Post by robert on Mar 21, 2017 13:33:54 GMT -5
Just for fun, here's the script of Casey's Top 40 Number Ones of the 80's from December of 1989:
Hello again everybody, I'm Casey Kasem on Casey's Top 40, and today we've got a very special countdown for you - in the next 4 hours the biggest chart topping hits of the decade. That's right, the Top 40 No.1 songs of the 1980's. You know, it takes a lot to make it to number one. It takes a talented singer, the right producer, the right promotion. But most of all, it takes the right song. Over the past ten years we've heard songs that have moved a spirit like "We Are The World" and others that moved our feet like "Miss You Much". Still others moved our hearts like "Endless Love". There were a lot of great hits in the 80's, as a matter of fact 1,985 different songs charted, yet, only 234 of those made it to the top. Today, we're playing the cream of the crop - the 40 biggest, and at the end of the countdown we'll play the biggest #1 of them all. Which one will it be? There's only one way to find out, let the countdown begin.
(#40 jingle) Starting out our survey is the top group of the decade, and they're the only group to place two number ones in our special countdown. They tee off with the #1 song from an album whose title was inspired by their leader's love of golf. The album was "Fore!", the song's "Stuck With You" and the group's Huey Lewis & The News...
... That's the 40th biggest No.1 of the 80's "Stuck With You" from Huey Lewis & The News, a band formed ten years ago in Northern California. I'm Casey Kasem counting down the 40 biggest No.1 songs of the decade. Imagine this, if you will: A huge recording studio filled with some of the biggest superstars in music. Over there, Michal Jackson is talking to Bob Dylan, and over there, there's Lionel Richie and Tina Turner, and Diana Ross and Bruce Springsteen. It's not a dream, it's part of what actually happened one magical night in 1985 when 45 of the decade's most important artists got together to do their part to help feed the starving people of Africa. And they did more than talk. That night, till the wee hours of the morning, they sang together to make a record that would touch the hearts of millions around the world. A song that launched a whole movement called U.S.A. For Africa. At #39 in our special survey, here is that No.1 smash recorded that star-studded night "We Are The World"...
... There's the biggest selling song of the decade, it's sold over 4 million copies. At #39 in our special survey, the song Michael Jackson and Lionel Richie wrote for U.S.A. For Africa "We Are The World". I'm Casey Kasem, you're listening to a special countdown of the 40 biggest No.1 songs of the past ten years. Each one of them went to the top, and that's where we headed as the countdown rolls on (jingle out)
(Jingle in) I'm Casey Kasem, our countdown of the Top 40 number ones of the 80's originates in Hollywood. Now, a record that originated in the basement in Boston. That's where guitarist Tom Scholz set up a sofisticated home studio. He spent 6 years down in that basement recording and producing the long awaited album "Third Stage". He had hit the record button over a million times, but when that album came out in 1986, he found the extra work was worthwhile. The album shot straight to No.1, and so did the first single from it. At #38 in our special survey, here is Tom Scholz and his band Boston with the No.1 song "Amanda"...
... At #38 in our special survey, that's "Amanda", the only number one ever for the band Boston. I'm Casey Kasem counting down the biggest number ones of the decade (#37 jingle) Now, here's Billy Joel with the song he says he wrote to change his soft romantic image. From the album "Glass Houses" here's "It's Still Rock & Roll To Me"...
... That's Billy Joel with "It's Still Rock & Roll To Me". It stayed at the top of the Radio & Records charts for 4 weeks in 1980 and it rocks in at #37 in our survey of the Top 40 number ones of the 80's. Coming up, a lookback at the biggest No.1 rocker of the 50's. It was a flop until a controversial movie brought it back to life (jingle out)
(Jingle in) I'm Casey Kasem and what we're doing today on this special countdown is celebrating the tie that binds us all - our music. We're sharing the biggest of the big, the best of the best, the Top 40 number one songs of the 1980's. At #36 is the only female to have 3 number one songs in our special survey. From the Sean Penn movie "At Close Range" here's Madonna with the song that went to number one in 1986 "Live To Tell"...
... At #36 the first of 6 solo women in our special survey Madonna with the No.1 song from 1986 "Live To Tell". I'm Casey Kasem counting down the Top 40 number ones of the 80's. Now, let's take a moment for an extra, the biggest #1 rocker of the 50's, yet, when it was first released, it was a flop. Here's the story. It was back in 1953 that songwriters Max Freedman and Jimmy DeKnight went to band leader Bill Haley with an upbeat song they thought would be just perfect for him. Well, they were right, Bill loved the song. He recorded it with his band The Comets and they sat back and watched it go nowhere fast. But the songwriters wouldn't give up, they sent copies of their record to everyone they could think of in Hollywood. And one of those copies wound up on the desk of the producer of a movie called "The Blackboard Jungle". The film was to be a tough realistic look at juvenile delinquency, and the producer thought Bill's song had just the right feel. So, he used it to open the movie. Well, in 1955 "The Blackboard Jungle" starring Glen Ford and Sidney Poitier became a national sensation, and Bill Haley's record company figured that with that kind of publicity going for him, it was a good idea to re-relase the song. And they did. This time it zoomed all the way to No.1 on the charts and stayed there for 8 consecutive weeks. No one knew at the time, but this was more than just a lively upbeat No.1 song. It was the dawn of a new era - the Rock era. An era kicked off by the song that became the No.1 rocker of the 50's: Bill Haley & The Comets' "Rock Around The Clock"...
... From the era of Elvis, James Dean and Marilyn Monroe, that's Bill Haley & The Comets with "Rock Around The Clock", a lookback at the biggest No.1 rocker of the 50's, an extra on our special countdown of the 40 biggest number ones of the 80's. Up next, the song about a now famous actress, a song that helped the group Toto sweep the Grammies in 1983 (jingle out)
(Jingle in) I'm Casey Kasem, these are the 40 biggest chart toppers of the decade. Well, in 1983 the group Toto won six Grammies. Three of those awards - Record of the Year, Best Pop Vocal Performance, and Best Arrangement for a Vocal - were for the song that's at #35 in our special survey, a No.1 song inspired by an young up-and-coming actress named Rosanna. The same Rosanna who turned into a movie star Rosanna Arquette. Here's Toto...
... At #35 in our special survey - the biggest number ones of the decade, that's Toto and "Rosanna". By the way, the dancer featured in that popular video of "Rosanna" was Cynthia Roads who today is Mrs. Richard Marx. Up next at #34, a No.1 song by four superstars, Dionne, Elton, Stevie and Gladys (jingle out)
(Jingle in) I'm Casey Kasem, we're counting down the 40 biggest chart toppers of the 1980's. In January of 1986 a song about loyalty and trust took Dionne Warwick, Elton John, Stevie Wonder and Gladys Knight all the way to number one. The song struck a chord with friends everywhere and the proceeds were donated to AIDS research. At #34 Dionne & Friends with "That's What Friends Are For"...
... One of our biggest Request & Dedication songs of the 80's "That's What Friends Are For", Dionne Warwick & Friends with the second benefit song in today special, earlier at number 39 we heard "We Are The World". This one's at #34 in our survey of the decade's biggest number ones. Counting down on Casey's Top 40, I'm Casey Kasem (#33 jingle) Back in 1985, "Back To The Future" starring Michael J. Fox was the biggest movie of the year. Huey Lewis had a small role in the film as a music teacher. But he had a much bigger role in the movie's hit single. He co-wrote it, co-produced it and sang lead on it as well, and in August of '85 this song took Huey & The News all the way to the top...
... At #33 in our survey, from 1985 that's "The Power Of Love", Huey Lewis & The News. I'm Casey Kasem, you're listening to a special countdown of the 40 biggest No.1 songs of the 80's, the best of the best. Each one of these songs went all the way to the top, and that's where we headed as the countdown rolls on (jingle out)
(Jingle in) I'm Casey Kasem, we're on our way to the biggest number one song of the 1980's. In the middle of the decade, pop music critics began raving about an Irish group they called "The Rock Band of the 80's". Those critics praised the band for its sensitive, idealistic musical vision. Well, it took the group several years of recording before they finally cracked the Top 10, but when they did in 1987, they went straight to the top. The song that did it lands at #32 in our special countdown. Here is U2 with their No.1 song "With Or Without You"...
