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Post by mga707 on Mar 20, 2021 11:09:40 GMT -5
1: JACOB’S LADDER – HUEY LEWIS & THE NEWS (2) - After nine weeks on the chart, this song finally reached the top rung of the chart. The third song from the album Fore! became their third #1 song overall. This has to be one of the least-played #1 songs of the 1980s, as, outside of countdown shows, you never really hear this song on the radio. I liked it, but it wasn't one of my favorites from him. Even 80s on 8 doesn't play this song, which to me is absurd. It's a #1 song by a core 80s artist that sounds very similar to his other hits that they do play. And they occasionally play far more obscure songs so there's no logic to it. And I'm sure channel 8 plays at least a couple of Bruce Hornsby and the Range songs as well, correct? Hornsby wrote the song, for those who don't know. I agree, can't understand why this particular song is one of the most 'lost' #1 songs of the decade.
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Post by mrjukebox on Mar 20, 2021 16:36:27 GMT -5
"Guitar Man" by Elvis Presley was originally released in 1968-The first time around,it peaked at # 43.
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Post by mga707 on Mar 20, 2021 17:52:23 GMT -5
"Guitar Man" by Elvis Presley was originally released in 1968-The first time around,it peaked at # 43. The '81 release is a remix. Jerry Reed on guitar on both.
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Post by Hervard on Mar 26, 2021 12:58:54 GMT -5
American Top 40: The 70s - March 27, 2021
This week's presentation - March 25, 1978
Droppers: WE ARE THE CHAMPIONS - QUEEN (36) - Back when this song was on the charts, the station that I listened to always played this with its flipside "We Will Rock You" (which actually preceded the song). I much prefer this song, which became their biggest hit of the 1970s, peaking at #4 the previous month. PEG - STEELY DAN (32) - They usually mercilessly edited this song by cutting out the second verse (or the second half of the first verse, if that's what you'd call it) and the first chorus, but there were a few shows where they were nice enough to play the song intact. Anyway, this was one of my favorite songs from them of all time! THE WAY YOU DO THE THINGS YOU DO – RITA COOLIDGE (20) - This song was an example of Third Single Syndrome - peaked at #20 after two Top Ten hits from her Anytime...Anywhere album. I preferred said Top Tens, but this was a great one as well. HAPPY ANNIVERSARY – LITTLE RIVER BAND (16) - This was their third Top 40 hit. They had yet to hit the Top Ten, but they would do just that later in the year with their hit "Reminiscing". I generally liked their songs, but for some reason, this one never really did anything for me. Definitely one of my least favorites from them. WHAT’S YOUR NAME – LYNYRD SKYNYRD (13) - Wow, three songs dropping out of the countdown from inside the Top 20? What year does THAT remind you of? Anyhoo, this was a great classic rock group here! This one, as well as most of their others, gets tons of recurrent airplay on classic rock stations today. This was one of my favorites from them.
40: IMAGINARY LOVER - ATLANTA RHYTHM SECTION (debut) - Amazing how speeding up this song a bit turns it into a different artist No, seriously, I like most of ARS' Top 40 hits, this one included. 39: DISCO INFERNO - THE TRAMMPS (debut) - Burn, baby burn! For a disco song, this was actually not bad. One of six hits from the Saturday Night Fever soundtrack on this week's chart! That has to be some kind of record! 38: BOOGIE SHOES - K.C. & THE SUNSHINE BAND (debut) - And look here - another one is right above it. Given the fact that this was from an immensely popular soundtrack, as well as who sang it, I'm surprised that this song didn't get any higher than #35. Not that I mind, as I was never a huge fan of this song - mediocre at best. 37: THE CIRCLE IS SMALL - GORDON LIGHTFOOT (debut) - The last Top 40 hit for this great Canadian folk singer that I was lucky enough to see in concert - from practically in the front row, no less. Definitely one of his best, and quite underrated. However, Lightfoot had already had his day in the sun back in the early and mid-70s. Had he released this around 1974 or so, it might have hit the Top Ten. 36: YOU REALLY GOT ME - VAN HALEN (37) - One of several cover versions that VH released. I'm not sure if I like this or the original by the Kinks better (in the latter, it sounds like they’re singing, “You Really Got Mad”.) Both of them are so/so IMO, but I prefer many other hits by both bands. 35: COUNT ON ME - JEFFERSON STARSHIP (debut) - This would be their first Top Ten hit in nearly three years. Marty Balin was still singing lead at this point, and this is my favorite song of theirs with him on lead. They sure butchered this song, didn't they? And in its first week? Such a shame! 34: IT'S YOU THAT I NEED - ENCHANTMENT (38) - This song was pretty much your run-of-the-mill late-70s slow jam. It was pretty good, but nothing I'd go out of my way to listen to. 33: HOW DEEP IS YOUR LOVE - BEE GEES (35) - OK, for a song to take such a huge drop and then move back up, there had to be some kind of chart manipulation in place (but that seemed to be very common with the RSO label back then). This was likely so all six Saturday Night Fever singles could be on the chart at the same time. Well, anyway, this was my favorite of the Bee Gees' Saturday Night Fever hits. The song's run in the Top 40 was nearly over, but what a run it had! 26 weeks, and 17 of them in the Top Ten, the latter of which was an AT40 record that endured for 14 years. 32: FEELS SO GOOD - CHUCK MANGIONE (40) - The first of two hits he placed on the Top 40 (and the last one was heard on a recent 1980 show). Not sure which one I preferred, but both are great songs, IMO! 31: NAME OF THE GAME - ABBA (12) - "The fastest dropping sound on the countdown" as Casey said. I liked many songs from Abba, but this wasn't one of them. One of my least favorite songs from them. 30: THANK YOU FOR BEING A FRIEND - ANDREW GOLD (34) - He didn't quite match the chart success of "Lonely Boy" with this one, but the song did become quite popular in the LDD department, until the mid-80s, when other songs like "That's What Friends Are For" came along and stole its thunder. This is sort of the same scenario as Chuck Mangione, as Gold had two Top 40 hits that I liked so much that I'm undecided on which song I preferred. Is it me, or did this contain a rather sloppy edit in the bridge near the end? 29: HOT LEGS - ROD STEWART (33) - Meh, this song was OK, but it was easily my least favorite of his three 1978 hits. 28: THE CLOSER I GET TO YOU - ROBERTA FLACK & DONNY HATHAWAY (39) - The last of three duets between these two. This was the biggest of their collaborations, making it to #2 on the charts in May. It is also my favorite of the two songs I've heard from them (as I have yet to hear their version of the Carole King song - maybe I'll hop on over to YouTube and check it out). OPTIONAL EXTRA: WEREWOLVES OF LONDON - WARREN ZEVON - Of course, the bass for this song is familiar to the younger generation, since Kid Rock used it for the bass of his 2008 hit "All Summer Long". I did prefer that song, but this one's a great song as well! 27: LADY LOVE - LOU RAWLS (31) - He may have had more than two Top 40 hits, but this and "You'll Never Find Another Love Like Mine" are the only two songs that I've heard from him (that I know of, anyway). And, yes, both are great songs IMO and I'm unsure which is my favorite of the two. 26: BEFORE MY HEART FINDS OUT - GENE COTTON (30) - Short, but sweet. This song's playing time was only two and a half minutes long, but what a great song it was - about a love affair that was ending and him advising her to make a clean break for it. 25: SWEET TALKIN' WOMAN - ELECTRIC LIGHT ORCHESTRA (29) - Definitely a similarity between this and "Do You Believe In Love" by Huey Lewis & The News, which wasn't coincidence, as Robert John "Mutt" Lange, Shania Twain's ex, wrote the Huey Lewis songs, and both Robert and Shania are big fans of Electric Light Orchestra fans, and also that the main inspiration for "Do You Believe In Love" was this song. When comparing them, they both sound similar in structure!. Anyway, this was definitely one of my personal faves from them and one I remember quite well from its chart run. 24: FLASHLIGHT - PARLIAMENT (28) - Meh, pretty much your typical late-70s R&B disco, and I think we all know all too well my general opinion on that... 23: THEME FROM "WHICH WAY IS UP" - STARGARD (27) - Why, it's the only way, according to songwriters George Jackson and Johnny Henderson. But seriously, as for my opinion of this song, refer to song #24. 