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Post by Hervard on May 16, 2021 9:28:21 GMT -5
Correction on Heart's "Nothin At All"-It was the fourth single from their 1985 self titled album "Heart". However,you bring back those "Bad Animals" on next week's Critique. I sure hope I don't have to do it alone.
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Post by dth1971 on May 16, 2021 18:26:09 GMT -5
Slight correction regarding "Danger Zone":It peaked at #2. Actually, I said the song "practically made it to #1". Peaking at #2 definitely fits the bill. I guess "Danger Zone" hit #1 on R&R and/or Cashbox but missed the #1 spot on Billboard.
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Post by laura on May 17, 2021 11:01:43 GMT -5
Actually, I said the song "practically made it to #1". Peaking at #2 definitely fits the bill. I guess "Danger Zone" hit #1 on R&R and/or Cashbox but missed the #1 spot on Billboard. Reached #4 on Cashbox and #3 on R&R so yeah it didn't reach #1 on any of the pop charts at least.
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Post by Hervard on May 21, 2021 12:38:54 GMT -5
American Top 40: The 70s - May 22, 2021
This week's presentation - May 22, 1976
Droppers: I DO, I DO, I DO, I DO, I DO - ABBA (39) - One of the most successful Swedish acts to hit the chart. This wasn't bad, but I prefer several others by them, especially "Dancing Queen" and "The Winner Takes It All". FALLEN ANGEL - FRANKIE VALLI (36) - When this song started up, I thought it was "Lost Without Your Love" by Bread, and I was like, wait, wasn't that song from later in the year? Anyway, this was a great song, and I thought it was a shame that this was all the further it got on the charts. ANYTIME (I'LL BE THERE) -PAUL ANKA (33) - Paul was all over the charts in the 50s, 60s and the first half of the 1970s, but he was running out of steam pretty quickly at this point. After "Times Of Your Life" earlier in the year, he would have three more Top 40 hits, neither of which even hit the Top 30, which is a shame, since they were all good ones, including this song. DON'T PULL YOUR LOVE/THEN YOU CAN TELL ME GOODBYE - GLEN CAMPBELL (27) - Glen wove together these songs, by Hamilton, Joe Frank & Reynolds and the Casinos, respectively, very well - sounded like they were the same song! SWEET LOVE - COMMODORES (24) - I used to think this one was mediocre, but I've actually found myself liking it better over the past few years - even more than some of their late-70s/early-80s songs. Still, it's definitely not my favorite song from them.
40: NEVER GONNA FALL IN LOVE AGAIN - ERIC CARMEN (debut) - His second hit and the follow-up to the #2 hit "All By Myself". I preferred this song - one of Carmen's best hits ever! 39: IT'S OVER - BOZ SCAGGS (debut) - I keep forgetting that Scaggs' debut hit is not "Lowdown" - that was just his first big hit (as #38 is where this song peaked). Anyway, this one was actually a really good song - quite underrated, IMO. 38: I'LL BE GOOD TO YOU - BROTHERS JOHNSON (debut) - The first Top 40 hit for this soul duo from Los Angeles. This is my favorite song by them, which isn't saying much, as I disliked their three other hits. I preferred the cover by Quincy Jones featuring Chaka Khan and Ray Charles, which hit the charts in early 1990. 37: ROCK & ROLL LOVE LETTER - BAY CITY ROLLERS (debut) - I wasn't generally a big Rollers fan. This song wasn't bad, but nothing I'd go out of my way to listen to. 36: COME ON OVER - OLIVIA NEWTON-JOHN (23) - Olivia had enjoyed a wave of chart success, with five consecutive Top Tens over a year and a half and, at this point, looked to be on her way down, chartwise, but the best was yet to come. This song, written by Barry and Robin Gibb, was pretty good, IMO, but definitely not her best. 35: I.O.U. - JIMMY DEAN (debut) - OK, now don't get me wrong; I appreciate the sentiment in this song. It was just way too sappy and sentimental for my tastes, that's all. 34: LOVE IS ALIVE - GARY WRIGHT (40) - Here is one of the songs I most associate with the summer of 1976, as the radio stations I listened to played it constantly. I definitely prefer it over "Dream Weaver", which is the only of Wright's three hits that receives any recurrent airplay (though once in a blue moon I do hear this one). 33: ONE PIECE AT A TIME - JOHNNY CASH (38) - This was Cash's final Top 40 hit. It wasn't bad, but nothing special. I wonder if we'll be hearing his daughter, Roseanne's only Top 40 hit on a future 1981 show? Guess we'll have to wait and see. 32: TAKIN' IT TO THE STREETS - DOOBIE BROTHERS (37) - Another song I remember quite well from 1976 (though one of the stations I listened to gave this one early action, so I associate it more with the spring). Definitely one of my all-time faves from them! 31: BARETTA'S THEME - RHYTHM HERITAGE (34) - They had two Top 40 hits - both themes from TV series. This one wasn't bad, but I preferred "Theme From S.W.A.T." 30: HURT/FOR THE HEART - ELVIS PRESLEY (30) - This was definitely better then "Hurt", which was the A-side of this double-sided single, but still, it was far from being his best. 29: I GOT A FEELING (WE'LL BE SEEING EACH OTHER AGAIN) - AL WILSON (29) - This was definitely better then "Hurt", which was the A-side of this double-sided single, but still, it was far from being his best. 28: I WANT YOU - MARVIN GAYE (35) - The version of this song that I'm most familiar with is, of course, the Robert Palmer cover from fifteen years later. Everytime I hear this song, I keep expecting it to segue back to "Mercy Mercy Me", since Palmer sang both songs as a medley. Not sure which of those versions I prefer either, since they sound very much alike. 