Chart Critiques

[mrjukebox]

On his 1986 album "Polka Party","Weird Al" Yankovic did an amusing parody of "Who's Johnny"-It was called "Here's Johnny"-It was an homage to the legendary Johnny Carson.

[mrjukebox]

"Bad Boy" was played over the opening credits of the 1987 movie "Three Men & A Baby".

[mrjukebox]

Hervard,In your critique of "You're The One That I Want",you left out John Travolta's name.

[Hervard]

American Top 40: The 70s - June 1, 2024

This week's presentation - May 31, 1975

Note: This is a building commentary, as I remove several references to a 1980 show heard the same week as this one last time it was featured.

Droppers:
TRAMPLED UNDERFOOT - LED ZEPPELIN (38) - wtf did this sound like again? (It was only on the chart for two weeks and the May 17 show was broadcast before I began listening - and May 24 has yet to be featured. I'll have to check this one out on YouTube).
BLOODY WELL RIGHT - SUPERTRAMP (35) - Well, their breakthrough hit only got as high as #35, but the best was yet to come for this British rock band. This song was definitely not one of their best, IMO - I preferred most of their other hits.
RAINY DAY PEOPLE - GORDON LIGHTFOOT (26) - This song sure didn't stay around too long - just four weeks, and it dropped off after moving up the week before. Anyway, this was the only single released from Cold On The Shoulder, his only Top Ten album. Since my Mom played his records all the time when I was a little one, I'm very familiar with all of the songs on that particular album and thought they were all good. Though this song wasn't the best (has sort of a rainy day sound to it, to match its title), it's still a good one.
THE IMMIGRANT - NEIL SEDAKA (22) - Definitely one of his most underrated hits ever! Lulu apparently thought so as well, as her hit from six years later "I Could Never Miss You (More Than I Do)" was a dead ringer for that song (in the choruses).

40: WALKING IN RHYTHM – THE BLACKBYRDS (16) - Wow, what a drop! This song almost fell out of the chart from inside the Top 20, which, as we all know, was a common occurrence in 1982. It also happened frequently in 1975 - only the songs generally fell to right outside the Top 40 instead of way down into the lower half of the Hot 100. Anyway, this was one of two songs for this soul group founded by Donald Byrd. I vaguely remember the other one, "Happy Music", but I seem to remember that I preferred this one.
39: BABY THAT’S BACKATCHA – SMOKEY ROBINSON (debut) - Considering that I'm not a big fan of his 70s solo hits, this was actually a good song - in fact, possibly my favorite of his 70s hits.
38: JUDY MAE – BOOMER CASTLEMAN (debut) - This song raised a few eyebrows, due to its subject matter. I won't describe it here - you'll have to google the lyrics... Anyway, melodically, it was a pretty decent song.
37: (HEY WON’T YOU PLAY) ANOTHER SOMEBODY DONE SOMEBODY WRONG SONG – B.J. THOMAS (20) - Odd that both of his #1 songs had long titles (though the first one wasn't anywhere near as long as this one, which comes in second as the longest #1 song title ever, due to the technicality of the Stars on 45 medley. As for the song, I like it, but I preferred said first #1 song ("Raindrops Keep Falling On My Head") as well as my favorite from him, "Hooked On A Feeling".
36: GOOD LOVIN’ GONE BAD – BAD COMPANY (debut) - This was all the higher that their third single climbed. I've already forgotten how it goes, but I remember that it was pretty good.
35: THE HUSTLE – VAN McCOY & THE SOUL CITY SYMPHONY (debut) - This was the only Top 40 entry for this man born in our nation's capital. Glad this song made it to #1, as it's one of my favorite disco instrumentals of all time!
34: MISTY – RAY STEVENS (40) - Known mainly for his novelty songs, he had a few (somewhat) serious songs as well, like this one. It was a good 'un.
33: THE WAY WE WERE/TRY TO REMEMBER – GLADYS KNIGHT & THE PIPS (39) - Interesting interpretation of the Barbra Streisand classic from the year before, though I preferred the original.
32: KILLER QUEEN - QUEEN (12) - This was their breakthrough smash. It didn't quite hit the Top Ten, but it came close. 10cc's 1977 hit "The Things We Do For Love" reminds me a lot of this song. Both are great songs, IMO,
31: ATTITUDE DANCING – CARLY SIMON (37) - This one was a little underrated, as it had a fast chart run (for a song that practically made the Top 20, that is) - just five weeks on. While it wasn't quite her best, it was still a really good one.
30: REMEMBER WHAT I TOLD YOU TO FORGET - TAVARES (36) - One of eight Top 40 hits for this family soul group from New Bedford. They actually played the flipside, "My Ship". I was never a huge fan of them, but this song would definitely be an exception - possibly my favorite from them.
29: SHAKEY GROUND – THE TEMPTATIONS (31) - They were definitely on their way out at this point, as this was their last Top 30 hit, but what a career they'd had! A total of 37 Top 40 hits. This one wasn't bad, but was your typical roof-raising R&B, and y'all know how I feel about that kind of music.
28: I WANNA DANCE WIT’ CHOO (DOO DAT DANCE) – DISCO TEX & THE SEX-O-LETTES (34) - And here was more of the same - next song, please...
OPTIONAL EXTRA: I'M NOT IN LOVE - 10CC - Well, speak of the devil - I mentioned them several songs back. They did an interesting edit job on this song. They cut out the "Be quiet, big boys don't cry" bridge, and the last verse, as well as the second "ooh you wait a long time for me" bridge - sounds like the same version of the song that they played on a June, 1975 show two years ago. Anyway, Will To Power did a cover of this fifteen years later - I actually slightly preferred that one, but this one was still great as well.
27: I’LL PLAY FOR YOU (HEAR THE BAND) – SEALS & CROFTS (32) - The second song on the show recorded live. I'm not a huge Seals & Crofts fan, but this is an exception - possibly my favorite from them.
26: TAKE ME IN YOUR ARMS (ROCK ME) – THE DOOBIE BROTHERS (30) - This was the next-to-last of their big hits that featured Tom Johnston on lead vocals before Michael McDonald took over the following year. It's a good one, but I preferred "Black Water".
25: LOVE WILL KEEP US TOGETHER – THE CAPTAIN & TENNILLE (33) - Pretty good-sized jump there, but who knew that, in a year that featured more one-week number one songs than any other year, this one somehow managed to spend a month on top, although I'm not sure why, as this was definitely not their best hit. Its saving grace is that it's not as bad as their hit from the fall of the following year, "Muskrat Fungus Love".
24: LAST FAREWELL – ROGER WHITTAKER (29) - Those of you who grew up in the Chicagoland area in the 1970s might have deja vu with the beginning of this song, as Channel 9 WGN used this song for their station ID during the late 1970s and early 1980s. As for the song itself, it was a good one - had sort of an Elvis-like sound to it.
23: MAGIC - PILOT (27) - Here's a true one-hit wonder. I liked this song - they sort of reminded me of ELO.
22: GET DOWN, GET DOWN (GET ON THE FLOOR) – JOE SIMON (28) - This was his eighth and final Top 40 hit, but it turned out to be his biggest (and his very first Top Ten). I thought it was OK, but nothing exceptional.
21: BAD LUCK (PART 1) – HAROLD MELVIN & THE BLUENOTES (25) - Not a fan of this one. My favorite from them would probably be "The Love I Lost".
20: WILDFIRE – MICHAEL MURPHY (24) - He was mainly a country artist, but he had several Top 40 crossover hits, including this one - one of my favorites from him - in fact, it's my second favorite behind "What's Forever For" (and I seem to recall that "Carolina In The Pines" from later on in 1975 was a great one as well).
19: ONLY WOMEN – ALICE COOPER (23) - Surprised that this song missed the Top Ten, seeing that it hit the Top Five on R&R. Anyway, as we all know, I prefer his ballads over his hard rockers, and this was my favorite of the four slow songs that I've heard from him.
18: SHOESHINE BOY – EDDIE KENDRICKS (19) - Though not as successful as his former band the Temptations, he did have a decent solo career (and he was indeed outdoing his old band this week). Anyway, this was a pretty good song, though nothing exceptional.
17: JACKIE BLUE – THE OZARK MOUNTAIN DAREDEVILS (3) - Wow, both shows this week feature hard falls from #3 (as "Lost In Love" from the 1980 show fell 3-18). At least it made it all the way up to #3. Of their two Top 40 hits, this is by far my favorite - a great one that I remember quite well (it was played as a recurrent for several years after it charted).
16: HE DON’T LOVE YOU (LIKE I LOVE YOU) – TONY ORLANDO & DAWN (7) - One of several songs around this time that fell out of the Top 40 just three weeks after being #1. Shows how fast the chart moved back in those days! Anyway, as for the song, it's not bad, but definitely not their best.
15: I’M NOT LISA – JESSI COULTER (21) - CHEEEEESE-fest...
OPTIONAL EXTRA: SWEARIN' TO GOD - FRANKIE VALLI - Valli was still doing double duty, performing solo as well as with the Four Seasons (as the latter would chart later on in the summer). This was a good song - one of his best solo hits.
14: HIJACK – HERBIE MANN (17) - A word that could get you in trouble if you say it on a plane, even if you're greeting your friend whose name happens to be Jack. But seriously, this song (which, oddly enough, fell off the chart the following week) was just so/so.
13: CUT THE CAKE – THE AVERAGE WHITE BAND (18) - This band either hit the Top Ten or missed the Top 30 entirely with their five hits. This was one of their two Top Ten hits - it's pretty much "Pick Up The Pieces" with lyrics.
12: PHILADE LPHIA FREEDOM – THE ELTON JOHN BAND (15) - Interesting that this song moved back up this week (but it's said that word had leaked that the song wouldn't be on Elton's upcoming album Captain Fantastic, which caused people who didn't already have the 45 to buy it at the record store). Anyway, this song was OK, but not one of my favorites from him. I preferred the first single from said album.
11: LOVE WON’T LET ME WAIT – MAJOR HARRIS (13) - A former member of the Delfonics, he was a one-hit wonder as a solo artist. This was a good song - your typical mid-70s slow jam.
10: WHEN WILL I BE LOVED – LINDA RONSTADT (14) - It looked like she might have two #1 songs in a row, but alas, this song just barely missed. This was a great one, and was in a horse race with "Heat Wave" as my favorite of her 1975 hits.
9: I DON’T LIKE TO SLEEP ALONE – PAUL ANKA (8) - Most of his mid-70s hits tend to be on the cheesy side. This one is no exception, but it's still a good song nonetheless.
8: SHINING STAR – EARTH, WIND & FIRE (1) - Throughout the show, Casey mentioned that there was a new #1 song this week. This is the song that vacated the top spot to make that possible. As for the song, it's a great one, though I preferred "That's The Way Of The World", from the same year, meaning that 1975 was definitely one of their best years, IMO.
7: OLD DAYS - CHICAGO (10) - This song sure had a short run for a Top Five hit, didn't it? Just seven weeks in the Top 40 (each of which was spent in the Top 20). But a great song it was - one of their best 70s hits!
6: BAD TIME – GRAND FUNK (9) - Casey mentioned how they had hit the Top Ten on the album chart every year since 1970 (or something like that), tying with Chicago for a record, but Chicago would have that record all to themselves, as they continued to hit the Top Ten the following year. As for the song, it's indeed a great one - possibly my all time favorite Grand Funk song!
5: SISTER GOLDEN HAIR - AMERICA (11) - This song was at #1 on the R&R chart this week and would eventually become their second #1 song on the Hot 100. This was my favorite of the two (though "A Horse With No Name" was also a great one).
OPTIONAL EXTRA: LISTEN TO WHAT THE MAN SAID - PAUL McCartney & WINGS - This was when their songs started improving vastly. Their 1974 songs were mediocre at best (though Junior's Farm was pretty good). From 1975 on, I liked all of their Top Ten hits (well, except for "Silly Love Songs", but that was due to overplay - I did like that song when it was on the charts). This song was one of their best IMO.
4: ONLY YESTERDAY – THE CARPENTERS (4)
3: HOW LONG - ACE (6) - The first of three bands to hit the Top 40 with Paul Carrack on lead vocals (well, technically, it would be the second, as he had left Squeeze by the time they had their first Top 40 hit). Anyway, this was Ace's only big hit, but what a great one it was - one of my favorite songs involving Mr. Carrack!
2: THANK GOD I’M A COUNTRY BOY – JOHN DENVER (5) - This song was definitely on its way to the top! No surprise there, however, as Denver was all over the charts in 1975! This was one of two #1 songs he had that year. It was a great one; very lively and fun!
1: BEFORE THE NEXT TEARDROP FALLS – FREDDY FENDER (2) - Meh, not one of the best hits of the year at all. It's hard to believe that this song made it to #1, as dated as it sounds.