22: GOODBYE GIRL - DAVID GATES (24) - The theme song from the Richard Dreyfuss movie of the same title. This was IMO just as great as many of his other songs that he did with Bread. 21: ALWAYS AND FOREVER - HEAT WAVE (21) - One of the best love songs of all time, and by far my favorite of their three hits (the other two were disco songs that sounded very much alike). 20: RUNNIN' ON EMPTY - JACKSON BROWNE (25) - Given its current chart action, this song looked to be Top Ten bound, but unfortunately, the song just barely missed, peaking at #11. Too bad, as it was definitely one of my favorite Jackson Browne songs and one I remember quite well from back in the day. 19: EBONY EYES - BOB WELCH (22) - This is one of few songs that mentions the title only in the bridge and not any other time in the song. Of Welch's two Top 40 hits, I preferred "Sentimental Lady", but this one was a good one as well. 18: WE'LL NEVER HAVE TO SAY GOODBYE AGAIN - ENGLAND DAN & JOHN FORD COLEY (26) - This song had an unusually short chart run for a song that hit the Top Ten - not sure why it zipped up and down the chart so fast - perhaps because it sounded so much like "Goodbye Girl"? Anyway, they had a handful of hits on the chart and all of them were great songs. 17: WONDERFUL WORLD - ART GARFUNKEL WITH JAMES TAYLOR & PAUL SIMON (17) - One of two songs that Art and James collaborated on (the other one was in late 1993, when they recorded a cover version of the Everly Brothers' "Crying In The Rain"). I preferred that one, as well as the original of this by Sam Cooke. This song is a good one as well. 16: OUR LOVE - NATALIE COLE (18) - Her last Top Ten hit before she went on a hiatus that lasted for the better part of the 1980s, when she ran into many personal problems, including drug addiction. This was one of her best hits of the 1970s. 15: JACK & JILL - RAYDIO (19) - This song contains one of the funniest misheard lyric near the end ("He got down on his right knee", which is sometimes heard as "he got down on his Granny". As for the song itself, it's a great one - possibly my favorite songs from him/them. OPTIONAL EXTRA: IT'S A HEARTACHE - BONNIE TYLER - Some people call her a "female Rod Stewart", since both have similarly raspy voices. This was a good song, though I preferred “Total Eclipse Of The Heart”. 14: FALLING - LEBLANC & CARR (15) - Their only Top 40 hit. The song peaked at #13, but spent over a half a year on the Hot 100, an unusually long term for a song that never hit the Top Ten. I liked this song a lot - too bad it didn't have a little more oomph in it so it would have hit the Top Ten. 13: DANCE, DANCE, DANCE (YOWSAH YOWSAH YOWSAH) - CHIC (9) - Meh, not a fan of this one, mostly since it is quite repetitive. I preferred other songs from them, especially "I Want Your Love" from the following year. 12: DUST IN THE WIND - KANSAS (23) - A song with a vaguely haunting melody. It was another great song that I remember quite well! 11: JUST THE WAY YOU ARE - BILLY JOEL (10) - The first of four releases from one of The Stranger, one of Joel's best singles albums ever. I liked all four of the songs and, though "She's Always A Woman" was my favorite of those, the others, including this one, were great as well. Did they ever play the full album version of the song during its chart run? (I'm fairly sure I remember them playing that one as a LDD one time). 10: THUNDER ISLAND - JAY FERGUSON (11) - The first of two Top 40 hits by this man from the San Ferdinando Valley. I'm sure I've heard his other hit, "Shakedown Cruise" before, but wtf did it sound like again? This was a good song that I vaguely remember hearing back in the day. 9: IF I CAN'T HAVE YOU - YVONNE ELLIMAN (14) - This song was definitely on its way to #1 - of course I'm sure that the fact that it was from a hot movie soundtrack was somewhat instrumental in that, but it did have its own merits. It was possibly my favorite song on the Saturday Night Fever soundtrack, and easily my favorite song from Yvonne. 8: SOMETIMES WHEN WE TOUCH - DAN HILL (8) - This man seemed destined to be a one-hit wonder, a title he held for nearly ten years, but the day was saved in the late summer of 1987, when his duet with Vonda Shepard "Can't We Try" came along and broke the curse. I preferred that song, as well as a few other Dan Hill songs, over this one, but it still is a good one. 7: I GO CRAZY - PAUL DAVIS (7) - This song had finally peaked the week before, after taking baby steps pretty much its entire trip up the chart. It was in its 31st week on the Hot 100 and would end up breaking the record for the longest run on the chart - an even 40 weeks! 6: LOVE IS THICKER THAN WATER - ANDY GIBB (5) - The first of three #1 songs in a row for Gibb. It wasn't quite as good as "I Just Want To Be Your Everything", but I prefer it over "Shadow Dancing". 5: CAN'T SMILE WITHOUT YOU - BARRY MANILOW (6) - This song looked to be heading for #1 (I seem to remember that, at one point, Casey said something to that effect), but it was not to be - basically, during the winter and spring of 1978, if you weren't the Bee Gees or involved with the Saturday Night Fever soundtrack (or at least on the RSO label), you were pretty much SOL as far as hitting the top was concerned. But it did get as high as #3, which is great too. As for the song, it was a good one - became the subject of at least two touching LDDs a few years later. 4: LAY DOWN SALLY - ERIC CLAPTON (4) - One of several Top 40 hit by Clapton featuring Marcy Levy (the co-writer of this song) on backup vocals. It was a good song, though I prefer several other songs by him. But hey, as long as it isn’t the grossly overplayed “Change The World”... OPTIONAL EXTRA: WITH A LITTLE LUCK - WINGS - This song was usually mercilessly edited, but this week, it didn't seem to be as much as usual (if I'm not mistaken, all that was missing was the instrumental bridge). Still, I liked it when they played the full song, which they did on at least two occasions, but since it runs nearly six minutes long, I realize there wasn't always enough time to do that. As for this song, it was definitely one of my favorite songs from Wings. Casey correctly predicted this song going all the way to the top! 6: DUST IN THE WIND - KANSAS (6) - A song with a vaguely haunting melody. It was another great song that I remember quite well! 3: EMOTION - SAMANTHA SANG (3) - This was her only Top 40 hit, and I have a feeling that the fact that the Bee Gees had a hand in this one (especially Barry Gibb's backing vocal) was instrumental in how well it did. It was a good song. 2: STAYIN' ALIVE - BEE GEES (2) - Three weeks before, brother Andy Gibb had unseated this song from the top, but the joke was on him this week, as this song was now higher up on the chart than the song that dislodged it. 1: NIGHT FEVER - BEE GEES (1) - And this song added insult to injury, as the Bee Gees gave Gibb his come-uppance by knocking him out of the top the week before. This was also the fifth consecutive #1 song for the RSO record label - an all time record and one that would be further secured in May when "If I Can't Have You", also on the RSO label, topped the chart. Moreover, I seem to remember that RSO became the label with the most #1s (or at least weeks at #1 - perhaps both) in a calendar year. As for my opinion of the two above songs, I preferred "Stayin' Alive" over this song, which was still a pretty good one as well.
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Post by Hervard on Mar 26, 2021 12:59:06 GMT -5
American Top 40: The 80s - March 27, 2021
This week's presentation - March 22, 1986
Droppers:
THAT'S WHAT FRIENDS ARE FOR - DIONNE & FRIENDS (37) - This tribute song to raise money for AIDS research had recently spent four weeks at #1 and was on its way to becoming the top song of the entire year. I didn't like the song much when it was charting, since it was so overplayed, but now, it's nice to hear it every now and then. GOODBYE IS FOREVER - ARCADIA (34) - This song was pretty much riding the coattails of their recent Top Ten hit "Election Day". I actually liked it significantly better than that song - they sounded more like Duran Duran on this song (they seemed to be trying too hard for that sound on their first hit). DAY BY DAY - THE HOOTERS (28) - They were more or less a flash in the pan, with three Top 40 hits. This one was pretty good, though I slightly preferred "And We Danced". A LOVE BIZARRE - SHEILA E. (27) - I'm not generally a huge fan of hers, though I did like her underrated "The Belle Of St. Mark", from late 1984. TARZAN BOY - BALTIMORA (25) - This song charted twice - once in 1986 and again in 1993, thanks to its inclusion in the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles III movie (and it was also used in promos for Listerine Cool Mint mouthwash around that time). It was a good song.