27: BOHEMIAN RHAPSODY - QUEEN (19) - SCHWING! This song had two chart runs - and it hit the Top Ten both times (on the R&R chart, anyway). But on both that chart and the Hot 100, it definitely hit the Top Ten the first time around and spent a long time in the Top 40! This is definitely one of my favorite songs by Queen. OPTIONAL EXTRA: TAKE THE MONEY AND RUN - STEVE MILLER BAND - The first of three Top Twenty hits from Miller's Fly Like An Eagle album. This one narrowly missed hitting the Top Ten. The song was OK, IMO, but I preferred the other two singles from said album (both of which DID hit the Top Ten). 26: DISCO LADY - JOHNNY TAYLOR (18) - Well, I must say it was better than the other "Disco" #1 song in 1976, but still, nothing exceptional, IMO. 25: MOVIN' - BRASS CONSTRUCTION (32) - This was the only Top 40 hit for this Brooklyn disco ensemble. Nothing I'd go out of my way to listen to. 24: UNION MAN - CATE BROTHERS (28) - Another of many one-hit wonders during the 70s that tried to get in on the disco craze. Like the above two songs, this one wasn't anything special. 23: LET YOUR LOVE FLOW - BELLAMY BROTHERS (17) - The first of two Top 40 hits for this brotherly duo from Florida, and by far the biggest, having hit #1 three weeks before - indeed a great song and one I remember quite well. 22: LOVE REALLY HURTS WITHOUT YOU - BILLY OCEAN (25) - Born Leslie Sebastian Charles in Trinidad, an artist who seemed destined to be a one-hit wonder for several years. He, however, had a whole slew of hits starting with his comeback in 1984. This song wasn't bad, but I preferred most of his later hits. 21: MORE, MORE, MORE - ANDREA TRUE CONNECTION (26) - The first and biggest of their two Top 40 hits, which would be sampled by the Canadian Rock Band Len in "Steal My Sunshine" in 1999. I forget how their other song, "NY, You Got Me Dancing" goes, so I can't really say which one I like best. 20: YOUNG BLOOD - BAD COMPANY (22) - They sort of sounded like Elvis in this song (although the original of this was done by the Coasters). It wasn't bad, but I preferred most of their other hits 19: HAPPY MUSIC - BLACKBYRDS (20) - This was the second of two Top 20 hits from this soul group formed in 1973 in our nation's capital. This one was pretty good, but it didn't hold a candle to "Walking In Rhythm", which was a Top Ten hit the year before. 18: LOVE IN THE SHADOWS - NEIL SEDAKA (21) - What a chart career he had! This was the 19th of 21 Top 40 hits for Mr. Sedaka. Though I preferred a few others from him, this wasn't bad at all! 17: SHOP AROUND - THE CAPTAIN & TENNILLE (31) - One of several remakes on this week's chart. This one wasn't bad, but I preferred the original by the Miracles. 16: SHOW ME THE WAY - PETER FRAMPTON (6) - This was the first of three songs from what would IIRC become the #1 album of 1976, Frampton Comes Alive. It was my favorite of the three (although I have started liking "Do You Feel Like We Do" a little more than I did previously). 15: RIGHT BACK WHERE WE STARTED FROM - MAXINE NIGHTENGALE (8) - Like the Blackbyrds, Maxine was a "two-hit wonder". She had two Top 40 hits, both of which hit the Top Five. My favorite one, however, was her other one, called "Lead Me On", which charted in the summer of 1979. This one was also pretty good, but quite overplayed. OPTIONAL EXTRA: MAMMA MIA - ABBA - As "I Do, I Do, I Do, I Do, I Do" falls out of the Top 40, their follow-up was debuting on the Hot 100 this week. I find it somewhat of a surprise that this song didn't get any higher than #32, seeing that it's one of their most played songs on oldies stations. It was a good song, but IMO doesn't hold a candle to "Dancing Queen" or "Winner Takes It All". 14: STRANGE MAGIC - ELECTRIC LIGHT ORCHESTRA (15) - This was the third of a total of twenty hits for this English orchestral rock band. It was OK, but not one of my favorites from them, especially since I associate it with the royally depressing movie "The Virgin Suicides", (since it is played during the prom scene). 13: RHIANNON - FLEETWOOD MAC (16) - This one looked like it could become their first Top Ten, but it just missed, peaking at #11 (it did hit the Top Ten on the R&R chart, though, getting as high as #8). They would finally hit the Top Ten in the spring of the following year with "Go Your Own Way". 