... From 1987 that's Bono and his band out of Dublin, Ireland, U2 with "With Or Without You". It's at #32 in our countdown of the Top 40 number one songs of the decade. Now, as we're rolling to the second hour of our survey, we're counting down now to the No.1 songs by the No.1 male act of the decade, the No.1 female act of the decade, and the No.1 heavy metal act of the decade, as our countdown of the biggest number ones continues...
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... From San Antonio, Texas, here's the Top Newcomer of 1980, five time Grammy Award winner Christopher Cross with the 31st biggest chart topper of the decade "Sailing"...
... That's "Sailing" from Christopher Cross docking at #31 in our survey of the Top 40 number ones of the decade. "Sailing" spent 15 weeks on the chart in late 1980, four of them at number one. Well, now at #30 in our special countdown, here's a man that knows little something about making number ones himself. He made the number one album of the decade, he made 9 number one singles in the decade, and all that makes him the number one artist of the decade. With his number one smash "Man In The Mirror", here's the man himself...
... "If you wanna make the world a better place, take a look at yourself and make a change", that's some sage advice from Michael Jackson's thought-provoking number one hit "Man In The Mirror". It's at #30 in our special countdown of the Top 40 number ones of the 80's. Up next, the pop princess goes crazy for you (jingle out)
(Jingle in) I'm Casey Kasem, these are the 40 biggest number ones of the 1980's. The singer they call the pop princess has 3 of those big hits all by herself. Earlier we heard "Live To Tell", now, she's back with her second, a number one smash from the spring of 1985. It's at #29 in our special survey, from the soundtrack of the movie "Vision Quest", here's Madonna one more time with "Crazy For You"...
... At #29 in our special survey that's Madonna and "Crazy For You", one of 9 number ones she managed to rack up in the 80's. I'm Casey Kasem counting down the cream of the crop, the biggest number ones of the decade (#28 jingle) Singer, songwriter Steve Winwood says "Co-writing a song is like doing a painting with two people holding a brush". Well, in the 80's, holding that brush with writing partner Will Jeninngs Steve hit the top with "While You See A Chance", "Higher Love" and this number one from 1988 "Roll With It"...
... 31 year-old Englishman Steve Winwood rolls in at #28 in our special survey with "Roll With It", as we roll toward the biggest number one of the 80's. Coming up, an extra - the biggest number one of the sixties, a song written to cheer up a young lad named Julian Lennon (jingle out)
(Jingle in) I'm Casey Kasem, these are the 40 biggest chart toppers of the decade and we're countin' 'em down. Well now, here's singer, songwriter Richard Marx with a song that he wrote as a love letter to his wife, actress Cynthia Roads. You see, because of their two busy careers Richard and Cynthia are often separated for long periods of time. Richard's song was his way of saying that no matter how long they had to be apart, he would always be right there waiting. It was such an intimate and personal expression of his love that, at first, Richard was uncomfortable about the idea of putting that song out. Now, he's happy he did, because it's touched the hearts of separated lovers everywhere. At #27 here's Richard Marx and "Right Here Waiting"...
... One of the great love songs of the decade, Richard Marx with "Right Here Waiting". It comes in at #27 in our countdown of the biggest number ones of the 80's. Now, an extra, the biggest No.1 of the 60's, a song written to cheer up a young lad named Julian Lennon. Julian's dad John was a member of the most influential band in the rock era - The Beatles. In 1968 they were at the very height of their popularity. Everything they did made headlines, and every single they released became a hit. But all was not well with the Beatles: They were growing apart from each other and from the people around them. 1968 was the time of John Lennon's painful divorce from his first wife Cynthia. A divorce that was also painful for their son Julian. John's writing partner Paul McCartney really loved little Julian and one day while he was driving to see the boy, Paul thought how sad Julian was about the turmoil going on around him. In his head Paul began to write the song to cheer Julian up. The song told the boy quote "Hey Julian, don't make it bad, take a sad song and make it better". Later, Paul changed Julian to Jules, and then to Jude. And that song gave the Beatles their biggest hit. With 9 weeks at the top of the chart in 1968 the song written for little Julian Lennon became the biggest No.1 song of the 60's...
... The biggest number one of the 60's, the Beatles with "Hey Jude", an extra in our special countdown of the Top 40 number ones of the 80's. Up next, a Michael named George (jingle out)
(Jingle in) From Hollywood this is Casey Kasem. What we're doing today is counting down the best of the best, the 40 biggest number ones of the 1980's. In the winter of 1987 George Michael spent 4 weeks at #1 with the song, George says, he wrote because it represents the way he feels. As he puts it, the song's title expresses his hope and optimism for the future. At #26 in our special survey here's George Michael's number one song "Faith"...
... "You gotta have faith", so says George Michael as he checks in with the 26th biggest chart topper of the decade. It's the first of three number one songs by George to make our special survey. Counting down I'm Casey Kasem (#25 jingle) Soap-opera star Rick Springfield hit #1 in April of 1982 and stayed there for 5 weeks with this one, here's "Don't Talk To Strangers"...
... That's the man born Richard Springthorpe, better known as Rick Springfield, he comes in at #25 in our countdown with the song that went to number one on the Radio & Records charts in the spring of 1982 "Don't Talk To Strangers". Up next, the No.1 heavy metal band of the 1980's (jingle out)
(Jingle in) I'm Casey Kasem, these are the 40 biggest number ones of the 80's. Well now, here's a song by Bon Jovi, a song the band wasn't very interested in recording. In fact, Jon Bon Jovi says he told co-writer Richie Sambora that they should throw the song out because it just wasn't right for them. But producer Bruce Fairbairn really liked the song and he convinced Jon and Richie to record it. Bruce says he had a hunch this song could be the biggest single on Bon Jovi's album "Slippery When Wet". As it turned out, his instincts were right on the money. The song that almost didn't make it to the album went all the way to number one and became their biggest hit to date. At #24 in our special survey, here's Bon Jovi, the No.1 heavy metal band of the 80's, with "Livin' On A Prayer"...
... There's another one of the songs that you made No.1, at #24 in our special survey "Livin' On A Prayer" from the pride of New Jersey - Bon Jovi. I'm Casey Kasem, today we're counting down the cream of the crop, the biggest number ones of the 1980's. Now, a British singer and songwriter who went to the top in 1984 with this ballad: At#23 here's Phil Collins with the title song from the film "Against All Odds"...
... "Against All Odds", Phil Collins, the drummer for the group Genesis, with one of 4 movie hits he had in the decade. It's at #23 in our special countdown. Up next, a number one song by the number one female act of the 1980's (jingle out)
(Jingle in) I'm Casey Kasem. Now, at #22 the third number one song in our special survey from the No.1 Female Act of the 80's. Earlier we heard "Live To Tell" and "Crazy For You". Now, the title track from the number one album "Like A Prayer", here's Madonna...
... She had 9 number one solo songs in the 80's, the most for any solo singer. That's Madonna with "Like A Prayer". It comes in at #22 in our countdown of the top 40 chart toppers of the decade.
Coming up, as we're rolling to the third hour of our survey, the biggest songs ever for Prince, Whitney Houston and Diana Ross, all number ones, on our way to the biggest number one of the 80's...
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...At #21 here's the main Minneapolis maestro, Prince with "Let's Go Crazy"...
