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Post by Hervard on Feb 14, 2020 14:02:32 GMT -5
American Top 40: The 80s - February 15, 2020
This week's presentation - February 12, 1983
Droppers: BAD BOY - RAY PARKER, JR. (35) - 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. HAND TO HOLD ONTO - JOHN COUGAR (32) - 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 later, 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. SHOCK THE MONKEY - PETER GABRIEL (29) - 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. MICKEY - TONI BASIL (23) - This was a great cheerleading anthem! One of my favorite songs from back in the day!
LW#1: AFRICA - TOTO 40: MR. ROBOTO - STYX (debut) - This was somewhat of a comeback hit for Styx, as they had been absent from the chart for about two years. I was never a huge fan of this song, though - one of my least favorites from them. Sort of a weird edit - they cut out the first verse (the one that starts out "I've got a secret I've been hiding under my skin". 39: THE WOMAN IN ME – DONNA SUMMER (40) - A rare slow song from her (slow all the way through, that is - the songs of hers that start out slow and pick up the pace a few bars into the song don't count). It was a good song, as was Heart's remake of it about ten years later. They sounded very much alike, IIRC. 38: THE CLAPPING SONG – PIA ZADORA (debut) - In past critiques, I have mercilessly bashed this song, but recently, I have realized how catchy this song is. After you've learned to appreciate the song as much as I have, sometimes you just can't help but to sing along, regardless of how silly it may be. 37: I KNEW YOU WHEN – LINDA RONSTADT (38) - Not a fan of this one either. She was in somewhat of a slump in the early-80s, IMO. In late 1982, she had a song that she pretty much screamed. This one was a little better, but I found the "yeah, yeah, yeah" chorus lead-ins annoying. 36: I KNOW THERE’S SOMETHING GOING ON - FRIDA (debut) - Phil Collins' trademark drumming was featured in this song (and you can hear him on backup vocals). This song was pretty good, but I generally preferred her material with Abba. 35: FALL IN LOVE WITH ME – EARTH, WIND & FIRE (debut) - I don't remember this song from back in the day, as the stations I listened to back then never played this. It wasn't bad, but definitely not their best. 34: THE GIRL IS MINE – MICHAEL JACKSON & PAUL McCARTNEY (16) - 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! 33: BREAKING US IN TWO – JOE JACKSON (39) - 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”). 32: DIRTY LAUNDRY – DON HENLEY (7) - Henley's first Top 40 solo hit, and his biggest ever. I always liked the song, which was about the tabloidization of the news. 31: ON THE LOOSE - SAGA (34) - One I remember quite well from early 1983 (since Chicago stations WLS and B96 played it regularly). It's a good song, but surprisingly, I'm a little tired of it, since it's on a mix tape that I used to listen to on a regular basis, but it's still a great song! OPTIONAL EXTRA: I'M ALIVE - NEIL DIAMOND - I remember hearing this one from time to time back in early 1983 (mainly on South Bend's WTHQ, which is now Sunny 101.5). This one had a rather odd chart run - it would debut at #35 the following week, stay there for a month, and then drop out of the Top 40. 30: SPACE AGE LOVE SONG – A FLOCK OF SEAGULLS (31) - One of many British bands on the chart, such would be the case througout 1983 as the second British invasion was in full swing! This band's first hit "I Ran" 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. 29: WHAT ABOUT ME – MOVING PICTURES (30) - 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. 28: ONE ON ONE – DARYL HALL & JOHN OATES (37) - The second of three singles from H20, as well as my favorite of the three. This song came very close to topping the R&R chart, but was edged out by “Billie Jean”. 27: SEPARATE WAYS - JOURNEY (36) - Wow, both of the biggest movers of the week were back to back! And here's a good one - this one DID make it to #1 on the R&R chart, and leapfrogged over the Hall & Oates song which peaked at #2 the week before. Here on the Hot 100, it would peak at #8 (for six weeks), a spot lower than the Hall & Oates song. This was my favorite release from their Frontiers album, but had many other songs from them that I preferred. 26: TWILIGHT ZONE – GOLDEN EARRING (33) - oo doo doo doo, doo doo doo doo...oh, wrong Twilight Zone? My bad. This song has become a classic rock staple, along with their 1974 hit "Radar Love". Of those songs, I prefer this one. I remember hearing this one quite a lot in the spring of 1983. 25: HEART OF THE NIGHT – JUICE NEWTON (25) - As this song sat at its peak of #25 for a third week, it was clear to see that Newton had her day in the sun. After 1983, she was nowhere to be found in the Top 40, but she continued to do well at Country. Anyway, though it doesn't hold a candle to her three 1983 hits, it's still a good song. 24: WE’VE GOT TONIGHT – KENNY ROGERS AND SHEENA EASTON (28) - Well, I must say that I do prefer this one over the original by Bob Seger, but it is definitely not my favorite song by either artist. 23: BILLIE JEAN – MICHAEL JACKSON (27) - The second of seven singles from the monster album Thriller, and it turned out to be the biggest, spending seven weeks at the top. It was a good song - has held up quite well over the years. 22: BACK ON THE CHAIN GANG – THE PRETENDERS (26) - We heard my two favorite songs from the band on the 80s series this week - "Brass In Pocket" was played as an Optional Extra on the 1980 show and here, we have their second Top 40 hit and their first Top Ten. Not sure which of the two I prefer, as both are great in their own ways. LDD: THE ONE YOU LOVE – GLENN FREY - Wow, what a LDD story! A lady met a guy at an airport, after both of their flights had been delayed. They hadn't exchanged last names and as far as the lady knew, they would never see each other again, but the guy managed to track her down with sporadic information about her and, long story short, they were planning to marry at the time of this show. OPTIONAL EXTRA: DER KOMMISSAR - AFTER THE FIRE - The first hit from this band from London - as well as their last. This one was an 80s mix show essential! 21: YOU ARE – LIONEL RICHIE (24) - This one definitely takes me back to early spring, 1983 - namely, since it receives absolutely no recurrent airplay. Yet "All Night Long" is played regularly - where is the justice I tell ya! But seriously, I liked this song a lot. Glad that it hit #1 on the R&R chart!. 20: YOU GOT LUCKY – TOM PETTY & THE HEARTBREAKERS (20) - This band was certainly a force to be reckoned with this weekend, as all three shows this week contained a song from them (the 1980 show had TWO of them)! 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. 19: HUNGRY LIKE THE WOLF – DURAN DURAN (22) - 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. I used to think the moans at the end were hilarious back in the day. 18: DO YOU REALLY WANT TO HURT ME – CULTURE CLUB (21) - 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. It was a double whammy this week, as it contained both. 17: ALLENTOWN – BILLY JOEL (17) - Again, 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 third 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 his best (and unfortunately, the message in this song is still timely today). 16: ALL RIGHT – CHRISTOPHER CROSS (19) - - This song had a promising start, debuting on the entire Hot 100 at #29. Sounds like a sure-fire Top Five hit, yet it didn’t even hit the Top Ten, though it did hit #3 on the R&R chart - I guess, since it was from a long-awaited album, people bought it instead of the single. Anyway, like most of Cross' Top 40 hits, this song was a great one, IMO. 15: HEART TO HEART – KENNY LOGGINS (15) - And what do you know - here's another song that hit the Top Five in R&R but missed the Top Ten on the Hot 100 - the third in a row, since "Allentown" also peaked at #3 on R&R! Anyway, this was a great song - one of his best, and they played the album version of the song - not sure how many times that happened on AT40 - they usually went with the single version, which I felt was too abrupt. 14: YOUR LOVE IS DRIVING ME CRAZY – SAMMY HAGAR (18) - This was a great song! How great, you may wonder? Well, how about 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). 