRIMSON AND CLOVER - JOAN JETT & THE BLACKHEARTS (8) -This one wasn't quite as good as her monster hit "I Love Rock And Roll" from earlier in the year, but I prefer it over her third hit from later on that year, as well as the original by Tommy James. 6: HEAT OF THE MOMENT - ASIA (6) - The first of four Top 40 hits for this British band, as well as their biggest. My third favorite from them, only ahead of "Don't Cry" (which is also a good one). 5: ALWAYS ON MY MIND - WILLIE NELSON (5) - As I've said before, my favorite version of this song would be the Pet Shop Boys techno cover from 1988, but I do like this better than the two other versions that Casey played in a medley during the time the Pet Shop Boys version was charting (which we heard back in April) - by Elvis Presley and Brenda Lee, IIRC. 4: THE OTHER WOMAN - RAY PARKER JR. (4) - Casey said that he couldn't keep his feet still when he heard this song. As for me, the song wasn't bad, but I generally prefer his songs from the Raydio era. LDD: I LOVE YOU – THE CLIMAX BLUES BAND - Of course, this was my favorite of their two big hits, and it takes me back to days of taking swimming lessons at the HS pool. It fit the subject matter of the LDD as well. 3: ROSANNA - TOTO (7) - In the intro to this song, Casey mentioned the other two acts on the chart that contain elements of the Wizard Of Oz (Rainbow and Kansas). Reminds me a little of the "Daily Three" that Sunny 101.5 used to play on their afternoon drive show "Traffic Jam" back in the 1990s. This song couldn't get any higher than #2, but it became their biggest hit overall (especially on the R&R chart, where it spent a month on top). It was a good song that still gets quite a lot of recurrent airplay. OPTIONAL EXTRA: EYE OF THE TIGER - SURVIVOR - This song was right outside the Top 40 and would debut the following week way up at #19. Unsurprisingly, the song was on its way to #1 (in fact, it was the second most popular song of 1982, behind "Physical" by Olivia Newton-John. It was a good song - has held up pretty well despite overplay. I do prefer a few others from them, though. 2: DON'T YOU WANT ME - THE HUMAN LEAGUE (3) - This was one of two #1 songs that held the aforementioned Toto song out of the top spot. This is one of the songs I most associate with the summer of 1982, as that was when it was #1 and played a lot on the stations I listened to - a great song indeed! 1: EBONY & IVORY - PAUL McCARTNEY & STEVIE WONDER (1) - This song was in its sixth week at the top and was quite overplayed, but now that I don't hear it anywhere near as often as I used to, I actually like this song - it definitely has a great message.
COMING UP NEXT WEEK: Well, we know that one of the shows is June 25, 1988 and are fairly sure that is the "A" show, but no word on what the "B" show is. I'm thinking (not to mention hoping) that it might be June 27, 1981. June 28, 1980 isn't exactly out of the question, although they did play that one as a "B" show just last year. 1982 is obviously out, since it was this week's "A" show (and 1982 was a "B" show two weeks back). They have done 1983 and 1984 as "B" shows along with late 1980s shows before, even though both years are always stand-alone shows otherwise, so June 25, 1983 and June 23, 1984 are possible. If that's the case, I'm hoping for the latter, as I missed the first few songs on that when they last aired the show in 2009, since I was at a graduation party, to which I went after work and, even though I didn't stay long, got back a little past 7:00. We'll see sometime this weekend when someone finds out and posts it.
|
|
|
Post by dth1971 on Jun 17, 2017 10:58:37 GMT -5
American Top 40: The 80s - June 17, 2017 This week's presentation - June 19, 1982 40: STONE COLD - RAINBOW (debut) - Both a one-hit wonder and a one-week wonder on AT40. This song was moving up two spots this week (bulletless) and then dropped to, #72, I believe. As I recall, the other seven droppers fell quite far down the Hot 100, which, of course, became the norm in 1982. This song was a pretty good one. Speaking of Rainbow and thier one week in the top 40 #40 song "Stone Cold", do you remember a year later Rainbow released a song called "Street of Dreams", I remember seeing the music video for it a couple times on MTV after our household area finally got cable TV in 1983, even though that song never made the Top 40/AT40 reaches on Billboard's Hot 100 chart.
