|
Post by mrjukebox on Dec 27, 2019 16:48:21 GMT -5
Hervard-Great critique of the huge hits from 1976-However,you misspelled the name of the guy who recorded "Junk Food Junkie"-The correct spelling is G-R-O-C-E.
|
|
|
Post by Hervard on Dec 28, 2019 10:19:08 GMT -5
Hervard-Great critique of the huge hits from 1976-However,you misspelled the name of the guy who recorded "Junk Food Junkie"-The correct spelling is G-R-O-C-E. Actually, that was how it was spelled on the chart that I obtained from the oldradioshows website. I generally catch those mistakes as I go along, but I somehow overlooked that one. Thanks for letting me know
|
|
|
Post by Hervard on Jan 10, 2020 13:48:44 GMT -5
American Top 40: The 70s - January 11, 2019 This week's presentation - January 7, 1978 YOUR SMILING FACE - JAMES TAYLOR (38) - 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. HEAVEN ON THE 7TH FLOOR - PAUL NICHOLAS (31) - 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. BABY WHAT A BIG SURPRISE - CHICAGO (25) - 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. YOU MAKE LOVIN’ FUN - FLEETWOOD MAC (21) - Well, Fleetwood Mac drops off, but Christine McVie, who handles the lead vocals on this song, is still represented on this week's countdown, as she is heard singing back-up on Bob Welch's Top Ten hit "Sentimental Lady". This is easily my favorite single from the Rumors album, and it's too bad that that it fell off, and from such a high position - and an even bigger shame that we missed it this past year, due to the large gap between weekly 1977 shows. 40: PEG – STEELY DAN (debut) - 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! 39: YOU’RE MY SOUL AND INSPIRATION – DONNY & MARIE OSMOND (debut) - Of course, this was a cover of the Righteous Brothers second #1 hit - and a decent one at that. Too bad this is all the higher it got. 38: WHAT’S YOUR NAME – LYNYRD SKYNYRD (debut) - 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. 37: EMOTION – SAMANTHA SANG (debut) - Now THIS song sounded a lot like a Bee Gees song, but there's good reason for that, as they're prominently heard singing on the backing vocals. That was definitely instrumental in how well this song did, hitting the Top Five at the same time that two of the Bee Gees' own song, as well as an Andy Gibb hit. This was a good song IMO. 36: SWINGTOWN – STEVE MILLER (17) - 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. 35: WE’RE ALL ALONE – RITA COOLIDGE (16) - 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! 34: GIRLS SCHOOL – PAUL McCARTNEY & WINGS (37) - The first of four Top 40 songs during 1978 (and the only of those not featured on their London Town album - I believe it was a non-album track. The song was OK, but I preferred a few others from them, including their next release "With A Little Luck" which, of course, became one of their biggest hits ever. 33: NATIVE NEW YORKER – ODYSSEY (36) - 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. EXTRA: WHY CAN’T WE BE FRIENDS - WAR - This song was played as the first Optional Extra. This was the song with possibly the shortest verses ever! It would have been a better song and not as repetitive had they linked two or three verses together. 32: ISN’T IT TIME – THE BABYS (13) - 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. 31: DON’T LET ME BE MISUNDERSTOOD – SANTA ESMERELDA (33) - An interesting disco rendition of the classic by the Animals. Coincidentally, both songs peaked at #15 on the Hot 100. 30: POINT OF NO RETURN - KANSAS (34) - 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. 29: DESIREE – NEIL DIAMOND (35) - This may not been one of his biggest hits, but it holds the distinction of being the very first Long Distance Dedication song on AT40. It was a pretty good song. 28: STAYIN’ ALIVE – THE BEE GEES (39) - They were indeed on a roll at this point. This one was on its way to #1, where it would stay for four weeks (and then would spend six non-consecutive weeks in the runner-up spot). This was my second favorite song from the Saturday Night Fever soundtrack behind their other song on the chart this week). 27: GETTIN’ READY FOR LOVE – DIANA ROSS (29) - 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. 26: DANCE, DANCE, DANCE, YOWSAH YOWSAH - CHIC (30) - 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. 25: SOMETIMES WHEN WE TOUCH – DAN HILL (40) - Hill 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. 24: THE WAY I FEEL TONIGHT – THE BAY CITY ROLLERS (26) - 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. 23: LOVE IS THICKER THAN WATER – ANDY GIBB (32) - he 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". 22: MY WAY – ELVIS PRESLEY (22) - 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"21: I GO CRAZY – PAUL DAVIS (23) - 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. 20: TURN TO STONE – E.L.O. (27) - 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 19: SERPENTINE FIRE – EARTH, WIND & FIRE (24) - 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?) 18: JUST THE WAY YOU ARE – BILLY JOEL (28) - 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). 17: SHORT PEOPLE – RANDY NEWMAN (20) - It's pretty common knowledge that this song's meaning was misinterpreted, until the bridge. I thought it was a great song. 16: DON’T IT MAKE MY BROWN EYES BLUE – CRYSTAL GAYLE (7) - One of four country crossover hits from her (yes, I thought she had more as well, which she actually did, at AC radio). I liked all four songs about the same - all of them are great songs IMO. 15: 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! 14: RUNAROUND SUE – LEIF GARRETT (19) - He had charted the previous fall 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. OPTIONAL EXTRA: ALWAYS AND FOREVER - HEATWAVE - The only Extra that wasn't part of the original countdown., this was one of the best love songs of all time, and by far my favorite of their three hits (the other two, of course, were disco songs that sounded very much alike). 13: WE ARE THE CHAMPIONS - QUEEN (18) - By now, 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 - one of my all-time favorites by Queen! 12: YOU CAN’T TURN ME OFF – HIGH INERGY (12) - 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. 11: COME SAIL AWAY - STYX (14) - 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. 10: HEY DEANIE – SHAUN CASSIDY (15) - 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). 9: YOU’RE IN MY HEART – ROD STEWART (11) - 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. 8: SENTIMENTAL LADY – BOB WELCH (9) - 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. 7: SLIP SLIDIN’ AWAY – PAUL SIMON (7) - 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. I liked both songs about the same, but preferred a few others from him. 6: YOU LIGHT UP MY LIFE – DEBBY BOONE (2) - 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! EXTRA: MIDNIGHT TRAIN TO GEORGIA - GLADYS KNIGHT & THE PIPS - Many people think that Marvin Gaye was the one who did the original of "I Heard It Through The Grapevine" - some of those people attended their concerts and wondered why they were doing Marvin Gaye songs. This song was their biggest hit, and it was one of their best songs, IMO. 5: HERE YOU COME AGAIN – DOLLY PARTON (8) - 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. Too bad it didn’t quite make it to #1 on the Hot 100 like Casey said it might. 4: (EVERYTIME I TURN AROUND) BACK IN LOVE AGAIN - LTD (4) - This was 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. 3: BLUE BAYOU – LINDA RONSTADT (3) - An advantage of having extras in the original version of the countdown relegated to Optional Extra status is that there is room for the full versions of a few songs edited into the rebroadcast, such was the case with this song - unless it was played intact in the original broadcast (not sure, but it seems to me it was generally edited). Well, anyway, as stated earlier, this is my favorite of her two songs on this week's chart. 2: BABY COME BACK - PLAYER (6) - 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 (It was on the RSO label, though, so that may have helped). 1: HOW DEEP IS YOUR LOVE – THE BEE GEES (1) - This song was in its third and final week at #1 (though only one of them was counted down by Casey, since the Top 100 of 1977 was being run over the last two weeks of 1977, which happened to be the first two weeks of this song's reign). No matter; 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: We have a show that's right near the edge, as far as shows that I listen to and/or critique - it is January 18, 1975! Like this week's show, it was first broadcast in 2011 and never since.
|
|
|
Post by Hervard on Jan 10, 2020 13:49:00 GMT -5
American Top 40: The 80s - January 11, 2019 This week's presentation - January 15, 1983 Droppers: MISSING YOU - DAN FOGELBERG (39) - 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. UP WHERE WE BELONG - JOE C0CKER & JENNIFER WARNES (28) - 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, which came out later on in 1983. Too bad that was an AC-only hit. SHADOWS OF THE NIGHT - PAT BENATAR (27) - Here's one I remember hearing all the time back in late 1982! It was one of my favorite songs, and still remains one of my favorite hits by Benatar! IT'S RAINING AGAIN - SUPERTRAMP (19) - Yes, Virginia, the big drops from inside the Top 20 did exist past 1982. But Billboard apparently was in the process of doing away with their star/superstar policy, which made for inaccurate charts. Anyway, this was one of my favorite songs in the world back around this time. I drove my family crazy by playing this song over and over again. LW#3: DIRTY LAUNDRY - DON HENLEY LW#2: THE GIRL IS MINE - MICHAEL JACKSON AND PAUL McCARTNEY LW#1: MANEATER - DARYL HALL & JOHN OATES 40: BAD BOY - RAY PARKER JR. (debut) - This song was the sequel to his previous hit "The Other Woman". He was done having fun with said other woman and wanted to get back together with his ex - the question is, did she take him back? Anyway, this song wasn't bad, but I preferred his earlier hits, mainly the ones with Raydio. 39: MEMORY - BARRY MANILOW (debut) - A classic song from the Andrew Lloyd Webber musical Cats. I like it and Barbra Streisand's version about the same. 38: TWO LESS LONELY PEOPLE IN THE WORLD - AIR SUPPLY (38) - This song and their preceding hit "Young Love" both peaked at #38, making it clear that they'd had their day in the sun (though they did have a respectable comeback later that year with "Making Love Out Of Nothing At All"). Too bad this one tanked so fast, though, because it was a great song! 37: SPACE AGE LOVE SONG - A FLOCK OF SEAGULLS (40) - "I Ran", the first hit for this new wave band from Liverpool, was a Top Ten hit, as we all know, but this song, on the other hand, didn't even touch the Top 30, which was a shame, since it was a great song. 36: DOES IT MAKE YOU REMEMBER - KIM CARNES (36) - I see a strong resemblence between this song and "How Could You Love Me" by Benny Mardones, in both the verses and the choruses. Since the latter was recorded later, I'm wondering if the songwriter was inspired by the Kim Carnes song, which I thought was great! EXTRA: TRAVELING MAN – RICK NELSON - Interesting story about how Ricky Nelson got his start. Casey mentioned how Nelson's daughter, Tracy, was carrying on the family show business tradition as an actress, currently starring on the TV sitcom Square Pegs. Little did anyone know that his two twin sons Matthew and Gunnar would become a successful singing duo about seven years later. 35: DO YOU REALLY WANT TO HURT ME - CULTURE CLUB (debut) - 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. They featured the former, but not the latter, so it's all good. 34: WHAT ABOUT ME - MOVING PICTURES (34) - Its 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. OPTIONAL EXTRA: ALL RIGHT - CHRISTOPHER CROSS - Not quite yet on the Hot 100, this song debuted on the Hot 100 way up at #29 the following week. Looked like it had #1 hit written all over it, right? Not quite. The song, in fact, didn't even hit the Top Ten! Quite surprising, as the song was played all the time on the radio stations I listened to. The song did hit #3 on R&R, so it must have been a poor seller. 