LW#1: SARA - STARSHIP 40: OVERJOYED - STEVIE WONDER (debut) - This song sounds like the song was recorded in a tropical rain forest. But it was a good one - by far, my favorite song from Wonder's In Square Circle. I was hoping that it would be another Top Ten hit like the first two but, in fact, the song only got as high as #24. It did, however, fare much better at AC radio, where it would hit #1 two weeks later. 39: WHAT HAVE YOU DONE FOR ME LATELY - JANET JACKSON (debut) - This song set the record for the family that sent the most solo acts into the Top 40. Michael, of course, was the first. Jermaine came next in late 1972 and then, it would be twelve years before Rebbie Jackson had her only Top 40 hit, "Centipede". This, of course, was the first of many, many hits that baby sister Janet would place on the charts. However, this was one of my least favorite songs from her. I generally liked her later songs. 38: RUSSIANS - STING (22) - This song has a very eerie melody to it. It's a good one, but I prefer a few others from him (both solo and with the Police) 37: YOUR LOVE - THE OUTFIELD (debut) - The first of a handful of Top 40 hits from this British band who apparently knew nothing about baseball, despite their name. This was a good song, but I preferred their next single, "All The Love In The World", which charted that summer. 36: STAGES - ZZ TOP (26) - The second of four singles from Afterburner to hit the Top 40. Of course, I preferred the Afterburner singles, since that album had more of a pop sound than their trademark southern rock. My favorite song from the album was "Rough Boy", which would chart later that spring, but it was a toss-up between this and "Sleeping Bag" as my second favorite. 35: LIVE IS LOVE - OPUS (38) - Meh, not a fan of this song - repetitive and annoying. 34: SO FAR AWAY - DIRE STRAITS (debut) - The third single from their multi-platinum album Brothers In Arms. It was a great song, IMO - my favorite from that album! 33: I THINK IT'S LOVE - JERMAINE JACKSON (39) - As his sister Janet was just getting started, Jermaine's chart career ended right here with this song that would peak at #16 in April. It was a great song - nearly as good as his two 1984 hits. 32: I'M NOT THE ONE - THE CARS (36) - Since their ballad "Drive" was a Top Five hit, I thought this one might do the same, but, in fact, it didn't even hit the Top 30, which I thought was a shame, as it was one of their best hits ever. Possibly their most underrated hit ever! 31: HARLEM SHUFFLE - ROLLING STONES (debut) - Another song tying for the biggest mover this week. This song was mediocre at best; definitely not one of their best hits. But it did have a fast-rise, fast-fall chart run; in fact, it was a rare Top Five hit that did not make the year-end chart. OPTIONAL EXTRA: I CAN'T WAIT - NU SHOOZ - What I couldn't wait for was this song to go poof! I was not a big fan of this one at all. I much preferred Stevie Nicks' song of the same title, coming up later in the countdown. 30: WEST END GIRLS - PET SHOP BOYS (40) - This was an example of a band's first hit being their biggest, making it all the way to the top! It was a good one, but I preferred several others from them, including their next hit "Opportunities (Let's Make Lots Of Money)". 29: WHEN THE GOING GETS TOUGH, THE TOUGH GET GOING - BILLY OCEAN (21) - Though this song originated from "Jewel Of The Nile", it was also the leadoff single from his very successful Love Zone album. This was one of my favorite songs in the world when it hit #1. 28: NIGHT MOVES - MARILYN MARTIN (30) - She definitely had Phil Collins to thank for the success of "Separate Lives", as this was all the higher that this song could climb. Too bad, as it was a great song. Of course, it might have done better if released a few years prior, since it sounded more like an early-80s hit. LDD: THAT'S WHAT FRIENDS ARE FOR - DIONNE WARWICK - Wow, not very often that a LDD is one of the week's droppers, eh? It did fit the LDD, though. 27: LIFE IN A NORTHERN TOWN - THE DREAM ACADEMY (18) - This one was very different sounding. It definitely had that northern winter feeling, with the cold wind sound effects. This was my favorite of their two Top 40 hits. The second one, "The Love Parade" was pretty good too, but that one just didn't have what this song did (which just might be why it didn't do anywhere near as well as this song did). 26: LIVING IN AMERICA - JAMES BROWN (17) - Heh, this song's title was similar to #9, only it covers a broader spectrum and is not as specific. Anyway, before this song, he had an even 100 songs that hit the Soul charts. Oddly enough, he never even had a Pop #1 - this was actually his biggest hit, peaking at #4 the week before. As for this song, it was so/so. I was never a big James Brown fan. 25: I CAN'T WAIT - STEVIE NICKS (35) - Of course, this song would be joined by another song by the same title in two more weeks. I much preferred this song, as I was never crazy about the Nu Shooz song (as I mentioned earlier). 24: CALLING AMERICA - ELECTRIC LIGHT ORCHESTRA (33) - One of several artists on this week's show that was charting with their final Top 40 hit. But at least they went out with a great one - one of my all-time faves from them. 23: NO EASY WAY OUT - ROBERT TEPPER (31) - It looked like this song was starting to catch on this week before, with its good-sized move. However, this was a rather soft part of the chart (note the two other large moves just above) and the song only climbed a single spot higher. Of the three Top 40 hits from Rocky IV, this was my second favorite, behind "Burning Heart". 22: ANOTHER NIGHT - ARETHA FRANKLIN (24) - Definitely a case of Third Single Syndrome here. The first two singles from Who's Zoomin' Who hit the Top Ten, but this one, on the other hand, didn't even hit the Top 20 (in fact, it was peaking this week). I liked this song better than "Freeway Of Love", but I preferred the title track over both of them. OPTIONAL EXTRA: WHY CAN'T THIS BE LOVE - VAN HALEN - The Van Hagar era was off to a running start, as the band's very first hit with their new lead singer Sammy Hagar was right outside the Top 40 and would come roaring onto the chart the following week way up at #24! It was a great song, though I did slightly prefer the next two hits from 5150. 21: THE SWEETEST TABOO - SADE (13) - This was the second of two Top Ten hits from them. While I preferred the first one, "Smooth Operator", this was a good one too. Actually, I liked all of their hits, since they all had a relaxing smooth jazz sound to them. 20: (HOW TO BE A) MILLIONAIRE - ABC (23) - Three weeks ago, Casey told the story about miser Hetty Green. Apparently her son, who lost one of his legs as a result of her refusal to spend any money, was the opposite of her, as he became a spendthrift. He definitely made up for being severely deprived as a child. As for the song, it was pretty good, though nothing exceptional. 19: TENDER LOVE - FORCE M.D.'S (29) - The only Top 40 hit for this Staten Island based R&B act. A great song - I especially like the part near the end where they go so far up the scale on the piano that it sounds like a music box. 18: ADDICTED TO LOVE - ROBERT PALMER (32) - Quite a few large chart jumps this week, but this one tops them all, skipping over the 20s entirely. This song is definitely one of the most overplayed hits of the 80s. I rather liked this song back in the day, but I'm still burned out on it (since the song still continues to receive a ton of recurrent airplay). 17: BEAT'S SO LONELY - CHARLIE SEXTON (20) - This song didn't get much airplay (as it peaked at #30 on the Airplay chart), but must have sold a lot, since it managed to spend three weeks here at seventeen, the last of those was in its seventeenth week on the Hot 100. Charlie's age at the time? That's right, seventeen! As for my opinion of the song, it was so/so. 16: SILENT RUNNING - MIKE & THE MECHANICS (8) - This was their first Top 40 single, but such was not the case with the lead singer Paul Carrack, who had charted as the lead singer of groups like Ace and Squeeze, and as a solo artist as well. I liked this song, but preferred their next two singles. 15: MANIC MONDAY - BANGLES (19) - Their breakthrough hit was on its way up the chart en route to #2 (edged out of #1 by a song by the artist who wrote this one). This was one of my favorite songs from them, which is more than I can say for their song that hit #1 at the end of the year. 14: SANCTIFY YOURSELF - SIMPLE MINDS (14) - This was my favorite song in the world this week back in 1986. Their last two hits had been mediocre IMO (though I like both of them better now), but there was just something about this song that I really liked. Too bad this one didn't quite make the Top Ten like their first two hits; this was its third and final week at its peak at #14. As usual, they played the single version this week, which had shorter instrumental lead-ins, which was one of my favorite parts of the song, so I preferred the album version (which I believe AT40 did occasionally play). 