|
|
|
Post by at40nut on Jun 17, 2017 12:51:59 GMT -5
American Top 40: The 80s - June 17, 2017 This week's presentation - June 19, 1982 40: STONE COLD - RAINBOW (debut) - Both a one-hit wonder and a one-week wonder on AT40. This song was moving up two spots this week (bulletless) and then dropped to, #72, I believe. As I recall, the other seven droppers fell quite far down the Hot 100, which, of course, became the norm in 1982. This song was a pretty good one. Speaking of Rainbow and thier one week in the top 40 #40 song "Stone Cold", do you remember a year later Rainbow released a song called "Street of Dreams", I remember seeing the music video for it a couple times on MTV after our household area finally got cable TV in 1983, even though that song never made the Top 40/AT40 reaches on Billboard's Hot 100 chart. I prefer the material prior to "Stone Cold " by Rainbow. I'm not a real big fan of Joe Lynn Turner as a front man. It all started with the late Ronnie James Dio as the lead singer with one of my favorite Rainbow cuts "Man On The Silver Mountain." In 1979, Black Sabbath fired Ozzy Osbourne, and hired Ronnie James Dio as their new lead singer. Rainbow replaced Dio with a man by the name of Graham Bonnet, who was with the group for one album "Down To Earth" which featured a song that Head East charted with called "Since You've Been Gone", written by Russ Ballard. "Since You've Been Gone" is the only Rainbow song that I hear on the radio today on classic rock radio stations.
|
|
|
Post by pb on Jun 17, 2017 12:55:44 GMT -5
I remember seeing the videos for "Stone Cold" and a song with Graham Bonnet (either "All Night Long" or "Since You've Been Gone") on MTV.
|
|
|
Post by Hervard on Jun 24, 2017 17:23:23 GMT -5
American Top 40: The 80s - June 24, 2017 This week's presentation - June 25, 1988 Droppers: I DON'T WANT TO LIVE WITHOUT YOU - FOREIGNER (39) - This was a nice song, but not one of my favorites from them. Apparently, Mick Jones felt the same way, which explains how undersung it was. WAIT - WHITE LION (38) - Their first of two Top 40 hits (both Top Tens). I much preferred this one - "When The Children Cry" is just so maudlin - borders on being a "No. Just no". TWO OCCASIONS - THE DEELE (37) - This song used to be the closing song for Open House Party (is that show even still in production?) It was a pleasant song, but I preferred a few of Babyface's solo hits. PROMOS 40: 1-2-3 – GLORIA ESTEFAN & MIAMI SOUND MACHINE (debut) - Could she have been counting the Top Ten songs they'd scored with their Let It Loose album? Well, this would make it number four, as it sailed straight into the Top Ten as well. 39: JUST GOT PAID – JOHNNY KEMP (debut) - One of two Top 40 hits from this R&B singer from the Bahamas. It was OK - your typical late-80s dance music. 38: THE COLOUR OF LOVE – BILLY OCEAN (debut) - Wow, all the debuts are down at the bottom of the chart. And the best of the bunch, IMO, is the highest one. I liked most of Ocean's slow songs and this is definitely one of my favorites from him! 37: BLACK AND BLUE – VAN HALEN (34) - This was off to a promising start, debuting at #34 the previous week, but oddly enough, it dropped back to #37 this week. I guess it wasn't promoted to Top 40 radio very well, if at all. It did, however, hit #1 on the Album Rock Tracks chart. As for the song, it was pretty good, sort of reminiscent of their songs with David Lee Roth on lead vocals. 36: ANYTHING FOR YOU – GLORIA ESTEFAN AND MIAMI SOUND MACHINE (23) -This was their only #1 song (as a group, anyway, as Gloria went on two have two #1 songs on her own). It was a good song - they played the English version of the song this week, instead of the "Spanglish" version, which it seems that they generally play (or is it just me)? 35: HEART OF MINE – BOZ SCAGGS (35) - I liked all of his Top 40 hits, but this one is in a horse race with "Lido Shuffle" for my favorite song from Scaggs! In any case, it's my favorite of his ballads. 34: SIGN YOUR NAME – TERENCE TRENT D’ARBY (40) - This and "Wishing Well" are pretty much the only two songs by him that I like. I preferred this one - had a somewhat haunting sound to it. 33: PIANO IN THE DARK – BRENDA RUSSELL FEATURING JOE ESPOSITO (22) - There were two Brendas on the chart this week and, coincidentally, both had two Top 40 hits. Not sure if I preferred this one or "So Good, So Right" - both are great songs! 32: PARENTS JUST DON’T UNDERSTAND – D.J. JAZZY JEFF & THE FRESH PRINCE (36) - Like Fresh Prince in the first story, about school shopping, I was sixteen back when this song was popular, so I could definitely relate (although my Mom never bought me school clothes from two generations prior)! I liked this song - this was back when rap was still tolerable. 31: SUPERSONIC – J.J. FAD (30) -A female rap trio from LA, with their only Top 40 hit. Another decent rap song, IMO - my favorite part was where two of them were rapping and the other was beatboxing at the beginning. OPTIONAL EXTRA: I DON'T WANNA LIVE WITHOUT YOUR LOVE - CHICAGO - The first of five singles from Chicago 19 (although I believe that "What Kind Of Man Would I Be" was released from their Greatest Hits album - but I could be wrong). Anyway, this was a good song, but I preferred the other four (including "We Can Last Forever", which didn't quite hit the Top 40, but was a Top 20 AC hit). 