13: PASS THE DUTCHIE – MUSICAL YOUTH (14) - A rather weird song, but not too bad, I guess. 12: GOODY TWO SHOWS – ADAM ANT (13) - One of several rockabilly songs that charted around late 1982/early 1983. I liked this song, but preferred his 1995 hit "Wonderful", which had sort of an early-80s sound to it, making me wonder how it would have done had it charted around now instead of "Goody Two Shoes". 11: THE OTHER GUY – LITTLE RIVER BAND (11) - 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". OPTIONAL EXTRA: LIES - THOMPSON TWINS - The debut single for this English band who were actually a trio despite their name (interesting story about how that caused a few problems with booking shows). As for the song, it was good, but my favorite song from them was "Hold Me Now", which was also their biggest. 10: YOU CAN’T HURRY LOVE – PHIL COLLINS (10) - The first of two Supremes covers that charted in 1983. The other one was "Stop! In The Name Of Love" by the Hollies, from that summer. I preferred that one, but this was a good one as well. 9: STRAY CAT STRUT – STRAY CATS (12) - The second of two rockabilly songs on the chart (the other, of course, being the Adam Ant song). I like both of them about the same. 8: ROCK THE CASBAH – THE CLASH (8) - This song has two versions of it - on the single version, I believe, the electronic sound effects heard in the third and fourth verses are somewhat muted, and the scream of "JIVE!!" is drawn out for several measures. I prefer the album version, which I believe is the version that AT40 generally plays. LDD: WE ARE FAMILY – SISTER SLEDGE - This song has definitely stood the test of time - still receives quite a lot of airplay 36 years later! I myself think it's a pretty good song, which says a lot, considering I'm not much for disco music. The song fit the LDD like a glove, as well. 7: YOU AND I – EDDIE RABBITT AND CRYSTAL GAYLE (9) - 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. 6: MANEATER – DARYL HALL & JOHN OATES (6) - This was the biggest hit for one of the most successful duos of all time - their ode to cannibalism, which recently spent a month at the top. It was quite overplayed back in the day and IMO is far from being their best song, but it's still pretty good. 5: AFRICA - TOTO (1) - They didn't quite hit the top with "Rosanna" (which spent a month at #1 on R&R), but the tables were turned for this song - it hit #1 two weeks prior on the Hot 100 but peaked at #2 on R&R. Anyway, due to overplay back during its chart run, I detested this song back then, but now that I don't hear it ten times a day, I rather like it. 4: SHAME ON THE MOON – BOB SEGER & THE SILVER BULLET BAND (5) - This song would spend four frustrating weeks at #2, but couldn't quite make it past "Billie Jean", which leapfrogged over the song. It was a good one, though not Seger's best. 3: SEXUAL HEALING – MARVIN GAYE (3) - This song recently spend a record-tying ten weeks at #1 on the soul chart. It didn't do half bad on the Hot 100 either, peaking here at #3. Gaye was immensely successful in the 60s and 70s, on both the pop and R&B charts, and had one hit in the 1980s before his life was cut short the following year. I was never a huge fan of his music, but this song was actually pretty good. 2: BABY, COME TO ME – PATTI AUSTIN & JAMES INGRAM (4) - This was their first of two duets that made the chart - the second was "How Do You Keep The Music Playing" would peak at #45 later in the year, but would do much better at AC radio. This song was a good one, but I preferred said other duet as well as some of their solo hits. 1: DOWN UNDER – MEN AT WORK (2) - This song had previously spent three weeks on top and dropped out last week and returned to #1 this week - I believe that was the last time that happened (before the PPW era, anyway). Anyway, this one was way overplayed, as well as the first hit from Business As Usual. Too bad the Cargo singles are all but ignored, since those were far superior, IMO.
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Post by slf on Feb 14, 2020 15:42:27 GMT -5
The full length version of "American Pie" was played on the show from 1/8/72 which just aired last month. Plus, I believe that on a January, 1979 show, when they got to the song in the Archives, they played the full song. I know the full-length version of "American Pie" was played on what I believe was the next-to-last week it was in the Top 40. (A show that Premiere played 10 or more years ago.) Casey had explained that he thought it appropriate to play the full version since the staff believed that the song would fall off the countdown the next week. But, as fate would have it, it stuck around one more week.
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Post by mkarns on Feb 14, 2020 15:57:01 GMT -5
Plus, I believe that on a January, 1979 show, when they got to the song in the Archives, they played the full song. I know the full-length version of "American Pie" was played on what I believe was the next-to-last week it was in the Top 40. (A show that Premiere played 10 or more years ago.) Casey had explained that he thought it appropriate to play the full version since the staff believed that the song would fall off the countdown the next week. But, as fate would have it, it stuck around one more week. The full length version of the song was also played on 1/22/72, its second week at #1. Premiere played that show in January 2009 and never since. 3/18/72 was its next to last week on AT40, and Premiere played it just last year. It was the last week of its original chart run that Casey would play it though; the following week Dick Clark filled in and played the shortened version.
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Post by slf on Feb 14, 2020 16:09:35 GMT -5
I know the full-length version of "American Pie" was played on what I believe was the next-to-last week it was in the Top 40. (A show that Premiere played 10 or more years ago.) Casey had explained that he thought it appropriate to play the full version since the staff believed that the song would fall off the countdown the next week. But, as fate would have it, it stuck around one more week. The full length version of the song was also played on 1/22/72, its second week at #1. Premiere played that show in January 2009 and never since. 3/18/72 was its next to last week on AT40, and Premiere played it just last year. It was the last week of its original chart run that Casey would play it though; the following week Dick Clark filled in and played the shortened version. OK, thanks. I must have forgotten that the 3/18/72 show was played just last year. The one time I remember hearing it was ten or more years ago. (That was before I started listening to the '70's shows online and could only catch them when I was far away form Indpls and close to a city that had a station that carried the '70's show. In this case, I happened to be in northern Indiana and I heard the aforementioned show on a Ft. Wayne station while in my car.)
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Post by pb on Feb 15, 2020 13:12:35 GMT -5
OPTIONAL EXTRA: I'M ALIVE - NEIL DIAMOND - I remember hearing this one from time to time back in early 1983 (mainly on South Bend's WTHQ, which is now Sunny 101.5). This one had a rather odd chart run - it would debut at #35 the following week, stay there for a month, and then drop out of the Top 40. Neil's last top 40 hit. A sign times were changing, I think.
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Post by Hervard on Feb 21, 2020 13:44:26 GMT -5
American Top 40: The 70s - February 22, 2020
This week's presentation - February 21, 1976
Droppers: THEME FROM MAHOGANY (DO YOU KNOW WHERE YOU'RE GOING TO) - DIANA ROSS (37) - A song that was #1 just four weeks before. A shame that it fell so fast, as this was one of my favorite songs from Diana Ross. I LOVE MUSIC - THE O'JAYS (35) - No huge loss here, as this wasn't one of my favorites from them by any means. LET THE MUSIC PLAY - BARRY WHITE (32) - I’m usually not a big fan of his, but I actually liked this song. TIMES OF YOUR LIFE - PAUL ANKA (23) - This song is a tad on the cheesy side, but it's still not bad - very mellow and relaxing. This would end up being Anka's final Top Ten hit.