13: LET'S GO ALL THE WAY - SLY FOX (16) - One of several one-hit wonders on this week's chart. This song had actually been released a year earlier, but didn't really go anywhere. Their decision to re-release it in 1986 proved to be worthwhile, as it hit the Top Ten. It was a good song. 12: HOW WILL I KNOW - WHITNEY HOUSTON (5) - I liked this song back during its chart run, but now not so much. I guess it's somewhat of a teenybopper type song (my Dad and brother disliked the song for that very reason, as well as overplay). I preferred her next single, "The Greatest Love Of All", which would spend three weeks at #1 in May. 11: THIS COULD BE THE NIGHT - LOVERBOY (12) - They had been hitting the chart for several years, but in 1985, they finally had their first Top Ten hit. This was the second in a row, but this wasn't the beginning of any long streak. This was their final Top Ten hit. It was a great one - one of my favorites from them! OPTIONAL EXTRA: TAKE ME HOME - PHIL COLLINS - Many people thought that "Don't Lose My Number" was the final hit from No Jacket Required, but I believe they were holding off on new releases from the album to give "Separate Lives", his duet with Marilyn Martin, a chance (which proved to be worthwhile, as that song went all the way to the top). They resumed with No Jacket Required singles here with a song that closes out most of his concerts. A great song indeed! 10: KISS - PRINCE AND THE REVOLUTION (15) - Meh, not a fan of this one, or any of his falsetto songs (well, except for "Mountains"). 9: WHAT YOU NEED - INXS (11) - Their first Top Ten hit, but the best was yet to come in 1988, with four additional Top Tens. One of those songs, "New Sensation" reminded me a lot of this one. Both are good songs. 8: KING FOR A DAY - THOMPSON TWINS (9) - This is definitely better than their last hit, "Lay Your Mediocrity On Me", but there are still a few songs by them that I prefer, my favorite being "Hold Me Now" - which I have a feeling that we'll be hearing on the next 1984 show. 7: NIKITA - ELTON JOHN (10) - His only hit from 1986 (solo, anyway). I liked it - I remember it quite well from back in the day. LDD: CAT'S IN THE CRADLE - HARRY CHAPIN - A great father/son tale that became a popular Long Distance Dedication request. The song fit this LDD like a glove. 6: KYRIE - MR. MISTER (3) - Their second number one song in a row - and, just like that song, it spent two weeks at #1. That said, it definitely looked like Mr. Mister would become one of the biggest new acts of the 1980s. Unfortunately, that was not to be; after another Top Ten hit in June and a mid-charter a year later, they would never hit the chart again. Anyway, I thought this song was pretty good, but I preferred their first #1 "Broken Wings". 5: R.O.C.K. IN THE U.S.A. - JOHN COUGAR MELLANCAMP (6) - This was his biggest hit during the eight or so years that he used both of his surnames (his real one and the one that he was assigned as his stage name). The song peaked at #2, about a month later. Anyway, this was my favorite song from him back in the day, but, while I still like it, somehow, it doesn't sound quite as good as it did 30 years ago). 4: ROCK ME AMADEUS - FALCO (7) - Of course, my opinion of this song varies, depending on which version they play. The one I like is the one that has more German lyrics to it. The version that they usually went with, like this week, is the one that includes the chronology of Mozart's life. That one is more or less a remix of the version I prefer. 3: SECRET LOVERS - ATLANTIC STARR (5) - A song about two people bored with their spouses, so they sneak around to be together. Sounds like a typical situation for the Jerry Springer show. Anyway, I liked it, as well as their song from the following year, "Always", which, ironically, is a song about promising to be faithful. 2: SARA - STARSHIP (1) - I personally preferred Fleetwood Mac's song of the same title, by a fairly large margin. I liked this one a lot when it first came out, and it's good to hear every now and then, but back in the day, it was a challenge to listen to any Top 40 or AC station and not hear this one within a half an hour. This was another song that my Dad and brother hated for that very reason. 1: THESE DREAMS - HEART (2) - Their very first #1 hit! Oddly enough, while Ann Wilson had generally sung lead, Nancy was given a turn at the lead vocals and this one went all the way to the top (they would have another #1 hit, and that would be with Ann singing lead). Anyway, this was a great song - one of my favorite songs from them (as is said other #1 hit "Alone").
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Post by Hervard on Apr 1, 2021 13:11:29 GMT -5
American Top 40: The 70s - April 3, 2021
This week's presentation - April 3, 1976
DROPPERS: INSEPARABLE - NATALIE COLE (32) - I'll have to check this one on YouTube, since I don't remember this one at all. SLOW RIDE - FOGHAT (31) - As I've said many times before, this is a classic rock staple! I sort of remember this one from its chart run, though it wasn't really one of my favorites. 50 WAYS TO LEAVE YOUR LOVER - PAUL SIMON (29) - Simon's first #1 hit after parting ways with Art Garfunkel (who, sadly, never hit #1 on his own). I liked this song, but preferred his next hit, the title track from his album Still Crazy After All These Years. THEME FROM S.W.A.T. - RHYTHM HERITAGE (28) - I'll bet JessieLou was glad that this song dropped out this week! 1976 was definitely the year for TV show themes on the chart, and this was indeed one of the biggest, topping the chart back in February. Kind of fitting that the song dropped out this week, seeing that the series finale of S.W.A.T. aired on this very day back in 1976! CUPID - TONY ORLANDO & DAWN (22) - One of three remakes of the Sam Cooke classic to hit the Top 40 - I don't believe I've ever heard the first one, which was by Johnny Nash. My favorite remake is by the Spinners, but this one isn't bad either.
40: HIT THE ROAD JACK – THE STAMPEDERS (debut) - A cover of the song made famous by Ray Charles. Not one of my favorite songs, so I wasn't disappointed that this ran out of gas here at #40. 39: SARA SMILE – DARYL HALL & JOHN OATES (debut) - Their very first Top 40 hit, and it sure got a lot of mileage, spending seventeen weeks in the Top 40, peaking at #4. It was pretty good, but definitely not their best. 38: WE CAN’T HIDE IT ANYMORE – LARRY SANTOS (debut) - Like the Stampeders song, this song didn't stay around for long, although it did get a little higher, peaking at #36 the following week. It was a good song that I've heard many times on my Barry Scott's Lost 45s CD. EXTRA: I HEARD IT THROUGH THE GRAPEVINE – MARVIN GAYE - This song, which was played as the first Optional Extra, sat on the shelf for about a year while Gladys Knight & The Pips charted with it. But the original version of the song, as if aging like fine wine being shelved for so long, became one of Motown's biggest hit ever, spending seven weeks at #1 as of mid-December, 1968. It was a good song - a true R&B classic! 37: FOPP – OHIO PLAYERS (40) - As we all know, I'm not a big fan of this type of music, although this song actually wasn't too bad. 36: HE’S A FRIEND – EDDIE KENDRICKS (38) - Formerly a member of the Temptations, he did have a few solo hits. This was the last time he'd see chart action until his collaboration with fellow Temptations member David Ruffin and Hall & Oates nearly ten years later. 35: LORELEI - STYX (39) - Here's a song I remember from its chart run! This song only got as high as #27, which was kind of a surprise, seeing that the station I listened to back then played this song regularly. I seem to recall that this song was sometimes edited, but they actually seem to have played the full song this time around. 34: SHANNON – HENRY GROSS (debut) - Ah, the song that would become the Dead Dog Dedication song nearly a decade later. Anyway, I liked this song a lot (and it's yet another one I remember from back in the day). 33: YOU’LL LOSE A GOOD THING – FREDDY FENDER (35) - Well, I do admit this is better than his 1975 hits, but it's still not quite one of my personal faves on this week's chart (due to his grating voice). 32: LOVE HURTS - NAZARETH (27) - The only Top 40 hit for this Scottish band formed in 1969. One of the best power ballads ever! 31: LIVIN’ FOR THE WEEKEND – O’JAYS (37) - A good TGIF type song. It wasn't bad, but definitely not as good as "Love Train" or "Use Ta Be My Girl". 