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Post by Hervard on Jun 4, 2021 12:59:42 GMT -5
American Top 40: The 80s - June 5, 2021
This week's presentation - June 4, 1988
NIGHTIME - PRETTY POISON (40) - Melodically, this song was more or less a laid-back version of "Catch Me I'm Falling", their Top Ten hit from late 1987. I thought it was a good song, but can see why it didn't fare too well on the chart. WHERE DO BROKEN HEARTS GO - WHITNEY HOUSTON (33) - This was her seventh and last in her streak of #1 songs (which, at the time, was a record), as her next release, "Love Will Save The Day", in fact, barely touched the Top Ten. This was the first of Whitney's slow songs to be produced by Narada Michael Walden (as Michael Masser produced the other three and Whitney's upbeat #1s were all Narada Michael Walden productions). Of those seven #1s, this was my favorite, so I'm glad that this song made it all the way to the top!
40: TALL COOL ONE - ROBERT PLANT (debut) - Ah, the lead singer of the legendary Led Zeppelin. This was pretty good - the part at the end, with a montage of guitar riffs from many of their classic hits, was really cool! 39: I'M STILL SEARCHING - GLASS TIGER (31) - The fourth and final Top 40 hit for this Canadian band. It was a good song and I'm surprised it didn't do any better than it did, since it was an upbeat song that was suitable for late spring. 38: LOST IN YOU - ROD STEWART (debut) - Here's an artist who had been hitting the charts for two decades, and his hit streak was far from over. This one didn't quite hit the Top Ten, but it didn't miss by much, peaking at #12. It was a great one - possibly my favorite of his four Top 40 hits from the Out Of Order album. 37: PINK CADILLAC - NATALIE COLE (25) - One of two Springsteen hits to chart in the spring of '88. Of course, Springsteen himself originally recorded this one - wasn't featured on any of his albums, but it was the B-side to "Dancing In The Dark" (as well as a concert favorite). I actually preferred this version of the song, though only slightly - both versions are great, IMO. 36: WHEN WE KISS - BARDEUX (39) - This female dance duo from Los Angeles seem to have followed LL Cool J's example and started out with a rap ballad. Alas, this turned out to be their only Top 40 hit. It was pretty good, but nothing I'd go out of my way to listen to. 35: DA' BUTT - E.U. (35) - From the soundtrack to the film School Daze, this was a great party-type song that I remember hearing at many of the school dances I attended in high school. 34: ANGEL - AEROSMITH (27) - I don't think I ever got tired of this song. I wasn't sure it was going to be a big hit, due to its weak initial chart performance, but it picked up steam and became their biggest hit ever, a boasting right it would retain for ten more years. 33: MY GIRL - SUAVE (22) - The fourth charted rendition of this song that was first a hit for the Temptations a year before this LA singer was even born. It was a great rendition of the song, updated to fit the late-80s more. That said, I'm somewhat surprised that it did not get any higher than #20 on the charts. 32: WISHING WELL - TERENCE TRENT D'ARBY (24) - Like "Angel", this song had sort of a slow start on the charts, but it didn't stop until it went all the way to the top - the following week, in fact! I liked it, but preferred his next hit, "Sign Your Name". 31: UNDER THE MILKY WAY - THE CHURCH (37) - Since there were many acts from down under on the chart, it should come as no surprise that two of them were back-to-back. I liked this song, but I preferred the follow-up, "Through The Butterfinger" OPTIONAL EXTRA: BABY I LOVE YOUR WAY/FREEBIRD MEDLEY (FREEBABY) - WILL TO POWER - A very unnecessary cover - that is all. 30: NEW SENSATION - INXS (38) - 1988 had an unusually high number of Aussie acts, INXS being by far the most successful, with all four of their hits making the Top Ten. I'm not generally a huge fan of them, but I actually liked this song. 29: BEDS ARE BURNING - MIDNIGHT OIL (36) - Wow! We have a hat trick of Australian bands here! Like The Church, they only had one Top 40 hit. I remember hearing this song all the time in early 2001 on Chicago's 94.7 The Zone - a then-80s station that had the skimpiest variety of music. One day (March 10, 2001, to be exact), when I was out for a leisurely drive, I must have heard the song at least three times. No wonder that format didn't last long on that station! As for the song, it's a good one, so at least it wasn't a crappy song that was overplayed. 28: ELECTRIC BLUE - ICEHOUSE (12) - Whoa - four Aussie acts in a row? That's gotta be a record! This band from down under was a two-hit wonder on the charts, as they had two Top 20 hits in 1988. They had peaked at #14 early in the year with "Crazy" and got as high as #7 with this one. They were both great songs, IMO. 27: POUR SOME SUGAR ON ME - DEF LEPPARD (32) - They'd had moderate chart success on the Top 40 chart with the Pyromania album, but it was the Hysteria album that REALLY put them on the map. This was their first Top Five hit and looked like it would hit #1, but Richard Marx leapfrogged over them with his hit "Hold On To The Nights" (which was right outside the Top 40 this week). No matter; they would top the chart with their next single "Love Bites". Not sure if I preferred that one or this. 26: MERCEDES BOY - PEBBLES (34) - Is it me, or were there more songs about cars and driving than usual in the spring and summer of 1988? Who knows; maybe it seems like that because that was the summer I took Driver's Ed. Didn't get my license until seven years later, though (mainly due to procrastination). 25: DREAMING - ORCHESTRAL MANOEUVRES IN THE DARK (16) - They had a total of four hits on the charts, and this was their second biggest behind "If You Leave". This was also my second favorite from them, behind "So In Love". 24: STRANGE BUT TRUE - TIMES TWO (21) - A rather faceless band, but a great song! I felt it was underrated. 23: NOTHIN' BUT A GOOD TIME - POISON (30) - This song hit the Top Ten on the Hot 100, but just missed on the R&R chart. Poison didn't have their first Top Ten on that chart until "Every Rose Has Its Thorn", which went all the way to the top. Anyway, this was a great song - one of my favorite songs by Poison! 22: NITE AND DAY - AL B. SURE (28) - This was a nice and mellow slow jam - much better than his upbeat songs (like "Off On Your Own Girl"). I liked the synthesizer used in this song. 21: TWO OCCASIONS - THE DEELE (11) - Ah, the song that mentions all four seasons (though it skips around somewhat). This song used to be the "Nighty Night" song for Open House Party with John Garabedian. I liked it, but preferred several songs that Babyface did on his own later on down the line. OPTIONAL EXTRA: THE PROMISE - WHEN IN ROME - A one-hit wonder from Manchester, England. For some reason, this song just never did anything for me. 20: KISS ME DEADLY - LITA FORD (26) - Wow, lots of heavy metal songs on this week's show. I'll bet this was a highlight for our friend JessieLou. I liked this song, too, as well as the follow-up "Back To The Cave", which failed to chart 19: THE FLAME - CHEAP TRICK (29) - After an eight-year absence from the chart, Cheap Trick came back in a major way, as this song went all the way to the top and was one of the most played songs of the summer of 1988. As a result, I'm still kind of burned out on this one, but it's tolerable. Still, I preferred many of their earlier hits, including "I Want You To Want Me" and "Voices". 18: I STILL BELIEVE - BRENDA K. STARR (23) - This was her first of two Top 40 hits - and she almost had a third hit, her duet with George Lamond called "No Matter What", but that one ran out of gas at #49 - too bad, as that was my favorite song from her. This, however, was a close second, as it was a great one! 17: ALWAYS ON MY MIND - PET SHOP BOYS (6) - Of the four versions that I've heard (of which Casey played a montage on the April 9 show), this one was far and away my favorite. The other versions were so bland (though I've kind of warmed up to Willie Nelson's version over the years). There was something about the techno beat to this song that made it such a great rendition of the song. 16: WE ALL SLEEP ALONE - CHER (20) - Cher had one Top Ten hit on R&R and one Top Ten hit on the Hot 100 in 1988 - only with different songs. This one hit the Top Ten on the former by the skin of its teeth, and this is all the further it got on the Hot 100, where she'd hit the Top Ten earlier in the year with "I Found Someone", which peaked at #12 on R&R. Not sure which of them I prefer - neither one was one of my favorites from Cher. I generally preferred her 90s hits. 15: ALPHABET ST. - PRINCE (19) - This was Prince's last hit for about a year, before he came back with three songs from the Batman soundtrack in 1989. This song was OK, but far from being his best. 14: THE VALLEY ROAD - BRUCE HORNSBY & THE RANGE (18) - This was the third and final Top Ten hit for Hornsby. I liked this song, but preferred the three hits from The Way It Is. 13: WAIT - WHITE LION (9) - This hard rock band had two Top 40 hits, both of them Top Tens. I preferred this one (by a wide margin) over the other single, the maudlin "When The Children Cry", which I am SO glad they didn't choose as one of the updated Optional Extras! 12: DIRTY DIANA - MICHAEL JACKSON (17) - This one would set (or rather further secure) a record, as being the fifth #1 song from the same album. It was one of my favorites from the Bad album - one of several rock-based songs by Jackson to hit #1. 