[Hervard]

American Top 40: The 70s - June 1, 2024

This week's presentation - June 2, 1979

LW#3: IN THE NAVY - VILLAGE PEOPLE
LW#2: HOT STUFF - DONNA SUMMER
LW#1: REUNITED - PEACHES & HERB
40: AIN'T NO STOPPIN' US NOW - McFADDEN & WHITEHEAD (debut) - The only Top 40 hit by the founders of Philly soul music, this was one of the best Philly soul hits of all time, IMO! I remember this one quite well.
39: HE'S THE GREATEST DANCER - SISTER SLEDGE (14) - Of course, everybody knows that Will Smith sampled this song for his big 1998 hit "Gettin' Jiggy Wit' It". I liked both songs about the same, although neither are anything exceptional, IMO.
38: WHEN YOU'RE IN LOVE WITH A BEAUTIFUL WOMAN - DR. HOOK (debut) - As we all know, my favorite song from them was "Better Love Next Time", but this was a good one too - and it became one of their most successful hits.
37: GOLD - JOHN STEWART (debut) - Here's one of several R&R-only #1 songs on this week's chart (there are quite a few of them this week, I believe). This one featured Stevie Nicks & Lindsey Buckingham on background vocals - making an already great song even better!
36: DANCE THE NIGHT AWAY - VAN HALEN (40) - I generally prefer the Van Hagar era, but this was one of my favorite songs of theirs before 1986 - in fact it's possible that it is my very favorite of their songs with David Lee Roth at the mic. This was one of my all-time faves from them in either era.
35: LITTLE BIT OF SOAP - NIGEL OLSSON (38) - After three remakes of this classic by the Jarmels, this is the first cover of it to finally break into the Top 40. This was a great song - of Olsson's two Top 40 hits (both in 1979), I preferred this one.
EXTRA: THE LONG AND WINDING ROAD - BEATLES
34: SATURDAY NIGHT, SUNDAY MORNING - THELMA HOUSTON (35) - She was a disco "two-hit wonder", as this was her second, more obscure Top 40 hit. It was pretty good, but I preferred her #1 "Don't Leave Me This Way".
ARCHIVES: BENNIE & THE JETS - ELTON JOHN -
OPTIONAL EXTRA: YOU CAN'T CHANGE THAT - RAY PARKER, JR. & RAYDIO - This song and their 1981 song "A Woman Needs Love" sounded very similar. I slightly prefer this one though (but both of them are great songs.
33: IT MUST BE LOVE - ALTON McCLAIN & DESTINY (36) - This R&B trio was one of many faceless disco one-hit wonders of this era. The song was OK, but pretty much blends in with all the other R&B disco hits of the late-70s.
32: SHINE A LITTLE LOVE - ELECTRIC LIGHT ORCHESTRA (debut) - Here's another R&R-only #1 song. This would peak at #8 on the AT40 chart. It was a great song - one of their best!
31: (IF LOVING YOU IS WRONG) I DON'T WANT TO BE RIGHT - BARBARA MANDRELL
EXTRA: PAPA'S GOT A BRAND NEW BAG - JAMES BROWN
30: LOVE TAKES TIME - ORLEANS (11) - This was their last of three Top 40 hits, all of which made the Top 20. Actually, they were almost all Top Ten hits, but this one just barely fell short (the song did peak at #7 on the R&R chart, so it performed the hat trick there). This song, which sounds a cross between their other two hits, was my favorite of the three songs, although the others were great ones too. That said, it's too bad they didn't have anymore chart hits.
29: STUMBLIN' IN - SUZI QUATRO & CHRIS NORMAN (9) - She starred on Happy Days as Leather Tuscadero, and he was lead singer of Smokie, of "Living Next Door To Alice" fame. They teamed up for this song, which was a good one, IMO.
28: OLD TIME ROCK AND ROLL - BOB SEGER & THE SILVER BULLET BAND (28) - I find it odd that this song didn't get above #28, considering all the recurrent airplay it gets. Not that I'm complaining, because I never really got into this song. One of my least favorites from him/them.
27: MAKIN' IT - DAVID NAUGHTON (30) - This one hit the Top Five on the Hot 100, but only reached #25 on the R&R chart. As for my opinion on this song, it was OK, but a little gimmicky. It did, however, make for an interesting LDD on an early 1980 show - from a girl, who had dreams of being a model, to her family, who pretty much bullied her about her endeavor. The LDD was pretty much a raspberry to them, which served them right, as she had indeed lived her dream.
26: I WANT YOU TO WANT ME - CHEAP TRICK (32) - Now here's one I remember quite well from the summer of 1979, as I heard it regularly on the jukebox at the beach house that I went to a lot that summer, plus WLS played it regularly. I liked this song a lot.
25: GET USED TO IT - ROGER VOUDOURIS (27) - Oddly enough, this Sacramento native predicted that he was going to be a huge success (I believe that story was told on the previous week's show), yet this was his sole Top 40 hit. It was a great song IMO.
24: HONESTY - BILLY JOEL (24) - This song indeed hit a brick wall! After making a promising eleven-spot move the week before, it climbed only two more spots this week, held in place the following week, and then fell clean off the chart. I guess it was more or less an AC hit (where it hit the Top Ten). It was a good song, though definitely not his best.
23: AIN'T LOVE A BEEOTCH - ROD STEWART (23) - Sorry; I know that's not how it's spelled, but if I spelled it correctly, it would end up being "pregnant dog". Anyway, this was Rod's follow-up to one of his biggest hits ever, "Da Ya Think I'm Sexy". However, it was nowhere near as successful, as it ran out of gas before it even hit the Top 20. It was pretty good, but definitely far from being his best.
ARCHIVES: T.S.O.P. (THE SOUND OF PHILADELPHIA) - M.F.S.B. - I believe this was the first Philly Soul song, the type of music that would become popular over the next few years. I rather liked the song, which, of course, was the theme from Soul Train.
OPTIONAL EXTRA: BAD GIRLS - DONNA SUMMER - As "Hot Stuff" was still riding high on the charts, her follow-up was moving up the Hot 100, but it didn't seem to steal any thunder from "Hot Stuff", as that song lasted a long time in the Top Ten. As stated earlier, she came close to succeeding herself at the top with this song, but Anita Ward wasn't having any of it. As for my opinion of the song, I preferred "Hot Stuff", but this song was good too.
22: HOT NUMBER - FOXY (22) - Well, this isn't really a hot number to me, as I'm not into this type of music (but you already know that, right?)
21: BOOGIE WONDERLAND - EARTH, WIND & FIRE W/ THE EMOTIONS (34) - A one-time team-up between these two acts. The song was OK, but I preferred most of EW+F's other material (and the only other song I've heard by the Emotions was "Best Of My Love" - yes, I preferred that one too).
20: MINUTE BY MINUTE - DOOBIE BROTHERS (31) - The title track from their #1 album, which had topped the chart back in April/May, and the follow-up to "What A Fool Believes". Of course, that was the song that I preferred of the two.
LDD: CAN'T SMILE WITHOUT YOU - BARRY MANILOW
19: RING MY BELL - ANITA WARD (39) - A disco one-hit wonder here, only this one was one of the bigger ones, since it went all the way to #1 in July. This was the song that kept Donna Summer from succeeding herself at #1, as it hit the top between "Hot Stuff" and "Bad Girls"
18: YOU TAKE MY BREATH AWAY - REX SMITH (20) - Here's a song that I heard a lot back in the summer of '79, and one that I often got confused with the Kenny Rogers song, since the beginning sounded the same to me (only this one had synth along with the piano). This song was from the TV movie Sooner Or Later, in which Rex himself was the star. I loved this song when it was on the charts and still love it today!
17: RENEGADE - STYX (19) - I'm surprised that this song only got as high was #16, given all the airplay it received back in the day. It is also a classic rock staple. I liked it, but preferred "Blue Collar Man", from the same album, Pieces of Eight.
16: ROCK 'N' ROLL FANTASY - BAD COMPANY (18) - This was their only gold single (yet it only got as high as #13 - not sure what the deal was there). Anyway, this was one of my personal faves from the summer of 1979 - this was another one that would be played on the beach house jukebox on a regular basis - sometimes, by yours truly.
15: HEART OF GLASS - BLONDIE (13) - This band has sort of an odd chart history - they either hit #1 or missed the Top 20 entirely with their eight hits. This was the first of four #1s. It was good, but I preferred "Call Me" and "Rapture". Interesting story about the "careless record thief".
14: SHE BELIEVES IN ME - KENNY ROGERS (21) - This song would peak at #5 for on AT40, but on the R&R chart, it managed to sneak in a week at #1. I remember this song quite well from '79 - Another one of my favorites that reminds me of the beach!
13: DISCO NIGHTS - G.Q. (15) - This was the first of two hits (from the same year, no less) from this soul group from the Bronx. This was one of several songs sampled in Kon Kan's 1989 hit "I Beg Your Pardon". Not a bad song, though I preferred their other hit, "I Do Love You", which charted later that summer.
ARCHIVES: THE LOCO-MOTION - GRAND FUNK - This song hit #1 twice - first, by Little Eva in 1962 and this version by Grand Funk. There was even a third version in 1988 that performed very well, hitting the Top Five, by Kylie Minogue. Of those three, this would be my favorite.
OPTIONAL EXTRA: I WAS MADE FOR LOVIN' YOU - KISS - They seemed to have jumped on the disco bandwagon at this point (not a good move, as this was just before Steve Dahl's infamous Disco Demolition). This would be their last Top 40 hit for over ten years - they finally returned in early 1990 with what would be their second Top Ten hit - like the first one, it was a ballad.
12: DEEPER THAN THE NIGHT - OLIVIA NEWTON-JOHN (16) - Her second of two hits from 1979. I personally preferred her other one, "A Little More Love", but this wasn't far behind at all, as it was also a great song!
11: CHUCK E'S IN LOVE - RICKIE LEE JONES (17) - Here is another song hit #1 on the R&R chart, but fell short on the Hot 100 (though it did peak a spot higher). The song wasn't bad, but definitely not one I'd want to hear all the time.
10: LOVE IS THE ANSWER - ENGLAND DAN & JOHN FORD COLEY (10) - This was the last of this duo's six Top 40 hits, four of them Top Tens, including this one, one of my favorites of the bunch. In fact, I don't think there were any songs by then that I didn't like.
9: LOGICAL SONG - SUPERTRAMP (12) - Here is the last of the R&R-only #1 songs on this week's chart. This British rock band formed in 1969 and had their very first Top Ten hit exactly ten years later. This was my favorite song in the world back in 1979. I liked most of their Breakfast In America album, which I finally bought in August of that year (remember - I was only seven and didn't have a ton of spending money).
8: IN THE NAVY - VILLAGE PEOPLE (3) - As we all know, their biggest hit was one of my "No. Just no" songs (and sometimes it would get a rating even worse than that). This one, on the other hand, I actually really like. Probably because there wasn't a goofy, overdone dance to go along with it (they could have easily done that with the "They want you! They want you! They want you as a new recruit!" chant, but to my best of knowledge, that has not materialized - yet).
7: SHAKE YOUR BODY (DOWN TO THE GROUND) - THE JACKSONS (7) - I generally preferred their earlier songs, but this is a song that I've actually found myself liking a little better than I had previously.
6: JUST WHEN I NEEDED YOU MOST - RANDY VANWARMER (8) - The only Top 40 song from this man from Colorado who, sadly, passed away twenty years ago. It was a really good song, but not one to listen to when feeling depressed, especially over a recent breakup.
5: GOODNIGHT TONIGHT - WINGS (5) - This was the last of their Top Ten hits from the 70s (they would have one more, which would end up becoming one of their biggest hits of all-time, a year later). This was a great song, but I preferred a few others, including said 1980 #1.
4: WE ARE FAMILY - SISTER SLEDGE (6) - Wow, with the way this song was climbing the chart (moved 27-13-6 over the past three weeks), it had number one written all over it, but it was not to be - it had to settle for second best. Not sure which of their two Top Ten songs I prefer, although neither of them are exceptional, IMO.
3: LOVE YOU INSIDE OUT - BEE GEES (4) - This one was said to have been artificially moved to the top, so as to keep their #1 streak alive. Whether or not that is true I have no idea, but nevertheless, this was a good song - my second favorite from Spirits Having Flown behind "Tragedy".
OPTIONAL EXTRA: ONE WAY OR ANOTHER - BLONDIE - This song had an odd chart run - it appeared to have peaked at #34 and dropped out the week after, but it got a second wind the following week, re-entering the chart at #29, on its way to a #24 peak. I was never a big fan of this song - I found it annoying and obnoxious sounding.
2: REUNITED - PEACHES & HERB (1) - This was by far their biggest hit ever, spending the past four weeks at the top. It is also my favorite song from them - one of the best love songs of all time!
1: HOT STUFF - DONNA SUMMER (2) - This song indeed lived up to its name! After its huge 20-3 move three weeks before, it seemed like a cinch to hit #1 the following week, but the #1 song was obviously quite strong and managed to hold it at bay for two more weeks. This was a good one - my second favorite of her many 1979 hits, behind "Heaven Knows".

