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Post by bobbo428 on Oct 27, 2014 20:11:54 GMT -5
Date I listened to show: 10-27-74; WILK, Wilkes Barre, PA
(pretending it was 40 years ago today)
Debut songs included one with the word “people” in the title; I believe the singer is named Gino Ganelli. Others included Spinners’ “Love Don’t Love Nobody,” Chicago’s “Wishing You Were Here,” Billy Swan’s “I Can Help.” This is the second person with the last name Swan I’ve heard of—the other is New York Mets pitcher Craig Swan...Blue Swede took a huge plunge from 7-33 with "Never My Love"...The Tymes plunged 12-25 with "Trustmaker"...Olivia Newton-John also took a plunge, 4-19, with "I Honestly Love You"...Then another shocker--Billy Preston dropped like a rock from #1 to #15 with "Nothing from Nothing." Bachman Turner Overdrive has a huge hit on their hands: “You Ain’t Seen Nothin’ Yet” leaped from 17 to 3—it will almost certainly reach #1 in a week or two. The song is really cool and has a hook you can’t get out of your mind. Dionne Warwick & Spinners reached the top with "Then Came You." That song has been on the top 40 for 13 weeks, so it might take a huge fall next week!
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Post by bobbo428 on Nov 1, 2014 14:31:41 GMT -5
(pretending it is 40 years ago this week--on WFBL (Syracuse, NY) and WILK (Wilkes Barre, PA) I was about 70 miles from each station, explaining the interference I got toward the end of the countdown--both days.
There were six debut songs on the top 40: Rufus featuring Chaka Khan’s “You Got the Love,” Prelude's "After the Gold Rush," Helen Reddy’s “Angie Baby,” Harry Chapin’s “Cat’s in the Cradle,” Three Dog Night’s “Play Something Sweet.,” and Al Green’s “Sha La La Makes Me Happy.” The Harry Chapin song sounds interesting as well as ominous.In the past year, there have been two Angie songs make the top 40; the Rolling Stones went to #1 with the other “Angie” hit a year ago. Billy Preston plunged 15-39 with "Nothing from Nothing," and Dionne Warwick & Spinners plunged 1-15 with "Then Came You." The huge drops from #1 continue, so I expect Stevie Wonder to take a huge plunge next week. I was getting interference during the latter part of the countdown, but I'd guess that Stevie Wonder's "You Haven't Done Nothin'" reached #1. That is a song that teachers could sing to us if we're lazy about getting homework done!
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Post by bobbo428 on Nov 30, 2014 21:02:14 GMT -5
I enjoyed the 1974 countdown this week. I recall listening to part of it on Syracuse's WFBL 40 years ago today--and most of the rest on Wilkes Barre's WILK the next afternoon. Four songs made their debut, and the oldest song, "Jazzman," had been ob the chart a mere 12 weeks. This represents a complete turnover from the last 1974 show from Premiere, on Aug. 23-24. I began to get some interference near the middle of the countdown, but I tried the station a while later to hear the startling news that BTO had rebounded 34-8 with "You Ain't Seen Nothin' Yet." I was unaware about the popularity of the B-side.
This is the make-believe entry from 12/1/74:
The weather forecasters are predicting a big snowstorm, and I am getting excited. Tomorrow may very well be a snow day. The wind was blowing ominously from the east—it should be a classic nor'easter—a big low is supposed to develop off the Atlantic coast. The wind seemed especially strong during Prelude’s “After the Goldrush” and a while later, while I heard the exciting, fun new Paul McCartney hit “Junior’s Farm.” We could get as much as a foot of snow if everything works out. While hearing “Junior’s Farm,” it gave me a sense of foreboding. We could be in for a big storm! I am all excited!
In honor of the #1 song, here is a piece that I wrote several years ago:
THE SWAN AT HIS BEST
Now it is time to discuss a new record I am sure you’ll all want to buy. The Swan At His Best. You see, it includes this singer with the twangy guitar on all selections. His first hit is here, as is his last. His biggest hit, from late 1974, is also here. You can’t forget the skating anthem either. Also on the album is the country-tinged pop tune and his song imploring his girlfriend he’ll be of assistance any time she needs him. Then there’s the song saying he’ll be a father figure. It is the Swan at his best—all of one song, the swan at his very best.
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Post by jmack19 on Jan 2, 2015 14:47:32 GMT -5
Lucy In The Sky With Diamonds by Elton John was at the top of the chart. Elton was also on top of the album chart. While it is not unusual for an artist to be #1 on both charts at the same time, it is rare that the song is not on the album.
Michael Jackson did this 9 years later with Say, Say, Say & Thriller.