30: PARADISE – SADE (31) - Sade was mainly a smooth jazz and AC artist, but they did have a handful of Top 40 hits - four, to be exact (well, before the PPW era, anyway) and all of them hit the Top 20. This one just barely squeaked in, peaking at #20 in July. It was a great song - my favorite of their hits! LDD: ENDLESS LOVE – DIANA ROSS & LIONEL RICHIE - This song became somewhat popular in the Long Distance Dedication department. It fit this dedication quite well. 29: ROLL WITH IT – STEVE WINWOOD (33) - It’s true I hated it when it first came out, but then I gradually started to like it more and more. This is a great one to crank up while driving (but not too loud, especially in cities with noise ordinances, lol!) 28: MAKE ME LOSE CONTROL – ERIC CARMEN (32) - On several occasions, they cut out the second verse in this song (my favorite of the three), but this time, they decided to leave the song intact. Definitely my favorite of Carmen's two 1988 hits ("Hungry Eyes" was too overplayed, which I guess is understandable, since it was from a very popular movie soundtrack). 27: TALL COOL ONE – ROBERT PLANT (29) - Ah, the lead singer of the legendary Led Zeppelin. This was pretty good - the part at the end, with a montage of guitar riffs from many of their classic hits, was really cool! 26: UNDER THE MILKY WAY – THE CHURCH (24) - This was one of several Aussie bands on the chart this week. I liked this song, but I preferred the follow-up, "Over The Three Musketeers" 25: NAUGHTY GIRLS (NEED LOVE TOO) – SAMANTHA FOX (29) - Of her four Top 40 hits, this was the biggest. Wasn't quite one of my favorites, and it was pretty much rehashed in her next Top 40 hit "I Wanna Have Some Fun". I preferred "Touch Me" and her cover of "I Only Wanna Be With You", as well as their Top 40 miss from the previous summer, "Do Ya Do Ya (Wanna Please Me). 24: SHATTERED DREAMS – JOHNNY HATES JAZZ (16) - Hmm, I wonder if they've forgiven George Michael yet for shutting them out of the #1 spot? Regardless, this was my favorite of their three songs from Turn Back The Clock? The title track, which was an AC-only hit late that year, would be a close second. 23: HANDS TO HEAVEN - BREATHE (28) - When I first heard this song, I thought it was a new hit by Air Supply - the singer sounded a lot like Russell Hitchcock in the choruses. I liked this song at first, but overplay tarnished it for me. I preferred their songs on their Peace Of Mind album two years later. 22: WE ALL SLEEP ALONE - CHER (15) - Cher had one Top Ten hit on R&R and one Top Ten hit on the Hot 100 in 1988 - only with different songs. This one hit the Top Ten on the former by the skin of its teeth, and this is all the further it got on the Hot 100, where she'd hit the Top Ten earlier in the year with "I Found Someone", which peaked at #12 on R&R. I preferred this one, though neither one was one of my favorites from Cher. I prefer songs like "Just Like Jesse James" and "Believe". 21: RUSH HOUR – JANE WIEDLIN (27) - The second of the Go-Gos to hit the Top 40 with a solo hit. Unfortunately, she wasn't quite as successful as bandmate Belinda Carlisle, as this was her only Top 40 hit. It was a great song - too bad her follow-up "Inside A Dream" only got as high as #57, since I preferred that song. OPTIONAL EXTRA: DO YOU LOVE ME - THE CONTOURS - The station I was listening to, WNYR, did not play this one, so I'm not sure if they played the original version or the re-recorded one - probably the former. I personally preferred the new version, but both were good. 20: LOST IN YOU – ROD STEWART (26) - Here's an artist who had been hitting the charts for two decadees, and his hit streak was far from over. This one didn't quite hit the Top Ten, but it didn't miss by much, peaking at #12. It was a great one - possibly my favorite of his four Top 40 hits from the Out Of Order album. 19: HOLD ON TO THE NIGHTS – RICHARD MARX (25) - A rare example of the final release from an album (that spawned three or more hits) being the biggest. The first three hit the Top Five, but this one went all the way. I preferred several others from him, though - most of them from Repeat Offender. 18: BEDS ARE BURNING – MIDNIGHT OIL (21) - Another Aussie band and, like The Church, they only had one Top 40 hit. I remember hearing this song all the time in early 2001 on Chicago's 94.7 The Zone - a then-80s station that had the skimpiest variety of music. One day (March 10, 2001, to be exact), when I was out for a leisurely drive, I must have heard the song at least three times. No wonder that format didn't last long on that station! As for the song, it's a good one, so at least it wasn't a crappy song that was overplayed. 17: EVERYTHING YOUR HEART DESIRES – DARYL HALL & JOHN OATES (6) - Here is yet another artist on this week's chart with their last Top Ten hit (though they just barely missed with the ironically titled "So Close" in late 1990). This was pretty good, but I prefer many others from them. 16: NEW SENSATION - INXS (20) - Last week, we had back-to-back artists from Sydney, Australia and it almost happened again this week, but Hall & Oates prevented it. I liked this song - much better than the overplayed "Need You Tonight". 15: NITE AND DAY – AL B. SURE! (17) - Ah, a nice and mellow slow jam - much better than his upbeat songs (like "Off On Your Own Girl"). I liked the synthesizer used in this song. 14: I STILL BELIEVE – BRENDA K. STARR (14) - This was her first of two Top 40 hits - and she almost had a third hit, her duet with George Lamond called "No Matter What", but that one ran out of gas at #49 - too bad, as that was my favorite song from her. This, however, was a close second, as it was a great one! 13: CIRCLE IN THE SAND – BELINDA CARLISLE (7) - This was Belinda's fourth and final Top Ten hit. This one was OK, but not one of my favorites by her by a longshot. I preferred "I Get Weak", along with the two Wild Horses singles in 1989 and 1990. 