... That's the purple one himself, Prince at #21 in our special survey with his 1984 smash "Let's Go Crazy". It was one of three number one singles from his number one album "Purple Rain". I'm Casey Kasem we're counting down the 40 biggest chart toppers of the 80's. Well, next at #20 is a record that was a result of an unusual collaboration: a Country star with an R&B star. At first that might sound a bit strange, but the Country star Kenny Rogers says he'd been an R&B fan since the days he was growing up in Houston. Back then his major musical influences were R&B legends Ray Charles and Sam Cooke. Well, in 1980 Kenny decided he'd like to try his hand at some R&B and to do it he contacted the lead singer and main writer for The Commodores, a man named Lionel Richie. They met for the first time in Las Vegas and spent two weeks working together. The result was a song Lionel wrote and produced that gave Kenny Rogers this classic number one smash...
... In 1980 that song was a number one for 5 consecutive weeks, "Lady". In our special survey it comes in at #20 and it was sung by a big Country and Pop star from Texas, Kenny Rogers. Up next a big number one song about a man from the smallest continent on earth (jingle out)
(Jingle in) I'm Casey Kasem, these are the 40 biggest number ones of the 80's. At #19 is a song that went a long way toward winning the Australian band Men At Work the Grammy for the best new artist of 1982. It's a song about a man from the smallest continent on earth, the land called "Down Under"...
... With the 19th biggest number one of the decade that's the band from Melbourne, Australia - Men At Work with "Down Under". I'm Casey Kasem we're counting down the top 40 number ones of the 80's. (#18 jingle) Now, the number one teen act of the 80's, the only female artist to single-handedly write, produce and sing a number one song. And she did it twice, here's Debbie Gibson with "Lost In Your Eyes"...
... "It's like being lost in heaven when I'm lost in your eyes". Debbie Gibson at #18 in our special survey with the song that went all the way to the top in February of 1989.
Up next in our special countdown, the number one song from the movie "Rocky III" (jingle out)
(Jingle in) I'm Casey Kasem, our special countdown of the biggest number one songs of the 80's originates in Hollywood. And so does the record at #17. It was born when Sylvester Stallone decided he wanted the theme composed for the film "Rocky III". Among the people he approached were Frankie Sullivan and Jim Peterik. Stalonne gave Frankie and Jim a cassette of the movie and a bit of direction. So, they sat down, watched the film, and in a little over an hour the song was written. Jim Peterik says, one phrase from the movie stuck in his mind. It was like a catchphrase. Over and over Rocky's trainer told the fighter to have the "Eye of the Tiger". And that phrase became the title of this number one smash. From 1982 here's Survivor...
... We're listening to the champs, the 40 number one heavy weights of the 80's, and at #17 that's Survivor with "Eye Of The Tiger, the theme song from Sylvester Stallone's film "Rocky III". The record at #16 also comes from the movies. This one from a love story starring Brooke Shields. The music was originally written by Lionel Richie for the group The Commodores, but when it was decided to use the melody in the film, Lionel added lyrics and made it into a duet. A duet he sang with Diana Ross and it became her biggest hit ever "Endless Love"...
... Lionel Richie, Diana Ross, their #1 smash from the 1981 movie "Endless Love". It's the most successful single in the history of Motown and at #16 in our survey of the biggest number ones of the 80's. Coming up, an extra, the biggest No.1 of the 70's, a song secretly written by the most successful songwriting team of the 70's, two men named Ann Orson and Carte Blanche (jingle out)
(Jingle in) I'm Casey Kasem, we're counting down the 40 hottest chart toppers of the 80's (#15 jingle) When super producer Narada Michael Walden first heard the demo tape of this song, he thought it was too Country for Whitney Houston, the singer he was working with. He says, "It reminded me of a rodeo song with Olivia Newton-John". Narada loved it for Olivia but not for Whitney, but the song kept on coming back in his head day after day. He just couldn't get that tune off his mind. So finally, he tooked that tune, that sounded like a rodeo song to him, to Whitney and she liked it. But she put her own unique stamp on it, and the result was this number one smash, her biggest ever "I Wanna Dance With Somebody"...
... At #15 in our survey Whitney Houston and "I Wanna Dance With Somebody". I'm Casey Kasem, this is our special countdown of the 40 biggest number ones of the 80's and we're up to number 14. But first, an extra, the biggest chart topper of the 70's. It's a song secretly written by the most successful songwriting team of the 70's. You know, every now-and-then popular musicians have tried to see if they're successful because of what they do or because of their famous names. Stevie Wonder tried to find that out when he recorded the song as Eivets Rednow - Stevie Wonder spelled backwards. The Four Seasons tried it under the name of The Wonder Who. Both those acts managed to get hit records under their assumed names, and so did the pair of super successful songwriters who disguised themselves with the names Ann Orson and Carte Blanche. Now, they'd already collaborated on big hits like "Rocket Man", "Crocodile Rock" and "Benny And The Jets". And though they were curious about whether they could hit writing under other names, they thought they still needed a star to sing the song. So, one of them decided to record it himself, which is how Ann Orson, better known as Elton John came to record the song he'd written with Carte Blanche, better known as Bernie Taupin. Elton did the song as a duet with Kiki Dee and it hit the top of the Radio & Records charts in July of 1976, and stayed there for 7 weeks making it the biggest number one of the decade - the 1970's...
... Elton John & Kiki Dee with "Don't Go Breaking My Heart", according to Radio & Records the biggest number one of the 70's, an extra on our special countdown of the Top 40 number ones of the 80's. Up next, the biggest hit ever for the Purple Rain maker (jingle out)
(Jinle in) I'm Casey Kasem, we're listening to the best of the best, the 40 biggest number one songs of the decade. Now, a musician from Minneapolis who finished high school at age 16. That's when he moved into a wild basement apartment decorated in strange fabrics and mirrors. He worked there at a feverish pace teaching himself to play twenty-seven different instruments and writing four songs a day. Couple of years later, he got his first record contract and six years after that he made his movie debut in "Purple Rain". The soundtrack album he recorded for it went to number one and stayed there almost half a year. And the first number one single from that album is at #14 in our survey. Here is Prince with his biggest number one ever "When Doves Cry"...
... At #14 in our special survey, a big summer hit from 1984, that's Prince and the number one song "When Doves Cry". We've got thirteen number ones to go on our way to the biggest chart topper of the 80's (jingle out)
(Jingle in) I'm Casey Kasem in Hollywood. Now, here's the youngest member of the incredible Jackson family. She first hit the Top 10 with "What Have You Done For Me Lately". That was the first single from her 1986 album "Control". Earlier this year, the first single from her latest album "Rhythm Nation" went all the way to the top and stayed there for 3 weeks. Here's Janet Jackson with the 13th biggest number one of the 80's "Miss You Much"...
... 23 year-old Janet Jackson with the 13th biggest number one of the decade, that's "Miss You Much". Coming up, as we're moving to the fourth hour of our special countdown, the biggest movie hit of the 80's, the biggest heavy metal hit of the 80's and, of course, the biggest number one of the 80's...
(TOP-OF-THE-HOUR SWEEP)
... At #12 is one of the most successful songwriters in the Rock era. He tied the record set by Paul McCartney by writing at least one number one song every year for 8 years in a row. This is the song that gave Lionel Richie the tie "Say You Say Me"...
... From the Mikhail Baryshnikov, Gregory Hines movie "White Nights", that's Lionel Richie with his 1985 smash "Say You Say Me". It's at #12 in our countdown of the biggest number ones of the decade. The song at #11 comes from the British singer, songwriter who first hit the charts as lead vocalist of the duo Wham! He wrote and arranged this song in the studio while he was recording his first solo album. Originally, the song was supposed to be a medium tempo dance number, but one day, as he was experimenting with various mixes, he accidentally mixed out all the drums. And without drums, he heard this spacy sound, a sound he liked so much that he changed the whole feel of the song - and he ended up with the number one smash he calls the most original thing on the album. That George Michael album was called "Faith", and the song "Father Figure"...
... Hitting the top in February of 1988, that's George Michael with the 11th biggest number one of the decade "Father Figure". Up next, as we enter the Top 10, the number one song of 1981, Kim sings about Bette's eyes (jingle out)
(Jingle in) I'm Casey Kasem, we're counting down the 40 biggest number ones of the 80's, and at #10 is a song that hit number one not just in the USA, but also in 21 other countries around the world. It's a song that won two Grammies - Song of the Year and Record of the Year. Here's Kim Carnes with the number one song of 1981 "Bette Davis Eyes"...