[Hervard]

American Top 40: The 80s - June 1, 2024

This week's presentation - June 4, 1983

DROPPERS:
MR. ROBOTO - STYX (32) - The first of two hits from them on this week's chart. This one was OK, but I was never a huge fan of it, so no big loss.
MORNIN' - JARREAU (29) - Wow, this guy must have been in a really good mood if he greeted the radio and his cereal! I liked most of his Top 40 hits (and a few others that only hit the smooth jazz and AC charts), this one included.
COME ON EILEEN - DEXY'S MIDNIGHT RUNNERS (22) - One of the biggest one-hit wonders of the 1980s. No huge loss here, though I did like it at first (I even went out and bought the 45 when the song was on its way up the chart) but overplay did it in - I'm still pretty much burned out on it today.

LW#1: FLASHDANCE…WHAT A FEELING - IRENE CARA
40: THE CLOSER YOU GET - ALABAMA (debut) - The fourth and final country crossover from Alabama. Possibly my second favorite of those behind "Love In The First Degree"
39: LOOKING FOR A STRANGER - PAT BENATAR (39) - One of her more obscure songs - it was a good one, but I preferred several other songs from her.
38: RIO - DURAN DURAN (21) - The title track to their breakthrough album in the USA, which made its first appearance almost exactly a year before. I preferred their first hit "Hungry Like The Wolf", though.
37: ALL MY LIFE - KENNY ROGERS (38) - And this was one of Rogers' less successful pop songs (although it fared quite well at AC radio, peaking at #2). Actually, I do remember this song, as I heard it on U93 quite often in 1983. It was a great one - my favorite of his songs from that year.
36: EVERY BREATH YOU TAKE - THE POLICE (debut) - With such a strong debut on the Hot 100, you knew it had to be a big hit, but little did anyone know just how big this one would be! Eight weeks at #1, and an almost across-the-board #1 song of 1983 - in fact, many publications listed this song as the biggest hit of the entire decade! And overplayed - was it ever! Seriously, back in the summer of 1983, it was a challenge to listen to any Top 40 station for an hour without hearing this song. The song is still played out on 80s-based AC and oldies stations. I do, however, like this better than a few of their 70s songs (like "Roxanne" and "Message In A Bottle").
35: NO TIME FOR TALK - CHRISTOPHER CROSS (36) - His Another Page album sure did not measure up to the success of his first album - that one generated four Top Twenty hits (including the #1 hit "Sailing"), but it looked as though he wouldn't have a Top Ten from his sophomore album (he did end up peaking at #9 with the third single, though). This was IMO his most underrated hit ever - definitely one of my favorites from him.
34: ALL THIS LOVE - DeBARGE (35) - This is another song that U93 played regularly in the summer of 1983, like the Kenny Rogers song from earlier. It was a great one, though I preferred "Time Will Reveal" and "Who's Holding Donna Now". Beth Nielsen Chapman's song "That's The Easy Part", from her 1991 self-titled album reminds me a lot of this song.
33: OUR HOUSE - MADNESS (40) - This was the first of two hits with which this British band charted here in the states (although they are often regarded as a one-hit wonder, as not many people know their second hit, "It Must Be Love"). I prefer this song, which I remember hearing on the radio all the time back in the summer of 1983. Just a few years ago, I learned the meaning of the line "the kids are playing up downstairs". For the longest time, I meant that it meant that they were running up and down the stairs, but "playing up" is actually a British term for "misbehaving" (commonly referred to as "acting up")
32: THAT'S LOVE - JIM CAPALDI (34) - When someone told him to go play in traffic, he did just that - he was the drummer in the band called Traffic, with Steve Winwood and Dave Mason. This was his only solo hit, which, like the Christopher Cross song at #35, I felt was quite underrated.
31: STRANGER IN MY HOUSE - RONNIE MILSAP (23) - This was possibly his least country sounding song - it had more of a rock/pop sound to it (which may have had something to do with why it was still climbing the country chart after already having peaked on the Hot 100). It was pretty good, but definitely not one of his best IMO.
OPTIONAL EXTRA: CHINA GIRL - DAVID BOWIE - Larry did a rundown of #1 songs on other charts leading up to this song, since his other hit "Let's Dance" was #1 on the dance chart this week. As we probably know all too well, my favorite songs from him were his two 1987 hits, but this one wasn't bad either.
30: THE ONE THING - INXS (30) - This was their breakthrough hit here in the states, although it was several years before they hit the Top Ten. I actually thought this song was pretty good.
29: THE WOMAN IN YOU - THE BEE GEES (33) - It looked like the Bee Gees were making a comeback, but it wasn't a big one, as this didn't even hit the Top 20 (they would, however, return to the Top Ten six years later with their song "One").
28: COME DANCING - THE KINKS (37) - An act who was part of both British invasions. Though the Kinks were more famous for their '60s and early-70s hits, this was actually their biggest hit. It had tied "Tired Of Waiting For You" for its peak of #6, weeks at the peak (2) and weeks in the Top Ten. "Tired", however, spent only eight weeks in the Top 40 and this song bested that by four weeks. Anyway, this is one of my favorite songs from them.
27: WE TWO - THE LITTLE RIVER BAND (32) - They'd definitely had their day in the sun several years before, over a period of about three and a half years, but, unfortunately, this was their next to last Top 40 hit. It was definitely one of my favorites from them, giving "Lady" a run for its money.
26: TRY AGAIN - CHAMPAIGN (27) - This song indeed looked promising at first with a debut at #30 three weeks back, with prospects of it possibly surpassing the #12 peak of their first hit, but that was not to be, as the song only got three spots higher (the following week, in fact). The song did well at AC radio, though, peaking at #6 (and I remember hearing it on U93's Top 93 of 1983 countdown). I liked their two Top 40 songs about the same - both great songs!
25: DER KOMMISAR - AFTER THE FIRE (18) - One of several one-hit wonders from the early-80s British Invasion. This song was pretty good, but was quite overplayed.
LDD: OUT HERE ON MY OWN - IRENE CARA - Anyone who has ever heard the obscure "How Do You Keep The Music Playing", Patti Austin's other duet with James Ingram (which was on its way up the Hot 100) might notice the similarity between the two songs. This is definitely one of my favorite Irene Cara songs, and one of her most underrated. It also fit the LDD.
24: JEOPARDY - GREG KIHN BAND (15) - This was the biggest of their three Top 40 hits, as well as my favorite of the three! Too bad that it doesn't get much recurrent airplay - pretty much the only song from them that's ever played on the radio is "The Break-Up Song", their debut hit from two years before.
23: I WON'T HOLD YOU BACK - TOTO (19) - This would turn out to be their final Top Ten (though they came very close in 1986 with "I'll Be Over You"). I wasn't crazy about this song at first, but it grew on me and became one of my favorites from Toto.
