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Post by mga707 on Apr 11, 2017 22:46:16 GMT -5
I enjoyed Casey's story about the Captain & Tennille's wedding. If you believe Toni Tennille's account in her recent autobiography, written after she split with the poor old sick 'Captain' (Daryl Dragon), major parts of that story were made up by an A&M Records publicist to make their wedding sound more 'romantic'...
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Post by bobbo428 on Apr 16, 2017 19:41:33 GMT -5
I enjoyed Casey's story about the Captain & Tennille's wedding. If you believe Toni Tennille's account in her recent autobiography, written after she split with the poor old sick 'Captain' (Daryl Dragon), major parts of that story were made up by an A&M Records publicist to make their wedding sound more 'romantic'... Wow, I never knew that--their marriage had that Hollywood, too-good-to-be-true aura. It did last for about three-eighths of a century, however--longer than most in showbiz.
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Post by bobbo428 on Apr 16, 2017 19:49:59 GMT -5
Forty years ago this week, Marvin Gaye made an impressive debut at No. 50 with "Got to Give It Up." I had heard it for the first time three weeks before on CKLW's Big 30 Countdown. I heard a lot of good, obscure soul numbers on that station, as well as Canada-only hits. this, plus the usual big hit songs made for an interesting music mix. I first heard of the group Shalamar 40 years ago tomorrow, when they debuted in the top 40 with their Motown medley "Uptown Festival." I enjoyed Andrew Gold's "Lonely Boy," which debuted in the top 40; I would buy the single just a few days later, along with Climax Blues Band's "couldn't Get It Right" (a big mover, 27-18). I was unwinding from a stressful Geometry test that I had studied hard for. Kenny Nolan's "I Like Dreamin'" was the only song on the top 40 that had debuted in 1976. David Soul's only top-40 hit, the guilty pleasure "Don't Give Up on Us," reached No. 1, replacing ABBA's "Dancing Queen." April 1977 was a fun time for me--we were in the middle of a long stretch of sunny, warm weather--much like April 2005.
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Post by bobbo428 on Jul 7, 2017 15:01:42 GMT -5
Forty years ago this week, I was in the middle of a two-week vacation from the countdown--the first week because of the women's name-in-song title special, followed by a second week I took off. Based on local radio airplay, it seemed that the following songs were doing well;"
Best of My Love-Emotions Neon Nites-Atlanta Rhythm Section Seaside Woman-Suzy/Red Stripes Barracuda-Heart (just outside the top 40 on 6/25) Give a Little Bit-Supertramp Telephone Line-ELO (one of my personal favorites) Amarillo-Neil Sedaka (though airplay would slow down by mid-July) Handy Man-James Taylor (This was off to a red-hot start locally). Living in the Life-Isley Brothers (heard on CKLW) Lovin' Is Really My Game-Brainstorm (CKLW) Slide-Slave (CKLW) I Don't Love You Anymore-Teddy Pendergrass (getting lots of airplay on WABC) Save Me-Merilee Rush Don't Worry Baby-B.J. Thomas Strawberry Letter 23-Brothers Johnson
I was thinking that Stevie Wonder's "Isn't She Lovely" would be the third single from "Songs in the Key of Life," an LP I was playing all the time that summer. I was also hoping that "Second Hand News" would be the third single from "Rumours." I was hoping that Cliff Richard's "Don't Turn the Light Out" would be a big hit, but I wasn't hearing it much. I had checked the Hot 100 on June 18 and was concerned that Supertramp's "Give a Little Bit" had only moved up 66-63. However, AOR airplay was solid.
There were a lot of unstarred records on the June 25 Hot 100, and I predicted that about 14 new songs would be on the top 40 by July 16. Which ones made the cut? Stay tuned! On 7/7/77, Styx released their 7th album, "The Grand Illusion." We will probably hear "Come Sail Away" because it was in the regular countdown every week from 10/29/77 to 2/4/78.
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Post by bobbo428 on Jul 17, 2017 9:12:01 GMT -5
I tuned in to the countdown 40 years ago today, and based on local radio airplay (and the number of un-starred songs on the June 25 chart) expected to see a lot of action. I had not tuned in for the July 9-10 show, which had followed a special program.) I tuned in on the night of the 16th, but I lost the station to interference after "Smoke from a Distant Fire." I had never heard that Sanford-Townsend Band song until the countdown--nor the Elvis debut that had preceded it. I was surprised that K.C.'s song was still hanging in there because it had fallen 8-19 three weeks before. I thought it would fall to about 30 on July 3--and then off the top 30. The third debut was anticlimactic for me--"Ariel" was not one of my big favorites at the time, and I figured that it was way down (sorry, Elvis) near 70 or 80 on the Hot 100. "Handy Man" moved up 40-34, but based on local airplay I thought it would be in the 20s already. "Telephone Line" also moved up six, and I would soon buy the 45. Supertramp's single was about where I figured it would be.