40: HOLD BACK THE NIGHT - TRAMMPS (debut) - Even though they're most famous for "Disco Inferno" from two years later, this was their first hit. I preferred this one, though it wasn't anything exceptional. 39: RENEGADE – MICHAEL MURPHEY (debut) - If "featuring" was prevelant in 1976, this one's credits would have been about as long as those of several songs that have charted over the past few years, with no less than five featured artists. Several big name country music stars (John Denver, Charlie Daniels, John Denver, and two members of the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band) were heard singing back-up on this song. 38: CUPID – TONY ORLANDO & DAWN (debut) - One of three remakes of the Sam Cooke classic to hit the Top 40 - I don't believe I've ever heard the first one, which was by Johnny Nash. My favorite remake is by the Spinners, but this one isn't bad either. 37: LOVE IS THE DRUG – ROXY MUSIC (debut) - The only Top 40 hit for this English art-rock band. They did have a song that somewhat returned from obscurity when 10,000 Maniacs covered it in 1997. I preferred that one, though this one wasn't bad either. 36: SWEET LOVE – THE COMMODORES (39) - I wasn't a huge fan of their early songs. This one was mediocre at best. 35: TANGERINE – SALSOUL ORCHESTRA (40) - Typical Philly style disco music - I thought it was pretty good, like their other hit, "Nice 'N" Naasty", also from 1976. 34: ONLY SIXTEEN – DR. HOOK (36) - Another Sam Cooke cover. I don't remember how the original goes, but this was pretty good. Nowhere near as good as "Better Love Next Time", of course. 33: LOVE ROLLERCOASTER – THE OHIO PLAYERS (7) - Yikes! That has to be one of the biggest drops in AT40 history! Many radio stations must have dropped this one simultaneously. It did have a good Top Ten run, however, with ten weeks which, at the time, was unusually long. As for my opinion about the song, it was pretty good. 32: MONEY MONEY – THE BAY CITY ROLLERS (38) - Their second hit, and it would be another Top Ten, like their first hit, the #1 "Saturday Night". This song wasn't anything I'd go out of my way to listen to - the only songs by them that I like would be "I Only Want To Be With You" and "You Made Me Believe In Magic". 31: BOHEMIAN RHAPSODY – QUEEN (33) - Casey mentioned how this song spent nine weeks on top in England. Didn't do too shabby here in the states, peaking at #9 and spending 17 weeks in the Top 40 - and it came 16 years later, thanks to Wayne's World. Definitely one of their best, and I remember this one from both chart runs! No, I didn't do the headbanging thing when the song rocks out - that wouldn't be a very good idea, in my old age, LOL! EXTRA: MR. TAMBOURINE MAN – THE BYRDS - This song was demoted to Optional Extra status, which I guess isn't too bad, as they didn't have to edit down as many songs. 30: DREAM ON - AEROSMITH (34) - However, it didn't stop them from butchering this one (though it didn't seem to be edited as much as it usually is). It's a great song - another one of my personal faves from back in the day. 29: CONVOY – C.W. McCALL (11) - His first Top 40 hit just made it by the skin of its teeth, but this song, on the other hand, went all the way to the top! Great song - one of the best truckin' song ever! 28: DEEP PURPLE – DONNY & MARIE OSMOND (30) - Casey mentioned that this was their third remake in a row, but they wouldn't stop there - they would end up having five. Their only Top 40 hit that wasn't a cover (I don't think so, anyway) was their last Top 40 hit, "On The Shelf", in late 1978. 27: SLOW RIDE - FOGHAT (28) - As I've said many times before, this is a classic rock staple! I sort of remember this one from its chart run, though it wasn't really one of my favorites. 26: TRACKS OF MY TEARS – LINDA RONSTADT (26) - Wow, lots of remakes on this week's chart! This one was originally done by the Miracles, though Johnny Rivers had a slightly bigger hit with it a few years later. Not sure which of the three I prefer. 25: SWEET THING – RUFUS FEATURING CHAKA KHAN (31) - Pretty much your typical mid-70s R&B slow jam - I liked this and Mary J Blige's 1992 cover about the same. 24: THE WHITE KNIGHT – CLEDUS MAGGARD (25) - Ugh! Nothing more than an annoying ripoff of "Convoy"! Next song, please... 23: JUNK FOOD JUNKIE – LARRY GROCE (30) - This song was recorded at McCabes Guitar Shop in Santa Monica, which accounts for the laughing and cheering audience heard many times throughout the song. Funny song, though I'm sure I'd get tired of it if I heard it all the time. 22: SING A SONG – EARTH, WIND & FIRE (5) - Big drop, but dwarfed by the hard fall of "Love Rollercoaster". The song isn't bad, but I preferred several others from them. 21: GOLDEN YEARS – DAVID BOWIE (24) - Not a huge fan of him, though his two 1987 hits are good ones. 20: FANNY (BE TENDER WITH MY LOVE) – THE BEE GEES (22) - This song and their hit from later that year, "Love So Right" sounded a lot alike. I preferred the latter, but this was a good one as well. 19: SOMEWHERE IN THE NIGHT – HELEN REDDY (19) - This was all the higher this song got, but Barry Manilow's cover from three years later would hit the Top Ten. I preferred that one, though this one wasn't bad either - not quite as cheesy as many other Helen Reddy songs. 18: DREAM WEAVER – GARY WRIGHT (27) - Another one of my personal faves from back in the day. It has since lost some of its luster due to overplay, but it's still not bad. I do prefer his two other Top 40 hits, though. 17: BABY FACE - THE WING & A PRAYER FIFE & DRUM CORPS (20) - This one had charted in some form or other for the past five decades in addition to this one. It was a good song. 16: SQUEEZE BOX – THE WHO (16) - A comeback hit for them, as they hadn't charted for three years. This was one of their best songs ever, IMO. 15: GROW SOME FUNK OF YOUR OWN – ELTON JOHN (17) - This week, they played the flipside, "I Feel Like A Bullet (In The Gun Of Robert Ford)". I preferred that one, but GSFOYO was a good one too. Too bad it didn't last long on the chart, especially for a song that peaked as high as it did. 14: WAKE UP EVERYBODY (PART 1) – HAROLD MELVIN & THE BLUE NOTES (15) - The last of four songs that they charted with in the 1970s. It was a pretty good song. OPTIONAL EXTRA: BOOGIE FEVER - THE SYLVERS - We heard their other Top Ten hit, "Hot Line" a few weeks back, and this week, their other is one of this weeks Optionals. It's a good one - my favorite of the two by a slight margin. 13: LONELY NIGHT (ANGEL FACE) – THE CAPTAIN AND TENNILLE (21) - Well, this wasn't as overplayed as "Love Will Keep Us Together" or barf-inducing like "Muskrat Love" from later on in the year, but it was still nothing exceptional. 12: DECEMBER 1963 (OH WHAT A NIGHT) – THE FOUR SEASONS (18) - They had several #1 songs in the sixties, and even managed one in the 1970s which, of course, was this one. It was a pretty good song, though quite overplayed. 11: LOVE HURTS - NAZARETH (13) - One of the best power ballads ever! 10: EVIL WOMAN – THE ELECTRIC LIGHT ORCHESTRA (10) - Their second Top 40 hit, and it went Top Ten, like the first. I liked it, though it wasn't my absolute favorite from them. 9: TAKE IT TO THE LIMIT – THE EAGLES (12) - The newest hit from their Greatest Hits 1971-1975 album. It was also my favorite from that album - a great song indeed! 8: BREAKING UP IS HARD TO DO – NEIL SEDAKA (9) - The ballad version of this sixties classic. Of the two, I prefer this one. 7: ALL BY MYSELF – ERIC CARMEN (14) - Casey told the story about Eric switching from studying classical music to rock, but he used both elements in this song, as the bridge used a piano concerto by Sergei Rachmaninoff. It was a good song - my second favorite song from him behind "Never Gonna Fall In Love Again", which charted later on in the year. 6: I WRITE THE SONGS – BARRY MANILOW (6) - It's true that I liked most of his ballads, but this one was one of my least favorite of those, most likely due to overplay. 5: LOVE MACHINE PART 1 – THE MIRACLES (8) - This song was on its way to becoming the slowest rising #1 song - up to that point, that is - it has since been beaten by several other songs. I thought this song was pretty good, but I preferred a few others from them. 4: LOVE TO LOVE YOU BABY – DONNA SUMMER (2) - I'm sorry, but a prolonged orgasm is not a song. EXTRA: SIGNED, SEALED, DELIVERED, I’M YOURS – STEVIE WONDER - Another song moved to OE status. This song wasn't bad, but it was far from being my favorite song from Wonder. 3: YOU SEXY THING – HOT CHOCOLATE (3) - I was never a big fan of this song, or them in general. I did like "Emma", from the previous year, though. 2: THEME FROM “S.W.A.T.” – RHYTHM HERITAGE (4) - 1976 was definitely the year for TV show themes on the chart, and this was indeed one of the biggest, topping the chart the following week. A great song it was! 1: 50 WAYS TO LEAVE YOUR LOVER – PAUL SIMON (1) - Simon's first #1 hit after parting ways with Art Garfunkel (who, sadly, never hit #1 on his own). I liked this song, but preferred his next hit, the title track from his album Still Crazy After All These Years.