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Post by bobbo428 on Jan 6, 2015 14:19:52 GMT -5
(pretending it was January 5, 1975--40 years ago yesterday)
I had the first top 40 countdown of the year (and since Dec. 14) on WILK today—I missed song #40 and tuned in during Billy Joel’s “The Entertainer,” which was probably a debut. Elvis’s latest, “The Promised Land,” is down to #38—I hoped that it would have been his first top-10 hit since 1972, but I believe it peaked at #14. A singer named Linda Ronstadt debuted with “You’re No Good,” which has a good, foreboding sound. I had heard of her but am not sure of what else she sang. I was please to find that B.T. Express was still hanging in after 14 weeks with “Do It Till You’re Satisfied.” Fortunately, Lynyrd Skynyrd made a good debut with “Free Bird.” I predicted that Average White Band’s fun instrumental “Pick Up the Pieces” would be the new song highest up that wasn’t on the Dec. 14 countdown (in the low-20s—at 22, near where I predicted), but two other songs, Carol Douglas’s “Doctor’s Orders” and Ohio Players’ “Fire” were actually higher up—the next two songs, in fact. I had heard the Ohio Players tune only once, so frankly I was surprised that it was so high up. Jethro Tull moves up two with “Bungle in the Jungle,” one of my personal favorites, and I hope that it can make the top 10. I also hope J. Geils Band’s “Must of Got Lost” can make it too, but it only moved up one to #12 and may be peaking. By the time they reached the top 10, I was beginning to brace myself for school, which is looming ever closer—tomorrow, in fact. I began to feel the anxiety during “Boogie On Reggae Woman,” during which I began to speculate as to my mark on the Science test I had taken the last day before Christmas break. Not surprisingly, Elton John snagged the top spot with “Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds.”
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Post by bobbo428 on Jun 16, 2015 16:03:06 GMT -5
The countdown from 40 years ago this week (6/14/75) was also the countdown that I had on the day Casey Kasem died (6/15/14). I recall hearing this countdown 40 years ago yesterday, a sunny, warm mid-June afternoon. I was impressed by the five debut songs, and they all reached #6 or better on the pop chart: Melissa Manchester's "Midnight Blue," Eagles' "One of These Nights," 10cc's "I'm Not In Love" (reminded me of a girl from my class whom I'd be missing over the summer but denied that I had a crush on), War's "Why Can't We Be Friends," and Frankie Valli's "Swearing to God." Two of the songs were still on the top 40 at the beginning of the next school year (the Eagles hit and the War hit). Back then, a song had to be on the top 40 at least 13 hits on the chart after labor day for it to be popular during two different school years. However, the parameters likely vary from listener to listener, depending on school district. I always enjoyed guessing, in mid-June, what songs on the top 40 at the tail end of one school year would still be there 12 weeks later.
The number 1 song was America's "Sister Golden Hair," one of the few songs by that group that I didn't care for. I was hoping that Ace's "How Long" would reach #1, but it plunged from 3 to 18.
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Post by Deleted on Aug 10, 2015 13:49:28 GMT -5
This is over 40 years ago because I'm way behind...as in May 1975. But for all the scoffing I've heard about Nickelback having no talent and one of the big reasons being "How You Remind Me" and "Someday" sound alike, I hope everyone around back in 75 gave the same hell to Disco Tek or whatever his name is. 3 songs, all 3 sound exactly the same!!
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Post by pointpark04 on Aug 10, 2015 14:01:24 GMT -5
^^Yeah, sure, but Nickelback wasn't even interesting or fun to listen to. However, they were/are better than Creed, though that isn't too big of a compliment.
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Post by Deleted on May 15, 2016 18:28:44 GMT -5
So I'm nearly halfway through 76 and I have to say I'm surprised knowing what #1 for the year is going to be. I say this not knowing how much staying power the eventual #1 will have (it's about to hit #1 in a week or two of typing this). But thus far "Disco Lady" had 4 weeks at #1 though seems to be dropping pretty quickly, and "December 1963" was #1 for 3 weeks and had several weeks of staying power in the Top 10 and Top 40. Will be interested to see if my real time listening means I'll agree with the year end result or not.
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Post by djjoe1960 on May 16, 2016 21:54:21 GMT -5
Although I remember hearing Casey tell a story about the Osmond's Yo-yo in 1971; I didn't become a regular weekly listener to AT40 until 1976. By then we were living in Atlanta and I found a station where I could listen weekly and was definitely hooked. It was great hearing some of my favorite songs racing up and down the charts but Casey's presentation was impeccable, as well. When I listen to those 3 hour shows now they sound rushed but back when I was a teen in the '70's I never noticed. Although I did like that a three hour commitment to listen to the show was easier to handle than when they switched to 4 hours. Yknow maybe they could have stuck to three hours if they would have just played a snippet of songs working their way way down the chart--but of course they didn't and I guess it's just as well. Glad that the old shows are still around to enjoy-- Thanks to all who make the old shows so much fun to listen to.
