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Post by mrjukebox on Jan 28, 2023 15:19:27 GMT -5
"You Got It All" was written by Rupert Holmes of "Escape (The Pina Colada Song)" fame.
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Post by mrjukebox on Jan 29, 2023 12:04:23 GMT -5
The Oak Ridge Boys backed up Paul Simon on "Slip Slidin' Away"
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Post by mrjukebox on Jan 29, 2023 14:50:15 GMT -5
The harmonies on "Seven Bridges Road" are outstanding!
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Post by Hervard on Jan 30, 2023 9:30:16 GMT -5
The harmonies on "Seven Bridges Road" are outstanding! Indeed. Do all the band members sing on this song?
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Post by mga707 on Jan 30, 2023 11:27:02 GMT -5
The harmonies on "Seven Bridges Road" are outstanding! Indeed. Do all the band members sing on this song? Pretty sure they all do. If memory serves, this track from the group's 1980 live album was recorded in 1976, so it has Randy Meisner on it rather than Tim Schmit.
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Post by Hervard on Feb 3, 2023 14:38:09 GMT -5
American Top 40: The 80s - February 4, 2023
This week's presentation - February 1, 1975
KUNG FU FIGHTING - CARL DOUGLAS (38) - This is a song that has sort of been overdone in recent years, mainly in TV commercials, which dimmed any fascination that I might have had for this song - not that it was one of my favorite songs in the first place. RIDE 'EM COWBOY - PAUL DAVIS (37) - The first Top 40 hit for the late Paul Davis. It was OK, but I preferred his later hits. ANGIE BABY - HELEN REDDY (36) - This was pretty good - not really a cheesefest like most of her Top 40 hits. THE ENTERTAINER - BILLY JOEL (35) - The second song with this title to hit the charts within a year (the other, of course, being Marvin Hamlisch's version of the ragtime classic). This was my favorite of the two - it didn't sound anywhere near as geezerly as the other one. This would be Joel's last chart hit for about two years, but his words in his song ("I won't be here in another year if I don't stay on the charts") definitely did not apply, since he pretty much stayed on the charts for the next two decades (although by the mid-1990s, his hits were pretty much limited to AC radio) JUNIOR'S FARM - PAUL McCARTNEY & WINGS (17) - Wow, for awhile there, it looks like all the droppers would be bunched up near the bottom of the chart, but this one, on the other hand, took a huge drop from way up in the Top 20 (what year does THAT remind you of?) Anyway, it was a pretty good song. The flipside, "Sally G" was played as the second Optional Extra.
40: HAPPY PEOPLE – THE TEMPTATIONS (debut) - This song only lasted a single week on the chart, and, with only two additional Top 40 hits, neither of which hit the Top 20, it was clear that the Temptations were pretty much has-beens (although they were featured on Rod Stewart's throwback to Motown, which went Top Ten in 1991). As for this song, it wasn't bad, but not as good as their older material. 39: DON’T CALL US, WE’LL CALL YOU – SUGARLOAF/JERRY CORBETTA (debut) - The second of two Top Ten hits from this rock band from Denver. It was a good one, but I preferred their first hit, "Green-Eyed Lady", from earlier in the decade. 38: DING DONG, DING DONG – GEORGE HARRISON (debut) - This was obviously a song for the New Year. It was also the first of at least two songs by former Beatles to use the Westminster chime sequence (the other being "Let 'Em In" by Wings, at the beginning). As for the song, it wasn't bad, but a little silly - since it was more or less a novelty song, it only lasted six weeks on the entire Hot 100. 37: ROLL ON DOWN THE HIGHWAY – BACHMAN-TURNER OVERDRIVE (debut) - Wasn't this featured in a commercial a few years ago? Anyway, it's a good song, but not quite as good as "You Ain't Seen Nothing Yet". 36: LADY MARMALADE - LaBELLE (debut) - Of this week's five new songs, this, of course, turned out to be the biggest, hitting #1 in late March. A great song, but I actually preferred the remake by Christina Aguilera & friends - definitely the summer hit of 2001! 35: ONLY YOU - RINGO STARR (27) - The week before, "Please Mr. Postman" became the third song to hit #1 twice by different artists, and this song became the third song to perform another impressive chart feat - hitting the Top Ten four times with different versions. The Platters did it first, with the highest charting version, but this one came close, peaking at #6. This was possibly my favorite version of the song. 34: BUNGHOLE IN THE JUNGLE – JETHRO TULL (24) - I liked this song - I'll betcha Beavis did as well 33: YOU’RE THE FIRST, THE LAST, MY EVERYTING – BARRY WHITE (18) - Based on the revolving door of #1 songs, which was still ongoing, it looked like this song would hit #1, but Elton John took it upon himself to spend an extra week at #1, leaving poor Barry hanging at #2, at which time the song's momentum wore out, but no matter; he'd already had a #1 hit the previous year). 32: BIG YELLOW TAXI – JONI MITCHELL (40) - She had hit the Hot 100 with this song in 1970, but it was the live version that made the Top 40. I liked it, but preferred "Help Me" from the year before. 