30: LOVE FIRE - JIGSAW (33) - Generally considered a one-hit wonder, this English pop quartet did actually have a second hit. This song sounded a little like "Sky High" which I preferred over this one. 29: LOOKING FOR SPACE – JOHN DENVER (34) - I've been a huge John Denver fan pretty much all my life. Too bad we lost him at such a young age. This song was a great one - too bad it didn't get any higher than #29. 28: ONLY LOVE IS REAL – CAROLE KING (30) - Her fourth and final AC #1 hit only got as high as #28 on the Hot 100 as King was passé at that format at this point (she was done hitting the Top Ten). This was a good song - reminded me of "It's Too Late". 27: FOOLED AROUND AND FELL IN LOVE – ELVIS BISHOP (debut) - Today, this song might be credited to "Elvin Bishop featuring Mickey Thomas", as the latter was the one who did the singing. This is another one of my personal faves from 1976 (and, yes, I remember it from its chart run). 26: I DO, I DO, I DO, I DO - ABBA (36) - This wasn't bad, but it definitely was not their best. My favorite Abba songs would be "Dancing Queen" and "The Winner Takes It All" (but you already knew that, right?) 25: GOOD HEARTED WOMAN – WAYLON & WILLIE (26) - A song that was originally done solo by Waylon, which peaked at #3 on the country charts in 1972. This live recording made the Pop chart, peaking here at #25 (and would fall off the survey the following week). It was a pretty good song, but nothing special. 24: JUNK FOOD JUNKIE – LARRY GROCE (20) - This song was recorded at McCabes Guitar Shop in Santa Monica, which accounts for the laughing and cheering audience heard here and there throughout the song. Funny song, though I'm sure I'd get tired of it if I heard it all the time. 23: FANNY (BE TENDER WITH MY LOVE) – THE BEE GEES (12) - This song and their hit from later that year, "Love So Right" sounded a lot alike. I preferred the latter, but this was a good one as well. 22: LOVE MACHINE PART 1 – THE MIRACLES (21) - This song definitely got a lot of mileage on the chart. It was on for its 17th week and, with its slow descent (it held at #22 the next week and dropped to 26 the week after), it looked like it might make it an even 20, but there was a strong barrage of new hits on their way up and, this, in fact, was one of the lowest ranked songs on this week's countdown that would drop off the next week. As for my opinion of the song, it was pretty good, but I preferred their songs with Smokey Robinson. 21: ACTION – SWEET (23) - This song was pretty good, but sounded kind of like a 90s alternative rock song - sounded out of place on a 1976 show. 20: TAKE IT TO THE LIMIT – THE EAGLES (16) - The newest hit from their Greatest Hits 1971-1975 album. It was also my favorite from that album - a great song indeed! 19: ALL BY MYSELF – ERIC CARMEN (4) - Eric had been studying classical music at first, then he switched to rock, but he used both elements in this song, as the bridge used a piano concerto by Sergei Rachmaninoff. It was a good song - my second favorite song from him behind "Never Gonna Fall In Love Again", which charted later on in the year. 18: TANGERINE – THE SALSOUL ORCHESTRA (19) - The first of two Top 40 hits for this Philadelphia disco orchestra. It wasn't bad, but I preferred their second hit, "Nice And Naasty", which charted later on that year. 17: THERE’S A KIND OF HUSH (ALL OVER THE WORLD) – THE CARPENTERS (24) - A great rendition of the Herman's Hermits classic that peaked at #4 in 1967. This version did pretty well too, getting as high as #12. Not sure which version I prefer - depends on my mood at the time. 16: BOOGIE FEVER – THE SYLVERS (25) - The first of three Top 40 hits from them. This was their biggest, hitting #1 six weeks later. This was also my favorite from them. 15: BOHEMIAN RHAPSODY - QUEEN (17) - Their first Top 40 hit, "Killer Queen" just barely missed the Top Ten, but this one sure didn't, which is a good thing, as this was a great song! Of course, I remember it from its second chart run in 1992, when it was re-released, thanks to its inclusion in "Wayne's World", but I also remember it for the first time around (For those of you wondering how I remember so many of these songs, despite being only four years of age back in 1976, we had our kitchen remodeled in the early spring of that year and I would often sit out in the backyard and watch the workmen, who always had the radio on and I'd hear many of these songs, and everytime I heard a song I liked, I made note of its title and artist when the DJ announced it. By the time the kitchen was finished in May, I had quite a list of favorite songs - this was one of them). 14: DEEP PURPLE – DONNY & MARIE OSMOND (14) - The third version of this song to hit the chart and, like the other two, it hit the Top 20. Possibly my favorite Donny & Marie song ever! OPTIONAL EXTRA: WELCOME BACK - JOHN SEBASTIAN - This song would debut in a major way the following week, coming in right at the halfway point of the countdown. This song was definitely on its way to the top, and deservedly so, as it was my favorite of the many TV show themes that charted during 1976 - a great song indeed! 13: SHOW ME THE WAY – PETER FRAMPTON (18) - Here's another "kitchen song" (as was "Welcome Back")! The first of three singles from what would become the top album of the year, "Frampton Comes Alive". It was my favorite of the three. 12: SWEET LOVE – THE COMMODORES (15) - I wasn't a huge fan of their early songs. This one was mediocre at best, especially compared to many of their late-70s/early 80s songs. 11: ONLY SIXTEEN – DR. HOOK (13) - Another Sam Cooke cover, like the Tony Orlando song that drops out this week. I don't remember how the original goes, but this was pretty good. Nowhere near as good as "Better Love Next Time", of course. EXTRA: WILL YOU STILL LOVE ME TOMORROW – THE SHIRELLES - This was one of those "whatever happened to" stories, as Casey mentioned what the members of this girl group of the 60s are up to nowadays. This was the first of two number ones for them and my favorite of the two. A great song indeed! 10: GOLDEN YEARS – DAVID BOWIE (11) - This would be his final Top Ten hit for seven more years (then, he would become more successful than ever). I wasn't a big fan of this song, though it was passable. 9: MONEY HONEY – THE BAY CITY ROLLERS (10) - Not a fan of this song - I preferred "Saturday Night" over this one, and that ain't saying much! 8: DECEMBER 1963 (OH WHAT A NIGHT) – THE FOUR SEASONS (1) - Wow, what a hard fall from #1. It did, however, spend awhile hovering around in the mid teens over the next month. This used to be one of my favorite songs, but I became burned out on the song, partially due to its re-release in 1994). 7: DREAM ON - AEROSMITH (8) - This song tends to be heavily edited, but it sounds like they played the single version intact this week. Anyway, this was a great song - one of my favorite Aerosmith songs ever. 6: RIGHT BACK WHERE WE STARTED FROM – MAXINE NIGHTINGALE (9) - Casey mentioned that this song was probably headed for #1. Well, it did come close, peaking at #2 behind "Let Your Love Flow" and "Welcome Back". The first of Maxine's two Top 40 hits, both of which hit the Top Five. This one was pretty good, but I preferred her other hit "Lead Me On" by far. 5: SWEET THING – RUFUS FEATURING CHAKA KHAN (6) - Pretty much your typical mid-70s R&B slow jam - I liked this and Mary J Blige's 1992 cover about the same. 4: LET YOUR LOVE FLOW – THE BELLAMY BROTHERS (8) - Casey did correctly predict this song going to #1, where it would reach four weeks later. This was yet another "kitchen" song (since early April was the mid-point of the renovation, I think that most of those songs are on this week's countdown). 3: LONELY NIGHT (ANGEL FACE) – THE CAPTAIN & TENNILLE (3) - Well, this wasn't as overplayed as "Love Will Keep Us Together" or barf-inducing like "Muskrat Love" from later on in the year, but it was still nothing exceptional. Didn't hold a candle to "Do That To Me One More Time". 2: DREAM WEAVER – GARY WRIGHT (2) - Another one of my personal faves from back in the day. It has since lost some of its luster due to overplay, but it's still not bad. I do prefer his two other Top 40 hits, though 1: DISCO LADY – JOHNNY TAYLOR (5) - Oddly enough, with all the songs I remember from back in the day, this wasn't one of them. As I mentioned, the radio station that the contractors listened to (I forget which one), avoided R&B and disco songs. This one was both of them, so I don't remember hearing this one at all. Actually, during the renovation period, the aforementioned Bellamy Brothers song was the only "kitchen song" that hit #1, as the other three #1s (besides this) were R&B and/or disco hits.