12: KISS ME DEADLY – LITA FORD (12) - This was the first of three heavy metal songs in a row. I'll bet this was a highlight for our friend JessieLou. I liked this song, too, as well as the follow-up "Back To The Cave". 11: NOTHIN’ BUT A GOOD TIME - POISON (13) - This song hit the Top Ten on the Hot 100, but just missed on the R&R chart. Poison didn't have their first Top Ten on that chart until "Every Rose Has Its Thorn", which went all the way to the top. Anyway, this was a great song - one of my favorite songs by Poison! OPTIONAL EXTRA: I SHOULD BE SO LUCKY - KYLIE MINOGUE - She would be more successful in the 21st century, but she had a few hits in the late 1980s as well. This was her first. Not sure if I prefer this or "It's No Secret", from early 1989. In any case, I prefer both of them over the frankly annoying "The Loco-Motion". 10: POUR SOME SUGAR ON ME – DEF LEPPARD (18) - They'd had moderate success on the Top 40 chart with the Pyromania album, but it was the Hysteria album that REALLY put them on the map. This was their first Top Five hit and looked like it would hit #1, but Richard Marx leapfrogged over them with his hit that we heard back at #31. No matter; they would top the chart with their next single "Love Bites". Not sure if I preferred that one or this. Is it me, or did Casey erroneously refer to their album as Animal? 9: MERCEDES BOY - PEBBLES (11) - Is it me, or were there more songs about cars and driving than usual in the summer of 1988? Who knows; maybe it seems like that because that was the summer I took Driver's Ed. Didn't get my license until seven years later, though (mainly due to procrastination). 8: ALPHABET ST. - PRINCE (10) - This was Prince's last hit for about a year, before he came back with three songs from the Batman soundtrack in 1989. This song was OK, but far from being his best. Casey hinted that this could become another number one hit for him. He must not have seen that this song had, in fact, lost its bullet this week. Then, of course, it free-fell soon after. 7: ONE MORE TRY – GEORGE MICHAEL (2) - When "Father Figure" was riding high on the charts, I listened to the "Faith" album for the first time and heard this song. I loved it instantly and hoped it would be released next and, sure enough, it was, and straight to #1 it went. This is definitely one of his best solo hits. I sure didn't like the hack job they did on the song this week, however. 6: THE VALLEY ROAD – BRUCE HORNSBY & THE RANGE (8) - This was the third and final Top Ten hit for Hornsby. I liked this song, but preferred the three hits from The Way It Is. 5: THE FLAME – CHEAP TRICK (9) - After an eight-year absence from the chart, Cheap Trick came back in a major way, as this song went all the way to the top and was one of the most played songs of the summer of 1988. As a result, I'm still kind of burned out on this one, but it's tolerable. Still, I preferred many of their earlier hits, including "I Want You To Want Me" and "Voices". 4: MAKE IT REAL – THE JETS (5) - - 1988 was definitely the year for the rare "last single with most success". We've already talked about Richard Marx, and the Jets are another example. This song peaked at #4 a few weeks later. This was a great song, though I slightly preferred "You Got It All". OPTIONAL EXTRA: FAST CAR - TRACY CHAPMAN - This one reminds me a little of "Oh Very Young" by Cat Stevens. This one was Chapman's biggest hit for eight years, until "Give Me One Reason" came along. I preferred this one, as the latter was way overplayed. 3: TOGETHER FOREVER – RICK ASTLEY (1) - Ah, the prerequisite Rickroll, which was virtually unavoidable in 1988. Actually, I just heard this one on the oldies station today, which I thought was weird, considering that most stations play "Never Gonna Give You Up". Anyway, this one was more or less a watered-down version of that song.. I preferred the next hit from the Whenever You Need Somebody album, "It Would Take A Strong Strong Man". The title track was also a great song, but that one wasn't released here in the states, which I thought was a shame (though as I recall, that was a decent-sized hit on the dance chart). 2: DIRTY DIANA – MICHAEL JACKSON (4) - This one would set a record, as the fifth #1 song from the same album. It was one of my favorites from the Bad album. 1: FOOLISH BEAT – DEBBIE GIBSON (3) - This could have been yet another example of the "last single with most success" phenomenon, as this was the only #1 song from Out Of The Blue, but while she was still hot, she decided to release a fifth single - which didn't even hit the Top 20 (didn't upset me too terribly, as I wasn't crazy about the song). Such was not the case with this great song, though - this one most definitely one of her best hits ever. Glad they didn't have that sloppy edit near the end! The same one was used the previous two weeks and would be used again on the July 9 show. Totally screwed up the continuity of the song! Coming up next week: Looks like a stand-alone show, from June 30, 1984. Not sure if there'll be a special show to go along with it or not. By the way, here is the link to my commentary for the 6/27/81 "B" show this week. It is the third of many critiques I have on that page.