12: FOOL TO CRY - ROLLING STONES (13) - This song had a very strong start, debuting at the halfway point of the chart. However, the brick wall seemed to materialize here and it only managed to climb two spots higher. At least it made the Top Ten, but spent only seven weeks in the Top 40. I wasn't a fan of it myself, as, with the exception of "As Tears Go By", they didn't do very good with ballads. 11: SARA SMILE - HALL & OATES (12) - This was the one that started it all off for possibly the most successful duo of all time. It wasn't their best, IMO, but it was indeed passable. 10: TRYING TO GET THE FEELIN' AGAIN - BARRY MANILOW (11) - He had three Top 40 hits in 1976 and for me, this would be my favorite of those (though "This One's For You" would be a close second). 9: SHANNON - HENRY GROSS (10) - And now we're up to the infamous "Dead Dog Dedication" song. This was written about the death of Beach Boy Carl Wilson's Irish Setter. I liked this song, but after mid-September, 1985, we never looked at this song in the same way again! 8: MISTY BLUE - DOROTHY MOORE (14) - This song was written in the mid-sixties, which definitely shows, as it sounds like a song from that era. The song's OK, but nothing exceptional. 7: HAPPY DAYS - PRATT & MCCLAIN (9) - 1976 was indeed the year for TV show themes, as many of those hit the chart over the year. This was one of my favorite TV shows, and definitely a long lasting one - wasn't it on the air for ten years? 6: WELCOME BACK - JOHN SEBASTIAN (2) - This song wasted no time hitting #1, but it only lasted a week up there (as the top part of the chart was just too strong at this point for any song to spend more than a single week on top). At least his descent was initially slow, as he only dropped one the following week and was in holding position the week after that. This was definitely one of the best TV show themes of all time! 5: GET UP AND BOOGIE - SILVER CONVENTION (7) - They seemed to limit their vocabulary in their songs (that hit the Top 40, anyway), using only six words in both of them. I liked both songs about the same. 4: BOOGIE FEVER - SYLVERS (1) - The first of two Top Five hits for this family group from Memphis (but they were not a two-hit wonder, as they had a third hit, which didn't quite make the Top Ten, but peaked at #17). Anyway, this was my favorite of their trio of hits. 3: FOOLED AROUND AND FELL IN LOVE - ELVIN BISHOP (4) - Of course everyone knows that Mickey Thomas sang lead on this one. Not sure if Elvin Bishop did any back-up singing or just played the guitar. This was another song I remember from back in the day, and I still like it as much as I did then! OPTIONAL EXTRA: SATURDAY NIGHT - BAY CITY ROLLERS - At first, I was confused at this song being an extra, as the story told was like an in-show extra, which are sometimes demoted to Optional Extra status. The only thing is, Larry told the story, not Casey. Plus, this song was on the charts months before and had long since dropped off the chart. Then, I remembered that lead singer Les McKeown recently died, so they used this song as an extra to pay tribute to him. Anyway, I was not a huge fan of this song, or them in general (though they did have a few songs that I did like). 2: LOVE HANGOVER - DIANA ROSS (5) - This song was indeed number one bound, strong enough to interrupt the run at the top for the biggest song of 1976. Not quite her best song by any means, but that is merely my opinion - nothing more 1: SILLY LOVE SONG - WINGS (3) - This was the aforementioned biggest song of 1976 - it would hit the top two weeks later for a total of five non-consecutive weeks at the top. I remember this song quite well, but don't like it quite as much as I did back in the day (most likely due to overplay).
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Post by Hervard on May 21, 2021 12:39:09 GMT -5
American Top 40: The 70s - May 22, 2021
This week's presentation - May 24, 1980
Droppers: SPECIAL LADY - RAY, GOODMAN & BROWN (38) - aka "The Trio Formerly Known As The Moments". This was their only hit under their new name, which apparently worked, as it was their biggest hit (and their only Top Ten). I never used to like this song, but now I think it's a great one. HOLD ONTO MY LOVE - JIMMY RUFFIN (37) - After three Top 40 hits in 1966, he went dormant for awhile, but had a short-lived comeback in early 1980. This one was probably my favorite of his hits. STARTING OVER AGAIN - DOLLY PARTON (36) - This one fizzled out kinda fast, but her two follow-ups hit #1. This was my favorite of her 80s hits - it was a great one despite how depressing it was. This was the #1 country song this week. I CAN'T TELL YOU WHY - THE EAGLES (28) - One of very few songs of theirs with Timothy B Schmit singing lead. It's pretty good, but far from being one of my faves from the Eagles. More on this song a little later. FIRE LAKE - BOB SEGER (24) - The first of three Top 40 songs from his Against The Wind album, and my favorite of the three - it was a great one! DO RIGHT - PAUL DAVIS (23) - Wow, all six droppers this week were really good. Needless to say, I preferred the May 17 show over this one. Maybe they'll feature this as a B-show next year?
