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Post by chrislc on May 10, 2024 16:06:06 GMT -5
I remember my parents mentioning Ish Kabibble. I had no idea what they were talking about, or that this was a person. I just thought it was one of those old people things. I hear the name 'Ish Kabibble' in Edith Bunker's (Jean Stapleton's) voice. She mentions him a couple of times on 'All In the Family' episodes. It's funny (but sad) how the ubiquitous things and people of our parents' generation become so unknown to us and our children and grandchildren. Household names when I was a kid - WC Fields and Laurel and Hardy and Groucho Marx and on and on and on...if it weren't for White Christmas it already would have happened to Bing Crosby and it's going to happen to the Beatles, too. |
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Post by mga707 on May 10, 2024 16:55:18 GMT -5
I hear the name 'Ish Kabibble' in Edith Bunker's (Jean Stapleton's) voice. She mentions him a couple of times on 'All In the Family' episodes. It's funny (but sad) how the ubiquitous things and people of our parents' generation become so unknown to us and our children and grandchildren. Household names when I was a kid - WC Fields and Laurel and Hardy and Groucho Marx and on and on and on...if it weren't for White Christmas it already would have happened to Bing Crosby and it's going to happen to the Beatles, too. I'd add (Al) Jolson and (Greta) Garbo to that list. 'Stars' once so famous to everyone. And Clark Cable and Gary Cooper and Shirley Temple and on and on...even John Wayne and Bob Hope are rapidly fading. |
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Post by Michael1973 on May 11, 2024 8:29:11 GMT -5
8: THEY DON'T KNOW - TRACEY ULLMAN (8) - Casey mentioned how Tracey was the first artist whose name began with the letter U to hit the Top Ten. She has since been joined by UB40, USA For Africa, and U2, among others. I think he was specifically talking about solo artists. |
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Post by mga707 on May 11, 2024 13:38:28 GMT -5
8: THEY DON'T KNOW - TRACEY ULLMAN (8) - Casey mentioned how Tracey was the first artist whose name began with the letter U to hit the Top Ten. She has since been joined by UB40, USA For Africa, and U2, among others. I think he was specifically talking about solo artists. Definitely. Undisputed Truth ('71) preceded Tracey in the top 10. And an '*' for The Union Gap, as both "Woman, Woman" and "Young Girl" ('67-'68) were labeled as 'The Union Gap featuring Gary Puckett' before Gary's name started coming first on the 45 labels. |
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Post by mrjukebox on May 12, 2024 15:34:59 GMT -5
"Cinderella" had a short run in the top forty due to a certain expletive that caused program directors to remove it from their playlists.
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Post by mrjukebox on May 12, 2024 15:36:49 GMT -5
"My Sweet Lady" by John Denver is one of the featured songs on this weekend's B show from 5/7/77-Three years earlier,actor/singer Cliff De Young took his rendition into the top twenty.
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Post by mrjukebox on May 12, 2024 15:41:44 GMT -5
"Cherry Baby" by Starz is one of the featured songs on this weekend's B show from 5/7/77-Lead singer Michael Lee Smith is the brother of Rex Smith who reached the top forty in 1979 with "Take My Breath Away" & "Everlasting Love" a duet with Rachel Sweet in 1981.
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Post by Hervard on May 17, 2024 13:11:19 GMT -5
American Top 40: The 70s - May 18, 2024
This week's presentation - May 15, 1976
Droppers:
SHOUT IT OUT LOUD - KISS (31) - This is one I remember from back in the day (so I'm surprised that this was all the higher it got). It was pretty good, but I prefer their slower songs, like "Beth" and "Forever" (and apparently, so did the Top 40 audience, as those two songs were their only Top Tens).
DECEMBER, 1963 (OH WHAT A NIGHT) - THE FOUR SEASONS (25) - This song had a somewhat unusual chart run, especially near the end. It took a hard fall from the top spot, then treaded water in the mid-teens for about a month. It was a good song, though I'm still somewhat burned out on it, especially due to the overplay of the remix version that charted in late 1994.
ONLY SIXTEEN - DR. HOOK (21) - Ever notice how all of their Top Ten hits peaked at #5 or #6? I thought that was interesting,
40: LOVE IS ALIVE - GARY WRIGHT (debut) - 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).
39: I DO, I DO, I DO, I DO, I DO - ABBA (15) - One of the most successful Swedish acts to hit the chart. This wasn't bad, but I prefer several others by them, especially "Dancing Queen" and "The Winner Takes It All".
38: ONE PIECE AT A TIME - JOHNNY CASH (debut) - This was Cash's final Top 40 hit. It wasn't bad, but nothing special. I wonder if we'll be hearing his daughter, Roseanne's only Top 40 hit as an Optional Extra on next week's 1981 show? There have been several guesses for that one, so it is possible.
37: TAKIN' IT TO THE STREETS - DOOBIE BROTHERS (debut) - 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!
36: FALLEN ANGEL - FRANKIE VALLI (36) - When this song started up, I thought it was "Lost Without Your Love" by Bread, and I was like, wait, wasn't that song from later in the year? Anyway, this was a great song, and I thought it was a shame that this was all the further it got on the charts.
35: I WANT YOU - MARVIN GAYE (39) - The version of this song that I'm most familiar with is, of course, the Robert Palmer cover from fifteen years later. Everytime I hear this song, I keep expecting it to segue back to "Mercy Mercy Me", since Palmer sang both songs as a medley. Not sure which of those versions I prefer either, since they sound very much alike.
34: BARETTA'S THEME - RHYTHM HERITAGE (38) - 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."
33: ANYTIME (I'LL BE THERE) -PAUL ANKA (35) - Paul was all over the charts in the 50s, 60s and the first half of the 1970s, but he was running out of steam pretty quickly at this point. After "Times Of Your Life" earlier in the year, he would have three more Top 40 hits, neither of which even hit the Top 30, which is a shame, since they were all good ones, including this song.
32: MOVIN' - BRASS CONSTRUCTION (37) - This was the only Top 40 hit for this Brooklyn disco ensemble. Nothing I'd go out of my way to listen to.
31: SHOP AROUND - CAPTAIN & TENNILLE (40) - Wow, 1976 was indeed a good year for remakes, as there were seven of them on this week's show! This was the first, originally done by the Miracles fifteen years before. Not sure which of them I prefer; they're both good.