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Post by Hervard on Apr 1, 2021 13:11:42 GMT -5
American Top 40: The 80s - April 3, 2021 This week's presentation - April 2, 1983 If this commentary looks a little off, check out the date it was posted. LW#1: BILLIE JEAN – MICHAEL JACKSON - WTH is the point of playing last week's #1 song anyway? IT'S NOT LIKE WE'RE NOT GOING TO HEAR IT LATER IN THE SHOW!!! Most likely at #1, no less! 40: WELCOME TO HEARTLIGHT - KENNY LOGGINS - Surprised he didn't perform the theme song for the movie E.T. 39: I DON'T CARE ANYMORE - PHIL COLLINS - How in the world did an African rain dance make it into the countdown? 38: IT MIGHT BE YOU - STEPHEN BISHOP - Another movie theme in which someone else beat Loggins to the punch. 37: YOU AND I - EDDIE RABBIT AND CRYSTAL GAYLE - Enough is enough! This song has been on for nearly a half a year already! GO POOF!! 36: WHIRLY GIRL - OXO - Does that mean she's dizzy? 35: ALLENTOWN - BILLY JOEL - I personally prefer Heath City. 34: I LIKE IT - DEBARGE - I do too. Let's split it in half - share and share alike. 33: SOLITAIRE - LAURA BRANIGAN - A card game that seems a waste of time if you ask me (yes, I know you didn't ask me). 32: DOWN UNDER - MEN AT WORK - ARGH!! JUST ONCE I WOULD LIKE TO TASTE A VEGEMITE SANDWICH TO SATE MY CURIOSITY!! 31: BABY, COME TO ME - PATTI AUSTIN & JAMES INGRAM - This was not their only duet, BTW. 30: LIES - THE THOMPSON TWINS - What a fallacy! They're not twins! It's a trio! 29: MAKE LOVE STAY - DAN FOGELBERG - Or Break Hate Go. You decide! 28: I WON'T HOLD YOU BACK – TOTO - The fourth song from their fourth album? This can't end well... 27: EVEN NOW - BOB SEGER & THE SILVER BULLET BAND - This is not a hot Barry Manilow remake. But Seger himself remade this song three years later - he just retitled it. 26: SHE BLINDED ME WITH SCIENCE - THOMAS DOLBY - What, did she throw an acid-filled beaker at you? 25: POISON ARROW - ABC - I encounter lots of these in the Starpath game Dragon Stomper. Or were they darts? I can't remember. 24: LITTLE RED CORVETTE - PRINCE - This song's too risque for my liking. Next song, please. 23: BREAKING US IN TWO - JOE JACKSON - Too many Jacksons on the countdown to keep track of! 22: STRAY CAT STRUT - THE STRAY CATS - Now this is confusing - a band naming their song after themselves. 21: CHANGE OF HEART - TOM PETTY & THE HEARTBREAKERS - Didn't Cyndi Lauper cover this song a few years later? LDD: LOVING YOU – MINNIE RIPERTON - Ahh, my ears! That's what I get for listening to the show with headphones. 20: LITTLE TOO LATE - PAT BENATAR - wtf did this sound like again? My ears are still ringing. 19: ALL RIGHT - CHRISTOPHER CROSS - OK, tell me - how did this song debut on the Hot 100 in the Top 30, yet miss the Top Ten? 18: I'VE GOT A ROCK 'N' ROLL HEART - ERIC CLAPTON - Do you have a smooth jazz soul as well? 17: FALL IN LOVE WITH ME - EARTH, WIND & FIRE - Is this the song about living life for all it's worth, taking all that you've been given and making your mark up on this earth? Collin Raye did a version of that sometime in the mid-90s. 16: SHAME ON THE MOON - BOB SEGER & THE SILVER BULLET BAND - Why? What did it do? 15: DER KOMMISAR - AFTER THE FIRE - Sorry, I don't speak German. 14: BEAT IT - MICHAEL JACKSON - Geez, how many songs did he have on the chart anyway? 13: I KNOW THERE'S SOMETHING GOING ON - FRIDA - Yes, there's something going on everywhere. It's called life. 12: JEOPARDY - THE GREG KIHN BAND - Sadly, the host of this song's game show namesake is no longer with us 11: COME ON EILEEN - DEXY'S MIDNIGHT RUNNERS - After forever hassling poor Eileen, they never had another Top 40 hit. 10: TWILIGHT ZONE - GOLDEN EARRING - This sounds nothing like the theme from that show. 9: ONE ON ONE - DARYL HALL & JOHN OATES - A song about placing a number on top of the same number made the Top Ten? Alrighty then. 8: SEPARATE WAYS - JOURNEY - This was number one on the Radio & Records chart this week. How's it way down at #8 here? Don't tell me this is all the higher it got! 7: MR. ROBOTO - STYX - Another song, like #15, sung partially in a language that I don't understand. 6: WE'VE GOT TONIGHT - KENNY ROGERS AND SHEENA EASTON - Sorry, I'm busy tonight. Would tomorrow night do? LDD: TIME IN A BOTTLE – JIM CROCE - Sorry, time cannot be put in a bottle. There's only space there. 5: BACK ON THE CHAIN GANG - THE PRETENDERS - Is this the same one that Sam Cooke was singing about? 4: YOU ARE - LIONEL RICHIE - I am? Wow, I'm flattered! 3: HUNGRY LIKE THE WOLF - DURAN DURAN - Is the woman who laughs at the beginning of the song the same one who moans near the end? 2: DO YOU REALLY WANT TO HURT ME - CULTURE CLUB - Well of course, I don't. What kind of bully do ya think I am? 1: BILLIE JEAN - MICHAEL JACKSON - Told ya this song would be played later in the show. And look - it's #1, just like I predicted. BTW, the real commentary on this show will be posted tomorrow, replacing this one so if you'd like, go ahead and save it while you can. EDIT: By popular demand, I've decided to leave this version of the commentary up.
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Post by slf on Apr 1, 2021 19:58:04 GMT -5
Aw, leave it up, Hervard! It's just too good to delete!
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Post by Hervard on Apr 2, 2021 12:58:57 GMT -5
American Top 40: The 80s - April 3, 2021 (aka 4/3/21 - the final countdown? I certainly hope not!)
This week's presentation - April 2, 1983
LW#1: BILLIE JEAN – MICHAEL JACKSON 40: WELCOME TO HEARTLIGHT - KENNY LOGGINS (debut) - This song was part of a somewhat funny LDD situation in late 1984. Someone who learned the hard life of working on a farm requested this song as "Welcome To Hard Life". I rather liked this song, though it was far from being my favorite from Loggins. I preferred the other two High Adventure singles. 39: I DON'T CARE ANYMORE - PHIL COLLINS (39) - Phil's first hit from Hello, I Must Be Going, peaked at #10, but the second one stalled out here at #39 for three weeks. This one sounds a little like an African rain dance. It was OK, but I preferred many others from him. 38: IT MIGHT BE YOU - STEPHEN BISHOP (debut) - Here's a song that spent an unusually long time on the Hot 100 for a song that only got as high as #25 - 20 weeks. I don't think it was promoted at Top 40 radio, though I certainly don't know why, as it was the theme from a blockbuster movie. Despite its underperformance on the Hot 100, it definitely did well at AC radio, however, where it was gearing up to hit #1 the following week. It was a great song, IMO - possibly my favorite song from Bishop. 37: YOU AND I - EDDIE RABBIT AND CRYSTAL GAYLE (32) - Speaking of chart longevity, this was the oldest song on the survey this week, with 21 weeks under its belt! That said, I still cannot believe it didn't hit the R&R chart (especially since the radio stations I listened to played it regularly). As for the song, it was a great one - one of my favorites from both artists. 36: WHIRLY GIRL - OXO (debut) - This was the only Top 40 hit by this Florida quartet, but what a song it was! It's one of those songs that makes you want to just get up and dance! Too bad this didn't get any higher than #28. 35: ALLENTOWN - BILLY JOEL (26) - More chart longevity here! This song was sure tenacious, but just couldn’t manage to push past #17 (where it spent six weeks, a record that, as far as I know, still stands today). But it spent 16 weeks in the Top 40, an unusually long term for a song that peaked so low. Heck, later in the 1980s, even the #1 songs didn’t spend that long in the Top 40! Anyway, this was one of his best (and unfortunately, the message in this song is still timely today). 34: I LIKE IT - DEBARGE (37) - The debut hit for this family band, and it didn't do too bad, peaking at #31 the following week. Their next two songs hit the Top 20, but their best year was clearly 1985 when they had two Top Ten hits. The song was pretty good, though I prefer most of their other slow songs like “Time Will Reveal” and “Who’s Holding Donna Now”. 33: SOLITAIRE - LAURA BRANIGAN (debut) - The first of many big hits written by one of the most successful songwriters ever, the great Diane Warren. This was my least favorite of Laura's first three hits, but it's still a good song! 32: DOWN UNDER - MEN AT WORK (24) - Ah, the song about vegemite sandwiches! This was a good one, but I preferred their “Cargo” songs (especially "Overkill", which would debut in the Top 30 (on entire the Hot 100, no less) the following week). The ones from “Business As Usual” are soooo overplayed! 31: BABY, COME TO ME - PATTI AUSTIN (23) - This was their first of two duets that made the chart - the second was "How Do You Keep The Music Playing" would peak at #45 later in the year, but would do much better at AC radio. This song was a good one, but I preferred said other duet as well as some of their solo hits. OPTIONAL EXTRA: I LOVE L.A. - RANDY NEWMAN - Here's a song that I'm hearing for the first time (that I know of). A good song, I must say! 30: LIES - THE THOMPSON TWINS (30) - The debut single of this English band who were actually a trio despite their name (I seem to remember a story about how that caused a few problems with booking shows). As for the song, it was good, but my favorite song from them was "Hold Me Now", which was also their biggest. 29: MAKE LOVE STAY - DAN FOGELBERG (29) - This song, which would top the AC chart the following week, always reminded me of his 1981 Top Five hit "Hard To Say". It was a great song, IMO, like most of his songs. 