11: CIRCLE IN THE SAND - BELINDA CARLISLE (14) - This was Belinda's fourth and final Top Ten hit. This one was OK, but not one of my favorites by her by a longshot. I preferred "I Get Weak", along with the two Wild Horses singles in 1989 and 1990. OPTIONAL EXTRA: DESIRE - U2 - The first of two singles from Rattle And Hum. This was a pretty good song, but I prefer a few others from them. 10: ANYTHING FOR YOU - GLORIA ESTEFAN & MIAMI SOUND MACHINE (3) - Their first and only #1 hit (though Gloria would log two more #1s billed as a solo artist). I liked this song, but I still prefer a few others from Gloria Estefan, both with the Miami Sound Machine and solo. 9: MAKE IT REAL - THE JETS (13) - There were several instances in 1988 of the final hit from an album having the most chart success. This is an example, although, in this case, it would be limited to songs that hit the Top 40 (as there actually was a fifth release from Magic - the song "Sendin' All My Love" peaked at #88 that August). Anyway, the first three singles from the album hit the Top 20, but this song was the only Top Five. This was one of my favorite songs from this family band, though I slightly preferred "You Got It All". 8: I DON'T WANT TO LIVE WITHOUT YOU - FOREIGNER (5) - I usually like their slow songs, but this one was kind of dull (and I read somewhere that Lou Gramm wasn't a fan of this one either - which had something to do with how under-sung this was). 7: FOOLISH BEAT - DEBBIE GIBSON (15) - This could have been another example of the aforementioned "last single with most success", as this was the only #1 song from Out Of The Blue, but while she was still hot, she decided to release a fifth single - which didn't even hit the Top 20 (didn't upset me too terribly, as I wasn't crazy about the song). Such was not the case with this great song, though - this one most definitely one of her best hits ever! But what a sloppy edit near the end! The same one was used the previous week and would be used again on the July 9 show. Totally screwed up the continuity of the song. 6: PIANO IN THE DARK - BRENDA RUSSELL FEATURING JOE ESPOSITO (10) - Like the other Brenda on the chart this week, she had two Top 40 hits. Actually, that was all she had on the Hot 100 as well - I guess they didn't promote her 1990 AC hit "Stop Running Away" to Top 40 radio. Not sure if I preferred this one or "So Good, So Right" - both are great songs! LDD: MANDOLIN RAIN - BRUCE HORNSBY & THE RANGE - You know what, it seems that this song was edited down more often than not, usually by cutting out the second verse, but sometimes they hacked off the "running down by the lake shore" bridge, which is my favorite part of the song. This week, however, they left the song alone. Perhaps, the author of the LDD gave them explicit instructions not to edit the song, as the entire song applied to the situation she related in the dedication story. 5: TOGETHER FOREVER - RICK ASTLEY (8) - Ah, the prerequisite Rickroll, which was virtually unavoidable in 1988. This one was more or less a watered-down version of "Never Gonna Give You Up". I preferred the next hit from the Whenever You Need Somebody album, "It Would Take A Strong Strong Man". The title track was also a great song, but that one wasn't released here in the states, which I thought was a shame (though as I recall, that was a decent-sized hit on the dance chart). 4: EVERYTHING YOUR HEART DESIRES - DARYL HALL & JOHN OATES (5) - Here is one of several artists on this week's chart with their last Top Ten hit (though they just barely missed with the ironically titled "So Close" in late 1990). This was pretty good, but I prefer many others from them. 3: NAUGHTY GIRLS (NEED LOVE TOO) - SAMANTHA FOX (4) - Of her four Top 40 hits, this was the biggest. Wasn't quite one of my favorites, and it was pretty much rehashed in her next Top 40 hit "I Wanna Have Some Fun". I preferred "Touch Me" and her cover of "I Only Wanna Be With You". OPTIONAL EXTRA: SMOOTH CRIMINAL - MICHAEL JACKSON - His Thriller album spawned seven Top 40 hits, and, in November of 1988, the follow-up album, Bad, would do the same, as this was the seventh hit from that album. It was a good one, though he's had many other songs that I prefer. 2: SHATTERED DREAMS - JOHNNY HATES JAZZ (2) - I know three songs by them - their two Top 40 hits, as well as their AC hit "Turn Back The Clock". Not sure if I prefer this song or the AC hit (as I like both), but I preferred both over "I Don't Want To Be A Hero". For some reason, that one never did much for me. 1: ONE MORE TRY - GEORGE MICHAEL (1) - And here is the song responsible for keeping Johnny Hates Jazz out of the top spot (Hmm, I wonder if they've forgiven George Michael yet for that). Anyway, when "Father Figure" was riding high on the charts, I listened to the "Faith" album for the first time and heard this song. I loved it instantly and hoped it would be released next and, sure enough, it was. This was one of very few songs to top the chart for more than two weeks in 1988. How I miss the days when the charts moved fast! There was absolutely no need for a recurrent rule.
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Post by mrjukebox on Jun 5, 2021 10:02:56 GMT -5
Hervard,you name dropped Jimmie Walker when you mentioned Bazuka's hit "Dynomite"-The Billboard issue for 6/7/75 is posted on this site-Scroll down & you'll see an ad from Panasonic which shows Jimmie displaying their portable cassette players.
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Post by mrjukebox on Jun 6, 2021 17:42:02 GMT -5
"Dirty Diana" was the fifth consecutive song from the "Bad" album to hit # 1-That feat wouldn't be repeated until 2010 with Katy Perry's album "Teenage Dream".
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Post by Hervard on Jun 11, 2021 12:50:42 GMT -5
American Top 40: The 70s - June 12, 2021
This week's presentation - June 18, 1977
SLOW DOWN - JOHN MILES (34) - This was the only Top 40 hit for this Jarrow, England native. The song was OK, but nothing I'd go out of my way to listen to. SOUTHERN NIGHTS - GLEN CAMPBELL (32) - Campbell had many Top 40 hits, and two of those went all the way to #1, including this one. I like it, but preferred his other #1 hit, "Rhinestone Cowboy" from two years before. HELLO STRANGER - YVONNE ELLIMAN (29) - The second of five hits for her, and the second biggest, behind "If I Can't Have You". I prefer the latter by a fair margin.
40: ALL YOU GET FROM LOVE IS A LOVE SONG - THE CARPENTERS (debut) - This duo was clearly beginning to fizzle out at this point, but what a career they'd had up to this point, with a ton of Top 40 hits! This was a really good one, IMO. 39: IT'S SAD TO BELONG - ENGLAND DAN & JOHN FORD COLEY (debut) - A song about a guy who is bored with his marriage and meets someone that he feels is his soul mate. The lyric that doesn't make sense to me is how, if he had a time machine, he'd go back to the day he was born. How about just going back as far as the day you met the girl who you'd end up marrying? Anyway, I actually liked this song and felt this should have gotten higher than #21. 38: PEACE OF MIND - BOSTON (debut) - Here is a song that was even more underrated. Possibly my favorite song by Boston, this was all the higher that the song got! It sure did much better on my Personal Top 30 chart, spending six weeks at #1 and coming in at #2 for the entire year (behind "Dancing Queen" by Abba. 37: YOU AND ME - ALICE COOPER (40) - Cooper was more famous for his loud, hard-rocking songs, but he had a few slow ones as well, which I preferred. My favorite song from him is "Only Women", but this one, as well as his hit from earlier in the year, "I Never Cry" aren't too far behind - all of them are great songs! 36: LUCKENBACH, TEXAS (BACK TO THE BASICS OF LOVE) - WAYLON JENNINGS & WILLIE NELSON (38) - This was Jennings' second of three Top 40 hits. It wasn't bad - sounded a little like an Elvis song. Not quite as good as his "Theme From Dukes Of Hazzard", however. 35: WHATCHA GONNA DO - PABLO CRUISE (39) - This was their very first hit, and it became their biggest ever, peaking at #6 and lasting a half a year on the Hot 100! Very deservedly so, as it was a great song - one of their best IMO. 34: YOU'RE MY WORLD - HELEN REDDY (36) - This song reminds me a little of Joni James' 1955 hit "How Important Can It Be". The song is quite cheesy, like most of Reddy's songs, but still pretty good. 33: (YOUR LOVE HAS LIFTED ME) HIGHER AND HIGHER - RITA COOLIDGE (37) - This was most definitely my favorite version of this song (most versions use the same gospel flavored arrangement of the song - this one was actually a MOR/disco type song). It apparently worked, as this was the most successful version of the song (chartwise, that is) 32: HOLLYWOOD - RUFUS FEATURING CHAKA KHAN (33) - This was their seventh Top 40 hit - your typical 70s R&B slow jam. It was not bad, but I preferred a few others from the band, as well as Chaka Khan as a solo artist. 