30: FOR THE HEART - ELVIS PRESLEY (34) - This was definitely better then "Hurt", which was the A-side of this double-sided single, but still, it was far from being his best.
29: I'VE GOT A FEELING (WE'LL BE SEEING EACH OTHER AGAIN) - AL WILSON (33) - This man had a handful of chart singles, although most of them were mid-charters (the only one that wasn't, however, went all the way). This one was pretty good.
28: UNION MAN - CATE BROTHERS (32) - This was the only Top 40 hit for these twins. Like song #32, it wasn't anything exceptional, IMO.
OPTIONAL EXTRA: NEVER GONNA FALL IN LOVE AGAIN - ERIC CARMEN - 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!
27: DON'T PULL YOUR LOVE/THEN YOU CAN TELL ME GOODBYE - GLEN CAMPBELL (27) - Earlier, I mentioned Robert Palmer's medley of two Marvin Gaye classics. This is an example of that as well - Glen wove together these songs, by Hamilton, Joe Frank & Reynolds and the Casinos, respectively, very well - sounded like they were the same song (much like said Robert Palmer medley).!
26: MORE, MORE, MORE - ANDREA TRUE CONNECTION (30) - The first and biggest of their two Top 40 hits, which would be sampled by the Canadian Rock Band Len in "Steal My Sunshine" in 1999. I forget how their other song, "NY, You Got Me Dancing" goes, so I can't really say which one I like best.
25: LOVE REALLY HURTS WITHOUT YOU - BILLY OCEAN (29) - This was a man who seemed destined to be a one-hit wonder for several years. He, however, had a whole slew of hits starting with his comeback in 1984. This song wasn't bad, but I preferred most of his later hits.
24: SWEET LOVE - COMMODORES (22) - After such a hard fall the week before, this song's parachute seemed to deploy this week, as its descent was slowed down considerably. I wasn't a huge fan of their earlier hits, like this, but did like many of their songs from the late-70s (as well as the early-80s, before Lionel Richie left the group to embark on a very successful solo career).
23: COME ON OVER - OLIVIA NEWTON-JOHN (23) - Olivia had enjoyed a wave of chart success, with five consecutive Top Tens over a year and a half and, at this point, looked to be on her way down, chartwise, but the best was yet to come. This song, written by Barry and Robin Gibb, was pretty good, IMO, but definitely not her best.
22: YOUNG BLOOD - BAD COMPANY (26) - They sort of sounded like Elvis in this song (although the original of this was done by the Coasters). It wasn't bad, but I preferred most of their other hits
21: LOVE IN THE SHADOWS - NEIL SEDAKA (28) - What a chart career he had! This was the 19th of 21 Top 40 hits for Mr. Sedaka. Though I preferred a few others from him, this wasn't bad at all!
20: HAPPY MUSIC - BLACKBYRDS (24) - This was the second of two Top 20 hits from this soul group formed in 1973 in our nation's capital. This one was pretty good, but it didn't hold a candle to "Walking In Rhythm", which was a Top Ten hit the year before.
19: BOHEMIAN RHAPSODY - QUEEN (11) - SCHWING! This song had two chart runs - and it hit the Top Ten both times (on the R&R chart, anyway). But on both that chart and the Hot 100, it definitely hit the Top Ten the first time around and spent a long time in the Top 40! This is definitely one of my favorite songs by Queen.
18: DISCO LADY - JOHNNIE TAYLOR (10) - According to Casey Kasem, this was the biggest hit of the year so far. By year's end, however, two songs would end up surpassing it. This song was the very first song to be certified platinum by the R.I.A.A. This song was indeed a big hit, but it just wasn't quite my cup of tea (it was quite repetitive).
17: LET YOUR LOVE FLOW - BELLAMY BROTHERS (9) - This song kept on free-falling down the chart. I guess everyone got tired of it all of a sudden, huh? Anyway, this was indeed a great song and one I remember quite well.
16: RHIANNON (WILL YOU EVER WIN) - FLEETWOOD MAC (18) - This one looked like it could become their first Top Ten, but it just missed, peaking at #11 (it did hit the Top Ten on the R&R chart, though, getting as high as #8). They would finally hit the Top Ten in the spring of the following year with "Go Your Own Way".
15: STRANGE MAGIC - ELECTRIC LIGHT ORCHESTRA (16) - This was the third of a total of twenty hits for this English orchestral rock band. It was OK, but not one of my favorites from them, especially since I associate it with the royally depressing movie "The Virgin Suicides", (since it is played during the prom scene).
OPTIONAL EXTRA: STILL CRAZY AFTER ALL THESE YEARS - PAUL SIMON - The title track from his album that spawned the #1 hit "Fifty Ways To Leave Your Lover". Not sure what happened, but surprisingly, this song only got as high as #40. Such a shame, as it was one of Simon's best hits ever!
14: MISTY BLUE - DOROTHY MOORE (17) - Hmm, lots of "two-hit wonders" on this week's show. This was the first and biggest for this Jackson, Mississippi native. It was a nice and mellow song. Can't say that I remember how her other hit "I Believe You" goes (but that's understandable, as it only got as high as #27).
13: FOOL TO CRY - ROLLING STONES (20) - In only its second week on the chart, this song was already two-thirds of the way up the chart, looking like it would be a cinch to hit #1. Not quite - it, in fact, barely touched the Top Ten. I can sort of see why it tanked so fast (spent only seven weeks in the Top Ten). It was definitely far from being their best. They just don't fare well with ballads. Then again, that's nothing but my opinion - I'm sure that many people liked this one, but I wasn't one of them.
12: SARA SMILE - DARYL HALL & JOHN OATES (14) - This was the one that started it all off for possibly the most successful duo of all time. It wasn't their best, but it was indeed passable.
11: TRYIN' TO GET THE FEELING AGAIN - BARRY MANILOW (13) - 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).
10: SHANNON - HENRY GROSS (12) - And now we're up to the infamous "Dead Dog Dedication" song. This was written about the death of Beach Boy Carl Wilson's Irish Setter (and correct me if I'm wrong, but didn't the Beach Boys sing back-up on this one?) Anyway, I liked this song, but after mid-September, 1985, we never looked at this song in the same way again!
9: HAPPY DAYS - PRATT & McCLAIN (19) - 1976 was indeed the year for TV show themes, as many of those hit the chart over the year. This was one of my favorite TV shows, and definitely a long lasting one - wasn't it on the air for ten years?