LW#3: LOST IN LOVE - AIR SUPPLY LW#2: RIDE LIKE THE WIND - CHRISTOPHER CROSS LW#1: CALL ME - BLONDIE 40: LOVE STINKS - J. GEILS BAND (debut) - Kind of a surprise that this one only got as high as #38, given its recurrent airplay. It's a good one, but definitely not their best. 39: DON'T SAY GOODNIGHT - ISLEY BROTHERS (debut) - One of those sleepy R&B slow jams of the early 80s that sound more like early 70s. It's OK, but nothing special. 38: IT'S STILL ROCK & ROLL TO ME - BILLY JOEL (debut) - This song debuted on the Hot 100 way up at #38, so it was clear where this song was going! I've learned to like it a little better than previously, but it is still my least favorite of his four Top 40 hits from Glass Houses. 37: WE LIVE FOR LOVE - PAT BENATAR (40) - Her second Top 40 single, which doesn't get quite as much airplay as her two other 1980 hits. It's a good one, but definitely not my favorite from her. 36: I DON'T WANT TO WALK WITHOUT YOU - BARRY MANILOW (39) - Another artist who had three Top 40 singles in 1980 (with the last being a Top Ten, such was the case with Pat Benatar. This one was pretty good, though I preferred said Top Ten, which was "I Made It Through The Rain". 35: HEADED FOR A FALL - FIREFALL (35) - Great song! I like this about the same as their first two Top 20 hits. 34: LADY - WHISPERS (debut) - See my comment for song #39. (It did have a great synth bridge, though). 33: LET ME LOVE YOU TONIGHT - PURE PRAIRIE LEAGUE (debut) - Casey mentioned their first Top 40 hit "Amie", which was heard on a recent 1975 show. I preferred this song by a fairly large margin. It reminds me a little of "Shadows In The Moonlight" by Anne Murray, which is one of my faves by her. ARCHIVES: RING MY BELL - ANITA WARD - I heard this one a few times at the local skating rink back in the day. The song wasn't bad, but nothing exceptional. OPTIONAL EXTRA: STAND BY ME - MICKEY GILLEY - One of several covers of the classic Ben E. King hit that charted in the Top 40. This was possibly my favorite version. 32: GEE WHIZ - BERNADETTE PETERS (34) - One of several instances where someone known more for their acting had one chart single. This one was a good one - reminded me a little of "Break It To Me Gently". 31: LET ME BE THE CLOCK - SMOKEY ROBINSON (31) - Wow, lots of R&B slow jams in the 31-40 zone. His songs in the 80s either hit the Top Ten or missed the Top 30 altogether. This was one of the latter cases. It was a good song - reminiscent of his hits with the Miracles. 30: SHOULD HAVE NEVER LET YOU GO - NEIL & DARA SEDAKA (30) - Neil, of course, had a ton of Top 40 hits, but this was the only chart hit for his daughter Dara. It was a great song - one of my favorite Sedaka hits. 29: CUPID/I'VE LOVED YOU FOR A LONG TIME - SPINNERS (debut) - Their second medley to chart during 1980 (and both are remakes, which feature a new song, which serves as the bridge). Both are great songs and I like both about the same. LDD: BRIDGE OVER TROUBLED WATER - SIMON & GARFUNKEL - Great, classic song! But the idea of "giving back" a song that was dedicated to you from someone that you no longer love seems so futile, though that is just my opinion and nothing more. 28: THE SEDUCTION - JAMES LAST BAND (30) - The love theme from American Gigolo, and the first of two hits from that movie on the chart this week. It was a great one - sounds a little like something Dave Koz might do. 27: WONDERING WHERE THE LIONS ARE - BRUCE COCKBURN (32) - Not to burst the bubble of any gutter-minds reading this, but his last name is actually pronounced "Coh-burn". As for the song, it had sort of a folk-rock feel to it. It was a good one, IMO. 26: WITH YOU I'M BORN AGAIN - BILLY PRESTON & SYREETA (5) - Wow, that was a huge drop (though it would only fall three spots the following week). I love this song - it has a hypnotic effect to it, though I do know several people who hate this song with a passion. 25: LET'S GET SERIOUS - JERMAINE JACKSON (29) - Let's not and say we did. No, "serious"-ly, the song isn't bad, but I generally preferred his mid-80s songs. 24: PILOT OF THE AIRWAVES - CHARLIE DORE (14) - Casey mentioned that she was a cast member of a British(?) version of Sesame Street called "Rainbow". I wonder if she was also on another kid's show called "Hi-C" (or something like that), because there was a lady named Charlie on that (and there aren't many women by that name). Well, anyway, as for the song, it was pretty good. 23: TRAIN IN VAIN (STAND BY ME) - CLASH (25) - They only had two Top 40 hits, but both of them seem to get a fair amount of radio airplay, mainly on 80s stations. ARCHIVES: BAD GIRLS - DONNA SUMMER - She almost succeeded herself at #1 - only Anita Ward prevented her from doing that. Anyway, I preferred her other #1, although this wasn't bad either. OPTIONAL EXTRA: I CAN'T TELL YOU WHY - THE EAGLES - Wow, this is unusual - when was the last time they played a dropper as an Optional Extra? 22: YOU MAY BE RIGHT - BILLY JOEL (7) - I wonder if the broken pane of glass we see Joel looking through on the back of the Glass Houses album is the one we hear breaking at the beginning of the song, which is my third favorite from the album - a great song indeed! 21: HEART HOTELS - DAN FOGELBERG (22) - This was the second and last single from Fogelberg's Phoenix album. It was a great song - one of my all-time faves from him. 20: LITTLE JEANNIE - ELTON JOHN (27) - One of only two Top Tens from him between early 1977 and late 1983, and one of my favorites of his 1980s hits. 19: SHE'S OUT OF MY LIFE - MICHAEL JACKSON (26) - Casey talked about instances where siblings were in the Top 40 at the same time and it got me to thinking that had this song had a little more oomph in it, it would have been the first time that siblings were in the Top Ten at the same time (with solo hits, anyway), but by the time this song hit the Top Ten, Jermaine was already on his way down. No matter; it would happen eventually - in the fall of 1995, to be exact. And what do you know - it involved the Jacksons (more specifically, Michael and Janet). Anyway, I thought this was a great song - my favorite from the Off The Wall album. 