|
|
|
Post by Hervard on Jul 1, 2017 17:40:27 GMT -5
American Top 40: The 80s - July 1, 2017 This week's presentation - June 30, 1984 Since this is the only show I'll be listening to this weekend, I figured I might as well make a new commentary for this one, since my original version of it was when I was still doing the "Great song!", "Good song", "It's okies", "No. Just no", "Meh, next song, please..." - and so forth - come on, admit it; you know them all, LOL! I changed my comment method a little over two years ago, I think. But I digress; here is a new commentary for a show from when I was about a month into the summer after a harrowing year in school, little knowing that the following school year would be way worse... DROPPERS: AGAINST ALL ODDS (TAKE A LOOK AT ME NOW) - PHIL COLLINS (34) - One of the biggest hits of 1984 - three weeks at #1 and 16 weeks in the Top 40. Its stats on R&R were about the same, only on that chart, he actually logged four weeks at the top. If he'd had a little more oomph, this song just might have come out on top for the whole year on that chart, but it had to play second fiddle to that overplayed Van Halen song that sounded more like a sporting event theme song than a radio hit. But again, I digress. This was one of Phil's best songs ever, IMO. WHAT IS LOVE - HOWARD JONES (33) - Neither of his songs from his first album hit the Top 20, but he'd have much better luck with his next album Dream Into Action, which would be released the following spring and spawn three hits, each of which hit the Top 20. As for this song, it's a good one, but I preferred his other 1984 hit "New Song". I'LL WAIT - VAN HALEN (32) - This song dropped out of the Top 40, but their new song "Panama" kept their streak alive. I did, however, prefer this one - had the typical sound of late-1970s/early 1980s AOR. RUN RUNAWAY - SLADE (27) - Like Howard Jones, they had two hits in 1984 (only those turned out to be their only Top 40 hits). Their second hit, a ballad entitled "My Oh My" would make a brief appearance on the chart later in the summer. This song, a rocker, was my favorite of their two hits. BREAKDANCE - IRENE CARA (17) - No big loss - I was never a fan of this song at all and was glad it fell off from such a high position. 40: HELLO - LIONEL RICHIE (18) - Wow! What a drop there! At least it didn't fall clean off; it would be a bummer if it was just below the Top 40 while that crapfest that was "Breakdance" kicked off the countdown. Anyway, the last time we heard a 1984 show, this song was at the opposite end of the list - all the way on top, and deservedly so, as it is one of my favorite Lionel Richie songs ever! 39: PANAMA - VAN HALEN (debut) - I found it kind of weird - Casey mentioned that this song debuted as "I'll Wait" fell off. John Leader said the very same thing on his "Countdown America" show - might have even been this same week! As for my opinion of this song, it was a good one, but, as I mentioned earlier, I preferred the song that it replaced. 38: FAREWELL MY SUMMER LOVE - MICHAEL JACKSON (40) - I'm assuming that this song tanked so fast because of the popularity of "State Of Shock", which was debuting on the chart this week. Perhaps they were concentrating on promoting that song and backing off of this one. That's the only logical explanation I can think of; how else could a song from the hottest man in the music business not get any higher than #38? As for the song, it was a good one - I definitely prefer it over the other Jacksons song on this week's chart. 37: IF EVER YOU'RE IN MY ARMS AGAIN - PEABO BRYSON (debut) - His first Top 40 entry was his duet with Roberta Flack, "Tonight I Celebrate My Love", which hit the Top 20 the previous fall. His second and last Top 40 hit was on his own and it went on to hit the Top Ten (and did even better at AC radio, where it spent a month at #1. It is definitely one of his best hits ever! 36: ROMANCING THE STONE - EDDY GRANT (debut) - Another man who had two Top 40 hits. I preferred the first one, however, as overplayed as it was. This one wasn't bad, but nothing I'd go out of my way to hear. 35: OBSCENE PHONE CALLER ROCKWELL (39) - This is another example of Michael Jackson's presence on a record affecting how it does on the chart. Rockwell's first hit "Somebody's Watching Me", of course, had Michael on backing vocals and it shot straight to #2. #35 is where this song peaked, and it dropped out the following week. It was clearly riding the coattails of the first hit. I thought it was a good song - its bass had a little hint of "I'm Free (Heaven Helps The Man)" by Kenny Loggins - which, by the way, is coming up very soon. 34: PRIME TIME - THE ALAN PARSONS PROJECT (38) - Their eighth and final Top 40 hit. This one reminded me a lot of their biggest hit "Eye In The Sky". It was a pretty good one, though at the same time, I can see why it didn't do as well as most of their other hits. 33: SUNGLASSES AT NIGHT - COREY HART (36) - The first Top 40 hit for this Montreal, Canada native, and one of his biggest. I like it, but I preferred most of his other hits. 32: I'M FREE (HEAVEN HELPS THE MAN) - KENNY LOGGINS (37) - Here is that Kenny Loggins song I mentioned earlier. He had one of the biggest hits of 1984 with the title track to the Footloose soundtrack and was hoping to duplicate that success with this song, but, in fact, this song only got as high as #22, as Footloose mania began to fade away. That's too bad, as I actually preferred this one over his bigger Footloose hit. Definitely one of my favorite of Kenny's big movie hits. LDD: BETH - KISS - This song definitely fit the LDD, as it's about a musician who's always away from home, though I'm sure the author wishes that Kiss named this song "Carol", as that was his wife's name. But songs like "Carol" (Chuck Berry), "Don't Kill It, Carol" (Manfred Mann), or the coup de gras, "Carol (You're The Bottom Of The Barrel)" by the Farquahr Brothers would not be suitable - might make his wife up and leave him. But all joking aside, I thought this was one of Kiss' best hits ever. OPTIONAL EXTRA: ROUND AND ROUND - RATT - As big as hard rock bands were in the mid- and late 1980s, it's a surprise that they only had two Top 40 hits, one of which barely made it. That was "Lay It Down", which would hit the Top 40 the following summer, at #40. I preferred that one, but this was a good one as well. 31: WHAT'S LOVE GOT TO DO WITH IT - TINA TURNER (35) - I tell you what, I disliked this song with a passion back in the day, but it's one of those songs that gets better with age. 30: STATE OF SHOCK - THE JACKSONS (debut) - This was the song I was talking about earlier. Casey mentioned that this song debuted on the entire Hot 100 this week, so that gives more credibility to my a$$umption (HA!) that the record label concentrated most of their efforts on this song and putting Michael's solo hit on the backburner. IMO, they should have kept promoting said solo hit, because I thought this one sucked. But that's just me. (At least my live stream cut out early in the song, and came back near the end) 29: GHOSTBUSTERS - HUEY LEWIS & THE NEWS RAY PARKER JR. (debut) - This was the theme to one of the most successful movies of 1984. The scandal involving a lawsuit from Huey Lewis & The News is pretty much common knowledge. As for the song, it wasn't bad, but I preferred many other songs from him, both as a solo artist and with his band Raydio. 28: I CAN DREAM ABOUT YOU - DAN HARTMAN (31) - He'd hit #1 as a part of the Edgar Winter Group in 1973 with "Frankenstein", and returned to the Top Ten on his own with this song. It's another song I hated back in the day, but think it's a pretty good one now, but still, I preferred his next two hits "We Are The Young" and "Second Nature". 27: DON'T WALK AWAY - RICK SPRINGFIELD (29) - The second of three hits he charted with from the soundtrack of Hard To Hold. This was probably my favorite of the three, but his first one, "Love Somebody", which had hit the Top Ten earlier in the year would be a close second. 26: NO WAY OUT - JEFFERSON STARSHIP (28) - This was a landmark hit for the band, as it was their final Top 40 hit with Jefferson in the name. On their next hit "We Built This City", of course, they were billed simply as Starship. Anyway, this has always been one of my favorite songs from the band in any of their three incarnations. The guitar riffs at the beginning, as well as in the chorus, remind me of "Separate Ways" by Journey. Oh, one more thing - they actually left the song intact this week, as they seem to edit out either the second verse or the bridge (as well as the guitar solo leading up to it). Thanks, Premiere! 25: BREAKIN'…THERE'S NO STOPPING US - OLLIE AND JERRY (30) - Breakdancing was indeed all the rage back in 1984! Two songs about it even made the Top 40, including the Irene Cara song that dropped out. I liked this song a little better, but still, I wasn't too crazy about it or the movie it was from. My Dad and I went to see it about this time in 1984 and both agreed that was two hours of our lives that we'd never get back, LOL! 24: YOU CAN'T GET WHAT YOU WANT - JOE JACKSON (15) - Possibly THE longest Top 40 song title of 1984! Anyway, this song was a good one (with a great horn section), but I personally preferred "Is She Really Goin' Out With Him" and "Breakin' Us In Two". 