... She hit the top of the Radio & Records chart in May of 1981 and stayed there for 5 weeks. That's Kim Carnes with survey song #10 "Bette Davis Eyes". I'm Casey Kasem and what we're doing today on this special countdown is celebrating the tie that binds - music. We're sharing the biggest of the big, the best of the best, the Top 40 number one songs of the 1980's (#9 jingle) Irene Cara first charted in 1980 with the theme song from the movie "Fame". Three years later, she came back with this Academy Award winner, the number one song "Flashdance... What A Feeling"...
... "Take your passion and make it happen. Go for it", Irene Cara with the inspiring theme song from the 1983 movie smash "Flashdance". It's at #9 as our countdown of the biggest number ones of the 80's gets closer to the top (jingle out)
(Jingle in) I'm Casey Kasem, we've got the eight biggest number ones of the 80's still to come. Here's a song from the only male artist with 3 number ones in our special survey, what's more, all three of those came from the same album - George Michael's solo album "Faith". Earlier, at number 26 we heard the title track. Then, at number 11 "Father Figure". Now, at #8, a ballad George says is a personal song about his problems opening himself up to new people after the end of a difficult relationship. This is "One More Try"...
... That's the song, George Michael has said, is the best thing he's ever done. At #8 in our special countdown, the number one single "One More Try", from the number one album "Faith". Now, we're up to a superstar duet, and it all began one Christmas day when the number one act of the 80's, a singer named Michael, called up a man named Paul who's the number one songwriter of all time. At first, when Paul picked up the phone, he didn't believe Michael was who he said he was, but eventually, Michael convinced him and suggested that on a trip that he was making to England the two get together. And they did, and things worked out so well that Paul joined Michael in writing and recording "The Girl Is Mine" from Michael's album "Thriller". Then, to return the favour, Michael joined Paul on this track for Paul's album "Pipes of Peace". Here's Michael Jackson & Paul McCartney with the 7th biggest chart topper of the decade "Say Say Say"...
... At #7 in our special survey, two of the biggest stars of the decade and, of course, of all time, Paul McCartney & Michael Jackson with the song they wrote together called "Say Say Say". Up next, Eddie, Alex, Michael and David with the biggest heavy metal number one of the 80's (jingle out)
(Jingle in) I'm Casey Kasem, we're just six hits away from the biggest number one of the 80's. Here's the biggest heavy metal hit of the decade, a song that began with a tune Eddie Van Halen wrote and recorded at home one night on a synthesizer. Two years later, David Lee Roth took Eddie's casette and wrote lyrics all over Los Angeles. You see, David says "I wrote them in the back of a 1951 Mercury Lowrider. One morning I called up Larry, the roadie, and told him to bring the car. He showed up after lunch and drove me all through the Hollywood Hills and up to Pacific coast. I just sat in the backseat taking in the sun and wrote it all. Well, after David wrote all over Los Angeles, the band Van Halen rode those lyrics and that tune all the way up to the top of the chart. They did it in 1984 and scored the 6th biggest number one of the decade. Here's Michael Anthony, David Lee Roth and Eddie and Alex Van Halen with "Jump"...
... From the album "1984", that's David Lee Roth and Van Halen with "Jump", the 6th biggest number one of the decade. I'm Casey Kasem, our special countdown originates in Hollywood (#5 jingle) Well, now here's a song that grew out of an expression Daryl Hall & John Oates have used for years. According to the duo, it's an expression that means that "People should think for themselves, do what they believe. They shouldn't act or do things just because other people do or because the government says to doing. People have to be able to assess each situation based on their own beliefs and not just follow along." That's what Daryl Hall & John Oates mean when they use the expression "I Can't Go For That (No Can Do)", and that's also the title of this number one smash from 1982, the 5th biggest chart topper of the decade...
... Coming in at #5 in our special survey, that's the number one duo of the Rock era, Daryl Hall & John Oates with "I Can't Go For That". Up next, the biggest movie hit of the 80's from the Richard Gere film "American Gigolo" (jingle out)
(Jingle in) From Hollywood this is Casey Kasem counting down the Top 40 number ones of the decade. Speaking of Hollywood, we've got 11 movie hits in our special survey and this is the biggest of them all. It's from the soundtrack of the Richard Gere film "American Gigolo". Here's Deborah Harry and her band Blondie coming in at #4 with "Call Me"...
... Blondie's "Call Me" topped the chart for 6 weeks, enough to make it the number one record of the year 1980 and the 4th biggest number one of the decade (#3 jingle) Starting with their 1977 debut single "Feels Like The First Time", Foreigner was known mostly as a rock and roll band, a reputation they reinforced with Top 10 hard driving rockers like "Cold As Ice", "Hot Blooded" and "Double Vision". But in 1981 they released a rock ballad and it became their first number on the Radio & Records chart. Here's Foreigner and "Waiting For A Girl Like You"...
... At #3 in our survey, that's Lou Gramm singing lead with Foreigner on "Waiting For A Girl Like You". Coming up, a song written by a former English teacher in just 10 minutes. It's become the biggest number one song of the decade (jingle out)
(Jingle in) I'm Casey Kasem, we're just one big hit away from the biggest number one song of the 1980's. Right now, right behind it is a song by a San Francisco band that first charted in 1979 with "Lovin' Touchin' Squeezin'". In 1981 they had their first number one "Who's Crying Now", and a year later they scored their second. Here's lead singer Steve Perry and Journey with the number one single of 1982 and the second biggest number one of the decade "Open Arms"...
... That's the 2nd biggest number one song of the decade, Steve Perry and Journey with "Open Arms". It spent 7 weeks at number one on the Radio & Records chart in 1982. Well, here we are, up to number one, and as we told you at the beginning of our special countdown, there were 1,985 records that made the Top 40 in the 1980's, 234 of those made number one. Now, we're up to the biggest number one of them all - and it was a song that was written in just 10 minutes. It was written by a former English teacher named Gordon Matthew Sumner, the man we know as Sting. It all happened during a period of great personal anguish for Sting, a time when he was wrestling with a very difficult relationship. Things got so tough he decided to take a vacation on the Carribean island of Jamaica. One hot tropical night he woke up out of a sound sleep and sat straight up in bed. There was a song going through his head, a haunting melody he'd never heard before. He got up, walked across the room to a piano, sat down and started playing. First, it was just chords, then his fingers started to play a tune and Sting realized he was writing a song. Words came into his head. They were strong words, words that made him sad. But Sting says, it was a wonderful sadness because writing those lyrics, writing that song was the big emotional release that he needed. And that's not all it was. Those few lonely minutes in the middle of the night gave birth to the biggest number one song of the decade.
(Drumroll)
Here are Andy Summers, Stewart Copeland and Sting - The Police with "Every Breath You Take"...
... And there it is, the song that went to the top of the Radio & Records charts in July of 1983 and stayed there for 8 record-setting weeks, the biggest number one song of the 1980's by Andy Summers, Stewart Copeland and Sting - The Police, the song - "Every Breath You Take"
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And there you have it, our special countdown of the 40 biggest chart toppers of the decade according to a computerized analysis of the weekly surveys of radiostations from coast to coast by Radio & Records, the industry's newspaper. This program is a presentation of the Westwood One Radio Networks, produced by Bert Kleinman. Our staff includes Mary-Pat Carney Davis, Merrill Shindler, Leonard Pitts Jr., Regina Williamson, Gonzalo Venecia and Sharon Steiner. Production & engineering by Al Ramirez with Michael Cooper and Jeff Kowalczyk. Executive producer: Norm Pattiz. My name's Casey Kasem. For a look at your favorite stars every week, join me for my TV show "America's Top 10", and join me every week right here as we countdown the 40 biggest hits in the USA on Casey's Top 40. Til then, keep your feet on the ground and keep reaching for the stars, and leave your dial tuned right where it is.