18: STEAL AWAY - ROBBIE DUPREE (21) - The first of his two Top 40 hits, and you can definitely hear the Doobie Brothers' "What A Fool Believes" in this one (Michael McDonald even sings backup). 17: ANOTHER BRICK IN THE WALL - PINK FLOYD (09) - LOL @ that guidance counselor letter! I'm surprised the writer didn't mention the end, where they promote masturbation Maybe it's because they usually never played that part on the countdown. 16: BRASS IN POCKET - PRETENDERS (17) - Their debut Top 40 hit. It was a great one - too bad it didn't quite make the Top Ten. 15: BREAKDOWN DEAD AHEAD - BOZ SCAGGS (15) - Not sure why, but I was humming this song to myself earlier today. Perhaps because I knew that this show was on tap for this weekend and that this song would be on it. Whatever the case, it was a great song - sounded a lot like Lido Shuffle, which is very likely my favorite song of his. 14: COMING UP - PAUL McCARTNEY (19) - UGH! I hated this version of the song. You couldn't understand what the heck he was saying, and, quite frankly, it didn't even sound like McCartney. Thank God some radio stations started playing the flipside, which was the live version and this one was left for dead. 13: THE ROSE - BETTE MIDLER (20) - I learned to appreciate the radio version better when my 7th grade choir sang this song at the spring concert. Still, I prefer several others by the Divine Miss M. 12: I CAN'T HELP IT- ANDY GIBB w/OLIVIA NEWTON-JOHN (13) - This was the era when Olivia did several duets. This one and her duet with Cliff Richard called "Suddenly" sounded a lot alike, IMO. Both good songs. ARCHIVES: GOOD TIMES - CHIC - 1979 was definitely their year, as they had two #1 songs, as well as a Top Ten (which was my favorite of the three). This one was OK, but quite overplayed. OPTIONAL EXTRA: TIRED OF TOEIN' THE LINE - ROCKY BURNETTE - He may have only had one hit, but he indeed came from a musical family, as his father and uncle had Top 40 hits, and his nephew Billy became a member of Fleetwood Mac in 1987. As for the song, it was indeed a great one! 11: AGAINST THE WIND - BOB SEGER (18) - The title track from one of his best albums ever, IMO. I like this song. One of the songs I associate with the spring of 1980 (my mom had this tape and played it a lot before this song came out - around the time "Fire Lake" was charting) 10: CARS - GARY NUMAN (12) - Another song that reminds me of spring/summer, 1980, although, as synth-heavy as it was, it was a little ahead of its time. I thought it was great, though it could have used a few more verses. 9: RIDE LIKE THE WIND - CHRISTOPHER CROSS (2) - This one made a valiant effort to hit the top, but was stuck in the runner-up position for a month. It was a great song, like most of his Top 40 hits. LDD: DEPENDIN' ON YOU - DOOBIE BROTHERS - This song indeed fit the dedication. I do, however, prefer many of their other hits. 8: HURT SO BAD - LINDA RONSTADT (11) - She could very well be the queen of remakes, as this is one of many songs that Linda charted with, a cover of a song originally done by Little Anthony & The Imperials. It was a good song. 7: STOMP - BROTHERS JOHNSON (16) - Ugh, I was never a fan of this one. Not quite a "No. Just no", but close. 6: BIGGEST PART OF ME - AMBROSIA (10) - They had two Top Ten hits, and they are my two favorites from them. Not sure if I prefer this or "How Much I Feel". 5: SEXY EYES - DR. HOOK (5) - Their last Top Ten hit. It was a good one, but I think we all know what my favorite Dr. Hook song is (for those who don't, it was the song that charted before this one). 4: DON'T FALL IN LOVE WITH A DREAMER - KENNY ROGERS W/ KIM CARNES (8) - A one-time duet between Kenny and Kim (I am well aware that they also sang on "What About Me", but James Ingram was also on that song, so technically, it wasn't a duet). Anyway, it is a great song - one of my favorites from both artists (as is "What About Me"). 3: LOST IN LOVE - AIR SUPPLY (3) - The first of many big hits by them, and this is definitely one of my favorites from them. OPTIONAL EXTRA: I'M ALIVE - ELECTRIC LIGHT ORCHESTRA - One of many big hits from the Xanadu soundtrack, though I preferred their song that they sang with Olivia Newton-John. This one was not bad, but definitely not their best. 2: FUNKYTOWN - LIPPS, INC. (4) - Another song that sounded a little ahead of its time, what with the synths and the electronic voices. However, I preferred the cover by Pseudo-Echo, that also hit the Top Ten in 1987. 1: CALL ME - BLONDIE (1) - Of course, everybody knows that this song was the top hit of 1980, and deservedly so, as this was one of my favorite songs from them!
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Post by Hervard on May 21, 2021 12:39:25 GMT -5
American Top 40: The 80s - May 22, 2021
This week's presentation - May 23, 1987
Droppers: COME AS YOU ARE – PETER WOLF (40) - The former lead singer of the J. Geils Band had two solo Top 40 hits in 1984 and was back with his second album, to which this was the title track. It was a great song! STONE LOVE – KOOL & THE GANG (32) - This song had peaked at #10 just three weeks before, and, unfortunately, it turned out to be their last Top 40 hit. I liked this song, but my favorite of the Forever singles was "Special Way", which was a Top Ten AC hit in December of that year.