23: SISTER CHRISTIAN - NIGHT RANGER (14) - Like I've said before, I became the butt of many jokes since this song contains my name, but it is still one of my favorites from them nevertheless. Too bad they cut out the guitar solo in the middle - that was one of the best parts of the song. 22: MODERN DAY DELILAH - VAN STEPHENSON (24) - The only Top 40 hit for this Hamilton, Ohio native (and, sadly, it will stay that way, as he passed away back in 2001). Too bad, as this was a good song. 21: WHO'S THAT GIRL - THE EURYTHMICS (21) - LOL, the oldradioshows website had this one listed as being by Madonna. While it is true that this is one of my least favorite songs by the Eurythmics, I must say that I do prefer it over the Madonna song, since the latter was way overplayed (and I never really liked it in the first place). As for the Eurythmics, I think we all know what my favorite song from them is! OPTIONAL EXTRA: THE WARRIOR - SCANDAL f/PATTY SMYTH - They hit the Hot 100 five times, but this was the only song of theirs that hit the Top 40. I preferred most of their other songs, but this was a good one as well. 20: SAD SONGS (SAY SO MUCH) - ELTON JOHN (26) - The first of three top 40 hits from Breaking Hearts, and the only Top Ten from that album, as well as my favorite of the three (though "Who Wears These Shoes" would be a close second). 19: DANCE HALL DAYS - WANG CHUNG (25) - One of many newcomers to the chart in 1984. This was actually their second hit, and one of theirs that gets the most recurrent airplay (along with "Everybody Have Fun Tonight"). This song was OK, but I preferred most of their other hits. 18: INFATUATION - ROD STEWART (23) - This song has been compared to his Top Five hit from early 1981, "Passion", since both songs sound alike. I preferred the latter of the two songs - this one never really did much for me. 17: DOCTOR! DOCTOR! - THOMPSON TWINS (22) - They had just come off of their second and, as it turned out, most successful hit ever "Hold Me Now" and, though it didn't quite measure up to the success of that song, it did well on the chart, just barely missing the Top Ten. Both this song, as well as "Hold Me Now" are among my favorite songs by the "twins". 16: STAY THE NIGHT - CHICAGO (16) - Based on the way that this song, their first song from the Chicago 17 album, peaked at #16, it looked like it might not be a very big sales album, but the next two hits proved that wrong, as they both hit the Top Five - in fact, on the R&R chart, they were both #1s. I preferred those two songs, (especially "Hard Habit To Break") but this was a good one as well. 15: MAGIC - THE CARS (20) - The second of five singles from Heartbeat City, and my favorite of the five by a fair margin. Definitely released at the right time of year, as it had that summertime sound to it (I seem to remember the video was very summerlike as well). 14: IT'S A MIRACLE - CULTURE CLUB (13) - With its strong early chart action, one would think that this was a cinch to hit the Top Ten. Not quite - it only got as high as #13 the previous week. This pretty much showed that people were getting tired of the band, who'd been on the charts continually for nearly a year and a half. I disliked this song when it was on the chart, but I think it's pretty good now, though nothing I'd go out of my way to listen to. 13: LEGS - ZZ TOP (19) - They'd had several chart singles, which Casey mentioned (though I couldn't help but notice that he left out "La Grange", although it did technically chart on AT40 for a week due to a chart error), but this one put them in the Top Ten. It was a pretty good song, but I preferred their Afterburner singles. 12: BORDERLINE - MADONNA (11) - Her first of many Top Ten hits, and definitely one of her best songs ever, IMO. It was a pleasant surprise to hear the album version of the song. 11: OH SHERRIE - STEVE PERRY (9) - The very first solo hit from the man who was still actively the lead singer of Journey. He would have three more hits from Street Talk, but this was the biggest of the bunch - a great song IMO (though I don't know what cinnamon gum has to do with anything) OPTIONAL EXTRA: SEXY GIRL - GLENN FREY - Following the break-up of the Eagles, Glenn had a decent solo career going, though he had yet to hit the Top Ten on his own. He would do that with his next hit, but this one did well, peaking at #20 in August. It was a great song and sort of appropriate for me at the time, because the guy who moved into the house next door to me in the summer of 1984 and he had a daughter that I found quite attractive (only thing is, she didn't live with him). 