22: WANNA BE STARTIN' SOMETHING - MICHAEL JACKSON (debut) - Wow, what a powerful debut, though, considering the album that it is from, it should come as no surprise whatsoever. This song wasn't bad, but I found it sort of annoying - especially the album version, which seemed to go on and on. Fortunately, AT40 usually, if not always, played the single edit, which was nearly two minutes shorter (and is it me, or did AT40 edit this one even more?)
21: I'M STILL STANDING - ELTON JOHN (28) - I'm surprised that this song only got as high as #12, considering it got a ton of airplay during the summer of 1983. Must have been a poor seller. Anyway, I liked this song - one of his best 80s hits!
OPTIONAL EXTRA: 1999 - PRINCE - Amazing that this song made the Top 40 three separate times. What's more - it had four chart runs on the Hot 100, as its first chart appearance was in late 1982, then, of course, after the success of "Little Red Corvette", it was re-released and peaked at #12. Then, it was played enough at the beginning of its namesake year and hit #40, and charted again shortly after Prince died in 2016, peaking at #27 that time around. Due to the overplay of this song, both back in 1983 and today, I'm still burned out on it and it is actually one of my least favorite songs from him (not that I was crazy about it in the first place).
20: TOO SHY - KAJAGOOGOO (26) - I don't think I need to remind you how annoying I think this song is, do I? .
19: SHE'S A BEAUTY - THE TUBES (20) - The second Top 40 hit from this band formed in San Francisco. I was never a big fan of this one; my favorite of theirs was actually their near-miss on the Hot 100, "Talk To Ya Later", from the fall of 1981.
18: NEVER GONNA LET YOU GO - SERGIO MENDES (24) - Today, this song would be billed as "Sergio Mendes featuring Joe Pizzulo & Leeza Miller". This was a somewhat overplayed song that I loved to death at first, but eventually got tired of it. I do like it now; the synth bridge after the second verse is great!
17: PHOTOGRAPH - DEF LEPPARD (16) - This was their first Top 40 hit - came close to the Top Ten, but didn't quite make it. They wouldn't hit the Top Ten until the Hysteria era - they even had a #1 hit from that album. As for this song, it was my favorite song from Pyromania.
16: ELECTRIC AVENUE - EDDY GRANT (25) - Definitely one of the most played songs of the summer of 1983 (It was #1 on WLS for three or four weeks). It was a good one, although I did get tired of hearing it no less than ten times a day.
15: FAMILY MAN - HALL AND OATES (17) - Meh, not one of their better hits by a longshot. My least favorite of their 1983 hits.
14: DON'T LET IT END - STYX (14) - Wow, kind of odd that this song was in holding pattern, seeing that it would be a Top Ten hit. As I've stated before, it can be hard for me to listen to this song and, on several occasions, I've had to turn the volume down during the first verse. The song isn't quite as depressing once the beat picks up right before the first chorus.
13: FAITHFULLY - JOURNEY (13) - Strange that this song missed the Top Ten, since it still receives a ton of recurrent airplay, especially on AC-based oldies stations. I like it, but preferred many others from them
EXTRA: 25 OR 6 TO 4 - CHICAGO - Interesting story about how Robert Lamm came up with the title of this song! If I'm not mistaken, this was their first Top 40 hit with Peter Cetera as the lead vocalist, and what a great job he did!
12: ALWAYS SOMETHING THERE TO REMIND ME - NAKED EYES (12) - Here's one of those acts that only lasted a little over a year on the charts. This was the biggest of their four hits and the only one that made the Top Ten. I preferred their next hit "Promises Promises".
11: AFFAIR OF THE HEART - RICK SPRINGFIELD (11) - Wow, this was indeed a tight spot in the countdown, with four songs in a row that hadn't peaked yet stuck in holding pattern! This song wasn't bad, but this is around the time when his musical quality was beginning to slip.
OPTIONAL EXTRA: STAND BACK - STEVIE NICKS - She was still an active member of Fleetwood Mac, but also had a successful solo career going as well. This was the first of three hits from The Wild Heart. It was a good one, but sounds quite a lot like "Little Red Corvette...
10: STRAIGHT FROM THE HEART - BRYAN ADAMS (10) - Another song in holding pattern - only this is where it peaked. This was Adams' very first Top 40 hit, and it also made the Top Ten, and there was a lot more where that came from! As for my opinion of the song, it wasn't bad, but I preferred the Reckless era.
9: SOLITAIRE - LAURA BRANIGAN (7) -This used to be my favorite card game in the world! As for the song, it was good, but I preferred her two songs that bookended this one.
8: LITTLE RED CORVETTE - PRINCE (6) - It wasn't until about twenty or so years ago that I realized how nasty this song was. Nevertheless, I thought it was a great song - one of his best!
LDD: UP WHERE WE BELONG - JOE C0CKER AND JENNIFER WARNES - Our lips seize up where we belong? What kind of lyric is that? BTW, the censor feature could use a little fine tuning - it doesn't change Joe's last name to Thingyer, but the letters go to lower case when posted - which, of course, is why I used a zero in Joe's last name. Oh, my opinion on the song - it was a good one, and it definitely fit the dedication.
7: MY LOVE - LIONEL RICHIE (9) - This song was the third of an incredible 13 consecutive Top Ten hits for Mr. Richie. It was a good one, but my least favorite of his three Top 40 songs from his debut album.
6: BEAT IT - MICHAEL JACKSON (3) - This song featured an (awesome) guitar solo by Eddie Van Halen. As a result, it was played on AOR stations as well as Top 40 radio. This was my favorite single from Thriller.
5: SHE BLINDED ME WITH SCIENCE - THOMAS DOLBY (5) - There were two versions of this song that I heard on the radio back in the day. There was the single version, which sounded more or less like a remix of the album version, which was my favorite version of the song and the only one that AT40 ever played.
4: TIME - CULTURE CLUB (8) - Wow, very powerful story about how Boy George recorded a tape of him talking to that girl who was in a coma, repeating her name and saying she had to get better. This was their second Top 40 hit, as well as their second to make the Top Five. This was my favorite song from their Kissing To Be Clever album.
3: OVERKILL - MEN AT WORK (4) - Kinda strange that this song was still moving up, as it was on its way down the R&R chart, having just spent three weeks at #1. Anyway, this is definitely my favorite song from them. Too bad it doesn't get much recurrent airplay - but let's play the hell out of the Business As Usual singles
OPTIONAL EXTRA: BABY JANE - ROD STEWART - Is it me, or did WNYR play this as an extra twice? I could have sworn I heard the song ending as I was coming back to listen to the show after dinner. Well, anyway, as I recall, WLS passed over this song, so I never really heard it much outside of the countdowns - I don't even remember hearing it on U93 that often. Anyway, this song wasn't bad, but definitely far from being his best.
2: LET'S DANCE - DAVID BOWIE (2) - The beginning of the song sounds so much like the refrains in "Twist And Shout". Though I'm not a huge David Bowie fan, I actually thought this one was pretty good - my favorite of his two #1 hits.
1: FLASHDANCE….WHAT A FEELING - IRENE CARA (1) - Here's another song that was overplayed back in the summer of 1983 - I didn't like it much in the first place, then overplay made me hate it - then, somehow, I began liking this song around the time it was starting to head down the charts. Now I think it's a great song - one of my favorite #1's of 1983.