31: KNOWING ME, KNOWING YOU - ABBA (35) - Their second of two hits from 1977 ("The Name Of The Game" doesn't count, as it wasn't even heard on AT40 until 1978). Though I preferred "Dancing Queen", this one was a great song as well! 30: HOTEL CALIFORNIA - THE EAGLES (17) - The title track from one of their biggest albums ever and, as stated earlier, one of my favorites from them. A true classic which has aged quite well! 29: GONNA FLY NOW (THEME FROM "ROCKY") - MAYNARD FERGUSON (30) - The first of two versions of this song on the chart. I preferred Bill Conti's version, but this one was pretty good as well. 28: BACK TOGETHER AGAIN - DARYL HALL & JOHN OATES (28) - The follow-up to their first #1 song. The song, however, didn't do anywhere near as well as "Rich Girl" and as for me, I prefer the latter, though this one wasn't bad either - reminded me a little of Earth, Wind & Fire. OPTIONAL EXTRA: YOU MADE ME BELIEVE IN MAGIC - BAY CITY ROLLERS - I was so obsessed with this song in the early 1990s. I called a lunchtime oldies program and requested this song, but they didn’t have it. I requested it so many times that they decided to finally order it. In May, 1992, I finally heard it for the first time since 1977. It was a good one - not sure if I prefer this or their cover of "I Only Want To Be With You", from the previous fall. 27: ARIEL - DEAN FRIEDMAN (27) - This may have been his only Top 40 hit, but it definitely got a lot of mileage, especially for a song that peaked at #26 - ten (non-consecutive) weeks in the Top 40 and 22 on the Hot 100! I love this song - heard it many times on my Barry Scott's Lost 45s CD. 26: WHEN I NEED YOU - LEO SAYER (16) - One of three Top 20 hits that Leo charted with during the year. It was OK, but somewhat schmaltzy. I preferred his other two songs, which bookended this one. 25: I'M IN YOU - PETER FRAMPTON (31) - This song hit #1 on the R&R chart in late July, and looked like it could do the same on Billboard, but didn't quite make it. It still became his biggest hit ever, and deservedly so, since it's my favorite song of his. 24: COULDN'T GET IT RIGHT - THE CLIMAX BLUES BAND (10) - Like several acts on this week's chart, this band had two Top 40 hits. Both were big hits that lasted quite awhile on the charts. This was a good song, but I preferred "I Love You", which charted four years later and we'll be hearing on next week's 1981 show. 23: HIGH SCHOOL DANCE - THE SYLVERS (25) - Their first two hits made the Top Five, but this one petered out at #17. Can't really call this "Third-Single Syndrome", as the three songs weren't from the same album. This song wasn't bad, but my favorite from them was "Boogie Fever". 22: LOVE'S GROWN DEEP - KENNY NOLAN (24) - A two-hit wonder, like the Climax Blues Band, although I imagine that most people don't remember this one, as it has fallen into obscurity. Not sure if I prefer this or "I Like Dreamin'", though the latter tends to get stuck in my mind. 21: I JUST WANT TO BE YOUR EVERYTHING - ANDY GIBB (26) - The only of the Gibb brothers that was not in the Bee Gees, but his solo career was definitely a success! His first three singles all hit #1. This was by far my favorite song from him (and it eventually went on to become AT40's top song of 1977). 20: SLOW DANCIN' DON'T TURN ME ON - THE ADDRISI BROTHERS (21) - Yet another "two-hit wonder". Their first hit charted in 1972 and five years later, they came back with this song, which peaked this week at #20. This one was OK, but nothing special. 19: DO YOU WANNA MAKE LOVE - PETER McCANN (23) - The first of at least two songs on the countdown during 1977 that McCann wrote. As stated earlier, I prefer the other song; this one was way too schmaltzy IMO. 18: MY HEART BELONGS TO ME - BARBRA STREISAND (22) - Her second of two Top Five hits during the year 1977. Both are great songs, but I slightly prefer this one. 17: MARGARITAVILLE - JIMMY BUFFETT (19) - This song's not bad, but quite overplayed. I preferred other songs from him, such as "Cheeseburger In Paradise" and "Fins". They usually butchered this one, cutting out the instrumental bridge, as well as the ending (when he repeats the last two lines of the chorus) and this week was no exception. Did they ever play this song intact during its chart run? 16: DA DOO RON RON - SHAUN CASSIDY (20) - The first of three Top Ten hits for Shaun Cassidy, and the biggest, as it would hit #1 about a month later. Of the two charted versions of this song, I definitely prefer this one. 15: LOOKS LIKE WE MADE IT - BARRY MANILOW (18) - This was his third and final #1 hit. No matter; he'd have many more big hits. This was by far my favorite of his #1 songs. 14: HEARD IT IN A LOVE SONG - THE MARSHALL TUCKER BAND (14) - Yet another "two-hit wonder", and this is by far their best known of the two hits - and my favorite as well (though I seem to remember that "Fire On The Mountain" was pretty good as well). OPTIONAL EXTRA: TELEPHONE LINE - ELECTRIC LIGHT ORCHESTRA - They had four songs that charted in 1977, and this was my favorite of those songs. It turned out to be their biggest as well! 13: LIFE IN THE FAST LANE - THE EAGLES (15) - This song just barely missed the Top Ten, ending the streak that they had going (though the streak would have been broken anyway in early 1979, as "Please Come Home For Christmas" wasn't on the chart long enough to hit the Top Ten, as it was a seasonal hit). As for this song, I liked it, but preferred their two other "Hotel California" hits. 12: AIN'T GONNA BUMP NO MORE (WITH NO BIG FAT WOMAN) - JOE TEX (12) - Meh, not a fan of this one at all. 11: JET AIRLINER - THE STEVE MILLER BAND (13) - The second of four Top 40 hits for the band during 1977 (and the lead-off single from Book Of Dreams). Definitely one of their best hits. 10: ANGEL IN YOUR ARMS - HOT (11) - They may have been a one-hit wonder, but they got a lot of mileage out of this song, which spent 19 weeks on the chart. I used to like this one, but not so much anymore, as it's about infidelity - plus the music is kind of boring. 9: SIR DUKE - STEVIE WONDER (9) - Despite a hard fall from #1 the previous week, this song managed to hold in place this week. In this song, Stevie dropped several names in this song, all of musical pioneers that time did not allow us to forget, including the king of all, Duke Ellington, to whom, of course, the title referred. Although I prefer several other songs by Mr. Wonder, this was a great one nonetheless. 8: I'M YOUR BOOGIE MAN - K.C. & THE SUNSHINE BAND (1) - One of two Top Five hits from them in 1977. I preferred the other one, which just narrowly missed hitting #1 several months later, ending their streak of hitting #1 everytime they hit the Top Ten. 7: LONELY BOY - ANDREW GOLD (7) - This may have been his biggest chart hit, but his other one, "Thank You For Being A Friend", from the following year, became a very popular LDD request. This was my favorite song from him, but the other song is a close second. Both are great songs, IMO. 6: UNDERCOVER ANGEL - ALAN O'DAY (8) - This was his only charted hit of his own, but he did write several other big hits ("Angie Baby" by Helen Reddy, for instance). As for this song, well, I love it! Definitely one of the best #1 hits of 1977, IMO. 5: LUCILLE - KENNY ROGERS (6) - 400 children and crap in the field? Oh wait, that's something else... Anyway, this was pretty good, but I prefer many others from him. 4: FEELS LIKE THE FIRST TIME - FOREIGNER (5) - The first of many hits for this legendary band, and a great one at that - both the song and the band! OPTIONAL EXTRA: DON'T WORRY BABY - BJ THOMAS - Of course, this was played in tribute to Mr. Thomas' recent passing. This song, Thomas' final Top 40 entry, would peak at #17 - seven spots higher than the original by the Beach Boys. I liked this one - there's a similarity between this and the theme from the TV show Growing Pains, which Thomas sang with Jennifer Warnes. 3: GONNA FLY NOW - BILL CONTI (4) - This song was in the midst of taking it step-by-step all the way to the top. As mentioned earlier, this was my favorite of the two versions of this song on this week's chart. 2: GOT TO GIVE IT UP (PART #1) - MARVIN GAYE (3) - I'm generally not a huge fan of Marvin Gaye, but for some reason, I like this one. Kind of a surprise, as this one has been compared to "Blurred Lines", a song that I still hate with a passion. 1: DREAMS - FLEETWOOD MAC (2) - Interesting that this song hit #1 on their tenth anniversary as a band. This was the biggest single from one of the biggest albums of all time, Rumors. The song is my least favorite of the singles, however, presumably due to overplay, as well as its repetitive melody, with only two chords used intermittently. It's still a pretty good one, though.
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Post by Hervard on Jun 11, 2021 12:50:54 GMT -5
American Top 40: The 80s - June 12, 2021
This week's presentation - June 7, 1986
(Is it me, or has it been feast or famine for this year lately?)
Droppers: KISS - PRINCE & THE REVOLUTION (36) - Meh, no big loss here. I was not a fan of this one, or any of his falsetto songs (well, except for "Mountains"). ROUGH BOY - ZZ TOP (35) - This was somewhat of a rarity - a ballad by ZZ Top. Up to now, most of their songs were rockers (although they sort of went the pop way with their Afterburner album). Anyway, as seldom as they did slow songs, they seemed to do pretty good with them, IMO, anyway, as this was one of my favorite songs from them. NEVER AS GOOD AS THE FIRST TIME - SADE (34) - Most of their songs were chill-out type songs, and this was definitely one of them. Though it was one of my least favorite songs from them, I still liked it - nice and relaxing. TOMORROW DOESN’T MATTER TONIGHT – STARSHIP (30) - This was a classic example of Third Single Syndrome, as the first two singles from Knee Deep In The Hoopla had hit #1, yet #26 was all the higher this song got, which is too bad, as it was a great song! I liked this one better than several of their Starship releases (like "Sara" and "It's Not Over ('Til It's Over)") Still, "It's Not Enough" is their best, IMO.