8: RIGHT BACK WHERE WE STARTED FROM - MAXINE NIGHTENGALE (2) - Another "two-hit wonder". She had two Top 40 hits, both of which hit the Top Five. My favorite one, however, was her other one, called "Lead Me On", which charted in the summer of 1979. This one was also pretty good, but quite overplayed.
7: GET UP AND BOOGIE - SILVER CONVENTION (8) - Still another two-hit wonder here. They seemed to limit their vocabulary in both songs, using only six words in both of them. I liked both songs about the same.
6: SHOW ME THE WAY - PETER FRAMPTON (6) - This was the first of three songs from what would IIRC become the #1 album of 1976, Frampton Comes Alive. It was my favorite of the three (although I have started liking "Do You Feel Like We Do" a little more than I did previously).
5: LOVE HANGOVER - DIANA ROSS (7) - This song was indeed number one bound, strong enough to interrupt the run at the top for the biggest song of 1976. Not quite her best song by any means - again, just my opinion - nothing more 
4: FOOLED AROUND AND FELL IN LOVE - ELVIN BISHOP (4) - Of course everyone knows that Mickey Thomas sang lead on this one. Not sure if Elvin Bishop did any back-up singing or just played the guitar. This was another song I remember from back in the day, and I still like it as much as I did then!
3: SILLY LOVE SONGS - WINGS (5) - This was the aforementioned biggest song of 1976 - it would hit the top two weeks later for a total of five non-consecutive weeks at the top. I remember this song quite well, but don't like it quite as much as I did back in the day (most likely due to overplay).
OPTIONAL EXTRA: I'LL BE GOOD TO YOU - BROTHERS JOHNSON - 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.
2: WELCOME BACK - JOHN SEBASTIAN (1) - This song wasted absolutely no time hitting the top and it seemed like a logical assumption that this song would spend several weeks on top but the top part of the chart was just too strong at this point for any song to spend more than a single week on top. Nevertheless, this was, IMO, one of the best TV show themes of all time!
1: BOOGIE FEVER - SYLVERS (3) - The first of two Top Five hits for this family group from Memphis (but they were not a two-hit wonder, as they had a third hit, which didn't quite make the Top Ten, but peaked at #17). Anyway, this was my favorite of their trio of hits.
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Post by Hervard on May 17, 2024 13:11:30 GMT -5
American Top 40: The 80s - May 18, 2024
This week's presentation - May 21, 1988
40: PROMISE ME - THE COVER GIRLS (debut) - This was one underrated song. I guess people preferred their upbeat songs over their ballads (although that all changed in the 1990s, when they finally hit the Top Ten twice - both of them were slow songs. I wonder if this would have done better had it been released several years later.
39: POUR SOME SUGAR ON ME - DEF LEPPARD (debut) - 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 that we heard back at #31. No matter; they would top the chart with their next single "Love Bites". Not sure if I preferred that one or this.
38: BEDS ARE BURNING - MIDNIGHT OIL (debut) - This was one of several Aussie bands that hit the chart in 1988. 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.
37: NOTHIN' BUT A GOOD TIME - POISON (debut) - 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!
36: NIGHTIME - PRETTY POISON (37) - 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.
35: DA'BUTT (FROM THE "SCHOOL DAZE" SOUNDTRACK) - E.U. (EXPERIENCE UNLIMITED) (39) - 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: GET OUTTA MY DREAMS, GET INTO MY CAR - BILLY OCEAN (19) - The spoken part at the beginning was apparently inspired by "Get Off My Cloud" by the Rolling Stones. But it apparently worked, as it made it to #1 - and was R&R's biggest CHR hit of 1988 - and deservedly so, as this was one of my favorite of his upbeat hits.
33: THE FLAME - CHEAP TRICK (debut) - 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".
32: NITE AND DAY - AL B. SURE! (38) - Ah, 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.
31: 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.
OPTIONAL EXTRA: WHEN THE CHILDREN CRY - WHITE LION - Meh, I wasn't a fan of this one at all - too maudlin. I much preferred their other Top Ten hit, which is coming up later in the show.
30: KISS ME DEADLY - LITA FORD (35) - 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 
29: DIRTY DIANA - MICHAEL JACKSON (40) - 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.
28: ONE GOOD REASON - PAUL CARRACK (28) - It looked like this song was somewhat riding on the coattails of his Top Ten hit from earlier in the year, "Don't Shed A Tear", as this was all the higher that the song climbed. I liked both songs about the same, but my favorite of Carrack's solo hits was his AC hit from 1997 "For Once In Our Lives".
27: ALPHABET ST. – PRINCE (33) - 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.
26: PROVE YOUR LOVE - TAYLOR DAYNE (15) - This one was mediocre at best. It paled in comparison to her debut hit "Tell It To My Heart", IMO.
25: THE VALLEY ROAD - BRUCE HORNSBY & THE RANGE (32) - 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.
LDD: I JUST CALLED TO SAY I LOVE YOU – STEVIE WONDER
24: I STILL BELIEVE - BRENDA K. STARR (30) - 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!
23: WE ALL SLEEP ALONE - CHER (27) - 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 peaked at #14 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. I preferred this one, though neither one was one of my favorites from Cher. I like songs like "Believe" and "Strong Enough" better.
22: FOOLISH BEAT - DEBBIE GIBSON (29) - There were several instances in 1988 of the final hit from an album having the most chart successs. This could have been an example of that, 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.
21: STRANGE BUT TRUE - TIMES TWO (23) - A rather faceless band, but a great song! I felt it was underrated.
OPTIONAL EXTRA: CHAINS OF LOVE - ERASURE - The first of three Top 40 singles from this London-based synthpop duo. I thought it was a good song, as well as their other two hits “A Little Respect” and “Always”.
20: MY GIRL - SUAVE (20) - The fourth 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.
19: WHERE DO BROKEN HEARTS GO - WHITNEY HOUSTON (11) - 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!
18: CIRCLE IN THE SAND - BELINDA CARLISLE (21) - 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.
17: MAKE IT REAL - THE JETS (25) - This is an example of the aforementioned "last single with most success", although 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".
16: DREAMING - ORCHESTRAL MANOEUVRES IN THE DARK (18) - They had a total of four hits on the charts, and this was their second biggest behind "If You Leave". It was pretty much a toss-up between this one and "So In Love" as my favorite song by them.
15: ANGEL - AEROSMITH (7) - 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.
14: TOGETHER FOREVER - RICK ASTLEY (17) - 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).
