|
Post by Michael1973 on Nov 30, 2018 10:16:25 GMT -5
Guilty as charged. I've been called a lot worse... Add me to the list of people who enjoyed "We Built This City"; I thought it was a catchy, well-crafted pop rock tune. Me too. And when I saw Starship a few years ago, the crowd went nuts when they did the song. Not quite the reaction you'd expect for "one of the worst songs ever."
|
|
|
Post by Hervard on Nov 30, 2018 14:03:29 GMT -5
American Top 40: The 80s - December 1, 2018 This week's presentation - December 6, 1980 A big thanks to pb for providing me with the list of this week's show, which I was unable to obtain earlier! Droppers: ONE TRICK PONY - PAUL SIMON (40) - The second hit from Paul's movie of the same name. However, it definitely did not live up to the success of the first song, "Late In The Evening", which peaked at #6. This song, on the other hand, didn't get any higher than the bottom rung on the AT40 chart. The song was a good one, but I preferred the other song from the film. TURNING JAPANESE - THE VAPORS (36) - Kind of surprised that this song didn't get past #36, given the recurrent airplay it receives today, as well as the fact that I heard it on WLS all the time back around this time. ON THE ROAD AGAIN - WILLIE NELSON (34) - I'm generally not a huge Willie Nelson fan, but I actually thought this was a great song - possibly my favorite song from him! UPSIDE DOWN - DIANA ROSS (28) - Well, this song dropped out, but no matter; she had two other songs on the chart this week. Of her three hits from 1980, this would be my second favorite. LW#3: THE WANDERER - DONNA SUMMER LW#2: WOMAN IN LOVE - BARBRA STREISAND LW#1: LADY - KENNY ROGERS 40: I LOVE A RAINY NIGHT - EDDIE RABBITT (debut) - This song was on its way to becoming Rabbitt's biggest hit ever, spending a pair of weeks at #1 in February, 1981. I liked it, along with many of his other hits. 39: I MADE IT THROUGH THE RAIN - BARRY MANILOW (debut) - It's kind of appropriate that the first two songs on the countdown are about rain, as here in the Great Lakes area, it is coming down quite hard right now. Anyhoo, it seems that more often than not, this song had the second verse cut when played on AT40. This time, however, the song was left intact, which is good, because it's a great song. 38: TIME IS TIME - ANDY GIBB (debut) - This song kicked off the Top 100 of 1981 countdown. It was a good one, but I preferred many of his earlier hits. 37: LET ME BE YOUR ANGEL - STACY LATTISAW (21) - Yawn! I mentioned earlier how today was a dark, rainy day. This song has that sort of sound to it, so I had to get up from my computer and walk around to keep from falling asleep. Don't get me wrong, though; the song isn't bad. She sounds a little like Michael Jackson (during the early Jackson 5 days), especially in the chorus. 36: GIRLS CAN GET IT - DR. HOOK (39) - One of three Top 40 hits for them in 1980. While it's no "Better Love Next Time", it is still a great song and I prefer it over their other 1980 hit, "Sexy Eyes" by a sizeable margin. 35: LOVELY ONE - THE JACKSONS (22) - Well speak of the devil! I mentioned them earlier and here they are, with who else but Michael on lead vocals! I've always found it interesting that the Jackson 5/Jacksons hit #1 with their first four hits and then never again. Anyway, this song was OK, but I generally preferred the Jackson 5 era (which might sound odd coming from me, given that I'm not a fan of early-70s shows). 34: ONE STEP CLOSER - DOOBIE BROTHERS (debut) - Generally, their songs from 1975 on featured Michael McDonald on lead vocals, but on this one, he and Cornelius Bumpus shared the vocals. It was a great song - I loved the sax work in the song. LDD: A PLACE IN THE SUN - STEVIE WONDER - One of his earlier hits - one I'm unfamiliar with (so it must not get a ton of recurrent airplay). It was a good song, and indeed fitting for the dedication (which was dedicated to Stevie himself). 33: NEVER KNEW LOVE LIKE THIS BEFORE - STEPHANIE MILLS (18) - Great song! Possibly....the only song I’ve ever heard by her (You thought I was going to say “possibly my favorite from her, didn’t you?) ARCHIVE: HE'S SO FINE - THE CHIFFONS - I can see why they would sue George Harrison for plagiarism, since his song "My Sweet Lord" indeed sounded a lot like this song, which I thought was pretty good. OPTIONAL EXTRA: HEY NINETEEN - STEELY DAN - One of their last big hits before going their separate ways in 1981. It's a good song, but I preferred many of their 1970s hits, particularly the ones on the Aja album. 32: THE TIDE IS HIGH - BLONDIE (38) - This was sort of an unusual sound for Blondie, with its reggae beat (then again, their songs showed great diversity in music styles). This song wasn't bad, but it definitely wasn't my favorite by them. 31: PASSION - ROD STEWART (37) - I've mentioned before that Rick Springfield seemed to have pairs of songs that sound alike. Rod Stewart has a few of those as well - this one's "counterpart" would be his summer, 1984 hit "Infatuation". I prefer this one, however. 30: SUDDENLY - OLIVIA NEWTON-JOHN AND CLIFF RICHARD (35) - Great song, from one of the most successful movie soundtracks of 1980 (especially a soundtrack of a movie that itself was a box office flop). 29: I BELIEVE IN YOU - DON WILLIAMS (31) - He was chiefly a country artist, but he did have one pop crossover hit. This one is a guilty pleasure of mine! Interesting story about how he wore his hat everywhere he went - even to bed a few times. 28: CELEBRATION - KOOL & THE GANG (32) - I remember this song quite well - aside from radio airplay, it got a lot of play on juke boxes, such as the one at Pizza Hut, a place that my dad would take my brother and me to every Sunday for dinner. 27: THIS TIME - JOHN COUGAR (30) - This song had sort of a sixties feel to it. It was a good one, but not quite his best. EXTRA: CROCODILE ROCK - ELTON JOHN - Interesting story about the hit streak (and Elton's would last much longer). Didn't care much for the song they chose, however. 26: HE'S SO SHY - THE POINTER SISTERS (17) - This was one of their biggest hits, as well as one of my all-time faves from them! 25: SEQUEL - HARRY CHAPIN (29) - aka "Taxi Part 2". I preferred the first song, from 1972, but this one was a good one as well - outpeaked "Taxi" by one spot. 24: THEME FROM "THE DUKES OF HAZZARD" - WAYLON JENNINGS (26) - My brother used to watch this show every single week it was on. I'd watch it with him sometimes, so I recognized this song quite well. Interesting story about how Waylon saved his own life by giving up his seat in the ill-fated plane to the ailing Big Bopper. ARCHIVE: I WILL FOLLOW HIM - LITTLE PEGGY MARCH - Bonnie Tyler's "It's A Heartache" sort of reminds me of this song, which wasn't bad - your typical early-60s song by a female artist/band. OPTIONAL EXTRA: KEEP ON LOVING YOU - REO SPEEDWAGON - I believe this would be considered their biggest hit ever. "Can't Fight This Feeling" may have spent two more weeks on top, but this song had more staying power - it spent two more weeks in the Top 40 than that song spent on the Hot 100. This was a song I definitely remember from its chart run, and I never got tired of it - a great power ballad indeed! 23: IT'S MY TURN - DIANA ROSS (27) - Now this by far was my favorite of her two songs on the chart this week. It's a great one - very theatrical sounding. 22: DEEP INSIDE MY HEART - RANDY MEISNER (25) - One of three solo hits by former Eagles member Meisner. I preferred the other two, but this one, which featured Kim Carnes singing back-up, was good too. 21: EVERYBODY'S GOT TO LEARN SOMETIME - THE KORGIS (23) - I love this song - very eerie sounding! Imagine listening to this while walking through a graveyard on a foggy night! 20: WITHOUT YOUR LOVE - ROGER DALTRY (20) - The lead singer of the Who tried it on his own, and did quite well, peaking at #20 with his only solo hit. Even though this song was peaking nationally, it was gearing up to chart on the WLS survey, hitting the chart shortly after the new year and climbing to #37 in early March. 19: DE DO DO DO DE DA DA DA - THE POLICE (24) - Don't like this one - if this was all that someone had to say to me, I'd be out the door. I actually prefer their grossly overplayed 1983 hit over this one. 18: TELL IT LIKE IT IS - HEART (33) - A great cover of what, at the time, was Aaron Neville's only Top 40 hit (he has since had several more). Not sure which of the two versions I prefer. 17: WHIP IT - DEVO (14) - Meh, I was never a huge fan of this one. But it is indeed ideal for an 80s mix show. 16: EVERY WOMAN IN THE WORLD - AIR SUPPLY (19) - They were really on a roll at this point - it was their third hit, and would hit the Top Five like the first two (and the next four). 15: NEVER BE THE SAME - CHRISTOPHER CROSS (15) - One of two songs by Christopher Cross that hit the Top Three on R&R, yet only reached Top 20 status on the Hot 100. And, you know what, both songs sound a little alike. But I'm sure that's merely coincidence. Anyway, I liked this song a lot - for a song with such a depressing subject matter, it's unusually upbeat. 14: GUILTY - BARBRA STREISAND AND BARRY GIBB (16) - This was the first of two duets with which the two charted, both of which made the Top Ten. I preferred the other one, "What Kind Of Fool", which would chart a few months later. This one wasn't bad, but my least favorite of Streisand's three singles from the album of the same name. 13: THE WANDERER - DONNA SUMMER (3) - I actually used to think that this song was a slightly altered remake of Dion's song of the same title but, in fact, it's a completely different song altogether. This was a great song, IMO. ARCHIVE: IF YOU WANNA BE HAPPY - JIMMY SOUL - One of those bouncy, feel-good type of hits popular back in the 1960s. Wasn't this song used in the ending credits for a movie? OPTIONAL EXTRA: THE WINNER TAKES IT ALL - ABBA - This, sadly, would be their final Top Ten hit. It, along with "Dancing Queen" (which we heard on this week's 70s "B" show) were my two favorites from them. 12: YOU'VE LOST THAT LOVIN' FEELING - DARYL HALL & JOHN OATES (12) - They really worked on this one to make it sound like the original by the Righteous Brothers, didn't they? I actually preferred this one, because it doesn't sound as dated as the original. 11: HIT ME WITH YOUR BEST SHOT - PAT BENATAR (13) - Her first Top Ten hit, and her signature song. I liked it, despite its overplay. 10: DREAMING - CLIFF RICHARD (10) - 1980 was definitely his best year on the US charts, as he had two Top Ten hits that year (as well as two other Top 40 hits). This song was good, though I preferred his other Top Ten hit, "We Don't Talk Anymore", from early in the year. 9: I'M COMING OUT - DIANA ROSS (5) - I wonder how many people took this title wrong? Anyway, I was never a big fan of this song. Easily my least favorite of her two songs on the chart this week. 8: HUNGRY HEART - BRUCE SPRINGSTEEN (11) - his was Springsteen's very first Top Ten, just like Pat Benatar. It's one of my favorite songs from him - I even prefer it over my favorites from Born In The USA. 7: LOVE ON THE ROCKS - NEIL DIAMOND (9) - Had it not been for the death of John Lennon, this song just might have hit #1. It did, however, sneak in a week on top of the R&R chart, though, which is good, because it was a great song - my favorite of Neil's three Top Ten songs from The Jazz Singer. 6: (JUST LIKE) STARTING OVER - JOHN LENNON (8) - Little did the world know that a mere two days later, Lennon would be shot and killed by Mark David Chapman. I mentioned how Neil Diamond's song might have hit #1 if not for that, but this song also would have hit #1 as well, since its popularity was mounting at about the same rate. It was a great song - the first of four posthumous Top Ten hits by John Lennon, and my favorite of the four (well, technically, it wouldn't count as a posthumous song, as Lennon was still alive when the song was released, but the song did peak posthumously). LDD: READY TO TAKE A CHANCE AGAIN - BARRY MANILOW - This dedication was from a woman whose plans to be a professional model fell through and she returned home only to find that the man she had broken up with had joined the Navy and was out on his tour of duty. I wonder if they ever found one another and ended up together again? This song fit the LDD to a T. 5: MASTER BLASTER - STEVIE WONDER (7) - This song sounded a lot like something that the late Bob Marley would do. I like it, but prefer many others from Wonder. 4: WOMAN IN LOVE - BARBRA STREISAND (2) - Definitely one of the biggest hits of 1980, and one I remember quite well! It's my second favorite of her three Top 40 hits from Guilty, behind "What Kind Of Fool". 3: ANOTHER ONE BITES THE DUST - QUEEN (4) - The hit that wouldn't die! The song had hit #1 back in October and didn't seem to be in any kind of hurry to leave the chart. For the 1980 year-end countdown, which would be starting a few weeks later, this song was shortchanged - had its full chart run been considered, it would be way up in the Top Five - possibly even #1. Not that I'm complaining, since I'm not a huge fan of this song - another song that was played on the Pizza Hut juke box all the time. OPTIONAL EXTRA: 9 TO 5 - DOLLY PARTON - Dolly Parton's first pop hit, "Here You Come Again" peaked at #3, and after four songs that missed the Top Ten, she had her very first #1 hit. It was a great song - one of my favorites from her. 2: MORE THAN I CAN SAY - LEO SAYER (6) - This song almost made it all the way to the top, but was shut out by the song that was currently at #1, and then the above John Lennon song would leapfrog over it. I liked this song, though I preferred two of his 1977 songs (I still prefer this over "When I Need You"). 1: LADY - KENNY ROGERS (1) - This was the song's fourth of six weeks at the top. Since the song peaked past the cutoff date for the 1980 YE show, it had been deferred to 1981 and looked to be in a great position to snag the top spot of that year, but who knew that two other songs had even stronger staying power at the top. As for this song, I guess you could call it a guilty pleasure, since I liked it a lot. Coming up next week: The December 12, 1987 show, last aired in 2014, is slated for next week. Not exactly my favorite era of music, but I'll be listening just the same (after all, it is the only show I'll be catching next week), to post an updated commentary.
|
|
|
Post by Hervard on Dec 8, 2018 13:26:15 GMT -5
American Top 40: The 80s - December 8, 2018 This week's prediction - December 12, 1987 LOVE WILL FIND A WAY - YES (36) - Generally an album rock band, they did have a handful of pop hits. This one got as high as #30 on the chart. It was a good one, though I preferred the next release, "Rhythm Of Love", which hit in early 1988. LITTLE LIES - FLEETWOOD MAC (32) - A song that Lindsey Buckingham co-produced before leaving the band. You can even hear him singing on this - he's the one that goes "Tell me, tell me lies" in the chorus. The song's OK, but one of my least favorite songs from them. BREAK OUT - SWING OUT SISTER (30) - They seemed destined to be a two-hit wonder, until "Am I The Same Girl" charted in 1992 (I assume it hit the AT40 chart, which by then was not going by the Hot 100, where the song peaked at #45). Anyway, I thought this song was pretty good, but I preferred their next hit, the underrated "Twilight World". 40: BRILLIANT DISGUISE - BRUCE SPRINGSTEEN (26) - Of his two 1987 hits, this was definitely my favorite. His other one, from his live greatest hits album, was a mediocre cover of a mediocre song, IMO. 39: I DON'T MIND AT ALL - BOURGEOIS TAGG (38) - Eric Tagg had a few gigs as a featured singer, such as Lee Ritenour's 1981 hit "Is It You", and Brent Bourgeois would have his own Top 40 hit in the spring of 1990 with "Dare To Fall In Love", and they both teamed up for their sole Top 40 hit as a duet here. The song only got as high as #38 the week before, which I thought was a shame, but the song was a little ahead of its time; had it been released around 1995 or so, it might have been a Top Ten hit. 38: COULD'VE BEEN - TIFFANY (debut) - I had been hearing this song on B96 for about a month and was wondering when it would hit the charts. I'm kinda surprised that the early action didn't affect the song's performance on the charts (which happened with a few other songs, "Freedom" by Wham! being one of them), but it did not; in fact, like her first hit, it went to #1 - in fact, its first week at the top was on the (R&R) chart dated January 29, 1988 - my sixteenth birthday, so that was a great birthday present for me! 38A: THE ROSE - BETTE MIDLER - This song was actually a Long Distance Dedication to Tiffany (apparently intentionally placed right after one of her songs, hence its numbering) from a fan who was trying to give her a rose as she got on her tour bus, but he froze when she came out and he never got the chance to give it to her. This song is pretty good, though I'd had enough of it by the spring of 1985, when my school choir sang this as part of our spring concert. 37: TRUE FAITH (MORNING SUN) - NEW ORDER (40) - This English band had several big club hits ("Blue Monday" and "Bizarre Love Triangle" come to mind), but this was their first song to crack the Top 40. It was a good one, but it sure had an unusual chart run - did what Casey referred to as a "yo-yo routine". 36: HUNGRY EYES - ERIC CARMEN (debut) - The first of two Dirty Dancing hits on the chart this week. This was definitely my least favorite of the two. Not sure why; this song just never did anything for me. 35: I WANT TO BE YOUR MAN - ROGER (debut) - I always found this a tad annoying. I can stomach a listen to it once in awhile, but wouldn't like to hear it everyday (like I did back in early 1988) 34: I WON'T FORGET YOU - POISON (22) - This song reminded me a little of "Missing You" by John Waite - and the subject matter wasn't all that different. I preferred most of their other hits, though this one wasn't bad either. 33: SEASONS CHANGE - EXPOSE (39) - A rare instance where the final song from an album turns out to be the most successful (I seem to remember this happening a few other times over the next year, by acts like the Jets and Richard Marx). Anyway, this would be my second favorite release from their Exposure album behind "Point Of No Return". 32: I COULD NEVER TAKE THE PLACE OF YOUR MAN - PRINCE (37) - Not sure if I prefer this version or Jordan Knight’s ballad version of the song, which charted in the summer of 1999. Both are great songs in their own ways. 31: POWER OF LOVE - LAURA BRANIGAN (34) - This was the third version of this song to hit the Hot 100, but only the first to crack the Top 40. It is a good one, though I prefer the album version, instead of the single edit that was usually played on AT40, though I guess not as much is taken out as I once thought; the only things absent from the long version (which was played on the show the week before), is the second chorus and the bridge. It's just, after hearing Celine Dion's #1 hit version from 1994 multiple times, the edited version sounds like it is very short, although its playing time is, in fact, about the average duration of a typical 1987 song. OPTIONAL EXTRA: WHAT HAVE I DONE TO DESERVE THIS - PET SHOP BOYS f/DUSTY SPRINGFIELD - I listened to the show on KZOY, which does not play the extras, but that's OK; none of them are anything exceptional, especially this one. For some reason, I just never really got into this song. One of my least favorites from both artists. 30: CRAZY - ICEHOUSE (35) - The first of two Top 20 hits for this six-member Aussie band. I thought that both this and "Electric Blue" were great songs; I liked them about the same. 29: I'VE BEEN IN LOVE BEFORE - CUTTING CREW (17) - Pretty much the only song from them we hear from this English band anymore is the tired, overplayed "(I Just) Died In Your Arms". I have heard this one on the radio a time or two in the past few years, though. It's a pretty good one. 28: HAZY SHADE OF WINTER - BANGLES (33) - Before going into this song, Casey plugged the upcoming Top 100 of 1987 and said that the Bangles were bound to be among the list - they sure were - all the way on top! Although I do prefer this song over that one, I still prefer most of their other Top 40 hits. 27: THERE'S THE GIRL - HEART (31) - Wow, interesting story about the roof collapsing during one of their concerts - yet the band members received nary a scratch. Their instruments, however, were not so lucky! As for this song, it was one on which Nancy Wilson sang lead (IIRC, this was the second chart hit on which she handled the lead vocals, but I could be wrong). It was pretty good, but I preferred their other two Top 40 hits from Bad Animals (not sure how the fourth one, "I Want You So Bad" goes, since it never hit the Top 40). 26: HOURGLASS - SQUEEZE (15) - Their near-miss from 1981, "Tempted" seems to be the only song from them that we hear anymore. Paul Carrack sang lead on that one, but had left the group by the time this song came around. The lead singer on this one reminds me of Paul McCartney. I liked this song - it had a very catchy chorus! 25: MONY MONY - BILLY IDOL (13) - One of two Tommy James covers that rode up the chart side by side. They debuted the same week, hit the Top Ten the same week, and came so close to dropping off the same week as well. They were #1 back-to-back as well. It was my favorite of the two - especially the live version. IIRC, the week before, Charlie Van Dyke told the story about Idol being the first act represented by the letter I hitting #1? 24: ANIMAL - DEF LEPPARD (28) - Ah, the first Top 40 hit from their behemoth album Hysteria (the first release, "Women" had fallen way short, peaking at #80 in early September). I wonder if it would have done better had they decided to re-release it after the album became a huge hit - I'm guessing probably not, as the last hit from the album, "Rocket" sounded a lot like "Women" and they figured it would be best to put out a new track instead of chancing the re-release flopping (and I certainly doubt they'd release "Women" right after "Rocket" due to said similarity). 