10: ALMOST PARADISE…LOVE THEME FORM "FOOTLOOSE" - MIKE RENO AND ANN WILSON (12) - This, of course, was the love theme from Footloose. One of my favorite singles from the soundtrack! 9: LET'S HEAR IT FOR THE BOY - DENIECE WILLIAMS (3) - And what do you know - back-to-back Footloose songs on the countdown. As the biggest hit from the Footloose soundtrack, this song was a very close second to the title track. I disliked this song when it was on the chart, due to all the overplay, but now, it's good to hear it every once in awhile instead of everytime I turn on the radio. 8: EYES WITHOUT A FACE - BILLY IDOL (10) - Be truthful now - how many of you, like me, thought he was asking the object of his affection to dinner or a movie? (as in "Hows About A Date"). Definitely a common misheard lyric. This was a good song, though my favorite song by him would probably be "Sweet Sixteen". LDD: (YOU'RE) HAVING MY BABY – PAUL ANKA w/ODIA COATES - This song wasn't bad, but quite cheesy. It did fit the dedication like a glove, though. 7: TIME AFTER TIME - CYNDI LAUPER (2) - Possibly THE most successful newcomer of 1984, with four Top Five hits from her debut album. This was the second of them, and possibly my least favorite, since it's somewhat depressing. It's still not bad, though. 6: THE HEART OF ROCK 'N' ROLL - HUEY LEWIS & THE NEWS (6) - They seemed to like the #6 spot on the countdown, as three of their five hits from Sports peaked there. This one was even spending its fourth week at that position. I used to really like this song, but overplay tarnished my fascination for this song somewhat, though it's still a pretty good song. My favorite Sports single would be the next one, "If This Is It", which charted later that summer. 5: JUMP (FOR MY LOVE) - THE POINTER SISTERS (7) - I have never liked the title of this song - it's like she's treating her man like a dog, making him do tricks for her to love him. If I was dating someone like that, I'd pack my bags and be outta there! 4: SELF CONTROL - LAURA BRANIGAN (5) - This was a song that, back in the day, I did not like at all, but now I think it's pretty decent. Still, I prefer a few others from her. 3: WHEN DOVES CRY - PRINCE (8) - I think that I disliked this song even more than "Self-Conrol" back during its chart run. And guess what - I still dislike it even more. Not sure why, this one just didn't do much for me (though I did like his other Purple Rain singles). Interesting story about all the "bird" songs that hit the Top 40 over the years. Glad that the dove wins out, as it's the symbol of peace. I wonder how many songs name our national bird, the bald eagle? OPTIONAL EXTRA: STUCK ON YOU - LIONEL RICHIE - This was his second county-flavored song (the first was his hit "Sail On" with the Commodores). Not sure if that song ever crossed over to the Country chart, but this one sure did, peaking at #24. Very few songs had ever hit the Top 30 on four different Billboard singles charts. 2: DANCING IN THE DARK - BRUCE SPRINGSTEEN (4) - This was the first of an incredible seven singles from Springsteen's album Born In The USA, all of which made the Top Ten. This one looked like it might hit #1, but Prince leapfrogged over him the following week. It did hit #1 in R&R and Cash Box, though, so that was good. I liked this song, but preferred a few others, including songs on Born In The USA. 1: THE REFLEX - DURAN DURAN (1) - I tell you what, I liked many songs from them, but never really got into this one. 1984 just wasn't their best year, IMO (though I did like "New Moon On Monday" - by far my favorite of their songs that charted that year). Coming up next week - July 12, 1986, bringing the number of yet-unaired songs from that year to one (12/20), so if they choose to run that one, 1986 just might become the next year to be completely exhausted of "new" songs.
|
|
|
Post by slf on Jul 2, 2017 18:19:40 GMT -5
Concerning your critiques of the Michael Jackson songs: in case you weren't aware, Epic didn't release "Farewell My Summer Love"; Motown did. (It was a remix of a recording from August of 1973, when Michael and all of his brothers were still with Motown.) Thus, the promotional strategies of "Farewell" and "State Of Shock" were independent of each other.
|
|
|
Post by chrislc on Jul 2, 2017 18:37:11 GMT -5
Concerning your critiques of the Michael Jackson songs: in case you weren't aware, Epic didn't release "Farewell My Summer Love"; Motown did. (It was a remix of a recording from August of 1973, when Michael and all of his brothers were still with Motown.) Thus, the promotional strategies of "Farewell" and "State Of Shock" were independent of each other. He was right about State of Shock sucking, though.
|
|