40: OUT OF MIND, OUT OF SIGHT - THE MODELS (debut) - The lone Top 40 hit for this band from Melbourne, Australia. I wonder if it would have done better on the chart two years later, when Aussie acts seemed to be "in" (ironically, that was the year the band went on hiatus). As for the song, it wasn't bad, but nothing exceptional either. 39: MOTHERS TALK - TEARS FOR FEARS (27) - This song was pretty good, although the lyrics didn't really make sense. I definitely prefer "Everybody Wants To Rule The World" and "Head Over Heels" over this. Still, I preferred this song over "Shout". 38: ALL THE THINGS SHE SAID - SIMPLE MINDS (28) - Melodically, this song was basically a combination of their three previous Top 40 hits. I thought it was OK. 37: INVISIBLE TOUCH - GENESIS (debut) - Their lead-off hit from the album of the same title, and to #1 it went! Good thing, as it's my favorite song from the album, which generated five singles, all of which made the Top Five! Interesting that four members of Genesis, former and present, were on the chart at the same time with four different songs, along with a song by the band itself. Even the Beatles weren't able to pull all of that off back in 1974 (or 1975, if you don't believe the 1974 chart). 36: THE LOVE PARADE - DREAM ACADEMY (37) - Their second and final Top 40 hit. It was a good song, but not quite as good as "Life In A Northern Town" (and many people must have agreed, as this song was nowhere near as big). 35: WHEN THE HEART RULES THE MIND - GTR (40) - A supergroup of sorts, consisting of members of several rock bands, including Asia, Genesis and Yes. This was their only hit, however, but a great song it was! 34: DANGER ZONE (THEME FROM "TOP GUN") - KENNY LOGGINS (debut) - This was the first Top Gun single released - and the king of movie soundtrack hits, Kenny Loggins, was the one singing it. He was also the artist of another single from the soundtrack that did not hit the Top 40 ("Playing With The Boys"). I preferred this one and the Top 40 audience apparently did as well, since it practically made it to #1. 33: NASTY - JANET JACKSON (debut) - Another song that I detested back in the day and used to switch the station when it came on back in '86! It's still not her best song ever, but there are several songs of hers that I dislike more. 32: SLEDGEHAMMER - PETER GABRIEL (39) - Definitely one of the most overplayed hits of the 80s. I wasn't crazy about this song to begin with and the excessive airplay only made me like it less. To this day, I'm still burned out on it and usually change the station when it comes on. I do like "Shock The Monkey" and "Big Time", though. 31: ADDICTED TO LOVE - ROBERT PALMER (24) - Wow, two overplayed songs in a row! 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, such is the case with the Peter Gabriel song). LDD: WHEN THE GOING GETS TOUGH, THE TOUGH GET GOING - BILLY OCEAN - The theme from the Michael Douglas film Jewel Of The Nile, this was my favorite Billy Ocean song back during its chart run, but I've since heard many other songs that I prefer, most of them ballads. It's still a good song, though, and it fit the LDD in at least two different ways. 30: LIKE NO OTHER NIGHT - .38 SPECIAL (33) - This was the only Top 40 hit from their sixth studio album, Strength In Numbers (the follow-up, "Somebody Like You" ran out of gas at #48 in late August). In fact, this would be their final Top 40 hit until 1989, by which time Max Carl became lead singer and, of course, they weren't 38 Special anymore (in my book, anyway). Of course, we all know that this is one of my three favorite songs by this band from Jacksonville, Florida. 29: WHY CAN'T THIS BE LOVE - VAN HALEN (21) - The Van Hagar era was off to a running start, as the band's very first hit with their new lead singer Sammy Hagar hit the Top Three! It was a great song, though I did slightly prefer the next two hits from 5150. 28: LIKE A ROCK - BOB SEGER AND THE SILVER BULLET BAND (38) - Ah, the Chevy Trucks song! I liked this song, though I slightly preferred Seger's other 1986 hit, "American Storm". 27: YOUR WILDEST DREAMS - MOODY BLUES (32) - As big as this legendary band was, it's a surprise that they only had three Top Ten hits. This was one of them, peaking at #9 in July, and deservedly so, as it is one of my all-time faves from them! 26: TAKE ME HOME - PHIL COLLINS (18) - 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! 25: YOUR LOVE - THE OUTFIELD (20) - The first of a handful of Top 40 hits from this British band who apparently knew nothing about baseball, despite their name (though the outfield that they refer to is that of the game of Cricket). This was a good song, but I preferred their next single, "All The Love In The World", which charted that summer. 24: TUFF ENUFF - FABULOUS THUNDERBIRDS (31) - Though I'm not a huge fan of southern rock, this one was actually pretty good. 23: VIENNA CALLING - FALCO (29) - This song pretty much rode the coattails of "Rock Me Amadeus", as it didn't do anywhere near as well (the fact that it was somewhat of a novelty song could have been instrumental in that as well). I did prefer this song slightly, since it wasn't quite as overplayed, but still, it wasn't one of my favorite songs. 22: RAIN ON THE SCARECROW - JOHN COUGAR MELLENCAMP (26) - The fourth of five singles from the Scarecrow album. I hear this one every now and then on Sunny 101.5's "Totally 80s Weekends". I never used to like this one, but now I think it's a pretty decent song. 21: BAD BOY - MIAMI SOUND MACHINE (16) - This one had sort of an old Motown sound to it. It was the second of many big hits for this band from Cuba (and even more for the lead singer, Gloria Estefan, who would go on to have a successful solo career several years later). It was a good one; my favorite of their 1986 hits. 20: WEST END GIRLS - PET SHOP BOYS (14) - 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)". 19: WHAT HAVE YOU DONE FOR ME LATELY - JANET JACKSON (10) - The first of many, many hits that Janet would place on the charts. However, this was one of my least favorite songs from her. I generally liked her 90s hits. 18: WHO'S JOHNNY - EL DEBARGE (25) - This one I liked quite significantly better than his other movie hit with his family band, "Rhythm Of The Night". I thought the video was funny too. I associate this one with the summer of 1986 since you don't hear it much anymore. This was the first of two members of DeBarge to chart on his own in 1986 (His brother, Chico, of course, charted with a solo hit at the very end of that year called "Talk To Me"). I liked both songs, but preferred this one. 17: I WANNA BE A COWBOY - BOYS DON'T CRY (23) - Like "Vienna Calling", the fact that this was basically a novelty song is probably why it didn't hit the Top Ten. I liked it, though, but I got tired of it around the time it peaked on the chart. Still, it's good to hear it every now and then. 16: HOLDING BACK THE YEARS - SIMPLY RED (22) - The first of several big hits by this English band headed up by Mick "Red" Hucknall. When I first heard this song when it debuted on the R&R chart, I was like, wow, what a great song! However, the song was quite overplayed and I grew tired of it. It's still a pretty good song, though I wouldn't want to hear it every day. LDD: NEVER SURRENDER - COREY HART - 15: NOTHIN' AT ALL - HEART (17) - The fourth of five singles from Heart's self-titled album and the last to hit the Top 40 (the fifth hit "If Looks Could Kill" ran out of gas at #54). This song was a good one, though definitely not their best. 14: NO ONE IS TO BLAME - HOWARD JONES (19) - Of his two Top Ten hits, this would be my favorite, hands down. It's another song that takes me back to the summer of 1986, which was an especially good one for me (trust me; it's a long story!). 13: IS IT LOVE - MR. MISTER (8) - They were pretty much a flash in the pan, but their first three singles did quite well, all reaching the Top Ten (the first two making it all the way to the top!) This song was a good one, though I slightly preferred "Broken Wings". 12: MOVE AWAY - CULTURE CLUB (12) - They had a wave of popularity throughout 1983 and the first half of 1984, but after that, they sort of fizzled out, so they decided to wait another year before giving it another shot. Unfortunately, it proved to be less than stellar, as this song missed the Top Ten (though at least it did peak higher than either of their singles from their last album Waking Up With The House On Fire). This was their final Top 40 entry as a group (Boy George would two additional solo Top 40 hits). 11: BE GOOD TO YOURSELF - JOURNEY (9) - The first of four Top 40 hits from their Raised On Radio album. Though it's my least favorite of the singles, I still think it's a good one. 10: A DIFFERENT CORNER - GEORGE MICHAEL (15) - It had been announced a few months back that George and Andrew were parting ways later on in the year. George was already launching his solo career, with the first of many Top 40 hits. I wasn't too keen on this song, however, since it was so maudlin. OPTIONAL EXTRA: IF SHE KNEW WHAT SHE WANTS - THE BANGLES - Why did so many of the best songs from 1986 tank so fast? This song ran out of gas at #29, after just five weeks (and fell out of the Top 40 the following week). Then of course, their next hit had to go and become the top song of 1987. Needless to say, this was my favorite of their three 1986 hits. 9: THERE'LL BE SAD SONGS (TO MAKE YOU CRY) - BILLY OCEAN (13) - As I've mentioned many times before, this song was inspired by an incident associated with Ocean's song "Suddenly", a Top Ten hit from the previous year. This is one of many songs I associate with Summer, 1986 since radio stations played it all the time. It wasn't one of my favorite songs back then, but I really like it now. 8: CRUSH ON YOU - THE JETS (11) - The breakthrough hit from this family act from Minneapolis. I wasn't a big fan it, however, since I generally preferred their ballads (though their next hit, "Private Number", which just missed the Top 40 later on in the year, was pretty good). 7: SOMETHING ABOUT YOU - LEVEL 42 (7) - This song sure got a lot of mileage on the chart. Spent 14 weeks on the chart, which was unusually long for a song that did not even hit the Top Five (it was even more impressive on R&R - peaked at #9 and spent 15 weeks in the Top 40 - which tied it with several other songs for the longest run on the chart within 1986). I can see why it did so well, as it was a great song! 6: IF YOU LEAVE - ORCHESTRAL MANOEUVRES IN THE DARK (4) - Of their four Top 40 hits, this was their only Top Ten (and is the only song of theirs that gets any recurrent airplay). I preferred their other three hits, my favorite being "So In Love", which, oddly enough, sounds a lot like this one. LDD: YOU'RE THE INSPIRATION - CHICAGO - The third hit from their Chicago 17 album (and their final Top Ten hit with Peter Cetera singing lead). It was a good song - became a very popular LDD request, like right here. 5: ALL I NEED IS A MIRACLE - MIKE & THE MECHANICS (6) - They were relatively new at the time, but were doing quite well, with their first two hit having hit the Top Ten, Of those two hits, this was my favorite, though I did prefer a few others from them, including their next single "Taken In". 4: I CAN'T WAIT - NU SHOOZ (5) - 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 from earlier that year! 3: GREATEST LOVE OF ALL - WHITNEY HOUSTON (1) - This was definitely one of Whitney's best songs ever, and one that became pretty popular in the LDD department. This is a song that I never got tired of and it still sounds as fresh as it did 30 years ago! Glad that it ended up as her biggest hit from her debut album (as far as weeks at #1 go). OPTIONAL EXTRA: OPPORTUNITIES (LET'S MAKE LOTS OF MONEY) - PET SHOP BOYS - This was their second hit, though it doesn't get much in the way of recurrent airplay. They just assume we want to hear "West End Girls" for the millionth time. That's too bad, as this was a great song - one of their best, IMO. At least it did make the Top Ten. 2: ON MY OWN - PATTI LaBELLE AND MICHAEL McDONALD (3) - This song, which was gearing up for a three-week stay at the top starting the following week, was one that I didn't like back in the day (due to excessive airplay), but it was one of those songs that ages like fine wine. I think it's a great song now! 1: LIVE TO TELL - MADONNA (2) - This song became her third number one hit this week, and there was a lot more where that came from! Of her two number one songs in 1986, this was my favorite by a decent margin (as I didn't care much for "Papa Don't Preach").