23: I THINK WE'RE ALONE NOW - TIFFANY (16) - I wasn't a big fan of this remake. This was likely my least favorite of her Top 40 hits. "Could've Been" was far superior, IMO. 22: CANDLE IN THE WIND - ELTON JOHN (27) - This was one of three versions of this song that I've heard, and my least favorite. I much prefer the original studio version, which Chicago's Z95 played in place of this live version (in fact, I remember hearing it on the way to the movie theater). I wonder if we'll hear the January 30, 1988 show in early 2019, on which AT40 played the original version). 21: SKELETONS - STEVIE WONDER (19) - This became Stevie Wonder's eighteenth #1 on the Black Singles chart, putting him in second place by himself. Not sure if he equalled or surpassed Aretha Franklin's record of 20 #1's - I'm thinking probably not. As for the song, it's pretty good, but sounds suspiciously like "Freedom Overspill" by another Stev(i)e whose last name also begins with W - coincidence? You decide! 20: I DO YOU - THE JETS (23) - A song whose title could be misconstrued, LOL! As for my opinion of the song, it's nothing I'd go out of my way to listen to, and it is certainly not an ideal song to be placed before a sad LDD, which was the case two weeks earlier. 19: THAT'S WHAT LOVE IS ALL ABOUT - MICHAEL BOLTON (24) - This was the first of many Top 40 hits that Michael would chalk up over the next ten or so years. It was a great song - one of my favorite songs from him! 18: NEED YOU TONIGHT - INXS (25) - The first of four Top 40 hits from what would become their best singles album, Kick. I wasn't a huge fan of it, or INXS in general, but they did have a few songs that I liked (this just wasn't one of them). 17: THE WAY YOU MAKE ME FEEL - MICHAEL JACKSON (29) - He was on a roll, cranking out #1 hit after #1 hit from the Bad album. This was one of the two songs from the album that had a relatively long chart run (as the others besides this and "Man In The Mirror" seemed to zip up and down the chart). I like this song, though my sentiments were quite different back in the day, since I hated this song back then - I referred to it as "a dicky song" in my journal entry when this song was #1. Now I think it's a good song! 16: CHERRY BOMB - JOHN COUGAR MELLENCAMP (20) - The second single from "The Lonesome Jubilee", and, like the first one, it would hit the Top Ten. Another song that I hated back in the day, but now I think it's a good one. 15: TELL IT TO MY HEART - TAYLOR DAYNE (19) - Like the Tiffany song back at #38, I had been hearing this one on Chicago's B96 about a month before it hit the chart. Based on the opening synth notes, I thought this sounded like a dance version of Glenn Frey's "The One You Love". This was probably my favorite song from her debut album. 14: DUDE (LOOKS LIKE A LADY) - AEROSMITH (18) - I recall a somewhat humorous event tied to this song. When this song was growing on the charts, my stepmother was taking us to see a movie and on the way there, this song was playing and my younger stepsisters, who had never heard the song before, were laughing at the title. It wasn't a bad song, but I preferred the next release, which hit the Top 40 a month later and would go on to become Aerosmith's biggest hit (up to that point, that is). EXTRA: BETTE DAVIS EYES - KIM CARNES 13: VALERIE - STEVE WINWOOD (14) - A song that originally charted in 1982, when it was released from Winwood's album Talking Back To The Night, but it didn't quite make the Top 40. But it became a Top Ten hit its second time around, and deservedly so, as it was a great song! 12: THE ONE I LOVE - R.E.M. (9) - This one had a little hint of folk music to it. It wasn't bad, but I preferred most of their 90s hits. 11: CATCH ME (I'M FALLING) - PRETTY POISON (12) - This song was one of three Top 40 hits from movie Hiding Out, during the skating rink scene. It's a pretty good song, but I preferred the other two hits that the soundtrack spawned, especially "Live My Life" by Boy George, which I thought was totally underrated. The third single, BTW, was "You Don't Know" by Scarlett & Black, which I just recently learned. 10: GOT MY MIND SET ON YOU - GEORGE HARRISON (11) - This was George's first hit in over six years, and he picked up right where he left off, as this was a big hit like his last one before this (only this one went to #1 on the Hot 100). I liked the song when it first came out, but to this day, I'm still a tad burned out on it due to overplay. 9: DON'T YOU WANT ME - JODY WATLEY (10) - She seems to have pairs of songs that sound alike. Her next hit, "Some Kind Of Lover" sounds a lot like this one (and "Real Love" is a dead ringer for "Looking For A New Love"). I thought this song was pretty good. 8: WE'LL BE TOGETHER - STING (7) - The first hit from Sting's second solo album Nothing Like The Sun. It wasn't bad, but not quite his best. I preferred many songs on his other solo albums. 7: SO EMOTIONAL - WHITNEY HOUSTON (8) - The first hit from Sting's second solo album Nothing Like The Sun. It wasn't bad, but not quite his best. I preferred many songs on his other solo albums. 6: SHAKE YOUR LOVE - DEBBIE GIBSON (6) - I like most of her hits, but always thought this one was a little too teenybopper sounding for my tastes. 5: IS THIS LOVE - WHITESNAKE (5) - Their first two Top 40 hits from this English rock band were both mid-tempo ballads. I liked both of them about the same. 4: (I'VE HAD) THE TIME OF MY LIFE - BILL MEDLEY & JENNIFER WARNES (2) - Dirty Dancing fever was just getting started, with this song, which I like, but for some reason, I hated it with a passion when it was on its way up the chart. Probably because of the overplay, but I never liked it in the first place. Now I think it's a good one, though I wouldn't want to hear it on a regular basis. 3: SHOULD'VE KNOWN BETTER - RICHARD MARX (4) - I often compare this song to Kenny Loggins' "I'm Free (Heaven Helps The Man)" since they both sound alike. I prefer the Kenny Loggins song, but this is also a great one - my favorite from his self-titled album. 2: HEAVEN IS A PLACE ON EARTH - BELINDA CARLISLE (1) - Two weeks before, this song was in a tie with "We Got The Beat" as her biggest hit, solo or with the Go-Go's, such was the case with the latter. Of course, the following week, this song would beat that song out (no pun intended). It's a great song; my second favorite from the Heaven On Earth album, behind "I Get Weak 1: FAITH - GEORGE MICHAEL (3) - I liked many songs from George Michael, both with Wham! and solo, but this was definitely not one of them! This and "I Want Your Sex" were easily my least favorite of the singles from the Faith album! Coming up next week: We have the show from December 18, 1982 up next. After that, the show from December 24, 1983 is pretty much a given, based on the hint we got back in November. The year-ender looks to be either 1985 or 1986, with many people predicting the latter.
|
|
|
Post by Hervard on Dec 14, 2018 11:15:43 GMT -5
American Top 40: The 70s - December 15, 2018 This week's presentation - December 17, 1977 This week's critiques could be a little slow going. I just had laser surgery for a retinal tear on my right eye, so it might not be good for me to sit at the computer for too long. But I will eventually get both critiques done Droppers: WE JUST DISAGREE - DAVE MASON (33) - This one sounds kind of dated. It's not bad, but it somehow doesn't sound anywhere near as fresh as it did back in 1977. GONE TOO FAR - ENGLAND DAN & JOHN FORD COLEY (23) - Their fourth of six Top 40 hits and possibly their most obscure of those. I liked it, just like their other hits. 40: NATIVE NEW YORKER - ODYSSEY (debut) - This was their only Top 40 hit - a namesake for where they originated. The song was OK, but nothing exceptional - sounded a little like the Bee Gees. 39: AS – STEVIE WONDER (40) - It looked like this is where the song peaked, as it dropped off the chart the following week. But a month later, the song seemed to get a second wind and re-entered at #38, already surpassing its previous peak. The song would peak at #36. It was a great song IMO, but I have a feeling that the fact that most fans had Wonder's year-old album Songs In The Key Of Life at this point, so there was no need to buy the single or request it on the radio. I still feel it was underrated. 38: POINT OF KNOW RETURN - KANSAS (debut) - I’m surprised that this song didn’t get any higher than #28, as I heard it all the time back in the day (mainly on WLS). Perhaps it was one of those songs that received sporadic airplay and did well where played. Whatever the case, this was a great song IMO and one I definitely associate with early 1978. 37: LOVE IS THICKER THAN WATER – ANDY GIBB (39) - The first of three #1 songs in a row for Gibb. It wasn't quite as good as "I Just Want To Be Your Everything", but I prefer it over "Shadow Dancing". 36: DON’T LET ME BE MISUNDERSTOOD – SANTA ESMERELDA (38) - An interesting disco rendition of the classic by the Animals. Coincidentally, both songs peaked at #15 on the Hot 100. 35: DANCE, DANCE, DANCE, YOWSAH, YOWSAH - CHIC (37) - Meh, not a fan of this one, mostly since it is quite repetitive. I preferred other songs from them, especially "I Want Your Love" from the spring of 1979. 34: IT’S ECSTASY WHEN YOU LAY DOWN NEXT TO ME – BARRY WHITE (24) - I was making myself a cup of coffee during this song, so I have no idea whether or not it was edited down to a mere minute and a half like it usually was (if not for the fact that two original extras from the show were deferred to Optional Extra status, there wouldn't be any doubt). Anyway, I wasn't really a big fan of this song, or much of anything by Barry White, for that matter. 33: GETTING’ READY FOR LOVE – DIANA ROSS (35) - Wow, here's a rarity - an upbeat song by Diana Ross that doesn't have a disco beat to it! Perhaps that's why it didn't get any higher than #27, which IMO was too bad, as I thought it was a great song. 32: TURN TO STONE – ELECTRIC LIGHT ORCHESTRA (36) - They also had a ton of hits in the 1970s, including this one, which peaked at #13 (but made it all the way to #5 on the R&R charts). This is one I remember quite well from back in the day, though for some reason, I associated it more with summer than winter. It is one of my favorite songs from them 31: JUST THE WAY YOU ARE - BILLY JOEL (32) - The first of four releases from one of his best singles albums ever. I liked all four of the songs and, though "She's Always A Woman" was my favorite of those, the others, including this one, were great as well. Did they ever play the full album version of the song during its chart run? (I'm fairly sure I remember them playing that one as a LDD one time). 30: THE WAY I FEEL TONIGHT – THE BAY CITY ROLLERS (31) - They went with a slow song this time around. Reminded me a little of "Without You" by Harry Nilsson. It wasn't bad, but nothing exceptional. 29: SHORT PEOPLE – RANDY NEWMAN (34) - Wow! The chart was extra slow this week, as this song, moving up five spots, was the biggest mover of the week! It's pretty common knowledge that this song's meaning was misinterpreted, until the bridge. I thought it was a great song. EXTRA: BLUE CHRISTMAS – ELVIS PRESLEY - A twofer from the King here! Interesting story about how Elvis helped out the hitchhiker by, instead of giving him a ride, handed him a $50. 28: MY WAY – ELVIS PRESLEY (30) - A great rendition of the Frank Sinatra classic! My favorite of the ones I've heard (though the only other one I've heard, other than the two listed here, is the one from Sesame Street, by Kermit The Frog, and even that one had different lyrics and a slightly different melody - it was called "This Frog"OPTIONAL EXTRA: WHAT'S YOUR NAME - LYNYRD SKYNYRD - This would have been an ideal place to put the Elvis holiday song above. Instead, this is the only OE that is not a Christmas tune, from great classic rock band. This one, as well as most of their others, gets tons of recurrent airplay on classic rock stations today. This was one of my favorites from them. 27: SHE’S NOT THERE - SANTANA (27) - This remake of the Zombies 1965 hit sounded very much like the original. Both are good songs. 26: SERPENTINE FIRE – EARTH, WIND & FIRE (28) - An L.A.-based act that had quite a few hits during the 70s (though they didn't hit the Top 40 until 1974). This was a pretty good song, but not quite their best (I don't think I need to remind you that my two faves from them are "That's The Way Of The World" and "September", do I? 25: RUNAROUND SUE – LEIF GARRETT (29) - He had charted a few months before with a cover version of the Beach Boys' "Surfin' USA" and returned to the chart a few weeks back with another remake, this one, an old Dion classic. Of course, the original was the best version, but I also liked this version of the song. EXTRA: LITTLE SAINT NICK – THE BEACH BOYS - Originally a regular countdown extra, this song was played as the second Optional Extra. Casey talked about how this band got their start singing Christmas carols. When they were in junior high school, they would get together to rehearse their songs, and they'd go caroling up and down the street around the holidays. Eventually, that led to the band having jam sessions and their career snowballed from there. This song, which at this point is 55 years old, still gets holiday airplay every single year. IMO, it's a really good song. 24: BOOGIE NIGHTS - HEATWAVE (14) - aka Part 1 of this song (part 2 would chart the following summmer). Both songs bookended about the only Heatwave song that I like, the more mellow "Always And Forever". 23: I GO CRAZY – PAUL DAVIS (25) - Now here is a song that showed great tenacity. On many occasions, it appeared to have peaked, but it just kept inching up the chart all the way to its peak of #7, which it reached in its 30th week on the Hot 100. Unsurprisingly, the song would end up breaking the record for the longest run on the chart - an even 40 weeks! I liked this, but preferred several others by him. 22: WE ARE THE CHAMPIONS – QUEEN (26) - Not sure whether or not radio was playing "We Will Rock You" with this one yet, but they certainly were by the time 1978 rolled in - every radio station I listened to were playing both songs and never one or the other. 21: HEAVEN ON THE 7th FLOOR – PAUL NICHOLAS (6) - This was melodically a great song, but the lyrics were sort of questionable - the guy was stuck in an elevator with someone who wanted nothing to do with him - and he was happy nonetheless. I'd have felt very awkward and, like the girl in the elevator with me, I'd want them to have us out ASAP. But that's just me. As I said, the music itself was great. 20: YOUR SMILING FACE – JAMES TAYLOR (21) - The second of two Top 40 songs from his JT album. Both were great songs and I'm not sure which of them I prefer. 19: HEY DEANIE – SHAUN CASSIDY (22) - The third of four Top 40 hits from this singer/actor from L.A. I liked it, but preferred his first two hits, both of which hit the Top Ten (as did this song). 18: SWINGTOWN – STEVE MILLER (20) - This was their fourth Top Ten hit during 1977 (although the first of them came from a different album). Of the three Book Of Dreams singles, it would be a close race between this and "Jet Airliner" for my favorite - both are great. 17: YOU’RE IN MY HEART (THE FINAL ACCLAIM) – ROD STEWART (19) - This song would become his second #1 on R&R, but it didn't quite make it on the Hot 100 (basically, if you weren't the Bee Gees or at least on the RSO label in the first half of 1978, you were pretty much S.O.L. Anyway, this was a great song - one of my favorites both back in the day and now. As is usually the case, they edited this one, jumping from the first verse to the second chorus. Truly, a four-hour show was called for a few years before it finally became a reality, which, of course, was in October of the following year. 16: COME SAIL AWAY - STYX (18) - Of course, the single version of this song was cut down more than necessary. Of all three versions I've heard, I like the one that's about four minutes long; the only thing cut from that part is the bridge, with the weird spacey sound effects. I wonder if Casey would have played that one had it charted when AT40 had expanded. 15: YOU CAN’T TURN ME OFF – HIGH ENERGY (17) - This one reminds me a little of "Ain't No Mountain High Enough" by Diana Ross. It was a pretty good song. 14: ISN’T IT TIME – THE BABYS (16) - Their first of three Top 40 hits. Of those, my favorites would be their two songs that peaked at #13 (the other being "Everytime I Think Of You" from 1979) - not sure which I prefer, as I think both are great. 13: SLIP SLIDIN’ AWAY – PAUL SIMON (15) - This song would become his fifth Top Ten solo single (you thought he had more, didn't you?). His next Top 40 solo entry would be "Late In The Evening", in 1980. 12: BABY, WHAT A BIG SURPRISE - CHICAGO (9) - At first, it looked as if this song could become their second #1 song, but the Top Three was just too strong for it. This was a pretty good song, IMO - one that I've started to like a little better than I had over the past few years. 11: SENTIMENTAL LADY – BOB WELCH (13) - This chart was beginning to look a little like 1982, as there were many songs in the Top 20 moving up two spots. The only thing missing was huge drops from inside the Top 20. Lindsey Buckingham and Christine McVie of Fleetwood Mac, for whom Welch was the former guitarist, are both heard singing back-up on his first solo hit. It was a great song IMO. 10: HERE YOU COME AGAIN – DOLLY PARTON (12) - Chiefly a country act, Parton did have a few crossover hits and this was the first of them. It's definitely one of my favorite songs from her. 9: YOU MAKE LOVIN’ FUN – FLEETWOOD MAC (10) - The fourth Top Ten hit from the #1 album of 1977, Rumors. This song started its chart run with two large chart jumps, but by this point, were taking baby steps all the way up to their peak here at #9. This is the second of two songs on which Christine McVie is involved with on this week's countdown - aside from singing back-up on Bob Welch's "Sentimental Lady", she handles the lead vocals on this song - easily my favorite single from the Rumors album. They played an extra short version of this song - couldn't have been much more than two minutes long. 8: BABY COME BACK - PLAYER (11) - This song was the fastest rising song within the Top 20 this week. No surprise there, as this song was on its way to the top, where it held for three weeks in January, 1978 - pretty much the only song for the first few months of 1978 not connected with the Gibb family or the Saturday Night Fever soundtrack that managed to hit #1. 7: WE’RE ALL ALONE – RITA COOLIDGE (7) - This was her second Top Ten hit. I like both songs about the same. I remember buying the 45 of "We're All Alone" in March, 1983 - and "Higher Than Higher" was on the flipside! 6: BACK IN LOVE AGAIN - LTD (8) - This would become the biggest of their three Top 40 hits, peaking at #4 in the following week. It wasn't bad, but I generally preferred lead singer Jeffrey Osbourne's solo hits. EXTRA: WHITE CHRISTMAS – BING CROSBY - This, of course, was played as the final Optional Extra. Originating from the movie Holiday Inn in 1942, the single was released in December of that year and and it hit #1, and returned to the charts around the holidays 18 times, making the Top Ten in eight of those years. By the time this show was taped, it had sold 40 million copies, becoming the biggest selling single of all time. This song was #1 on both AT40 Christmas countdowns earlier in the decade. A great Christmas classic indeed! 5: IT’S SO EASY – LINDA RONSTADT (5) - Ronstadt was competing with herself on the chart with two hits - one upbeat song and one ballad (the disparity may have been instrumental in how well they did on the chart). This was the former of the two and, though I did prefer her other song, this was a great one as well! 4: DON’T IT MAKE MY BROWN EYES BLUE – CRYSTAL GAYLE (2) - One of four country crossover hits from her (yes, I thought she had more as well, which she did - at AC radio, that is). I liked all four songs about the same - all of them are great songs IMO. 3: BLUE BAYOU – LINDA RONSTADT (4) - The week before, Linda's two hits were back-to-back, but this song manages to move ahead one more spot as her upbeat song stays put. As stated earlier, this is my favorite of her two songs on this week's chart. 2: HOW DEEP IS YOUR LOVE – THE BEE GEES (3) - This song looked like it had peaked over the past few weeks, as it was stuck at #3 for as many weeks, but managed to push Crystal Gayle out of the way and move into the runner-up position. Then, of course, it hit #1 the following week and held there for three weeks. After that, the song was in no hurry to go anywhere; in fact, it would still be in the Top Ten when March rolled around! This song held the record for the longest top ten run for fourteen years. 1: YOU LIGHT UP MY LIFE – DEBBY BOONE (1) - This song was in a two-way tie with Dinah Shore's "Buttons and Bows", for the song by a female solo artist that spent the most weeks at #1. Casey mentioned that, if this song managed to hold on for another week, it would beat the record for the longest-running #1 song for any song (as "Cherry Pink And Apple Blossom White" by Perez Prado had also spent ten weeks on top). Of course, this was the song's final week at #1, but no matter; Casey wouldn't have been able to announce it (as it happened, anyway), as the Top 100 of 1977 was played over the next two weeks. The song was in no hurry to go anywhere; in fact, it would still be in the Top Ten when March rolled around! This song held the record for the longest top ten run for fourteen years! Coming up next week: The final weekly show of 2018, from December 20, 1975 (last played in 2011). Not sure what the year-ender would be - I, like many of you, would personally prefer the Top 80 of 1972. Not that I would necessarily listen to that one, but I'm hoping for it so all year-enders of the 1970s will have had a turn. If they do choose the 1972 show, I'm not sure whether or not they'd have a "B" show to go along with it - their policy of including "B" shows might be slightly different than the weekly shows. The "B" show is likely the one I'd be interested in since it would probably be post-1974. The Top 100 of 1976 would be ideal, especially since they were very sparing with weekly shows from that year during 2018, so if 1972 is indeed the "A" show and a "B" show would be included, then 1976 would be my prediction, with 1978 being a back-up.