13: PINK CADILLAC - NATALIE COLE (5) - The second of two Springsteen hits on this week's countdown! 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 - I like both versions.
12: WISHING WELL - TERENCE TRENT D'ARBY (3) - Like "Angel", this was another song that started off kind of slow (moving 40-35 in its first two weeks on AT40). But it did not stop until it reached the top. It was a great song, but I slightly preferred "Sign Your Name".
11: PIANO IN THE DARK - BRENDA RUSSELL FEATURING JOE ESPOSITO (14) - 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!
10: TWO OCCASIONS - THE DEELE (13) - 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 Deele member Babyface did on his own later on down the line.
OPTIONAL EXTRA: IN YOUR ROOM - THE BANGLES - Their third album Everything gave them three Top 40 hits, two of which made the Top Ten. I liked this song, but preferred a few others from them, including their follow-up, which is coming up later.
9: EVERYTHING YOUR HEART DESIRES - DARYL HALL & JOHN OATES (16) - This duo was indeed very successful, having been charting for twelve years at this point (though they had been absent from the chart for three years as Daryl pursued a brief solo career). This, however, would end up being their final Top Ten hit. This was pretty good, but I prefer many others from them.
8: WAIT - WHITE LION (12) - This hard rock band had two Top 40 hits, both of them Top Tens. As stated earlier, I preferred this one (by a wide margin) over the other single.
7: ELECTRIC BLUE - ICEHOUSE (9) - This Aussie band 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.
6: I DON'T WANT TO LIVE WITHOUT YOU – FOREIGNER (10) - 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).
LDD: HEAVEN IN YOUR EYES - LOVERBOY
5: NAUGHTY GIRLS (NEED LOVE TOO) - SAMANTHA FOX (8) - 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".
4: ALWAYS ON MY MIND - THE 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.
3: SHATTERED DREAMS - JOHNNY HATES JAZZ (2) - Due to the competition in the top two songs, this song was pushed back a spot, after a hefty six-point move into the runner-up position, but it kept its bullet, so it still had momentum. Anyway, this was one of three songs by Johnny Hates Jazz that I know, which includes 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.
OPTIONAL EXTRA: NEVER TEAR US APART - INXS - This was the fourth and final Top 40 hit from their album Kick. For some reason, this song just never did anything for me - I guess it was too boring. I was never a big fan of them in the first place (though I did rather like their two mid-1988 songs).
2: ONE MORE TRY - GEORGE MICHAEL (4) - 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. Not only that, but it went all the way to #1! The song was also one of very few 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.
1: ANYTHING FOR YOU - GLORIA ESTEFAN & MIAMI SOUND MACHINE (1) - 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.
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Post by mga707 on May 18, 2024 12:46:02 GMT -5
26: MORE, MORE, MORE - ANDREA TRUE CONNECTION (30) - The first and biggest of their two Top 40 hits, which would be sampled by the Canadian Rock Band Len in "Steal My Sunshine" in 1999. I forget how their other song, "NY, You Got Me Dancing" goes, so I can't really say which one I like best. I think this one reaches its climax a little faster...  Sorry.  |
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Post by mrjukebox on May 19, 2024 9:03:04 GMT -5
"Keep Your Eye On The Sparrow" by Rhythm Heritage was one of the featured songs from this week's presentation 5/15/76-It was the theme from the TV series "Baretta"-On the TV show,that song was performed by Sammy Davis Jr.
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Post by mga707 on May 19, 2024 11:02:37 GMT -5
"Keep Your Eye On The Sparrow" by Rhythm Heritage was one of the featured songs from this week's presentation 5/15/76-It was the theme from the TV series "Baretta"-On the TV show,that song was performed by Sammy Davis Jr. Sammy's version was no "Candy Man"--it would reach it's peak the following week (5/22/76), at the top of the 'Bubbling Under' list, #101. |
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Post by Hervard on May 24, 2024 12:12:25 GMT -5
American Top 40: The 70s - May 25, 2024
This week's presentation - May 27, 1978
Droppers:
STAYIN' ALIVE - THE BEE GEES (40) - Saturday Night Fever was starting to wind down at this point, with this song dropping off the survey and "Night Fever" dropping out of the Top Ten.
EGO - ELTON JOHN (39) - One of his less successful singles, only getting as high as #34. I myself thought it was a pretty decent song.
DO YOU BELIEVE IN MAGIC - SHAUN CASSIDY (38) - Cassidy's fourth and final Top 40 hit and, like the first one, it was a remake of a hit from the sixties. It was pretty good, but I preferred the original by the Lovin' Sp00nful.
LET'S ALL CHANT - MICHAEL ZAGER BAND (36) - Meh, let's not and say we did. Seriously, though, this was OK, but nothing special. I preferred their lesser-known song "Life's A Party".
OUR LOVE - NATALIE COLE (35) - This was her third and last Top Ten hit of the 1970s. It was my favorite of the three - a great song!
RUNNIN' ON EMPTY - JACKSON BROWNE (34) - This song looked like it might become his second Top Ten hit, but it just narrowly missed. That's too bad, as it was IMO one of his best hits ever!
40: STAY – RUFUS FEATURING CHAKA KHAN (debut) - One of two songs by that title that charted in 1978. This was the less successful of those, peaking at #38 two weeks later. This was a pretty good song, considering the kind of music it was.
39: I WAS ONLY JOKING – ROD STEWART (debut) - One of Stewart's most underrated hits ever! The song peaked at #22 about a month later; should have gone Top Ten like his song "You're In My Heart" from earlier in the year.
38: OH WHAT A NIGHT FOR DANCING – BARRY WHITE (debut) - Pretty much your typical late-70s slow jam. It was pretty good, but nothing I'd go out of my way to listen to.
37: CHEESEBURGER IN PARADISE – JIMMY BUFFETT (debut) - One of Jimmy's fun songs that you just can't help but sing along with! I have this one on my YouTube playlist of favorite songs, so I definitely like it!
36: TWO DOORS DOWN – DOLLY PARTON (19) - Mainly a country act, Parton had many crossovers to Pop. This was her second Top 40 hit. It was OK, but didn't hold a candle to "Here You Come Again".
35: YOU’RE THE LOVE – SEALS & CROFTS (debut) - They had a handful of big hits in the 70s, but unfortunately, this was their final Top 40 hit. It wasn't bad, but I preferred most of their earlier hits.