28: I WON'T HOLD YOU BACK – TOTO (35) - Their album Toto IV, which had recently won a Grammy for Album of the Year, was living up to its name, as it produced as many Top 40 hits. This was also their fourth (and, as it turned out, final) Top Ten hit. It was a great one, IMO. 27: EVEN NOW - BOB SEGER & THE SILVER BULLET BAND (34) - Ever notice how this and his 1986 hit "American Storm" sound similar? Both songs are great, but I slightly prefer this one. 26: SHE BLINDED ME WITH SCIENCE - THOMAS DOLBY (31) - I'm so glad that AT40 generally played the album version of this song. The single version, which is pretty much the only version you hear on retro shows, was just too watered down, IMO. 25: POISON ARROW - ABC (25) - The follow-up to their debut hit "The Look Of Love". I'm kind of surprised that this song only got as high as #25, as WLS and B96 (Chicago stations) played this song on a regular basis. 24: LITTLE RED CORVETTE - PRINCE (27) - I never knew how dirty it was until about ten years ago, when I looked at the lyrics (since there are times that I couldn’t understand what he was saying). This was the first Top Ten hit from a singer who we lost five years ago. R.I.P. Prince 23: BREAKING US IN TWO - JOE JACKSON (22) - The verses of this song sound a little like "Day After Day" by Badfinger. This was a cool song, possibly my favorite by him (although it’s a close race between this and “Is She Really Goin’ Out With Him”). 22: STRAY CAT STRUT - THE STRAY CATS (21) - This was the second Top Ten hit for this rockabilly trio headed up by Brian Setzer, following "Rock This Town", which peaked at #9. This one did significantly better, hitting #3 a few weeks before. This was my second favorite song from them, behind "I Won't Stand In Your Way", which charted at the end of that year. 21: CHANGE OF HEART - TOM PETTY & THE HEARTBREAKERS (28) - This song had one of the most erratic chart runs of all time - it debuted at #38, shot ahead to #28, stayed there for another week, then, this week, made another good-sized jump to #21, where it peaked. It was a great song, and I loved how the vinyl of the 45 of the song was red. LDD: LOVING YOU – MINNIE RIPERTON - EWWW, GET IT AWAY FROM ME!!! Well, OK, maybe it's not that bad, but it's just so CHEESY!! 20: LITTLE TOO LATE - PAT BENETAR (20) - A high point in the show for our friend JessieLou! This was a good song, but I preferred several others from her (especially her last song before this, "Shadows Of The Night"). 19: ALL RIGHT - CHRISTOPHER CROSS (19) - This song had a promising start, debuting on the entire Hot 100 at #29. Sounds like a sure-fire Top Five hit, yet it didn’t even hit the Top Ten, though it did hit #3 on the R&R chart - one of three such songs that charted in early 1983 (the others were "Allentown" by Billy Joel, back at #35 and Kenny Loggins' "Heart To Heart" which just recently left the chart). I guess, since this song was from a long-awaited album, people bought it instead of the single. Anyway, like most of Cross' Top 40 hits, this song was a great one, IMO. 18: I'VE GOT A ROCK 'N' ROLL HEART - ERIC CLAPTON (18) - I wasn't generally a huge fan of his music, but this one was actually a good one, IMO. But that line about getting off on '57 Chevies and screaming guitars can be taken wrong nowadays... 17: FALL IN LOVE WITH ME - EARTH, WIND & FIRE (17) - I don't remember this song from back in the day, as the stations I listened to back then never played this. It wasn't bad, but definitely not their best. 16: SHAME ON THE MOON - BOB SEGER & THE SILVER BULLET BAND (12) - One of only four songs in the Top 20 that changed positions this week. The song, penned by country singer Rodney Crowell, peaked at #2 for four weeks here on AT40, but managed a week at #1 on the R&R chart - in fact, its #1 week happened to be on the first weekly countdown show I ever listened to ("Countdown America" with John Leader). It's a good song - sounds sort of like a laid-back version of his 1980 hit "Fire Lake". 15: DER KOMMISAR - AFTER THE FIRE (16) - Their very first hit, too - as well as their last. This one was an 80s mix show essential! 14: BEAT IT - MICHAEL JACKSON (15) - One of several rock-based Michael Jackson songs to hit the charts. Eddie Van Halens's guitar solo in this was outstanding! 13: I KNOW THERE'S SOMETHING GOING ON - FRIDA (13) - One of two former members of Abba that hit the chart in 1983 (the other was Agnetha Faltskog, whose "Can't Shake Loose" charted in the fall). Phil Collins' trademark drumming was featured in this song (and you can hear him on backup vocals). This song was pretty good, but I generally preferred her material with Abba. 12: JEOPARDY - THE GREG KIHN BAND (14) - This song saved them from being one-hit wonders, and also gave them their first Top Ten hit. A great song that always takes me back to the spring of 1983. 11: COME ON EILEEN - DEXY'S MIDNIGHT RUNNERS (11) - From here on out, the songs on the countdown are all in holding pattern. That star/superstar rule indeed had to go! This song would more than make up for lost time the following week by jumping to #4 and would hit #1 several weeks later. As for my opinon about the song, it's not quite my cup of tea, mainly due to overplay (I did use to like it though, as I have the 45 of it somewhere). 10: TWILIGHT ZONE - GOLDEN EARRING (10) - A great song that the two Chicago stations that I listened to back then (WLS 94.7 and B96) played quite a lot. That said, it's a shock that this song came nowhere near the R&R chart. Here on AT40, it peaked at #10. OPTIONAL EXTRA: BLUE MONDAY - NEW ORDER - This song didn't make the Hot 100 until a remix was released as a single in 1988, but it was a dance club staple, and, around here anyway, was used in the 1980s in commercials advertising local nightclubs (Oliver's in Chicago and O'Tays in South Bend - neither, I believe, are no longer in business) 9: ONE ON ONE - DARYL HALL & JOHN OATES (9) - This song came very close to topping the R&R chart, but was edged out by “Billie Jean”. I’m kinda surprised it only got as high as #7 on Billboard (then again, it wasn’t as far removed as the aforementioned three songs that peaked at #3 on R&R yet failed to hit the Top Ten on Billboard). Anyway, of the H20 singles, this was my favorite. 8: SEPARATE WAYS - JOURNEY (8) - This song was currently #1 on the R&R chart, where it would spend a pair of weeks. On the Hot 100, however, this is where it peaked - for six weeks. Aside from R&R's oddball bullet policy, the fact that Frontiers sold millions of copies contributed to its peak difference (as most Journey fans bought the album). This was my favorite release from their Frontiers album, but there were many other songs from them that I preferred. This week, they played the album version of the song, which was what several of the radio stations I listened to were playing at this point. 7: MR. ROBOTO - STYX (7) - I'M KILROY!! This was somewhat of a comeback hit for Styx, as they had been absent from the chart for about two years. I was never a huge fan of this song, though - one of my least favorites from them. 6: WE'VE GOT TONIGHT - KENNY ROGERS AND SHEENA EASTON (6) - Well, I must say that I do prefer this one over the original by Bob Seger (which Casey played a drop piece during the intro), but it is definitely not my favorite song by either artist. LDD: TIME IN A BOTTLE – JIM CROCE - This song did indeed fit the dedication. However, I'm not a big fan of this song (though I did used to like it - but after hearing his You Don't Mess Around With Jim so many times when I was real little, I became burned out on the songs from it). 5: BACK ON THE CHAIN GANG - THE PRETENDERS (5) - This was their second Top 40 hit and their first Top Ten. Possibly my favorite song from them (though "Brass In Pocket" might give this a run for its money). 4: YOU ARE - LIONEL RICHIE (4) - This was #1 on the R&R chart during one of the seven weeks that "Billie Jean" topped the Billboard chart. This one definitely takes me back to early spring, 1983 - namely, since it receives absolutely no recurrent airplay. Yet "All Night Long" is played regularly - where is the justice I tell ya! But seriously, I liked this song a lot. Glad that it managed to at least top the R&R chart (three weeks before). 3: HUNGRY LIKE THE WOLF - DURAN DURAN (3) - This, of course, was the breakthrough hit here in the States from one of the most successful bands of the 1980s! It was also my favorite of their 1983 hits, as well as one of my all-time favorites from them! OPTIONAL EXTRA: OVERKILL - MEN AT WORK - Interesting how this song would make the highest Hot 100 debut in twelve years. The last one to do so, "Imagine" by John Lennon, debuted so high due to its delay of being released as a single. This song, however, didn't have any kind of head start in airplay. I guess since it was the first song by the new album from a band whose last album had spawned two #1 hits and was hyped like crazy. Despite its spectacular debut, this song did not quite make it to #1 on the Hot 100, but it did manage to spend three weeks on top of the R&R chart. Anymore, radio tends to play the Business As Usual songs to death, but I never hear any of the Cargo singles outside of radio shows. 2: DO YOU REALLY WANT TO HURT ME - CULTURE CLUB (2) - We all know that my opinion on the song depends on which version they played. I don't like the intro (does Boy George have any cheese to go with that whine?), and I find the instrumental bridge annoying. It was a double whammy this week, as it contained both. 1: BILLIE JEAN - MICHAEL JACKSON (1) - The second of seven singles from the monster album Thriller, and it turned out to be the biggest, spending seven weeks at the top. It was a good song - has held up quite well over the years.