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Post by mrjukebox on Jun 13, 2021 15:40:44 GMT -5
Peter Gabriel provided background vocals on "Take Me Home".
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Post by SFGuy on Jun 13, 2021 17:42:48 GMT -5
OPTIONAL EXTRA: OPPORTUNITIES (LET'S MAKE LOTS OF MONEY) - PET SHOP BOYS - This was their second hit, though it doesn't get much in the way of recurrent airplay. They just assume we want to hear "West End Girls" for the millionth time. That's too bad, as this was a great song - one of their best, IMO. At least it did make the Top Ten.
It seems like it's only heard these days on an insurance TV commercial.
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Post by mga707 on Jun 13, 2021 18:26:16 GMT -5
OPTIONAL EXTRA: OPPORTUNITIES (LET'S MAKE LOTS OF MONEY) - PET SHOP BOYS - This was their second hit, though it doesn't get much in the way of recurrent airplay. They just assume we want to hear "West End Girls" for the millionth time. That's too bad, as this was a great song - one of their best, IMO. At least it did make the Top Ten.
It seems like it's only heard these days on an insurance TV commercial.
Heard...and heard...and heard...almost as much as we hear the Cologuard ad on these Premiere shows.
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Post by Hervard on Jun 18, 2021 13:12:43 GMT -5
American Top 40: The 70s - June 19, 2021
This week's presentation - June 19, 1976
Droppers: DANCE WIT ME - RUFUS FEATURING CHAKA KHAN (39) - A one-week wonder here. Kind of a surprise, as they had just come off of one of their biggest hits ever. As for this song, it was pretty much your typical R&B dance number. Nothing I'd go out of my way to listen to. SHOW ME THE WAY - PETER FRAMPTON (33) - The first of three Top 40 hits from the monster album Frampton Comes Alive and my favorite of the three. LOVE IN THE SHADOWS - NEIL SEDAKA (31) - This was a case of Third Single Syndrome. The first two hits from The Hungry Years hit the Top Ten, but this was all the higher this song got, which was too bad, as it was a great song! TRYIN' TO GET THE FEELING AGAIN - BARRY MANILOW (29) - 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). ROCK AND ROLL LOVE LETTER - BAY CITY ROLLERS (28) - 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.
40: ROCK AND ROLL MUSIC – THE BEACH BOYS (debut) - This song definitely showed that, even though the sixties was clearly their decade, they still had it in the 70s! 39: MAMMA MIA - ABBA (debut) - 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". 38: RIGHT BACK WHERE WE STARTED FROM – MAXINE NIGHTENGALE (27) - 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. 37: I’M EASY – KEITH CARRADINE (40) - Meh, sounds more like second-rate Jim Croce. I used to like this song, but not much anymore. 36: TURN THE BEAT AROUND – VICKIE SUE ROBINSON (debut) - There definitely is not much difference between this and Gloria Estefan's cover 18 years later. That said, I don't know which version I prefer.There definitely is not much difference between this and Gloria Estefan's cover 18 years later. That said, I don't know which version I prefer. 35: SAVE YOUR KISSES FOR ME – BROTHERHOOD OF MAN (debut) - This one sounds more like a kiddie song, but not too bad. 34: FOOLED AROUND AND FELL IN LOVE – ELVIN BISHOP (22) - Here's a song I remember quite well from back in the day! Today, the song would be billed as "The Elvin Bishop Band featuring Mickey Thomas". Definitely one of my favorite songs from 1976 and it was a pleasant surprise that they went with the album version of the song! 33: TEAR THE ROOF OFF THE SUCKER - PARLIAMENT (37) - Gerardo sampled this song - or was it a remake? I never really paid much attention to that song, so it was kind of hard to tell. As for this song, it pretty much blends in with all the faceless disco music during this era. 32: MAKING OUR DREAMS COME TRUE (FROM “LAVERNE & SHIRLEY”) – CYNDI GRECCO (38) - "One, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, schlemiel! Schlimazel! Hasenpfeffer Incorporated!" One of many TV show themes that made the charts in 1976 - in this case, the one from "Laverne & Shirley", which IIRC was on after Happy Days back in the day. The TV show was great, as was this song. 31: LET HER IN – JOHN TRAVOLTA (36) - He currently had a gig as Vinnie Barbarino on Welcome Back, Kotter, but he showed his second talent on this week's chart with his debut hit. It was a pretty good one and would hit the Top Ten about the following month 30: TODAY’S THE DAY - AMERICA (35) - Here's another song I remember from back in the day. I'm surprised that this only got as high as #23, as WLS, the station I usually listened to in 1976 played this one regularly back then. It was a good one, though I preferred a few others from them. 29: GOT TO GET YOU INTO MY LIFE – THE BEATLES (debut) - Here's one I remember quite well, since it was #1 on the WLS record survey so I heard it all the time that summer. It was a great song! 28: THAT’S WHERE THE HAPPY PEOPLE GO – THE TRAMMPS (34) - As we all know, I wasn't a big fan of this kind of music (although their 1978 hit "Disco Inferno" wasn't bad). 27: YOU’RE MY BEST FRIEND - QUEEN (32) - Here's another song that didn't hit the top ten, which I can't believe - it sure got a lot of airplay. Although that depends on the radio stations in your area. As stated earlier, I listened to WLS quite a lot and that song peaked at #4 on their station’s playlist. I still hear this on oldies station every now and then, which is good, because this is one of my favorites from Queen. OPTIONAL EXTRA: PLAY THAT FUNKY MUSIC - WILD CHERRY - Ever since Vanilla Ice went and messed up this song in early 1991, I never was able to look at this song in the same light ever again! 26: GET CLOSER – SEALS & CROFTS (30) - Earlier in the show, Casey answered a question letter about songs hitting the Top Ten, dropping out, and then returning to the Top Ten in the same chart run. It had recently happened several times, with songs by Lynyrd Skynyrd and Elton John, but the most dramatic example of them all was "You Ain't Seen Nothing Yet" by Bachman-Turner Overdrive, in late 1974. Little did Casey know that there was a song in the countdown that would perform this rare feat two months later - of course, we all know that it was this song, which wasn't bad, though not quite their best. Jim Seals sort of sounded like he had a runny nose in this song. 25: BOOGIE FEVER – THE SYLVERS (14) - They had three Top 40 hits, and this was their biggest, hitting #1 earlier in the month. This is also my favorite of their hits. 24: WELCOME BACK – JOHN SEBASTIAN (12) - This song wasted no time hitting #1, but it only lasted a week up there. At least his descent was initially slow, until it fell out of the Top Ten. This was definitely one of the best TV show themes of all time! 23: RHIANNON (WILL YOU EVER WIN) – FLEETWOOD MAC (11) - Here's another one I remember quite well from 1976! The second of three hits from their self-titled album, and the only one to feature Stevie Nicks on lead vocals. This is my favorite of the three hits from Fleetwood Mac - too bad it didn't have a little more steam, as this song just barely missed hitting the Top Ten. 22: THE BOYS ARE BACK IN TOWN – THIN LIZZY (26) - Here's another one of my personal faves from back in 1976 (yes, I liked hard rock when I was as young as four years old, lol!) 21: FOOL TO CRY – THE ROLLING STONES (10) - This song had a very strong start, debuting at the halfway point of the chart, but tanked rather fast. At least it made the Top Ten, but spent only seven weeks on the chart. 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. 20: BARETTA’S THEME (KEEP YOUR EYE ON THE SPARROW) – RHYTHM HERITAGE (20) - 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." 19: TAKE THE MONEY AND RUN – THE STEVE MILLER BAND (23) - 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). 18: MOONLIGHT FEELS RIGHT - STARBUCK (24) - This was the first of two Top 40 hits by this band from Atlanta, and, by far, the most successful. The marimba solo by co-founding band member Bo Wagner makes the song a great listen for a warm evening. Definitely my favorite of Starbuck's two hits. 17: NEVER GONNA FALL IN LOVE AGAIN – ERIC CARMEN (19) - 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! 16: I WANT YOU – MARVIN GAYE (18) - I'm more familiar with Robert Palmer's 1991 cover, which sounds so much like the original - in fact, I kept expecting this song to segue back into "Mercy Mercy Me". 15: MOVIN’ – BRASS CONSTRUCTION (17) - Another faceless disco hit, just like the one back at #33. 14: TAKIN’ IT TO THE STREETS – THE DOOBIE BROTHERS (16) - 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! OPTIONAL EXTRA: A FIFTH OF BEETHOVEN - WALTER MURPHY & THE BIG APPLE BAND - This was an interesting disco version of Beethoven's Fifth Symphony. One of the most successful instrumentals of all time (and THE most successful instrumental to be adapted from a classical composition). 13: LOVE IS ALIVE – GARY WRIGHT (15) - Now 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). 12: KISS AND SAY GOODBYE – THE MANHATTANS (21) - As we all know, I'm not a big fan of this song. Had the spoken intro been omitted, it might not be so bad, but still, the song is overall depressing (as goodbyes are one of my weaknesses). Give me "Shining Star" any day! 11: HAPPY DAYS (FROM THE PARAMOUNT TV SERIES) – PRATT & McCLAIN (5) - Indeed, 1976 was indeed the year for TV show themes! This was one of my favorite TV shows, and definitely a long lasting one - wasn't it on the air for ten years? EXTRA: THE THRILL IS GONE – B.B. KING - Interesting story about how blues singer B.B. King ran into a burning building to save his guitar, nearly getting himself killed in the process. This song, which was played as the third Optional Extra, employs that very guitar. I thought it was pretty good. This song was demoted to Optional Extra status and the station I listened to did not play any of the Extras (even though they are indeed listed as playing them), so I have no idea about this song or the story connected with it. 10: I’LL BE GOOD TO YOU – THE BROTHERS JOHNSON (13) - 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. 9: AFTERNOON DELIGHT – THE STARLAND VOCAL BAND (25) - With such a huge leap up the chart, there was no question about where this song was going! This song, one about engaging in a quickie with your significant other during your lunch break, is another song I remember quite well (needless to say, I had no idea what it was really about, though, as young as I was). 8: MORE, MORE, MORE (PART 1) – THE ANDREA TRUE CONNECTION (9) - Of their two Top 40 hits, I preferred this song. The Canadian alternative rock band Len apparently liked it as well, as they sampled it in their big 1999 hit "Steal My Sunshine". 7: SHOP AROUND – THE CAPTAIN & TENNILLE (8) - One of several remakes on this week's chart. This one wasn't bad, but I preferred the original by the Miracles. 6: SHANNON – HENRY GROSS (6) - Ah, the infamous "Dead Dog Dedication" song! It's a good one, but after mid-September, 1985, we never looked at this song in the same way again! 5: SARA SMILE – DARYL HALL & JOHN OATES (7) - The first of a whole slew of Top 40 hits from the duo - it's not bad, but definitely not one of their best, IMO. 4: LOVE HANGOVER – DIANA ROSS (1) - She had two number one hits in 1976, and the first one, "Theme From Mahogany" would easily be my favorite of them. This one just never did anything for me. 3: MISTY BLUE – DOROTHY MOORE (3) - 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. 2: GET UP AND BOOGIE – SILVER CONVENTION (2) - This one is a toughie, as far as learning all the lyrics! It was a good one; too bad it just narrowly missed becoming their second #1 hit... 1: SILLY LOVE SONGS – WINGS (1) - ...but this song was just too tough for it. The song wasted no time hitting the top, but dropped out after only one week up there. The only thing is, it wasn't over for this song - after a two-week hiatus, the song returned to #1 for an additional four weeks and would become the top song of 1976. The song's OK, but I prefer many other songs from them, my favorite being "With A Little Luck", which would also hit #1.