40: SERIOUS - DONNA ALLEN (28) - ARGH, how many times does she have to say, “TALK, talk about serious”? Enough is enough! Needless to say, I wasn't a big fan of this song. 39: ALONE - HEART (debut) - This song was definitely on its way to #1, where it held for three weeks in July. It was almost the top song of the entire year, but that d@mn Bangles song grabbed the gold instead 38: WHAT'S GOING ON - CYNDI LAUPER (16) - Wow, what a huge drop! This was a cover version of Marvin Gaye's classic Top Ten hit from 1971, when Lauper was still in high school. I remember hating this song when it was on the charts. Now, I like it, even better than the original. 37: NOTHING'S GONNA STOP US NOW - STARSHIP (34) - The theme to the comedy movie "Mannequin", which I saw in the theater about a month before. This was one of my favorite songs by Starship, though it wasn't quite as good as "It's Not Enough". 36: JAMMIN' ME - TOM PETTY & THE HEARTBREAKERS (debut) - In this song, he was venting about his frustration with media disinformation. The song wasn't bad, but I prefer several others from him/them. 35: SIGN '☮️' THE TIMES - PRINCE (17) - This song was OK, but it was rather monotonous. Definitely not his best song by any means. 34: I KNEW YOU WERE WAITING (FOR ME) – ARETHA FRANKLIN & GEORGE MICHAEL (22) - A one time pairing of the Queen Of Soul and the former lead singer of Wham! - and a great pairing at that, since it hit #1 the following week. Definitely one of my favorites from both artists! 33: DON’T DISTURB THIS GROOVE – THE SYSTEM (39) - This was their only big hit on the pop chart. It wasn't bad, but I preferred their next release "Nighttime Lover", which, sadly, wasn't released to pop radio (and if it was, it didn't go far). 32: GET THAT LOVE – THE THOMPSON TWINS (31) - The only Top 40 hit from their sixth studio album "Close To The Bone". I felt this was one of their most underrated songs - deserved a lot better than a peak of #31. Speaking of which, I noticed that around this time, Casey often used the term “peaked out at (insert chart position)”. Isn’t that improper use of a double preposition? 31: THE FINER THINGS – STEVE WINWOOD (18) - Back In The High Life was definitely Winwood's most successful album as far as singles go, as there were four of them that hit the Top 40. This was the third and there was no "Third Single Syndrome" here, as this was the second most successful song from the album behind the #1 "Higher Love". This was very possibly my favorite song from the album, though there are several other songs by him that I prefer. EXTRA: TAKIN’ IT TO THE STREETS - THE DOOBIE BROTHERS - Wow, this song appears on both "B" shows this week! I was especially glad to hear it, since, during the 1976 show this morning, my computer was running extra slow, prompting me to turn it off manually, missing several songs as it rebooted, and this was one of those songs. Anyway, I mentioned the System’s “Nighttime Lover” earlier. That song sounds like it was inspired by the melody of this song - one of the Doobie Brothers’ best songs ever! And the story behind this was good news for fans of the Doobies - they had reunited! They would be back on the charts two years later “The Doctor”, their fifth Top Ten hit. (You thought they had more, didn’t you?) OPTIONAL EXTRA: SHAKEDOWN - BOB SEGER - This song was poised to hit the charts the following week - one of seven debut songs on that chart! I remember seeing the Beverly Hills Cop II movie the weekend of this show. Since I was only fifteen, I bought a ticket for another movie, whose doors were in the same alcove as BHC2, and then as a guy was walking into the Eddie Murphy movie, I said, "Yo Dad, wait for me!" As for the song, it wasn't bad, but definitely not my favorite song from him, though I was glad it hit the top - Seger had indeed waited long enough to finally have a #1 song. 30: LESSONS IN LOVE - LEVEL 42 (37) - This British band was a two-hit wonder (as far as Top 40 hits go), and both songs hit the Top 20. Both songs were great - I liked them about the same. 29: FASCINATED - COMPANY B (36) - I'm surprised this song didn't go Top Ten; it was definitely representative of the dance/pop music of the mid-late 80s. It's a great song and a shame it didn't get any higher on the chart than #21. 28: I WANNA DANCE WITH SOMEBODY (WHO LOVES ME) - WHITNEY HOUSTON (38) - Whitney was fast approaching #1. She would get there just three weeks later, thus keeping her #1 streak alive. This song ended up as R&R's #1 song of 1987, which was great, though at the time this song was charting, I was sick of hearing it every time I turned on the radio. 27: THE RIGHT THING - SIMPLY RED (27) - Their first hit from their sophomore album, Men And Women, which did not fare quite as well as their debut album Picture Book. This song did not get any higher than #27, which I thought was a shame, as it's a great song! 26: HEARTBREAK BEAT - PSYCHEDELIC FURS (30) - Interesting how their song "Love My Way" is the only song from them that tends to get much in the way of recurrent airplay, yet it didn't hit the Top 40 (though it didn't miss by much, peaking at #44 in 1983). This song finally put them in the Top 40, though. This was a great song, though I preferred said 1983 hit. 25: DON'T DREAM IT'S OVER - CROWDED HOUSE (15) - Two members of the band Split Enz (which had a minor hit in 1980 called "I Got You") helped to form this band who had two Top Ten hits in 1987. I thought both were great songs, though I preferred their follow-up, "Something So Strong", which sounded sort of like a more upbeat version of this song. 24: SONGBIRD – KENNY G (35) - His first song to hit the chart - and it turned out to be his biggest. I liked it, but generally preferred his songs that featured a vocalist, like his next hit, "Don't Make Me Wait For Love", as well as an album cut from Duotones called "You Make Me Believe". 