CSN's tune was also close to where I predicted. I was surprised to see Kenny Nolan's song still in the top 40--I had figured it would be off the top 40 by now. Heart's "Barracuda" was close to where I thought it would be. I thought the Eagles' "Life in the Fast Lane" would be around #7, but it petered out quickly. I had heard the Emotions' "Best of My Love" nonstop since late June, and I figured it would be around No. 15. It was even higher, at #12--but only up two notches. I actually thought that "Angel in Your Arms" had fallen out because I was not hearing it much on the radio. I was hoping that the quirky "Seaside Woman" would have been a big hit; I was also hoping for big things from ARS's "Neon Nites" and Teddy Pendergrass's "I Don't Love You Anymore." The latter was getting tons of airplay on NYC's WABC.
A major coincidence involving ELO: I bought the single on July 21, 1977. At the time, I had a crush on a girl named Theresa and ran into her at the community field days that night. I would not run into her again until the following April, the same day I would receive the ELO album "Out of the Blue." "Telephone Line" would be the last current 45 I would buy until May 1979. By coincidence, I ran into my friend Jim at the same field days where I had run into Theresa on July 21, 1977. I would not run into him again until May 1979, the day I would buy singles by Supertramp and Dire Straits.
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Post by bobbo428 on Oct 22, 2017 22:47:20 GMT -5
Forty years ago at this time, I was a month and a half into 10th grade. Fortunately, my averages in my classes were 90-plus--with one glaring exception, World History. What better way to forget about History for the weekend (and its 76 average) than to listen to the countdown. One hit wonder Debby Boone was in its second week at number 1 and would remain there until around the Winter Solstice. She kept K.C. & the Sunshine Band, Carly Simon, Heatwave, and Crystal Gayle at number 2 during her long run at the top. Of those four, I was most disappointed that "Boogie Nights" stalled in the runner-up spot. I was most relieved that Gayle's maudlin tune stayed at #2 because I like every other Gayle song that I know better. Johnny Rivers' "Swaying to the Music" finally makes the top 10 after 13 weeks on the top 40. That would be his peak position--and he would be off the top 40 as an artist forever in a few weeks.
Chicago soared 35-17 with "Baby What a Big Surprise"; Firefall also reached the top 20, up 22-18 with "Just Remember I Love You." The latter always struck me as a summer song, but it was released too late in the summer--I never heard it until August. It should have been released as soon as their previous hit, "Cinderella," had fallen out (May)...Eric Carmen is up four notches again this week with "She Did It"; lots of songs moved up four notches--it was a common occurrence in the 1975-78 period...ELO logs 16 weeks in the top 40 with "Telephone Line"; I had bought the single on July 21--it was the last single I would buy for a long time because I decided that I was 16 and should buy LPs. I had too many 45s and they were too cumbersome.
In August 1975, when I heard Judy Collins' "Send In the Clowns," it struck me as an autumnal song. It had petered out at #36 during the dead of summer. However, I had a premonition of a very snowy winter while hearing the song on the MOR station in mid-August. In 1977, I was excited that the song would be re-released so it would have a chance to become a fall hit. Fortunately, it would reach the top 20 this go-round. We were on the brink of one of our all-time snowiest winters. New England would be buried by a blizzard a few months later.
When I caught a glimpse at the song at #41, I was dismayed to find that Paul Davis's song was holding at #41. I hope it wouldn't peak at that position. Time will tell, i thought to myself. Unfortunately, George Benson's "Greatest Love of All" fell out of the top 40. That should have peaked higher than #24--as naive a 16-year-old I was , I knew enough to puyt that song at #3 on my personal chart--it stayed on my chart for about five months. Fortunately, as you all know, the song would get its due nine years later.
the third single from Abba's "Arrival" (an album I owned) made the Hot 100. I was hoping that it would be "Dum Dum Diddle," but that probably sounded too 1973 or Europop. "Money, Money, Money" sounded like 1981 or '82--and not in a good way. Queen's "We Are the Champions" also made its debut, and it would remain on the Hot 100 through the exact opposite date on the calendar, April 22 (of 1978). It was the only one of the seven new entries on the Hot 100 to reach the top 40. I wouldn't hear "We Will Rock You" until December--on CKLW.