34: SWEET TALKING WOMAN – ELECTRIC LIGHT ORCHESTRA (29) - Definitely a similarity between this and "Do You Believe In Love" by Huey Lewis & The News, which wasn't coincidence, as Robert John "Mutt" Lange, Shania Twain's ex, wrote the Huey Lewis songs, and both Robert and Shania are big fans of Electric Light Orchestra fans, and also that the main inspiration for "Do You Believe In Love" was this song. When comparing them, they both sound similar in structure!. Anyway, this was definitely one of my personal faves from them and one I remember quite well from its chart run.
33: BLUER THAN BLUE – MICHAEL JOHNSON (debut) - This Colorado native had three Top 40 hits and this was the biggest of them, peaking at #12. It was a great one, but I still prefer "This Night Won't Last Forever", which got as high as #19 in 1979.
32: TUMBLING DICE – LINDA RONSTADT (37) - Last week was a rare instance in which there was only a single debut on the entire countdown. In fact, this was only the second time in AT40 history in which that happened. As for the song, it wasn't bad, but definitely not one of my favorites from her or the Rolling Stones (who, of course, did the original).
31: LAY DOWN SALLY – ERIC CLAPTON (24) - This was one of my favorite songs in the world back in the day. It's still not bad, but hasn't really aged very well.
30: JACK & JILL - RAYDIO (25) - Wow, they butchered this one big time! After the second verse, they cut right to the end of the song. This song (with the last minute intact, anyway) contains one of the funniest misheard lyrics near the end ("He got down on his right knee", which is sometimes heard as "he got down on his Granny") As for the song itself, it's a great one - possibly my favorite songs from him/them.
29: HEARTLESS - HEART (36) - The beginning of this song reminds me a little of "Long Cool Woman In A Black Dress" by the Hollies. The song was so/so, but not quite as good as their 80s and 90s songs.
28: DUST IN THE WIND - KANSAS (22) - A song with a vaguely haunting melody. It was another great song that I remember quite well!
27: BECAUSE THE NIGHT – PATTI SMITH (32) - I'm more familiar with the 1993 cover of this song by 10,000 Maniacs, which doesn't sound all that different from this one (except for one of the chords in the chorus). Not sure which of the two I prefer, but, due to overplay of the cover, I'm still burned out on the song overall.
OPTIONAL EXTRA: FOLLOW YOU, FOLLOW ME - GENESIS - This was their very first Top 40 hit. I liked many of their hits, but this wasn't one of them. Just not my cup of tea.
26: DANCE WITH ME – PETER BROWN (31) - Meh, I preferred the Orleans song of the same title from three years before. This one just didn't do anything for me.
25: EVERY KINDA PEOPLE – ROBERT PALMER (30) - Here is a song that charted twice - first in 1978, then, I believe, a slightly remixed version was released in 1992 (though that one was more of an AC hit than pop). Considering I'm not a big Robert Palmer fan, this one was actually pretty good.
24: WEREWOLVES OF LONDON – WARREN ZEVON (21) - Of course, the bass for this song is familiar to the younger generation, since Kid Rock used it for the bass of his 2008 hit "All Summer Long". I did prefer that song, but this one's a great song as well!
23: DEACON BLUES – STEELY DAN (28) - When this song started, I thought it was "Peg" at first, since the intros are both very similar. Though I preferred "Peg", both songs are great, with their trademark jazz/rock sound.
22: TWO OUT OF THREE AIN’T BAD – MEAT LOAF (27) - He had a handful of Top 40 hits, with this being my favorite - as well as one of my favorites on this week's chart. I do, however, prefer the full album version over the single, which was what AT40 usually, if not always, played.
21: CAN’T SMILE WITHOUT YOU – BARRY MANILOW (14) - What my grandma said when I hid her dentures. But seriously, this was a great song! Another one of my personal faves from the good ol' days that has indeed stood the test of time.
20: YOU BELONG TO ME – CARLY SIMON (23) - This was an ideal show for our friend JessieLou, as several of her favorite artists are on this week's chart - besides this, we have Heart at #29 and Linda Ronstadt at #32. I like this song - one of my favorites from Carlegend!
19: BAKER STREET – GERRY RAFFERTY (26) - I tell you what, I used to really like this song, but not so much anymore. Perhaps overplay on oldies stations. I generally switch the station when this comes on.
18: IT’S A HEARTACHE – BONNIE TYLER (20) - Some people call her a "female Rod Stewart", since both have similarly raspy voices. This was a really good song, though I preferred “Total Eclipse Of The Heart”.
17: MOVIN’ OUT (ANTHONY'S SONG) - BILLY JOEL (18) - The second of four hits from The Stranger. I liked all four of them, so it's hard to say what my favorite song would be.
16: NIGHT FEVER – THE BEE GEES (10) - As stated earlier, this song falls out of the Top Ten this week. The song became the longest-running #1 song so far in 1978, having recently spent eight weeks up there. This song wasn't bad, but was definitely not one of my favorite songs from them.
15: LOVE IS LIKE OXYGEN - SWEET (16) - This song wasn't bad, but was definitely not one of my favorite songs from them.
14: BABY HOLD ON – EDDIE MONEY (15) - Here's one of those songs that didn't quite hit the Top Ten, but gets quite a lot of recurrent airplay. A great song indeed - one of my favorites from him!
OPTIONAL EXTRA: GREASE - The title track to one of the biggest movie soundtracks ever was on its way to the top. It's OK, but I prefer several other songs - both from the soundtrack as well as Valli himself, solo and with the Four Seasons
13: TAKE A CHANCE ON ME - ABBA (17) - I like many, if not most, of their Top 40 hits, but this isn't one of them. Not sure why, but it just doesn't do anything for me.
12: THIS TIME I’M IN IT FOR LOVE - PLAYER (13) - Their second of their three Top 40 hits, and the second biggest as well, peaking at #10. It wasn't bad, but I preferred "Baby Come Back".
11: DISCO INFERNO – THE TRAMMPS (12) - I generally don't care for disco acts by faceless artists, but this one is actually pretty good.
10: ON BROADWAY – GEORGE BENSON (11) - One of several remakes on this week's chart. It was pretty good, with Benson's trademark scat singing, but I still preferred the original by the Drifters.
9: COUNT ON ME – JEFFERSON STARSHIP (8) - There were many songs that I don't like now, but did back during their chart runs. Here's one that is just the opposite - back in the day, it was just there, but now is one of my favorite songs by JS.