23: YOU CAN CALL ME AL – PAUL SIMON (29) - One of several 1987 songs that charted twice. This song barely fell short of the Top 40 during its original release in the fall of 1986. After Simon's current album, Graceland, won a Grammy for Album of the Year, Paul decided to re-release the song and this time around it got as high as #23. It was a good song IMO. 22: JUST TO SEE HER – SMOKEY ROBINSON (33) - Earlier, I mentioned how Kenny G sometimes records songs with a guest vocalist. In early, 1989, one of those songs, "We've Saved The Best For Last" almost hit the Top 40, but fell short. Anyway, that song sounds a lot like this song. Not sure which of them I prefer because of that, but both are good songs. 21: DAY-IN, DAY-OUT – DAVID BOWIE (25) - Of course, we all know that this, along with his hit from later on that year, "Never Let Me Down" are my two favorite songs from him. This song was looking like it might have peaked the previous week, as it was in its second week at #25, but the song did manage to move ahead more spots this week (although this was all the further it got). OPTIONAL EXTRA: ONLY IN MY DREAMS - DEBBIE GIBSON - The breakthrough hit for one of the biggest teen music stars from this era. It was a good song - my second favorite song from Out Of The Blue behind the #1 "Foolish Beat" (though I did rather like the title track as well). 20: SE LA - LIONEL RICHIE (20) - This was Lionel's last Top 40 hit before taking a five-year break from the charts. It was a pretty good song, with a reggae feel to it, but definitely not his best. 19: MEET ME HALF WAY - KENNY LOGGINS (26) - One of many movie songs that Loggins charted with. This song would peak at #11 a few weeks later, but still managed to place on the Top 100 of 1987 (which was a significant feat, given how fast the charts moved in 1987!) 18: IF SHE WOULD HAVE BEEN FAITHFUL - CHICAGO (21) - The third release from the Chicago 18 album maintained a steady climb up the chart, en route to #17. I thought this song was somewhat underrated; it should have hit the Top Ten just like their other 1987 hit "Will You Still Love Me". 17: DIAMONDS - HERB ALPERT (23) - Not sure whether or not the success of this song, which was never one of my favorites, affected the chart performance of "The Pleasure Principle" (whose release I heard was delayed so as not to cause competition with this song as much). 16: IN TOO DEEP - GENESIS (24) - This was the fifth and final single from their most successful album Invisible Touch. It is my second favorite of those singles behind the title track (but you already knew that, right?) 15: HEAD TO TOE – LISA LISA & CULT JAM (19) - They dropped Full Force, Paul Anthony and Bowlegged Lou for this one (but they were still featured on at least another song on the same album), and to number one this song went. It was OK, but I was never too crazy about it. I preferred the next release "Lost In Emotion", which, of course, also went to #1. 14: WANTED DEAD OR ALIVE – BON JOVI (14) - This song demonstrated the band's country/western side, a format that they would switch to a decade later. This was a good song, but I preferred "Never Say Goodbye", an album cut from Slippery When Wet that was getting moderate radio airplay around this time. 13/LDD: NOTHIN’S GONNA CHANGE MY LOVE FOR YOU – GLENN MEDEIROS (13) - The first Top 40 hit for this high school student from Kaui. As mentioned earlier, due to how fast the charts moved in 1987, there were very few songs that made the year-end survey that did not quite make the Top Ten - two to be exact. We already heard one of them, "Meet Me Halfway" back at #19. This was the more successful of those, peaking at #12 in June. A great song, IMO, and one of my favorite songs of the whole year. 12: I KNOW WHAT I LIKE – HUEY LEWIS & THE NEWS (12) - This song just barely kept their Top Ten streak going, as it peaked at #9 and spent but a single week in the Top Ten. It was a good song, but definitely not his best. 11: RIGHT ON TRACK – THE BREAKFAST CLUB (11) - Wow, there were quite a few songs in holding pattern right below the Top Ten, none of which were done yet (though the Glenn Medeiros song would only climb one more spot). Anyway, this was the only Top 40 hit for this New York City band of which Madonna was a member earlier in the decade. This was a pretty good song, though nothing exceptional. OPTIONAL EXTRA: THE PLEASURE PRINCIPLE - JANET JACKSON - Here's the song I mentioned earlier - the sixth and last single from the Contol album. The first five were all Top Five hits, but this one missed the Top Ten. Her first wave of popularity was over, but the best, of course, was yet to come - her next album would yield eight Top Ten radio hits. This song wasn't bad, but I can kind of see why this one didn't do as well as the other Control singles. 10: TALK DIRTY TO ME - POISON (9) - The breakthrough hit from this glam rock band from Pennsylvania did pretty well, hitting the Top Ten the week before. I liked it, but wasn't quite my favorite song from them. I generally preferred their power ballads. 