33: A PENNY FOR YOUR THOUGHTS - TAVARES (33) - 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"? 32: SHOCK THE MONKEY - PETER GABRIEL (35) - The first Top 40 hit from this former member of Genesis (though with all the recurrent airplay that "Solsbury Hill" receives, it's a surprise that it never hit the 40). Anyway, this was a great song - I prefer this song over his two overplayed 1986 hits by a wide margin. 31: PASS THE DUTCHIE - MUSICAL YOUTH (debut) - A rather weird song, but not too bad, I guess. LDD: GOT TO GET YOU INTO MY LIFE – THE BEATLES - Here's one I remember quite well, since it was #1 on the WLS record survey so I heard it all the time back in the summer of 1976. It was a great song! 30: LET'S GO DANCIN' (OOH LA LA LA) - KOOL & THE GANG (30) - Not quite their best hit, although it was pretty good. 29: HEART OF THE NIGHT - JUICE NEWTON (32) - As we all know, I liked her three 1982 hits the best, but this was a good one too. 28: TRULY - LIONEL RICHIE (10) - 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. 27: YOUR LOVE IS DRIVING ME CRAZY - SAMMY HAGAR (37) - 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). 26: ROCK THIS TOWN - STRAY CATS (9) - This song was on its way down the chart - in fact, it was spending its final week on the chart, but... 25: STRAY CAT STRUT - STRAY CATS (31) - ...they had another song on its way up the survey. The Stray Cats were indeed instrumental in the brief comeback of the rockabilly music style to pop radio. This was the second of four Top 40 hits from them. I preferred this over "Rock This Town", but I slightly preferred the obscure "I Won't Stand In Your Way". 24: I DO - THE J. GEILS BAND (24) - 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. 23: ALLENTOWN - BILLY JOEL (29) - Excluding all Hot 100 chart data past 11/30/91, I believe this could hold the record for the longest peak at #17. It was in its fifth of six weeks there - and here's a good one - it didn't plummet straight off the chart the week after its last week at #17. Anyway, this was one of Joel's best hits (and unfortunately, the message in this song is still timely today). 22: LOVE IN STORE - FLEETWOOD MAC (25) - I didn't really like this song when it was charting, but now I think it's a good one. This song 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: BREAKING US IN TWO - JOE JACKSON - The verses of this song sound a little like "Day After Day" by Badfinger. This was a cool song, possibly my favorite by him (although it’s a close race between this and “Is She Really Goin’ Out With Him”). 21: YOU GOT LUCKY - TOM PETTY & THE HEARTBREAKERS (26) - 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. 20: HAND TO HOLD ON TO - JOHN COUGAR (23) - 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. 19: GOODY TWO SHOES - ADAM ANT (22) - Another rockabilly song, like the Stray Cats songs earlier. 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". 18: THE LOOK OF LOVE - ABC (18) - This wasn't their biggest hit, but it is the song that I seem to 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. 17: HEART TO HEART -KENNY LOGGINS (20) - 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? 16: SHAME ON THE MOON - BOB SEGER & THE SILVER BULLET BAND (21) - This song, penned by country singer Rodney Crowell, peaked at #2 for four weeks here on AT40, but managed a week at #1 on the R&R chart - in fact, its #1 week happened to be on the first weekly countdown show I ever listened to ("Countdown America" with John Leader). It's a good song - sounds sort of like a laid-back version of his 1980 hit "Fire Lake". 15: YOU CAN'T HURRY LOVE - PHIL COLLINS (17) - 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. I preferred the Hollies song, but this was a good one as well. 14: THE OTHER GUY - LITTLE RIVER BAND (16) - 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". 13: STEPPIN' OUT - JOE JACKSON (8) - This song was a nominee for Record Of The Year in the upcoming Grammy Awards. Unfortunately, it lost to "Rosanna" by Toto. That's OK; I preferred that song anyway. This one was pretty good, but I preferred Jackson's pther Top 40 hits. 12: YOU AND I - EDDIE RABBITT AND CRYSTAL GAYLE (15) - A one-time duet from two of my favorite pop/country artists, and a great one at that - one of my favorite from both of them. 11: GLORIA - LAURA BRANIGAN (7) - This song was still way up in the Top 20, even though it was in its 20th week in the Top 40, and in its 28th week on the Hot 100, looking 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. This was a great song, IMO. OPTIONAL EXTRA: HUNGRY LIKE THE WOLF - DURAN DURAN - This was their breakthrough hit here in the states and it was the first of many Top Ten hits for the British band. It was one of my favorite songs from them of all time. 10: HEARTBREAKER - DIONNE WARWICK (11) - The Bee Gees wrote this one and you can hear Barry Gibb singing back-up on the chorus. Definitely a great song! 9: ROCK THE CASBAH - THE CLASH (14) - This song has two versions that radio played - 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. 8: BABY, COME TO ME - PATTI AUSTIN (13) - 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). 7: AFRICA - TOTO (12) - 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). 6: MICKEY - TONI BASIL (6) - This was a great song I'd jam to back in the day. However, now that I’m not a ten-year old weirdo anymore, it’s a little silly. I still remember the field trip to Six Flags Great America in eighth grade. This song came on the radio and all the girls started singing along with it. I said, “You gotta be s***ing me!” Then I instantly clapped my hand over my mouth, as I was right near the teacher. I don’t think she heard me, though, since she was conversing with one of the kids on the bus. LDD: SWEET LIFE – PAUL DAVIS - A beautiful song about a couple who just had a baby and it reminds them of what a great life they have. Not exactly the same situation as the one described in the LDD, but it still fit. This was also one of my favorite Paul Davis songs of all time! 5: SEXUAL HEALING - MARVIN GAYE (5) - I was never a huge Marvin Gaye fan, but this song was OK - wasn't it the #1 soul hit of 1983? 4: MANEATER - DARYL HALL & JOHN OATES (1) - his was sort of a throwback to the sixties Motown sound (in fact, when Lamont Dozier first heard the opening notes to this song, he thought it was the cover of "You Can't Hurry Love" that Phil Collins had recorded and released around the same time). It apparently worked, as it became their biggest hit ever. I think it's a good song, but I prefer many others from them. 3: DIRTY LAUNDRY - DON HENLEY (3) - Henley's first Top 40 solo hit, and his biggest ever. I always liked the song, which was about the tabloidization of the news. OPTIONAL EXTRA: YOU ARE - LIONEL RICHIE - This song was debuting on the Hot 100 at #49 and would hit the Top 40 the following week. Th song was the second solo Top 40 hit and this one looked like it might go to #1 like his first one "Truly". It did hit #1 for a week on R&R, while Michael Jackson was having his marathon run at #1 on the Hot 100. I preferred Richie's first Top 40 hit, but this was a great one as well! 2: THE GIRL IS MINE - MICHAEL JACKSON AND PAUL McCARTNEY (2) - 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! 1: DOWN UNDER - MEN AT WORK (4) - Meh, this song (also known as "The Vegemite Sandwich Song" was way overplayed, as well as the first hit from Business As Usual, "Who Can It Be Now". Too bad the Cargo singles are all but ignored, since those were far superior, IMO. Coming up next week: Well, we know that one of the shows on tap for next week is January 16, 1982. Based on the fact that it's been awhile since the last 1982 show, as well as the fact that this show was last played in 2014, I have a feeling that it's the "A" show. I'm going to guess that the "B" show is January 23, 1988.
|
|
|
Post by dukelightning on Jan 10, 2020 18:22:27 GMT -5
Answering your questions, yes the album version of "Heart of Heart" was played...on the 2/12/83 show. Really a far better version isn't it?! And yes "Sexual Healing" was the #1 soul song of 1983, like the #1 pop song of 1982, it had 10 weeks at #1. Btw, I am not sure what you meant by the version of "Mickey" that was in last week's top 3 being the same as the version played in the countdown. "Mickey" was not in last week's top 3.
|
|
|
Post by Hervard on Jan 10, 2020 19:23:25 GMT -5
Thanks for answering my questions, as well as calling my attention to the mistake I made concerning "Mickey". That comment has been amended
|
|
|
Post by Hervard on Jan 17, 2020 14:07:25 GMT -5
American Top 40: The 70s - January 18, 2020 This week's presentation - January 18, 1975 40: MY EYES ADORED YOU - FRANKIE VALLI (debut) - This song was on its way to #1, and at the time, it held the record for the longest climb to #1 (hit the top in its 18th week on the Hot 100). Of course, that record would be broken many times over. As for the song, it's a good one, but I preferred a few others from him, both solo and with the Four Seasons. 39: LADY - STYX (debut) - The first of many Top 40 hits from this band from Chicago. It was so/so, but definitely not their best. 38: YOUR BULLDOG DRINKS CHAMPAGNE - JIM STAFFORD (debut) - Like most of Stafford's hit, this was a novelty song, which tend to get old fast. It sounded pretty good (much better than the campy "Wildwood Weed"), but I don't think I'd want to hear it on a regular basis. 37: LONELY PEOPLE - AMERICA (debut) - Despite their name, they were actually an English band. This song wasn't bad, but one of my least favorites from them. 36: NIGHTINGALE - CAROLE KING (debut) - Carole was the artist who, at the time, had the top selling album by a solo artist - a record that has been broken many times over! This was her fifth and final Top Ten hit. It was a great one, IMO. 35: CAT'S IN THE CRADLE - HARRY CHAPIN (22) - A great father/son tale that later became a popular Long Distance Dedication request. 34: THE ENTERTAINER - BILLY JOEL (34) - The second song with this title to hit the charts in 1974. This was my favorite of the two - it didn't sound anywhere near as geezerly as the other one. 33: DARK HORSE - GEORGE HARRISON (15) - One of four songs on the chart this week sung by all four former members of the Beatles. That would have been wild if there was a song by the band themselves on the chart for perfect measure! Anyway, this song was a good one. 32: READY - CAT STEVENS (36) - I listened to Cat Stevens' music when I was little. I don't remember this one, presumably since it didn't make much of an impression on me. It wasn't bad, but I preferred other songs from him, like "Moon Shadow" and "Oh Very Young". 31: I BELONG TO YOU - LOVE UNLIMITED (31) - The second of two Top 40 hits from this female soul trio managed by Barry White. I preferred their other song "Walkin' In The Rain With The One I Love", though this one was pretty good as well. 30: SWEET SURRENDER - JOHN DENVER (37) - As we all know, I grew up listening to his music, and I remember hearing this one quite a lot - a great song indeed! 29: #9 DREAM - JOHN LENNON (35) - Here's another one of the four solo Beatles hits on the chart this week. When this song debuted the week before, all four formerly Beatles were now rightfully on the chart simultaneously. I have a feeling that, if the chart director knew this was going to happen, "Whatever Gets You Thru The Night" wouldn't have mysteriously spent that second week at #40 on its way down the chart. But we already know all that, right? Anyway, though I preferred many other solo Lennon hits, this one was pretty good as well - reminds me a little of bandmate George Harrison's #1 hit "My Sweet Lord". 28: FROM HIS WOMAN TO YOU - BARBARA MASON (30) - The last of four Top 40 hits by this Philadelphia born singer, whose first and biggest hit was "Yes, I'm Ready" a song that Teri DeSario, along with KC, took to #2 in early 1980. This song wasn't bad, but nothing memorable. OPTIONAL EXTRA: LOVIN' YOU - MINNIE RIPERTON - EWWW, GET IT AWAY FROM ME!!! Well, OK, maybe it's not that bad, but it's just so CHEESY!! 