31: I BELONG TO YOU – LOVE UNLIMITED (34) - Hey wow, two steps above Barry White is a band managed by him. This was the second of two Top 40 hits from the female soul trio. I preferred their other song "Walkin' In The Rain With The One I Love", though this one was pretty good as well. 30: I’M A WOMAN – MARIA MULDAUR (39) - Another act with their second Top 40 hit - in this case, one from from this Big Apple native. As cheesy as "Midnight At The Oasis" was, I actually preferred that one. This one was pretty good, though - sort of depends on my mood at the time. 29: CAN’T GET IT OUT OF MY HEAD – THE ELECTRIC LIGHT ORCHESTRA (33) - The first of 20 Top 40 hits from this band formed in Birmingham, England, and one of my favorite songs from them of all time, and I was pleasantly surprised that they played the full album version on this show. The single version definitely leaves a lot to be desired. It doesn't contain the second verse and the synth solo in the middle is cut way down. No, give me the album version any day. 28: MY EYES ADORED YOU – FRANKIE VALLI (32) - This song was on its way to #1, and at the time, it held the record for the longest climb to #1 (hit the top in its 18th week). Of course, that record would be broken many times over. As for the song, it's a good one, but I preferred a few others from him, both solo and with the Four Seasons. OPTIONAL EXTRA: I'VE BEEN THIS WAY BEFORE - NEIL DIAMOND - This song had a somewhat unusual Top 40 chart run - debuted at #34, stayed at that position, and then dropped out. It was a pretty good song. 27: LADY - STYX (31) - The first of many Top 40 hits from this band from Chicago. It was so/so, but definitely not their best. 26: READY – CAT STEVENS (26) - I remember listening to Cat Stevens when I was little. I don't remember this one, presumably since it didn't make much of an impression on me. It wasn't bad, but I preferred other songs from him, like "Moon Shadow" and "Oh Very Young" 25: YOUR BULLDOG DRINKS CHAMPAGNE – JIM STAFFORD (30) - Like most of Stafford's hit, this was a novelty song, which tend to get old fast. It sounded pretty good (much better than the campy "Wildwood Weed"), but I don't think I'd want to hear it on a regular basis. 24: LONELY PEOPLE - AMERICA (29) - Despite their name, they were actually an English band. This song wasn't bad, but one of my least favorites from them. 23: NIGHTINGALE – CAROLE KING (28) - Carole was the artist who, at the time, had the top selling album by a solo artist - a record that has been broken many times over! This was her fifth and final Top Ten hit. I liked it. 22: STRUTTIN’ – BILLY PRESTON (22) - One of several instrumental songs of Preston's to hit the chart. The flip side of this one was his version of "You Are So Beautiful", which Joe Cocker charted with a few weeks later, but Preston was the one who wrote it. As for this song, it was pretty good - the synth sounds were really odd, weren't they? 21: SWEET SURRENDER - JOHN DENVER (25) - As we all know, I grew up listening to his music, and I remember hearing this one quite a lot - a great song indeed! 20: LUCY IN THE SKY WITH DIAMONDS – ELTON JOHN (11) - This is the song that defied the 1974-75 one-week limit at #1, and it's easy to see how - this was a great song - the instruments and Elton's voice made it sound quite majestic! One of my all-time faves from Elton John, who would have a slew of big hits over the next 20 years, and then some! 19: FREE BIRD – LYNYRD SKYNYRD (19) - Definitely a classic rock staple here! Although I'm not a huge fan of them, this one was actually pretty good. Too bad Will To Power had to go and ruin it about 13 years later. 18: LOOK IN MY EYES PRETTY WOMAN – TONY ORLANDO & DAWN (23) - This song would just barely miss the Top Ten, but no matter; their next hit would top the chart for three weeks later that spring. This song was pretty good; it is my favorite of the two hits I mentioned. 17: #9 DREAM – JOHN LENNON (21) - This would eventually live up to its title, climbing to #9, where it peaked. Though I preferred many other solo Lennon hits, this one was pretty good as well - reminds me a little of bandmate George Harrison's #1 hit "My Sweet Lord". 16: BLACK WATER – THE DOOBIE BROTHERS (20) - This song was on its way to becoming their very first #1 hit. Even though I preferred their other #1 hit, "What A Fool Believes", this one was a great song nonetheless. 15: ROCK ‘N ROLL (I GAVE YOU THE BEST YEARS OF MY LIFE) – MAC DAVIS (16) - I've heard this song plenty of times on my Barry Scott Lost 45's CD. A great story song it is! OPTIONAL EXTRA: HEY YOU - BACHMAN-TURNER OVERDRIVE - Of course, this song replaced Wings' "Sally G", due to the recent death of Rob Bachman, one of the founders of BTO. They had debuted on the chart back at #37 with "Roll On Down The Highway", so they went with the follow-up, which hit #21 later that summer. The song was pretty much "You Ain't Seen Nothin' Yet Part 2". Like that song, it was a great one IMO. 14: ONE MAN WOMAN/ONE WOMAN MAN – PAUL ANKA WITH ODIA COATES (7) - This was their second of four Top 40 hits together. This song was pretty good - the chorus reminds me a little of "Haven't Got Time For The Pain" by Carly Simon, from the previous year. 13: NEVER CAN SAY GOODBYE – GLORIA GAYNOR (9) - Great discofied version of the Jackson Five ballad that charted four years prior. The Communards also did a decent dance version of this one in the late 1980s. 12: DOCTOR’S ORDERS – CAROL DOUGLAS (15) - No relation to Mr. Kung Fu Fighter, I don't think. Anyway, this song pretty good, but not quite my favorite song on the chart. 11: GET DANCIN’ – DISCO TEX & THE SEX-O-LETTES (14) - Even though this one was the roof-raising R&B music that I wasn't a fan of, this one actually wasn't too bad. 10: SOME KIND OF WONDERFUL – GRAND FUNK (12) - Ah, the song that got a higher position on the 1975 year-ender than it had really earned. I liked this song, but preferred their next top 40 hit "Bad Time". 