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Post by Hervard on Feb 21, 2020 13:44:36 GMT -5
American Top 40: The 70s - February 22, 2020
This week's presentation - February 22, 1986
I MISS YOU - KLYMAXX (31) - This song definitely got a lot of chart mileage - so much that it ranked on the year-end Top 100 higher than it peaked on the weekly charts. It's a great song, though I preferred their other two Top 40 hits. SIDEWALK TALK - JELLYBEAN (29) - This one wasn't quite my cup of tea. I preferred Jellybean's other song featuring Elisa Fiorello on the vocals, "Who Found Who". MY HOMETOWN - BRUCE SPRINGSTEEN (24) - The seventh and final song from Born In The USA album - and all seven songs reached the Top Ten, tying the record with Michael Jackson's Thriller as the album that spawned the most Top Ten hits. This was possibly my favorite song from the album, though "I'm On Fire" and "Glory Days" were very close behind.
LW#1: HOW WILL I KNOW - WHITNEY HOUSTON 40: ROCK ME AMADEUS - FALCO (debut) - Of course, my opinion of this song varies, depending on which version they play. The one I like is the one that has more German lyrics to it. The version that they usually went with, like on this show, is the one that includes the chronology of Mozart's life. That one is more or less a remix of the version I prefer. 39: MANIC MONDAY - BANGLES (debut) - Their breakthrough hit was on its way up the chart en route to #2 (edged out of #1 by a song by the artist who wrote this one). This was one of my favorite songs from them, which is more than I can say for their song that hit #1 at the end of the year. 38: NIGHT MOVES - MARILYN MARTIN (debut) - She definitely had Phil Collins to thank for the success of "Separate Lives", as this song didn't get any higher than #28. Too bad, as it was a great song. Of course, it might have done better if released a few years prior, since it sounded more like an early-80s hit. 37: WALK OF LIFE - DIRE STRAITS (25) - They had been a one hit wonder until the summer of the previous year when they charted with their biggest hit "Money For Nothing". This was their third hit and, like the first two, it was a Top Ten hit. It was a good song, IMO. 36: GO HOME - STEVIE WONDER (16) - Wonder had been hitting the charts since the early sixties and, with two Top Ten hits from In Square Circle, it looked like he was far from over but, unfortunately, this was his final Top Ten hits, and he had three more singles after that. I liked this song, but preferred his next hit "Overjoyed". 35: LET'S GO ALL THE WAY - SLY FOX (40) - One of several one-hit wonders on this week's chart. This song had actually been released a year earlier, but didn't really go anywhere. Their decision to re-release it in 1986 proved to be worthwhile, as it hit the Top Ten. It was a good song 34: ANOTHER NIGHT - ARETHA FRANKLIN (38) - Definitely a case of Third Single Syndrome here. The first two singles from Who's Zoomin' Who hit the Top Ten, but this one only got as high as #22 two weeks later. I liked this song better than "Freeway Of Love", but I preferred the title track over both of them. 33: (HOW TO BE A) MILLIONAIRE - ABC (39) - I sure wish I knew! I could live comfortably for life! 32: SAY YOU, SAY ME - LIONEL RICHIE (20) - One of two number one hits from the soundtrack to the movie White Nights. Of course, both songs would have been at the top consecutively if not for an injured bird. The song was pretty good, but definitely not one of my favorite songs from him. OPTIONAL EXTRA: KISS - PRINCE & THE REVOLUTION - Meh, not a fan of this one, or any of his falsetto songs (well, except for "Mountains"). 31: TALK TO ME - STEVIE NICKS (18) - One of her most successful solo hits. Another was heard on the "B" show this week (although, technically, it was a duet, but that's beside the point). Anyway, I liked this song, but preferred her next release "I Can't Wait". 30: SPIES LIKE US - PAUL McCARTNEY (14) - Earlier, I mentioned how Paul McCartney went for almost 30 years without having a Top Ten hit. This was the final one before the drought. He would return in early 2015 as a featured singer on Kanye West's "FourFiveSeconds". I believe that might be the record, but I'm not totally sure. It definitely dwarfs James Brown's record of 17 1/2 years. 29: BEAT'S SO LONELY - CHARLIE SEXTON (34) - his song was on its way to a somewhat unusual chart feat. The song peaked at #17 for three weeks, the third of those being in its 17th week and, with the way the chart was printed at the time, that made for 17's across the number columns. And guess how old Charlie was at the time? Anyway, the song was pretty good - I just noticed how much the song reminds me of "Cradle Of Love" by Billy Idol. 28: WHAT YOU NEED - INXS (36) - Their first Top Ten hit, but the best was yet to come in 1988. One of their songs that charted that year, "New Sensation" reminded me a lot of this one. Both are good songs. 27: THIS COULD BE THE NIGHT - LOVERBOY (35) - They had been hitting the chart for several years, but in 1985, they finally had their first Top Ten hit. This was the second in a row, but this wasn't the beginning of any long streak. This was their final Top Ten hit. It was a great one - one of my favorites from them! 26: R.O.C.K. IN THE U.S.A. - JOHN COUGAR MELLENKAMP (37) - This was his biggest hit during the eight or so years that he used both of his surnames (his real one and the one that he was assigned as his stage name). The song peaked at #2 a little over a month later. This was my favorite song from him back in the day, but, while I still like it, somehow, it doesn't sound quite as good as it did 30 years ago). 25: HE'LL NEVER LOVE YOU (LIKE I DO) - FREDDIE JACKSON (27) - After two slow songs, he went with a mid-tempo song as his third Top 40 hit. I liked this, as well as his first two, about the same. 24: SANCTIFY YOURSELF - SIMPLE MINDS (33) - This was my favorite song in the world around this time back in 1986. Their last two hits had been mediocre IMO (though I like both of them better now), but there was just something about this song that I really liked. Too bad this one didn't quite make the Top Ten like their first two hits; it would peak at #14 the following week. They played the single version this week, that had shorter instrumental lead-ins, which was one of my favorite parts of the song, so I preferred the album version (which I believe AT40 did occasionally play). 23: STAGES - ZZ TOP (32) - The second of four singles from Afterburner to hit the Top 40. Of course, I preferred the Afterburner singles, since that album had more of a pop sound than their trademark southern rock. My favorite song from the album was "Rough Boy", but it was a toss-up between this and "Sleeping Bag" as my second favorite. 22: NIKITA - ELTON JOHN (30) - At this point, AT40 could have conceivably compiled a chart of the Top 40 Hits by Elton John, as this was his 40th song to make the Top 40. It was a good song, but not quite his best. LDD: COME SAIL AWAY - STYX - This was a touching tribute to the members of the Space Shuttle Challenger crew, who lost their lives in the explosion of the spacecraft back on January 28, 1986. 21: DIGITAL DISPLAY - READY FOR THE WORLD (23) - This song was apparently a huge seller, as it peaked at #21 on the Hot 100, but didn't quite make the R&R chart. I preferred this one over the overplayed "Oh Sheila", but it wasn't quite as good as "Love You Down", which would chart a year later. OPTIONAL EXTRA: WHAT HAVE YOU DONE FOR ME LATELY - JANET JACKSON - The first of many, many hits that Janet would place on the charts. However, this was one of my least favorite songs from her. I generally liked her later songs. 20: THE SUN ALWAYS SHINES ON T.V. - A-HA (21) - Often referred to as a one-hit wonder, this Norwegian band actually did have a follow-up. I preferred "Take On Me", but this was a good one as well. 19: RUSSIANS - STING (26) - The melody of this song is based on Sergei Prokofiev's romance passage of the Lieutenant Kijé Suite. I liked this song - very haunting. 