27: LOOK IN MY EYES PRETTY WOMAN - TONY ORLANDO & DAWN (33) - This song would just barely miss the Top Ten, but no matter; their next hit would top the chart for three weeks later that spring. This song was pretty good; it is my favorite of the two hits I mentioned. 26: STRUTTIN' - BILLY PRESTON (32) - One of several instrumental songs of Preston's to hit the chart. The flip side of this one was his version of "You Are So Beautiful", which Joe Cocker charted with a few weeks later, but Preston was the one who wrote it. As for this song, it was pretty good - the synth sounds were really odd, weren't they? 25: FREE BIRD - LYNYRD SKYNYRD (27) - Definitely a classic rock staple here! Although I'm not a huge fan of them, this one was actually pretty good. Too bad Will To Power had to go and ruin it about 13 years later. 24: BLACK WATER - DOOBIE BROTHERS (38) - This song was on its way to becoming their very first #1 hit. Even though I preferred their other #1 hit, this one was a great song nonetheless. 23: RIDE 'EM COWBOY - PAUL DAVIS (24) - The first Top 40 hit for the late Paul Davis. It was OK, but I preferred his later hits. 22: ANGIE BABY - HELEN REDDY (13) - This was pretty good - not really a cheesefest like most of her Top 40 hits. 21: YOU'RE NO GOOD - LINDA RONSTADT (29) - She'd had two Top 40 hits a few years earlier, but this was the one that would get her chart career started proper, hitting #1 about a month later. It was a great one! 20: KUNG-FU FIGHTING - CARL DOUGLAS (9) - This is a song that was sort of overdone a few years back, mainly in TV commercials, which dimmed any fascination that I might have had for this song - not that it was one of my favorite songs in the first place. 19: BEST OF MY LOVE - EAGLES (26) - Wow! They really did a hack job on this song. When it started, I went downstairs to get my cup of coffee out of the microwave and, when I got back not even a minute later, Casey was outroing the song. What did they do, just play the first verse, first chorus and the final chorus to fade? 18: BUNGHOLE IN THE JUNGLE - JETHRO TULL (12) - I liked this song - I'll betcha Beavis did as well 17: GET DANCIN' - DISCO-TEX & THE SEX-O-LETTES - Even though this one was the roof-raising R&B music that I wasn't a fan of, this one actually wasn't too bad. 16: ROCK AND ROLL (GAVE YOU THE BEST YEARS OF MY LIFE) - MAC DAVIS (20) - I've heard this song plenty of times on my Barry Scott Lost 45's CD. A great story song it is! 15: SOME KIND OF WONDERFUL - GRAND FUNK (19) - Ah, the song that got a higher position on the 1975 year-ender than it had really earned. I liked this song, but preferred their next top 40 hit "Bad Time". OPTIONAL EXTRA: LADY MARMALADE - LaBELLE - The biggest hit for this band (and one of two #1 hits that lead singer Patti LaBelle was involved with). This was a great song, but I actually preferred the remake by Christina Aguilera & friends - definitely the summer hit of 2001! 14: PICK UP THE PIECES - AVERAGE WHITE BAND (18) - The first and biggest hit by this Scottish group. This was a good one - had a hint of Philly soul in it. 13: DOCTOR'S ORDERS - CAROL DOUGLAS (17) - No relation to Mr. Kung Fu Fighter, I don't think. Anyway, this song pretty good, but not quite my favorite song on the chart. 12: ONLY YOU - RINGO STARR (6) - The third of four Beatles on the chart this week. This song became the third song to perform quite an impressive chart feat - hitting the Top Ten four times with different versions. The Platters did it first, with the highest charting version (#5), but this one came close, peaking at #6. This was possibly my favorite version of the song. 11: FIRE - OHIO PLAYERS (16) - Not a big fan of this song or them in general (though their other #1 hit, "Love Rollercoaster" wasn't bad). 10: NEVER CAN SAY GOODBYE - GLORIA GAYNOR (14) - Great discofied version of the Jackson Five ballad that charted four years prior. The Communards also did a decent dance version of this one in the late 1980s. 9: MORNING SIDE OF THE MOUNTAIN - DONNY & MARIE OSMOND (11) - The second song on which they charted as a duet. I liked it, but my favorite song of theirs was their cover of "Deep Purple", from the following year. 8: ONE MAN WOMAN/ONE WOMAN MAN - PAUL ANKA & ODIA COATES (10) - Another duet with their second Top 40 hit, like Donny & Marie. This song was pretty good - the chorus reminds me a little of "Haven't Got Time For The Pain" by Carly Simon, from the previous year. 7: JUNIOR'S FARM - PAUL Mc CARTNEY & WINGS (3) - Back to the "A" side this week (as they had played the flipside, "Sally G" the previous week, since it had recently made the country chart - the first song by Paul McCartney, with or without Wings, to do so). Of the two, I preferred this song. 6: BOOGIE ON REGGAE WOMAN - STEVIE WONDER (7) - This one was not bad, but definitely not one of his best hits. 5: LUCY IN THE SKY WITH DIAMONDS - ELTON JOHN (1) - This is the song that defied the 1974-75 one-week limit at #1, and it's easy to see how - this was a great song - the instruments and Elton's voice made it sound quite majestic! One of my all-time faves from Elton John, who would have a slew of big hits over the next 20 years, and then some! 4: YOU'RE THE FIRST, THE LAST, MY EVERYTHING - BARRY WHITE (2) - Based on the revolving door of #1 songs, it looked like this song would hit #1, but since Elton John took it upon himself to spend an extra week at #1, that left poor Barry hanging at #2, at which time the song's momentum wore out, but no matter; he'd already had a #1 hit the previous year). 3: LAUGHTER IN THE RAIN - NEIL SEDAKA (4) - This song was moving up the chart slowly, but surely. It would top the chart the first weekend in February, and deservedly so, as this is one of my all-time faves from Sedaka. OPTIONAL EXTRA: BIG YELLOW TAXI (LIVE) - JONI MITCHELL - She had hit the Hot 100 with this song in 1970, but it was the live version that made the Top 40. I liked it, but preferred "Help Me" from the year before. 2: PLEASE MR. POSTMAN - CARPENTERS (8) - Wow, with the Top Ten as tight as it was, it would seem impossible to make such a huge jump, but this song manages to do just that. Of course, the following week, this one would hit #1 like the original by the Marvelettes, becoming the third hit to hit #1 in two versions by different artists. I actually preferred this one over the original. 1: MANDY - BARRY MANILOW (2) - This was the first of many hits for this balladeer, and the first of three #1 hits. I tell you, I used to like the song, until I heard the urban legend associated with this song. Coming up next week: I'll let someone else take the reins for American Top 40: The 70s next week, as it is a 1973 show.
|
|
|
Post by Hervard on Jan 17, 2020 14:07:39 GMT -5
American Top 40: The 80s - January 18, 2020 This week's presentation - January 16, 1982 Droppers: HEART LIKE A WHEEL - STEVE MILLER BAND (39) - This was their first hit in nearly four years. It was pretty good, but I preferred several others from them, such as "Fly Like An Eagle" and "Jet Airliner". MY GIRL (GONE GONE GONE) - CHILLIWACK (38) - A CanCon band named after the city in British Columbia where they were formed. They had a handful of chart singles here in the states, and this one was definitely my favorite of them. An all-around great song with a very catchy chorus! CASTLES IN THE AIR - DON McLEAN (36) - I seem to recall that I liked this song, though it didn't hold a candle to other songs by him, such as "American Pie", "Vincent" and his version of "Since I Don't Have You", from the previous year. HERE I AM (JUST WHEN I THOUGHT I WAS OVER YOU) - AIR SUPPLY (34) - This one could be called a guilty pleasure of mine, as many people I know don't like this song at all (some consider it their least favorite Air Supply song). According to me, however, it is one of their best. LW#3: LET'S GROOVE - EARTH, WIND & FIRE LW#2: WAITING FOR A GIRL LIKE YOU - FOREIGNER LW#1: PHYSICAL - OLIVIA NEWTON-JOHN 40: ALL OUR TOMORROWS - EDDIE SCHWARTZ (debut) - The only Top 40 hit for this Canada native. It was a good song - your typical early 80's MOR music. 39: KEY LARGO - BERTIE HIGGINS (debut) - Another one-hit wonder, like Eddie Schwartz, but this song got a lot of mileage - spent 17 weeks in the Top 40, peaking at #8. This one must have gotten a lot of airplay on U93 during 1982, as the song was their second most popular song of the year. I wasn't listening to the station yet, so I don't really remember hearing it a lot. It was a great song. 38: WORKING FOR THE WEEKEND - LOVERBOY (40) - Wow, two Canadian acts practically back-to-back! This is possibly the song by them that gets the most recurrent airplay, yet the song barely touched the Top 30. 37: LOVE IN THE FIRST DEGREE - ALABAMA (debut) - We all know that they were a huge country act, but they did have several pop crossovers. This one was the most successful, peaking at #15 (and registering on the year-ender, which I listened to this past New Year's Eve, compliments of iHeartRadio). It is also my favorite of their crossover hits - a great song indeed! 36: MORE THAN JUST THE TWO OF US - SNEAKER (37) - This is a nice, pleasant song, but sometimes, it can get stuck in my head, like it did in late 2010, when it was played as an LDD. Hopefully, the same will not happen today. 35: THROUGH THE YEARS - KENNY ROGERS (debut) - This may not have been one of his biggest chart hits, but it sure became popular in the LDD department! Between now and the last show of 1987, it was requested as a dedication 17 times! I can see why, as it is a great song! 34: EVERY LITTLE THING SHE DOES IS MAGIC - THE POLICE (33) - Hey, this is 1982, isn’t it? Why is this only falling one place, then? But seriously, this was their highest charting hit so far. Little did anyone know that this would become small potatoes about a year and a half later! I liked this song, but my favorite of their 1981 hits was "Don't Stand So Close To Me". 33: OH NO - THE COMMODORES (31) - Another song taking an unusually small drop - must have been a soft spot in the chart. Anyway, this was a landmark chart for the Commodores, as it was the last week they’d be on the countdown with Lionel Richie as lead singer. (They, of course, would be on the show every now and then in the Long Distance Dedication department, especially with “Three Times A Lady” and “Still”.) OPTIONAL EXTRA: PAC MAN FEVER - BUCKNER & GARCIA - Oh yeah, I remember running this album into the ground in 1982! I was video game fanatic back then. The album, based entirely on video games, contains songs about arcade classics like Pac Man, Frogger, Centipede, Donkey Kong, Asteroids, Defender, Mousetrap, and Berzerk, in that order (yes, I played the album enough times to ingrain the order of the songs into my mind for life, LOL!) 32: STEAL THE NIGHT - STEVIE WOODS (25) - Somewhat of a combination of MOR and R&B music here. I liked it - nice & relaxing. 31: OUR LIPS ARE SEALED - THE GO-GO'S (27) - This song only got as high as #20, but what a chart run it had - 15 weeks in the Top 40, an unusually long run for a song that came nowhere near the Top Ten. This was my favorite song from them. 30: LOVE IS ALRIGHT TONIGHT - RICK SPRINGFIELD (35) - This song seemed to be "I've Done Everything For You Part 2", but I actually liked this one better than "Part 1". 29: UNDER PRESSURE - QUEEN & DAVID BOWIE (29) - Rapper Vanilla Ice must have liked this song, since he used the bass line in his signature hit "Ice Ice Baby". I'm not a huge fan of this song, or really, any of Queen's 80s hits. I do like "Crazy Little Thing Called Love", but that song started its chart run in 1979, so that may have had something to do with it (that and it's throwback sound, reminiscent of Elvis Presley). R.I.P. David Bowie 28: TAKE ME HEART - KOOL & THE GANG (17) - Gwen Stefani's big #1 from 2007 "The Sweet Escape" sounds somewhat reminiscent of this one. A great song indeed, like many of their hits! 27: DON'T STOP BELIEVIN' - JOURNEY (18) - This song could be the song from them that receives the most recurrent airplay on oldies stations (though many AC-based ones still play "Faithfully" on a regular basis). Anyway, this song has held up quite well despite overplay. 