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Post by Hervard on Jun 18, 2021 13:12:53 GMT -5
American Top 40: The 80s - June 19, 2021
This week's presentation - June 20, 1981
Droppers: I CAN TAKE CARE OF MYSELF - BILLY VERA & THE BEATERS (39) - Better known for their #1 hit "At This Moment", this was their first chart hit. #39 was all the further it got and I believe it was re-released in 1987. After all, if "At This Moment" had hit #1 in its second chart run, then this one could do the same. Unfortunately, it was not to be. Of their two Top 40 hits, I preferred this one. WATCHING THE WHEELS - JOHN LENNON (25) - This one reminds me of his 1971 hit "Imagine". I like both songs about the same, but my favorite song from John's Double Fantasy album would have to be "(Just Like) Starting Over".
LW#2: STARS ON 45 MEDLEY - STARS ON 45 LW#1: BETTE DAVIS EYES - KIM CARNES 40: THE STROKE - BILLY SQUIER (debut) - "STOP MOCKING ME!" ~Peter Griffin. No, seriously, this song never really did anything for me. I preferred his next hit, "In The Dark". 39: HOW 'BOUT US - CHAMPAIGN (16) - The first of two Top 40 hits for this R&B band, named after their hometown. Both songs are great, and I like them both about the same. 38: ANGEL OF THE MORNING - JUICE NEWTON (22) - This successful country artist crossed over to Pop with this one. I like it, but preferred most of her other Top 40 hits. 37: TOO MUCH TIME ON MY HANDS - STYX (18) - Wow, lots of big drops around this area of the chart! This was the second Top Ten hit from Styx's Paradise Theater album. Even though I prefer the first of those, "The Best Of Times", this is also a good one - a song I have learned to like over the years (since I used to think it was mediocre). 36: STRONGER THAN BEFORE - CAROLE BAYER SAGER (40) - This was your typical post-disco MOR songs. It was a great one, though - I personally think the MOR era should have lasted longer than it did, but that is just an opinion and nothing more. 35: JUST THE TWO OF US - GROVER WASHINGTON JR. & BILL WITHERS (11) - aka "50 Ways To Leave Your Lover Pt. 2". This was a nice, relaxing song. Glad that it was a big hit! Didn't quite hit #1 on AT40, but it did have a two-week run atop the R&R chart the previous month. 34: SWEET BABY - STANLEY CLARKE & GEORGE DUKE (38) - Wow, I had forgotten how many MOR ballads that there were on the charts in 1981, after disco had died and before the MTV era started. As mentioned earlier, I actually liked that era, although I realize a lot of people here would beg to differ. LDD: IF - BREAD - I never used to like this song, because when I heard it, it could stick in my head all day and drive me nuts. But now I just love it. It fit the dedication as well. 33: QUEEN OF HEARTS - JUICE NEWTON (debut) - This was one of three songs that was shut out of #1 by "Endless Love", which had a marathon run up there for nine weeks. I like this song; good driving music! ARCHIVES: WHAN A MAN LOVES A WOMAN – PERCY SLEDGE - The very first hit for this R&B singer from Alabama, as well as his only #1. It wasn't bad, but I actually preferred Michael Bolton's cover, which also hit #1, in late 1991. OPTIONAL EXTRA: DOUBLE DUTCH BUS WRECK - FRANKIE SMITH - Nizzo. Jizzust nizzo. 32: SAY WHAT - JESSE WINCHESTER (32) - This was his only Top 40 hit and, since he passed away seven years ago, it'll stay that way This song used to be kind of just there, but when I heard it about this time four years ago (either on the 6/27/81 "B" show or on iHeartRadio, I think), I somehow started liking it. That was around the time that I pulled out of the depression, brought on by several aspects of my job, that I had been battling. The meds that my doctor prescribed worked wonders and that affected my opinion on a few songs that I associate with that. 31: SEVEN YEAR ACHE - ROSANNE CASH (36) - I remember I was driving myself crazy trying to find out what the "God, I hope he comes back soon" song was. I finally found out when Casey played it as an extra on AT20 (AC) back in April, 1999. Sylvia's "Nobody" sounds somewhat like this song which is a great one. As many #1 country songs that Roseanne Cash had, it's a wonder that this was the only song that crossed over to Pop. 30: TIME - THE ALAN PRSONS PROJECT (35) - The first song from Parsons to use Eric Woolfson on lead vocals (which proved to be a good tactic, as they had many of their biggest hits with him). This song used to make me cry, until a friend of mine made a funny parody. 29: FOOL IN LOVE WITH YOU - JIM PHOTOGLO (31) - Yet another typical 1981 ballad. But, like most of them on this week's chart, I think it's a great song! 28: STILL RIGHT HERE IN MY HEART - PURE PRAIRIE LEAGUE (30) - This was the second biggest of their four Top 40 hits, and I like it and their biggest hit "Let Me Love You Tonight" about the same (presumably because they sound very similar). 27: BOY FROM NEW YORK CITY - MANHATTAN TRANSFER (34) - This was by far their biggest Pop hit. I liked it, but preferred a few others from them, including several songs that didn't quite hit the Top 40 (such as "Mystery" and "Choo Choo Ch-Boogie"). 26: GEMINI DREAM - THE MOODY BLUES (37) - They were more famous for their 60s and 70s hits, but I myself generally preferred their 80s hits, including this one, one of my favorites from them, although I preferred "The Voice", also from Long Distance Voyager. 25: MODERN GIRL - SHEENA EASTON (29) - Her second Top 40 hit, which didn't quite measure up to the success of her first (no matter; she'd have a lot more chart success in the next few years). 24: WINNING - SANTANA (26) - Santana had three Top 40 hits in the 80s, and they were the best three of their career, IMO. I like all of them so much that I'm not sure what my favorite is. 23: ELVIRA - THE OAK RIDGE GEEZERS (28) - EWWWWW, GET IT AWAY FROM ME!! 22: I DON'T NEED YOU - KENNY ROGERS (33) - Here's another country act that had a great year in 1981! He had a handful of big hits, including the third biggest hit of the year (even though that was more of a 1980 hit, but due to their weird time frame, that song was deferred to 1981's year-ender). This was his other Top Ten song from the year. I guess you could call it a guilty pleasure, as many people I know hate this song, but I think it's a great one! ARCHIVES: PAINT IT, BLACK – THE ROLLING STONES - Their third of eight number one songs. It was not bad, but far from being their best. OPTIONAL EXTRA: LADY (YOU BRING ME UP) - THE COMMODORES - At this point, Lionel Richie was gearing up to embark on a solo career. Unfortunately, the band didn't sound the same after that. I liked this song, especially the electronic piano solo at the beginning. 21: NOBODY WINS - ELTON JOHN (23) - This one sure hit a brick wall - it was off to a promising start (making a 13-spot gain three weeks before), but this was where the song peaked. Perhaps it was because it was disco-flavored (as his other songs with that music style didn't hit the Top 20 - I guess people thought that Elton and disco did not mix). I thought it was a decent song, but definitely not my favorite song from him. 20: THE THEME FROM "THE GREATEST AMERICAN HERO" - JOEY SCARBURY (27) - This was another song that "Endless Love" shut out of the top spot. Like "Slow Hand", however, this one DID hit #1 on the R&R chart - and deservedly so, as it was a great one - one of the best TV show themes of all time! 19: THE WAITING - TOM PETTY & THE HEARTBREAKERS (19) - This was their fourth song to hit the Top 40. Linda Ronstadt did a pretty decent cover of it in the mid-1990s. I preferred this one, though. 