8: IMAGINARY LOVER – ATLANTA RHYTHM SECTION (9) - Amazing how speeding up this song a bit turns it into a different artist  No, seriously, I like most of ARS' Top 40 hits, this one included.
7: IF I CAN’T HAVE YOU - YVONNE ELLIMAN (5) - This song was one of the 18 #1 songs in the 1978 survey period. Of course I'm sure that the fact that it was from a hot movie soundtrack was somewhat instrumental in that, but it did have its own merits. It was possibly my favorite song on the Saturday Night Fever soundtrack, and easily my favorite song from Yvonne.
6: FEELS SO GOOD – CHUCK MANGIONE (7) - Ah, here's a guilty pleasure here. I like this and his other Top 40 hit "Give It All You Got" about the same
5: THE CLOSER I GET TO YOU – ROBERTA FLACK & DONNY HATHAWAY (2) - Great song! My favorite of their three charted duets. Too bad they cut out the final chorus
4: SHADOW DANCING – ANDY GIBB (6) - This song, of course, was on its way to becoming the top song for all of 1978. However, it is possibly my least favorite of his hits (but at least my favorite won out for the year before, so it's all good).
3: YOU’RE THE ONE THAT I WANT – JOHN TRAVOLTA & OLIVIA NEWTON-JOHN (4) - It's sort of a close tie between this and "Summer Nights" as my favorite of their duets from Grease. Both are good songs, though.
OPTIONAL EXTRA: MORE THAN A WOMAN - THE BEE GEES - Of the two versions of this song, this was the one that got the airplay points but, since that version was not released as a single, the sales points all went to Tavares’ version. Not sure which one I like the best. I’d say it’s a toss-up between the two.
2: TOO MUCH, TOO LITTLE, TOO LATE – JOHNNY MATHIS & DENIECE WILLIAMS (3) - With this song's fast chart climb, it looked like it could spend a few weeks on top, but the competition was a little tough. This song spent 11 weeks on the chart, which was an unusually short chart run, especially in 1978. On the other hand, this was Mathis' (and Williams') biggest hit ever on the AC charts. As for my opinion about the song, it was a good one.
1: WITH A LITTLE LUCK - WINGS (1) - I was delighted that they played the full version of this song (though the very ending seemed abrupt) instead of their custom version, which is chopped down way too much, IMO. They also played the whole song on the June 3 show, in its other week at #1. Not sure if they played that version any other time, though. This was definitely one of Wings' all-time best hits!
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Post by Hervard on May 24, 2024 12:12:35 GMT -5
American Top 40: The 80s - May 25, 2024
This week's presentation - May 24, 1986
WHAT YOU NEED - INXS (39) - Given how overplayed their "Kick" songs were, I liked their non-"Kick" songs better. This one was pretty good, even though it is also rather overplayed.
ROCK ME AMADEUS - FALCO (37) - Of course, my opinion on this song depends on what version it is. Generally, they played the more annoying one - the one with the Amadeus life chronology. I liked the one that started out with "Ooh, Rock Me Amadeus", which they played a few times - they even once played a version that seemed to be a combination of the two during one of its number one weeks.
LET'S GO ALL THE WAY - SLY FOX (36) - Good song - an 80s mix show essential! Two weeks before, Casey talked about how this song was originally a hit the year before and it was re-released in 1986.
STICK AROUND - JULIAN LENNON (34) - I like this and "Say You're Wrong" about the same. I heard that his song "Want Your Body" was next to be released, but it didn't go anywhere. Too bad, as it was such a beautiful song.
40: MANIC MONDAY – THE BANGLES (29) - This was their breakthrough song. IMO, it was a great one. Their best song was their next release, "If She Knew What She Wants" (which is one of this week's Optional Extras). Their worst, of course, was the next one after that. Come on, you know the title!
39: YOUR WILDEST DREAMS – THE MOODY BLUES (debut) - 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!
38: WHERE DO THE CHILDREN GO – THE HOOTERS (debut) - Surprisingly, this was the lowest peaking Top 40 hit of 1986 - somehow, there were no songs peaking at #39 or #40 that year - the only year in which that happened, as far as I know. This was also the only "one-week wonder" that year, as the song dropped out the following week.
37: LIKE NO OTHER NIGHT - .38 SPECIAL (debut) - 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 Florida.
36: AMERICAN STORM – BOB SEGER & THE SILVER BULLET BAND (24) - I like this song a lot. One of the few from his second Greatest Hits album that I like. Kinda reminds me of Springsteen's "Born To Run".
35: TUFF ENUFF – THE FABULOUS THUNDERBIRDS (debut) - Though I'm not a huge fan of southern rock, this one was actually pretty good.
34: HARLEM SHUFFLE – THE ROLLING STONES (19) - This song was mediocre at best; definitely not one of their best hits. But it did have a fast-rise, fast-fall chart run; in fact, it was a rare Top Five hit that did not make the year-end chart.
33: VIENNA CALLING - FALCO (38) - 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.
32: WHO’S JOHNNY (“SHORT CIRCUIT” THEME) – EL DEBARGE (40) - This one I liked quite significantly better than "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".
31: RAIN ON THE SCARECROW – JOHN COUGAR MELLENCAMP (37) - The week before, this was a rare occurrence in which a song was requested as a LDD. The farmer who requested it had likely listened to the album, heard the song, and realized that it fit the plight he was talking about in the dedication.
LDD: CHERISH – KOOL & THE GANG
OPTIONAL EXTRA: MAD ABOUT YOU - BELINDA CARLISLE - Her first solo hit after leaving the Go-Go's. Duran Duran member Andy Taylor, who himself would have a solo Top 40 hit a few weeks later played electric guitar in this song. The song was not bad, though I sure had different sentiments about it back during its chart run!
30: KISS – PRINCE & THE REVOLUTION (17) - Meh, not a fan of this one, or any of his falsetto songs (well, except for "Mountains").
29: ALL THE THINGS SHE SAID – SIMPLE MINDS (31) - This one was basically a combination of their three previous songs. I thought it was OK.
28: I WANNA BE A COWBOY – BOYS DON’T CRY (33) - Like "Vienna Calling", the fact that it was basically a novelty song is probably why this 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.
27: MOTHERS TALK – TEARS FOR FEARS (30) - 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".