9: BEST OF MY LOVE – THE EAGLES (15) - One of a handful of the Eagles' hits to feature Don Henley on lead vocals. It was a pretty good one, but the subject matter was a little depressing. Not a good listen for someone in a dying relationship. 8: MORNING SIDE OF THE MOUNTAIN – DONNY & MARIE OSMOND (8) - The second song on which they charted as a duet. I liked it, but my favorite song of theirs was their version of "Deep Purple", from the following year 7: MANDY – BARRY MANILOW (3) - This was the first of many hits for this balladeer, and the first of three #1 hits. I tell you what, I used to like the song, until I heard the urban legend associated with this song. 6: PLEASE MR. POSTMAN – THE CARPENTERS (1) - As stated earlier, this song was the third song to hit #1 in two versions by different artists. I actually preferred this one over the original. 5: PICK UP THE PIECES – THE AVERAGE WHITE BAND (10) - The first and biggest hit by this Scottish group. This was a good one - had a hint of Philly soul in it. 4: YOU’RE NO GOOD – LINDA RONSTADT (6) - She'd had two Top 40 hits a few years earlier, but this was the one that would get her chart career started proper, hitting #1 two weeks later. It was a great one! 3: BOOGIE ON REGGAE WOMAN – STEVIE WONDER (5) - Casey predicted that this song could hit #1 as soon as next week, but the general rule of the revolving door of #1 hits is that the song would have to climb to #2 first, which this song never did. It stayed at #3 for a pair of weeks and then began dropping. OPTIONAL EXTRA: HAVE YOU NEVER BEEN MELLOW - OLIVIA NEWTON-JOHN - Ah, the winner of the Fox Oldies World Series of Pop Music 2018 back in October! This song would debut on the chart next week and soon after, become her second consecutive #1 song! I liked both songs (the other being "I Honestly Love You") but slightly preferred this one. 2: FIRE – THE OHIO PLAYERS (4) - Now Casey DID correctly predict this going to #1 (as the general rule of said revolving door was also that if you made it to #2, you were virtually assured of hitting #1 the following week). Anyway, I was not a big fan of this song or them in general (though their other #1 hit, "Love Rollercoaster" wasn't bad). 1: LAUGHTER IN THE RAIN – NEIL SEDAKA (2) - Interesting that Sedaka's comeback hit would be a #1 song (though it sure took its sweet time getting there). This has always been one of my favorite songs from Sedaka and so glad that it was #1 the week of my third birthday (though I didn't even know this song back then, as young as I was).
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Post by Hervard on Feb 3, 2023 14:38:19 GMT -5
American Top 40: The 70s - February 4, 2023
This week's presentation - February 5, 1977
IT KEEPS YOU RUNNIN' - DOOBIE BROTHERS (37) - Carly Simon had taken this song to #48 the previous year and this version was slightly more successful, peaking at #37 the week before. It was a good song, though not quite their best. I NEVER CRY - ALICE COOPER (34) - Cooper was more famous for his hard rockers, but he did release a few ballads - in fact, this was the second of three in a row. My favorite was "Only Women", and I'm not sure if I prefer this one or "You And Me". Depends on my mood at the time. SORRY SEEMS TO BE THE HARDEST WORD - ELTON JOHN (33) - Elton's chart career all but came to a grinding halt after this song fell out of the charts, as most of his Top 40 hits over the next seven or so years did not hit the Top Ten. There are several theories about why this was, though I am not going to go into any of them right now. This song, the first of two singles from his Blue Moves album was a great one, as melancholy as it was. WHISPERING/CHERCHEZ LA FEMME/SE SI BON - DR BUZZARD'S ORIGINAL SAVANNAH BAND (27) - This was a medley of three songs and, IIRC, they usually rotated between the three songs that they played.
40: IN THE MOOD – HENHOUSE FIVE PLUS TWO (debut) - LOL! Funny rendition of the Glenn Miller classic sung by none other than a brood of clucking chickens (or, rather, Ray Stevens sounding like chickens). 39: MOODY BLUE – ELVIS PRESLEY (debut) - Little did anyone know what would happen to the King about six months later Anyway, this song wasn't bad, but I generally preferred his earlier hits. 38: RICH GIRL – DARYL HALL & JOHN OATES (debut) - Good; they didn't edit out the lines that contained the B-word. The song's short enough as it is, and IMO, it's only a bad word when you're calling someone a name or yelling "son of a b----" when you're mad. The context they use it in means a tough situation. But that is only my opinion and nothing more. As for my opinion on the song, I like it - glad it made it to the top. 37: I LIKE TO DO IT – K.C. & THE SUNSHINE BAND (39) - Up to now, KC & The Sunshine band would either hit #1 or bomb royally. This was their first non-#1 Top 40 hit, though this was all the higher it got. I wasn't too crazy about the song, which was mediocre at best. I preferred their bigger hits (well, except for their whinefest that is "Please Don't Go"). 36: CARRY ON WAYWARD SON - KANSAS (debut) - The first of seven Top 40 hits from this band from Topeka. This one didn't quite make the Top Ten, though it may as well have, with all the airplay it got back in the day. Anyway, this was one of my favorites from them. I preferred the album version, which I don't believe AT40 ever played. 