[chrislc]

>When someone told him to go play in traffic, he did just that - he was the drummer in the band called Traffic<



Here's where I say "I wish I would have said that" and someone replies "you will".

>OPTIONAL EXTRA: Amazing that this song made the Top 40 three separate times. What's more - it had four chart runs on the Hot 100, as its first chart appearance was in late 1982, then, of course, after the success of "I Wanna Be Your Lover", it was re-released and peaked at #12. Due to the overplay, both back in 1983 and today, I'm still burned out on it and it is actually one of my least favorite songs from him (not that I was crazy about it in the first place).<

THE SONG TITLE THAT SHALL NOT BE NAMED by The Artist Formerly Known As

[chrislc]

>40: AIN'T NO STOPPIN' US NOW - McFADDEN & WHITEHEAD
39: HE'S THE GREATEST DANCER - SISTER SLEDGE
38: WHEN YOU'RE IN LOVE WITH A BEAUTIFUL WOMAN - DR. HOOK
37: GOLD - JOHN STEWART<

This is one of those great "First Four Songs" and HE'S THE GREATEST DANCER was part of two of those - one going in - the other going out.

[mrjukebox]

"Love Is The Answer" was written & first recorded by Todd Rundgren's band Utopia.

[mrjukebox]

"Chuck E's In Love" was written about Chuck E.Weiss who was a musician friend of Rickie Lee Jones.

[mrjukebox]

"Goodnight Tonight" by Paul Mc Cartney & Wings was one of the featured songs on this week's A show presentation from 6/2/79-Unfortunately,it was left off their final album "Back To The Egg" which generated a pair of top forty hits "Getting Closer" & "Arrow Through Me".

[mrjukebox]

"Getting Closer" & "Arrow Through Me" peaked at # 20 & # 29 respectively.