18: HEARTS - MARTY BALIN (24) - He was the lead singer of the Jefferson Starship in the mid and late-70s, but I preferred this solo hit over all of his JS hits. One of my favorites on the chart this week. 17: IS IT YOU - LEE RITENOUR (21) - Today, this would be billed as "Lee Ritenour featuring Eric Tagg & Bill Champlin". This may have been Ritenour's only Top 40 hit, but I thought it was a neat song. 16: SWEETHEART - FRANKE & THE KNOCKOUTS (10) - They had a trio of Top 40 hits in the early-80s. All three were great hits, but this was by far my favorite! 15: WHAT ARE WE DOIN' IN LOVE - DOTTIE WEST & KENNY ROGERS (15) - Yes, I know that Kenny Rogers did not receive official label credit, but he certainly should have, as he was prominently heard in this song. It was a great song - I wonder if it would have gone higher had he gotten credit, as he definitely was on a hot streak at this point in his career. 14: TAKE IT ON THE RUN - REO SPEEDWAGON (9) - They definitely got a lot of mileage out of the Hi Infidelity album, didn't they? The first two hits from the album hit the Top Five and stayed in the Top 40 for a combined total of 35 weeks. I love both songs but slightly prefer this one. 13: LIVING INSIDE MYSELF - GINO VANELLI (6) - A good way to save money on rent! But seriously, I imagine most of his chart success was in his native Canada, but he did have a few hits here in the states, and this was my favorite of all three of his Top 40 songs. 12: I LOVE YOU - THE CLIMAX BLUES BAND (13) - This is definitely a song I associate with the summer of 1981, as I heard it almost every day at the pool where I was taking swimming lessons that summer. This was WLS's #2 song of 1981, and deservedly so, as it's a great one! 11: THIS LITTLE GIRL - GARY U.S. BONDS (17) - As we all know, this song was a Bruce Springsteen production, such was the case with Bonds' next hit "Out Of Work". Both are good songs, but I preferred this one. ARCHIVES: PAPERBACK WRITER – THE BEATLES - Like the Rolling Stones, they had a ton of number one hits. This one was so popular that it hit #1 in just its third week on the chart (jumping from #15, to boot). It was a pretty decent song - it and the Monkees' #1 song "Last Train To Clarksville", from later that year, sound very much alike. OPTIONAL EXTRA: IN THE AIR TONIGHT - PHIL COLLINS - The second hit from Collins' debut album. Like the first (which I preferred, BTW), the song peaked at #19, but is still heard regularly on oldies stations today. I like the song better than I used to but still, it's not one of my favorites from him. 10: JESSIE'S GIRL - RICK SPRINGFIELD (20) - Now here's a song that got a lot of mileage on the chart! It debuted two weeks before and lasted in the Top 40 until early October! That is staying power, my friend! But the song was definitely worthy because it was one of his best songs - one that overplay has not tarnished at all! 9: YOU MAKE MY DREAMS - DARYL HALL & JOHN OATES (17) - They were definitely on a hot streak in the 80s. This song, however, was one of my least favorites from them. I preferred their two other 1981 hits. 8: AMERICA - NEIL DIAMOND (8) - The third and final Top 40 hit from the Jazz Singer. I liked all three songs about the same, depending on my mood at the time - they're all great songs! 7: THE ONE THAT YOU LOVE - AIR SUPPLY (14) - This Aussie act was definitely on its way to becoming possibly THE biggest group of the 80s, but they fizzled out after 1983, as they only had one more hit after that. This was their only #1 hit and is one of my favorites from them. 6: BEING WITH YOU - SMOKEY ROBINSON (4) - This was the biggest of his solo hits, peaking at #2 a few weeks prior. For some reason, however, this one just never really did anything for me. LDD: HIGHER AND HIGHER – RITA COOLIDGE - Just heard this one on last week's 1977 "B" show. This was most definitely my favorite version of this song (most versions use the same gospel flavored arrangement of the song - this one was actually a MOR/disco type song). It apparently worked, as this was the most successful version of the song (chartwise, that is). 5: ALL THOSE YEARS AGO - GEORGE HARRISON (7) - Based on its initial chart action, this looked like possibly a future number one song, but unfortunately, the song fell short, peaking at #2 (shut out by “Bette Davis Eyes”). The song did, however, spend a pair of weeks at #1 on the R&R chart. Indeed, this was a great song - one I have yet to get tired of. 4: A WOMAN NEEDS LOVE (JUST LIKE YOU DO) - RAY PARKER JR. & RAYDIO (5) - Their final Top Ten hit before Ray went solo the following year. A great song; the instrumental arrangement sounded a lot like that of their 1979 hit "You Can't Change That". 3: SUKIYAKI - A TASTE OF HONEY (4) - The second incarnation of the song to hit the charts, only this time, they added English lyrics. I liked this song, but preferred the 4PM cover from 1994. OPTIONAL EXTRA: THE BREAKUP SONG (THEY DON'T WRITE 'EM) - GREG KIHN BAND - Here's one that I remember from back in the day! WLS played this one very regularly. I like it, but preferred their biggest hit ever, the top five hit "Jeopardy" from about a year and a half later. 2: BETTE DAVIS EYES - KIM CARNES (1) - Many people thought this song was done, after five weeks on top, but they had another think coming, as it managed to return to the top for an additional four weeks, becoming the top song of 1981 in the process, and very deservedly so! Indeed, a great song that has aged well! 1: STARS ON 45 MEDLEY - STARS ON 45 (2) - Ah, the song that kicked off the medley craze of the early 1980s that lasted for about a year (but became a little tedious near the end). At least ten different medleys hit the Top 40, or so it seemed (definitely that many, if not more, hit the Hot 100). The song must have been a popular one to be strong enough to interrupt the marathon run at #1 of "Bette Davis Eyes". I rather liked this one; a good selection of Beatles songs, along with two more by other artists (and one of the act’s original songs).
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Post by Hervard on Jun 18, 2021 13:13:06 GMT -5
American Top 40: The 80s - June 19, 2021
This week's presentation - June 22, 1985
SOME LIKE IT HOT - THE POWER STATION (37) - One of several Duran Duran side projects. This song was OK, but I generally preferred Duran Duran, including their hit on this week's chart. ONE NIGHT IN BANGKOK - MURRAY HEAD f/ANDERS GLENMARK (36) - That is how the song would be credited today, since Glenmark sings in the song while Murray Head raps. The song is pretty good, although it was quite overplayed back in the day! ONE LONELY NIGHT - REO SPEEDWAGON (31) - They had a big #1 earlier in the year (one of my personal faves by them, might I add). I figured that their second hit from Wheels Are Turnin' would hit the Top Ten, but it only got as high as #19 (which isn't bad either). Their biggest pop success was definitely in 1981, with Hi Infidelity. CRAZY FOR YOU - MADONNA (30) - As we all know, this song turned out to be the top song of 1985, according to Radio & Records, and deservedly so, as it was a great song! SAY YOU'RE WRONG - JULIAN LENNON (28) - His album Valotte spawned three Top 40 hits. This was my favorite of the three, and I feel it deserved a higher peak than #21 (especially since the first two songs hit the Top Ten).