35: THE THINGS WE DO FOR LOVE – 10 CC (40) - This song sounds like something Queen might have done, doesn't it? Of their two Top Ten his, this would be my favorite - a song I remember quite well from back in the day. 34: LIVIN’ THING – ELECTRIC LIGHT ORCHESTRA (28) - Their fourth of 20 Top 40 hits - and one of their best - in fact, it was my favorite song from them up to this point. It seems to me that they edit this song more often than not, but thankfully, it was left intact this week. 33: YOU’VE GOT ME RUNNIN’ – GENE COTTON (35) - Though I preferred his hit from the following year, "Before My Heart Finds Out", this was a good one as well. 32: LIVING NEXT DOOR TO ALICE - SMOKIE (36) - ALICE?? WHO THE F--- IS ALICE?? No, seriously, this is a pretty cool song, as is Gompie’s mid-90's remake of the song. 31: STAND TALL – BURTON CUMMINGS (29) - The former lead singer of the Guess Who managed to have two solo hits, and this was the biggest. It was a good one and, as I've said before, it would make a great closing theme for a movie whose plot dealt with a story of success. 30: TONIGHT’S THE NIGHT (GONNA BE ALRIGHT) – ROD STEWART (22) - This song wasted absolutely no time hitting #1 and eventually surpassed "Silly Love Songs" as the longest-running #1 song of 1976. Since it charted so late in the year, however, it was deferred to 1977's list, on which it was in the runner-up position, behind Andy Gibb. Anyway, this was a great song! One of his best. His song from early 1990, “Downtown Train” sounds a lot like this one. 29: SATURDAY NIGHT – EARTH, WIND & FIRE (21) - Well, it's actually mid-morning (7:49, to be exact) when I'm listening to this show, but it is indeed Saturday. As for this song, it is actually pretty good, though it's definitely not their best. 28: GO YOUR OWN WAY – FLEETWOOD MAC (32) - The first of four singles from one of the biggest albums ever, Rumors, which kept them on the charts almost steadily throughout 1977. It's my second favorite of the four, behind "You Make Lovin' Fun". 27: SAVE IT FOR A RAINY DAY – STEPHEN BISHOP (31) - This song may have been about a rainy day, but at least it didn't have that type of fee to it - in fact, it was quite upbeat. The song was not bad, but it doesn't hold a candle to "On And On", from later in 1977. OPTIONAL EXTRA: CRACKERBOX PALACE - GEORGE HARRISON - This song always takes me back to my college years, since I had the song on one of my favorite mix tapes that I compiled early in the school year, and listened to it all the time. Definitely one of Harrison's best solo hits! 26: DON’T LEAVE ME THIS WAY – THELMA HOUSTON (30) - Casey mentioned that, the previous week, this song was on top of the soul chart and it was on its way to topping the Hot 100 as well, seting the record for the slowest climbing #1 song by a woman. I'm sure the record has been broken by now, but that would likely be after 11/30/91, which was when I stopped believing in the Hot 100. I like this song, but preferred the Communards remake, which peaked at #40 ten years later. 25: BOOGIE CHILD – BEE GEES (38) - It looked like the Bee Gees had another Top Five hit, based on that large chart jump, as well as their overall track record, but this song, in fact, ran out of gas before it hit the Top Ten. I wasn't overly crazy about this song, though, so I didn't mind. I definitely prefer many of their other hits, including "Love So Right", which preceded this song. 24: AFTER THE LOVIN’ – ENGLEBERT HUMPERDINCK (19) -This is my favorite song from him by default, as it's the only song I've ever heard by him - that I know of, anyway. Not sure that I'd really like anything else by him, though, as this one was quite "geezerly". 23: YOU DON’T HAVE TO BE A STAR (TO BE IN MY SHOW) – MARILYN McCOO & BILLY DAVIS (18) - This was the very first #1 song of 1977. It was a pretty good song, but I prefer many other songs on this week's chart. 22: NIGHT MOVES – BOB SEGER (25) - The title track from one of Seger's best albums ever! I preferred the next single from that album, "Mainstreet", but this one was great also. They usually butchered this one, but this week, they seemed to leave it intact. 21: AIN’T NOTHING LIKE THE REAL THING – DONNY & MARIE OSMOND (23) - Wow, this sounds very similar to the original by Marvin Gaye and Tammi Terrell. Not sure which of the two I prefer. 20: YEAR OF THE CAT – AL STEWART (24) - He may have only had four Top 40 hits, but I liked each one of them! Not sure where this one ranks - possibly second behind "Time Passages". 19: DANCING QUEEN - ABBA (26) - It's a rather rare occasion when my favorite song by a certain act ends up being their biggest hit ever, but this is definitely an example. It seems that, more often than not, they did a hack job on this song (no exception this week), which, IMO, is kind of pointless, as it's not like it's that long of a song in the first place. I guess they had to edit where they could, as AT40 had long since outgrown its three-hour allotment. 18: HARD LUCK WOMAN - KISS (20) - This song charted twice - once in early 1977 and again in the summer of 1994, when Garth Brooks peaked at #26 with his cover version, which featured Kiss themselves on the instruments. Both versions sounded very similar, so it's hard to tell which version I prefer - both of them are great IMO. Interesting story about Ace Frehley being able to continue with a concert during which he was nearly electrocuted! 17: JEANS ON – DAVID DUNDAS (17) - Well, I should hope you have your jeans on! I don't want to see you in your briefs, thank you very much! But seriously, this song was pretty good. 16: SOMEBODY TO LOVE - QUEEN (13) - Definitely not my favorite song from them by any means. I seem to recall that I liked George Michael's live remake of the song in 1993, though. 15: YOU MAKE ME FEEL LIKE DANCING – LEO SAYER (4) - This would be the first of two #1 songs from him, during the same year, no less. This would be my favorite of the two songs, by a fair margin. 