[mrjukebox]

"Out Here On My Own" by Irene Cara is a fantastic song-It was written by Lesley Gore of "It's My Party" fame along with her brother Michael.

[Hervard]

American Top 40: The 80s - June 8, 2024

This week's presentation - June 4, 1977

Droppers:
I GOT LOVE ON MY MIND - NATALIE COLE (39) - This was, statistically, her biggest hit ever. I think it's a good one, but I preferred her 1980s and 1990s hits.
EVERYBODY BE DANCIN' - STARBUCK (38) - This group is generally known as a one-hit wonder, as the only song that most people know from them is "Moonlight Feels Right", which this one sounds a lot like (even contains the same instruments). But I preferred their bigger hit, which hit the Top Five the previous summer.
CALLING DR. LOVE - KISS (22) - 1976 - 1977 was definitely their heyday, since that was when they had the most hits. This song wasn't bad, but I preferred their two Top Ten hits.
SO INTO YOU - ATLANTA RHYTHM SECTION (21) - Another somewhat sporadially charting band, like Tavares. This was a great song - not sure whether I prefer this or "Imaginary Lover", their two Top Ten hits (sort of a similar situation with Kiss).
RIGHT TIME OF THE NIGHT - JENNIFER WARNES (19) - This song was written by Peter McCann, who himself had a hit in this week's Top 40. This was my favorite of the two hits, as well as one of my faves from Jennifer Warnes.

40: SPIRIT IN THE NIGHT – MANFRED MANN’S EARTH BAND (debut) - After the success of the Springsteen-penned "Blinded By The Light", they decided to give this song, which had originally bombed the year before, peaking at #97, another shot. Well, though it did fare better the second time around, it didn't get any higher than #40. It was actually a pretty good song - I'm surprised it didn't do any better than it did.
39: THIS IS THE WAY THAT I FEEL – MARIE OSMOND (debut) - She just didn't seem to cut it without Donny. Even though her first solo hit, "Paper Roses" was a Top Ten hit, her two follow-ups barely scraped into the Top 40. This song wasn't bad, but nothing special either.
38: KNOWING ME, KNOWING YOU - ABBA (debut) - Their second of two hits from 1977 ("The Name Of The Game" doesn't count, as it wasn't even heard on AT40 until 1978). Though I preferred "Dancing Queen", this one was a great song as well!
37: HOLLYWOOD – RUFUS FEATURING CHAKA KHAN (debut) - Their seventh Top 40 hit - your typical 70s R&B slow jam. It was not bad, but I preferred a few others from the band, as well as Chaka Khan as a solo artist.
36: LIDO SHUFFLE – BOZ SCAGGS (18) - Definitely one of the hits that I associate with the spring of 1977 (the station that I listened to played it well into the summmer as well). My favorite of his hits!
35: SLOWDOWN – JOHN MILES (37) - This was the only Top 40 hit for this Jarrow, England native. The song was OK, but nothing I'd go out of my way to listen to.
34: GONNA FLY NOW (THEME FROM “ROCKY”) – MAYNARD FERGUSON (35) - The first of two versions of this song on the chart. I preferred Bill Conti's version, which was in the Top Ten.
33: DA DOO RON RON – SHAUN CASSIDY (debut) - The first of three Top Ten hits for Shaun Cassidy, and the biggest, as it would hit #1 in July. Of the two charted versions of this song, I definitely prefer this one.
32: I JUST WANT TO BE YOUR EVERYTHING – ANDY GIBB (37) - The only of the Gibb brothers that was not in the Bee Gees, but his solo career was definitely a success! His first three singles all hit #1. This was by far my favorite song from him (and it eventually went on to become AT40's top song of 1977).
31: BACK TOGETHER AGAIN – DARYL HALL & JOHN OATES (34) - The follow-up to their first #1 song. The song, however, didn't do anywhere near as well as "Rich Girl" and as for me, I prefer the latter, though this one wasn't bad either - reminded me a little of Earth, Wind & Fire.
30: MY HEART BELONGS TO ME – BARBRA STREISAND (40) - Her second of two Top Five hits during the year 1977. Both are great songs, but I slightly prefer this one.
29: ARIEL – DEAN FRIEDMAN (37) - This may have been his only Top 40 hit, but it definitely got a lot of mileage, especially for a song that peaked at #26 - ten (non-consecutive) weeks in the Top 40 and 22 on the Hot 100! I love this song - heard it many times on my Barry Scott's Lost 45s CD.
28: LOVE’S GROWN DEEP – KENNY NOLAN (31) - A two-hit wonder, although I imagine that most people don't remember this one, as it has fallen into obscurity. Not sure if I prefer this or "I Like Dreamin'", though the latter tends to get stuck in my mind.
OPTIONAL EXTRA: BARRACUDA - HEART - A high point in the show for our friend JessieLou. I used to think this song was just OK, but I've recently gotten to like it a lot recently.
27: HIGH SCHOOL DANCE – THE SYLVERS (29) - Their first two hits made the Top Five, but this one petered out at #17. Can't really call this "Third-Single Syndrome", as the three songs weren't from the same album. This song wasn't bad, but my favorite from them was "Boogie Fever".
26: DO YOU WANNA MAKE LOVE – PETER MCCANN (30) - The first of at least two songs on the countdown during 1977 that McCann wrote. As stated earlier, I prefer the other song; this one was way too schmaltzy IMO.
25: UPTOWN FESTIVAL - SHALAMAR (26) - Five classic Motown songs woven into a medley. Pretty good.
24: MAINSTREET – BOB SEGER (25) - His second release from "Night Moves" and my favorite of the two. This one was doing quite well at first, but hit a brick wall this week, moving up only a single spot, then falling out of the Top 40 the following week. Too bad, as it was a great song!
23: SLOW DANCIN’ DON’T TURN ME ON – ADDRISI BROTHERS (27) - There were several "two-hit wonders" on the countdown this week. Their first hit charted in 1972 and five years later, they came back with this song, which eventually peaked at #20. This one was OK, but nothing special.
22: WHODUNIT - TAVARES (23) - They seemed to chart sporadically throughout the 70s. I like a few of their songs, but this wasn't one of them (too repetitive).
21: MARGARITAVILLE – JIMMY BUFFETT (24) - This song's not bad, but quite overplayed. I preferred other songs from him, such as "Cheeseburger In Paradise" and "Fins". They usually butchered this one, cutting out the instrumental bridge, as well as the ending (when he repeats the last two lines of the chorus) and this week was no exception. Did they ever play this song intact during its chart run?
20: LOOKS LIKE WE MADE IT – BARRY MANILOW (33) - This was his third and final #1 hit. No matter; he'd have many more big hits. This was by far my favorite of his #1 songs.
19: LIFE IN THE FAST LANE – THE EAGLES (28) - This song was off to a promising start, with its high debut and large chart jump this week, but the song just barely missed the Top Ten, ending the streak that they had going (though the streak would have been broken anyway in early 1979, as "Please Come Home For Christmas" wasn't on the chart long enough to hit the Top Ten, as it was a seasonal hit). As for this song, I liked it, but preferred their two other "Hotel California" hits.
18: SOUTHERN NIGHTS – GLEN CAMPBELL (12) - Campbell had many Top 40 hits, and two of those went all the way to #1, including this one. I like it, but preferred his other #1 hit, "Rhinestone Cowboy" from two years before.
17: HELLO STRANGER – YVONNE ELLIMAN (15) - The second of five hits for her, and the second biggest, behind "If I Can't Have You". I prefer the latter by a fair margin.
16: JET AIRLINER – THE STEVE MILLER BAND (20) - The second of four Top 40 hits for the band during 1977 (and the lead-off single from Book Of Dreams). Definitely one of their best hits.
15: HEARD IT IN A LOVE SONG – THE MARSHALL TUCKER BAND (17) - Another "two-hit wonder", and this is by far their best known of the two hits - and my favorite as well (though I seem to remember that "Fire On The Mountain" was pretty good as well).
14: AIN’T GONNA BUMP NO MORE (WITH NO BIG FAT WOMAN) – JOE TEX (16) - Meh, not a fan of this one at all.
OPTIONAL EXTRA: EASY - THE COMMODORES - This was when their musical quality began to improve, as their first few hits were mediocre. This remains one of my favorite Commodores songs of all time!
13: HOTEL CALIFORNIA – THE EAGLES (11) - The title track from one of their biggest albums ever and, as stated earlier, one of my favorites from them. A true classic which has aged quite well! Anyone notice the sloppy ending at the beginning, as Casey's intro was ending?
12: ANGEL IN YOUR ARMS - HOT (13) - Another one-hit wonder, though, like "Undercover Angel", it went quite a long way, spending 19 weeks on the chart. I used to like this one, but not so much anymore, as it's about infidelity - plus the music is kind of boring.
11: UNDERCOVER ANGEL – ALAN O’DAY (14) - This was his only charted hit of his own, but he did write several other big hits ("Angie Baby" by Helen Reddy, for instance). As for this song, well, I love it! Definitely one of the best #1 hits of 1977, IMO.
10: WHEN I NEED YOU – LEO SAYER (2) - One of three Top 20 hits that Leo charted with during the year. It was OK, but somewhat schmaltzy. I preferred his other two songs, which bookended this one.
9: FEELS LIKE THE FIRST TIME - FOREIGNER (10) - The first of many hits for this legendary band, and a great one at that - both the song and the band!
8: LONELY BOY – ANDREW GOLD (9) - This may have been his biggest chart hit, but his other one, "Thank You For Being A Friend", from the following year, became a very popular LDD request. This was my favorite song from him, but the other song is a close second. Both are great songs, IMO.
7: LUCILLE – KENNY ROGERS (8) - 400 children and crap in the field? Oh wait, that's something else... Anyway, this was pretty good, but I prefer many others from him.
6: COULDN’T GET IT RIGHT – THE CLIMAX BLUES BAND (7) - Kind of suspicious how, in a tight Top Ten, this song managed to move up a spot. Moreover, Casey never mentioned this song's chart movement this week. A few people have speculated that they got this and the Leo Sayer song's chart positions switched the week before (as the latter held at #2 after falling out of the top, then lunging to #10 this week), but we'll never know for sure. Anyway, the Climax Blues Band was another two-hit wonder. Of course, we all know that I preferred their other hit, from four years later. This one was pretty good as well
5: GONNA FLY NOW (THEME FROM “ROCKY”) – BILL CONTI (6) - This song was in the midst of taking it step-by-step all the way to the top. As mentioned earlier, this was my favorite of the two on this week's chart.
4: GOT TO GIVE IT UP PART 1 – MARVIN GAYE (5) - I'm generally not a huge fan of Marvin Gaye, but for some reason, I like this one. Kind of a surprise, as this one has been compared to "Blurred Lines", which I still hate with a passion.
3: DREAMS – FLEETWOOD MAC (4) - The biggest single from one of the biggest albums of all time, Rumors. The song is my least favorite of the singles, however, presumably due to overplay. It's still a pretty good one, though,
OPTIONAL EXTRA: GIVE A LITTLE BIT - SUPERTRAMP - Quite a pleasant surprise that they played this song intact, seeing that it was an Optional Extra. Of course, maybe they were making it up to us for all the songs in the countdown that were edited.
2: I’M YOUR BOOGIE MAN – K.C. & THE SUNSHINE BAND (3) - One of two Top Five hits from them in 1977. I preferred the other one, which just narrowly missed hitting #1 several months later.
1: SIR DUKE – STEVIE WONDER (1) - Interesting that, except for the bookends, every song in the Top Ten was moving up a spot. Even more interesting - every rising song in the Top Five would end up hitting #1, but none of the other songs in the lower half of the Top Ten. Anyway, in this song, Stevie dropped several names in this song, all of musical pioneers that time did not allow us to forget, including the king of all, Duke Ellington, to whom, of course, the title referred. Although I prefer several other songs by Mr. Wonder, this was a great one nonetheless.