26: SWEET DREAMS - AIR SUPPLY (32) - Definitely one of the biggest new acts of the 1980s (though most of their chart hits were in the early half of the decade). I liked most of their Top 40 hits, but this was one of my least favorites. It's not bad, though. 25: WHY DO FOOLS FALL IN LOVE - DIANA ROSS (15) - This is a cover of a song that charted three times in the fifties, so I'm not sure who originally did it. Anyway, it's pretty good, but far from being her best. Much better than her hokey nursery rhyme hit that charted after this one. 24: SHE'S GOT A WAY - BILLY JOEL (26) - One of two Top 40 hits from his live album Songs In The Attic. It was a pretty good song, but definitely not my favorite song from him. 23: YOU COULD HAVE BEEN WITH ME - SHEENA EASTON (28) - Her success in 1982 didn't quite match up to that of 1981, but she did have two Top 40 hits, and this was by far the biggest of the two - as well as my favorite, and one of my favorites by her overall. 22: TAKE IT EASY ON ME - LITTLE RIVER BAND (30) - Their fifth and final Top Ten hit (though they still had two more Top 20s ahead of them). This was one of my favorites from LRB, right up there with "Lady". LDD: MY GUY - MARY WELLS OPTIONAL EXTRA: TAINTED LOVE - SOFT CELL - As this song debuted at #90 on the Hot 100 this week, little did anyone know that this song was on its way to breaking the record of "I Go Crazy" by Paul Davis for longest running song on the Hot 100 - especially since the song practically fell off the Hot 100 at one point. And you know what, I believe that the song holds the record for the pre-Soundscan era (remember - "What About Me" by Moving Pictures doesn't count, as that song had two chart-runs). 21: COME GO WITH ME - THE BEACH BOYS (24) - This was the song with the shortest playing time to chart in 1982, clocking in at 2:06. I preferred this remake over the original by the Dell Vikings. 20: I WOULDN'T HAVE MISSED IT FOR THE WORLD - RONNIE MILSAP (22) - Another country artist, like Alabama, that had several pop crossover hits in the early 1980s. Casey mentioned that this was the #1 County song this week. I thought it was a great song - I wonder how close it came to making the Top 100 of the year? 19: LEADER OF THE BAND - DAN FOGELBERG (23) - One of Fogelberg's story songs that he's famous for. I never used to like this song very much during its chart run, but it has since grown on me - a great song indeed! 18: SHAKE IT UP - THE CARS (21) - All points totaled, this was possibly the Cars' biggest hit ever. However, for some reason, I never really got into this one. 17: WAITING ON A FRIEND - THE ROLLING STONES (20) - Their second of four Top 40 hits from their album Tattoo You, and my favorite of the four. 16: SOMEONE COULD LOSE A HEART TONIGHT - EDDIE RABBITT (19) - Wow, 1982 was definitely a great year for country crossovers! Eddie, however, had been charting for several years. This song was good, but one of my least favorite of his hits. 15: YOUNG TURKS - ROD STEWART (5) - The first of two Top 40 hits from Stewart's then-current album Tonight I'm Yours. This was one of my favorite Rod Stewart hits of the 1980s. I did prefer it over the album's title track, although that song is pretty much Part 2 of this song. 14: COOL NIGHT - PAUL DAVIS (16) - The first of two Top 40 hits from Stewart's then-current album Tonight I'm Yours. This was one of my favorite Rod Stewart hits of the 1980s. I did prefer it over the album's title track, although that song is pretty much Part 2 of this song. 13: HOOKED ON CLASSICS - ROYAL PHILHARMONIC ORCHESTRA (14) - With the medley craze in full swing, it was only a matter of time before classical music got into the act! This was a good song - not sure if I preferred this or the Larry Elgart swing medley later on that year. EXTRA: YOU'RE THE ONE THAT I WANT - OLIVIA NEWTON-JOHN & JOHN TRAVOLTA - 12: COMIN' IN AND OUT OF YOUR LIFE - BARBRA STREISAND (12) - This was one of two previously unreleased songs from her compilation album Memories, and the only one to hit the Top 40 (the title track, the theme from the musical Cats would peak at #52 later in the year). Both are great songs, but this one was my favorite of the two. 11: YESTERDAY'S SONGS - NEIL DIAMOND (11) - Wow, the two artists who teamed up on a true bonafide "No. Just no" were back-to-back on the countdown for the past few weeks! loved this song - one of Diamond's best hits ever. Too bad it just barely missed the Top Ten, as did the Streisand song above. 10: THE SWEETEST THING (I'VE EVER KNOWN) - JUICE NEWTON (13) - 1981-1982 was definitely her heyday, with four Top Ten hits (and another that just barely missed). This is my second favorite of those hits, behind "Break It To Me Gently", which was said near-miss (peaked at #11 - what a shame). 9: TROUBLE - LINDSEY BUCKINGHAM (10) - It was amazing how this song, along with a hit by another Fleetwood Mac member would more or less climb the chart together, as during their ascent, they were never more than three spots away from one another. Not sure which of the two songs that I prefer, but this would definitely be my favorite solo hit from Lindsey by far. 8: TURN YOUR LOVE AROUND - GEORGE BENSON (9) - A great jazz star George was! This wasn't one of my favorites from him, but it's still a good song nonetheless. This song would the R&B chart the following week, unseating Earth, Wind & Fire's "Let's Groove" after an impressive eight-week run! 7: LEATHER AND LACE - STEVIE NICKS W/DON HENLEY (7) - Her second duet from Bella Donna to hit the charts, following her one with Tom Petty the previous summer. This is my favorite of the two, by a fairly large margin. 6: HARDEN MY HEART - QUARTERFLASH (6) - A song with an instantly recognizable saxophone solo. This was by far their biggest hit (as it was their only Top Ten, and it spent nearly three months in that zone). I liked this song - my second favorite of their charted hits, behind "Take Me To Heart", a song that also features the saxophone, played by none other than Rindy Ross, who, of course, also sings). LDD: JUST ONCE - QUINCY JONES f/JAMES INGRAM - This one had just recently left the Top 40 (and was actually still on the Hot 100, spending a 23rd and final week on the chart). This was Ingram's first placement on the chart, and he was usually either the featured artist or part of a duet (or trio, in the case of "What About Me"). It was also the first of two Top 40 hits by Quincy Jones on which Ingram provided the vocals. Of course, I preferred the other one ("One Hundred Ways", which charted the following spring). 5: CENTERFOLD - J. GEILS BAND (8) - Ah, the song about finding your high school sweetie in a girlie magazine! This song spent a total of six weeks at #1, and ranked #3 for all of 1982. I preferred this song over their other Top Ten song in 1982, "Freeze Frame" - by a wide margin, might I add. 4: I CAN'T GO FOR THAT - DARYL HALL & JOHN OATES (4) - With the extremely tight Top Five, it looked like this song had reached its peak, since it was spending its fourth consecutive week at #4, but it surprised everyone the two weeks by leapfrogging over what would become the next #1 after this, as well as the song that had the misfortune of being stuck at #2 for ten weeks, which, at the time, was a record. In my eyes, it still remains a record, since I stopped believing in the Hot 100 very soon after 11/30/91. 3: LET'S GROOVE - EARTH, WIND & FIRE (3) - This song, which was spending its last of eight straight weeks atop the R&B chart, is one of those songs that recently grew on me after several years of not really liking it. Still, I prefer others from them. OPTIONAL EXTRA: OPEN ARMS - JOURNEY - This song was on its way to becoming one of R&R's biggest hits of the 80s (in fact, with seven weeks at #1, it was THE biggest, until the summer of 1983). The song couldn't seem to top the Billboard chart, but it did spent six weeks in the runner-up position. It used to be one of my favorites from Journey (I even bought the 45), then overplay significantly dimmed my fascination for it, but over the past year, I've found myself liking it again. 2: WAITING FOR A GIRL LIKE YOU - FOREIGNER (2) - Ah, good ol' Wf*gLY. This song was stuck in the runner-up position for the eight of ten weeks. Due to the lyrical content of the song that kept it out of #1, the Foreigner song won out on the R&R chart, spending a total of six weeks on top. This song was good, but quite overplayed. 1: PHYSICAL - OLIVIA NEWTON-JOHN (1) - And here is the song that was most instrumental in preventing Wf*gLY from hitting #1. The song ended up being the top song of 1982, due to the oddball time frame that they used back then. It was a pretty good song, but not quite my favorite song from her. Coming up next week: We have another twofer offering, with the late 80s show as the "A" show. That would be January 30, 1988. The "B" show will be January 24, 1981.
|
|
|
Post by Hervard on Jan 18, 2020 10:25:02 GMT -5
American Top 40: The 80s - Jamuary 18, 2019 This week's presentation - January 24, 1987 Droppers: THE NEXT TIME I FALL - PETER CETERA & AMY GRANT (39) - As Cetera's former band Chicago was on its way up the chart, Cetera himself dropped off. But he had already outdone the band, as he'd already had two #1s while they would only have one post-Cetera #1. Anyway, this was a pretty good song, but I preferred his first #1. FOR TONIGHT - NANCY MARTINEZ (38) - This was around the time that I started listening to AT40 and noticed that there were several songs that charted on this but not the R&R chart. This would become much more common around 1990. As for this song, it was actually pretty good, considering this wasn't exactly my favorite kind of music. THE FUTURE'S SO BRIGHT, I GOTTA WEAR SHADES - TIM BUK 3 (36) - Meh, I could take it or leave it. TO BE A LOVER - BILLY IDOL (35) - Another song that I could take it or leave. I do remember it had a rather weird chart run on R&R, especially during the latter part. TWO PEOPLE - TINA TURNER (30) - Not one of her more successful hits. I myself think this one was pretty underrated. It did fare somewhat better at AC radio, peaking at #12. DON'T GET ME WRONG - THE PRETENDERS (24) - One of their bigger hits. I liked it, but preferred "Brass In Pocket" and "Back On The Chain Gang". 40: I WANNA GO BACK - EDDIE MONEY (debut) - This was one of those songs in there were custom versions made, replacing "the radio" with the name of a radio station. I heard two of those, both using Chicago stations WLS and Z95. A great song - one of my favorite Eddie Money songs ever! 39: (YOU GOTTA) FIGHT FOR YOUR RIGHT (TO PARTY) - BEASTIE BOYS (debut) - I was fifteen when this song was charting, so, though I wasn't exactly your typical teenage party animal, I could relate to it! 38: LOVE IS FOREVER - BILLY OCEAN (17) - This would be one of my favorite Billy Ocean songs. As stated many times before, I prefer his slow material. Apparently, Premiere edited this song for the rebroadcast, based on the edit in this song. At the beginning, right as the lyrics started, it seemed to change key. 37: I'LL BE ALRIGHT WITHOUT YOU - JOURNEY (debut) - This is among my favorite songs by Journey. It would be their very last Top 40 hit for nearly ten years. 36: SOMEWHERE OUT THERE - LINDA RONSTADT AND JAMES INGRAM (debut) - This song was one that sold more than it was played. For one thing, it wouldn't debut on the R&R chart for another week and second, it hit the Top Five on the Billboard chart (in fact, didn't it get up to #2?), but peaked at #9 on R&R. It was a great song - one of my favorite animated movie songs! 35: WAR - BRUCE SPRINGSTEEN & THE E STREET BAND (14) - I did not like this song at all (although the message is good). This is another song that made a big drop on the R&R chart the previous week (17-35). This is another song in which sales outweighed airplay. 