14: WEEKEND IN NEW ENGLAND – BARRY MANILOW (16) - Snow and fog seem to be the weather of choice in New England this weekend. No great difference from the weather here in the Great Lakes area. Anyway, as we all know, I liked most of Barry's slow songs, this song being no exception. OPTIONAL EXTRA: DREAMBOAT ANNIE - HEART - This song just barely missed the Top 40, peaking at #42 this week. It was a pretty good song, IMO, but I preferred many others by them. 13: FLY LIKE AN EAGLE – THE STEVE MILLER BAND (15) - The third Top 40 single from the album of the same name. It would also be the last, as Miller would release Book Of Dreams soon after this song ended its chart run. This is one of my favorite Steve Miller songs ever! 12: I LIKE DREAMIN’ – KENNY NOLAN (14) - After years of writing big hits for other artists, Kenny wrote one for himself, and it proved to be worthwhile, as the song climbed all the way to #3. It's a good song when it doesn't stick in my mind all day, like it has done several times before. 11: LOST WITHOUT YOUR LOVE - BREAD (12) - They were mainly an early-70s band, but they did have a comeback hit in early 1977, which would hit the Top Ten the following week. A great song indeed - one of my favorites from them! I noticed a similarity between the choruses of this song and "She Believes In Me" by Kenny Rogers. 10: WALK THIS WAY - AEROSMITH (10) - This was the band's second Top Ten hit (and last one for another eleven years). I liked this song, but preferred Run DMC's cover from 1986. 9: ENJOY YOURSELF – THE JACKSONS (11) - The Jacksons had been hitting the chart for years, but I wasn't a big fan of them by this point. They were much better in the early 70s, when they were known as the Jackson 5. 8: I WISH – STEVIE WONDER (2) - This song, the first of two #1 hits he had in 1977, was the #1 Soul song this week. As for my opinion of the song, I liked it, but preferred his next hit, "Sir Duke", which would also hit #1, the following spring. 7: LOVE THEME FROM “A STAR IS BORN” (EVERGREEN) – BARBRA STREISAND (9) - The soundtrack of "A Star Is Born" would hit #1 on the album chart the following week and the song would do the same on the Hot 100 a few weeks after that, and deservedly so, as this was one of Streisand's best songs ever! 6: BLINDED BY THE LIGHT – MANFRED MANN’S EARTH BAND (8) - Definitely one of the biggest Springsteen-penned hits ever! This one has held up quite well despite overplay. I just don't like they way that they edited it down - even more than the single version - the version they usually went with consisted of the chorus that starts the song, the first verse, and then jumped right to the last chorus. I wonder if it was like that in the original broadcast. 5: HOT LINE - SYLVERS (5) - I wonder how many kids who hear this song say, "WTF" to the woman near the beginning saying, "Number, please" As for this song, I like it and "Boogie Fever" about the same (although the latter sometimes wins out). 4: NEW KID IN TOWN – THE EAGLES (6) - Casey correctly predicted this song going to #1. This was the lead-off single from the album for which the Eagles seem to be most famous. Hotel California, which returned to #1 on the album chart this week. I like their two #1 songs from that album best, but I'm not sure which one I prefer, as both are great songs and among my favorites from them! 3: DAZZ - BRICK (3) - Typical roof raising R&B music of the 70s that I wasn't a big fan of. OPTIONAL EXTRA: JUST A SONG BEFORE I GO - CROSBY, STILLS & NASH - This song replaced "Don't Give Up On Us" by David Soul, as a tribute to David Crosby, who died back in January (I like this one better anyway). Interesting story about how Crosby hit the charts over four decades, and was shocked that "Hero" never made the Top 40. I had forgotten that the song did not do quite as well at CHR than AC, the latter on which it was a #1 hit. 2: CAR WASH – ROSE ROYCE (1) - For a disco song, this one was pretty good. I remember that sometime during my senior year in high school, I started to watch the movie of the same name, but dozed off a mere half an hour into it. Must not have made that big of an impression on me. 1: TORN BETWEEN TWO GEEZERS – MARY MacGREGOR (7) - Ugh, people liked this song enough for it to take such a large leap to #1? This one resembles a confession on the Jerry Springer show, especially the first verse (you know, how the Jerry Springer guests butter up their lover before spilling the beans)? I was never a fan of this song, which is definitely a cure for insomnia.
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Post by Hervard on Feb 3, 2023 14:38:29 GMT -5
American Top 40: The 80s - February 4, 2023
This week's presentation - February 9, 1985
Droppers: DO WHAT YOU DO - JERMAINE JACKSON (32) - The Jacksons were definitely a force to be reckoned with in 1984, as three of them had chart hits that year, as well as their family band. This one spilled over into 1985 and after that, with the exception of several of them singing on "We Are The World", they were done on the charts for awhile (but would once again be a visible presence on the chart in 1986). WE BELONG - PAT BENATAR (31) - She never quite made it to #1, but this was one of her biggest hits ever. I like it, but prefer several others from her. THE WILD BOYS - DURAN DURAN (29) - Meh, I was not a fan of this song. 1984 was definitely not their best year, IMO (though "New Moon On Monday" was a good one). BORN IN THE USA - BRUCE SPRINGSTEEN (27) - It's kind of a surprise that this song was the lowest peaking song (on the R&R chart, anyway), seeing as it was the title track to such a monster album (not to mention all the recurrent airplay it still receives today). I do believe that this song became his signature hit. Anyway, like most of the singles from Born In The USA, I like this one a lot.