18: DAY BY DAY - HOOTERS (28) - Despite this song's good-sized jump, this is all the higher it got, believe it or not. Must have been a vacuum effect kind of thing. Anyway, this band was more or less a flash in the pan, with three Top 40 hits. This one was pretty good, though I slightly preferred "And We Danced". 17: KING FOR A DAY - THOMPSON TWINS (22) - This is definitely better than their last hit, "Lay Your Mediocrity On Me", but there are still a few songs by them that I prefer, my favorite being "Hold Me Now" - which I have a feeling that we'll be hearing on the next 1984 show. 16: TARZAN BOY - BALTIMORA (17) - This song charted twice - once in 1986 and again in 1993, thanks to its inclusion in the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles III movie (and it was also used in promos for Listerine Cool Mint mouthwash around that time. It was a good song. 15: CONGA - MIAMI SOUND MACHINE (10) - Their debut hit became their first Top Ten as well. It was OK, but I preferred many other songs from both MSM and Gloria Estefan as a solo artist. 14: THESE DREAMS - HEART (19) - Their very first #1 hit! Oddly enough, while Ann Wilson had generally sung lead, Nancy was given a turn at the lead vocals and this one went all the way to the top (they would have another #1 hit, and that would be with Ann singing lead). Anyway, this was a great song - one of my favorite songs from them (as is said other #1 hit "Alone"). 13: I'M YOUR MAN - WHAM (6) - This was about the time that we found out that Wham! would be splitting up. That wasn't so bad, as George Michael, who did most of the vocals for their hits, had an even more successful solo career and did basically the same kind of music. As far as my opinion on this song, it's a good one, but I prefer others from Wham! as well as George Michael solo. 12: A LOVE BIZARRE - SHEILA E. (13) - I'm not generally a huge fan of hers, though I did like her underrated "The Belle Of St. Mark", from late 1984. 11: SECRET LOVERS - ATLANTIC STARR (15) - A song about two people bored with their spouses, so they sneak around to be together. Sounds like a typical situation for the Jerry Springer show. Anyway, it's a good song nevertheless. 10: THAT'S WHAT FRIENDS ARE FOR - DIONNE & FRIENDS (5) - This tribute song to raise money for AIDS research had recently spent four weeks at #1 and was on its way to becoming the top song of the entire year. I didn't like the song much when it was charting, since it was so overplayed, but now, it's nice to hear it every now and then. OPTIONAL EXTRA: ADDICTED TO LOVE - ROBERT PALMER - Definitely one of the most overplayed hits of the 80s. I rather liked this song back in the day, but I'm still burned out on it (since the song still continues to receive a ton of recurrent airplay). 9: BURNING HEART - SURVIVOR (3) - This song had an unusually long run on the R&R chart - it was the first song since the fall of 1984 to spend more than fifteen weeks on the chart. It spent 16 weeks on both R&R and AT40. Of their Rocky soundtrack hits, it would be my favorite. 8: SILENT RUNNING - MIKE & THE MECHANICS (12) - This was their first Top 40 single, but such was not the case with the lead singer Paul Carrack, who had charted as the lead singer of Ace, who went Top Ten with "How Long" in 1975 (which Casey mentioned), and as a solo artist as well. I liked this song, but preferred their next two singles, both also from 1986. 7: LIFE IN A NORTHERN TOWN - THE DREAM ACADEMY (11) - This one was very different sounding. It definitely had that northern winter feeling, with the cold wind sound effects. This was my favorite of their two Top 40 hits. The second one, "The Love Parade" was pretty good too, but that one just didn't have what this song did (which just might be why it didn't do anywhere near as well as this song did). 6: THE SWEETEST TABOO - SADE (8) - Their second and final Top Ten hit, though they would chart a few more times. While I preferred their first Top Ten, "Smooth Operator", this was a good one too. Actually, I liked all of their hits, since they all had a relaxing smooth jazz sound to them. LDD: THE SEARCH IS OVER - SURVIVOR - Hmm, I wonder what video game Arthur was playing when he fell in love with this girl that he met at the arcade? Anyway, this song definitely fit the dedication, as he and the girl were engaged at the time he wrote the LDD. 5: LIVING IN AMERICA - JAMES BROWN (7) - Heh, this song's title was similar to #7, only it covers a broader spectrum and is not as specific. Anyway, before this song, he had an even 100 songs that hit the Soul charts. Oddly enough, he never even had a Pop #1 - this was actually one of his biggest hits, peaking at #4. As for this song, it was so/so. I was never a big James Brown fan. 4: SARA - STARSHIP (9) - It's good to hear this song every now and again, but back in the spring of 1986, this song was way overplayed and I was sick of hearing it no less than once every hour, or so it seemed. 3: WHEN THE GOING GETS TOUGH, THE TOUGH GET GOING BILLY OCEAN (2) - Though this song originated from "Jewel Of The Nile", it was also the leadoff single from his very successful Love Zone album. This was one of my favorite songs in the world when it hit #1. OPTIONAL EXTRA: I CAN'T WAIT - STEVIE NICKS - The first of two songs by that title that charted in 1986. I much preferred this song, as I was never crazy about the Nu Shooz song. Too bad the latter was the bigger hit. 2: KYRIE - MR. MISTER (4) - Their second number one song in a row - and, just like that song, it spent two weeks at #1. That said, it definitely looked like Mr. Mister would become one of the biggest new acts of the 1980s. Unfortunately, that was not to be; after another Top Ten hit in June and a mid-charter a year later, they would never hit the chart again. Anyway, I thought this song was pretty good, but I preferred their first #1 "Broken Wings". 1: HOW WILL I KNOW - WHITNEY HOUSTON (1) - This was another song like "Sara" - I liked it a lot back during its chart run, but now not so much. I guess it's somewhat of a teenybopper type song (my Dad and brother also disliked this song for that very reason, as well as overplay). I preferred "The Greatest Love Of All", which would spend three weeks at #1 in May. Coming up next week: The February 28, 1987 is on deck next week as a standalone. I wonder if that is a one-time thing or if that year will be by itself from now on.
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Post by at40nut on Feb 22, 2020 8:26:12 GMT -5
I did not know that Michael Bolton had a song back in 1976 that would later be covered by Styx a few years later LOL. Joking aside, imagine if Michael Bolton would have stuck with the Hard Rock/Heavy Metal genre? Perhaps he becomes Van Halen's new lead singer in 1985, not Sammy Hagar. The movie "Office Space" would not be quite as funny. One of those "Butterfly Effect" theories LOL
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Post by mrjukebox on Feb 22, 2020 16:48:06 GMT -5
"Bohemian Rhapsody" charted for a third time after the release of that self-titled movie in 2018.
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Post by mrjukebox on Feb 22, 2020 23:39:36 GMT -5
The drummer on "50 Ways To Leave Your Lover" was Steve Gadd-An awesome musician who has performed with Paul Simon in concert.
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Post by mrjukebox on Feb 22, 2020 23:42:10 GMT -5
Interesting piece of trivia regarding "I Feel Like A Bullet (In The Gun Of Robert Ford)"-Ford was the lawman who shot & killed the legendary outlaw Jesse James.
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Post by pb on Feb 23, 2020 8:35:21 GMT -5
The drummer on "50 Ways To Leave Your Lover" was Steve Gadd-An awesome musician who has performed with Paul Simon in concert. Another notable performance from him on an AT40 song was on "Chuck E's In Love" by Rickie Lee Jones.
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Post by bobbo428 on Feb 26, 2020 0:02:11 GMT -5
THE TOP-40 HITS FROM 44 YEARS AGO THIS WEEK
Local weather: Cloudy and mild—near 50 degrees. It was our warmest February since 1954 in our area, and I was enjoying the shift to springlike conditions. Feb. 21, 1976, was the first time I ever bought a copy of Billboard Magazine. Of all the new entries on the Hot 100, I don’t think any of them made the top 40!