34: JACOB'S LADDER - HUEY LEWIS & THE NEWS (40) - On the other hand, airplay was outweighing sales on this song at this point. While it was already way up at #16 on R&R, it hadn't even yet hit the Top 30 on AT40. With its strong debut on the Hot 100 the week before, I felt sure it would take a huge jump this week, but not quite. Its sales points did eventually catch up with airplay, as it did hit #1 on the chart in March. I liked the song, but preferred many others from him/them. EXTRA: MICKEY – TONI BASIL - This song sounded a little out of place on this show. Strange that I don't remember this song from the original run of this show - perhaps the station edited it out due to the cheese factor? Then again, I was listening to two countdowns simultaneously (the other was Dave Sholin's Countdown USA). 33: JIMMY LEE - ARETHA FRANKLIN (debut) - This song was pretty much your typical Aretha Franklin song from the 80s (although it did have somewhat of a retro feel). Despite its high debut, it actually burned out quite fast, peaking at #28 two weeks later and then falling like a rock. I thought it was a pretty good song, though I preferred "Who's Zoomin' Who" and "Willing To Forgive", the latter an AC hit from the summer of 1994. 32: BIG TIME - PETER GABRIEL (debut) - This song was his second biggest hit behind "Sledgehammer". I liked this song, especially the way he says, "Hi there!" at the beginning. 31/LDD: STAND BY ME - BEN E. KING (18) - I heard the story and I do remember it from the first time around. A mother and her daughter were listening to AT40 and heard a LDD with this song from a recent week and were moved to tears, as it depicted their relationship which, I believe, was sort of strained by manic depression. This song was fitting for the dedication. OPTIONAL EXTRA: CANDY - CAMEO 30: STAY THE NIGHT - BENJAMIN ORR (37) - For years, I never knew that the guy who sang this song was the lead singer on "Drive". I like this song much better, though, since it's not depressing like "Drive". 29: TALK TO ME - CHICO DEBARGE (34) - I liked "Who's Johnny" by El DeBarge a little better than this. But this one is a great song as well. I liked the phone call in the bridge, where he kept getting more and more anxious and then screamed, "PICK IT UP!" 28: FALLING IN LOVE (UH-OH) - MIAMI SOUND MACHINE (25) - LOL @ Casey singing along in the outro and then chuckling and saying, "Now you know why I don't sing!" As for the song, I liked it and thought it was one of their more underrated songs. 27: THE WAY IT IS -BRUCE HORNSBY & THE RANGE (15) - This song has held up quite well despite overplay. It sounds just as great today as it did nearly 30 years ago. 26: NOBODY'S FOOL - CINDERELLA (33) - Their very first Top 40 hit. I liked it; the guitar solo in the bridge was awesome! 25: YOU GOT IT ALL - THE JETS (32) - After releasing two upbeat dance numbers for their first two hits, they slowed the tempo down for this one. As stated before, I prefer their ballads. Not too crazy about their uptempo stuff (although "Rocket 2 U" is pretty good). 24: STOP TO LOVE - LUTHER VANDROSS (31) - Love this one! At first, I always got it confused with "Give Me The Reason", his previous release that didn't quite hit the Top 40. 23: ALL I WANTED - KANSAS (19) - I loved this one too. At this point, Steve Walsh, their original lead singer had rejoined the band, although it sounds so much like John Elefante, who was their lead singer during Walsh's five year hiatus. 22: EVERYBODY HAVE FUN TONIGHT - WANG CHUNG (10) - If you have your mind in the gutter, you just might come up with a few misheard lyrics for this song. This one was overplayed, but it's one of those "fine wine" type songs - gets better with age. 21: THIS IS THE TIME - BILLY JOEL (28) - His third and final Top 40 hit from The Bridge. It was by far my favorite of the three. LDD: WORD UP - CAMEO - LOL! It's refreshing to hear a humorous LDD every once in awhile! OPTIONAL EXTRA: DON'T DREAM IT'S OVER - CROWDED HOUSE 20: LOVE YOU DOWN - READY FOR THE WORLD (29) - Their second Top Ten hit - I preferred this one over the other one, "Oh Sheila". 19: BALLERINA GIRL - LIONEL RICHIE (27) - One of four Top 20 hits from Dancing On The Ceiling. My favorite from that album was "Love Will Conquer All", but this would be a close second. 18: COMING AROUND AGAIN - CARLY SIMON (21) - This was one of my favorite songs on the chart (I don't like how she turned it into "Itsy Bitsy Spider" on her album though) 17: WILL YOU STILL LOVE ME - CHICAGO (26) - Casey mentioned previous lead singers of Chicago and he mentioned Bill Champlin. I didn't know he sang lead on any of their songs before 1988, but apparently, he was one of the members who shared lead vocals, as Casey pointed out that some of them were - in this case, with Peter Cetera, on their big 1984 hit "Hard Habit To Break". As for this song, it was a great one - among my favorite post-Cetera songs from them. 16: WE'RE READY - BOSTON (23) - Their random comeback was indeed worthwhile, as they doubled their number of Top Ten hits as a result. They'd had two up to the release of Third Stage, which gave them two more, including this one, which is one of my favorites from Boston! They played the album version this week, which is slightly longer than the single. 15: LIVIN' ON A PRAYER - BON JOVI (22) - Wow, we had a fast moving chart this week! Six debuts in the Top 40 and six entries into the Top 20! Anyhoo, I realize that this song was a huge #1 hit and all, but it just never really did anything for me. I preferred "Never Say Goodbye", wbich was starting to receive sporadic radio airplay about now, but was never released as a single. EXTRA: FLASHDANCE...WHAT A FEELING – IRENE CARA - The biggest movie hit of the 1980s (although "Call Me", from American Gigolo, was definitely a close second!) This was a great song, although it was definitely driven into the ground back in the summer of 1983! 14: KEEP YOUR HANDS TO YOURSELF - THE GEORGIA SATELLITES (20) - How many times did you hear your teacher saying this? Anyway, I'm not a huge fan of southern rock, but this one wasn't too bad. 13: NOTORIOUS - DURAN DURAN (3) - Not one of my favorite Duran Duran songs; I preferred their next hit "Skin Trade" which, sadly, barely touched the Top 40. 12: TOUCH ME (I WANT YOUR BODY) - SAMANTHA FOX (16) - I wasn't generally a huge fan of hers, but I did like this one, as well as her next release "Do Ya Do Ya (Wanna Please Me)", which only got as high as #87. 11: WALK LIKE AN EGYPTIAN - THE BANGLES (4) - I think we all know how much I detest this song, right? OPTIONAL EXTRA: LET'S GO - WANG CHUNG 10: VICTORY - KOOL & THE GANG (11) - Casey mentioned that they had a streak of one-word titles, but he sort of jinxed it, as their next hit was two words (and it turned out to be their final Top 40 hit). I preferred that one over this one, which was one I could take or leave. 9: IS THIS LOVE - SURVIVOR (9) - Another act that didn't have anymore chart success after 1987. Anyway, I liked this song but preferred many others from them. 8: CHANGE OF HEART - CYNDI LAUPER (13) - Given how big a hit this was, I'm surprised that it receives absolutely no recurrent airplay anymore. Honestly; the last time I heard this outside of countdown shows was during its chart run. LDD: REUNITED – PEACHES & HERB - This song fit the dedication to a T. And it's a great song - my favorite song from them by far! 7: SOMEDAY - GLASS TIGER (12) - They only had a handful of Top 40 hits, but I liked them all including the mid-charters "I Will Be There" and "I'm Still Searching". This is possibly my least favorite of all their hits, but it's still pretty good. 6: LAND OF CONFUSION - GENESIS (8) - This song is pretty good. They don't play it very much anymore ("Throwing It All Away" and "In Too Deep" are the only two songs from this that radio plays, although I do occasionally hear the title track, which is my fave. 5: CONTROL - JANET JACKSON (8) - Meh, I was never a fan of this song. I preferred most of her other singles. 4: OPEN YOUR HEART - MADONNA (7) - I was starting to doze off around this point in the show - did Casey mention that Madonna had tied a record with the Beatles and Elvis by having ten consecutive Top Ten hits? If that was it, then she ended up breaking the record, big time! 3: SHAKE YOU DOWN - GREGORY ABBOTT (1) - Possibly THE most obscure #1 song of 1987 (though "Jacob's Ladder" would give it a run for its money). It was a good song - a typical late-80s slow jam. OPTIONAL EXTRA: CAN'T HELP FALLING IN LOVE - COREY HART 2: C'EST LA VIE - ROBBIE NEVIL (2) - I was fast asleep during this song, so I missed it, but that's OK; it's a good song, but I preferred his two follow-ups. 1: AT THIS MOMENT - BILLY VERA & THE BEATERS (5) - Meh-tasticness best describes this song. I didn't like this very much and what irked me is that, while many cool songs were whittled down on the Top 100 of 1987, they played this song in full, even the stinkin' ending where he was really milking it for all it was worth. I don't see why the freak everyone was cheering him on at the end. They should have had Carl Winslow (from Family Matters) there so he could have bellered, "OH WOULD YOU JUST GET TO THE END OF THE SONG? ?!!!!!!" No; I did not mind sleeping through this song at all!
|
|
|
Post by jamie9012 on Jan 22, 2020 14:10:22 GMT -5
Hello.
20 Songs from the recent 1983 Episode.
January 15 1983
20: HAND TO HOLD ON TO - JOHN COUGAR – One of the lost hits from his album “American Fool”. Unlike “Hurts So Good” and “Jack and Diane”, the two biggest Hits from that album, this one missed the Top 10. 19: GOODY TWO SHOES - ADAM ANT – Definitely a 1950s feel to this one. #12 US, #5 DE (August 1982). 18: THE LOOK OF LOVE – ABC – The first hit for this Band from Sheffield, England, which is the same place that Def Leppard was formed in the 1970s. Like the follow-up to this Song (Poison Arrow) there is a brief spoken section in the Bridge. 17: HEART TO HEART -KENNY LOGGINS – I can recognize Michael Mcdonald’s involvement with this Song. He co-wrote it and sings in the background. 16: SHAME ON THE MOON - BOB SEGER & THE SILVER BULLET BAND – One of their biggest Hits, but I do not seem to hear it as often as others such as “Night Moves” or even “Hollywood Nights”. 15: YOU CAN'T HURRY LOVE - PHIL COLLINS – The original Version of this one by The Supremes went to #1 on Billboard Hot 100 in September 1966. This remake from the lead singer of Genesis also reached the Top 10 at #10. It also reached #3 in DE, CH, and AT combined. 14: THE OTHER GUY - LITTLE RIVER BAND – Another hit for this Australian Band. The lead Vocals are performed by John Farnham, replacing Glenn Shorrock who sang on their biggest Hits from the 1970s and 1980s. I think that Farnham did a great job. 13: 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". 12: YOU AND I - EDDIE RABBITT AND CRYSTAL GAYLE - Nice Duet. The last Top 40 Hit for both singers. 11: 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. This Song experienced a new popularity in 2019, when the St. Louis Blues Hockey Team started playing it after winning a series of games. The St. Louis Blues defeated the Boston Bruins and won their first Stanley Cup. R.I.P. Laura Branigan. 10: HEARTBREAKER - DIONNE WARWICK - Up to now, her biggest hit in the 1980s, peaking here at #10. 9: ROCK THE CASBAH - THE CLASH - This method of story-telling in the Lyrics reminds me of Dire Straits' hit "Sultan Of Swing". 8: 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. R.I.P. James Ingram. 7: AFRICA – TOTO - - Why do I think of the theme to that show "Cheers" when I hear this? It is perhaps because both Songs are performed with soft Vocals. Anyway, #1 US, #14 DE, #6 CH. 6: MICKEY - TONI BASIL - - I still do not know who Mickey really is. A few Months ago, I found out that this is actually a Remake. The original Version was recorded by a group named Racey with the title “Kitty”. #1 US, #69 DE (March 1983). LDD: SWEET LIFE – PAUL DAVIS – A nice slow-tempo number for this Singer from Mississippi. #17 on the Hot 100 in late 1978. 5: 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. 4: MANEATER - DARYL HALL & JOHN OATES - The fifth #1 Hit for this duo. Also #2 CH and #15 DE. 3: 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. 2: 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. 1: 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.