26: TOMORROW DOESN’T MATTER TONIGHT - STARSHIP (28) - This was a classic example of Third Single Syndrome, as the first two singles from Knee Deep In The Hoopla had hit #1, yet this 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 the best, IMO.
25: HOLDING BACK THE YEARS – SIMPLY RED (32) - 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 the previous week, I was like, wow, what a great song! However, the song was quite overplayed and I grew tired of it. Still, it's good to hear every now and then.
24: ROUGH BOY – ZZ TOP (22) - This was somewhat of a rare bird - 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.
23: NEVER AS GOOD AS THE FIRST TIME - SADE (20) - Most of their songs were chill-out type songs, and this was definitely one of them. It was nice and relaxing.
22: NO ONE IS TO BLAME – HOWARD JONES (27) - 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!). Anyway, I was kinda disappointed that this was nixed from the "CT40 Summer Hits of the 1980s, due to the cutoff rule.
21: A DIFFERENT CORNER – GEORGE MICHAEL (26) - 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: LIKE A ROCK - BOB SEGER & THE SILVER BULLET BAND - Ah, the Chevy Trucks song! I liked this, but preferred "American Storm".
20: NOTHIN’ AT ALL - HEART (25) - 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.
19: THERE’LL BE SAD SONGS (TO MAKE YOU CRY) – BILLY OCEAN (23) - Now this song DID make the aforementioned CT40 Summer Hits of the 1980s. It's yet another song 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.
18: CRUSH ON YOU – THE JETS (21) - 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.
17: ADDICTED TO LOVE – ROBERT PALMER (10) - Definitely one of the most overplayed hits of the 80s. I rather liked this song back in the day, but I'm still burned out on it (since the song still continues to receive a ton of recurrent airplay).
16: MOVE AWAY – CULTURE CLUB (18) - 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 was less than stellar, as this song missed the Top Ten (at least it did peak higher than either of their songs from their last album Waking Up With The House On Fire). This was their last hit as a group (though Boy George had two more solo Top 40 hits)
15: YOUR LOVE – THE OUTFIELD (6) - The first of a handful of Top 40 hits from this British band who apparently knew nothing about baseball, despite their name (though the term "outfield" . This was a good song, but I preferred their next single, "All The Love In The World", which charted that summer.
14: IS IT LOVE – MR. MISTER (15) - 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".
13: BE GOOD TO YOURSELF – JOURNEY (16) - 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.
12: SOMETHING ABOUT YOU – LEVEL 42 (13) - 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 an awesome song!
11: WHY CAN’T THIS BE LOVE – VAN HALEN (3) - 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.
10: ALL I NEED IS A MIRACLE – MIKE & THE MECHANICS (14) - They were relatively new at the time, but were doing quite well, with their first hit having hit the Top Ten, and this one on the verge of doing the same. Of their first two hits, this was my favorite, though I did prefer a few others from them, including their next single "Taken In".
OPTIONAL EXTRA: IF SHE KNEW WHAT SHE WANTS - THE BANGLES - As I mentioned earlier, this was my favorite song by the Bangles (and, of course, it ended up being their lowest peaking chart hit). Then, of course, their next song, one of my least favorites from them, had to go and become the biggest hit of 1987. Oh well, this song did well on my Personal Top 30 chart, spending seven weeks on top, good enough to become the #2 song of the year, behind "All Cried Out" by Lisa Lisa & Cult Jam and company.
9: I CAN’T WAIT – NU SHOOZ (12) - 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!
8: BAD BOY – MIAMI SOUND MACHINE (8) - 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
7: TAKE ME HOME – PHIL COLLINS (7) - 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!
LDD: SOMEWHERE – BARBRA STREISAND - Interesting choice for a LDD, since it never hit the Top 40 chart. It was, however, a big AC hit earlier in the year, so apparently the author of the dedication listened to AC music as well as Pop. It was indeed fitting for the dedication.
6: WHAT HAVE YOU DONE FOR ME LATELY – JANET JACKSON (4) - 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 later songs.
5: IF YOU LEAVE – ORCHESTRAL MANOEUVRES IN THE DARK (9) - 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.
4: WEST END GIRLS – THE PET SHOP BOYS (2) - 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)".
3: ON MY OWN – PATTI LaBELLE & MICHAEL McDONALD (11) - Wow! With a big jump like that, one would expect this one to hit #1 the following week, but not quite. It was nice enough to wait for the two above songs to have their turn at #1 and then made it three weeks later, spending as many weeks on top. Back in the day, I couldn't stand this song at all (overplay, as well as the fact that I didn't like the song in the first place), but it was one of those songs that ages like fine wine. I think it's a great song now.
OPTIONAL EXTRA: WE DON'T HAVE TO TAKE OUR CLOTHES OFF - JERMAINE STEWART - I always got this song confused with "How Will I Know" by Whitney Houston, as the drum intros sounded alike. I never knew what song it was until the instruments kicked in. This was a good song with a good message.
2: LIVE TO TELL - MADONNA (5) - This song was a week away from becoming her third number one hit, and there was a lot more where that came from! Of her two number one song in 1986, this was my favorite by a decent margin (as I didn't care much for "Papa Don't Preach".
1: GREATEST LOVE OF ALL – WHITNEY HOUSTON (1) - One of Whitney's best songs ever, and it became 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). Speaking of which, this was the first time that a debut album generated more than two number one hits. And, of course Whitney was also in the midst of another streak, which was the longest consecutive string of number one songs - seven in all.
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Post by Hervard on May 24, 2024 12:18:03 GMT -5
American Top 40: The 2000s - Special Memorial Day Presentation - May 26, 2001
This is currently a building commentary. With storms predicted later on today, it would be a good idea to listen to the show when I can, since power outages are indeed possible. Plus, I'm currently having computer fits, which explains the inconsistent posts near the middle of the chart (as well as the way I bailed on the commentary soon after).