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Post by tarobe on May 18, 2016 23:51:37 GMT -5
We are a about two weeks away from the 40th anniversary of the first AT40 show I remember listening to, Saturday May 29, 1976 9pm to midnight. It was the next day after the end of my Seventh grade school year. I listened to it on a five-tube AM radio tuned to 630 WLAP, Lexington, KY. I had to lay my hand on top of the radio so the signal would come in clearer. In the background other stations were trying to cut in. I wrote down all the songs as best I could. I had absolutely no idea how to spell Boz Scaggs ("Bar Skaggs"?). I kept thinking how much Casey Kasem sounded like Robin off the Batman cartoon. (Wonder why?)
Actually that night might not have been the first time I heard American Top 40, but I didn't realize it until 2012. I remembering traveling in a car on Christmas night 1971 and hearing "Jingle Bell Rock" on the radio (for the first time). A few years ago I listened to the 1971 AT40 Christmas show, and the version of "Jingle Bell Rock" by Bobby Helms sounds like what I remember hearing (it's a remake - not the original 1957 recording that we've all heard zillions of times). But I don't recall hearing any Casey Kasem or AT40 jingle. Maybe the station was turned. I don't recall. I was only eight. Anyways I wouldn't have known anything about what Top 40 was anyhow. I remember hearing lots of pop songs in 1971 but I didn't know at the time who they were by. Country was another matter. I knew Charley Pride, Buck Owens or Loretta Lynn when I heard them. It wasn't until 1973 that I really learned about rock and roll.
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Post by dukelightning on May 19, 2016 7:31:24 GMT -5
Heard the show before that from May 22 yesterday. I can definitely relate to that 'holding hand on the radio' to get better reception routine!
BTW, I would be remiss if I did not mention that I edited in 10 longer versions of songs on that show. Standard practice when I hear a 1976,77 or 78 show with all the ridiculous editing going on then.
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Post by jmack19 on Jul 16, 2016 23:52:51 GMT -5
Three songs debuted in the Top 40 in the second hour & it was by the Top 3 acts of the 70s, The Bee Gees, Elton John(W/ Kiki Dee) & Paul McCartney & Wings.
Later on in the show, there was three consecutive songs also connected to Paul McCartney as "Rock and Roll Music" had the Beatles inserted between verses sang by Chuck Berry & The Beach Boys followed by "Silly Love Songs" & "Got To Get You Into My Life".
It was the week ending July 17, 1976.
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Post by djjoe1960 on Jul 17, 2016 6:44:54 GMT -5
Three songs debuted in the Top 40 in the second hour & it was by the Top 3 acts of the 70s, The Bee Gees, Elton John(W/ Kiki Dee) & Paul McCartney & Wings. Later on in the show, there was three consecutive songs also connected to Paul McCartney as "Rock and Roll Music" had the Beatles inserted between verses sang by Chuck Berry & The Beach Boys followed by "Silly Love Songs" & "Got To Get You Into My Life". It was the week ending July 17, 1976. I remember hearing that unique 'medley' of Rock n Roll Music when it first aired 40 years ago on AT40. I thought it was pretty 'cool' then and still give a big 'congrats' to the AT40 staff for putting that together. It was features like that (plus the great stories) that made AT40 a MUST on week ends.
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Post by bobbo428 on Apr 11, 2017 16:44:04 GMT -5
I just came across, on You Tube, Casey's commentary from the chart I heard 40 years ago yesterday--Easter Sunday 1977. This is my summary of the show, pretending it was that actual day:
After church, I got my radio and went outside, listening to American Top 40. When they got to Rufus’s latest hit, I was disappointed to find out it had only climbed to #30, in its fifth week on the survey. Casey explained that success on one chart (in Rufus’s case, the soul chart, where their hit is deservedly at #1) does not necessarily translate into success on other charts. I’ve also noticed that many number one country hits don’t even make the Hot 100. Ambrosia made the top 40 with “Magical Mystery Tour”; Hot is up five with “Angel in Your Arms.” Mary Macgregor’s “Torn Between Two Lovers,” which made the top 40 in December, has made it to April on the top 40. Also hot are the Captain & Tennille’s “Can’t Stop Dancing” and Marilyn McCoo & Billy Davis’s “Your Love,” as well as K.C. and the Sunshine Band’s “I’m Your Boogie Man.” Silvetti re-entered the top 40 with the caressing “Spring Rain”; Kiss’s hard-driving “Calling Dr. Love” soared into the top 40. Facts of Life’s sedate ballad “Sometimes” debuted,” as did Q’s “Dancing Man.” Abba scored their first #1 hit with “Dancing Queen”; strangely enough, it was three years to the week after another Swedish act had reached the top, Blue Swede. (Twelve years later, to the week, another Swedish act, Roxette, would have their first #1 hit—and in 1994, Ace of Base would be at #1 in early April as well with “The Sign.”)
I enjoyed Casey's story about the Captain & Tennille's wedding.
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