Thank you for reading.
|
|
|
Post by Hervard on Jan 24, 2020 13:39:12 GMT -5
American Top 40: The 80s - January 25, 2020 This week's presentation - January 24, 1981 DROPPERS: EVERYBODY'S GOT TO LEARN SOMETIME - THE KORGIS (38) - I love this song - very eerie sounding, like walking through a graveyard on a foggy night! Too bad it dropped off WOMAN IN LOVE - BARBRA STREISAND (31) - The first of three Top Ten hits from the Guilty album, and my second favorite behind "What Kind Of Fool", which would hit the chart three weeks later. ANOTHER ONE BITES THE DUST - QUEEN (30) - As you know all too well, I'm not a big fan of this song, so no big loss here, IMO. MASTER BLASTER (JAMMIN') - STEVIE WONDER (27) - Wonder's first hit from his 19th album Hotter Than July. It was a good song, though not quite his best. ONE STEP CLOSER - DOOBIE BROTHERS (24) - Definitely one of their most underrated songs ever! This one should have at least made the Top Ten, like its predecessor "Real Love". A great song indeed! LW#3: GUILTY – BARBRA STREISAND AND BARRY GIBB LW#2: LOVE ON THE ROCKS – NEIL DIAMOND LW#1: STARTING OVER – JOHN LENNON 40: GAMES PEOPLE PLAY - THE ALAN PARSONS PROJECT (debut) - This was their last Top 40 hit before Eric Woolfson took over as lead singer. On this one, Lenny Zakatek provided the lead vocals. I thought it was a pretty decent song, though I generally preferred the Woolfson-lead songs. 39: MY MOTHER'S EYES - BETTE MIDLER (39) - This was the first time I'd ever heard this song, and the only time we'll hear it on this series, as it lasted only two weeks on the chart, one of which was guest hosted. Melodically, it reminded me a little of a similarly-titled song, "In My Daughter's Eyes" by Martina McBride, an AC hit from late 2004. It was a nice song, but I prefer a few others from the Divine Miss M. 38: I NEED YOUR LOVIN' - TEENA MARIE (40) - Many people thought she was a one-hit wonder, but she actually did have a song before she hit big with "Lovergirl". I actually prefer this song (since the other one was way overplayed). I can see why this song didn't get any higher than it did, since it had more of a seventies sound to it than early-80s. Had this song been released around 1976 or so, it would likely have peaked higher. 37: CRYING - DON McLEAN (debut) - The first of two songs on this week's chart to debut on the entire Hot 100 in the Top 40. That certainly didn't happen very often (though it did happen about two months earlier, with this week's top two songs. As for this song, it was a good one - you can definitely tell that it was a Roy Orbison song. 36: SMOKEY MOUNTAIN RAIN - RONNIE MILSAP (debut) - He was hot on the country chart, but up to now, he'd been a one-hit wonder at Top 40 radio. But things were starting to happen for him there at this point, as he'd have a handful of Top 40 hits, including a Top Ten, which was his next release. As for this song, it was a good one, though I preferred a few others from him. 35: HE CAN'T LOVE YOU - THE MICHAEL STANLEY BAND (37) - Their first of two hits, neither of which made much of an impression on the charts. This one was pretty good, IMO. 34: A LITTLE IN LOVE - CLIFF RICHARD (debut) - He was on the chart in two forms this week - in a duet with Olivia Newton-John and on this song as a solo artist. 33: COLD LOVE - DONNA SUMMER (33) - Wow, this was definitely a departure from her usual disco/dance style. This one rocked out - which might have something to do with the fact that it didn't get any higher than #33. That's too bad, as I thought it was a good one! ARCHIVES: DEEP PURPLE - NINO TEMPO & APRIL STEVENS - We heard the Donny & Marie cover of this song on last week's 1976 show. They both sound very similar, though I did slightly prefer said cover version. OPTIONAL EXTRA: GHOST RIDERS IN THE SKY - THE OUTLAWS - Vaughan Monroe had the best chart success with this song, spending twelve weeks at #1 in 1949. This song would peak at #31 a few months later. It was a good song, IMO. Not sure if I've ever heard the original (but I probably have). 32: KILLIN' TIME - FRED KNOBLOCK AND SUSAN ANTON (34) - Knoblock's best song IMO will always be "Why Not Me", but this would definitely be a close second - both songs were great! 31: THE BEST OF TIMES - STYX (debut) - This is the other song that debuted on the Hot 100 way up in the Top 40 this week. It was their first of two Top 40 hits from Styx' Paradise Theater album, as well as my favorite of those two (though I do like the other one, "Too Much Time On My Hands" more than I had previously). Both are great songs! 30: HEARTBREAK HOTEL - THE JACKSONS (35) - Not a "Hot Elvis Remake" - it was actually an original song. Though I'm not generally a fan of their later hits, this one was actually pretty good. 29: MORE THAN I CAN SAY - LEO SAYER (17) - This one featured the oft-told story about Sayer disrupting performances by, if he didn't think the lead singer was any good, jumping up on stage, grabbing the mike, and finishing the song himself (and then being beat up by the band members after the show was over). But his perseverance paid off, as he had much success on the charts, including two #1 songs. This one almost became his third, but Kenny Rogers was too tough for him. 28: HIT ME WITH YOUR BEST SHOT - PAT BENATAR (16) - Her first Top Ten hit, and her signature song. I liked it, despite its overplay. 27: WOMAN - JOHN LENNON (36) - The week's biggest mover - a song that was on its way to #2 on the Hot 100 (and would spend a month at #1 on the R&R chart). This was technically Lennon's first posthumous hit, as "Starting Over" had been released before Lennon's untimely death. It is my second favorite song from Double Fantasy behind the song that is coming up (much) later on the countdown. 26: I AIN'T GONNA STAND FOR IT - STEVIE WONDER (32) - This song had sort of a jazz flavor to it. It's a good one, but I slightly preferred his previous song, which was one of this week's droppers. 25: SEVEN BRIDGES ROAD - THE EAGLES (29) - Correct me if I'm wrong, but wasn't this their only live recording to hit the chart (before the Hell Freezes over album, that is)? I never used to like this song, but now I think it's a great one. They sort of sound like they're sitting around a campfire singing this one. 24: SUDDENLY - OLIVIA NEWTON-JOHN & CLIFF RICHARD (20) -This is the duet I mentioned earlier in the countdown. Xanadu fever had pretty much worn off at this point, as this song only got a high as #20, but it did stay on the chart for 11 weeks, which was sort of long for a mid-chart peaker. This was a good song, like Cliff's solo hit ten songs earlier, so I'm not sure which one I prefer. 23: KEEP ON LOVING YOU - REO SPEEDWAGON (28) - 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! LDD FOLLOW-UP: This was in reference to a LDD from 9/23/78. The author had moved to the United States and fallen in with the wrong crowd and a guy named Callum (sp?) had helped to get her back on her feet again. When she moved back to her home country (I forget where she was from), she realized how much she missed him and a mutual friend told him that he felt the same, so they eventually got back together and, at this point of the show, had been married for a year, with a baby named Casey, after Casey Kasem. Definitely a heartwarming story! 22: TOGETHER - TIERRA (23) - Pretty much your run-of-the-mill early 80's slow jam. I liked it. ARCHIVES: I'M LEAVING IT ALL UP TO YOU - DALE AND GRACE - It was okies, but nothing special. Coincidentally, Donny & Marie also covered this one - it was their first Top 40 hit as a duo. OPTIONAL EXTRA: HELLO AGAIN - NEIL DIAMOND - This song was not on the chart yet, but would come roaring onto the Hot 100 way up at #32 the following week (the very same position that "Love On The Rocks" had debuted two months earlier). This song, Neil's second of three hits from the Jazz Singer, would go on to peak at #6 in late March. I liked all three of the Jazz Singer singles, but my favorite was the one coming up later in the Top Five. 21: THE WINNER TAKES IT ALL - ABBA (25) - This, sadly, would be their final Top Ten hit. It, along with "Dancing Queen" w 20: LADY - KENNY ROGERS (9) - This song spent six weeks at #1 in late 1980. Since it had been deferred to 1981, it 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. 19: SAME OLD LANG SYNE - DAN FOGELBERG (26) - This song used to be played on the radio at any time of year, but now, it seems to be limited to the Christmas season, just because it mentions Christmas Eve at the beginning. This song, of course, tells the story about a chance meeting with an old flame on Christmas Eve, 1975. A great song, like most of Fogelberg's hits. 18: 9 TO 5 - DOLLY PARTON (22) - Dolly Parton's first pop hit 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. 17: MISS SUN - BOZ SCAGGS (21) - Like Dan Fogelberg, I liked most of Scaggs' Top 40 entries. This one was definitely one of his best! 16: GIVING IT UP FOR YOUR LOVE - DELBERT McCLINTON (19) - For some reason, I never was a huge fan of this song. 15: TIME IS TIME - ANDY GIBB (18) - This song kicked off the Top 100 of 1981 countdown. It was a good one, but I preferred many of his earlier hits. 14: HEY NINETEEN - STEELY DAN (15) - 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. 13: TELL IT LIKE IT IS - HEART (8) - - 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. 12: CELEBRATION - KOOL & THE GANG (14) - 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. OPTIONAL EXTRA: DOMINIQUE - THE SINGING NUN - As far as I know, Donny & Marie never covered this song OPTIONAL EXTRA: LIVING IN A FANTASY - LEO SAYER - This was debuting on the Hot 100 this week and would enter the Top 40 three weeks later. The song would peak at #23 and end up being Leo's final Top 40 hit. 11: I MADE IT THROUGH THE RAIN - BARRY MANILOW (13) - It seems that more often than not, this song had the second verse cut when played on AT40, and this was one of those times (I sort of figured it would be, due to there being twelve songs in the last hour). Anyway, like most of his hits, this one was a great one. 10: DE DO DO DO, DE DA DA DA DA - THE POLICE (10) - However, that's more than I can say for this one. If this was all that someone had to say to me, I'd be saying "Ba-bye bye bye". I actually prefer their grossly overplayed 1983 hit over this one. 9: IT'S MY TURN - DIANA ROSS (11) - Of her three late 1980/early 1981 songs, this would be my favorite song by far. A great song - very theatrical sounding! 8: I LOVE A RAINY NIGHT - EDDIE RABBITT (12) - This song was on its way to becoming Rabbitt's biggest hit ever, spending a pair of weeks at #1 in February, 1981. 7: PASSION - ROD STEWART (7) - I've mentioned 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. LDD: DADDY DON'T YOU WALK SO FAST - WAYNE NEWTON - The title of this song is appropriate for the dedication, as it was from a daughter to her Dad, from whom she had pretty much become estranged. 6: EVERY WOMAN IN THE WORLD - AIR SUPPLY (6) - It definitely looked like this song had peaked, as it was stuck at #6 for a fifth week, but it managed to climb a spot higher the following week, thus barely keeping their Top Five streak alive. 5: HUNGRY HEART - BRUCE SPRINGSTEEN (5) - This was the song that was responsible for threatening to interrupt Air Supply's Top Five streak, but its hard fall the following week created a vacuum effect. Anyway, this was Springsteen's very first Top Ten, just like Pat Benatar. It's one of my favorite songs from him - even better than my favorites from Born In The USA. 4: GUILTY - BARBRA STREISAND & BARRY GIBB (3) - With my comment about Streisand's recent hit that leaves the chart this week, you've probably deduced that this song is my least favorite of the Guilty singles (that hit the Top 40 anyway). It's still a good song, nonetheless. OPTIONAL EXTRA: HEARTS ON FIRE - RANDY MEISNER - Larry mentioned that Meisner was probably best remembered as the lead singer on the Eagles' "Take It To The Limit". Until about ten years ago, I always thought Joe Walsh was the lead singer of that song - Meisner definitely does not sound like he did in "Take It To The Limit" - his voice sounds lower. Well, anyway, this was my second favorite of his solo hits, behind "Never Been In Love", which charted the following year. 3: THE TIDE IS HIGH - BLONDIE (4) - The tide may have been high, but they would reach the highest ground the following week. This song was not bad, but definitely not my favorite from them. I preferred their next hit, "Rapture" by a fair margin. 2: LOVE ON THE ROCKS - NEIL DIAMOND (2) - 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. 1: (JUST LIKE) STARTING OVER - JOHN LENNON (1) - This song was spending the last of five weeks at #1. Definitely a worthy #1 song, as it's one of his best songs ever.
|
|
|
Post by Hervard on Jan 24, 2020 13:40:57 GMT -5
American Top 40: The 80s - January 25, 2019
This week's presentation - January 30, 1988
Droppers: VALERIE - STEVE WINWOOD (38) - 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! TRUE FAITH (MORNING SUN) - NEW ORDER (36) - 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" the week before. DON'T YOU WANT ME - JODY WATLEY (33) - 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. POWER OF LOVE - LAURA BRANIGAN (29) - I always thought that AT40 heavily edited this song down, but I believe what they usually played was the single version, on which all they cut out is the second chorus and the bridge. I was just used to hearing the Celine Dion version, which has all the elements of the original, except the ending, which is shortened, while the Laura Branigan version repeats the chorus to the fade-out. Anyway, IIRC, the only week that they played the album version of this song was the Charlie Vandyke-hosted 12/5/87 show.