Station I listened to the show on 2/22/76: WILK (Wilkes Barre, PA or WENE (Endicott, NY) Stations I listened to the show on this time: Friday night: KLFM (40-20, when my friend wanted to listen to opera songs); just now: Hits 100. Thankfully, both stations are free of those irritating Premier ads!!
40 HOLD BACK THE NIGHT-TRAMMPS It was the first I heard of this disco outfit, and the song had a memorable, Philly-styled R&B hook and should have charted higher. 39 RENEGADE-MICHAEL MURPHEY Not the 1979 Styx hit, this was a country-tinged rocker about gambling with cards. The tune reminded me of the Eagles’ “Already Gone” musically. 38 CUPID-TONY ORLANDO & DAWN Remake of 1961 (?) Sam Cooke classic, this was a pop number in the vein of Dawn’s “He Don’t Love You.” 37 LOVE IS THE DRUG-ROXY MUSIC British art-rock track had a proto-new wave feel to it, as well as an irresistible hook. It may have been the first new wave song to make the top 40. 36 SWEET LOVE-COMMODORES Gospel-influenced song was soulful and was the group’s first top-10 pop hit—a tune of yearning for a better world, free of strife. Lionel Richie's 1996 single “Don't Wanna Lose You” would have a similar hook. 35 TANGERINE-SALSOUL ORCHESTRA Disco version of the Jimmy Dorsey Orchestra hit, this was a top-20 success and had an upbeat feel that made me think of the Ritchie Family’s “Brazil.” 34 ONLY SIXTEEN-DR. HOOK This remake of the old Sam Cooke song was faithful to the original—with a bit of a country flavor. 33 LOVE ROLLERCOASTER-OHIO PLAYERS This blockbuster hit saw the Players at their commercial peak, as this song became an instant smash. There were some good brass and guitar hooks on this awesome record. Musically, it seemed to capture the ups and down of riding an actual rollercoaster. 32 MONEY HONEY-BAY CITY ROLLERS Teenybopper band rocked out hard with this blustery single. 31 BOHEMIAN RHAPSODY-QUEEN This epic tune was an excellent, morose melodrama. I always wondered why this song moved up the chart so slowly. It would chart again years later, reaching the top five. 30 DREAM ON-AEROSMITH First released in 1973, I became familiar with this classic rock ballad—one of my favorite records at the time—in early 1976. The song was very well constructed—vocals, guitar work, lyrics, and piano and keyboard work. The record gradually built to a spellbinding climax. Yeah, we heard the chopped, AM version, of course, in the show. 29 CONVOY-C.W. MCCALL Humorous novelty tune rode the wave of the CB radio fad; I enjoyed this country song, and it became a huge crossover smash. In 1990, the melody would be used in a song called “Car Phone,” which was a Dr. Demento favorite. 28 DEEP PURPLE-DONNY & MARIE OSMOND This was a maudlin cover of an already sappy tune that had reached #1 in 1963 for Nino Temple and April Stevens. Ironically, the song that replaced Nino and April at #1, Dale and Grace's "I'm Leaving It All Up to You," was also a Donny & Marie hit. I enjoyed this song more than their summer 1974 remake, though. EXTRA: MR. TAMBOURINE MAN-THE BYRDS This Bob Dylan composition had impeccable, jangly guitars. It was the record that ignited the folk-rock explosion and probably encouraged Dylan to go electric at Newport in the summer of ‘65. This song captured the '60s like few others. 27 SLOW RIDE-FOGHAT A hard, slamming, boogie rocker that reminded me of mid-winter snowstorms—it has received huge amounts of classic rock airplay. 26 TRACKS OF MY TEARS-LINDA RONSTADT Earnest cover of the Motown classic was genuine, if a bit bland. This song had originally been a top-20 hit for The Miracles in 1965 (and a top-10 hit for Johnny Rivers in '67). It had a plaintive winter feel to it. 25 SWEET THING -RUFUS FEATURING CHAKA KHAN This was a romantic, rhythmic ballad about a forbidden love and was one of their biggest hits. It would be remade by Mary J. Blige in 1993. 24 THE WHITE KNIGHT-CLEDUS MAGGARD AND THE CITIZEN’S BAND This tune was a country CB radio song in the vein of C.W. McCall’s “Convoy” but cheesier. 23 JUNK FOOD JUNKIE-LARRY GROCE Humorous novelty song that parodied people who were ultra-health conscious 22 SING A SONG-EARTH, WIND & FIRE This was an upbeat, gospel-influenced number that was also funky. It had an infectious hook, and it soared into the top five. 21 GOLDEN YEARS-DAVID BOWIE Catchy, R&B-influenced pop rocker was a major hit—and his last top-40 appearance until 1981’s collaboration with Queen, “Under Pressure.” Forty years to the day after this tune made the top 40, David Bowie would leave this world (Jan. 10, 2016). 20 FANNY (BE TENDER WITH MY LOVE)-BEE GEES This mellow, well-crafted tune had an early-spring feel and went well with the mild February we had that year. 19 SOMEWHERE IN THE NIGHT-HELEN REDDY This romantic pop ballad was a fairly big hit; it would be an even bigger single for Barry Manilow three years later. 18 DREAM WEAVER-GARY WRIGHT The pop breakthrough for this progressive rocker was a mellow, ethereal yet haunting ballad that was a top-five smash. 17 BABY FACE-WING & A PRAYER FIFE & DRUM CORPS Disco cover of the old pop standard sounded a lot like Consumer Rapport’s “Ease On Down the Road” because some of the same singers performed on both records. A year later, the standard “Whispering” would get a similar disco treatment from Dr. Buzzard’s Original Savannah Band. 16 SQUEEZE BOX -THE WHO This tune was a humorous boogie rocker about a woman who liked to play music late at night. The lyrics had a double entendre that went over my head at the time. 15 GROW SOME FUNK OF YOUR OWN/I FEEL LIKE A BULLET (IN THE GUN OF ROBERT FORD)-ELTON JOHN "Grow Some Funk of Your Own" was a rousing hard rocker, while “I Feel like a Bullet” was a taut, suspenseful ballad. That year saw Elton beginning to retreat from the spotlight, and this record only peaked in the teens that February. 14 WAKE UP, EVERYBODY (PART 1)-HAROLD MELVIN AND THE BLUE NOTES This was a well-crafted, socially conscious soul tune that had hoped to be a call to arms for the Me Generation; in the 1990s, it would be used in a public service ad trying to recruit schoolteachers. The song would be remade by John Legend & the Roots in 2010. I was hoping it (as well as their spring 1975 hit “Bad Luck”) would reach the top 10, but “Wake Up” stalled at #12. OPTIONAL EXTRA: BOOGIE FEVER-SYLVERS A fun, springlike song with a bubblegum feel 13 LONELY NIGHT (ANGEL FACE-CAPTAIN & TENNILLE The duo’s third big hit was a saccharine yet rhythmic soft-rock tune that I thought was called “I Can’t Getcha Out of My Mind.” It did have a fairly catchy hook, though it was seldom heard after the ‘70s. 12 DECEMBER 1963 (OH WHAT A NIGHT)-4 SEASONS A disco-tinged story song about a one-night stand--the hook was very mesmerizing, though at the time I had no clue what the record was really about. The version played sounded awfully short. 11 LOVE HURTS-NAZARETH The A-side, a ubiquitous rock proto-power ballad was big on AOR and pop radio. 10 EVIL WOMAN-ELECTRIC LIGHT ORCHESTRA This infectious pop rocker had a melody similar to the 5th Dimension’s “Wedding Bell Blues,” but with much darker lyrics. However, the song stood out in its own right--from the ear-catching piano intro to the irresistible string and cymbal hooks, this was a hard record to resist. I wanted very much for this song to reach the top 10, and it moved up the top 20 very slowly in early 1976. Fortunately, it just made the top 10, peaking at #10. 9 TAKE IT TO THE LIMIT-EAGLES The first few notes of this slow rocker reminded me of Harold Melvin & the Blue Notes’ “If You Don’t Know Me By Now”; it was a pensive record that seemed to be about a lonely person taking to the road. It was a down-tempo number with lyrics that were at once lonely and reassuring--it helped me get from Christmas to Easter that year. When it was popular, I thought the song was actually about driving and speed limits, not loving. 8. BREAKING UP IS HARD TO DO-NEIL SEDAKA Jazzy ballad version of his 1962 hit created a much more somber mood. I enjoy this version much more than I did as a 14-year-old. 7 ALL BY MYSELF-ERIC CARMEN The first solo release for the former Raspberries lead singer was a classically-influenced (Sergei Rachmaninoff’s Piano Concerto No. 2 in C Minor, 2nd movement) piano pop ballad about a man who longed for romance to relieve his loneliness. Celine Dion would have a big hit with her overwrought remake in 1997. 6 I WRITE THE SONGS-BARRY MANILOW This was his quintessential mid-'70s MOR/pop hit: a piano intro, earnest but over-the-top vocals, and a bombastic finish. This and “White Knight” were among the handful of songs I didn’t enjoy on this countdown. 5 LOVE MACHINE-MIRACLES A disco-tinged pop number with a catchy, springlike hook to it, as well as soaring vocals—it possibly explained why it was on the top 40 from December to Easter. 4 LOVE TO LOVE YOU BABY-DONNA SUMMER This was a mesmerizing disco-soul song that I found to be a female version of a Barry White record. It was a suggestive tune that evoked lovemaking and became a top-five smash. 3 YOU SEXY THING-HOT CHOCOLATE Pop-rock group’s biggest hit had a disco/R&B beat to it, as well as risqué lyrics. Advertisers would discover this song in a big way two decades later. EXTRA: SIGNED, SEALED, DELIVERED (I’M YOURS)-STEVIE WONDER A bouncy slice of Motown pop-soul that became a big pop hit, Peter Frampton would remake it in 1977. This was popular during the exact opposite time of year, peaking in August. I hope we hear it this July 4 weekend (AT40’s 50th anniversary). 2 THEME FROM S.W.A.T.-RHYTHM HERITAGE Disco-tinged instrumental TV theme had an excellent hook and became a smash. 1 50 WAYS TO LEAVE YOUR LOVER-PAUL SIMON A bit cynical and offhand in delivery, this was nonetheless a likable pop ditty that wound up being his biggest solo hit, going all the way to the top.