40: HIGH ON YOU - SURVIVOR (debut) - This Chicago band had just come off of their first Top 40 hit in about two years, "I Can't Hold Back" (which was by far my favorite song from them). I also liked this follow-up song, which would hit #8 in late March. 39: I WANNA HEAR IT FROM YOUR LIPS - ERIC CARMEN (debut) - His first Top 40 hit in a little over six years, though it definitely wasn't one of his biggest hits. Fortunately, his chart career wasn't quite over yet, as 1988 ended up being one of his biggest years. As for this song, it wasn't bad, but definitely not one of my favorite songs from him. 38: OOH OOH SONG - PAT BENATAR (debut) - Melodically, this song wasn't bad, but come on, what a stupid song title! I wonder if that's why the song tanked so fast? 37: KEEPIN' THE FAITH - BILLY JOEL (debut) -Many people thought he was done putting out hits from An Innocent Man, as it had been awhile since the last single, "Leave A Tender Moment Alone" had charted, and it only got as high as #27. But he surprised everybody by releasing a sixth single, and it proved to be worthwhile, as it was a Top 20 hit. It was a good song, but I preferred many others from them, including a few from said album. 36: NAUGHTY NAUGHTY - JOHN PARR (40) - His first of two Top 40 hits, both in 1985 (and he had the movie St. Elmo's Fire to thank for his second and bigger hit). I preferred that one over this one, which was kind of just there, IMO. 35: RELAX - FRANKIE GOES TO HOLLYWOOD (38) - Meh, never cared for this one at all. 34: ONLY THE YOUNG - JOURNEY (36) - Steve Perry was working double duty this week, with this song by his band, as well as his solo hit, which is coming up in the Top 20. From the Vision Quest soundtrack, this song, their first since late 1983, would peak at #9 in March. It was a good song, but not quite my favorite song from them. 33: MISTAKE NO. 3 - CULTURE CLUB (33) - They were fading fast at this point, so they decided to release their first ballad, which did not do the trick at all, as it was by far their least successful song up to this point, running out of steam at #33. Definitely not one of their best. 32: LOVERGIRL - TEENA MARIE (39) - For some reason, I did not like this song at all during its chart run, but now I think it's pretty good. I still prefer her less successful hit "I Need Your Lovin'", from early 1981. LDD: THOSE WERE THE DAYS - MARY HOPKINS - This song fit the LDD, but boy, did it ever go on and on! OPTIONAL EXTRA: MATERIAL GIRL - MADONNA - She had indeed had a great year in 1984, and 1985 was shaping up to be even better, hitwise, that is. This was her first new hit during the year and, even though it was my least favorite of her 1985 songs, it was still a good one. 31: JAMIE - RAY PARKER JR. (16) - Ah, a song about not being able to let go of an old girlfriend! I know that feeling! The song was a good one - my favorite of his two songs released in 1984. 30: PRIVATE DANCER - TINA TURNER (35) - She was definitely hotter than ever at this point, as this would become her third consecutive Top Ten hit. It was a good one - not sure which of the Private Dancer singles I prefer. 29: ROCKIN' AT MIDNIGHT - THE HONEYDRIPPERS (34) - The two Top 40 hits for this band, led by Robert Plant, of Led Zeppelin fame, were both covers of earlier hits, this one, a song originally a hit for Roy Brown in the early 40s. It wasn't bad, but I preferred "Sea Of Love". 28: TENDERNESS - GENERAL PUBLIC (30) - This English band looked like they'd be a one-hit wonder, but they surprised us nine years later with a song that was even slightly bigger, their cover of the Staple Singers' "I'll Take You There". I preferred that song; this one was mediocre at best. 27: MONEY CHANGES EVERYTHING - CYNDI LAUPER (28) - Not only was she the first woman to have five Top 40 hits from one album, but it was from a debut album. This one, however, did not hit the Top Five like the first four - in fact, it came nowhere near the Top 20. But that could be because most of her fans had the album by now (in fact, I imagine that many people received it as a Christmas gift). I wasn't a big fan of the song myself, so I wasn't disappointed that it didn't fare too well on the charts. 26: TOO LATE FOR GOODBYES - JULIAN LENNON (37) - Well, then is it early enough against helloes? No, seriously, this was pretty good, but possibly my least favorite of his singles. 25: RUN TO YOU - BRYAN ADAMS (12) - He definitely got quite a lot of mileage out of his Reckless album - the six singles kept him on the chart for most of 1985, and this was the first of them. I liked it, but preferred a few others from Adams. 24: ALL I NEED - JACK WAGNER (11) - This was Frisco Jones' only Top 40 hit, and a great song it was - one of my favorite songs from 1984/1985 - in fact, its eight-week run at the top of my Personal Top 30 charts was divided evenly between the two years. 23: JUNGLE LOVE - THE TIME (24) - This was a rare case where a group's Top 40 hits charted after they had disbanded (they had another Top 40 hit "The Bird" later in 1985). I preferred this song, though it wasn't anything exceptional 22: LOVE LIGHT IN FLIGHT - STEVIE WONDER (17) - This song was somewhat reminiscent of his earlier material (the tune, that is - the instrumental arrangements were totally 80s). I really liked the song - my favorite of his two 1985 hits (three, if you count "Go Home"). 21: MR. TELEPHONE MAN - NEW EDITION (25) - I'd had enough of their song "Cool It Now" at this point, but their second hit, on the other hand, was my favorite song from them - in fact, according to my Personal Top 30 chart, it was the biggest hit for all of 1985! You could tell that Ray Parker, Jr produced this, as it sounds a lot like several of his older hits with Raydio (even has the same synthesizer). OPTIONAL EXTRA: SAVE A PRAYER - DURAN DURAN - I seem to recall that they often cut out the second verse of this song, but I wasn't really paying close attention, so I don't know if this song was edited this week or not. Regardless, it's a great song - one of my favorites from Duran Duran. 20: MISLED - KOOL & THE GANG (21) - They were in the midst of a streak of songs with one-word titles (in fact, didn't they hold the record for that?). Anyway, I liked all three of their Top Ten hits from the Emergency album, although my favorite of those was "Fresh". 19: FOOLISH HEART - STEVE PERRY (20) - This was the song I mentioned earlier. It was Perry's fourth and final solo hit from the album Street Talk. It was a pretty good song - it and "Oh Sherrie" both receive a decent amount of recurrent airplay (although this song is generally played on AC-oriented oldies stations). 