|
|
|
Post by Hervard on Dec 14, 2018 11:16:20 GMT -5
American Top 40: The 80s - December 15, 2018 This week's presentation - December 18, 1982 Droppers: I.G.Y. (WHAT A BEAUTIFUL WORLD) – DONALD FAIGAN (26) - *SIGH* Could someone please fix the freakin' censors on this board! Well, anyway, this was a good song - he sounded just as good solo as he did with Steely Dan. LOVE ME TOMORROW - CHICAGO (22) - This was the second of two Top 40 hits from the Chicago 16 album. Still, that was better than their 14th album, which yielded absolutely no Top 40 hits (the 15th album was a Greatest Hits album). This was my favorite song from Chicago 16 (since the first one is was overplayed). HEARTLIGHT - NEIL DIAMOND (17) - With the lowest ranked of the droppers being way up at #26 (as well as this being 1982), you knew there was bound to be at least one of them in the Top 20! This song, of course, was inspired by the summer blockbuster E.T. I loved that movie (though I don't know why the remastered version features Elliott riding across the sun instead of the moon) - as for the song, it's good, but far from being Diamond's best song. LW#2: GLORIA - LAURA BRANIGAN LW#1: MICKEY - TONI BASIL 40: SHAME ON THE MOON - BOB SEGER & THE SILVER BULLET BAND (debut) - This song would spend four frustrating weeks at #2, but couldn't quite make it past "Billie Jean", which leapfrogged over him. It was a good song, though not Seger's best. 39: ALLENTOWN - BILLY JOEL (debut) - His first single from the Nylon Curtain album had fallen out the week before and this week, the second single, a song whose message is still timely today, debuts. The song would spend six weeks at its peak of #17. Truly, the "star/superstar" rule was getting out of hand in early 1983. Glad that they did away with it later that year! 38: HEART OF THE NIGHT - JUICE NEWTON (debut) - As we all know, I liked her first three 1982 hits the best, but this one, which was more of a 1983 hit (since that was when it peaked), was a good one too. 37: SHOCK THE MONKEY - PETER GABRIEL (39) - It looked like this song had peaked last week, as it was stuck at #39 for a second week, but this week, it got a second wind and was on its way up again, en route to a #29 peak. 36: LET'S GO DANCIN' (OOH LA LA LA) - KOOL & THE GANG (38) - Not quite their best hit, although it was pretty good. 35: WHAT ABOUT ME - MOVING PICTURES (36) - This song's slow climb and tenure on the chart versus its peak leads me to believe that this song had sporadic airplay, but did well where played. It only got as high as #29, but spent 13 weeks in the Top 40 and a half a year on the Hot 100. The song was a good one, though I do remember that I disliked it during its chart run. 34: A PENNY FOR YOUR THOUGHTS - TAVARES (34) - This one was pretty good, although quite cheesy. A penny for your thoughts, a nickel for a kiss, a dime if you tell me that you love me. Hmm, I wonder what a quarter would get - a "view"? LDD: JUST REMEMBER I LOVE YOU - FIREFALL - They only had one Top Ten, but two of their songs just barely missed. This was one of those songs, peaking at #11 and taking a hard fall this week. One of my favorite songs by Firefall, and it did fit the LDD. 33: LOVE IN STORE - FLEETWOOD MAC (40) - I didn't really like this song when it was charting, but now I kind of like it. This one and "Think About Me" are alike in so many ways. They're the third singles from their respective albums, both featured Christine McVie on lead vocals (and the songs sound somewhat similar, especially in the verses), and both hit #9 on R&R (and spent seven weeks on the chart), but only got to around the midpoint of the AT40 chart. Did I leave anything out? OPTIONAL EXTRA: EVERYBODY - MADONNA - A year before she broke through at Top 40 radio, she was hitting the dance and disco charts, including this song, which got as high as #3 on that chart. 32: EVERYBODY WANTS YOU - BILLY SQUIER (33) - He'd had two Top 40 hits the previous year and was back on the charts at the end of 1982 with his third Top 40 hit. I liked it - very likely my second favorite of his behind "In The Dark". 31: I DO - THE J. GEILS BAND (37) - They really broke wide open in 1982, with two big Top Five hits. This song, originally recorded for their Monkey Island album in 1977, was the only Top 40 hit from their live album Showtime! The song was OK, but I preferred "Centerfold" by a sizeable margin. 30: YOU GOT LUCKY - TOM PETTY & THE HEARTBREAKERS (32) - The first of two Top 40 singles from Petty's fifth album, Long After Dark. It was a good song (one I remember quite well from back in the day), but I preferred many others from him/them. 29: ON THE WINGS OF LOVE - JEFFREY OSBORNE (30) - He'd sung lead for the R&B/Funk band LTD (interesting story about he came to join them, BTW) and had left the band a year earlier to pursue a solo career. This was his second Top 40 solo hit and was very possibly my favorite of his eight Top 40 hits (counting two duets). 28: BE MY LADY - JEFFERSON STARSHIP (28) - This was their first Top 40 hit after Grace Slick rejoined the band as a full member. It was a good song - nice steel guitar, which was used in a few of their other hits (such as “Runaway”). 27: GOODY TWO SHOES - ADAM ANT (35) - One of several rockabilly songs that charted around late 1982/early 1983. I liked this song, but preferred his 1995 hit "Wonderful", which had sort of an early-80s sound to it, making me wonder how it would have done had it charted around now instead of "Goody Two Shoes". 26: HEART TO HEART - KENNY LOGGINS (31) - One of several early 1983 songs that hit the Top 3 on the R&R chart, but didn't quite hit the Top Ten on the R&R chart. This song would peak at #15. It's a great song - one of my favorite of Loggins' Top 40 hits, although the single version seems to be cut down too much. I seem to recall an AT40 where the album version was played - can anyone confirm? EXTRA: COME SEE ABOUT ME - THE SUPREMES - Interesting how they charted with five number one songs in a row, and all in less than a years' time! They didn't stop there, however; they had a total of twelve number one hits. This one was pretty good, but I preferred a few others from them. 25: HAND TO HOLD ON TO - JOHN COUGAR (29) - This was a landmark single for John - the last one without his real last name. On his next album, Uh-Huh, he added his real last name Mellencamp to his stage name (and eight years after that, he'd drop the Cougar from his name completely). As for this song, it sounded like a watered-down version of "Hurts So Good". It was still not bad, though. 24: HEART ATTACK - OLIVIA NEWTON-JOHN (16) - Ah, the first descending song on the countdown this week! This song had set the record for the biggest jump within the Top 40 (during the 1980s) about two months earlier, moving 39-13. The song didn't quite make it to #1, though; instead, it spent the entire month of November at #3. It was a great song, though not quite as good as "Make A Move On Me", which hit the Top Five the previous spring. 23: MISSING YOU - DAN FOGELBERG (23) - One of three songs by that title that charted within a two-year period (the others were by John Waite and Diana Ross). This would be my favorite of the trio (as the other two are somewhat depressing), but I still prefer many other songs by Fogelberg. 22: YOU CAN'T HURRY LOVE - PHIL COLLINS (24) - The first of two Supremes covers that charted during the 1983 chart year. The other one was "Stop! In The Name Of Love" by the Hollies, from that summer (both, BTW, were among the Supremes five #1's in a row, mentioned earlier). I preferred the Hollies song, but this was a good one as well. OPTIONAL EXTRA: STRAY CAT STRUT - THE STRAY CATS - I wonder why the story to go along with the intro of this song was the tops of the other charts, seeing as this one wasn't among them. (Interesting that Pitfall was the top home video game, as that was one of the cartridges my brother and I got for Christmas that year). Anyway, as I mentioned earlier, the rockabilly music style made a comeback in the 80s and the Stray Cats were definitely instrumental in that. This was the second of four Top 40 hits from them. I preferred this over "Rocl This Town", but I slightly preferred the obscure "I Won't Stand In Your Way". 21: THE OTHER GUY - LITTLE RIVER BAND (27) - They definitely had a pretty good run, but it was almost over; this was their final Top 20 hit. It was a good one, but I preferred their next hit, "We Two". 20: BABY, COME TO ME - PATTI AUSTIN WITH JAMES INGRAM (25) - This song had peaked at #73 earlier in the year and any other time, that would be it, but because it was the theme song for Luke Spencer on the ABC soap opera General Hospital, the song was given a second chance, which it definitely made the most of, going all the way to #1. This is another song I disliked back in the day - at the very beginning, that is. It quickly became one of my favorite songs - (I know, because I checked it off on a WLS record survey as one of ten 45s that my Dad wanted to get me for my birthday - and indeed, it was among the stack that I got). 19: THE LOOK OF LOVE - ABC (20) - This wasn't their biggest hit, but it is the song that I hear most often on 80s stations (though their two Top Ten hits from later in the 80s also receive a fair amount of recurrent airplay). This would probably be my favorite song by ABC. 18: YOU AND I - EDDIE RABBITT WITH CRYSTAL GAYLE (21) - A one-time duet from two of my favorite pop/country artists, and a great one at that - one of my favorites from both of them. 17: ROCK THE CASBAH - THE CLASH (19) - This song has two versions of it - on the single version, I believe, the electronic sound effects heard in the third and fourth verses are somewhat muted, and the scream of "JIVE!!" is drawn out for several measures. I prefer the album version, which I believe is the version that AT40 generally plays. 16: AFRICA - TOTO (18) - Yet another song I hated during its chart run (due to overplay, in this case) but now, I think it's a great one, though I do prefer a few others ("99" and "I'll Be Over You" are two examples). 15: UP WHERE WE BELONG - JOE C0CKER & JENNIFER WARNES (12) - The first of two #1 movie duets for Warnes. Both of them hit #1 almost exactly five years apart. I liked both of them about the same, but I preferred yet another movie hit from Warnes - "Nights Are Forever", from the Twilight Zone movie soundtrack, from the following summer. Too bad that was an AC-only hit. 14: HEARTBREAKER - DIONNE WARWICK (15) - The Bee Gees wrote this one and you can hear Barry Gibb singing back-up on the chorus. Definitely a great song! 13: SHADOWS OF THE NIGHT - PAT BENATAR (13) - Here's one I remember hearing all the time back in the late fall of 1982! It was one of my favorite songs, and still remains one of my favorite hits by Benatar! 12: DOWN UNDER - MEN AT WORK (14) - Meh, this one was way overplayed, as well as the first hit from Business As Usual. Too bad the Cargo singles are all but ignored, since those were far superior, IMO. 11: IT'S RAINING AGAIN - SUPERTRAMP (11) - Despite their spectacular debut on the entire Hot 100 several weeks earlier, this song actually failed to crack the Top Ten - this was all the higher it got! I guess it was the long-awaited first hit from them in two years and then people decided they didn't really like the song after all. Perhaps it was that, or more people bought the album ...Famous Last Words than the single (as the song did peak at #2 on the R&R chart). Whatever the case, it was a great song according to me. Whenever this song came on, I'd turn it way up and sing along with it at the top of my lungs, driving my older brother nuts, LOL! OPTIONAL EXTRA: DO YOU REALLY WANT TO HURT ME - CULTURE CLUB - We all know that my opinion on the song depends on which version they played. I don't like the intro (does Boy George have any cheese to go with that whine?), and I find the instrumental bridge annoying. Fortunately, the version they played this week contained neither. 10: MUSCLES - DIANA ROSS (10) - This song would set the record for the longest stay at #10, where it held for six weeks (not sure if the record's been broken, but anything past 11/30/91 doesn't count). As for this song, it was mediocre at best - not one of my favorites from her by any means. 9: ROCK THIS TOWN - STRAY CATS (9) - Their second song was gearing up to debut on the Hot 100 the following week while this one was sitting at its peak, which it would hold for five weeks. As stated earlier, I preferred their newer hit over this one. 8: SEXUAL HEALING - MARVIN GAYE (8) - The past three songs, which were at a standstill, were at their peaks, but this one was just stuck in a tight spot on the chart, as it would climb five more spots. I was never a huge Marvin Gaye fan, but this song was OK. LDD: OUT HERE ON MY OWN - IRENE CARA - Anyone who has ever heard the obscure "How Do You Keep The Music Playing", Patti Austin's other duet with James Ingram, might notice the similarity between the two songs. This is definitely one of my favorite Irene Cara songs, and one of her most underrated. 7: DIRTY LAUNDRY - DON HENLEY (7) - Henley's first Top 40 solo hit, and his biggest ever. I always liked the song, which was about the tabloidization of the news. 6: STEPPIN' OUT - JOE JACKSON (6) - I don't like this song quite as much as I did back in the day, but it's still good. Still, I preferred his other Top 40 hits. 5: TRULY - LIONEL RICHIE (4) - Wow, I was beginning to think that the entire Top Ten was at a standstill this week! At least there's a little movement in the top half. Anyway, Richie had been hitting the charts for years as lead singer of the Commodores, but had since left the band to pursue a solo career, which was indeed worthwhile, as he had many big hits, including a few #1's, like this one. Many people ask me why this is one of my favorite Lionel Richie songs ever, yet "Still", which sounds much like this, always gets (or used to get) a "No. Just no". The reason being is, while both songs are about undying love, the Commodores song is about a love affair coming to an end, while this song seems to be about a relationship that is going great and only getting better. Plus, this song was charting during a pretty good time in my life. 4: THE GIRL IS MINE - MICHAEL JACKSON & PAUL McCARTNEY (5) - Ah, this was the one that started it all off for Jackson's Thriller album - his biggest selling album of all time. It was also the first of two duets between Jackson and Paul McCartney. I preferred this one - a great song! 3: GLORIA - LAURA BRANIGAN (2) - Wow - not too often when the oldest song on the survey is way up at #2! This was a really good song and it looked like it might give "Tainted Love" a run for its money in terms of longevity, but this song didn't quite match it - spent 36 weeks on the Hot 100, which was impressive nonetheless. Not sure about the original by Umberto Tozzi, though - sounds like he's comparing her to a monkey. OPTIONAL EXTRA: YOUR LOVE IS DRIVING ME CRAZY - SAMMY HAGAR - Great song! How great, you may wonder? Well, it was great enough to be the #1 song of the entire year, according to my Personal Top 30 charts! It was also the only song on my chart ever to spend its entire chart run in the Top Ten (since early 1983 was an extremely busy era, with so many great songs being released - most descending songs did fall off from inside the Top Ten). 2: MICKEY - TONI BASIL (1) - This was a great cheerleading anthem! Another song I'd jam to back in the day. They played a slightly longer version of the song - both here and in last week's Top Three. 1: MANEATER - DARYL HALL & JOHN OATES (3) - This would become their biggest hit and, by its gigantic chart jump five weeks back (36-12!), it's no surprise. It's a good song, but I prefer many others from them. This week, they stretched their lead of most #1 hits by a duo to five. Coming up next week: The final weekly show of the year, and they're featuring a show that was last played ten years ago - December 24, 1983. That was one cold Christmas Eve that year, at least here in my neck of the woods. The high temperature was -11 and that was WITHOUT the wind chills. A far cry from the year before, when the high on Christmas Eve was 60 degrees, with rain, making for a true green Christmas!
|
|
|
Post by bobbo428 on Dec 14, 2018 18:23:48 GMT -5
CHART CRITIQUE FROM 36 YEARS AGO THIS WEEK: 12/18/82
Where I was that date in 1982: Wrapping up my fall semester at Oswego State, Oswego, NY Weather: Partly sunny and seasonably cold I was relieved that my finals were over, but I wanted to hang around the dorm a few more days and socialize. I recall Dec. 18 as being a birthday of a girl I was friendly with at the time, and I did run into her that day.
40 SHAME ON THE MOON-BOB SEGER & THE SILVER BULLET BAND Seger was in a reflective mode this time out with a pensive, winter sort of song penned by Rodney Crowell; it became his biggest hit to date, just missing the top spot. 39 ALLENTOWN-BILLY JOEL This was a well-written song with a killer hook and lyrics about the loss of manufacturing jobs in southeastern Pennsylvania; I enjoyed this song because it was about my birthplace. Many listeners could relate to the lyrics because of the deep recession. Like John Cougar Mellencamp's "Rain on the Scarecrow," this tune sang of the adverse effect of the economy on struggling people. 38 HEART OF THE NIGHT-JUICE NEWTON A pop rocker that was a moderate hit; she continued to straddle the line between pop and country. The song did have a rocking instrumental break. 37 SHOCK THE MONKEY-PETER GABRIEL A danceable rocker with new wave influences, this song had some mysterious lyrics. As a Psychology major, I have always tried to analyze song lyrics for hidden themes. The lyrics reminded me of the infamous Stanley Milgram psychological experiment, where subjects administered shocks to people who gave wrong answers to questions. 36 LET’S GO DANCIN’ (OOH LA, LA, LA)-KOOL & THE GANG This reggae-tinged funk tune was a bit bland; it seemed to foreshadow the dancehall phenomenon of the 1990s. 35 WHAT ABOUT ME-MOVING PICTURES A piano ballad that was a rallying cry for people perennially ignored by our society, it was a well-written, heartfelt song. The tune made the top 30 stateside but did log almost six months on the Hot 100. 34 A PENNY FOR YOUR THOUGHTS-TAVARES This R&B ballad was their biggest hit since 1977; the song had a late-‘70s soul vibe. 33 LOVE IN STORE-FLEETWOOD MAC This enjoyable pop rocker had a mesmerizing, insistent hook, much like Lindsey Buckingham’s hit “Trouble.” I also enjoyed the blend of Christine McVie and Stevie Nicks’s voices. 32 EVERYBODY WANTS YOU-BILLY SQUIER Another hard-rocking single, firmly planted in AOR land, this might have been a bigger pop hit if had charted during the summer. 31 I DO-J. GEILS BAND The last top-40 hit that the band had was a remake of an R&B classic from the 1960s by the Marvelows. It was a fun song that sounded good at any party. Shortly after the single was released, Peter Wolf left the band for a solo career. Extra: EVERYBODY-MADONNA This was a mildly catchy, generic dance track. 30 YOU GOT LUCKY-TOM PETTY & THE HEARTBREAKERS This track was a denser, more synth-drenched rocker addressing a wayward lover--but it did not completely accede to the high-tech mania that was sweeping the music world by late 1982. The song had sort of a moody winter atmosphere. 29 ON THE WINGS OF LOVE-JEFFREY OSBORNE This MOR-styled tune received a lot of AC airplay for the next decade; it was a romantic piano ballad. 28 BE MY LADY-JEFFERSON STARSHIP A catchy pop rock song that came and went fast, it was highlighted by some good sax work. 27 GOODY TWO SHOES-ADAM ANT This was a party rock song with a mocking tone, a tribal beat, and a strong hook; it would be a major success and his biggest American hit. 26 HEART TO HEART-KENNY LOGGINS A well-produced, reflective ballad with a Michael McDonald feel and a blue-eyed soul sound, similar to “This Is It” EXTRA: COME SEE ABOUT ME-THE SUPREMES This had a good Motown rhythm; it was combined with the early-‘60s girl group sound. It reached No. 1 almost exactly 18 years before, which means it is now 54 years old (three times as old as it was in '82).
25 HAND TO HOLD ON TO-JOHN COUGAR An earnest plea for understanding, set to a rootsy AOR beat, it was his third top-20 hit from American Fool. 24 HEART ATTACK-OLIVIA NEWTON-JOHN This was an ersatz slice of early-‘80s pop but a guilty pleasure because it had a strong hook. 23 MISSING YOU-DAN FOGELBERG A charging pop rocker that was Fogelberg’s bid for AOR re-entry, this song had a killer hook. The single sort of fell through the cracks, being too rock for AC and too mellow for album rock formats. "Missing You" was one of Dan Fogelberg's underrated gems. With an undeniable guitar hook, this song stuck in your mind. It was one of three different songs called "Missing You" that charted in the 1980s--another was John Waite's monotonous corporate ball
I took a nap right before the Phil Collins song—I figured that there would be several blah songs near the middle. I figured that Casey was talking about Collins, anyway, so I put him at 22. Unfortunately, I missed most of the rest of the countdown. This is an estimate of where I thought the songs were ranked. I put numbers next to only those I was certain of. I tried to find my Joel Whitburn 1980s Hot 100 book, but guess what I found: the ‘50s, the ‘60s, the ‘70s, and the ‘90s—but the ‘80s is missing for some reason!