9: LA ISLA BONITA - MADONNA (4) - The fifth hit from True Blue peaked at #4 for the past three weeks. It was the final song from the album, but Madonna was at work on her next project, the movie "Who's That Girl", which would spawn two Top Ten hits later in the year. This was a good song; indeed had a tropical island feel. 8: ALWAYS - ATLANTIC STARR (10) - This song became a very popular wedding song and was a far cry from their last Top Ten hit, which was about infidelity. This was my favorite of their Top 40 hits. 7: BIG LOVE - FLEETWOOD MAC (7) - Their first of five singles from "Tango In The Night", with Lindsey Buckingham handling the lead vocals. It was OK, but my favorite song from the album was the next single, "Seven Wonders", featuring Stevie Nicks singing lead. I seem to remember the story about the "Bogus Fleetwood Mac" on another episode of AT40 (I'm thinking it was late 1979, but I can't be sure). 6: HEAT OF THE NIGHT - BRYAN ADAMS (6) - I liked this song, though my least favorite single from Into The Fire, most likely because the other two didn't get anywhere near as much airplay - in fact, I don't think I ever heard either of them outside of countdown shows - or radio station "late night fights" (Victim Of Love was a winner on the latter of the two on U93). 5: (I JUST) DIED IN YOUR ARMS – CUTTING CREW (3) - The first of three Top 40 hits for this band from London - all from their debut album Broadcast. This one was OK, but quite overplayed, both back in 1987 and nowadays on oldies stations. I preferred their other two hits. 4: YOU KEEP ME HANGING ON – KIM WILDE (8) - This song ended up breaking the record for the longest span of time between the original version of the song hitting #1 and a remake hitting #1 - a record that had been broken several times over the past year and had been held for over a decade by "Please Mr. Postman". As I've said several times before, I prefer this version over the Supremes and Vanilla Fudge versions, though my all-time favorite Kim Wilde song would be her near-miss song "You Came", from 1988. 3: THE LADY IN RED – CHRIS DeBURGH (5) - Chris had charted a few times earlier in the 80s, but this is the song that put him on the map. I loved this song when it first hit the chart, but the stations I listened to back in the day all but played it out and I became quite tired of it. It's good to hear every now and then, but I wouldn't want to hear it every day. OPTIONAL EXTRA: SOMETHING SO STRONG - CROWDED HOUSE - One of several two hit wonders on this week's show, such as Dan Hill (though, in this case, the songs were from the same album). I preferred this song, but "Don't Dream It's Over" was a close second. They almost had a third Top 40 hit the following year, "Better Be Home Soon", but that one petered out at #42. That was a good one as well. 2: LOOKING FOR A NEW LOVE – JODY WATLEY (2) - This song came very close to hitting #1, but it was stuck at #2 for four weeks, behind the Cutting Crew and U2, the latter of which leapfrogged over this song, which I thought was OK, but I preferred a few of her other songs, including ones that she did as part of Shalamar. 1: WITH OR WITHOUT YOU – U2 (1) - The first of three hits from one of the biggest albums of the 80s, The Joshua Tree, which was in its fifth week at #1 on the album chart. This song wasn't bad, but quite overplayed. I preferred the other two singles.
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Post by at40nut on May 22, 2021 11:35:06 GMT -5
Correction on Heart's "Nothin At All"-It was the fourth single from their 1985 self titled album "Heart". However,you bring back those "Bad Animals" on next week's Critique. I sure hope I don't have to do it alone. If you do it alone, then who will you run to?
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Post by mrjukebox on May 22, 2021 11:58:28 GMT -5
Our local AC station in Connecticut,WEBE108,has a daily feature called "Back In The Day Double Play"-The other day,they played "Funky Town" by Lipps Inc-The announcer said that the song was written about New York City.
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Post by Hervard on May 22, 2021 12:42:23 GMT -5
I sure hope I don't have to do it alone. If you do it alone, then who will you run to? I guess the girl that I was after. Or wait, no - I don't want her anymore.
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Post by mrjukebox on May 22, 2021 19:31:31 GMT -5
"Gee Whiz" was a remake of a song that was originally a hit in 1961 for Carla Thomas-I thought Bernadette's version was quite good.
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Post by mga707 on May 22, 2021 19:42:58 GMT -5
"Gee Whiz" was a remake of a song that was originally a hit in 1961 for Carla Thomas-I thought Bernadette's version was quite good. Can't help but to sing it as "Cheez Whiz". Either version.
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Post by mrjukebox on May 23, 2021 16:20:43 GMT -5
I'm assuming the rapid drop of "With You,I'm Born Again" is an example of Bill Wardlow's handiwork.
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Post by mrjukebox on May 23, 2021 17:40:36 GMT -5
The studio version of "Coming Up" doesn't hold a candle to the live version which I prefer.
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Post by Hervard on May 23, 2021 18:42:23 GMT -5
I'm assuming the rapid drop of "With You,I'm Born Again" is an example of Bill Wardlow's handiwork. I doubt it - that was before the superstars made their debut (that happened in fall of that year).
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Post by Hervard on May 23, 2021 18:43:09 GMT -5
The studio version of "Coming Up" doesn't hold a candle to the live version which I prefer. That's an understatement. The studio version was a train wreck.
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