18: OPERATOR - MIDNIGHT STARR (18) - This was a big dance and R&B hit (it was a #1 hit on the latter) and it also did well on the Hot 100, peaking at #18. It was a catchy song and very weird, electronically sung in the verses and choruses alike. The "phone off the hook" sound effect at the beginning was rather irritating, though. 17: THE OLD MAN DOWN THE ROAD - JOHN FOGERTY (22) - The former lead singer of Creedence Clearwater Revival had been absent from the chart, even as a solo singer for nearly a decade. His comeback hit became his most successful solo hit. It was a good song, but my favorite solo hit from him was "Centerfield", which just missed the Top 40 later that year (but seems to be the one that receives the most recurrent airplay). 16: CAN'T FIGHT THIS FEELING - REO SPEEDWAGON (26) - Now here's a band whose power ballads seemed to be favored by the Top 40 audience, as their three Top Five hits were all such songs. This was one of my all-time faves from them. 15: CALL TO THE HEART - GIUFFRIA (15) - They sounded a cross between Journey and Triumph, didn't they? This was their only Top 40 hit, which was too bad, as it was a great song - one of several songs on this week's chart that deserved more exposure than it got. 14: SUGAR WALLS - SHEENA EASTON (19) - Naughty naughty, Sheena! I wasn't a big fan of this song at all - I generally preferred her more "innocent" songs from earlier in the decade. 13: CALIFORNIA GIRLS - DAVID LEE ROTH (23) - Of course, I was more familiar with the Beach Boys' version of this song, both from the radio and from the "Diet Sunkist" commercial in the early-80s. Roth's version did not sound much different than the original, so I'm not sure which one I prefer. Both are great, summertime sounding songs (That said, I wonder how this song would have done if released in time for summer). 12: SOLID - ASHFORD & SIMPSON (14) - Like the Teena Marie song earlier in the countdown, I disliked this song when it was on the chart, but now I think it's a great song. Wham!'s song "Everything She Wants" sounds a little like this song, IMO. 11: THE HEAT IS ON - GLENN FREY (13) - One of two hits from the Beverly Hills Cop soundtrack in this week's chart (in fact, over the next fourT weeks, they would be in the Top Ten simultaneously). This one would be the most successful, as it would peak at #2. It was not bad, but I generally preferred him with the Eagles. 10: I WOULD DIE 4 U - PRINCE & THE REVOLUTION (8) - This one had kind of a fast chart run, especially over on the R&R chart (but that's understandable, as the Purple Rain soundtrack had sold millions of copies by this point and, hence, people weren't compelled to call in and request this on the radio). As for the song, it was a good one, though I wasn't too crazy about it back in the day. OPTIONAL EXTRA: SOMEBODY - BRYAN ADAMS - The second of his two Reckless singles, which would debut on the chart two weeks later. I liked this song, but preferred a few others from him, including a few from the same album. . 9: LIKE A VIRGIN - MADONNA (7) - One of very few post-1983 songs to spend more than four weeks on top, but based on who it was, it wasn't that big of a surprise. As mentioned earlier, 1985 was definitely her year, with a ton of Top Five hits to come that year. This is one of my favorite songs from her - one that overplay didn't tarnish much at all. 8: NEUTRON DANCE - POINTER SISTERS (10) - Another song from the Beverly Hills Cop soundtrack, and it was a Top Ten hit, like "The Heat Is On". I never really cared for this song, or any post-1982 Pointer Sisters songs. This one was apparently an inspiration for KT Tunstall's "Black Horse & The Cherry Tree" (especially with the "woo-hoos"), which accounts for how I hated that song with a passion during its chart run. 7: METHOD OF MODERN LOVE - HALL & OATES (9) - The second of four Top 40 hits from their album Big Bam Boom. This song wasn't bad, but I don't understand why they didn't spell out the word "modern" 6: YOU'RE THE INSPIRATION - CHICAGO (4) - The third hit from their Chicago 17 album (and their final Top Ten hit with Peter Cetera singing lead). It was a good song, but I preferred their previous hit "Hard Habit To Break". 5: THE BOYS OF SUMMER - DON HENLEY (6) - Ah, a summer hit charting in winter (and the winter of 1985 was indeed a cold one). As for this song, it was a great one - my third favorite single from Building The Perfect Beast, behind "Sunset Grill" and "Not Enough Love In The World" (though it would be a very close race between those songs). 4: LOVERBOY - BILLY OCEAN (5) - This song did almost as well as "Caribbean Queen", peaking at #2, but the song at #1 was too strong for it. Too bad, as I prefer this song over that one, which just had to go and become the biggest hit of 1985, but we get ahead of ourselves... This was one of my favorite of Ocean's upbeat songs. LDD: THE ONE THAT YOU LOVE - AIR SUPPLY - 3: CARELESS WHISPER - WHAM (FEATURING GEORGE MICHAEL) (3) - We all know that I used to like this song, but my fascination for this song dimmed significantly when a girl that I was hoping to dance with at a middle school dance got back together with her boyfriend and basically threw me under a bus. Fortunately, that happened when this song was on its way down the chart. Another good thing is that they edited this song, cutting right to the second chorus from the first verse. OPTIONAL EXTRA: JUST ANOTHER NIGHT - MICK JAGGER - Of course, he had been singing lead with the Rolling Stones (who were still together and not done hitting the charts), but he had a few solo hits, including this, which was his biggest hit on his own (his biggest was his duet with David Bowie "Dancing In The Street"). 2: EASY LOVER - PHILLIP BAILEY & PHIL COLLINS (2) - Phil was gearing up to release his "No Jacket Required" album, which would be possibly his biggest singles album ever. That song would spawn three singles within the year, and he bookended those with very successful duets, including this one, which was a great song IMO - the two Phils sounded great together! 1: I WANT TO KNOW WHAT LOVE IS - FOREIGNER (1) - They finally had their very first #1 song, after coming ever so close with Wf*gLY, which, as we know all too well, spent ten frustrating weeks at #2. I actually preferred this one, which featured Jennifer Holliday, Tom Bailey (of the Thompson Twins) and the New Jersey Mass Choir on backing vocals.