YOU CAN'T HURRY LOVE-PHIL COLLINS This bouncy, bass-driven remake of Supremes hit from 1966 became the Genesis frontman's first top-10 single (solo or as a member of Genesis). The song displayed Collins's R&B leanings pretty well. When this song came on, I always confused it with Hall & Oates' "Maneater" because of their similar-sounding intros. THE OTHER GUY-LITTLE RIVER BAND A pop rocker about a man losing his woman to another guy, it was one of two new tracks on their new Greatest Hits album. The lyrics were a bit more anguished this time around. The hook came from a repetitive guitar riff. BABY, COME TO ME-PATTI AUSTIN/JAMES INGRAM This mellow quiet storm ballad that was a big pop and AC hit; it became a hit after receiving airplay on the popular daytime drama General Hospital. THE LOOK OF LOVE-ABC This new wave dance-pop record had a melody and message reminiscent of Don Ray’s 1978 disco hit “Got to Have Lovin’.” It was an irresistible tune song that reminded me of the unusually mild December of 1982. I have never gotten tired of this track--the lyrics sang of brotherhood without being preachy. The arrangement was high-tech without sounding cluttered or forced. I enjoyed the subtle piano frills as well. The song made the top 20, spending five months on the pop chart YOU AND I-EDDIE RABBITT WITH CRYSTAL GAYLE This country crossover hit was more AC than country; however, this bland MOR fare was a top 10 pop hit. It would be the last time in the pop top 40 for either artist because of MTV. ROCK THE CASBAH-THE CLASH The ominous new-wave rocker had excellent hook, and it went well with late fall and early winter. The record had a foreboding, pre-war feel to it. AFRICA-TOTO This was a melancholy, introspective ballad that became an adult contemporary staple—the lyrics were about the need to get away from the rat race. The song also had a guilt-tinged feeling—possibly alluding to the political and economic strife in that continent. Band member David Paich wrote the song after seeing a harrowing late-night documentary on that continent—and its suffering residents. This song definitely had a pensive, November feel to it. The song may even have been a premonition of Ethiopia's famine two years later. The line "I know that I must do what's right" seemed to drive the point home--there were a lot of TV programs about world hunger in the '80s. UP WHERE WE BELONG-JOE Cocker AND JENNIFER WARNES A piano-based ballad from the movie An Officer and a Gentleman, this was a huge pop hit. The highlight of the tune was the vocal bridge. HEARTBREAKER-DIONNE WARWICK This was a sincere effort with anguished lyrics from the Barry Gibb songbook. Musically, the hit reminded me of the Bee Gees' 1978 smash "Too Much Heaven" or Barbra Streisand's 1980 blockbuster "Woman in Love." I was hoping that Warwick's single would make the top 10, and it did, reaching No. 10. 13 SHADOWS OF THE NIGHT-PAT BENATAR A guitar-drenched AOR rocker with a sense of foreboding, especially in the a cappella intro DOWN UNDER-MEN AT WORK A reggae beat and an excellent flute hook helped catapult this song into the stratosphere. This was a huge hit, and it was one of the most infectious songs of the '80s. 11 IT’S RAINING AGAIN-SUPERTRAMP This was a likable, melodic pop rocker with an insistent piano melody and lyrics designed to help you cope with adversity. Coincidentally, November 1982 was a rainy month in the Northeast; I thought of this song every time it rained. This tune was an irresistible pop gem that masked the world-weary lyrics that Supertramp was known for. In the fall of 1982, rain and economic troubles went hand in hand. The song's lyrics encouraged people to "get back up again," despite being down. 10 MUSCLES-DIANA ROSS The cheesy, finger-snapping song was about a woman looking for Mr. Good-Looking & Masculine. The record had some ominous strings in background, which were probably the song’s strong point. The tune sounded catchy to me at the time, but its values were in sync with those of Madison Avenue. 9 ROCK THIS TOWN-STRAY CATS Rockabilly with a modern twist, this was the first American hit for this band. It was a Saturday night sort of record that sounded best at a party. The tune reached the top 10. DIRTY LAUNDRY-DON HENLEY This scathing commentary on the news media was one of my favorite hits of late 1982. Henley's trenchant lyrics were impeccable and sang about the media’s incessant appetite for lurid stories—in pursuit of higher ratings. I enjoyed the end of the song, when they had phones ringing in the background--it really drove the point home. The foreboding opening riff of this track reminded me of an approaching nor’easter—one of the most perfect snowstorms we have ever gotten, the mid-January Storm of '83, dumping up to two feet of the white stuff on us. SEXUAL HEALING-MARVIN GAYE This suggestive—yet romantic—jam was his last pop hit, and it still receives a lot of airplay. STEPPIN’ OUT-JOE JACKSON This was a well-crafted modern rock song that made excellent use of pianos and subtle bell riffs to create atmosphere; it became the artist’s lone top-10 hit stateside. TRULY-LIONEL RICHIE This romantic ballad was loved by both pop and adult contemporary programmers; it was Richie’s first of many solo hits, and it went all the way to the top.
I wrapped up my nap in time for the final four songs, plus the fourth OE. I missed the middle two OEs, plus the second LDD.
4 THE GIRL IS MINE-MICHAEL JACKSON/PAUL MCCARTNEY Jackson’s monster LP Thriller was launched with this, generic slice of pabulum. Despite its banal lyrics and melody, it soared to number 2 on the chart. It was probably due to its being a superstar duet--with Paul McCartney. I can still recall the revulsion of a college acquaintance, Diane, when this song came up is conversation. For me, the song evoked neither like nor dislike--it was typical early-'80s radio fodder. 3 GLORIA-LAURA BRANIGAN This was a dance-pop number with a riveting yet harrowing storyline; the English lyrics seemed to be from the point of view of a parent urging a daughter to be careful with a certain guy. There were also allusions to post-traumatic stress. The song was originally a hit in Italy (by Umberto Tozzi). Optional Extra: YOUR LOVE IS DRIVING ME CRAZY-SAMMY HAGAR The AOR rocker was this journeyman’s first major pop hit; this mildly catchy song ended up being his biggest solo hit—though he had a few bigger singles with Van Halen. 2 MICKEY-TONI BASIL A new wave-tinged number with Europop influences and cheerleaders helping out with the chorus, this was cheesy all the way. 1 MANEATER-DARYL HALL & JOHN OATES A mysterious pop song inspired by Motown, the lyrics addressed the issue of big-city paranoia. The opening melody reminded me of leaves blowing around on a mild November day. I knew that "Maneater" was a hit from the first time I heard it. The opening bass line echoed that of The Supremes' 1966 hit, "You Can't Hurry Love. (Ironically, Phil Collins' remake of that Supremes song came out right after "Maneater," and I often confused the two songs because they sounded so much alike in the opening riffs.)
|
|
|
Post by Hervard on Dec 21, 2018 14:11:59 GMT -5
American Top 40: The 70s - December 22, 2018 This week's presentation - December 20, 1975 THIS WILL BE - NATALIE COLE (34) - It's impossible not to think of the eHarmony.com commercials when hearing the intro to this song. It's not bad, but I prefer many others from her, mainly from the 80s and early 90s. I ONLY HAVE EYES FOR YOU - ART GARFUNKEL (28) - A classic golden oldie that has been covered many times over! This is one of the best renditions of it that I've ever heard. I'M ON FIRE - 5000 VOLTS (26) - The only hit for this British disco trio. It was OK, but nothing exceptional. I preferred Springsteen's 1985 hit of the same title by a fair margin. SECRET LOVE - FREDDY FENDER (20) - Kind of odd that this dropped off after moving up four spots the week before. As for the song - Freddy might sound better if he sang an octave lower. If not for his grating voice, this would be a really good song. EIGHTEEN WITH A BULLET - PETE WINGFIELD (19) - This song hit the #18 position on the Hot 100 - with a bullet - a few weeks before. It also was #18 on the R&R chart, but had lost its bullet by then. Due to the irony of the title, I would have bulleted the song just for the heck of it, even if it hadn't earned one that week - after all, the song would climb a spot higher the following week instead of dropping. As for the song, I wasn't a big fan of it - his voice sounds like someone kicked him in the nards. 40: WAKE UP EVERYBODY - HAROLD MELVIN & THE BLUE-NOTES (debut) - The last of four songs that they charted with in the 1970s. It was a pretty good song. 39: FIRE ON THE MOUNTAIN - THE MARSHALL TUCKER BAND (debut) - Until I heard this song on AT40 (I believe it was this same show, when it was last played back in 2011), I assumed that this was a remake of the Grateful Dead concert favorite but, in fact, it was a completely different song altogether). Anyway, I thought this was a pretty good song, though I slightly preferred "Heard It In A Love Song". 38: BABYFACE - THE WING AND A PRAYER FIRE AND DRUM CORPS (debut) - This one had charted in some form or other for the past five decades in addition to this one. It was a good song. 37: SCHOOL BOY CRUSH - AVERAGE WHITE BAND (debut) - The fourth of five Top 40 hits for this London band. It’s okies, nothing I’d go out of my way to listen to. 36: VENUS AND MARS ROCK SHOW - WINGS (12) - One of five Top 40 songs they charted with in 1975 (including the double-sided "Junior's Farm/Sally G" as separate chart entries). It was OK, but my favorite of their 1975 hits was the number one "Listen To What The Man Said". 35: WINNERS AND LOSERS - HAMILTON, JOE FRANK, AND REYNOLDS (39) - They hit #1 back in August with "Fallin' In Love" and were trying for a second #1. Unfortunately, this song only got as high as #21 and was their final Top 40 hit. I thought it was a good song. 34: LOVE MACHINE - THE MIRACLES (38) - This song was on its way to becoming the slowest rising #1 song - up to that point, that is - it has since been beaten by several other songs. I thought this song was pretty good, but I preferred a few others from them. 33: VOLARE - AL MARTINO (35) - The fourth version of this song to hit the chart. Originally done by Domenico Modugno, the song was covered by artists like Dean Martin and Bobby Rydell. This was actually a disco version of the song and, as weird as this may seem coming from someone not a big fan of disco, I actually preferred this version over the original. 32: OVER MY HEAD - FLEETWOOD MAC (36) - This legendary band had been around for many years, yet this was their first Top 40 hit. They'd more than make up for lost time over the next few years, though, with many hit singles from successive albums. Most of the songs seemed to feature Christine McVie on vocals, including this song, which was a good song IMO. 31: LOW RIDER - WAR (18) - Meh, not a huge fan of this song. Way too repetitive. 30: FULL OF FIRE - AL GREEN (31) - This one reminded me a little of Green's #1 song from exactly five years before, "Let's Stay Together". It was a good song. 29: FLY AWAY - JOHN DENVER (37) - As I've said many times before, I heard most of John Denver's songs when I was real little, since my Mom used to play his albums all the time, so I remember them quite well, including this one, which I really liked. What I never knew (until many years later) was that Olivia Newton-John sang back-up on this song. EXTRA: JINGLE BELL ROCK - BOBBY HELMS - Played as the second Optional Extra, this is an evergreen Christmas favorite. Listen to any station playing nonstop Christmas music for at least an hour, and I'll betcha you hear some version or other of this song. 28: EVIL WOMAN - ELECTRIC LIGHT ORCHESTRA (40) - Their second Top 40 hit (and like the first, "Can't Get It Out Of My Head", it made the Top Ten). It was a good song, but I prefer a few others from them, including said first Top 40 hit. OPTIONAL EXTRA: TAKE IT TO THE LIMIT - THE EAGLES - With a rare lead vocal by Randy Meisner, this was the newest hit from their Greatest Hits 1971-1975 album. It was also my favorite from that album - a great song indeed! 27: LOVE TO LOVE YOU BABY - DONNA SUMMER (debut) - I'm sorry, but a prolonged orgasm is not a song. 26: SING A SONG - EARTH, WIND & FIRE (33) - They had a pretty good year, with two Top 20 hits, including a #1, and a third song that would go on to hit #5 in early 1976. It was not bad, but I preferred many other songs from them. 25: ROCK AND ROLL ALL NIGHT - KISS (30) - They hit the Top 40 for the first time with the live version of a song that had briefly charted on the Hot 100 earlier in the year. This song was one of their best rockers, IMO. Poison did a good remake of this song back in 1987. 24: YOU SEXY THING - HOT CHOCOLATE (32) - Meh, not a big fan of this song neither (but I do realize a lot of people were, as this was their biggest hit - it just never did anything for me, that's all). 23: PART TIME LOVE - GLADYS KNIGHT & THE PIPS (27) - This definitely sounds like something Bread would record (as David Gates wrote it). This one was a great song - one of Knight's best songs - definitely underrated! 22: FOR THE LOVE OF YOU - THE ISLEY BROTHERS (23) - This song is a decent slow jam, but I prefer Jordan Hill's hit of the same name, which charted on the AC charts circa 1996 and is one of the songs on my YouTube playlist entitled "Favorite Songs". 21: WALK AWAY FROM LOVE - DAVID RUFFIN (25) - Of course, we all know he was the lead singer of the Temptations in the mid to late 1960s. He started a solo career in 1969 and had two Top Tens, both peaking at #9. This was the second of those songs and I thought it wasn't bad, but I generally preferred Ruffin's hits with the Temptations. 20: COUNTRY BOY (YOU'VE GOT YOUR FEET IN L.A.) - GLEN CAMPBELL (24) - The follow-up to Campbell's biggest hit ever, "Rhinestone Cowboy". This song, which sounds a little like that one, just narrowly missed the Top Ten in early 1976. I like these two songs about the same. 19: THE WAY I WANT TO TOUCH YOU - THE CAPTAIN & TENNILLE (17) - I've noticed that this sounds like something Carole King would do (melodically, that is). While I do prefer it over the ad nauseum played "Love Will Keep Us Together" (not to mention the barf-inducing "Muskrat Love"), it's definitely not my favorite from them (that honor, of course, goes to "Do That To Me One More Time"). 18: THE LAST GAME OF THE SEASON - DAVID GEDDES (22) - Well, this is definitely not anywhere near as annoying as the whinefest that was "Run Joey Run". The song is a salute to high school football and focuses on a junior varsity football player (who rarely, if ever sees action in varsity games) and his father, a blind man who sits next to the press box, where the speaker is located so he can hear the game even if he can't see it. 17: THE TIMES OF YOUR LIFE - PAUL ANKA (21) - This song is a tad on the cheesy side, but it's still not bad - very mellow and relaxing. 16: ISLAND GIRL - ELTON JOHN (16) - This song wasted absolutely no time hitting the top. 1975 was sure one of Elton's best years, as he had several big albums, two of which debuted at #1, as well as three number one hits (though only this song was from one of said albums (Rock Of The Westies)), and a Top Five hit from still a different album, Captain Fantastic & The Brown Dirt Cowboy), that year. Of his #1 1975 songs, "Lucy In The Sky With Diamonds" is my favorite, this would definitely be a close second, as it is a great song as well! 15: I WANT TO DO SOMETHING FREAKY TO YOU - LEON HAYWOOD (15) - Meh, not really my cup of tea... 14: CONVOY - C.W. McCALL (29) - His first Top 40 hit just made it by the skin of its teeth, but this song, on the other hand, went all the way to the top! Great song - one of the best truckin' song ever! 13: MY LITTLE TOWN - SIMON & GARFUNKEL (9) - From the time that this song debuted in the 40 to this week, Garfunkel was on the chart in two different configurations - with his rendition of "I Only Have Eyes For You" and here with his former singing partner, who was between singles at the time, so they just missed being on the chart as a duet and with separate chart singles. I liked this song, which appeared on both of their solo albums. 12: I LOVE MUSIC - THE O'JAYS (14) - This song wasn't bad, but rather repetitive. I preferred a few other songs by them, such as "Love Train" and "Use Ta Be My Girl". 11: OUR DAY WILL COME - FRANKIE VALLI (13) - For awhile there, like Art Garfunkel, he was on the chart both as a solo artist and with his old band the Four Seasons! I liked both songs about the same - both were great songs! 10: NIGHTS ON BROADWAY - THE BEE GEES (7) - This one didn't have as much of a disco beat as "Jive Talkin'". Of those two songs, I preferred this one (as "Jive Talkin'" was way overplayed). Still, I prefer many other songs from them. 9: FOX ON THE RUN - SWEET (10) - Their previous song, Ballroom Blitz was way too loud and repetitive for my liking, but this song was actually pretty good. 8: I WRITE THE SONGS - BARRY MANILOW (11) - This song is ironically titled, as, while Manilow did write most of his songs, this was not one of them (of course, Bruce Johnston of the Beach Boys was the author of this song). Anyway, it's true that I liked most of his ballads, but this one was one of my least favorite of those, most likely due to overplay. 7: SKY HIGH - JIGSAW (3) - Often thought of as a one-hit wonder, they did actually have another minor Top 40 hit in 1976 called "Love Fire". I preferred this one, though - one of my favorite hits from 1975! 6: THE THEME FROM "MAHOGANY" - DIANA ROSS (8) - After making a huge, eleven-spot chart jump the week before, it makes a more modest move this week. This song would make it all the way to the top, and deservedly so, as it was a great song! 5: LOVE ROLLERCOASTER - THE OHIO PLAYERS (6) - I wasn't generally a fan of them, but this song wasn't too bad. One I remember from back in the day. 4: SATURDAY NIGHT - THE BAY CITY ROLLERS (5) - Meh, not a huge fan of this song, or them in general (though they did have a few songs that I did like). EXTRA: FELIZ NAVIDAD - JOSE FELICIANO - This was the third Optional Extra. The story to tie in with this song was how Jose caused a controversy by singing his version of the National Anthem at the 1963 World Series. This "Spanglish" song was a good one - I remember hearing it during a skating scene on the show "Christmas Eve On Sesame Street". 3: FLY ROBIN FLY - SILVER CONVENTION (1) - To this day, I still haven't learned all the lyrics to this song Of their two hits, I slightly preferred this one. It was a good song! 2: LET'S DO IT AGAIN - THE STAPLE SINGERS (2) - Your typical mid-70s slow jam. It was pretty good, but nothing exceptional. This was one of two songs that were gypped out of their week at #1 on AT40 due to the regular shows being pre-empted by the year-ender. ("Saturday Night" was the other). 1: THAT'S THE WAY I LIKE IT - KC & THE SUNSHINE BAND (4) - Wow, who saw this coming? The Staple Singers were gearing up to hit #1 this week and then this song, which was on its way down the chart, having hit #1 a month earlier, made a startling return to the top of the chart. Casey mentioned that it set the record for the "longest yo-yo" between #1 appearances - a total of four weeks. Coming up next week: Since the 80s version of the show, I'm assuming that the 70s version will be doing the same. The only thing is, we don't know what show it is. I'm still going to predict 1972, with 1976 as the back-up show. Hopefully, we'll find out for sure sometime over the course of the weekend.