Hello again everybody, I'm Casey Kasem on Casey's Top 40, and today we've got a very special countdown for you - in the next 4 hours the biggest chart topping hits of the decade. That's right, the Top 40 No.1 songs of the 1980's. You know, it takes a lot to make it to number one. It takes a talented singer, the right producer, the right promotion. But most of all, it takes the right song. Over the past ten years we've heard songs that have moved a spirit like "We Are The World" and others that moved our feet like "Miss You Much". Still others moved our hearts like "Endless Love". There were a lot of great hits in the 80's, as a matter of fact 1,985 different songs charted, yet, only 234 of those made it to the top. Today, we're playing the cream of the crop - the 40 biggest, and at the end of the countdown we'll play the biggest #1 of them all. Which one will it be? There's only one way to find out, let the countdown begin.
(#40 jingle) Starting out our survey is the top group of the decade, and they're the only group to place two number ones in our special countdown. They tee off with the #1 song from an album whose title was inspired by their leader's love of golf. The album was "Fore!", the song's "Stuck With You" and the group's Huey Lewis & The News...
... That's the 40th biggest No.1 of the 80's "Stuck With You" from Huey Lewis & The News, a band formed ten years ago in Northern California. I'm Casey Kasem counting down the 40 biggest No.1 songs of the decade. Imagine this, if you will: A huge recording studio filled with some of the biggest superstars in music. Over there, Michal Jackson is talking to Bob Dylan, and over there, there's Lionel Richie and Tina Turner, and Diana Ross and Bruce Springsteen. It's not a dream, it's part of what actually happened one magical night in 1985 when 45 of the decade's most important artists got together to do their part to help feed the starving people of Africa. And they did more than talk. That night, till the wee hours of the morning, they sang together to make a record that would touch the hearts of millions around the world. A song that launched a whole movement called U.S.A. For Africa. At #39 in our special survey, here is that No.1 smash recorded that star-studded night "We Are The World"...
... There's the biggest selling song of the decade, it's sold over 4 million copies. At #39 in our special survey, the song Michael Jackson and Lionel Richie wrote for U.S.A. For Africa "We Are The World". I'm Casey Kasem, you're listening to a special countdown of the 40 biggest No.1 songs of the past ten years. Each one of them went to the top, and that's where we headed as the countdown rolls on (jingle out)
(Jingle in) I'm Casey Kasem, our countdown of the Top 40 number ones of the 80's originates in Hollywood. Now, a record that originated in the basement in Boston. That's where guitarist Tom Scholz set up a sofisticated home studio. He spent 6 years down in that basement recording and producing the long awaited album "Third Stage". He had hit the record button over a million times, but when that album came out in 1986, he found the extra work was worthwhile. The album shot straight to No.1, and so did the first single from it. At #38 in our special survey, here is Tom Scholz and his band Boston with the No.1 song "Amanda"...
... At #38 in our special survey, that's "Amanda", the only number one ever for the band Boston. I'm Casey Kasem counting down the biggest number ones of the decade (#37 jingle) Now, here's Billy Joel with the song he says he wrote to change his soft romantic image. From the album "Glass Houses" here's "It's Still Rock & Roll To Me"...
... That's Billy Joel with "It's Still Rock & Roll To Me". It stayed at the top of the Radio & Records charts for 4 weeks in 1980 and it rocks in at #37 in our survey of the Top 40 number ones of the 80's. Coming up, a lookback at the biggest No.1 rocker of the 50's. It was a flop until a controversial movie brought it back to life (jingle out)
(Jingle in) I'm Casey Kasem and what we're doing today on this special countdown is celebrating the tie that binds us all - our music. We're sharing the biggest of the big, the best of the best, the Top 40 number one songs of the 1980's. At #36 is the only female to have 3 number one songs in our special survey. From the Sean Penn movie "At Close Range" here's Madonna with the song that went to number one in 1986 "Live To Tell"...
... At #36 the first of 6 solo women in our special survey Madonna with the No.1 song from 1986 "Live To Tell". I'm Casey Kasem counting down the Top 40 number ones of the 80's. Now, let's take a moment for an extra, the biggest #1 rocker of the 50's, yet, when it was first released, it was a flop. Here's the story. It was back in 1953 that songwriters Max Freedman and Jimmy DeKnight went to band leader Bill Haley with an upbeat song they thought would be just perfect for him. Well, they were right, Bill loved the song. He recorded it with his band The Comets and they sat back and watched it go nowhere fast. But the songwriters wouldn't give up, they sent copies of their record to everyone they could think of in Hollywood. And one of those copies wound up on the desk of the producer of a movie called "The Blackboard Jungle". The film was to be a tough realistic look at juvenile delinquency, and the producer thought Bill's song had just the right feel. So, he used it to open the movie. Well, in 1955 "The Blackboard Jungle" starring Glen Ford and Sidney Poitier became a national sensation, and Bill Haley's record company figured that with that kind of publicity going for him, it was a good idea to re-relase the song. And they did. This time it zoomed all the way to No.1 on the charts and stayed there for 8 consecutive weeks. No one knew at the time, but this was more than just a lively upbeat No.1 song. It was the dawn of a new era - the Rock era. An era kicked off by the song that became the No.1 rocker of the 50's: Bill Haley & The Comets' "Rock Around The Clock"...
... From the era of Elvis, James Dean and Marilyn Monroe, that's Bill Haley & The Comets with "Rock Around The Clock", a lookback at the biggest No.1 rocker of the 50's, an extra on our special countdown of the 40 biggest number ones of the 80's. Up next, the song about a now famous actress, a song that helped the group Toto sweep the Grammies in 1983 (jingle out)
(Jingle in) I'm Casey Kasem, these are the 40 biggest chart toppers of the decade. Well, in 1983 the group Toto won six Grammies. Three of those awards - Record of the Year, Best Pop Vocal Performance, and Best Arrangement for a Vocal - were for the song that's at #35 in our special survey, a No.1 song inspired by an young up-and-coming actress named Rosanna. The same Rosanna who turned into a movie star Rosanna Arquette. Here's Toto...
... At #35 in our special survey - the biggest number ones of the decade, that's Toto and "Rosanna". By the way, the dancer featured in that popular video of "Rosanna" was Cynthia Roads who today is Mrs. Richard Marx. Up next at #34, a No.1 song by four superstars, Dionne, Elton, Stevie and Gladys (jingle out)
(Jingle in) I'm Casey Kasem, we're counting down the 40 biggest chart toppers of the 1980's. In January of 1986 a song about loyalty and trust took Dionne Warwick, Elton John, Stevie Wonder and Gladys Knight all the way to number one. The song struck a chord with friends everywhere and the proceeds were donated to AIDS research. At #34 Dionne & Friends with "That's What Friends Are For"...
... One of our biggest Request & Dedication songs of the 80's "That's What Friends Are For", Dionne Warwick & Friends with the second benefit song in today special, earlier at number 39 we heard "We Are The World". This one's at #34 in our survey of the decade's biggest number ones. Counting down on Casey's Top 40, I'm Casey Kasem (#33 jingle) Back in 1985, "Back To The Future" starring Michael J. Fox was the biggest movie of the year. Huey Lewis had a small role in the film as a music teacher. But he had a much bigger role in the movie's hit single. He co-wrote it, co-produced it and sang lead on it as well, and in August of '85 this song took Huey & The News all the way to the top...
... At #33 in our survey, from 1985 that's "The Power Of Love", Huey Lewis & The News. I'm Casey Kasem, you're listening to a special countdown of the 40 biggest No.1 songs of the 80's, the best of the best. Each one of these songs went all the way to the top, and that's where we headed as the countdown rolls on (jingle out)
(Jingle in) I'm Casey Kasem, we're on our way to the biggest number one song of the 1980's. In the middle of the decade, pop music critics began raving about an Irish group they called "The Rock Band of the 80's". Those critics praised the band for its sensitive, idealistic musical vision. Well, it took the group several years of recording before they finally cracked the Top 10, but when they did in 1987, they went straight to the top. The song that did it lands at #32 in our special countdown. Here is U2 with their No.1 song "With Or Without You"...