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Post by mrjukebox on Apr 3, 2021 8:47:57 GMT -5
A couple of trivia notes from the 4/3/76 countdown:"Sara Smile" was written about Sara Allen,who was Daryl Hall's girlfriend at the time & the singer on "Fooled Around & Fell In Love" wasn't Elvin Bishop but Mickey Thomas who eventually became a member of Jefferson Starship/Starship.
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Post by mrjukebox on Apr 4, 2021 9:52:59 GMT -5
Our local AC station in Connecticut,WEBE 108,plays the version of "Do You Really Want to Hurt Me" without the intro.
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Post by mrjukebox on Apr 4, 2021 18:14:53 GMT -5
Here's an interesting piece of trivia regarding the Phil Collins album "Hello,I Must Be Going"-The title was inspired from a line in the 1930 Marx Brothers movie "Animal Crackers"-In the musical number "Hooray For Captain Spaulding",Groucho sings "Hello,I must be going".
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Post by mrjukebox on Apr 4, 2021 18:54:25 GMT -5
"I Love LA" by Randy Newman was one of the optional extras on the countdown from 4/2/83-I thought it was on the Billboard "Hot 100"-Unfortunately,it only made the "Bubbling Under" chart where it spent two weeks at # 110.
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Post by dth1971 on Apr 5, 2021 9:11:48 GMT -5
American Top 40: The 80s - April 3, 2021 This week's presentation - April 2, 1983 If this commentary looks a little off, check out the date it was posted. LW#1: BILLIE JEAN – MICHAEL JACKSON - WTH is the point of playing last week's #1 song anyway? IT'S NOT LIKE WE'RE NOT GOING TO HEAR IT LATER IN THE SHOW!!! Most likely at #1, no less! 40: WELCOME TO HEARTLIGHT - KENNY LOGGINS - Surprised he didn't perform the theme song for the movie E.T. 39: I DON'T CARE ANYMORE - PHIL COLLINS - How in the world did an African rain dance make it into the countdown? 38: IT MIGHT BE YOU - STEPHEN BISHOP - Another movie theme in which someone else beat Loggins to the punch. 37: YOU AND I - EDDIE RABBIT AND CRYSTAL GAYLE - Enough is enough! This song has been on for nearly a half a year already! GO POOF!! 36: WHIRLY GIRL - OXO - Does that mean she's dizzy? 35: ALLENTOWN - BILLY JOEL - I personally prefer Heath City. 34: I LIKE IT - DEBARGE - I do too. Let's split it in half - share and share alike. 33: SOLITAIRE - LAURA BRANIGAN - A card game that seems a waste of time if you ask me (yes, I know you didn't ask me). 32: DOWN UNDER - MEN AT WORK - ARGH!! JUST ONCE I WOULD LIKE TO TASTE A VEGEMITE SANDWICH TO SATE MY CURIOSITY!! 31: BABY, COME TO ME - PATTI AUSTIN & JAMES INGRAM - This was not their only duet, BTW. 30: LIES - THE THOMPSON TWINS - What a fallacy! They're not twins! It's a trio! 29: MAKE LOVE STAY - DAN FOGELBERG - Or Break Hate Go. You decide! 28: I WON'T HOLD YOU BACK – TOTO - The fourth song from their fourth album? This can't end well... 27: EVEN NOW - BOB SEGER & THE SILVER BULLET BAND - This is not a hot Barry Manilow remake. But Seger himself remade this song three years later - he just retitled it. 26: SHE BLINDED ME WITH SCIENCE - THOMAS DOLBY - What, did she throw an acid-filled beaker at you? 25: POISON ARROW - ABC - I encounter lots of these in the Starpath game Dragon Stomper. Or were they darts? I can't remember. 24: LITTLE RED CORVETTE - PRINCE - This song's too risque for my liking. Next song, please. 23: BREAKING US IN TWO - JOE JACKSON - Too many Jacksons on the countdown to keep track of! 22: STRAY CAT STRUT - THE STRAY CATS - Now this is confusing - a band naming their song after themselves. 21: CHANGE OF HEART - TOM PETTY & THE HEARTBREAKERS - Didn't Cyndi Lauper cover this song a few years later? LDD: LOVING YOU – MINNIE RIPERTON - Ahh, my ears! That's what I get for listening to the show with headphones. 20: LITTLE TOO LATE - PAT BENATAR - wtf did this sound like again? My ears are still ringing. 19: ALL RIGHT - CHRISTOPHER CROSS - OK, tell me - how did this song debut on the Hot 100 in the Top 30, yet miss the Top Ten? 18: I'VE GOT A ROCK 'N' ROLL HEART - ERIC CLAPTON - Do you have a smooth jazz soul as well? 17: FALL IN LOVE WITH ME - EARTH, WIND & FIRE - Is this the song about living life for all it's worth, taking all that you've been given and making your mark up on this earth? Collin Raye did a version of that sometime in the mid-90s. 16: SHAME ON THE MOON - BOB SEGER & THE SILVER BULLET BAND - Why? What did it do? 15: DER KOMMISAR - AFTER THE FIRE - Sorry, I don't speak German. 14: BEAT IT - MICHAEL JACKSON - Geez, how many songs did he have on the chart anyway? 13: I KNOW THERE'S SOMETHING GOING ON - FRIDA - Yes, there's something going on everywhere. It's called life. 12: JEOPARDY - THE GREG KIHN BAND - Sadly, the host of this song's game show namesake is no longer with us 11: COME ON EILEEN - DEXY'S MIDNIGHT RUNNERS - After forever hassling poor Eileen, they never had another Top 40 hit. 10: TWILIGHT ZONE - GOLDEN EARRING - This sounds nothing like the theme from that show. 9: ONE ON ONE - DARYL HALL & JOHN OATES - A song about placing a number on top of the same number made the Top Ten? Alrighty then. 8: SEPARATE WAYS - JOURNEY - This was number one on the Radio & Records chart this week. How's it way down at #8 here? Don't tell me this is all the higher it got! 7: MR. ROBOTO - STYX - Another song, like #15, sung partially in a language that I don't understand. 6: WE'VE GOT TONIGHT - KENNY ROGERS AND SHEENA EASTON - Sorry, I'm busy tonight. Would tomorrow night do? LDD: TIME IN A BOTTLE – JIM CROCE - Sorry, time cannot be put in a bottle. There's only space there. 5: BACK ON THE CHAIN GANG - THE PRETENDERS - Is this the same one that Sam Cooke was singing about? 4: YOU ARE - LIONEL RICHIE - I am? Wow, I'm flattered! 3: HUNGRY LIKE THE WOLF - DURAN DURAN - Is the woman who laughs at the beginning of the song the same one who moans near the end? 2: DO YOU REALLY WANT TO HURT ME - CULTURE CLUB - Well of course, I don't. What kind of bully do ya think I am? 1: BILLIE JEAN - MICHAEL JACKSON - Told ya this song would be played later in the show. And look - it's #1, just like I predicted. BTW, the real commentary on this show will be posted tomorrow, replacing this one so if you'd like, go ahead and save it while you can. EDIT: By popular demand, I've decided to leave this version of the commentary up. For April Fool's you could have used a CHART CRITIQUE using a Top 30 R&R CHR chart or a Top 40 Cashbox chart or a Top 40 Record World chart or a Top 40 Gavin Report chart from the 1980's!
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Post by mga707 on Apr 5, 2021 10:28:58 GMT -5
Here's an interesting piece of trivia regarding the Phil Collins album "Hello,I Must Be Going"-The title was inspired from a line in the 1930 Marx Brothers movie "Animal Crackers"-In the musical number "Hooray For Captain Spaulding",Groucho sings "Hello,I must be going". I knew that at the time, having been a 'Marxist' since my high school days in the mid-'70s.
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