|
|
|
Post by Hervard on Dec 21, 2018 14:13:08 GMT -5
American Top 40: The 80s - December 22, 2018 This week's presentation - December 24, 1983 Droppers: THE WAY HE MAKES ME FEEL – BARBRA STREISAND (40) - This was from Streisand's film Yentl and was a big smash at AC radio, where it spent two weeks on top. It didn't do anywhere near as well at Pop Radio, where #40 was all the further it got, which is a shame, since it was a great song. P.Y.T. (PRETTY YOUNG THING) – MICHAEL JACKSON (36) - The sixth hit from his smash Thriller album. And he wasn't done yet - he would release one more song from the album - the title track, which would hit the chart a few months later, setting a record for the most hits from a single album - and all of them hit the Top Ten to boot. This one just barely made it, peaking at #10 for a single week (which some people have mentioned sounds suspicious). As for the song, I was never a big fan of it - my least favorite of the Thriller singles. I WON’T STAND IN YOUR WAY – THE STRAY CATS (35) - This song was my very first LDD request (it was never read on the air, however). It is my favorite song from the Stray Cats (probably because it wasn't played to death like the others). SOULS – RICK SPRINGFIELD (23) - One of Springfield's more obscure hits - this was all the higher it got, which I thought was a shame, since it was a great one. LW#1: SAY SAY SAY - PAUL McCARTNEY & MICHAEL JACKSON 40: IN THE MOOD - ROBERT PLANT (debut) - The follow-up to his first solo Top 40 "Big Log", this song was not a remake of the old Glenn Miller classic. Not bad, but I generally prefer Plant with Led Zeppelin. 39: BABY I LIED - DEBORAH ALLEN (debut) - Her only country crossover hit. This one had an odd chart run - climbed to #36, stayed there for another week, then took a huge leap to #26, which was all the higher it got - after spending three weeks there, it dropped out of the Top 40. Too bad, as I thought it was a great song. 38: THINK OF LAURA - CHRISTOPHER CROSS (debut) - This song always brings tears to my eyes, as it always reminds me of a friend of mine that died back in the summer of 2009. The lyrics describe her perfectly - except that her name was Kelley, not Laura. Nowadays, the song is all the more poignant, as another friend like that passed away this past summer and this song also describes the kind of a person she was. 37: WHEN THE LIGHTS GO OUT - NAKED EYES (39) - Of their Top 40 hits, this one was definitely my favorite - too bad it didn't get any higher than #37. I loved the synths used in the song. 36: HEART AND SOUL - HUEY LEWIS & THE NEWS (21) - It was still somewhat early in his/their career, but Sports would be one of his/their biggest singles album, spawning five Top 20 hits. This was the first of them and it was a good one, but I preferred "If This Is It". 35: THE SIGN OF FIRE - THE FIXX (38) - Aries, Leo, or Sagittarius? But seriously, this song wasn't bad - I liked it better than the overplayed "One Thing Leads To Another", but it wasn't quite as good as "Saved By Zero". 34: GOLD - SPANDAU BALLET (37) - Well, they weren't a one-hit wonder, but they could be called a "one big hit wonder", since their debut hit "True" was a Top Five hit, but the follow-ups didn't come anywhere close to matching that success. This song barely touched the Top 30, and their next hit, "Only When You Leave" petered out at #34. Of their three hits, I preferred their biggest one. This was a pretty decent song, though. 33: STAY WITH ME TONIGHT - JEFFREY OSBORNE (34) - - He seemed to have more chart success as a solo artist than with LTD (although he never hit the Top Ten, like his band did with "Back In Love Again". Of his singles, this was one of my least favorites, but I still like it. 32: THE CURLY SHUFFLE - JUMP 'N THE SADDLE (debut) - You gotta be a big Three Stooges fan to appreciate this song. I grew up watching the Stooges, so I knew Curly's catchphrases heard in the choruses quite well. Since Jump 'N The Saddle was a Chicago band, this one got heavy airplay on both WLS and WBBM-FM. 31: HOLIDAY - MADONNA (33) - This was the one that started it all off for the material girl. It was a pretty good song, but I liked her next hit "Borderline", which was her first Top Ten hit. OPTIONAL EXTRA: YAH MO B THERE - JAMES INGRAM & MICHAEL McDONALD - Kind of an odd title, but a great song - one of my favorite songs from both artists. 30: AIN'T NOBODY - RUFUS WITH CHAKA KHAN (22) - This was Rufus' final Top 40 hit, but Chaka Khan would go on to have a few more hits. I liked this one - definitely one of my favorite of her hits with Rufus. 29: PINK HOUSES - JOHN COUGAR MELLENCAMP (32) - I wonder if any of the pink houses he speaks of have that same freeway running through the front yard? This song was a good one - I preferred it over his other hit coming up later on the show. 28: I STILL CAN'T GET OVER LOVING YOU - RAY PARKER, JR. (31) - Sounds like the prequel to "Jamie", as it's also about a former lover that he can't seem to let go of. I liked this song, though I preferred a few others from him, both solo and with Raydio. LDD: WHEN I NEED YOU - LEO SAYER - His second of two consecutive #1 songs. It was OK, though a little cheesy. I preferred his other #1 hit by a sizeable margin. 27: THAT'S ALL - GENESIS (30) - Their first six songs all missed the Top Ten, but this one would start a long streak of Top Ten hits (that is, speaking in terms of Top 40 hits; their next hits "Illegal Alien" and "Taking It All Too Hard" also hit the Hot 100, but peaked before hitting the Top 40). As for this song, I liked it, but it's definitely not their best. 26: TIME WILL REVEAL - DeBARGE (26) - This song was stalled out at this point, but it wasn't quite done yet - it would eventually peak at #18. I loved this song - it was a great wintertime love song. 25: IF I'D BEEN THE ONE - .38 SPECIAL (28) - I think it's been made abundantly clear that this, along with "Caught Up In You" and "Like No Other Night" are my three favorites from them - not sure which of the three I like the most. 24: CRUMBLIN' DOWN - JOHN COUGAR MELLENCAMP (14) - This was his first hit under his actual last name. As I mentioned earlier, I preferred his follow-up - this one was mediocre at best. 23: READ 'EM AND WEEP - BARRY MANILOW (24) - Definitely one of the best balladeers ever! This was one of my all-time faves from him! I loved the theatrical sound, compliments of Jim Steinman. 22: JOANNA - KOOL & THE GANG (29) - The first of seven hits from them that featured one-word titles. One of my favorites from them! OPTIONAL EXTRA: 99 RED BALLOONS/99 LUFTBALLONS - NENA - They played the hybrid version of the song, alternating between the German and English language versions. My favorite version was the English version, which was played on AT40 a time or two, as was this one, but they generally went with the German version of the song. 21: RUNNING WITH THE NIGHT - LIONEL RICHIE (25) - The second single from possibly Richie's biggest album ever. This song was IMO much better than the first (like basically anything from him), but I preferred the next release, "Hello", which would hit #1 a few months later. 20: IN A BIG COUNTRY - BIG COUNTRY (17) - Meh, I was never a big fan of this song. 19: WHY ME - IRENE CARA (13) - It didn't quite measure up to the success of her hit from earlier in the year, but that one would be tough to match, as it was a big #1 hit, but I'm wondering if this song would have done better if released in the summer, since it definitely has that summertime sound to it. Anyway, I thought this was a great song - not sure if I prefer this or "Flashdance". 18: ISLANDS IN THE STREAM - KENNY ROGERS WITH DOLLY PARTON (8) - I used to hate this song a few years back, but it's sort of done a turnabout, as I now think it's a good one - still, I preferred their other duet, which I believe only charted at Country and AC, called "Real Love". 17: KARMA CHAMELEON - CULTURE CLUB (27) - Meh, I'm not a big fan of this one. They were starting to get old at this point. At least they edited the song this week. 16: SYNCHRONICITY II - THE POLICE (16) - This song wasn't bad, but I can see why it didn't hit the Top Ten like the other singles from Synchronicity. 15: CUM ON FEEL THE NOIZE - QUIET RIOT (12) - I'm not generally a huge heavy metal fan, but I actually really loved this song - definitely my favorite Quiet Riot song! 14: MAJOR TOM (COMING HOME) - PETER SCHILLING (15) - It seems to me that, more often than not, they cut the second verse from this song? However, the song was played in full on this show. Anyway, I liked this song - sounded a little like the Moody Blues, especially at the end. 13: CHURCH OF THE POISON MIND - CULTURE CLUB (10) - Note that the opening lyrics to both of their songs on this week's chart are nearly identical. I think it goes without saying that this is my favorite of the two songs on the chart, though that's not saying much, as this isn't my favorite song from them either. 12: TALKING IN YOUR SLEEP - THE ROMANTICS (20) - Casual listeners might be surprised that this was their first Top 40 hit, since "What I Like About You", which possibly gets more recurrent airplay than this one, surely must have hit the Top 40. But, as we all know, the song peaked at #49 on the chart. This song hit the Top Five and was their first of two Top 40 hits. The second one, "One In A Million", was my favorite of those. LDD: PROMISES - ERIC CLAPTON - For some reason, I have just never been a fan of this song at all. OPTIONAL EXTRA: SO BAD - PAUL McCARTNEY - The follow-up to his duet with Michael Jackson, which was still going strong at #1. This song was pretty good, but I'm not sure why he chose to sing this one falsetto. 11: I GUESS THAT'S WHY THEY CALL IT THE BLUES - ELTON JOHN (19) - A song that might be credited as "Elton John featuring Stevie Wonder", as the latter does an awesome harmonica solo in this song! One of my favorites of Elton's 80s hits - so glad that they didn't edit this one down as it seemed that they did more often than not. 10: BREAK MY STRIDE - MATTHEW WILDER (18) - Wow, most of the chart action seems to be in the top half of the chart. Up to #22, no song moved up more than three spots, and here in the Top 20, we have several good-sized moves, including three in a row that move up eight places, like this one. I used to hate this song with a passion, but it's one of those songs that gets better with age. Now, I think it's a great one. 9: UNDERCOVER OF THE NIGHT - ROLLING STONES (11) - They had been charting for twenty years, but they definitely still had their touch, as this song hit the Top Ten, putting them in second place all by themselves in the category of most Top Ten hits by a group, with 20 of them so far. I thought it was pretty good, but far from being one of my favorites from them. 8: TWIST OF FATE - OLIVIA NEWTON-JOHN (9) - This was the first of two Top 40 hits from the lesser known Travolta/Newton-John movie Two Of A Kind. I liked this song, but I preferred the next hit, "Livin' In Desperate Times". 7: LOVE IS A BATTLEFIELD - PAT BENATAR (6) - As many Top 40 hits as she'd had up to this point, this was only her second Top Ten hit. It was not bad, but I prefer many others from her. 6: UPTOWN GIRL - BILLY JOEL (4) - Joel's salute to Frankie Valli & The Four Seasons. It was a good song (I did prefer it over "Tell Her About It"), but I preferred the title track to An Innocent Man. 5: ALL NIGHT LONG - LIONEL RICHIE (3) - As we all know, I'm not a fan of this song. At least they chopped it down (by cutting out the second verse). 4: OWNER OF A BROKEN HEART - YES (7) - After many years, they finally had their first Top Ten. But it didn't stop there - it went on to hit #1, becoming one of the biggest hits of 1984. I thought it was a good song, though somewhat overplayed. 3: UNION OF THE SNAKE - DURAN DURAN (5) - The first Top 40 hit from Seven And The Ragged Tiger - the song wasn't bad, but I preferred their next hit, "New Moon On Monday". OPTIONAL EXTRA: GIRLS JUST WANT TO HAVE FUN - CYNDI LAUPER - This is the song that started it all off for the unusual one. It was a great one - not sure if I prefer this one or "She Bop". 2: SAY IT ISN'T SO - DARYL HALL & JOHN OATES (2) - In the intro to this song the week before, Casey mentioned that it looked like it might hit #1. Not quite - the song at #1 song was too strong for it, holding onto #1 for several more weeks, by which time this song had weakened and, as a result, had to settle for a peak in the runner-up position (they did, of course, hit #1 a year later with "Out Of Touch"). 1: SAY SAY SAY - PAUL McCARTNEY & MICHAEL JACKSON (1) - Definitely one of the songs I associate the most with the winter of 1983, as the song was #1 for nearly half of the season. I was burned out on it for quite awhile, but now, it's good to hear it every now and again. Coming up next week: Well, the entire Casey-hosted 80s collection will be exhausted, as the remaining never-before broadcast show - the first half of the Top 100 of 1986 - will be played next week! I'll be posting a brand-new commentary, too.
|
|
|
Post by slf on Dec 22, 2018 22:25:13 GMT -5
For the week ending December 20, 1975:
I'm BAACK! Just when even I thought I'd never do one of these critiques again. But I saw the time period this particular '70's countdown covered, and resolved to contribute a critique, if for no other reason but that there's one particular hit from late '75/early '76 that I really love and I've been very much wanting to comment on. So after over a year's absence from this thread, here I go!
40. Wake Up, Everybody/Harold Melvin & The Blue Notes---I wasn't all that familiar with this song by the legendary Philly soul group, but I found it to have a sweet, lush arrangement, and a very important, convicting message that's just as applicable today as ever.
39. Fire On The Mountain/The Marshall Tucker Band---Although not as good as "Heard It In A Love Song", it is a pleasant, breezy Southern rock classic, in which its musical tone belies a tragic tale.
38. Babyface/Wing And A Prayer Fife And Drum Corps---It's funny that so many early disco hits were remakes of old Big Band hits (this one, as well as "Brazil", "Tangerine", even "Disco Lucy"). Maybe it's because disco frequently utilized many and varied musicians, like a big band; and because it's also music meant for dancing. As for this song, I remember it well back in the day, and I've always loved its radiant, energetic production.
37. School Boy Crush/Average White Band---I've always been rather lukewarm to this band's two previous hits, and, upon hearing this song for the first time, I wasn't any more impressed with it than those other songs.
36. Venus & Mars Rock Show/Paul McCartney & Wings---It's a slightly above-average rocker, but it pales in comparison to most of Sir Paul's other '70's post-Beatles hits.
35. Winners And Losers/Hamilton, Joe Frank, And Reynolds---A stirring, beautifully-produced record, with sweet strings and an intriguing piano riff played throughout.
34. Love Machine/The Miracles---This song is an obnoxious embarrassment to this legendary group and to Motown Records in general. The words of the chorus are juvenile, and that intermittent monster/bass vocal sound effect sounds like somebody throwing up. (Insert joke here.) At least Smokey was long gone from the group by this time and, subsequently, had nothing to do with this abomination.
33. Volare/Al Martino---A radiant disco remake of an already stellar song. I love the versions of this song by Donenico Modugno and Bobby Rydell, and I believe that the song is so beautiful and high-quality that nearly anybody can record a respectable version of it.
32. Over My Head/Fleetwood Mac---This song is what started this legendary group's successful string of hits in America, although the band (with a largely different lineup) started having hits in the UK in the late '60's. This song I can take or leave, partly because of overplay and partly because I was never that enamored with it to begin with (but I like or love many of their later hits).
31. Low Rider/War---Another song I can take or leave.
30. Full Of Fire/Al Green---It had a catchy rhythm, but otherwise was unexceptional
29. Fly Away/John Denver---Although not as great as his previous hit, the stellar "Calypso", this does have a pleasantly mellow, peaceful feel to it, and John's clear-as-a-bell vocals are in top form. (And ONJ sounds great, too.)
28. Evil Woman/Electric Light Orchestra---With its assertive keyboards and trademark orchestration, this signature ELO hit still sounds fresh after forty-three years.
27. Love To Love You, Baby/Donna Summer---Ah, yes, that scandalous, heavy-moaning debut hit by the soon-to-be-crowned Queen Of Disco. I remember seeing TV reports on how this song was so immoral and pornographic. They showed her performing it and I wasn't impressed with her or the song; she seemed to be trying too hard to be sexy. When she started to tone down her sexy image, I started to like her and her music a lot more.
26. Sing A Song/Earth, Wind, & Fire---It's catchy, and has a generally happy feel to it, but I like their late '70's hits better.
25. Rock And Roll All Night (live version)/Kiss---Yeah, it sounds raucous and even hedonistic, but it's still irresistibly fun and catchy.
24. You Sexy Thing/Hot Chocolate---Ugh, this song is even worse than "Love Machine". The lead singer's vocals are obnoxious, and the whole idea of calling somebody you're in love with a "sexy thing" is rather revolting. In fact, I'm turned off by any singer calling a woman a "thing" (which is why I also hate Michael Jackson's song "P. Y. T.").
23. Part Time Love/Gladys Knight & The Pips---I found it to be a mildly soothing ballad, but nothing exceptional.
22. For The Love Of You/The Isley Brothers---I was previously unfamiliar with this song, but I did enjoy its rhythm and its woodwind (or synth) background. I noticed that its melody and arrangement was similar to Sylvia's "Pillow Talk" from a couple of years earlier.
21. Walk Away From Love/David Ruffin---OK, here is the song I referred to in my intro, the song I've been dying to critique. I heard it for the first time back in the '90's and was unimpressed at the time. But back six or seven years ago, when I spent several evenings a week stocking Aunt Millie's Bread at a certain Meijer superstore (a job I was able to quit a couple of years ago, BTW), I started to hear this song being played in regular rotation with other old and new songs. I was very soon struck by how dramatic and how majestic the production was and how gloriously soulful Mr. Ruffin's vocals were. But probably the song's irresistible hook was how the female backup singers ended each chorus with the staccato "Gonna walk away, gonna walk away/Gonna walk away, gonna walk away" (the second part higher pitched to accentuate it). Of course, I eventually purchased this glorious song on iTunes, and as great as it sounded on the Meijer PA system, it sounds so much better on my iPod. It's funny how one can fall in love with a song under strange circumstances.
20. Country Boy (You've Got Your Feet In L. A.)/Glen Campbell---It's a pretty good song, with a sharp country/pop arrangement, but his best songs were his Jimmy Webb-penned classics from the late '60's.
19. The Way That I Want To Touch You/Captain & Tennille---I can take it or leave it. (Their megahit from the summer, "Love Will Keep Us Together" was a far better song.)
18. The Last Game Of The Season (Blind Man In The Bleachers)/David Geddes---Although somewhat sappy, it's still a very touching story song that packs an emotional wallop. And the arrangement and Mr. Geddes emotional delivery contribute to inspirational feel of the song.
17. The Times Of Your Life/Paul Anka---A sweet, stirring ballad that would become Paul Anka's last top 10 hit. I remember this song (either by Anka or somebody else) was featured in a Kodak commercial around the same time.
16. Island Girl/Elton John---An energetic, radiant pop classic. I especially love the techno-instrumental section and the way he belts out "Island Girl, Island Girl, Island Girl, rrr, rrr, rrrrlll " at the end of each chorus. (Of course, at the time, I had no idea he was singing about a prostitute, but, oh well.)
15. I Want To Do Something Freaky To You/Leon Haywood---Oh, go sit in the corner!!!!
14. Convoy/C.W. McCall--- I have mixed feelings about this trucker classic. Mr. McCall's down-home delivery, the gimmicky use of CB lingo, the sharp country-pop arrangement, and the sassy female backup vocals combine to make this an irresistible novelty song. But over the years, I have become more repulsed by the song's blatant, almost redneck-like, contempt for law enforcement (bears or smokeys) and the rules of the road. Yes, sometimes cops abuse their authority, but they still are necessary to maintain law and order, or else we'd live in a state of chaos.
13. My Little Town/Simon & Garfunkel---In one of my critiques from four years ago, I was not kind to this song, saying it was negative and depressing. I still feel that way, but will concede it does have a sharp, radiant arrangement, with punchy horns and rumbling keyboards. It just needs a more sunny, positive message.
12. I Love Music/The O'Jay's---Although not a great as their majestic debut "Backstabbers", this is still a fine, infectious Philly Soul classic. I especially love the vocal intro, with its "OOOOOOhhh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oooooh", which is repeated later in the song.
11. Our Day Will Come/Frankie Valli---Over the years, I have grown to love Ruby & The Romantics original version of this song, with its stirring bossa nova rhythm. But this radiant, vibrant disco remake is pretty great, too.
10. Nights On Broadway/The Bee Gees---Although not as great as their megahits from "Saturday Night Fever", this song is still nicely dramatic and soulful.
9. Fox On The Run/Sweet---It's a pretty fun, catchy rocker. I like its use of reverb in certain parts of the song.
8. I Write The Songs/Barry Manilow---I'm glad that finally, Barry Manilow is getting his due as a masterful singer, producer, and composer (although, ironically, he didn't write THIS song). This song is perfect case-in-point of his delightfully bombastic, orchestral music style, a style that I have grown to love more and more as the years go by.
7. Sky High/Jigsaw---With its aggressive opening and sharp, punchy, dramatic chorus, this is one of my favorite songs of the countdown.
6. Theme From "Mahogany"/Diana Ross---This song has grown on me in recent years. I have grown to appreciate how it goes back and forth between the mellow and dramatically bombastic in its mood. And although it sets a melancholy mood, it's sweetly melancholy.
5. Love Rollercoaster/The Ohio Players---Although it's somewhat catchy and danceable, it's still somewhat obnoxious.
4. Saturday Night/The Bay City Rollers---It's nicely fun and peppy, but they had better songs, most notably "You Made Me Believe In Magic" and their remake of "I Only Want To Be With You".
3. Fly, Robin, Fly/Silver Convention---For a disco song, it's rather mediocre, sterile, and overrated.
2. Let's Do It Again/The Staple Singers---It has a nice bass-driven groove, but I can't get over how this former gospel group had, as one of their biggest hits, a song blatantly about, uh, carnal matters. I'm not judging; I'm just pointing out how different, in subject matter, this song is from even their earlier secular hits. It's quite an interesting study in contrasts.