... From 1987 that's Bono and his band out of Dublin, Ireland, U2 with "With Or Without You". It's at #32 in our countdown of the Top 40 number one songs of the decade. Now, as we're rolling to the second hour of our survey, we're counting down now to the No.1 songs by the No.1 male act of the decade, the No.1 female act of the decade, and the No.1 heavy metal act of the decade, as our countdown of the biggest number ones continues...
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... From San Antonio, Texas, here's the Top Newcomer of 1980, five time Grammy Award winner Christopher Cross with the 31st biggest chart topper of the decade "Sailing"...
... That's "Sailing" from Christopher Cross docking at #31 in our survey of the Top 40 number ones of the decade. "Sailing" spent 15 weeks on the chart in late 1980, four of them at number one. Well, now at #30 in our special countdown, here's a man that knows little something about making number ones himself. He made the number one album of the decade, he made 9 number one singles in the decade, and all that makes him the number one artist of the decade. With his number one smash "Man In The Mirror", here's the man himself...
... "If you wanna make the world a better place, take a look at yourself and make a change", that's some sage advice from Michael Jackson's thought-provoking number one hit "Man In The Mirror". It's at #30 in our special countdown of the Top 40 number ones of the 80's. Up next, the pop princess goes crazy for you (jingle out)
(Jingle in) I'm Casey Kasem, these are the 40 biggest number ones of the 1980's. The singer they call the pop princess has 3 of those big hits all by herself. Earlier we heard "Live To Tell", now, she's back with her second, a number one smash from the spring of 1985. It's at #29 in our special survey, from the soundtrack of the movie "Vision Quest", here's Madonna one more time with "Crazy For You"...
... At #29 in our special survey that's Madonna and "Crazy For You", one of 9 number ones she managed to rack up in the 80's. I'm Casey Kasem counting down the cream of the crop, the biggest number ones of the decade (#28 jingle) Singer, songwriter Steve Winwood says "Co-writing a song is like doing a painting with two people holding a brush". Well, in the 80's, holding that brush with writing partner Will Jeninngs Steve hit the top with "While You See A Chance", "Higher Love" and this number one from 1988 "Roll With It"...
... 31 year-old Englishman Steve Winwood rolls in at #28 in our special survey with "Roll With It", as we roll toward the biggest number one of the 80's. Coming up, an extra - the biggest number one of the sixties, a song written to cheer up a young lad named Julian Lennon (jingle out)
(Jingle in) I'm Casey Kasem, these are the 40 biggest chart toppers of the decade and we're countin' 'em down. Well now, here's singer, songwriter Richard Marx with a song that he wrote as a love letter to his wife, actress Cynthia Roads. You see, because of their two busy careers Richard and Cynthia are often separated for long periods of time. Richard's song was his way of saying that no matter how long they had to be apart, he would always be right there waiting. It was such an intimate and personal expression of his love that, at first, Richard was uncomfortable about the idea of putting that song out. Now, he's happy he did, because it's touched the hearts of separated lovers everywhere. At #27 here's Richard Marx and "Right Here Waiting"...
... One of the great love songs of the decade, Richard Marx with "Right Here Waiting". It comes in at #27 in our countdown of the biggest number ones of the 80's. Now, an extra, the biggest No.1 of the 60's, a song written to cheer up a young lad named Julian Lennon. Julian's dad John was a member of the most influential band in the rock era - The Beatles. In 1968 they were at the very height of their popularity. Everything they did made headlines, and every single they released became a hit. But all was not well with the Beatles: They were growing apart from each other and from the people around them. 1968 was the time of John Lennon's painful divorce from his first wife Cynthia. A divorce that was also painful for their son Julian. John's writing partner Paul McCartney really loved little Julian and one day while he was driving to see the boy, Paul thought how sad Julian was about the turmoil going on around him. In his head Paul began to write the song to cheer Julian up. The song told the boy quote "Hey Julian, don't make it bad, take a sad song and make it better". Later, Paul changed Julian to Jules, and then to Jude. And that song gave the Beatles their biggest hit. With 9 weeks at the top of the chart in 1968 the song written for little Julian Lennon became the biggest No.1 song of the 60's...
... The biggest number one of the 60's, the Beatles with "Hey Jude", an extra in our special countdown of the Top 40 number ones of the 80's. Up next, a Michael named George (jingle out)
(Jingle in) From Hollywood this is Casey Kasem. What we're doing today is counting down the best of the best, the 40 biggest number ones of the 1980's. In the winter of 1987 George Michael spent 4 weeks at #1 with the song, George says, he wrote because it represents the way he feels. As he puts it, the song's title expresses his hope and optimism for the future. At #26 in our special survey here's George Michael's number one song "Faith"...
... "You gotta have faith", so says George Michael as he checks in with the 26th biggest chart topper of the decade. It's the first of three number one songs by George to make our special survey. Counting down I'm Casey Kasem (#25 jingle) Soap-opera star Rick Springfield hit #1 in April of 1982 and stayed there for 5 weeks with this one, here's "Don't Talk To Strangers"...
... That's the man born Richard Springthorpe, better known as Rick Springfield, he comes in at #25 in our countdown with the song that went to number one on the Radio & Records charts in the spring of 1982 "Don't Talk To Strangers". Up next, the No.1 heavy metal band of the 1980's (jingle out)
(Jingle in) I'm Casey Kasem, these are the 40 biggest number ones of the 80's. Well now, here's a song by Bon Jovi, a song the band wasn't very interested in recording. In fact, Jon Bon Jovi says he told co-writer Richie Sambora that they should throw the song out because it just wasn't right for them. But producer Bruce Fairbairn really liked the song and he convinced Jon and Richie to record it. Bruce says he had a hunch this song could be the biggest single on Bon Jovi's album "Slippery When Wet". As it turned out, his instincts were right on the money. The song that almost didn't make it to the album went all the way to number one and became their biggest hit to date. At #24 in our special survey, here's Bon Jovi, the No.1 heavy metal band of the 80's, with "Livin' On A Prayer"...
... There's another one of the songs that you made No.1, at #24 in our special survey "Livin' On A Prayer" from the pride of New Jersey - Bon Jovi. I'm Casey Kasem, today we're counting down the cream of the crop, the biggest number ones of the 1980's. Now, a British singer and songwriter who went to the top in 1984 with this ballad: At#23 here's Phil Collins with the title song from the film "Against All Odds"...
... "Against All Odds", Phil Collins, the drummer for the group Genesis, with one of 4 movie hits he had in the decade. It's at #23 in our special countdown. Up next, a number one song by the number one female act of the 1980's (jingle out)
(Jingle in) I'm Casey Kasem. Now, at #22 the third number one song in our special survey from the No.1 Female Act of the 80's. Earlier we heard "Live To Tell" and "Crazy For You". Now, the title track from the number one album "Like A Prayer", here's Madonna...
... She had 9 number one solo songs in the 80's, the most for any solo singer. That's Madonna with "Like A Prayer". It comes in at #22 in our countdown of the top 40 chart toppers of the decade.
Coming up, as we're rolling to the third hour of our survey, the biggest songs ever for Prince, Whitney Houston and Diana Ross, all number ones, on our way to the biggest number one of the 80's...
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...At #21 here's the main Minneapolis maestro, Prince with "Let's Go Crazy"...