SHOULD HAVE MADE IT:
HIGH FLY-JOHN MILES I was naïve back in 1976—I thought the tune was about a fly ball in a baseball game rather than coming down from a drug trip. I enjoyed the catchy vocal and instrumental hooks. The singer would later join the Alan Parsons Project.
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Post by Hervard on Feb 26, 2020 14:30:52 GMT -5
THE TOP-40 HITS FROM 44 YEARS AGO THIS WEEK Local weather: Cloudy and mild—near 50 degrees. It was our warmest February since 1954 in our area, and I was enjoying the shift to springlike conditions. Feb. 21, 1976, was the first time I ever bought a copy of Billboard Magazine. Of all the new entries on the Hot 100, I don’t think any of them made the top 40! I forget - where did you live at the time? I also remember February, 1976 being unusually warm. As I've mentioned before, we were having our kitchen remodeled that year and my Mom and I would oftentimes sit out in the yard, wearing lightweight jackets, watching the men work. Lots of these times were during the early stage of the remodel, which means it would have still been February.
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Post by Hervard on Feb 26, 2020 14:56:59 GMT -5
Since the retro-AT40 shows for this coming weekend are all recent repeats, I'm going to post recycled comments a little early. I'll try to remember to make changes (if any) of my opinions that have changed over time as I listen to the shows. First of all... American Top 40: The 70s - February 29, 2020 This week's presentation - March 3, 1979 Droppers: MY LIFE - BILLY JOEL (40) - Definitely my favorite single from 52nd Street - by a fairly wide margin, as well as one of my favorites from him of all-time. SEPTEMBER - EARTH, WIND & FIRE (35) - And this was one of my favorite from EW+F. Too bad it dropped off. BABY I'M BURNIN' - DOLLY PARTON (25) - I forget how this song goes, but I seem to remember that I liked it. EVERY 1'S A WINNER - HOT CHOCOLATE (21) - Wow, two weeks ago this song was at #6, and this week it falls clean off. No big loss, though; I'm not a big fan of them. LW#3: A LITTLE MORE LOVE - OLIVIA NEWTON-JOHN LW#2: FIRE - THE POINTER SISTERS LW#1: DO YA THINK I'M SEXY - ROD STEWART 40: MUSIC BOX DANCER - FRANK MILLS (debut) - I heard this song constantly back in 1979 and thought my parents had the radio tuned into the easy listening station. It wasn't until over ten years later when one of my fellow HS choir members was playing it on the piano and I casually asked what it was. When he told me the title, I recognized the title as being a Top 40 hit. I liked this song - the high piano notes indeed make it sound like a music box being set to disco. 39: EVERY WHICH WAY BUT LOOSE - EDDIE RABBITT (debut) - I remember seeing this movie about 20 years ago and thought it was pretty good. As for the song, it's not bad, but definitely not Rabbitt's best hit ever. 38: I DON'T KNOW IF IT'S RIGHT - EVELYN "CHAMPAGNE" KING (debut) - The second of four Top 40 hits for this singer from the Bronx. It was pretty good, but my favorite song from her would be "Love Come Down". LDD: SO FAR AWAY - CAROLE KING - A classic Carole King song that was very fitting for the dedication. 37: MAYBE I'M A FOOL - EDDIE MONEY (39) - The only Top 40 hit from Money's sophomore album Life For The Taking, but a great song it was! One of his all-time best! 36: YOU MAKE ME FEEL MIGHTY REAL - SYLVESTER (36) - I wonder if Tweety Pie had any songs out around this time? 35: TOO MUCH HEAVEN - THE BEE GEES (30) - They were indeed in the midst of a #1 streak at the time. I personally preferred "Tragedy", as well as "Love You Inside Out". 34: SOUL MAN - THE BLUES BROTHERS (14) - Their two biggest remakes that charted have several things in common; they both peaked in the top 20 and the week after they spent their last week at the peak, they both fell 20 spots. Anyway, this song wasn't bad, but I preferred the other remake ("Gimme Some Lovin'), which charted the following year. ARCHIVES: PAPA WAS A ROLLING STONE - THE TEMPTATIONS - I liked many of their songs, but this ain't one of them. The long version seems to take forever to get to the lyrics. Fortunately, they shortened the song this week (as I imagine they did during its chart run, even though the single version was seven minutes long). OPTIONAL EXTRA: TAKE ME HOME - CHER - This was a comeback hit for her, as she hadn't had a single Top 40 hit in nearly five years. Anyway, this was a good song. 33: SHAKE IT - IAN MATTHEWS (13) - Another huge drop like the Blues Brothers song. Anyway, this song had the MOR sound that would become more commonplace in the early-80s, shortly after the death of disco. I liked this song - I vaguely remember hearing this one back in the day. 32: STORMY - SANTANA (32) - The first of at least two covers originally done by the Classics IV that hit the chart in 1979 (the other would be Atlanta Rhythm Section's remake of "Spooky"). I liked this version of "Stormy" - not sure if I prefer it or the original. 31: SOMEWHERE IN THE NIGHT - BARRY MANILOW (9) - Wow! Any other time, a song that drops 20 spots would be the biggest dropper, but this week, a song makes an even bigger fall. Anyway, as we all know, I like most of Manilow's slow songs, this one included although it's definitely not his best. 30: STUMBLIN' IN - SUZI QUARTO & CHRIS NORMAN (37) - Another MOR type hit. It was a good one, though nothing I'd go out of my way to listen to. 29: SONG ON THE RADIO - AL STEWART (33) - This song definitely bears resemblance to Carole King's Jazzman. It's a great song, though I slightly preferred "Time Passages". 28: FOREVER IN BLUE JEANS - NEIL DIAMOND (34) - This was a good song, but it sure didn't last long on the chart, did it? It climbed to #20 and then dropped off the week after it peaked! Perhaps the Top 40 audience was still down on him for doing that awful duet with Barbra Streisand. 27: HAVEN'T STOPPED DANCING YET - GONZALEZ (31) - Meh, just another disco tune... 26: I WAS MADE FOR DANCING - LEIF GARRETT (10) - And here's another. I preferred his two remakes from 1977. Wasn't this used in a TV commercial back in the day? 25: CRAZY LOVE - POCO (28) - One of two songs that they charted with in 1979. I like both about the same, but neither of them hold a candle to "Nothin' To Hide" - by far my favorite Poco song. 24: KNOCK ON WOOD - AMII STEWART (38) - With a large jump like that, it's no wonder this song made it to #1. Not one of my personal favorites, but a disco classic that has stood the test of time. 23: BIG SHOT - BILLY JOEL (debut) - Wow, with a debut like that, it looked like this might be a big Top Five like "My Life", but the song only got as high as #14 and spent only six weeks in the Top 40. His next hit, "Honesty" hit a similar brick wall a few months later. Indeed, 52nd Street was a huge seller, but was definitely not his best singles album. 