1. That's The Way (I Like It)/K. C. & The Sunshine Band---A fun, energetic, if overplayed disco classic.
And my favorite song of the countdown:
David Ruffin's spectacular "Walk Away From Love" (produced, BTW, by Van McCoy, of "The Hustle" fame)
Good night and Merry Christmas, everybody!
|
|
|
Post by mga707 on Dec 23, 2018 0:46:32 GMT -5
For the week ending December 20, 1975: I'm BAACK! Just when even I thought I'd never do one of these critiques again. But I saw the time period this particular '70's countdown covered, and resolved to contribute a critique, if for no other reason but that there's one particular hit from late '75/early '76 that I really love and I've been very much wanting to comment on. So after over a year's absence from this thread, here I go! Glad you decided to do another one--they're always interesting and well-written. My favorite example of this genre charted a year later: "Whispering/Cherchez La Femme/Se Si Bon" by Dr. Buzzard's Original 'Savannah' Band. My teenaged friends and I also did 'upchuck noises' to this song! But I still kind of like it, even if Burger King ruined it by using it in an ad several decades later. Agree-a great vocal performance, equal to many of Ruffin's hits with The Temptations a decade or so earlier. A deeply troubled man, if you've ever seen the Tempts' biopic you'll know what I mean, but he could really 'sell' a song. Yes, the Kodak ad did feature Anka singing his hit. A rarity at that time. Probably still my favorite Bee Gees tune. Love the "I will wait..." bridge, glad this show contained the full song. Some weeks they would edit that dramatic bridge out. My favorite Rollers tune besies this one was on last week's 1977 show: Their final top 40 record, "The Way I Feel Tonight". Actually two of my favorite songs from last week's show were by 'bubblegum' or 'teen idol' artists, this one and Shaun Cassidy's "Hey Deanie". Thanks for a fun read!
|
|
|
Post by pb on Dec 23, 2018 9:44:58 GMT -5
13. My Little Town/Simon & Garfunkel---In one of my critiques from four years ago, I was not kind to this song, saying it was negative and depressing. I still feel that way, but will concede it does have a sharp, radiant arrangement, with punchy horns and rumbling keyboards. It just needs a more sunny, positive message. FWIW, Paul Simon has said that he thought Garfunkel was performing too many ballads and that it would be interesting to have him sing an aggressive, angry lyric.
|
|
|
Post by jamie9012 on Dec 24, 2018 19:41:54 GMT -5
For the week ending December 20, 1975: I'm BAACK! Just when even I thought I'd never do one of these critiques again. But I saw the time period this particular '70's countdown covered, and resolved to contribute a critique, if for no other reason but that there's one particular hit from late '75/early '76 that I really love and I've been very much wanting to comment on. So after over a year's absence from this thread, here I go! I enjoyed the Critique. I was able to hear some of the Episode on Saturday.
|
|
|
Post by jamie9012 on Dec 24, 2018 19:43:49 GMT -5
Greetings. This Episode was from the last Week, but I wanted to upload it. In order to help me with a few of the Songs, I found one of my Critiques from Dec. 2014. December 18, 1982 20. BABY, COME TO ME - PATTI AUSTIN AND JAMES INGRAM - The early 1980s was a good time for soaps, and General Hospital was not an exception. This Song, which appeared there, reached #1. 19. THE LOOK OF LOVE - ABC - I don't really hear as much of ABC now as I could have around 2004. I've heard "When Smokey Sings" about one or two times recently. This fun hit went to #18 US and #36 DE. 18. YOU AND I - EDDIE RABBITT WITH CRYSTAL GAYLE - Nice Duet. The last Top 40 Hit for both singers. 17. ROCK THE CASBAH - THE CLASH - This method of story-telling in the Lyrics reminds me of Dire Straits' hit "Sultan Of Swing". 16. AFRICA - TOTO - Why do I think of the theme to that show "Cheers" when I hear this? Ich habe keine Ahnung. Anyway, #1 US, #14 DE, #6 CH. 15. UP WHERE WE BELONG – JOE C0CKER AND JENNIFER WARNES- From the Soundtrack to the Film "An Officer And A Gentleman". I thought that this was a very good Duet. It spent 3 Weeks at #1 on the Billboard Hot 100. Also #6 DE and #7 CH (Jan. 1983). 14. HEARTBREAKER - DIONNE WARWICK - Up to now, her biggest hit in the 1980s, peaking at #10. 13. SHADOWS OF THE NIGHT - PAT BENATAR - An excellent Song from Brooklyn, NYC. I like the guitar Solo as it ends, which is not heard in the single Version. 12. DOWN UNDER - MEN AT WORK - Definitely their biggest Hit. After making its impact in Europe (including #9 DE and #1 CH (both in July 1982), it smashes the US Charts with a peak at #1. Curiously, it made a second chart run in Germany (#17, March 1983), no doubt spurred by its success in the US Market. 11. IT'S RAINING AGAIN - SUPERTRAMP - "It's raining, it's pouring, the old man is snoring. He went to Bed and bumped his Head and he couldn't get up in the Morning." I love it! #11 US, #3 DE, and #2 CH (blocked from #1 by "Words" from singer F-R David). 10. MUSCLES – DIANA ROSS- I must say now that I cannot recognize this Song, along with the following one, by the Title alone. 9. ROCK THIS TOWN - STRAY CATS - Some 1950s Rockabilly in the Countdown! Their first hit in the US. 8. SEXUAL HEALING - MARVIN GAYE - This moody R&B Hit served as his comeback after 5 Years away from the Hot 100, although he did have some hits on the R&B Chart in that Interval. I can only imagine being alive on 1 April 1984. 7. DIRTY LAUNDRY - DON HENLEY - A then-former member of The Eagles with his first solo Top 40 Hit (without counting his duet with Stevie Nicks from late 1981). #3 US, #8 AT. 6. STEPPIN' OUT - JOE JACKSON - I used to find his voice here somewhat spooky. It has a rather peculiar atmosphere to it, somewhere between soothing and evil. Only an evil laugh is missing. But that is for another day. Good song. #6 US, #28 DE (May 1983). "Steppin' Out" appears in the Videogame "Grand Theft Auto: Vice City". 5. TRULY - LIONEL RICHIE - With Lionel Richie, one could hear anything from a wild dance Song to a heartfelt Ballad. No matter which one it is, it does its Job well. It spent two Weeks at #1. 4. THE GIRL IS MINE - MICHAEL JACKSON AND PAUL MCCARTNEY - In Golf, there is Tiger Woods vs. Phil Mickelson. In Music, there is a Jackson 5 and a former Beatle. #2 US, #53 DE. 3. GLORIA - LAURA BRANIGAN - Originally a hit for Italian singer Umberto Tozzi, written by Tozzi and Giancarlo Bigazzi. In addition to being a hit in Italy, it also reached #8 in Germany and #1 for 4 Weeks in Switzerland. This updated version, with English Lyrics, reached #2 in US. R.I.P. Laura Branigan. 2. MICKEY - TONI BASIL - I still do not know who Mickey really is. #1 US, #69 DE (March 1983). 1. MANEATER - DARYL HALL AND JOHN OATES - The fifth #1 Hit for this duo. Also #2 CH and #15 DE. My Extra: ALLES WAS DU BRAUCHST IST LIEBE - NANA MOUSKOURI - Not a Beatles remake, this Song was co-written by the late Udo Jürgens (1934-2014) and Wolfgang Hofer. It talks about how Love can make you feel better and Anger not. "Alles was du brauchst ist Liebe "Sie genügt um groß zu sein "Alles was du brauchst ist Liebe "Sonst bist du armer als ein Stein" "All you need is Love "It is enough to be strong "All you need is Love "Otherwise you'll be more pitiful than a Stone" "Alles was du brauchst ist Liebe" was released on her Album "Nana". A minor hit, it made its only appearance on the Chart at #74 (out of 75 at that time) for the Week of 22 November 1982. www.youtube.com/watch?v=_MqZGQiCwrIThank you and Fröhliche Weinachten (Merry Christmas)!
|
|
|
Post by Hervard on Dec 28, 2018 15:45:34 GMT -5
American Top 40: The 70s - December 29, 2018 & January 5, 2019 This week's presentation - The Top 100 of 1978 100: DEACON BLUES - STEELY DAN - When this song started, I thought it was "Peg" at first, since the intros are both very similar. Though I preferred "Peg", both songs are great, with their trademark jazz/rock sound. 99: HOLLYWOOD NIGHTS - BOB SEGER & THE SILVER BULLET BAND - I don't remember this song from its chart run, though I definitely 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. 98: WE'RE ALL ALONE - RITA COOLIDGE - This was her second Top Ten hit. I like both of her 1977 songs about the same. I remember buying the 45 of "We're All Alone" in March, 1983 - and "Higher Than Higher" was on the flipside! 97: NAME OF THE GAME - ABBA - I liked many songs from Abba, but this wasn't one of them. One of my least favorite songs from them. 96: EBONY EYES - BOB WELCH - Casey mentioned how he left Fleetwood Mac right before they were really beginning to take off. Welch had a handful of Top 40 solo hits, including this Top 20 hit. Of his two songs on the countdown, I preferred "Sentimental Lady" but this was also a great one. 95: I CAN'T STAND THE RAIN - ERUPTION - This was sort of a faceless disco song, but, considering my general opinion on that kind of music, this song wasn't too bad. 94: TURN TO STONE - E.L.O. - They had a ton of hits in the 1970s, including this one, which peaked at #13 (but made it all the way to #5 on the R&R charts). This is one I remember quite well from back in the day, though for some reason, I associated it more with summer than winter. It is one of my favorite songs from them. 93: DON'T LOOK BACK - BOSTON - This song peaked at #4 back in October, becoming their highest peaking song so far. It would hold that honor for eight years, until their successful comeback in 1986. Now that AT40 was an hour longer, they decided to play the longer versions of some songs and they did that with this song occasionally. I have somehow come to like this song better than I had previously (as I never cared for it). 92: FLASHLIGHT - PARLIAMENT - Meh, pretty much your typical late-70s R&B disco, and I think we all know all too well my general opinion on that... 91: NATIVE NEW YORKER - ODYSSEY - This was their only Top 40 hit. The song was OK, but nothing exceptional - sounded a little like the Bee Gees. 90: IT'S SO EASY - LINDA RONSTADT - Back around the holiday period of 1977, Ronstadt was competing with herself on the chart with two hits - one upbeat song and one ballad (the disparity may have been instrumental in how well they did on the chart). This was the former of the two and, though I did prefer her other song, this was a great one as well! 89: YOU CAN'T TURN ME OFF (IN THE MIDDLE OF TURNING ME ON) - HIGH INERGY - This one reminds me a little of "Ain't No Mountain High Enough" by Diana Ross. It was a pretty good song - pretty much your typical 70s R&B slow jam. OPTIONAL EXTRA: MacARTHUR PARK - DONNA SUMMER - 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 (though I certainly don't know why Summer screams like a witch at the end of each chorus). 88: I LOVE THE NIGHTLIFE (DISCO ROUND) - ALICIA BRIDGES - 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 year's chart. There's just something about it that I really like. It sure got a lot of mileage on the charts - debuted in early September, yet was just peaking around the time of this show. 87: LIFE'S BEEN GOOD - JOE WALSH - The only member of the Eagles on this year's chart (since the others had not yet tried it on their own). I'm not sure why, but this song never really did anything for me. I wasn't a huge Joe Walsh fan anyway. 86: SWEET TALKIN' WOMAN - E.L.O. - Definitely a similarity between this and "Do You Believe In Love" by Huey Lewis & The News (and I read somewhere that it wasn't coincidence). Anyway, this was definitely one of my personal faves from them and one I remember quite well from its chart run. 85: GET OFF - FOXY - Not a huge fan of this one, since it's the roof-raising R&B of which I'm not a huge fan. 84: FOOL IF YOU THINK IT'S OVER - CHRIS REA - Here's another song I remember quite well. About ten years after he charted with this, he recorded a new version, which did not do justice to the original at all. He also had 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. 83: WHENEVER I CALL YOU "FRIEND" - KENNY LOGGINS - A one-time duet between these two awesome singers, and it was a great one - definitely one of my favorite songs from both artists! 82: RUNNIN' ON EMPTY - JACKSON BROWNE - This song looked like it might become his second Top Ten hit, but it just narrowly missed. That's too bad, as it was IMO one of his best hits ever! (A small consolation is the fact that this song DID hit the Top Ten on the R&R chart, peaking at #6). 81: BLUER THEN BLUE - MICHAEL JOHNSON - This Colorado native had three Top 40 hits and this was the biggest of them, peaking at #12. It was a great one, but I still prefer "This Night Won't Last Forever", which got as high as #19 in 1979. 80: DON'T LET ME BE MISUNDERSTOOD - SANTA ESMERALDA - An interesting disco rendition of the classic by the Animals. Coincidentally, both songs peaked at #15 on the Hot 100. 79: FALLING - LeBLANC & CARR - Their only Top 40 hit. The song peaked at #13, but spent over a half a year on the Hot 100, an unusually long term for a song that never hit the Top Ten. I liked this song a lot - too bad it didn't have a little more oomph in it so it would have hit the Top Ten. 78: SENTIMENTAL LADY - BOB WELCH - Lindsey Buckingham and Christine McVie of Fleetwood Mac, for whom Welch was the former guitarist, are heard singing back-up on his first solo hit. It was a great song IMO. 77: SERPENTINE FIRE - EARTH, WIND & FIRE - An L.A.-based act that had quite a few hits during the 70s (though they didn't hit the Top 40 until 1974). This was a pretty good song, but not quite their best (I don't think I need to remind you that my two faves from them are "That's The Way Of The World" and "September", do I?) OPTIONAL EXTRA: LE FREAK - CHIC - This song's run at #1 was interrupted twice - first, by the Barbra & Neil barf fest, then after two more weeks on the top, the Bee Gees hit with "Too Much Heaven", then this song moved back into #1 for an additional three weeks. Unsurprisingly, this was the biggest disco hit of all time, according to the Top 40 Disco countdown in the summer of 1979. The song was OK, but not quite my cup of tea. 76: YOU & I - RICK JAMES - Meh, nothing special - sounds like most of the disco material from the late-70s, by a man who had the most success on the R&B chart. He he did have a handful of Top 40 hits, though, and this was the most successful of them, peaking at #13. 75: ALWAYS & FOREVER - HEATWAVE - One of the best love songs of all time, and by far my favorite of their three hits (the other two were disco songs that sounded very much alike). 74: COPACABANA (AT THE COPA) - BARRY MANILOW - Definitely a departure from his usual ballad style. In fact, the rush release of this song while "Even Now" was still on its way up the chart caused the latter to tank (which wasn't really a bad thing, as "Even Now" wasn't one of his better hits anyway, IMO). This was a good one. 73: EVERY KINDA PEOPLE - ROBERT PALMER - Here is a song that charted twice - first in 1978, then, I believe, a slightly remixed version was released in 1992 (though that one was more of an AC hit than pop). Considering I'm not a big Robert Palmer fan, this one was actually pretty good. 72: BECAUSE THE NIGHT - PATTI SMITH GROUP - I'm more familiar with the 1993 cover of this song by 10,000 Maniacs, which doesn't sound all that different from this one (except for one of the chords in the chorus). I prefer this version, but, due to overplay of the cover, I'm still burned out on the song overall. 71: DON'T IT MAKE MY BROWN EYES BLUE - CRYSTAL GAYLE - This was more of a 1977 hit (such is the case with several other songs on the countdown), but still had enough juice left in it when the 1978 survey period started to rank on that year's list. Anyway, I liked this song, as well as all of Gayle's other crossover hits, including a few that didn't quite make the Top 40 chart, but did well at AC. 70: WHAT'S YOUR NAME - LYNYRD SKYNYRD - A great classic rock group here! This one, as well as most of their others, gets tons of recurrent airplay on classic rock stations today. This was one of my favorites from them. 69: SUMMER NIGHTS - JOHN TRAVOLTA & OLIVIA NEWTON-JOHN - The movie Grease was definitely a force to be reckoned with, as four songs from the soundtrack registered on the big list. This was the one of the two duets for the stars of that movie. Of those two songs, it would be my favorite (though "You're The One That I Want" is a great one as well). 68: HEY DEANIE - SHAUN CASSIDY - The third of four Top 40 hits from this singer/actor from L.A. I liked it, but preferred his first two hits, both of which hit the Top Ten, as well as this song) 67: BABY HOLD ON - EDDIE MONEY - The Money Man's breakthrough hit here. The song didn't quite hit the Top Ten, but gets a significant amount of recurrent airplay. A great song indeed - one of my favorites from him! 66: COUNT ON ME - JEFFERSON STARSHIP - There were many songs that I don't like now, but did back during their chart runs. Here's one that is just the opposite - back in the day, it was just there, but now is one of my favorite songs by JS. 65: REMINISCING - LITTLE RIVER BAND - The first of six consecutive Top Ten songs from them (and after that, they would never again hit the Top Ten). It was a good one, but I preferred a few of the other Top Tens, especially their next Top Ten, "Lady", from the same album as this one. 64: SHAME - EVELYN "CHAMPAGNE" KING - This was a disco song that I thought was pretty good. Still doesn't hold a candle to "Love Come Down", which charted four years later. 63: YOU NEEDED ME - ANNE MURRAY - Her first hit in over four years, but it was worth the wait, as this song made it all the way to the top. This was one of her all-time best, ranking right up there with her three 1979 Top 40 hits, as well as her two from 1980. Indeed, 1978-1980 was her heyday, especially on my Personal Top 30 chart. OPTIONAL EXTRA: YOU DON'T BRING ME FLOWERS - BARBRA STREISAND & NEIL DIAMOND - Sorry, honey, but the next door neighbors told me to keep out of their yard. 62: PEG - STEELY DAN - Thank goodness they played this song intact, as they usually did an odd hack job with this song, by cutting out the second verse (or the second half of the first verse, if that's what you'd call it) and the first chorus. Anyway, this was one of my favorite songs from them of all time! 61: BLUE BAYOU - LINDA RONSTADT - Another song that was usually edited, but was left alone on this show (since they didn't have to cram as many songs within an hour, due to the four-hour allotment). But anyway, as stated earlier, this is my favorite of her two songs on the big list. 60: HERE YOU COME AGAIN - DOLLY PARTON - Chiefly a country act, Parton did have a few crossover hits and this was the first of them. It's definitely one of my favorite songs from her. 59: YOU BELONG TO ME - CARLY SIMON - Wow, our good friend JessieLou must be in seventh heaven, as three of her favorite artists have been featured over the past hour - we had Jefferson Starship back at #66, Linda Ronstadt two songs back and now, Carlegend Slaymon! I like this song too - one of my favorites from her! The Doobie Brothers' original was a great one as well! 58: THIS TIME I'M IN IT FOR LOVE - PLAYER - Their second of their three Top 40 hits, and the second biggest as well, peaking at #10. It wasn't bad, but I preferred "Baby Come Back". 57: (EVERYTIME I TURN AROUND) BACK IN LOVE AGAIN - LTD - This would become the biggest of their three Top 40 hits, peaking at #4 in December. It wasn't bad, but I generally preferred lead singer Jeffrey Osbourne's solo hits. 56: COME SAIL AWAY - STYX - Of course, the single version of this song was cut down more than necessary. Of all three versions I've heard, my favorite is the one that's about four minutes long; the only thing cut from that part is the bridge, with the weird spacey sound effects. I figured they might play that version, but no such luck. 55: ON BROADWAY - GEORGE BENSON - One of several remakes on the 1978 list. It was pretty good, with Benson's trademark scat singing, but I still preferred the original by the Drifters. 54: DISCO INFERNO - TRAMMPS - One of five songs from the Saturday Night Fever soundtrack. Though the song ran out of gas just short of the Top Ten, its longevity helped to place it so high up on the chart. As for the song, even though I generally don't care for faceless disco, this one is actually pretty good. 53: MY ANGEL BABY - TOBY BEAU - It was a group, not a solo male, like many people thought (such was the case with Pablo Cruise, coming up later in the countdown). The song was pretty good. OPTIONAL EXTRA: STAY - JACKSON BROWNE - Interesting how Browne changed the lyrics around to be addressing his audience instead of a loved one, like in the original by Maurice Williams & The Zodiacs. As for the song, it's not bad, but I preferred "The Load Out", which some radio stations play right before this song, as that's how Browne usually does this song in his concerts. 52: STILL THE SAME - BOB SEGER - This was the first of four hits from Seger's multi-platinum Stranger In Town album (which, as stated earlier, I listened to a lot back in the day), but surprisingly, the only one that hit the Top Ten. Oh well, at least it was the best of the bunch! 51: IMAGINARY LOVER - ATLANTA RHYTHM SECTION - Amazing how speeding up this song a bit turns it into a different artist No, seriously, I like most of ARS' Top 40 hits, this one included. 50: THUNDER ISLAND - JAY FERGUSON - The first of two Top 40 hits by this man from the San Ferdinando Valley. I'm sure I've heard his other hit, "Shakedown Cruise" before, but wtf did it sound like again? This was a good song that I vaguely remember hearing back in the day. 49: THE GROOVE LINE - HEATWAVE - aka "Boogie Nights Part 2". I wasn't a huge fan of either song, but, as stated earlier, I thought that their ballad "Always And Forever", which charted back at #75, was a great one. 48: SLIP SLIDIN' AWAY - PAUL SIMON - This song would become his fifth Top Ten solo single (yes, I thought he'd had more than that up to this point as well). His next Top 40 solo entry would be "Late In The Evening", in 1980. 47: GOODBYE GIRL - DAVID GATES - I've mentioned before that this song and "We'll Never Have To Say Goodbye Again" by England Dan & John Ford Coley, sound somewhat alike. Oddly enough, even though the latter hit the Top Ten, this song, which peaked at #15 in April, was the one that made the year-end survey (because the other song zipped up and down the chart while this one had a good, long chart run). As for this song, it was just as great as many of his other songs that he did with Bread. 