... That's the purple one himself, Prince at #21 in our special survey with his 1984 smash "Let's Go Crazy". It was one of three number one singles from his number one album "Purple Rain". I'm Casey Kasem we're counting down the 40 biggest chart toppers of the 80's. Well, next at #20 is a record that was a result of an unusual collaboration: a Country star with an R&B star. At first that might sound a bit strange, but the Country star Kenny Rogers says he'd been an R&B fan since the days he was growing up in Houston. Back then his major musical influences were R&B legends Ray Charles and Sam Cooke. Well, in 1980 Kenny decided he'd like to try his hand at some R&B and to do it he contacted the lead singer and main writer for The Commodores, a man named Lionel Richie. They met for the first time in Las Vegas and spent two weeks working together. The result was a song Lionel wrote and produced that gave Kenny Rogers this classic number one smash...
... In 1980 that song was a number one for 5 consecutive weeks, "Lady". In our special survey it comes in at #20 and it was sung by a big Country and Pop star from Texas, Kenny Rogers. Up next a big number one song about a man from the smallest continent on earth (jingle out)
(Jingle in) I'm Casey Kasem, these are the 40 biggest number ones of the 80's. At #19 is a song that went a long way toward winning the Australian band Men At Work the Grammy for the best new artist of 1982. It's a song about a man from the smallest continent on earth, the land called "Down Under"...
... With the 19th biggest number one of the decade that's the band from Melbourne, Australia - Men At Work with "Down Under". I'm Casey Kasem we're counting down the top 40 number ones of the 80's. (#18 jingle) Now, the number one teen act of the 80's, the only female artist to single-handedly write, produce and sing a number one song. And she did it twice, here's Debbie Gibson with "Lost In Your Eyes"...
... "It's like being lost in heaven when I'm lost in your eyes". Debbie Gibson at #18 in our special survey with the song that went all the way to the top in February of 1989.
Up next in our special countdown, the number one song from the movie "Rocky III" (jingle out)
(Jingle in) I'm Casey Kasem, our special countdown of the biggest number one songs of the 80's originates in Hollywood. And so does the record at #17. It was born when Sylvester Stallone decided he wanted the theme composed for the film "Rocky III". Among the people he approached were Frankie Sullivan and Jim Peterik. Stalonne gave Frankie and Jim a cassette of the movie and a bit of direction. So, they sat down, watched the film, and in a little over an hour the song was written. Jim Peterik says, one phrase from the movie stuck in his mind. It was like a catchphrase. Over and over Rocky's trainer told the fighter to have the "Eye of the Tiger". And that phrase became the title of this number one smash. From 1982 here's Survivor...
... We're listening to the champs, the 40 number one heavy weights of the 80's, and at #17 that's Survivor with "Eye Of The Tiger, the theme song from Sylvester Stallone's film "Rocky III". The record at #16 also comes from the movies. This one from a love story starring Brooke Shields. The music was originally written by Lionel Richie for the group The Commodores, but when it was decided to use the melody in the film, Lionel added lyrics and made it into a duet. A duet he sang with Diana Ross and it became her biggest hit ever "Endless Love"...
... Lionel Richie, Diana Ross, their #1 smash from the 1981 movie "Endless Love". It's the most successful single in the history of Motown and at #16 in our survey of the biggest number ones of the 80's. Coming up, an extra, the biggest No.1 of the 70's, a song secretly written by the most successful songwriting team of the 70's, two men named Ann Orson and Carte Blanche (jingle out)
(Jingle in) I'm Casey Kasem, we're counting down the 40 hottest chart toppers of the 80's (#15 jingle) When super producer Narada Michael Walden first heard the demo tape of this song, he thought it was too Country for Whitney Houston, the singer he was working with. He says, "It reminded me of a rodeo song with Olivia Newton-John". Narada loved it for Olivia but not for Whitney, but the song kept on coming back in his head day after day. He just couldn't get that tune off his mind. So finally, he tooked that tune, that sounded like a rodeo song to him, to Whitney and she liked it. But she put her own unique stamp on it, and the result was this number one smash, her biggest ever "I Wanna Dance With Somebody"...
... At #15 in our survey Whitney Houston and "I Wanna Dance With Somebody". I'm Casey Kasem, this is our special countdown of the 40 biggest number ones of the 80's and we're up to number 14. But first, an extra, the biggest chart topper of the 70's. It's a song secretly written by the most successful songwriting team of the 70's. You know, every now-and-then popular musicians have tried to see if they're successful because of what they do or because of their famous names. Stevie Wonder tried to find that out when he recorded the song as Eivets Rednow - Stevie Wonder spelled backwards. The Four Seasons tried it under the name of The Wonder Who. Both those acts managed to get hit records under their assumed names, and so did the pair of super successful songwriters who disguised themselves with the names Ann Orson and Carte Blanche. Now, they'd already collaborated on big hits like "Rocket Man", "Crocodile Rock" and "Benny And The Jets". And though they were curious about whether they could hit writing under other names, they thought they still needed a star to sing the song. So, one of them decided to record it himself, which is how Ann Orson, better known as Elton John came to record the song he'd written with Carte Blanche, better known as Bernie Taupin. Elton did the song as a duet with Kiki Dee and it hit the top of the Radio & Records charts in July of 1976, and stayed there for 7 weeks making it the biggest number one of the decade - the 1970's...
... Elton John & Kiki Dee with "Don't Go Breaking My Heart", according to Radio & Records the biggest number one of the 70's, an extra on our special countdown of the Top 40 number ones of the 80's. Up next, the biggest hit ever for the Purple Rain maker (jingle out)
(Jinle in) I'm Casey Kasem, we're listening to the best of the best, the 40 biggest number one songs of the decade. Now, a musician from Minneapolis who finished high school at age 16. That's when he moved into a wild basement apartment decorated in strange fabrics and mirrors. He worked there at a feverish pace teaching himself to play twenty-seven different instruments and writing four songs a day. Couple of years later, he got his first record contract and six years after that he made his movie debut in "Purple Rain". The soundtrack album he recorded for it went to number one and stayed there almost half a year. And the first number one single from that album is at #14 in our survey. Here is Prince with his biggest number one ever "When Doves Cry"...
... At #14 in our special survey, a big summer hit from 1984, that's Prince and the number one song "When Doves Cry". We've got thirteen number ones to go on our way to the biggest chart topper of the 80's (jingle out)
(Jingle in) I'm Casey Kasem in Hollywood. Now, here's the youngest member of the incredible Jackson family. She first hit the Top 10 with "What Have You Done For Me Lately". That was the first single from her 1986 album "Control". Earlier this year, the first single from her latest album "Rhythm Nation" went all the way to the top and stayed there for 3 weeks. Here's Janet Jackson with the 13th biggest number one of the 80's "Miss You Much"...
... 23 year-old Janet Jackson with the 13th biggest number one of the decade, that's "Miss You Much". Coming up, as we're moving to the fourth hour of our special countdown, the biggest movie hit of the 80's, the biggest heavy metal hit of the 80's and, of course, the biggest number one of the 80's...
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... At #12 is one of the most successful songwriters in the Rock era. He tied the record set by Paul McCartney by writing at least one number one song every year for 8 years in a row. This is the song that gave Lionel Richie the tie "Say You Say Me"...
... From the Mikhail Baryshnikov, Gregory Hines movie "White Nights", that's Lionel Richie with his 1985 smash "Say You Say Me". It's at #12 in our countdown of the biggest number ones of the decade. The song at #11 comes from the British singer, songwriter who first hit the charts as lead vocalist of the duo Wham! He wrote and arranged this song in the studio while he was recording his first solo album. Originally, the song was supposed to be a medium tempo dance number, but one day, as he was experimenting with various mixes, he accidentally mixed out all the drums. And without drums, he heard this spacy sound, a sound he liked so much that he changed the whole feel of the song - and he ended up with the number one smash he calls the most original thing on the album. That George Michael album was called "Faith", and the song "Father Figure"...
... Hitting the top in February of 1988, that's George Michael with the 11th biggest number one of the decade "Father Figure". Up next, as we enter the Top 10, the number one song of 1981, Kim sings about Bette's eyes (jingle out)
(Jingle in) I'm Casey Kasem, we're counting down the 40 biggest number ones of the 80's, and at #10 is a song that hit number one not just in the USA, but also in 21 other countries around the world. It's a song that won two Grammies - Song of the Year and Record of the Year. Here's Kim Carnes with the number one song of 1981 "Bette Davis Eyes"...