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Post by mga707 on Feb 3, 2023 15:02:51 GMT -5
JUNIOR'S FARM - PAUL McCARTNEY & WINGS (17) - Wow, for awhile there, it looks like all the droppers would be bunched up near the bottom of the chart, but this one, on the other hand, took a huge drop from way up in the Top 20 (what year does THAT remind you of?) Anyway, it was a pretty good song. The flipside, "Sally G" was played as the second Optional Extra. Airplay for that 'B' side would reverse this single's drop the following week, and give it one more week in the 40 3 weeks later (w/e 2/22/75). With only "Sally G" listed as that week's #39 single. The run of "Junior's Farm/Sally G" during its last weeks on the Hot 100 is an unusual one: 17-66(this chart)-50-45-39-64-off. Billboard's listing of this single was also kind of weird: Only "Junior's Farm" was listed through 12/7/74, then "Sally G" was added on the 12/14/74 chart. On the 1/25/75 chart the order was reversed, with "Sally G" shown as the "A' side at #17. The following week only "Sally G" was listed, as a 'New Entry' at #66. That's how it was shown through the next four weeks, until it fell off the Hot 100.
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Post by dukelightning on Feb 3, 2023 15:22:56 GMT -5
JUNIOR'S FARM - PAUL McCARTNEY & WINGS (17) - Wow, for awhile there, it looks like all the droppers would be bunched up near the bottom of the chart, but this one, on the other hand, took a huge drop from way up in the Top 20 (what year does THAT remind you of?) Anyway, it was a pretty good song. The flipside, "Sally G" was played as the second Optional Extra. Airplay for that 'B' side would reverse this single's drop the following week, and give it one more week in the 40 3 weeks later (w/e 2/22/75). With only "Sally G" listed as that week's #39 single. The run of "Junior's Farm/Sally G" during its last weeks on the Hot 100 is an unusual one: 17-66(this chart)-50-45-39-64-off. Billboard's listing of this single was also kind of weird: Only "Junior's Farm" was listed through 12/7/74, then "Sally G" was added on the 12/14/74 chart. On the 1/25/75 chart the order was reversed, with "Sally G" shown as the "A' side at #17. The following week only "Sally G" was listed, as a 'New Entry' at #66. That's how it was shown through the next four weeks, until it fell off the Hot 100. Did not realize that last part about "Sally G" becoming the 'A' side on 1/25/75. AT40 should have started playing it that week IMO. There may be other examples of double sided hits having the sides flipped during a chart run with AT40 not acting accordingly.
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Post by mga707 on Feb 3, 2023 15:25:19 GMT -5
Airplay for that 'B' side would reverse this single's drop the following week, and give it one more week in the 40 3 weeks later (w/e 2/22/75). With only "Sally G" listed as that week's #39 single. The run of "Junior's Farm/Sally G" during its last weeks on the Hot 100 is an unusual one: 17-66(this chart)-50-45-39-64-off. Billboard's listing of this single was also kind of weird: Only "Junior's Farm" was listed through 12/7/74, then "Sally G" was added on the 12/14/74 chart. On the 1/25/75 chart the order was reversed, with "Sally G" shown as the "A' side at #17. The following week only "Sally G" was listed, as a 'New Entry' at #66. That's how it was shown through the next four weeks, until it fell off the Hot 100. Did not realize that last part about "Sally G" becoming the 'A' side on 1/25/75. AT40 should have started playing it that week IMO. There may be other examples of double sided hits having the sides flipped during a chart run with AT40 not acting accordingly. You're welcome. I used the Billboard archives to make sure I had the dates correct. "I'm Sorry"/"Calypso", perhaps?
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Post by dukelightning on Feb 3, 2023 15:34:54 GMT -5
Good point about that #1 hit. It became a double sided listing on 10/11/75 and it was listed with "Calypso" as the 'A' side. AT40 started playing it the following week.
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Post by chrislc on Feb 3, 2023 15:36:32 GMT -5
>32: LIVING NEXT DOOR TO ALICE - SMOKIE (36)<
Not to be confused with LIVING DOWNSTAIRS FROM ALICE by TRIXIE NORTON
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Post by trekkielo on Feb 3, 2023 15:39:57 GMT -5
Airplay for that 'B' side would reverse this single's drop the following week, and give it one more week in the 40 3 weeks later (w/e 2/22/75). With only "Sally G" listed as that week's #39 single. The run of "Junior's Farm/Sally G" during its last weeks on the Hot 100 is an unusual one: 17-66(this chart)-50-45-39-64-off. Billboard's listing of this single was also kind of weird: Only "Junior's Farm" was listed through 12/7/74, then "Sally G" was added on the 12/14/74 chart. On the 1/25/75 chart the order was reversed, with "Sally G" shown as the "A' side at #17. The following week only "Sally G" was listed, as a 'New Entry' at #66. That's how it was shown through the next four weeks, until it fell off the Hot 100. Did not realize that last part about "Sally G" becoming the 'A' side on 1/25/75. AT40 should have started playing it that week IMO. There may be other examples of double sided hits having the sides flipped during a chart run with AT40 not acting accordingly. You're welcome. I used the Billboard archives to make sure I had the dates correct. "I'm Sorry"/"Calypso", perhaps? Opus 75 played "Junior's Farm" and "Sally G" at #83a & 83b! PS-"Calypso" was played at #12 with a story about Jacques Cousteau on 11/15/1975, then also on the AT40 1975 year-end countdown with a story about Miss USA.
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Post by slf on Feb 3, 2023 16:42:56 GMT -5
Hervard, I don't mean to be a complainer, but can you please stick to only white font for your chart critiques? By default, 50% of all our posts have a lighter-colored background (as opposed to a black background). There is not enough contrast between the lighter background and the pink font you often use, including this week. As a result, I have a hard time reading your critiques without straining my eyes.
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