46: LOVE IS IN THE AIR - JOHN PAUL YOUNG - Another disco song that I don't really mind, though nowhere near as good as the Alicia Bridges song, IMO. 45: AN EVERLASTING LOVE - ANDY GIBB - His first three songs hit #1 and, at first, it looked like this song could be his fourth, but that was not to be. Once it hit the Top Ten, it moved up no more than one spot at a time, peaking at #5, which is still great. This would be a close second to "I Just Want To Be Your Everything" as my favorite song from Gibb. 44: LOVE WILL FIND A WAY - PABLO CRUISE - Of course, this song's intro is very similar to "Hot Blooded" by Foreigner, coming up later in the countdown. I remember this one quite well from back in the day. A great song, though I slightly preferred "What'cha Gonna Do", from the previous summer. 43: OUR LOVE - NATALIE COLE - Her last Top Ten hit before she went on a hiatus that lasted for the better part of the 1980s, when she ran into many personal problems, including drug addiction. This was one of her best hits of the 1970s. 42: USED TO BE MY GIRL - O'JAYS - Their last of six Top Ten hits. It was actually a great song - possibly my favorite of their hits! 41: SHORT PEOPLE - RANDY NEWMAN - Of course, it's pretty common knowledge that this song's meaning was misinterpreted, until the bridge. I thought it was a great song. 40: MAGNET & STEEL - WALTER EGAN - Stevie Nicks, who this song was said to be about, was heard singing back-up on this song, which somehow, I associate more with the fall of 1978 instead of the summer (probably because that was when WLS played the song; it peaked on their survey in late October). Though I preferred "Fool Moon Fire", from 1983, this was a good one too. 39: DUST IN THE WIND - KANSAS - A song with a vaguely haunting melody. It was another great song that I remember quite well! 38: THE CLOSER I GET TO YOU - ROBERTA FLACK & DONNY HATHAWAY - The second of their two Top Ten hits on the chart. This was the biggest of their collaboration, making it to #2 on the charts in May. It is also my favorite of the two songs I've heard from them (as I have yet to hear their version of "You've Got A Friend" - maybe I'll hop on over to YouTube and check it out). OPTIONAL EXTRA: WONDERFUL TONIGHT - ERIC CLAPTON - One of Clapton's songs that receive the most recurrent airplay today (given that, I'm surprised it did not make an appearance on the R&R chart). It was a good song. Anyone remember this Yahoo Internet commercial from 2005 that features this song? 37: YOU'RE IN MY HEART (THE FINAL ACCLAIM) - ROD STEWART - This song would become his second #1 on R&R, but it didn't quite make it on the Hot 100 (basically, if you weren't the Bee Gees or at least on the RSO label in the first half of 1978, you were pretty much S.O.L). Anyway, this was a great song - one of my favorites both back in the day and now, and I'm glad that they didn't edit it. 36: HOT BLOODED - FOREIGNER - Here is that song I mentioned earlier, with an intro similar to that of the song back at #44. Of their three singles from Double Vision, this would be my least favorite, but it's a great song nevertheless. 35: HOPELESSLY DEVOTED TO YOU - OLIVIA NEWTON-JOHN - As I've mentioned many times 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 (especially since our paths crossed back in May, 2016 and she and I actually had a brief conversation, letting me know that we were at least back on speaking terms again). 34: LAST DANCE - DONNA SUMMER - She was indeed on a roll, but the best was yet to come, as her next hit would hit #1 and she'd have three more #1 songs, all in 1979! This was a good one, like many of her big hits. 33: SOMETIMES WHEN WE TOUCH - DAN HILL - This man seemed destined to be a one-hit wonder, a title he held for nearly ten years, but the day was saved in the late summer of 1987, when his duet with Vonda Shepard "Can't We Try" came along and broke the curse. I preferred that song, as well as a few other Dan Hill songs, over this one, but it still is a good one. 32: TAKE A CHANCE ON ME - ABBA - I like many, if not most, of their Top 40 hits. This song was pretty good - one that I've learned to like over the past year or so. I definitely prefer it over their other 1978 hit "The Name Of The Game", but it doesn't hold a candle to "Dancing Queen" or "The Winner Takes It All". 31: JACK & JILL - RAYDIO - This song contains one of the funniest misheard lyrics near the end ("He got down on his right knee", which is sometimes heard as "he got down on his Granny"). As for the song itself, it's a great one - possibly my favorite songs from him/them. 30: TWO OUT OF THREE AIN'T BAD - MEATLOAF - He had a handful of Top 40 hits, with this being my favorite - as well as one of my favorites on this week's chart. I do, however, prefer the full album version, which I was pleasantly surprised that AT40 played on this show, over the single version, which was what AT40 usually, if not always, played on the weekly shows. 29: DANCE WITH ME - PETER BROWN - Meh, I preferred the Orleans song of the same title from three years before. This one just didn't do anything for me. 28: TOO MUCH TOO LITTLE TOO LATE - JOHNNY MATHIS & DENEICE WILLIAMS - We knew that it was only a matter of time before they got to the first #1 song (well, one that wasn't affected by any cutoff rule, at any rate). As for this song, it was a great one. 27: CAN'T SMILE WITHOUT YOU - BARRY MANILOW - What my grandma said when I hid her dentures. But seriously, this was a great song! Another one of my personal faves from the good ol' days that has indeed stood the test of time. 26: BAKER STREET - GERRY RAFFERTY - This song was said to have hit #1 for a few hours, but at the last minute, it was put at #2 for a sixth week. I tell you what, I used to really like this song, but not so much anymore. Perhaps overplay on oldies stations. I generally switch the station when this comes on. OPTIONAL EXTRA: BACK IN THE USA - LINDA RONSTADT - I can't say whether I prefer this or Chuck Berry's version of this song, since I've never heard the latter (that I know of). Linda's version was so/so, but definitely not one of her best. 25: WE ARE THE CHAMPIONS - QUEEN - During most of this song's chart run, many radio stations were playing "We Will Rock You" with this one. In fact, I'm fairly sure every radio station I listened to were playing both songs and never one or the other. Of course, I prefer this one by far - one of my all-time favorites by Queen! 24: IT'S A HEARTACHE - BONNIE TYLER - Some people call her a "female Rod Stewart", since both have similarly raspy voices. This was a really good song, though I preferred “Total Eclipse Of The Heart”. 23: LOVE IS LIKE OXYGEN - SWEET - They had five Top 40 hits, all reaching the upper half of the chart. This one was their final Top 40 hit. It wasn't bad - reminded me of something that ELO would do. 22: HOT CHILD IN THE CITY - NICK GILDER - This song, as we all know, currently held the record for the slowest climb to #1. I have a feeling that if this song were released a month or so before it was, it might have topped the chart in the summer - and not taken quite as long to reach #1, as it has that summertime sound to it. 21: FEELS SO GOOD - CHUCK MANGIONE - The first of two hits he placed on the Top 40. Not sure which one I preferred, but both are great songs, IMO! I was a little disappointed that this one was edited, but hey - at least most of the songs on the full version of this show were not. 20: DANCE DANCE DANCE (YOWSAH YOWSAH YOWSAH) - CHIC - Meh, not a fan of this one, mostly since it is quite repetitive. I preferred other songs from them, especially "I Want Your Love" from the following year. 19: IF I CAN'T HAVE YOU - YVONNE ELLIMAN - This song was one of the 18 #1 songs in the 1978 survey period. Of course I'm sure that the fact that it was from a hot movie soundtrack was somewhat instrumental in that, but it did have its own merits. It was possibly my favorite song on the Saturday Night Fever soundtrack, and easily my favorite song from Yvonne. 18: WITH A LITTLE LUCK - PAUL McCARTNEY & WINGS - They generally edited this song and, such was the case this week, but at least they didn't butcher it like they generally did - all that was cut was the instrumental break. This was definitely one of Wings' all-time best hits, IMO. 17: JUST THE WAY YOU ARE - BILLY JOEL - The first of four releases from one of his best singles albums ever. I liked all four of the songs and, though "She's Always A Woman" was my favorite of those, the others, including this one, were great as well. Did they ever play the full album version of the song during its chart run? (I'm fairly sure I remember them playing that one as a LDD one time). 16: MISS YOU - ROLLING STONES - They were one of the last bands that you'd expect to have a disco hit, but in fact, they did have one more, two years later. That song, of course, was "Emotional Rescue", which I prefer over this one by a fair margin. 15: LAY DOWN SALLY - ERIC CLAPTON - One of several Clapton songs featuring Marcy Levy (the co-writer of this song) on backup vocals. It was a good song, though I prefer several other songs by him. But hey, as long as it isn’t the overly maudlin "Tears In Heaven", or the grossly overplayed “Change The World” 14: EMOTION - SAMANTHA SANG - This was her only Top 40 hit, and I have a feeling that the fact that the Bee Gees had a hand in this one (especially Barry Gibb's backing vocal) was instrumental in how well it did. It was a good song. 13: YOU'RE THE ONE THAT I WANT - OLIVIA NEWTON-JOHN & JOHN TRAVOLTA - At stated earlier, it's sort of a close race between this and "Summer Nights" as my favorite of their duets from Grease. Both are great songs, in any case. OPTIONAL EXTRA: RIGHT DOWN THE LINE - GERRY RAFFERTY - Larry mentioned how this song just missed the chart, and, based on its stats versus those of the songs in the lower reaches of the chart, that sounds about right - who knows, perhaps this song would have come in at #101. Anyway, this one didn't quite measure up to the success of "Baker Street", but it was his second biggest hit, peaking at #12 - and it did peak at #7 (for a whole month, no less) on the R&R chart, which is good, because it was a great song - my favorite song from him. 12: I GO CRAZY - PAUL DAVIS - This song peaked at #7 on the chart, but, of course, it ranked so high due to its 40-week run on the Hot 100, which set a record that would endure for four and a half years. I liked this, but preferred several others by him. 11: GREASE - FRANKIE VALLI - Though I still prefer the other charted songs from Grease, I've actually found myself liking the song a little better than I did previously. 10: THREE TIMES A LADY - COMMODORES - The song spent two weeks atop the Hot 100 (and spent four weeks at #2 after falling out) - all of which they spent at #1 on R&R, for a total of six weeks there. I loved this song - so did a lot of other people, as it became a very popular LDD song (and was played at many wedding receptions as well). 9: BOOGIE OOGIE OOGIE - A TASTE OF HONEY - Their first of two Top Ten hits, and this was the most successful, spending three weeks at #1 in September! It's also my favorite of their two hits. 8: (LOVE IS) THICKER THAN WATER - ANDY GIBB - The first of three #1 songs in a row for Gibb. It wasn't quite as good as "I Just Want To Be Your Everything", but I prefer it over "Shadow Dancing". 7: BABY COME BACK - PLAYER - This was pretty much the only song for the first few months of 1978 not connected with the Gibb family or the Saturday Night Fever soundtrack that managed to hit #1. As I mentioned earlier, this was my favorite of their two hits on the chart. 6: HOW DEEP IS YOUR LOVE - BEE GEES - This was my favorite of the Bee Gees' Saturday Night Fever hits. It got quite a lot of mileage on the chart - 17 weeks in the Top Ten and 26 in the Top 40 - many of those weeks while competing with two other Bee Gees songs! Goes to show what a strong hit this was! 5: KISS YOU ALL OVER - EXILE - 1978 was definitely a good year for producer Mike Chapman, as he had two songs that topped the chart that fall - consecutively, no less. This was the first of them. Of the two, I preferred the other one (which was "Hot Child In The City" by Nick Gilder). 4: STAYIN' ALIVE - BEE GEES - This song didn't spend quite as long in the Top 40 as their first Saturday Night Fever hit, but did last 22 weeks, which was definitely nothing to sneeze at - some #1 songs didn't even spend that long on the Hot 100! It was indeed my favorite of the Bee Gees' upbeat songs from the Saturday Night Fever soundtrack! 3: YOU LIGHT UP MY LIFE - DEBBY BOONE - Amazing that, with all the records this song set, that it was her sole Top 40 hit. This song was definitely a guilty pleasure of mine - as cheesy as it is, I just can't help but love the song! I wonder if it would have come out on top had all of its chart life been credited? 2: NIGHT FEVER - BEE GEES - This was the highest ranked song from the Saturday Night Fever soundtrack, and unsurprisingly so, having spent eight weeks on top back in the spring. This one was quite overplayed, and my least favorite of the Bee Gees' three hits in the year-end Top Ten. OPTIONAL EXTRA: MONTAGE OF 1978 #1 SONGS 1: SHADOW DANCING - ANDY GIBB - He was definitely on a roll, as he had the top song of the year for two years in a row! Of course, I preferred his #1 song of 1977, "I Just Want To Be Your Everything". This, on the other hand, was possibly my least favorite of his #1 songs, but it's still not bad.
|
|
|
Post by Hervard on Dec 28, 2018 16:00:49 GMT -5
American Top 40: The 80s - December 29, 2018 - January 5, 2019
Feature presentation: The Top 100 of 1986
100: GO HOME - STEVIE WONDER (10/1/11/17) - Wonder had been hitting the charts since the early sixties and, with two Top Ten hits from In Square Circle, it looked like he was far from over but, unfortunately, this was his final Top Ten hits, and he had three more singles after that. I liked this song, but preferred his next hit "Overjoyed". 99: I'LL BE OVER YOU - TOTO (11/-/12/23) - This song just barely missed hitting the Top Ten, peaking at #11. Too bad, as it's one of Toto's all-time best hits, IMO (at least it did hit the Top Ten on the R&R chart, where it peaked at #8). 98: A DIFFERENT CORNER - GEORGE MICHAEL (7(3)/4/10/16) - It had been announced earlier in the year that George and Andrew were parting ways later on in the year. George was already launching his solo career, with the first of many Top 40 hits. I wasn't too keen on this song, however, since it was so maudlin. 97: LOVE WILL CONQUER ALL - LIONEL RICHIE (9(2)/3/10/18) - This song sounded very much like his song "Love Will Find A Way", an album cut from Can't Slow Down. I liked both songs, which were great ones, about the same. 96: KING FOR A DAY - THOMPSON TWINS (8/3/11/18) - This is definitely better than their last hit, "Lay Your Mediocrity On Me", but there are still a few songs by them that I prefer, my favorite being "Hold Me Now" - which I have a feeling that we'll be hearing on the next 1984 show. 95: TENDER LOVE - FORCE MDs (10(2)/2/11/19) - The only Top 40 hit for this Staten Island based R&B act. A great song - I especially like the part near the end where they go so far up the scale on the piano that it sounds like a music box. 94: DREAMTIME - DARYL HALL (5/4/11/15) - His first of two solo hits before rejoining his sidekick John Oates. I liked both of them, but slightly preferred this one. I liked the story Casey told going into this song, about the four most common dreams - in order, they were dreaming of being naked in public, dreaming that we can fly, dreaming that we're falling, or dreaming that someone or something is chasing us. 93: OBJECT OF MY DESIRE - STARPOINT (25/-/9/24) - Wow, didn't expect this song to be here, since it only got as high as #24. But it spent enough time on the entire Hot 100 to be able to register on the countdown (on the R&R chart, it only got as high as #35 so, needless to say, it didn't make the year-end chart there). 92: SPIES LIKE US - PAUL MCCARTNEY (7/3/11/17) - Paul went for almost 30 years without having a Top Ten hit. This was the final one before the drought. He would return in early 2015 as a featured singer on Kanye West's "FourFiveSeconds". I believe that might be the record, but I'm not totally sure. As for this song, it wasn't bad, but I preferred other songs from him, solo and with the Beatles and Wings. 91: YOUR WILDEST DREAMS - MOODY BLUES (9(2)/2/12/21) - As big as this legendary band was, it's a surprise that they only had three Top Ten hits. This was one of them, peaking at #9 the following week, and deservedly so, as it is one of my all-time faves from them! 90: SWEET LOVE - ANITA BAKER (8/2/11/22) - I often listen to her Rapture CD when I'm out taking a leisurely drive. This is the song that kicks it off - pretty good, though I preferred other songs from her, including many songs on said CD. 89: WALK THIS WAY - RUN DMC (4/5/10/16) - Ah, those were the days, when rap was halfway decent. Of course, since this was a remake of a familiar song, that could have had something to do with how I like it, but back when this was on the charts, my sentiments were quite different, but in retrospect, it doesn't sound so bad now - in fact, I actually prefer it over the original by Aerosmith. 88: TAKE ME HOME - PHIL COLLINS (7(3)/5/11/16) - Many people thought that "Don't Lose My Number" was the final hit from No Jacket Required, but I believe they were holding off on new releases from the album to give "Separate Lives", his duet with Marilyn Martin, a chance (which proved to be worthwhile, as that song went all the way to the top). They resumed with No Jacket Required singles here with a song that closes out most of his concerts. A great song indeed! OPTIONAL EXTRA: WALK LIKE AN EGYPTIAN - THE BANGLES (1(4)/8/15/23) - Meh, I think we all know how much I dislike this song. I wouldn't have been too upset if they'd decided to go with a countdown near-miss instead. 87: NIKITA - ELTON JOHN (7(2)/4/11/18) - This song kept his streak of at least one Top 40 hit per year alive for a seventeenth year running (if his gig as one of Dionne's friends didn't already count). It was a good song, but not quite his best. 86: ELECTION DAY - ARCADIA (6(2)/6/12/16) - Meh, pretty much watered-down Duran Duran here. I can see why they didn't last very long. 85: BABY LOVE - REGINA (10(2)/12/20) - This one sounds like a Madonna song (which is no coincidence, as this was co-written by Stephen Bray, who collaborated with Madonna during the 1980s, co-writing and co-producing many of her big hits in the 1980s). It was a great song, IMO - one of several songs on this countdown that I associate with the beginning of my freshman year in HS. 84: THROWING IT ALL AWAY - GENESIS (4(2)/4/12/16) - This song hit #1 on the R&R chart, but didn't quite make it on the Hot 100. It did peak at #4, though, which isn't bad either. This song was OK, IMO, but my least favorite of the five singles from Invisible Touch. 83: LOVE BIZARRE - SHEILA E. (11/-/12/23) - I'm not generally a huge fan of hers, though I did like her underrated "The Belle Of St. Mark", from late 1984. 82: LOVE TOUCH - ROD STEWART (6/4/12/18) - This was written by Holly Knight, who headed up the band Device, who dropped out of the Top 40 with their sole Top 40 hit "Hanging On A Heart Attack", and it definitely showed, given the similarity between the two songs. Though I slightly preferred the Device song, both of them were good summer songs. 81: TONIGHT SHE COMES - THE CARS (7/4/12/17) - Meh, I never was a fan of this song. Not sure how the song would be received today, given the title. 80: SLEEPING BAG - ZZ TOP (8/4/13/17) - Their Afterburner album seemed to have more of a pop sound than their traditional southern rock. Perhaps that's why it generated more Top 40 singles than any of their other albums. This was the first of three hits from Afterburner, and the most successful. I liked it, but preferred the other two. 79: BAD BOY - MIAMI SOUND MACHINE (8(3)/3/12/19) - This one had sort of an old Motown sound to it. It was the second of many big hits for this band from Cuba (and even more for the lead singer, Gloria Estefan, who would go on to have a successful solo career several years later). It was a good one; my favorite of their 1986 hits, as one of their best upbeat songs. 78: LIFE IN A NORTHERN TOWN - DREAM ACADEMY (7(2)/3/11/21) - This song indeed had a northern town feel to it, especially with the wind sound effects. Indeed, my favorite of their two Top 40 hits. 77: RUMOURS - TIMEX SOCIAL CLUB (8(2)/4/12/19) - Back in the day, I was fed up with this song during its chart run, as the radio stations that I listened to felt the need to play this song every single hour, or so it seemed. Now that I don't hear it ten times a day, I actually kind of like it now. Anyone remember the parody of this song by Bobby Jimmy & The Critters, called "Roaches"? U93 played that one quite often. 76: TRUE BLUE - MADONNA (3(3)/5/12/16) - The title track from an album that spawned four Top Five hits (not counting "Live To Tell", which had pretty much run its course on the chart by the time True Blue was released). This was my favorite song from the album. OPTIONAL EXTRA: HEAVEN IN YOUR EYES - LOVERBOY (#12(2)/-/11/17) - Based on those stats, I imagine that song wasn't hideously far off from the list. This was one of three hits from the soundtrack of the blockbuster film Top Gun. The other two are coming up later on in the countdown. I liked this song, but preferred their other 1986 ballad "This Could Be The Night", which also just missed making the cut. 75: SWEET FREEDOM - MICHAEL MCDONALD (7(3)/3/13/20) - Michael did quite well on the charts as a solo artist - I'm sure that the fact that he was the former lead singer of the Doobie Brothers was somehat instrumental in that. This was one of his Top Ten hits and it was a good one. 74: ALL I NEED IS A MIRACLE - MIKE AND THE MECHANICS (5/4/12/19) - They were relatively new at the time, but were doing quite well, with their first two hits making the Top Ten. Of their first two hits, this was my favorite, though I did prefer a few others from them, including their next single "Taken In", which, on the other hand, didn't even hit the Top 30. Is it me, or was this song mercilessly butchered on this countdown? 73: TARZAN BOY - BALTAMORA (13/-/10/26) - This song charted twice - once in 1986 and again in 1993, thanks to its inclusion in the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles III movie (and it was also used in promos for Listerine Cool Mint mouthwash around that time). It was a good song. 72: SMALL TOWN - JOHN COUGAR MELLENCAMP (6(4)/5/13/18) - One of many Top Ten singles for this Hoosier, though not one of my favorites from him. It is passable, though. 