22: I JUST FALL IN LOVE AGAIN - ANNE MURRAY (27) - 1979 was definitely her heyday, as she had three Top 40 singles that year, and bookended the year with two others. This was possibly the best of the bunch, though "Shadows In The Moonlight" would be a close second. ARCHIVES: I AM WOMAN - HELEN REDDY - At this point, she was done hitting the chart, although Barry Manilow was back at #31 with a cover of a song that she charted with three years before. Anyway, this song, an anthem for the women’s liberation movement, wasn't bad - it sure wasn't as cheesy as many of her other songs, but nothing exceptional. OPTIONAL EXTRA: SHAKE YOUR BODY (DOWN TO THE GROUND) - JACKSONS - Meh, I wasn't generally a big fan of their later songs, like this one. 21: LADY - LITTLE RIVER BAND (24) - As you probably know all too well, this is my all-time favorite song from them! I prefer the album version, which, in some AT40 rebroadcasts, is edited in, but not this week; the chopped down single version that leaves a lot to be desired was featured. 20: WHAT YOU WON'T DO FOR LOVE - BOBBY CALDWELL (26) - Interesting how this song was available in limited quantities in red vinyl and heart-shaped. Anyway, this was his only Top 40 hit, but he had a handful of other AC and smooth jazz hits. This song was covered by Go West in 1993, but I preferred this version. 19: EVERY TIME I THINK OF YOU - THE BABYS (22) - They had two Top 20 hits on the Hot 100, and this is my favorite of the two (though "Isn't It Time" is also a great one). 18: DANCIN' SHOES - NIGEL OLSSON (20) - With such a title, one would expect an upbeat, disco song, but this one is a slow dance song. I liked it. 17: DON'T CRY OUT LOUD - MELISSA MANCHESTER (19) - Her second of three Top Ten hits. This one is my favorite of those. 16: THE GAMBLER - KENNY ROGERS (17) - I used to like this song, but that annoying Geico ad that used this song has actually dimmed my fascination for this song. 15: BLUE MORNING, BLUE DAY - FOREIGNER (16) - The third and final single from Double Vision, as well as my favorite. 14: NO TELL LOVER - CHICAGO (15) - Sort of a childish sounding title, but it apparently worked, as the song did well on the chart. Did even better on the AC chart, where it hit the Top Five. I like the song, but it's definitely not their best. 13: SULTANS OF SWING - DIRE STRAITS (29) - Wow, I thought that maybe Amii Stewart had the biggest mover of the week, but this song had her beat by one. This song, on the other hand, didn't quite make it to #1. But it did peak at #4, which is also nothing to sneeze at. As for the song, it is my favorite of all their charted hits. LDD: PLEASE MR. POSTMAN - THE CARPENTERS - Wow, the author of this LDD was a modern day Casanova! He had a whole slew of women that he regularly wrote to (and I believe he'd met them in person as well). This song was indeed fitting for the dedication, as he hadn't gotten as many return letters from these woman (who had probably since found special someones who lived closer) as he had in the past, so he was probably asking the postman to check his bag to see if he could find a stray letter. 12: GOT TO BE REAL - CHERYL LYNN (12) - A song that was apparently inspired by "Best Of My Love" by the Emotions, since the bass line sounded similar. This was a pretty good song - was sampled twelve years later in Father MC's "I'll Do 4 U". ARCHIVES: ME AND MRS. JONES - BILLY PAUL - An instance of an artist's debut single hitting #1. He almost became a disappearing act, but had a minor hit in early 1974. Anyway, this was a good song IMO. OPTIONAL EXTRA: ROXANNE - THE POLICE - Meh, I'd actually rather hear "Every Breath You Take"... 11: SHAKE YOUR GROOVE THING - PEACHES & HERB (18) - Indeed a comeback hit, as they had charted several times in the late-60s, and the best was yet to come. This song hit the Top Five, and the follow-up, which is my favorite from them, went all the way to the top! 10: WHAT A FOOL BELIEVES - THE DOOBIE BROTHERS (23) - Wow, several big movers this week. Unsurprisingly, this song went to #1 - and deservedly so, as it was my favorite song from them. What I didn't like is that they butchered this song, cutting out the second verse. The song couldn't have been much more than a minute long! 9: LOTTA LOVE - NICOLETTE LARSON (8) - Casey mentioned that Nicholette recorded this song, as well as the others on the album, wearing roller skates. The song does sort of sound like a good roller skating rink song. It's a good one. 8: Y.M.C.A. - VILLAGE PEOPLE (5) - As I've said before, I used to like this song, but it, along with the popular dance to it, got run into the ground big time. Now I generally reach for the station tuner when it comes on - except for on countdown shows, of course 7: LE FREAK - CHIC (7) - Another song that was way overplayed, but is indeed a disco classic - in fact, according to AT40, it was the biggest disco hit of all time. EXTRA: BYE BYE LOVE - THE EVERLY BROTHERS - One of those "biggest hit by (insert artist)" features that AT40 adopted in the case that the LW Top 3, Archives, and LDDs didn't quite fill up the extra time created by adding Hour 4. This song wasn't bad, but not anything special. 6: HEAVEN KNOWS - DONNA SUMMER W/ BROOKLYN DREAMS (11) - As I've said before, "Love Never Felt So Good" by Justin Timberlake & Michael Jackson sounded a lot like this song, which was possibly my favorite of Donna Summer's many 1979 hits. 5: A LITTLE MORE LOVE - OLIVIA NEWTON-JOHN (3) - She just came off of a great year, with three Top Five hits, all from the movie Grease, in which she starred with John Travolta, and started off 1979 quite well also, with another Top Five hit - one of her best! 4: TRAGEDY - THE BEE GEES (6) - This song was definitely on its way to the top, as it was in only its fourth week on the entire Hot 100 with one of their best hits ever, IMO! 3: I WILL SURVIVE - GLORIA GAYNOR (4) - The anthem for abused women was poised to take over the top spot the following week. This one used to be so/so, but now is one of my favorite disco hits ever! 2: FIRE - THE POINTER SISTERS (2) - Bruce Springsteen had only had two Top 40 hits at this point, but he wrote many songs for other artists, like this song. It was a great one - one of my favorite songs by the Pointer Sisters. OPTIONAL EXTRA: HEART OF GLASS - BLONDIE - Another artist who hit #1 their first time out. Only they didn't stop there - they had three more #1 songs, including the song that won out for the entire year of 1980! As for this song, it was my third favorite of their #1 hits, behind "Call Me" and "Rapture". 1: DO YA THINK I'M SEXY - ROD STEWART (1) - This song was in its fourth and final week at #1. It's not a bad song, but I'll never forgive it for beating out "What A Fool Believes" for R&R's top song of 1979!
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