I remember the Memorial Day weekend when this show aired (although I did not hear it, as AT40 wasn't heard in my listening area until the following February, when WKSC (KISS FM, Chicago) began carrying it). The most memorable day was Memorial Day itself. I was taking a drive that morning, looking for a place to have breakfast. I had originally planned to go to my favorite restaurant downtown, but it was closed, so I ended up going to Applebee's instead. Afterwards, I drove around the Michigan City area, then went back home. I went back out a little later on, trying to find unfamiliar territory. I got my wish all right! I was in an area that looked a little rough and like a place I didn't really want to be, so I decided to head back home. It sure wasn't easy going, however. When I thought I was going east, I found out I was going west, when I passed the same water storage tank saying "Schererville" that I had gone by earlier. It was overcast, which is why I didn't just use the sun to guide me. So I was getting frustrated. But, seeing that I'm a guy, I was too proud to stop and ask for directions, so I decided to just find my way back. After awhile, I was on a highway and a sign that I saw indicated that I was going west, but I had no idea how far north or south from my town I was. I came up to a town that looked semi-familiar and a pharmacy that I passed told me that I was in a town called Valparaiso and I was like "Good, all I have to do is stick to this highway and I'd be home". And I was right. Well, without further ado, here is the American Top 40 from that weekend.
40:
39:
38:
37:
36:
35:
34:
33:
32:
31:
30: FROM MY HEAD TO MY HEARD - EVAN & JARON (35) - The second of three Top 40 hits for these identical twin brothers and possibly my favorite of the bunch. This song peaked at #34 on the R&R chart, but did a little better here on AT40, which, at the time, was using some weird Mediabase chart. However, this was all the higher it got, which is too bad, as I thought it was a great song - reminded me a little of "Show Me The Way" by Peter Frampton.
29: HERE'S TO THE NIGHT - EVE 6 (38) - Here's a band whose chart history is very similar to that of Evan & Jaron - three Top 40 hits, the most successful (and only Top Ten) being their first, their second being the lowest peaking song, and the third and last peaking somewhere in between the two. Not sure if I prefer this or "Inside Out".
28: LOOK AT US - SARINA PARIS (31) - This song has been compared to "Groovy Kind Of Love", as the melody sounds alike - only this song is an upbeat dance song. This was Paris' only Top 40 hit and this is where it peaked - and, believe it or not, the song fell clean out of the Top 40 the following week. Seems to me that, based on some of the LW positions of this week's droppers, a chart purge was done this week, which accounts for some of the irregular chart activity. Anyway, I really liked this song. Along with many of the songs on this week's survey, it is in my playlist of personal faves from 2001.
27: GHOST OF YOU AND ME - BBMAK (29) - This band, from Newcastle, England, had four Top 40 hits, and I thought all of them were really good, but this one was my favorite. Too bad this was all the higher the song climbed (at least it hit the Top Ten on the AC chart, though).
26: KISS KISS - STELLA SOLEIL (26) - Another song that was peaking (actually reaching the peak the previous week). Indeed, the random chart purges done by this oddball chart caused a lot of vacuum effect. Anyway, like Sarina Paris, this artist from the Windy City only had one Top 40 hit. It was OK, but nothing exceptional.
LDD: REMINISCING - LITTLE RIVER BAND - This song fit the dedication story like a glove (as it was from a woman to a good friend of hers, whom had passed away exactly ten years before). Their last phone conversation was spent reminiscing about the fun that they'd had when they were in Germany several years prior.
25: EVERYBODY DOESN'T - AMANDA (28) - Another instance of vacuum effect here - this song looked like it had peaked at #26 several weeks before, but this week, besting that by a spot. This was all the higher the song got, however. The song was pretty good, but nothing I'd go out of my way to listen to.
24: ALL OR NOTHING - O-TOWN (32) - The first of two songs in a row by bands born on reality TV shows - in this case, Making The Band. Their first Top 40 hit, "Liquid Dreams", only made it to mid-chart, but this follow-up went all the way to the top later that summer. I thought it was a great song, though I remember being tired of it around the time it hit #1.
23: GET OVER YOURSELF - EDEN'S CRUSH (27) - This band was created by the TV show Pop Stars, which Casey talked about David Foster, who headed up the auditions, always watched them with his TV set turned to the wall so he'd only hear the band and not see them. That way, he could fairly choose them based on their singing and not be distracted by their looks. This was their only Top 40 hit and guess what? It was at its peak this week.
22: YELLOW - COLDPLAY (24) - This song had peaked at this very spot several weeks before and this week, moves back up. It was the very first Top 40 hit for this English band who did well at Hot AC radio, but could not quite hit the Top Ten hit at CHR/Pop - on their own, that is (as they hit #1 as a featured artist on the Chainsmokers' "Something Just Like This" in 2017.
21: DRIVE - INCUBUS (25) -
OPTIONAL EXTRA: BOOTYLICIOUS - DESTINY'S CHILD
20: MORE THAN THAT - BACKSTREET BOYS (30) - Here's a song I remember hearing at least three times on WKSC, the station I was listening to during said Memorial Day drive (full story on that as soon as this commentary is complete).
19: MAD SEASON - MATCHBOX TWENTY (22) - Sorry, I'll finish this critique tomorrow, as I have too much of a headache to think up new commentary for all these songs, due to the computer fit I just had that made me have to restart the d**n thing. I just hope the storms that are coming our way don't result in power failure.
18: IRRESISTIBLE - JESSICA SIMPSON (21) -
17: DROPS OF JUPITER (TELL ME) - TRAIN (20) -
16: WHAT IT FEELS LIKE FOR A GIRL - MADONNA (19) -
15: BABY COME ON OVER - SAMANTHA MUMBA (18) -
14: THIS IS ME - DREAM (17) -
13: SOUTHSIDE - MOBY f/GWEN STEFANI (15) -
12: STUTTER - JOE (12) -
11: BUTTERFLY - CRAZY TOWN (11) -
OPTIONAL EXTRA: POP - 'N SYNC
10: ANGEL - SHAGGY f/RAYVON (8) -
9: I'M LIKE A BIRD - NELLY FURTADO (10) -
8: THANK YOU - DIDO (7) -
7: PLAY - JENNIFER LOPEZ (9) -
6: SURVIVOR - DESTINY'S CHILD (2) -
LDD: I'LL REMEMBER - MADONNA - Wow, what a LDD! I certainly hope that they eventually found out what happened to Jill, the girl who went on a morning ride on her bike and just vanished.
5: RIDE WIT' ME - NELLY f/CITY SPUD (6) -
4: FOLLOW ME - UNCLE KRACKER (5) -
3: HANGING BY A MOMENT - LIFEHOUSE (4) -
OPTIONAL EXTRA: IT'S BEEN AWHILE - STAIND
2: ALL FOR YOU - JANET (1) -
1: LADY MARMALADE - CHRISTINA AGUILERA f/MYA, PINK & LIL KIM (3) -
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Sorry. 
No, seriously, I like most of ARS' Top 40 hits, this one included.