71: TYPICAL MALE - TINA TURNER (2(3)/6/12/16) - Wow, I just heard this song at the grocery store earlier today (the very errand that made me late for this show). She had already hit #1 on the Hot 100 with "What's Love Got To Do With It", which barely missed the top spot on the R&R chart. The tables were turned with this song, as it DID make it to #1 on R&R, but barely fell short on the Hot 100. I liked both songs, but preferred this one. 70: SILENT RUNNING (ON DANGEROUS GROUND) - MIKE AND THE MECHANICS (6/4/11/24) - This was their first Top 40 single, but such was not the case with the lead singer Paul Carrack, who had charted as the lead singer of groups like Ace and Squeeze, and as a solo artist as well. I liked this song, but preferred their next two singles, both of which charted later in 1986. 69: WHY CAN'T THIS BE LOVE - VAN HALEN (3/5/11/16) - This is the song that ushered in the Van Hagar era, which I actually like better than when David Lee Roth was with the group. This was a great song, but I preferred their two other Top 40 hits from the 5150 album. 68: WORD UP - CAMEO (6(3)/5/14/21) - Western whistling in a dance hit? Well, apparently it worked, as it was a big hit. I wasn't a big fan of it, however, or really anything by them. 67: WHO'S JOHNNY (FROM "SHORT CIRCUIT") - EL DEBARGE (3/5/13/19) - This one I liked quite significantly better than "Rhythm Of The Night". I thought the video was funny too. I associate this one with the summer of 1986 since you don't hear it much anymore. This was the first of two members of DeBarge to chart on his own in 1986 (His brother, Chico, of course, charted with a solo hit at the very end of that year called "Talk To Me". 66: R.O.C.K. IN THE USA (A SALUTE TO 60's ROCK) - JOHN COUGAR MELLENCAMP (2/6/11/17) - This was his biggest hit during the eight or so years that he used both of his surnames (his real one and the one that he was assigned as his stage name). The song peaked at #2, about a month later. Anyway, this was my favorite song from him back in the day, but, while I still like it, somehow, it doesn't sound quite as good as it did 30 years ago). 65: LIVING IN AMERICA - JAMES BROWN (4/5/11/19) - Well, speak of the devil! He was just mentioned in the JCM song above and right above the song is the Godfather of Soul himself! This was Brown's first Top 40 hit in over a decade, and the song would set a record of longest span between Top Ten hits (The record has since been broken, possibly by Paul McCartney, who had a song in the countdown back at #92). Anyway, this song was so/so, but I was never a huge James Brown fan. 64: PERFECT WAY - SCRITTI POLITTI (11/-/13/25) - One of a handful of one-hit wonders on this year's chart. This song does get a decent amount of recurrent airplay on 80s stations. I thought it was a pretty good song. 63: I'M YOUR MAN - WHAM (3(2)/4/12/18) - Early in 1986, as this song was racing up the chart, en route to #3, little did we know that Wham! would be splitting up. No matter; lead singer George Michael would go on to have an even more successful solo career. As for this song, it's a good one, but I prefer others from Wham! as well as George Michael solo. OPTIONAL EXTRA: THE NEXT TIME I FALL - PETER CETERA & AMY GRANT (1(1)/6/15/21) - This song was the second #1 song in a row for Cetera, so he definitely had a head start on his former band Chicago, who, as of the week this song hit the top, hadn't even hit the Top 40 since his departure from the band (they had peaked at #48 with their revamped version of "25 Or 6 To 4" a few weeks prior). I liked this song, but preferred his first #1 hit, as well as many others from Amy Grant, who would become a regular on the Top 40 charts five years later. 62: YOUR LOVE - OUTFIELD (6(2)/4/12/22) - The first of a handful of Top 40 hits from this British band who apparently knew nothing about baseball, despite their name. This was a good song, but I preferred their next single, "All The Love In The World", which charted that summer. 61: ALL CRIED OUT - LISA LISA AND THE CULT JAM WITH FULL FORCE FEATURING PAUL ANTHONY & BOWLEGGED LOU(8/3/13/26) - Here's another song that takes me back to my freshman year! I remember that it was often #1 on U93's Top Ten at Ten - sort of armwrestling with "You Give Love A Bad Name" by Bon Jovi. As we all know, this was my favorite song of the entire decade, according to my Personal Top 30 charts. 60: WE DON'T HAVE TO TAKE OUT CLOTHES OFF - JERMAINE STEWART (5(2)/4/13/22) - I always got this song confused with "How Will I Know" by Whitney Houston, as the drum intros sounded alike (of course, both songs were Narada Michael Walden productions), I never knew what song it was until the instruments kicked in. This was a good song with a good message about abstinence. 59: TAKE ME HOME TONIGHT - EDDIE MONEY (4/4/12/23) - Tell you what, I like many of the Money Man's songs, but this definitely isn't one of them. Possibly my least favorite song from him. 58: NASTY - JANET JACKSON (3/6/11/19) - Another song that I detested back in the day and used to switch the station when it came on back in '86! It's still not her best song ever, but there are several songs of hers that I dislike more. 57: TALK TO ME - STEVIE NICKS (4(2)/5/15/23) - One of her most successful solo hits. I liked this song, but preferred her next release "I Can't Wait", which didn't quite make the list. 56: WHAT YOU NEED - INXS (5/5/14/20) - Their first Top Ten hit, but the best was yet to come in 1988. One of those songs, "New Sensation" reminded me a lot of this one. Both are good songs. 55: THE SWEETEST TABOO - SADE (5/4/13/22) - Their second and final Top Ten hit, though they would chart a few more times. Of their Top Ten hits, I preferred "Smooth Operator", but this one was pretty good as well. 54: INVISIBLE TOUCH - GENESIS (1(1)/6/12/17) - Their lead-off hit from the album of the same title is the lowest ranked #1 song of 1986, as well as the only #1 not to rank in the top half, which is too bad, as it's my favorite song from the album, which generated five singles, all of which made the Top Five! 53: IF YOU LEAVE - ORCHESTRAL MANOUVERS IN THE DARK (4/5/13/20) - Of their four Top 40 hits, this was their only Top Ten (and is the only song of theirs that gets any recurrent airplay). I preferred their other three hits, my favorite being "So In Love", which is odd, since it sounds a lot like this song. OPTIONAL EXTRA: THE WAY IT IS - BRUCE HORNSBY & THE RANGE (1(1)/8/15/22) - They had a handful of chart hits and this was their biggest. It's a great song - still sounds just as fresh today as it did back in 1986! 52: CRUSH ON YOU - THE JETS (3/5/13/20) - The breakthrough hit from this family act from Minneapolis. I wasn't a big fan it, however, since I generally preferred their ballads (though their next hit, "Private Number", which just missed the Top 40, was pretty good. 51: TWO OF HEARTS - STACY Q (3/4/13/22) - Meh, don't care much for this one. The ah-ah-ah-ah-ah I need, I need you part is somewhat embarrassing and definitely annoying. 50: AMANDA - BOSTON (1(2)/6/12/18) - Definitely one of the biggest comebacks of the 80s - they had their first #1 hit, a Top Ten, and a Top 20 hit from Third Stage. Their music style was still the same, but didn't sound too out of place for the 80s at all. 49: WALK OF LIFE - DIRE STRAITS (7/4/15/21) - They had been a one hit wonder until the late summer of 1985, when they charted with their biggest hit "Money For Nothing". This was their third hit and, like the first two, it was a Top Ten hit. It was a good song, IMO. 48: MANIC MONDAY - THE BANGLES (2/5/14/20) - Their breakthrough hit was peaked at #2 on the Hot 100 (edged out of #1 by a song by Prince, the artist who wrote this one). This was one of my favorite songs from them, which is more than I can say for their song that hit #1 at the end of the year. 47: WORDS GET IN THE WAY - MIAMI SOUND MACHINE (5/3/13/24) - Their third hit and, like the first two, it hit the Top Ten. I’ve said that I prefer their ballads to their upbeat songs, but this is actually one of least favorite of their slow songs - I prefer a few of their upbeat songs, such as "Bad Boy" and "Betcha Say That" over this one. 46: I DIDN'T MEAN TO TURN YOU ON - ROBERT PALMER (2/5/13/22) - Well, who said you did? No, seriously, both of the Riptide Top Ten singles were overplayed (and "Addicted To Love" still is). The only song from the album I liked was "Hyperactive", since that song was not overplayed - in fact, I don't believe I ever heard it outside of countdown shows even during its chart run. 45: LET'S GO ALL THE WAY - SLY FOX (7(2)/4/14/25) - This song had actually been released in 1985, but didn't really go anywhere. Their decision to re-release it in 1986 proved to be worthwhile, as it hit the Top Ten. It was a good song. 44: NO ONE IS TO BLAME - HOWARD JONES (4/5/14/23) - Another song that hit #1 on R&R, but didn't quite make it on the Hot 100, where it peaked at #4. Of his two Top Ten hits, this would be my favorite, hands down. It's another song that takes me back to the summer of 1986, which was an especially good one for me (trust me; it's a long story!). 43: WHAT HAVE YOU DONE FOR ME LATELY - JANET JACKSON (4/6/13/21) - The first of many, many hits that Janet would place on the charts. However, this was one of my least favorite songs from her. I generally liked her later songs, especially from the Rhythm Nation era. 42: DANGER ZONE - KENNY LOGGINS (2/6/13/21) - This was the first Top Gun single released - and the king of movie soundtrack hits, Kenny Loggins, was the one singing it. He was also the artist of another single from the soundtrack that did not hit the Top 40 ("Playing With The Boys"). I preferred this one and the Top 40 audience apparently did as well, since it got as high as #2. 41: TRUE COLORS - CYNDI LAUPER (1(2)/6/12/20) - The lead-off single from her sophomore album, as well as the title track, and to number one it went. It wasn't bad, but a little too melancholy for my taste. I preferred the next two singles from True Colors. 40: CONGA - MIAMI SOUND MACHINE (10(2)/2/16/27) - Their debut hit became their first Top Ten (despite its initially slow climb). It was OK, but I preferred many other songs from both MSM and Gloria Estefan as a solo artist. 39: DANCING ON THE CEILING - LIONEL RICHIE (2(2)/8/14/27) - Of course, this is only possible if the building your in has been flipped over. But seriously, the song was pretty good, and it had a great video. I did, however, get sick of hearing kids at school saying, "Hey, look at that footprint on the ceiling!" 38: VENUS - BANANARAMA (1(1)/7/12/19) - I wasn't a big fan of this song. I preferred their two other Top 40 hits, especially "I Heard A Rumour". OPTIONAL EXTRA: 37: SOMETHING ABOUT YOU - LEVEL 42 (7(2)/3/14/27) - This song sure got a lot of mileage on the chart. Spent 14 weeks on the chart, which was unusually long for a song that did not even hit the Top Five (it was even more impressive on R&R - peaked at #9 and spent 15 weeks in the Top 40 - which tied it with several other songs for the longest run on the chart within 1986). I can see why it did so well, as it was an awesome song! 36: MAD ABOUT YOU - BELINDA CARLISLE (3(2)/6/14/21) - Now that the Go-Go's were gone-gone, several members of the band embarked on solo careers. This was the first of six solo Top 40 hits by the lead singer. The song, which featured Duran Duran's Andy Taylor on guitar, was pretty good, but I remember hating it back in the day. I still prefer most of her other Top 40 hits. 35: LIVE TO TELL - MADONNA (1(1)/6/13/18) - This song became her third number one hit back in June, and there was a lot more where that came from! Of her two number one song in 1986, this was my favorite by a decent margin (as I didn't care much for "Papa Don't Preach". 34: DON'T FORGET ME WHEN I'M GONE - GLASS TIGER (2/5/14/24) - Of course, today, this song would be credited to Glass Tiger featuring Bryan Adams (as he is heard singing in the choruses). This was my favorite of their four Top 40 hits (though "I Will Be There", which charted the following spring, would be a fairly close second). 33: THESE DREAMS - HEART (1(1)/6/13/20) - Their very first #1 hit! Oddly enough, while Ann Wilson had generally sung lead, Nancy was given a turn at the lead vocals and this one went all the way to the top (they would have another #1 hit, and that would be with Ann singing lead). Anyway, this was a great song - one of my favorite songs from them (as is said other #1 hit "Alone"). 32: WHEN I THINK OF YOU - JANET JACKSON (1(2)/6/13/19) - As the old saying goes, third time's a charm, as this was Janet's third release from Control, and it went all the way to the top - her first of many #1 songs! I liked this song, but generally preferred the Rhythm Nation era. 31: WHEN THE GOING GETS TOUGH (FROM "JEWEL OF THE NILE") - BILLY OCEAN (2/5/14/23) - Another movie hit on this week's countdown. The theme from the Michael Douglas film Jewel Of The Nile, this was my favorite Billy Ocean song back during its chart run, but I've since heard many other songs that I prefer, most of them ballads. It's still a good song, though. 30: YOU GIVE LOVE A BAD NAME - BON JOVI (1(1)/6/14/24) - I was surprised this hit #1 on Billboard, considering it only got as high as #7 on R&R. Such a chart disparity, especially that high up on the chart, was typical of the early-80s, but didn't happen too often in 1986. This song was OK, but I generally prefer their power ballads. 29: PAPA DON'T PREACH - MADONNA (1(2)/7/13/18) - Here is another song that I hated with a passion when it was on the charts. It's not bad now that I don't hear it every single time I turn on the radio, but still, I prefer many other songs by Madonna 28: ROCK ME AMADEUS - FALCO (1(3)/7/13/17) - week in a row, this song made the biggest move, so it was pretty clear where it was going! Of course, my opinion of this song varies, depending on which version they play. The one I like is the one that has more German lyrics to it. The version that they usually went with, like on this show, is the one that includes the chronology of Mozart's life. That one is more or less a remix of the version I prefer. 27: TAKE ME BREATH AWAY - BERLIN (1(1)/7/13/22) - The second hit from one of the biggest movie soundtracks of '86! The soundtrack yielded three Top 40 hits, and one that didn't make the Top 40. Plus, I believe that several other songs, like Mighty Wings by Cheap Trick, received airplay as album cuts on a few radio stations. I liked this song - definitely not as annoying as their first Top 40 hit "No More Words". 26: I CAN'T WAIT - NU SHOOZ (3/5/15/23) - What I couldn't wait for was for this song to go poof! I was not a big fan of this one at all. I much preferred Stevie Nicks' song of the same title from earlier that year! 25: HUMAN - HUMAN LEAGUE (1(1)/7/15/21) - Their second of two #1 hits. Of course, my favorite was their first one, "Don't You Want Me", from four years before. OPTIONAL EXTRA: 24: SARA - STARSHIP (1(1)/6/13/20) - It's good to hear this song every now and again, but back in the spring of 1986, this song was way overplayed and I, along with my Dad and older brother, was sick of hearing it no less than once every hour, or so it seemed. 23: SLEDGEHAMMER - PETER GABRIEL (1(1)/7/14/21) - The first of three Top 40 hits from Gabriel's album So. Tell you what, I wasn't crazy about this song to begin with and the excessive airplay only made me like it less. To this day, I'm still burned out on it and usually change the station when it comes on. I do like "Shock The Monkey" and "Big Time", though. 22: HOLDING BACK THE YEARS - SIMPLY RED (1(1)/6/14/23) - When I first heard this song, in mid-May, 1986, it was my favorite song in the world. However, the song was quite overplayed and I got tired of it, actually quite fast. It's still one of my least favorites from them - the only ones I really like are the ones that weren't quite as popular, such as "Money$ Too Tight To Mention", "The Right Thing", and "You've Got It". 21: STUCK WITH YOU - HUEY LEWIS AND THE NEWS (1(3)/7/13/19) - This, of course, was the #1 song of 1986 according to R&R, but was ranked 20 spots lower on the AT40 year-ender. This was the first of five Top 40 hits from Lewis' album Fore!, and the first of two #1 song from the album. Anyway, this was a great song and one of my favorite from him/them. 20: HIGHER LOVE - STEVE WINWOOD (1(1)/6/14/22) - This has got to be one of the most overplayed songs of the 1980s. I’m still burned out on it (not that it was one of my favorite songs in the first place). No, I prefer many others by him, thank you very much! 19: KISS - PRINCE (1(2)/7/13/18) - Meh, not a fan of this one, or any of his falsetto songs (well, except for "Mountains"). 18: NEVER - HEART (4/5/14/24) - They were enjoying their biggest chart success yet with their mid-80s comeback, as this would become their second Top Five hit (and they'd have two more after this). Anyway, it would be a toss-up between this and "These Dreams" as my favorite song from their self-titled album - both are great songs! 17: ALIVE AND KICKING - SIMPLE MINDS (3(2)/6/16/20) - I preferred this song over the overplayed "Don't You (Forget About Me)", but the follow-up to this, "Sanctify Yourself" was my favorite song in the world for quite awhile the following spring. This was a good song, too IMO. Given how big a hit it was, I'm surprised it doesn't get much in the way of recurrent airplay. 16: THERE WILL BE SAD SONGS (TO MAKE YOU CRY) - BILLY OCEAN (1(1)/7/14/21) - This was his second #1 hit. It's yet another song I associate with Summer, 1986 since radio stations played it all the time. It wasn't one of my favorite songs back then, but I really like it now. 15: WEST END GIRLS - PET SHOP BOYS (1(1)/7/14/20) - This was an example of a band's first hit being their biggest, making it all the way to the top! It was a good one, but I preferred several others from them, including their next hit "Opportunities (Let's Make Lots Of Money)". 14: GLORY OF LOVE - PETER CETERA (1(2)/6/14/21) - The first of two #1 songs by Cetera after he left Chicago - and the other one was later on that same year (heard earlier as one of the Optional Extras on the show). This, however, was my favorite of the two hits, as well as one of my favorite of his solo hits. 13: FRIENDS AND LOVERS - CARL ANDERSON AND GLORIA LORING (2(2)/7/14/21) - For some odd reason I found the sudden crescendo in the first chorus (where they sing, “We don’t have to be one...OR THE OTHER) quite disturbing. But I eventually came to really like this song - that is, until the radio stations that I listened to played it ad nauseum and I was getting quite tired of it (by that time, Eddie Rabbitt & Juice Newton were charting at country with a cover of the song which I preferred (still do) over the original by a respectable margin). 12: SECRET LOVERS - ATLANTIC STARR (3(2)/6/14/23) - A song about two people bored with their spouses, so they sneak around to be together. Sounds like a typical situation for the Jerry Springer show. Anyway, it's a good song nevertheless. OPTIONAL EXTRA: 11: THE GREATEST LOVE OF ALL - WHITNEY HOUSTON (1(3)/7/14/18) - One of Whitney's best songs ever, and it became popular in the LDD department. This is a song that I never got tired of and it still sounds as fresh as it did 30 years ago! Glad that it ended up as her biggest hit from her debut album (as far as weeks at #1 go). Speaking of which, this was the first time that a debut album generated more than two number one hits. And, of course Whitney was also in the midst of another streak, which was the longest consecutive string of number one songs - seven in all. 10: ADDICTED TO LOVE - ROBERT PALMER (1(2)/7/14/22) - Definitely one of the most overplayed hits of the 80s. I rather liked this song back in the day, but I'm still burned out on it (since the song still continues to receive a ton of recurrent airplay). 9: KYRIE - MR. MISTER (1(2)/7/13/20) - Their second number one song in a row - and, just like that song, it spent two weeks at #1. That said, it definitely looked like Mr. Mister would become one of the biggest new acts of the 1980s. Unfortunately, that was not to be; after another Top Ten hit in June and a mid-charter a year later, they would never hit the chart again. Anyway, I thought this song was pretty good, but I preferred their first #1 "Broken Wings". 8: BURNING HEART - SURVIVOR (2(2)/6/16/22) - This song had an unusually long run on the R&R chart - it was the first song since the fall of 1984 to spend more than fifteen weeks on the chart. It spent 16 weeks on both R&R and AT40. Of their Rocky soundtrack hits, it would be my favorite. 7: PARTY ALL THE TIME - EDDIE MURPHY (2(3)/9/14/22) - Eddie was a great comedian, but singing wasn't exactly his best talent. This wasn't a bad song, though. 6: HOW WILL I KNOW - WHITNEY HOUSTON (1(2)/6/16/23) - I liked this song back during its chart run, but now not so much. I guess it's somewhat of a teenybopper type song (my Dad and brother disliked the song for that very reason, as well as overplay). I preferred "The Greatest Love Of All", which we heard earlier, back at #11, meaning that Whitney had just missed having two hits in the year-end Top Ten. 5: BROKEN WINGS - MR. MISTER (1(2)/9/15/22) - Back at #9, we heard their second #1 song "Kyrie" This, of course, was their first and, as I said earlier, I preferred this song (though "Kyrie" was pretty good as well). 4: ON MY OWN - PATTI LABELLE AND MICHAEL MCDONALD (1(3)/7/15/23) - Back in the day, I couldn't stand this song at all (overplay, as well as the fact that I didn't like the song in the first place), but it was one of those songs that ages like fine wine. I think it's a great song now. 3: I MISS YOU - KLYMAXX (5(4)/7/17/29) - This song definitely got a lot of chart mileage - so much that it placed on 1986's year-end Top 100 higher than it peaked on the weekly charts. It's a great song, though I preferred their other two Top 40 hits. OPTIONAL EXTRA: 2: SAY YOU SAY ME (FROM "WHITE NIGHTS") - LIONEL RICHIE (1(4)/9/16/20) - From the film White Nights, this song nearly succeeded the love theme from the movie "Separate Lives" at #1, but "Broken Wings" prevented that from happening. I liked this song, but preferred said love theme. 1: THAT WHAT FRIENDS ARE FOR - DIONNE AND FRIENDS (1(4)/10/17/23) - Dionne seemed to only be able to hit #1 as part of a collaboration and never on her own. Her first #1 song was her song with the Spinners, "Then Came You" in the fall of 1974. More than a decade later, with help from her friends Stevie Wonder, Gladys Knight & Elton John, she hit #1 again with her biggest hit ever. Though I prefer other songs by all artists involved, I like this song - a great song about friendship.
I'll be back next weekend with my predictions for the first regular weekly show of 2019.
|
|