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Post by bobbo428 on Jun 20, 2019 22:08:19 GMT -5
40 years ago this week, I had just taken my last exam of my junior year and received a grade in the 90s after a great deal of studying. I didn't do too well on some of my other exams, however. On the final chart before the school year ended (6/16/79), here were some highlights: --Donna Summer regained No. 1 with "Hot Stuff." --Sister Sledge moved to the runner-up spot with "We Are Family." --Anita Ward moved 6-3 with "Ring My Bell," a 45 I would buy on July 30. --Supertramp inched up 7-6 with "The Logical Song," a 45 I had bought in May. --Peaches & Herb were at No. 9 with the 45 I bought 40 years ago today, "Reunited." --Earth, Wind & Fire & the Emotions stormed up from 19 to 10 with "Boogie Wonderland," a 45 I would buy on Aug. 11. --Donna Summer soared 28-11 with "Bad Girls," a single I would buy three weeks later. --Cheap Trick scored their first top-20 hit by moving 24-19 with "I Want You to Want Me." --AOR kingpins Van Halen moved up 29-23 with the summery "Dance the Night Away." --John Stewart jumped 30-24 with "Gold," a 45 I would buy seven weeks later. --Dr. Hook moved 33-26 with "When You're in Love with a Beautiful Woman." --McFadden & Whitehead jumped 35-27 with "Ain't No Stoppin' Us Now," a 45 I would buy three weeks later. --Peter Framptom jumps 36-28 with "I Can't Stand It No More." --Gerry Rafferty appeared headed for a smash hit with "Days Gone Down," which vaulted 47-30. Unfortunately, the tune could manage no higher than No. 17. The tune had an end-of-school-year reflective vibe. --Poco moved 46-31 with "Heart of the Night," but ity could climb no higher than 20. --Kiss's disco hit "I Was Made for Lovin' You" moved 42-35. --Atlanta Rhythm Section's motivational "Do It or Die" jumped 52-39. It almost seemed that the singer was directing the lyrics at me! --I was hoping that the Kinks would peak much higher than 41 with ""(I Wish I Could Fly Like) Superman." --Likewise, Roxy Music deserved a better fate than its peak (No. 44) with "Dance Away." --I was beginning to hear Robert John's "Sad Eyes" frequently on the radio, and it was moving up 62-51. --New waver Joe Jackson was moving up nicely, 76-63, with his new single "Is She Really Going Out with Him."
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Post by bobbo428 on Jul 8, 2020 13:35:50 GMT -5
Forty years ago this past weekend, Alice Cooper debuted--and peaked--at No. 40 with his new wave-influenced song "Clones." Unfortunately, that was the week when AT40 was doing its Book of Records special, and the Cooper record plunged from its peak position the following week. It is one of only a handful of songs never counted down by Casey. I always tried to guess what songs would be where on the top 40, and catching the countdown after a missed week (or two) was always fascinating for me.
There was quite a bit of action for the week of July 12, 1980: six new songs, most of them sedate early-'80s adult contemporary fare. Christopher Cross was sailing up the top 40 at a good pace with Sailing." I was hanging out with my sister and her attractive friend Kathy during this countdown. recall Kathy saying the archives songs were the sort of tunes her parents would listen to, though I myself have always enjoyed Percy Faith's "Theme from a Summer Place." I recall Kathy not being too fond of the Rolling Stones' "Emotional Rescue," calling it an insult to the stones." did enjoy that record's beat, even though the record has not aged very well and sounded too much like "Miss You."
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Post by jmack19 on Jul 10, 2020 15:59:06 GMT -5
When you enter July 7, 1980 on the Ultimate Music Database & then enter July 7, 1987 you find that on the week of 7/7 7 years apart the #7 song is "Funkytown".
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Post by JMW on Jul 10, 2020 16:59:47 GMT -5
Forty years ago this past weekend, Alice Cooper debuted--and peaked--at No. 40 with his new wave-influenced song "Clones." Unfortunately, that was the week when AT40 was doing its Book of Records special, and the Cooper record plunged from its peak position the following week. It is one of only a handful of songs never counted down by Casey. I always tried to guess what songs would be where on the top 40, and catching the countdown after a missed week (or two) was always fascinating for me. That weekend was the weekend of my first birthday.
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