40: ENDLESS SUMMER NIGHTS – RICHARD MARX (debut) - Well, we all know that there's no such thing here on Earth, since non-stop darkness only occurs in winter in areas near the poles. This song just narrowly missed the top spot, but he would eventually hit #1 - in fact, he did so with his next hit. This song was pretty good, but I preferred many others from him 39: LOVE OVERBOARD – GLADYS KNIGHT & THE PIPS (debut) - This was somewhat of a random comeback (as, not counting her vocals on "That's What Friends Are For", she'd been absent from the Top 40 since 1975). I liked this song, but preferred a few of her/their older hits. 38: CATCH ME (I’M FALLING) – PRETTY POISON (28) - This song was one of three Top 40 hits from movie Hiding Out, this one heard during the skating rink scene. It's a rather 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. 37: JUST LIKE PARADISE – DAVID LEE ROTH (debut) - The former lead singer of Van Halen would have several big solo hits of his own. This was a good one that we don't hear much anymore. 36: BECAUSE OF YOU – THE COVER GIRLS (debut) - The first Top 40 hit for this freestyle girl group from the Big Apple. I'm kind of surprised that this was all the higher the song got, as it seemed radio-friendly for the late-1980s (and I regularly heard it on B96 back in the day). Even though this wasn't my favorite type of music, there was something about this song that I really liked. 35: 853-5937 - SQUEEZE (39) - Ah, the other telephone number song in the 1980s that spawned nuisance phone calls. People would call this number and ask for Angela. But not quite as often as the other phone number song (come on, you know the title), since this song was much more obscure - I don’t think it ever got any kind of airplay after it fell off the chart - here in the states, anyway). 34: CHERRY BOMB – JOHN COUGAR MELLENCAMP (22) - The second single from "The Lonesome Jubilee", and, like the first one, it would hit the Top Ten. This was one of several songs that I disliked back in the day, but now I think it's a good one. Still, I preferred a few of his others, including "Check It Out", which would hit the Top 40 a month later. 33: I GET WEAK – BELINDA CARLISLE (40) - The second release from Heaven On Earth. This was a great song and I remember it going through my mind all day when I first heard it, and it didn't annoy me a bit. This is very possibly my favorite of Belinda's solo hits. Too bad it just barely missed hitting #1 like her preceding hit "Heaven Is A Place On Earth". 32: SHAKE YOUR LOVE – DEBBIE GIBSON (24) - Meh, I like most of her hits, but always thought this one was a little too teenybopper sounding for my tastes. 31: IS THIS LOVE - WHITESNAKE (19) - The first two Top 40 hits from this English rock band were both mid-tempo ballads. I liked both of them about the same. OPTIONAL EXTRA: ANGEL - AEROSMITH - Hey wow, I just heard this song today at work right as I was leaving and, since I knew I'd be hearing a 1988 show today, I got to wondering if this would be one of the Optional Extras, and by jove, it was! Anyway, I don't think I ever got tired of this song. I wasn't sure it was going to be a big hit, due to its weak initial chart performance, but it picked up steam and became their biggest hit ever, a boasting right it would retain for ten more years. 30: FATHER FIGURE – GEORGE MICHAEL (37) - I’m surprised this song only moved up seven spots, as it was already well inside the Top 20 on the R&R chart. Probably because so many fans had the Faith album, so no need to buy the single. That could also explain why this song spent only half as long at #1 on the Hot 100 as it did on R&R. 29: I FOUND SOMEONE - CHER (35) - This was Cher's first Top 40 hit since "Take Me Home", which peaked at #8 in May, 1979. As for this song, it wasn't bad, but I generally preferred her later songs such as "Just Like Jesse James", "Save Up All Your Tears" and "Believe" to name a few. 28: FAITH – GEORGE MICHAEL (16) - 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! 27: CAN’T STAY AWAY FROM YOU – GLORIA ESTEFAN AND MIAMI SOUND MACHINE (33) - nteresting story about the band releasing nine albums before they had their first Top 40 hit. But it was well worth the wait, as Primitive Love spawned four singles and their second big album (here in the States, that is) was on its way to doing the same. This was a good song, but one of her/their weaker slow songs, IMO. I actually preferred the song that preceded this, the mid-tempo "Betcha Say That". Too bad that song ran out of gas at #36. 26: PUSH IT – SALT-N-PAPA (27) - As we know all too well, I’m not a big rap fan, but generally, 80s rap was OK, and this is an example. 25: PUMP UP THE VOLUME – M/A/R/R/S (30) - I remember this song being played ad nauseum on B96 on Z95 (the latter on which the song spent six weeks at #1) back in early 1988. It's good to hear every now and then, though. I couldn't help but notice that this song was heavily edited, especially during the first half. 24: NEVER GONNA GIVE YOU UP – RICK ASTLEY (34) -YAHHH!! I'VE BEEN RICKROLLED!!! That was pretty much a guarantee with any show from 1988 during the Casey Kasem era. This was my second favorite of the three two Top Ten singles from Rick's Whenever You Need Somebody album (remember - this and "Together Forever" were pretty much the same song. I also liked the title track, which was a #1 hit in his native England and I believe was on the dance charts in late 1988. 23: HONESTLY - STRYPER (25) - Possibly THE first heavy metal Christian band to hit the chart. Lead singer Michael Sweet sounds very much like Styx, especially in the chorus of this song, which I thought was a great song. I seem to remember that they used this edit several times during the song's chart run, but thankfully, the song was played intact this week. LDD: WILL YOU STILL LOVE ME - CHICAGO 22: POP GOES THE WORLD – MEN WITHOUT HATS (26) - This was a cool, fun song. I liked it better than “The Safety Dance”, including the single version. OPTIONAL EXTRA: GIRLFRIEND - PEBBLES - While Bam-Bam was flopping with his song "Boyfriend", this song became the first hit for this artist, whose real name was Perri McKissack, and one of her most successful at that. I rather liked this song, but I preferred a few other songs from her, including "Mercedes Boy" and her duet with Babyface, "Love Makes Things Happen". 21: SHE’S LIKE THE WIND – PARTICK SWAYZE FEATURING WENDY FRASER (31) - The first of two Dirty Dancing hits in this week's Top 40, and the third that would hit the Top Ten, proving just how hot that soundtrack was. This song peaked at #3 for three weeks, but couldn't get past George Michael and Rick Astley. It was a nice song, IMO - too bad Lumidee had to go and mess it up. 20: SO EMOTIONAL – WHITNEY HOUSTON (9) - This would become Whitney's sixth number one in a row (limited to songs that hit the Hot 100, that is), setting a record. I liked this one, but much preferred the next release, which would extend her #1 streak to seven. 19: THERE’S THE GIRL - HEART (12) - This was a song 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). 18: EVERYWHERE – FLEETWOOD MAC (23) - This was the fourth of five singles released from Tango In The Night and the final one to hit the Top 40 (the fifth, "Family Man" only got as high as #90), and my second favorite of the singles, behind "Seven Wonders". 17: I LIVE FOR YOUR LOVE – NATALIE COLE (20) - She'd been absent from the charts for most of the 80s as she battled drug and alcohol abuse, but her comeback was certainly no fluke, as this song proved, since it was a Top 20 hit like her comeback hit "Jump Start". Like most of her ballads, I thought this was a great one - definitely in my Top Five of my favorite songs from her, right up there with "Miss You Like Crazy" and "When I Fall In Love" (her own version which was on the same album as this song). 16: CRAZY - ICEHOUSE (14) - 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. 15: DON’T SHED A TEAR – PAUL CARRACK (21) - He'd had top 40 success as the lead singer of bands like Ace and Mike + The Mechanics, and he even had a few solo hits. This was a good song, but I preferred a few others from him, both solo and with said bands. 14: TUNNEL OF LOVE – BRUCE SPRINGSTEEN (15) - The second of three singles released here in the States from the album of the same name. It was a good song, IMO, though I preferred "Brilliant Disguise" by a slight margin. 13: SAY YOU WILL - FOREIGNER (17) - Tell you what, I liked most of their material, but for some reason, I never really got into this song. 12: WHAT HAVE I DONE TO DESERVE THIS – PET SHOP BOYS & DUSTY SPRINGFIELD (18) - Another weak song from a band whose material I generally like. One of my least favorites from both artists. This one looked like a sure-fire #1 song, but, luckily, another song leapfrogged over it. 11: I COULD NEVER TAKE THE PLACE OF YOUR MAN - PRINCE (13) - 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. OPTIONAL EXTRA: WISHING WELL - TERENCE TRENT D'ARBY - This song had sort of a slow start on the charts (as it had debuted two weeks earlier, but wouldn't enter the Top 40 until late February), but it eventually picked up steam and went all the way to the top! I liked it, but preferred his next hit, "Sign Your Name". 10: TELL IT TO MY HEART – TAYLOR DAYNE (7) - I'd been hearing this one on Chicago's B96 about a month before it hit the chart, and I always thought that, based on the opening synth notes, the song sounded like a dance version of Glenn Frey's "The One You Love". This was probably my favorite song from the album of which this was the title track. 9: CANDLE IN THE WIND – ELTON JOHN (6) - Quite refreshing to hear the original version of the song (from Elton's Goodbye Yellow Brick Road) this week! This was also the version that Z95 played all the time during its chart run on their survey. To my best of knowledge, they never did play the live version. Anyway, of the three versions of the song I've heard, this one is definitely my favorite. 8: HUNGRY EYES – ERIC CARMEN (11) - The second 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. 7: GOT MY MIND SET ON YOU – GEORGE HARRISON (4) - 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. 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. 6: I WANT TO BE YOUR MAN - ROGER (10) - 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) 5: SEASONS CHANGE – EXPOSE (8) - This was 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 in 1988, 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" EXTRA: PRIDE (IN THE NAME OF LOVE) – U2 - The first hit single by the band who was the top concert act of 1987, which, of course, was the story that tied in with this song, which was OK, but I preferred several others from the band. 4: THE WAY YOU MAKE ME FEEL – MICHAEL JACKSON (1) - 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 the week before, when this song was #1. Now I think it's a good one! 3: HAZY SHADE OF WINTER – THE BANGLES (5) - This one wasn't too bad (I do prefer it over "Walk Like An Egyptian"), but I prefer many other songs by the Bangles. OPTIONAL EXTRA: ROCKET 2 U - THE JETS - I'm not generally a big fan of their upbeat songs, but I actually liked this one. 2: COULD’VE BEEN - TIFFANY (3) - Here's a song that I'd been hearing on B96 since mid-November, and I kept hoping that it would soon hit the charts, which, of course, it did - in a major way might I add; just like her first hit, it went to #1 - in fact, its first week at the top (of the R&R chart) was on the chart dated January 29, 1988 - my sixteenth birthday, so that was a great birthday present for me! Needless to say, I preferred it over her first hit - by a good-sized margin! 1: NEED YOU TONIGHT - INXS (2) - 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).
|
|
|
Post by mrjukebox on Jan 25, 2020 9:32:40 GMT -5
Hi,Hervard-In July 1976,Casey did a special edition of "AT40" in which he featured all the songs that had reached # 1 on the Fourth Of July-I recall that Casey played the original version of "Ghost Riders In The Sky" by Vaughn Monroe.
|
|
|
Post by mrjukebox on Jan 25, 2020 9:39:57 GMT -5
David Lee Roth will be joining Kiss on their farewell tour-They're scheduled to appear in Connecticut this summer.
