What was the first#1 you recall listening to?

[spt72]

On the first AT40 you remember listening to, what was the #1 song?

I think mine was "Physical" by Olivia-Newton John.

I was hooked the first time I listened though. I know its a given here, but what a great show to grow up with in the 80s!

[at40petebattistini]

Well, spt72, AT40 was a great show to grow up with in the 70s too!

The first AT40 show I heard had Three Dog Night's Joy To The World at #1. But because I was traveling during the airing of that program, I didn't get to hear the end of the show. I only heard most of the second hour.

I hope a few more AT40 fans add their stories to this thread.

[k1465]

Mine was Bad Girls by Donna Summer on the 8-11 show.

[mstgator]

I'm fairly certain it was "Shadow Dancing", although that's a 7-week window so I'm not sure of the exact date.

[Topay]

I can't recall my first AT40 experience in the 70's or 80's, as I was a wee lad in the mid 80's and never got into countdowns until 1998 or so. I remember my first Casey-read #1 was on AT20: "3AM" by Matchbox 20.

I didn't realize Casey hosted 3 different shows until nearly the end of his run on AT40. Consequently, the first AT40 #1 I remember listening to was "Crazy In Love" by Beyonce.

[Matt Cameron]

I remember clearly what the first #1 I heard on AT40 was. "Stayin' Alive" from early '78. The family was driving home from church, my dad was flipping around the radio dial, and stopped on what I found out was AT40. I was hooked from that moment. The concept of hearing the 40 biggest hits back-to-back every week was mind-boggling to me. And hearing Casey's voice, and those stories....every time I listen to one of the shows I have from '78, I'm instantly 10 years old again. I think as I get older, that's why '78 has replaced '83 as my favorite music year. Although you can't go wrong with either one, as far as I'm concerned.

[spt72]

Ok, I started the thread and I didnt add my story. Ugh.

I was unfortunately only able to hear the last half of AT40 throughout my childhood. It began on WCIL-FM in Carbondale, IL., at 10am and church lasted until noon. But as soon as I rushed in the door after church, my radio was turned on. I intantly loved the show also. The idea of countdowns always intrigued me because I loved reading lists... music charts, sports statistics, highest grossing films, best-selling albums, etc. here was a weekly song list I could keep track of and follow. I thought it was great and Casey was great.

I was ten years old when Physical hit #1. My sister was probably listening to the show at that time. She was 15. I found the show on one of dad's old transistors.

Due to church, I missed half the show every week probably until 1990. But thats partially why 've gotten so into the collecting side of radio recently. Its the chance to live things I missed and re-live things I remember so fondly.

And what year do I recall most musically from my childhood? 1984. Nothing takes me back to being a kid in West Frankfort, Il., musically than the sound of 1984. I cant even describe it, but I can pick it out anywhere. Ive even heard pop songs I never heard in 1984 and I guessed they were from 1984. To me, it just has a sound.

Thanks for sharing gentlemen. Good stuff.

Shawn

[Deleted]

spt72 said:

Ok, I started the thread and I didnt add my story. Ugh.

I was unfortunately only able to hear the last half of AT40 throughout my childhood. It began on WCIL-FM in Carbondale, IL., at 10am and church lasted until noon. But as soon as I rushed in the door after church, my radio was turned on. I intantly loved the show also. The idea of countdowns always intrigued me because I loved reading lists... music charts, sports statistics, highest grossing films, best-selling albums, etc. here was a weekly song list I could keep track of and follow. I thought it was great and Casey was great.

I was ten years old when Physical hit #1. My sister was probably listening to the show at that time. She was 15. I found the show on one of dad's old transistors.

Due to church, I missed half the show every week probably until 1990. But thats partially why 've gotten so into the collecting side of radio recently. Its the chance to live things I missed and re-live things I remember so fondly.

And what year do I recall most musically from my childhood? 1984. Nothing takes me back to being a kid in West Frankfort, Il., musically than the sound of 1984. I cant even describe it, but I can pick it out anywhere. Ive even heard pop songs I never heard in 1984 and I guessed they were from 1984. To me, it just has a sound.

Thanks for sharing gentlemen. Good stuff.

Shawn

Dont you hate it when church interferes with EVERYTHING cool! I was so happy my family got their panties in bunches when they wouldnt let my father who had been married 4 times be the minister of music and they got their feelings hurt and left. I was able to listen to Casey's Top 40 and American Top 40 in peace, quiet, and UNINTERUPTED! As far as the first #1? I have no idea!

[Shadoe Fan]

I remember "Up Where We Belong" in November of 1982. I know I listened to some Casey before that, but that is the first #1 that I can remember Casey announcing.

[BrettVW]

It's so funny how many of us had problem with church and AT40. I started listening to Casey on AT20 HAC in early/mid-2000, I am unsure of what the first number one was. The reason? AT20 aired 7am-10am at the time and church was at 9am. I would always tape the last hour but the tape would ALWAYS run out on the commercial break prior to the final segment.

In October 2001 this station dropped AT20 (after they had moved it for the summer of 2001 to Sunday 9-Midnight when I was finally able to hear the show) and AT40 was picked up on WAKS. I listened to Casey on Saturday mornings from 6-10, so church was never an issue -- but other circumstances (SAT's, band events) were a burden at times. When Casey left AT40, AT20 HAC returned to NE Ohio on WKDD from 9am-Noon, but at this point I no longer went to church so it has yet to be an issue.

The first # 1 I remember was driving to a graduation party in June 2000 and I believe it was a Goo Goo Dolls song...but still not 100% sure of that.

[BROWNJB1]

I heard the show for the first time on New Years Day in 1987 while visiting relatives, and they were airing the year-end countdown from 1986. I only heard the show for a few minutes. I probably didn't to the show again until about a couple of months later. I don't exactly remember what was the first #1 song that I can remember, and in the first couple of months of I disagreeociation with the show, I only heard bits and pieces of the show. I think that the first #1 song that I can remember was, "I'd Died In Your Arms Tonight" by Cutting Crew, which hit No.1 back in May 1987.

[bandit73]

Missing AT40 for church always made me so mad. Especially when I went to a private school and went to church once a week at school anyway.

[TomBest]

Mine was "Bennie and the Jets", Easter Sunday 1974. I was at my grandmothers house listening to records with my cousin on the stereo. Then at 2 PM, he stopped the record. "Time for Casey" he said. We didn't have this show at home so I had no idea what was about to happen.

The rest of the day I was hooked. However since it was Easter we had to continue visiting elderly relatives all afternoon. You know...sitting in the parlor still wearing itchy church clothes (and it was age of polyester!). So after a several excuriating minutes at each house I would get the car keys from my dad and slip out to the car and catch more of the countdown. So it got to number 1, we happened to be in the car. I remember being somewhat disappointed that it wasn't Grand Funk's "The Locomotion". That was the #17 a song and I must have missed it while waiting my escape from an elderly aunt's parlor!

[mstgator]

brownjb1 said:

and in the first couple of months of I disagreeociation with the show,

LOL... okay, please tell me that "ass" is not being censored within other words.

[cdman71031]

I remember clearly some interesting things about my first shows. the first thing I remeber about AT40 was listening to the first hour of a show from September 1982 and hearni g Jump To It by Areatha but the first full show I heard was From the week of 10/30/82. The Number one sone was one of my favorites "Who Can ItBe Now" By Men At Work. I remeber my Parints and Brother wanted to go out to lunch and i would not leave until the end of the show. They Threatened to leave but instead wated downstairs until My show was finish. Wasn't that Nice