[Hervard]

American Top 40 - June 8, 2024

This week's presentation - June 13, 1981

Droppers (Bear with me, this is a long list!):
YOU BETTER YOU BET - THE WHO (36) - This was a big hit on WLS, the station I listened to most often back in 1981, so I remember it quite well. The song sounds a lot like Pete Townshend's solo hit from the previous year, "Let My Love Open The Door", and I always thought it was Townshend singing lead, but, in fact, it was Roger Daltrey. This was one of my favorite songs by the Who.
FIND YOUR WAY BACK - JEFFERSON STARSHIP (33) - Here's one of several songs from around this time that only peaked in the lower half of the 40, but I remember hearing quite a lot (and still get a decent amount of recurrent airplay). I prefer several other songs by Airplane/Starship, but this one is a good one - I always thought they were saying "find your way back to Ohio".
KISS ON MY LIST - DARYL HALL & JOHN OATES (31) - 1981 was definitely a great year for them, as they had two #1 hits, as well as two Top Five hits, one of which went on to hit #1 in early 1982. Of those four songs, this was definitely my favorite.
SAY YOU'LL BE MINE - CHRISTOPHER CROSS (30) - Nowadays, this song would be billed as Christopher Cross featuring Nicholette Larson, as she was heard on back-up vocals near the end of the song. Anyway, this song was pretty good, but possibly my least favorite of his charted singles.
AL NO CORRIDA - QUINCY JONES featuring Dune (28) - Quincy's second pop hit. It was a good one, but I preferred his later material.
I MISSED AGAIN - PHIL COLLINS (26) - Phil's first solo hit, which, to this day, I just can't believe he didn't include on his HITS album, as it was his very first solo hit. It was a great one, too - one of my favorite of his solo hits.
MORNING TRAIN - SHEENA EASTON (25) - I used to like this song a lot, but now it is, in fact, one of my least favorite songs from her. I wonder if this song would have lasted longer at the top had "Modern Girl" not been released as soon as it was. I'm thinking probably not as this song was pretty much done, while the newer song was just hitting the Top 40 this week.
SINCE I DON'T HAVE YOU - DON McLEAN (23) - A song, originally by the Skyliners, that has been covered many times, by artists like Art Garfunkel, Guns 'N Roses, and this one - my favorite version of the song, as well as one of my favorite songs by Don McLean!