... She hit the top of the Radio & Records chart in May of 1981 and stayed there for 5 weeks. That's Kim Carnes with survey song #10 "Bette Davis Eyes". I'm Casey Kasem and what we're doing today on this special countdown is celebrating the tie that binds - music. We're sharing the biggest of the big, the best of the best, the Top 40 number one songs of the 1980's (#9 jingle) Irene Cara first charted in 1980 with the theme song from the movie "Fame". Three years later, she came back with this Academy Award winner, the number one song "Flashdance... What A Feeling"...
... "Take your passion and make it happen. Go for it", Irene Cara with the inspiring theme song from the 1983 movie smash "Flashdance". It's at #9 as our countdown of the biggest number ones of the 80's gets closer to the top (jingle out)
(Jingle in) I'm Casey Kasem, we've got the eight biggest number ones of the 80's still to come. Here's a song from the only male artist with 3 number ones in our special survey, what's more, all three of those came from the same album - George Michael's solo album "Faith". Earlier, at number 26 we heard the title track. Then, at number 11 "Father Figure". Now, at #8, a ballad George says is a personal song about his problems opening himself up to new people after the end of a difficult relationship. This is "One More Try"...
... That's the song, George Michael has said, is the best thing he's ever done. At #8 in our special countdown, the number one single "One More Try", from the number one album "Faith". Now, we're up to a superstar duet, and it all began one Christmas day when the number one act of the 80's, a singer named Michael, called up a man named Paul who's the number one songwriter of all time. At first, when Paul picked up the phone, he didn't believe Michael was who he said he was, but eventually, Michael convinced him and suggested that on a trip that he was making to England the two get together. And they did, and things worked out so well that Paul joined Michael in writing and recording "The Girl Is Mine" from Michael's album "Thriller". Then, to return the favour, Michael joined Paul on this track for Paul's album "Pipes of Peace". Here's Michael Jackson & Paul McCartney with the 7th biggest chart topper of the decade "Say Say Say"...
... At #7 in our special survey, two of the biggest stars of the decade and, of course, of all time, Paul McCartney & Michael Jackson with the song they wrote together called "Say Say Say". Up next, Eddie, Alex, Michael and David with the biggest heavy metal number one of the 80's (jingle out)
(Jingle in) I'm Casey Kasem, we're just six hits away from the biggest number one of the 80's. Here's the biggest heavy metal hit of the decade, a song that began with a tune Eddie Van Halen wrote and recorded at home one night on a synthesizer. Two years later, David Lee Roth took Eddie's casette and wrote lyrics all over Los Angeles. You see, David says "I wrote them in the back of a 1951 Mercury Lowrider. One morning I called up Larry, the roadie, and told him to bring the car. He showed up after lunch and drove me all through the Hollywood Hills and up to Pacific coast. I just sat in the backseat taking in the sun and wrote it all. Well, after David wrote all over Los Angeles, the band Van Halen rode those lyrics and that tune all the way up to the top of the chart. They did it in 1984 and scored the 6th biggest number one of the decade. Here's Michael Anthony, David Lee Roth and Eddie and Alex Van Halen with "Jump"...
... From the album "1984", that's David Lee Roth and Van Halen with "Jump", the 6th biggest number one of the decade. I'm Casey Kasem, our special countdown originates in Hollywood (#5 jingle) Well, now here's a song that grew out of an expression Daryl Hall & John Oates have used for years. According to the duo, it's an expression that means that "People should think for themselves, do what they believe. They shouldn't act or do things just because other people do or because the government says to doing. People have to be able to assess each situation based on their own beliefs and not just follow along." That's what Daryl Hall & John Oates mean when they use the expression "I Can't Go For That (No Can Do)", and that's also the title of this number one smash from 1982, the 5th biggest chart topper of the decade...
... Coming in at #5 in our special survey, that's the number one duo of the Rock era, Daryl Hall & John Oates with "I Can't Go For That". Up next, the biggest movie hit of the 80's from the Richard Gere film "American Gigolo" (jingle out)
(Jingle in) From Hollywood this is Casey Kasem counting down the Top 40 number ones of the decade. Speaking of Hollywood, we've got 11 movie hits in our special survey and this is the biggest of them all. It's from the soundtrack of the Richard Gere film "American Gigolo". Here's Deborah Harry and her band Blondie coming in at #4 with "Call Me"...
... Blondie's "Call Me" topped the chart for 6 weeks, enough to make it the number one record of the year 1980 and the 4th biggest number one of the decade (#3 jingle) Starting with their 1977 debut single "Feels Like The First Time", Foreigner was known mostly as a rock and roll band, a reputation they reinforced with Top 10 hard driving rockers like "Cold As Ice", "Hot Blooded" and "Double Vision". But in 1981 they released a rock ballad and it became their first number on the Radio & Records chart. Here's Foreigner and "Waiting For A Girl Like You"...
... At #3 in our survey, that's Lou Gramm singing lead with Foreigner on "Waiting For A Girl Like You". Coming up, a song written by a former English teacher in just 10 minutes. It's become the biggest number one song of the decade (jingle out)
(Jingle in) I'm Casey Kasem, we're just one big hit away from the biggest number one song of the 1980's. Right now, right behind it is a song by a San Francisco band that first charted in 1979 with "Lovin' Touchin' Squeezin'". In 1981 they had their first number one "Who's Crying Now", and a year later they scored their second. Here's lead singer Steve Perry and Journey with the number one single of 1982 and the second biggest number one of the decade "Open Arms"...
... That's the 2nd biggest number one song of the decade, Steve Perry and Journey with "Open Arms". It spent 7 weeks at number one on the Radio & Records chart in 1982. Well, here we are, up to number one, and as we told you at the beginning of our special countdown, there were 1,985 records that made the Top 40 in the 1980's, 234 of those made number one. Now, we're up to the biggest number one of them all - and it was a song that was written in just 10 minutes. It was written by a former English teacher named Gordon Matthew Sumner, the man we know as Sting. It all happened during a period of great personal anguish for Sting, a time when he was wrestling with a very difficult relationship. Things got so tough he decided to take a vacation on the Carribean island of Jamaica. One hot tropical night he woke up out of a sound sleep and sat straight up in bed. There was a song going through his head, a haunting melody he'd never heard before. He got up, walked across the room to a piano, sat down and started playing. First, it was just chords, then his fingers started to play a tune and Sting realized he was writing a song. Words came into his head. They were strong words, words that made him sad. But Sting says, it was a wonderful sadness because writing those lyrics, writing that song was the big emotional release that he needed. And that's not all it was. Those few lonely minutes in the middle of the night gave birth to the biggest number one song of the decade.
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Here are Andy Summers, Stewart Copeland and Sting - The Police with "Every Breath You Take"...
... And there it is, the song that went to the top of the Radio & Records charts in July of 1983 and stayed there for 8 record-setting weeks, the biggest number one song of the 1980's by Andy Summers, Stewart Copeland and Sting - The Police, the song - "Every Breath You Take"
(Closing theme)
And there you have it, our special countdown of the 40 biggest chart toppers of the decade according to a computerized analysis of the weekly surveys of radiostations from coast to coast by Radio & Records, the industry's newspaper. This program is a presentation of the Westwood One Radio Networks, produced by Bert Kleinman. Our staff includes Mary-Pat Carney Davis, Merrill Shindler, Leonard Pitts Jr., Regina Williamson, Gonzalo Venecia and Sharon Steiner. Production & engineering by Al Ramirez with Michael Cooper and Jeff Kowalczyk. Executive producer: Norm Pattiz. My name's Casey Kasem. For a look at your favorite stars every week, join me for my TV show "America's Top 10", and join me every week right here as we countdown the 40 biggest hits in the USA on Casey's Top 40. Til then, keep your feet on the ground and keep reaching for the stars, and leave your dial tuned right where it is.