40: SMOOTH OPERATOR - SADE (21) = Wow, what a drop = practically fell off the AT40 survey! It was definitely one of Sade's best, right up there with "Paradise" (which we'll be hearing on next week's 1988 show!) 39: WAKE UP (NEXT TO YOU) - GRAHAM PARKER AND THE SHOT (40) - The only Top 40 for this man from East London. It was a great one, IMO. Too bad they cut out the second verse. 38: LITTLE BY LITTLE - ROBERT PLANT (39) - One of four solo Top 40 hits from the lead singer of the legendary group Led Zeppelin. I preferred "Big Log", though this was good too. 37: JUST A GIGOLO/I AIN'T GOT NOBODY - DAVID LEE ROTH (25) - The second hit from Roth's Crazy From The Heat, a mini-album containing four songs, all of them cover versions of older hits. I preferred this one slightly over his cover of "California Girls" (though that one's not bad either). 36: NEVER SURRENDER - COREY HART (debut) - Wow, five debuts, yet the first one is way up at #36! This was a rare case where the biggest hit by an artist (with at least five hits) was my favorite by them. This one peaked at #3 in August, and overplay hasn't tarnished it at all. 35: BANG A GONG (GET IT ON) - THE POWER STATION (debut) - The only remake on this week's chart - and I prefer this song over the original, since it seems a lot more energetic. 34: WHO'S HOLDING DONNA NOW - DEBARGE (debut) - Their last hit "Rhythm Of The Night" hit the Top Ten and this one would follow suit. It was definitely my favorite of their two Top Ten hits (although I do like the other one better than I did during its chart run). 33: PEOPLE ARE PEOPLE - DEPECHE MODE (debut) - The first Top 40 hit for this English band. I never cared much for it, however; I preferred their two Top 20 hits from 1990. LDD: DESPERADO - EAGLES - Wow, what a moving dedication! I sure hope the author, who had been in jail for four years, and the one for whom the dedication was written, his sister, who was in the process of making the same mistakes he made, have straightened out their lives. Of course, we’ll never really know. Too bad they didn’t do LDD follow-ups, like Casey did for his R&D requests on CT40. Oh well. Anyway, this was a great song and I can't help but wonder how the song would have done had the it been released as a single. 32: 19 - PAUL HARDCASTLE (debut) - I thought that this was Max Headroom when I first heard it. It wasn't bad, but kind of weird. OPTIONAL EXTRA: SHOUT - TEARS FOR FEARS - Never cared for this one at all. I guess you could say this is a song I can do without. 31: POSSESSION OBSESSION - DARYL HALL & JOHN OATES (38) - This was their final top 40 hit (of their own) before Daryl embarked on a short-lived solo career. It was a good song, but I can see why it wasn't one of their more successful songs. 30: CANNONBALL - SUPERTRAMP (34) - This was the first song by Supertramp after Roger Hodgson had left the band. It was pretty good, but definitely not one of their best. Unfortunately, it was their final Top 40 hit. 29: JUST AS I AM - AIR SUPPLY (35) - Well, they were definitely on a roll during their first few years, but they were beginning to fizzle out at this point. This song, Air Supply's final Top 40 hit, peaked at #19, though I feel it should have at least hit the Top Ten, like their first seven hits. 28: GETCHA BACK - THE BEACH BOYS (32) - Their heyday was definitely back in the sixties, but they did have a few hits here and there in the next two decades (including their biggest hit ever in 1988). This was a good song - definitely sounded a lot like their earlier hits. 27: DON'T YOU (FORGET ABOUT ME) - SIMPLE MINDS (18) - Their first four hits sounded very much alike, IMO. This was my least favorite of the four (probably since it was way overplayed). I do like the movie from which it came, The Breakfast Club, which I last watched about five years ago, as I was relaxing after having a tooth pulled. 26: IF YOU LOVE SOMEBODY SET THEM FREE - STING (33) - His first single as a solo act. This was a pretty good song, but I preferred a few others from him, both solo and with the Police. 25: SENTIMENTAL STREET - NIGHT RANGER (29) - This one reminded me a lot of Sister Christian, and what do you know - those were their only Top Ten hits. I guess the Top 40 audience preferred their power ballads. With the exception of "Don't Tell Me You Love Me" (which wasn't bad), I thought all of their Top 40 hits were great. 24: CRAZY IN THE NIGHT (BARKING AT AIRPLANES) - KIM CARNES (26) - HEY, YOU DARNED AIRPLANES! STOP FLYING OVER MY HOUSE!! But seriously, we all knew that she had one of the biggest hits of the decade, "Bette Davis Eyes", from four years before. Though this would be her biggest hit since then, the song didn't get any higher than #15 (which isn't half bad either). BTW, did anyone notice that the beginning of this song and "Stand" by R.E.M. sound very similar? 23: TOUGH ALL OVER - JOHN CAFFERTY AND THE BEAVER BROWN BAND (24) - They had a good year from fall, 1984 to fall, 1985, with four Top 20 hits. This was by far my favorite of the three. Sounds a little like something Springsteen and the E Street Band would record (the sax solo screams Clarence Clemons"). 22: NEVER ENDING STORY - LIMAHL (17) - Of course we all know that this guy was the lead singer of Kajagoogoo, whose only hit "Too Shy" I think we know all too well I hate with a passion. This one, on the other hand, was a great song! HOF: AIN'T NO MOUNTAIN HIGH ENOUGH - DIANA ROSS - This was the first of a short-lived series on AT40 (lasted what, five weeks?) Of course, my favorite Hall Of Fame feature was the one that Shadoe Stevens did at the beginning of his first show in 1988. As for this song, it was a good one, but I prefer a few others by her, including a few with the Supremes. OPTIONAL EXTRA: YOU SPIN ME ROUND (LIKE A RECORD) - DEAD OR ALIVE - A two-hit wonder band from Liverpool, England. I slightly preferred their other song, "Brand New Lover", which was a Top 20 hit (as was this one) about two years later. 21: GLORY DAYS - BRUCE SPRINGSTEEN (27) - The fifth of seven Top Ten hits from Springsteen's monster album Born In The USA. Definitely one of my favorites from the album! 20: EVERYTIME YOU GO AWAY - PAUL YOUNG (23) - This was definitely among the most played songs of the summer of 1985, but it has held up quite well. I don't think I ever got tired of this song, and I'm glad that it made it to #1. 19: THE GOONIES 'R' GOOD ENOUGH - CYNDI LAUPER (22) - A song I hear every time I play the Goonies 2 on my NES (as a computerized video game version of this song plays when you're in certain rooms in the Fratelli's hideout). Of course, Cyndi Lauper's version was much better! 18: FRESH - KOOL & THE GANG (15) - This was the second of four hits from the album Emergency (in fact, three of them hit the Top Ten - ironically, the only one that did not was the title track). This was my favorite of the Emergency singles. 17: YOU GIVE GOOD LOVE - WHITNEY HOUSTON (20) - The first of many, many, many Top 40 hits for the late Whitney Houston. It was a great one, as I generally preferred her slow songs (though a few of her upbeat songs are great as well). 16: VOICES CARRY - 'TIL TUESDAY (19) - The first of two Top 40 hits from this band from Boston. It was a good one, though I preferred their other Top 40 hit (which was quite underrated, I must say), "What About Love". 15: AXEL F - HAROLD FALTERMEYER (3) - The first of three instrumentals to hit the Top 40 in 1985 (not sure when the last time that many instrumentals charted within a year's time). I remember that sometimes, I'd shadowbox in time to music of this song. Not sure why; just one of many weird things I did as a young teenager. 14: WOULD I LIE TO YOU - EURYTHMICS (16) - The first of two Top Ten hits with this title. I preferred the one by Charles & Eddie, which charted seven years later. This was sort of a departure from their usual pop sound - they rocked with this one. Of course, we all know that my favorite song from them was their next release. 13: EVERYTHING SHE WANTS - WHAM (8) - Not only their third hit in a row, but their third #1 as well. At first, I thought "Freedom" might be a fourth, but its early action on a few radio stations (which had started about now) actually impeded its progress on the chart, as many of those stations had dropped that song partway through its chart climb on the Hot 100. 12: SMUGGLER'S BLUES - GLENN FREY (14) - The first of two hits by Frey from the "Miami Vice" soundtrack. Not sure which of the two I prefer. 11: SUDDENLY - BILLY OCEAN (4) - To many Billy Ocean fans, it's pretty common knowledge that an incident associated with this song actually inspired one of Ocean's hits, "There'll Be Sad Songs (To Make You Cry)", which hit #1 the following summer. Both songs are great, IMO, and among my personal faves from Ocean. OPTIONAL EXTRA: WHAT ABOUT LOVE - HEART - This was Heart's comeback hit and their songs didn't have the same classic rock sound that their previous ones did, which might have helped, as they had more success on the pop charts than before, with seven Top Ten hits, including two #1s. 10: THE SEARCH IS OVER - SURVIVOR (13) - This was their biggest hit that wasn't associated with any of the Rocky movies. It was a great song - one that became somewhat popular in the LDD department. 9: WALKING ON SUNSHINE - KATRINA AND THE WAVES (10) - This band had several Top 40 hits, but this is definitely their most memorable (as well as the only one that most people remember). It was my favorite of their hits, but the others were also good. 8: THINGS CAN ONLY GET BETTER - HOWARD JONES (5) - This song and Billy Joel's hit from later that summer, "You're Only Human", both had similar messages. It was a great one, though my favorite from him would be "No One Is To Blame", from the following summer. LDD: YOU'VE GOT A FRIEND - CAROLE KING - Wow, this week's LDD's were pretty heavy, weren't they? This was from a young woman to her younger sister whom, due to a very rough childhood, was a troubled child and ended up in a mental hospital. Sort of puts my childhood, also not ideal (then again, whose is?) into perspective. 7: IN MY HOUSE - MARY JANE GIRLS (7) - This was the only Top 40 hit for this soul & funk group (though I have heard a few others from them, such as their cover of the Four Seasons' "Walk Like A Man" which was a mid-charter a year later). This was my favorite of their songs that I know. 6: ANGEL - MADONNA (9) - I think it's an understatement that 1985 was a great year for Madonna. She had a ton of hits on the chart. This was a good one, but I preferred many others from her, including her album cut "Into The Groove", which was charting at R&R around this time. 5: A VIEW TO A KILL - DURAN DURAN (12) - This was the second of two #1 songs for Duran Duran - and was by far my favorite of the two - a great song indeed! 4: RASPBERRY BERET - PRINCE AND THE REVOLUTION (11) - His first song in quite awhile that was NOT from the Purple Rain soundtrack. It was a good song, but definitely not his best. 3: EVERYBODY WANTS TO RULE THE WORLD - TEARS FOR FEARS (1) - The first of three big hits for TFF in 1985. This song went all the way to #1 and is my second favorite, behind "Head Over Heels". OPTIONAL EXTRA: 2: SUSSUDIO - PHIL COLLINS (6) - The second of four releases from No Jacket Required. Definitely my least favorite of them - this one was a little too gimmicky, IMO, as well as overplayed. 1: HEAVEN - BRYAN ADAMS (2) - Wow, interesting story about how Adams nearly died when he went skydiving and the parachute failed! Good thing the emergency chute opened when it did! Anyway, this was the first of three #1 hits for Adams (sure seems like he had more, doesn't it?) I'm glad that this got a second chance on the charts (as when it was first released, from the box office bomb "A Night In Heaven", it went nowhere).
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Post by mrjukebox on Jun 19, 2021 18:28:23 GMT -5
"Save Your Kisses For Me" was the second top forty hit for The Brotherhood Of Man-In 1970,their initial release was "United We Stand" which featured Tony Burrows on lead vocals-Not sure if Burrows was involved with this song.
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Post by mrjukebox on Jun 19, 2021 18:30:53 GMT -5
Hervard.I detected a slight typo in your critique of "Bette Davis Eyes" which was "They had another think coming".
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Post by dth1971 on Jun 19, 2021 19:23:25 GMT -5
Hervard: Talking about FEAST OR FAMINE for 1986 AT40: The 80's shows this 2021 year: Was it last year in 2020 despite the COVID pandemic for AT40: The 80's that it was mostly 4 year old AT40 shows becoming mostly FEAST OR FAMINE?
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Post by Hervard on Jun 19, 2021 19:23:38 GMT -5
Hervard.I detected a slight typo in your critique of "Bette Davis Eyes" which was "They had another think coming". That is actually the correct way to say the expression. "Many people THOUGHT this song was done, after five weeks on top, but they had another THINK coming. In other words, they could think again. The expression is commonly phrased as "have another thing coming", but that it not correct.
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