|
|
|
Post by Hervard on Jan 31, 2020 13:37:40 GMT -5
American Top 40: The 70s - February 1, 2020 This week's presentation - February 5, 1977 IT KEEPS YOU RUNNIN' - DOOBIE BROTHERS (37) - Carly Simon had taken this song to #48 the previous year and this version was slightly more successful, peaking at #37 the week before. It was a good song, though not quite their best. I NEVER CRY - ALICE COOPER (34) - Cooper was more famous for his hard rockers, but he did release a few ballads - in fact, this was the second of three in a row. My favorite was "Only Women", and I'm not sure if I prefer this one or "You And Me". Depends on my mood at the time. SORRY SEEMS TO BE THE HARDEST WORD - ELTON JOHN (33) - Elton's chart career all but came to a grinding halt after this song fell out of the charts, as most of his Top 40 hits over the next seven or so years did not hit the Top Ten. There are several theories about why this was, though I am not going to go into any of them right now. This song, the first of two singles from his Blue Moves album was a great one, as melancholy as it was. WHISPERING/CHERCHEZ LA FEMME/SE SI BON - DR BUZZARD'S ORIGINAL SAVANNAH BAND (27) - This was a medley of three songs and, IIRC, they usually rotated between the three songs that they played. 40: IN THE MOOD – HENHOUSE FIVE PLUS TWO (debut) - LOL! Funny rendition of the Glenn Miller classic sung by none other than a brood of clucking chickens (or, rather, Ray Stevens sounding like chickens). 39: MOODY BLUE – ELVIS PRESLEY (debut) - Little did anyone know what would happen to the King about six months later Anyway, this song wasn't bad, but I generally preferred his earlier hits. 38: RICH GIRL – DARYL HALL & JOHN OATES (debut) - Good; they didn't edit out the lines that contained the B-word. The song's short enough as it is, and IMO, it's only a bad word when you're calling someone a name or yelling "son of a b----" when you're mad. The context they use it in means a tough situation. But that is only my opinion and nothing more. As for my opinion on the song, I like it - glad it made it to the top. 37: I LIKE TO DO IT – K.C. & THE SUNSHINE BAND (39) - Up to now, KC & The Sunshine band would either hit #1 or bomb royally. This was their first non-#1 Top 40 hit, though this was all the higher it got. I wasn't too crazy about the song, which was mediocre at best. I preferred their bigger hits (well, except for their whinefest that is "Please Don't Go"). 36: CARRY ON WAYWARD SON - KANSAS (debut) - The first of seven Top 40 hits from this band from Topeka. This one didn't quite make the Top Ten, though it may as well have, with all the airplay it got back in the day. Anyway, this was one of my favorites from them. I preferred the album version, which I don't believe AT40 ever played. 35: THE THINGS WE DO FOR LOVE – 10 CC (40) - This song sounds like something Queen might have done, doesn't it? Of their two Top Ten his, this would be my favorite - a song I remember quite well from back in the day. 34: LIVIN’ THING – ELECTRIC LIGHT ORCHESTRA (28) - Their fourth of 20 Top 40 hits - and one of their best - in fact, it was my favorite song from them up to this point. It seems to me that they edit this song more often than not, but thankfully, it was left intact this week. 33: YOU’VE GOT ME RUNNIN’ – GENE COTTON (35) - Though I preferred his hit from the following year, "Before My Heart Finds Out", this was a good one as well. 32: LIVING NEXT DOOR TO ALICE - SMOKIE (36) - ALICE?? WHO THE F--- IS ALICE?? No, seriously, this is a pretty cool song, as is Gompie’s mid-90's remake of the song. 31: STAND TALL – BURTON CUMMINGS (29) - The former lead singer of the Guess Who managed to have two solo hits, and this was the biggest. It was a good one and, as I've said before, it would make a great closing theme for a movie whose plot dealt with a story of success. 30: TONIGHT’S THE NIGHT (GONNA BE ALRIGHT) – ROD STEWART (22) - This song wasted absolutely no time hitting #1 and eventually surpassed "Silly Love Songs" as the longest-running #1 song of 1976. Since it charted so late in the year, however, it was deferred to 1977's list, on which it was in the runner-up position, behind Andy Gibb. Anyway, this was a great song! One of his best. His song from early 1990, “Downtown Train” sounds a lot like this one. 29: SATURDAY NIGHT – EARTH, WIND & FIRE (21) - Well, it's actually mid-morning (7:49, to be exact) when I'm listening to this show, but it is indeed Saturday. As for this song, it is actually pretty good, though it's definitely not their best. 28: GO YOUR OWN WAY – FLEETWOOD MAC (32) - The first of four singles from one of the biggest albums ever, Rumors, which kept them on the charts almost steadily throughout 1977. It's my second favorite of the four, behind "You Make Lovin' Fun". 27: SAVE IT FOR A RAINY DAY – STEPHEN BISHOP (31) - This song may have been about a rainy day, but at least it didn't have that type of fee to it - in fact, it was quite upbeat. The song was not bad, but it doesn't hold a candle to "On And On", from later in 1977. OPTIONAL EXTRA: CRACKERBOX PALACE - GEORGE HARRISON - This song always takes me back to my college years, since I had the song on one of my favorite mix tapes that I compiled early in the school year, and listened to it all the time. Definitely one of Harrison's best solo hits! 26: DON’T LEAVE ME THIS WAY – THELMA HOUSTON (30) - Casey mentioned that, the previous week, this song was on top of the soul chart and it was on its way to topping the Hot 100 as well, seting the record for the slowest climbing #1 song by a woman. I'm sure the record has been broken by now, but that would likely be after 11/30/91, which was when I stopped believing in the Hot 100. I like this song, but preferred the Communards remake, which peaked at #40 ten years later. 25: BOOGIE CHILD – BEE GEES (38) - It looked like the Bee Gees had another Top Five hit, based on that large chart jump, as well as their overall track record, but this song, in fact, ran out of gas before it hit the Top Ten. I wasn't overly crazy about this song, though, so I didn't mind. I definitely prefer many of their other hits, including "Love So Right", which preceded this song. 24: AFTER THE LOVIN’ – ENGLEBERT HUMPERDINCK (19) -This is my favorite song from him by default, as it's the only song I've ever heard by him - that I know of, anyway. Not sure that I'd really like anything else by him, though, as this one was quite "geezerly". 23: YOU DON’T HAVE TO BE A STAR (TO BE IN MY SHOW) – MARILYN McCOO & BILLY DAVIS (18) - This was the very first #1 song of 1977. It was a pretty good song, but I prefer many other songs on this week's chart. 22: NIGHT MOVES – BOB SEGER (25) - The title track from one of Seger's best albums ever! I preferred the next single from that album, "Mainstreet", but this one was great also. They usually butchered this one, but this week, they seemed to leave it intact. 21: AIN’T NOTHING LIKE THE REAL THING – DONNY & MARIE OSMOND (23) - Wow, this sounds very similar to the original by Marvin Gaye and Tammi Terrell. Not sure which of the two I prefer. 20: YEAR OF THE CAT – AL STEWART (24) - He may have only had four Top 40 hits, but I liked each one of them! Not sure where this one ranks - possibly second behind "Time Passages". 19: DANCING QUEEN - ABBA (26) - It's a rather rare occasion when my favorite song by a certain act ends up being their biggest hit ever, but this is definitely an example. It seems that, more often than not, they did a hack job on this song (no exception this week), which, IMO, is kind of pointless, as it's not like it's that long of a song in the first place. I guess they had to edit where they could, as AT40 had long since outgrown its three-hour allotment. 18: HARD LUCK WOMAN - KISS (20) - This song charted twice - once in early 1977 and again in the summer of 1994, when Garth Brooks peaked at #26 with his cover version, which featured Kiss themselves on the instruments. Both versions sounded very similar, so it's hard to tell which version I prefer - both of them are great IMO. Interesting story about Ace Frehley being able to continue with a concert during which he was nearly electrocuted! 17: JEANS ON – DAVID DUNDAS (17) - Well, I should hope you have your jeans on! I don't want to see you in your briefs, thank you very much! But seriously, this song was pretty good. 16: SOMEBODY TO LOVE - QUEEN (13) - Definitely not my favorite song from them by any means. I seem to recall that I liked George Michael's live remake of the song in 1993, though. 15: YOU MAKE ME FEEL LIKE DANCING – LEO SAYER (4) - This would be the first of two #1 songs from him, during the same year, no less. This would be my favorite of the two songs, by a fair margin. 14: WEEKEND IN NEW ENGLAND – BARRY MANILOW (16) - Snow and fog seem to be the weather of choice in New England this weekend. No great difference from the weather here in the Great Lakes area. Anyway, as we all know, I liked most of Barry's slow songs, this song being no exception. OPTIONAL EXTRA: DREAMBOAT ANNIE - HEART - This song just barely missed the Top 40, peaking at #42 this week. It was a pretty good song, IMO, but I preferred many others by them. 13: FLY LIKE AN EAGLE – THE STEVE MILLER BAND (15) - The third Top 40 single from the album of the same name. It would also be the last, as Miller would release Book Of Dreams soon after this song ended its chart run. This is one of my favorite Steve Miller songs ever! 12: I LIKE DREAMIN’ – KENNY NOLAN (14) - After years of writing big hits for other artists, Kenny wrote one for himself, and it proved to be worthwhile, as the song climbed all the way to #3. It's a good song when it doesn't stick in my mind all day, like it has done several times before. 11: LOST WITHOUT YOUR LOVE - BREAD (12) - They were mainly an early-70s band, but they did have a comeback hit in early 1977, which would hit the Top Ten the following week. A great song indeed - one of my favorites from them! I noticed a similarity between the choruses of this song and "She Believes In Me" by Kenny Rogers. 10: WALK THIS WAY - AEROSMITH (10) - This was the band's second Top Ten hit (and last one for another eleven years). I liked this song, but preferred Run DMC's cover from 1986. 9: ENJOY YOURSELF – THE JACKSONS (11) - The Jacksons had been hitting the chart for years, but I wasn't a big fan of them by this point. They were much better in the early 70s, when they were known as the Jackson 5. 8: I WISH – STEVIE WONDER (2) - This song, the first of two #1 hits he had in 1977, was the #1 Soul song this week. As for my opinion of the song, I liked it, but preferred his next hit, "Sir Duke", which would also hit #1, the following spring. 7: LOVE THEME FROM “A STAR IS BORN” (EVERGREEN) – BARBRA STREISAND (9) - The soundtrack of "A Star Is Born" would hit #1 on the album chart the following week and the song would do the same on the Hot 100 a few weeks after that, and deservedly so, as this was one of Streisand's best songs ever! 6: BLINDED BY THE LIGHT – MANFRED MANN’S EARTH BAND (8) - Definitely one of the biggest Springsteen-penned hits ever! This one has held up quite well despite overplay. I just don't like they way that they edited it down - even more than the single version - the version they usually went with consisted of the chorus that starts the song, the first verse, and then jumped right to the last chorus. I wonder if it was like that in the original broadcast. 5: HOT LINE - SYLVERS (5) - I wonder how many kids who hear this song say, "WTF" to the woman near the beginning saying, "Number, please" As for this song, I like it and "Boogie Fever" about the same (although the latter sometimes wins out). 4: NEW KID IN TOWN – THE EAGLES (6) - Casey correctly predicted this song going to #1. This was the lead-off single from the album for which the Eagles seem to be most famous. Hotel California, which returned to #1 on the album chart this week. I like their two #1 songs from that album best, but I'm not sure which one I prefer, as both are great songs and among my favorites from them! 3: DAZZ - BRICK (3) - Typical roof raising R&B music of the 70s that I wasn't a big fan of. OPTIONAL EXTRA: DON'T GIVE UP ON US - DAVID SOUL - The only Top 40 single for Hutch. It's a pretty cheesy song, but not bad. 2: CAR WASH – ROSE ROYCE (1) - For a disco song, this one was pretty good. I remember that sometime during my senior year in high school, I started to watch the movie of the same name, but dozed off a mere half an hour into it. Must not have made that big of an impression on me. 1: TORN BETWEEN TWO GEEZERS – MARY MacGREGOR (7) - Ugh, people liked this song enough for it to take such a large leap to #1? This one resembles a confession on the Jerry Springer show, especially the first verse (you know, how the Jerry Springer guests butter up their lover before spilling the beans)? I was never a fan of this song, which is definitely a cure for insomnia. Coming up next week: We have a rare case in which the two songs offered are pre-1975, so I'll let anyone who wants to take the reigns for American Top 40: The 70s next week.
|
|