LW#1: BETTE DAVIS EYES – KIM CARNES
40: STRONGER THAN BEFORE – CAROLE BAYER SAGER (debut) - This was your typical post-disco MOR songs. It was a great one, though - I personally think the MOR era should have lasted longer than it did, but that is just an opinion and nothing more.
39: I CAN TAKE CARE OF MYSELF – BILLY VERA & THE BEATERS (39) - Better known for their #1 hit "At This Moment", this was their first chart hit. #39 was all the further it got and I believe it was re-released in 1987. After all, if "At This Moment" had hit #1 in its second chart run, then this one could do the same. Unfortunately, it was not to be. Of their two Top 40 hits, I preferred this one, which reminded me a lot of "Best Of My Love" by the Emotions.
38: SWEET BABY – STANLEY CLARKE & GEORGE DUKE (debut) - Another MOR hit, like the song back at #40. As mentioned earlier, I actually liked that era, although I realize a lot of people here would beg to differ. But it's all good.
37: GEMINI DREAM – THE MOODY BLUES (debut) - They were more famous for their 60s and 70s hits, but I myself generally preferred their 80s hits, including this one, one of my favorites from them, although I preferred "The Voice", also from Long Distance Voyager.
36: SEVEN YEAR ACHE – ROSANNE CASH (debut) - I remember I was driving myself crazy trying to find out what the "God, I hope he comes back soon" song was. I finally found out when Casey played it as an extra on AT20 (AC) back in April, 1999. Sylvia's "Nobody" sounds somewhat like this song which is a great one. As many #1 country songs that Roseanne Cash had, it's a wonder that this was the only song that crossed over to Pop.
35: TIME – THE ALAN PARSONS PROJECT (38) - The first song from Parsons to use Eric Woolfson on lead vocals (which proved to be a good tactic, as they had many of their biggest hits with him). This song used to make me cry, until a friend of mine made a funny parody.
34: BOY FROM NEW YORK CITY – MANHATTAN TRANSFER (debut) - This was by far their biggest Pop hit. I liked it, but preferred a few others from them, including several songs that didn't quite hit the Top 40 (such as "Mystery" and "Choo Choo Ch-Boogie").
33: I DON’T NEED YOU – KENNY ROGERS (debut) - Here's another country act that had a great year in 1981! He had a handful of big hits, including the third biggest hit of the year (even though that was more of a 1980 hit, but due to their weird time frame, that song was deferred to 1981's year-ender). This was his other Top Ten song from the year. I guess you could call it a guilty pleasure, as many people I know hate this song, but I think it's a great one!
32: SAY WHAT – JESSE WINCHESTER (35) - This was his only Top 40 hit and, since he passed away five years ago, it'll stay that way This song used to be kind of just there, but when I heard it about this time seven years ago (either on the 6/27/81 "B" show or on iHeartRadio, I think), I somehow started liking it. That was around the time that I pulled out of the depression, brought on by several aspects of my job, that I had been battling. The meds that my doctor prescribed worked wonders and that affected my opinion on a few songs that I associate with that era. I think this would qualify as yacht rock.
31: FOOL IN LOVE WITH YOU – JIM PHOTOGLO (34) - Yet another typical 1981 MOR song. But, like most of them on this week's chart, I think it's a great song!
ARCHIVES: SOUL & INSPIRATION – THE RIGHTEOUS BROTHERS - Tell you what, I liked "Unchained Melody", but their two #1 songs sound so dated. They just haven't aged well (again - just my opinion, nothing more).
OPTIONAL EXTRA: SLOW HAND - POINTER SISTERS - This was their biggest hit, peaking at #2 in August of 1981 - one of several songs shut out of the top by the marathon run of "Endless Love" by Lionel Richie and Diana Ross, but the song did hit #1 on the R&R chart for a pair of weeks. This was definitely one of my favorite song from the Pointer Sisters.
30: STILL RIGHT HERE IN MY HEART – PURE PRAIRIE LEAGUE (32) - This was the second biggest of their four Top 40 hits, and I like it and their biggest hit "Let Me Love You Tonight" about the same (presumably because they sound very similar).
29: MODERN GIRL – SHEENA EASTON (37) - The second Top 40 hit for this Scottish lass. Didn't quite measure up to the success of her first - perhaps because it was a polar opposite of her first hit, as far as subject matter goes, but it did hit the Top 20. No matter; she'd have a lot more chart success in the next few years.
28: ELVIRA – THE OAK RIDGE BOYS GEEZERS (40) - EWWWWW, GET IT AWAY FROM ME!!
27: THEME FROM “GREATEST AMERICAN HERO” – JOEY SCARBURY (debut) - Ah, much better! This was another song that "Endless Love" shut out of the top spot. Like "Slow Hand", this one DID hit #1 on the R&R chart - and deservedly so, as it was a great one - one of the best TV show themes of all time!
26: WINNING – SANTANA (29) - This was another song I remember from back in the day (was a Top Five hit on WLS). Santana had three Top 40 hits in the 80s, and they were the best three of their career, IMO. I like all of them so much that I'm not sure what my favorite is.
25: WATCHING THE WHEELS – JOHN LENNON (17) - This one reminds me of his 1971 hit "Imagine". I like both songs about the same, but my favorite song from John's Double Fantasy album would have to be "(Just Like) Starting Over".
LDD: JUST REMEMBER I LOVE YOU - FIREFALL
24: HEARTS – MARTY BALIN (debut) - He was the lead singer of the Jefferson Starship in the mid and late-70s, but I preferred this solo hit over all of his JS hits. One of my favorites on the chart this week.
23: NOBODY WINS – ELTON JOHN (27) - This one sure hit a brick wall - it was indeed off to a promising start, but it only got as high as #21. Perhaps it was because it was disco-flavored (as his other songs with that music style didn't hit the Top 20 - I guess people thought that Elton and disco did not mix). I thought it was a decent song, but definitely far from his best.
22: ANGEL OF THE MORNING – JUICE NEWTON (18) - This successful country artist crossed over to Pop with this one. I like it, but preferred most of her other Top 40 hits.
21: IS IT YOU – LEE RITENOUR (24) - Today, this would be billed as "Lee Ritenour featuring Eric Tagg & Bill Champlin". This may have been Ritenour's only Top 40 hit, but I thought it was a neat song.
ARCHIVES: GOOD LOVIN’ – THE YOUNG RASCALS
OPTIONAL EXTRA: THE BREAK-UP SONG (THEY DON'T WRITE 'EM) - GREG KIHN BAND - Here's one that I remember from back in the day! WLS played this one very regularly. I like it, but preferred their biggest hit ever, the top five hit "Jeopardy" from about a year and a half later. At least we heard that one on last week's 1983 show.
20: JESSIE’S GIRL – RICK SPRINGFIELD (22) - Now here's a song that got a lot of mileage on the chart! It debuted two weeks before and lasted in the Top 40 until early October! That is staying power, my friend! But the song was definitely worthy because it was one of his best songs - one that overplay has not tarnished at all!
19: THE WAITING – TOM PETTY & THE HEARTBREAKERS (21) - This was their fourth song to hit the Top 40. Linda Ronstadt did a pretty decent cover of it in the mid-1990s. I preferred this one, though.
18: TOO MUCH TIME ON MY HANDS - STYX (15) - Their second Top Ten hit from the Paradise Theater album. Even though I prefer the first of those, "The Best Of Times", this is also a good one - a song I learned to like over the years (since I used to think it was mediocre).
17: YOU MAKE MY DREAMS – DARYL HALL & JOHN OATES (19) - They were definitely on a hot streak in the 80s. This song, however, was one of my least favorites from them. I preferred their two other 1981 hits.
16: HOW ‘BOUT US - CHAMPAIGN (12) - The first of two Top 40 hits for this R&B band, named after their hometown (and we heard the second one just last week). Both songs are great, and I like them both about the same.
15: WHAT ARE WE DOIN’ IN LOVE – DOTTIE WEST w/KENNY ROGERS (16) - Yes, I know that Kenny Rogers did not receive official label credit, but he certainly should have, as he was prominently heard in this song. It was a great song - I wonder if it would have gone higher had he gotten credit, as he definitely was on a hot streak at this point in his career.
14: THE ONE THAT YOU LOVE – AIR SUPPLY (20) - This Aussie act was definitely on its way to becoming possibly THE biggest group of the 80s, but they fizzled out after 1983, as they only had one more hit after that. This was their only #1 hit and is one of my favorites from them.
13: I LOVE YOU – THE CLIMAX BLUES BAND (13) - This is definitely a song I associate with the summer of 1981, as I heard it almost every day at the pool where I was taking swimming lessons that summer. This was WLS's #2 song of 1981, and deservedly so, as it's a great one!
12: THIS LITTLE GIRL – GARY U.S. BONDS (14) - As we all know, this song was a Bruce Springsteen production, such was the case with Bonds' next hit "Out Of Work". Both are good songs, but I preferred this one.
11: JUST THE TWO OF US – GROVER WASHINGTON JR. & BILL WITHERS (8) - aka "50 Ways To Leave Your Lover part 2". This was a nice, relaxing song. Glad that it was a big hit! Didn't quite hit #1 on AT40, but it did have a two-week run atop the R&R chart the previous month.
10: SWEETHEART – FRANKIE & THE KNOCKOUTS (10) - They had a trio of Top 40 hits in the early-80s. All three were great hits, but this was by far my favorite!
ARCHIVES: MONDAY MONDAY – THE MAMAS & THE PAPAS
OPTIONAL EXTRA: QUEEN OF HEARTS - JUICE NEWTON - This is the last of the three songs that were shut out of #1 by "Endless Love". Only difference is that this song did not hit #1 on R&R - somehow, it only got as high as #6 there. I like this song; good driving music!
9: TAKE IT ON THE RUN – REO SPEEDWAGON (5) - They definitely got a lot of mileage out of the Hi Infidelity album, didn't they? The first two hits from the album hit the Top Five and stayed in the Top 40 for a combined total of 35 weeks. I love both songs but slightly prefer this one.
8: AMERICA – NEIL DIAMOND (9) - The third and final Top 40 hit from the Jazz Singer. I liked all three songs about the same, depending on my mood at the time - they're all great songs! Appropriately enough, this song was reaching its peak this week - on Flag Day weekend!
LDD: HEY JUDE – THE BEATLES - This one was their longest running song - in more ways than one. It spent nine weeks on top and its playing time was over seven minutes long! Great LDD and I am so glad that Casey gave an update that the condition of the author's grandmother's hip had healed on its own without needing surgery!
7: ALL THOSE YEARS AGO – GEORGE HARRISON (11) - This definitely looked like a future number one song, but unfortunately, the song fell short, peaking at #2 (shut out by “Bette Davis Eyes”). The song did, however, spend a pair of weeks at #1 on the R&R chart. Indeed, this was a great song - one I have yet to get tired of.
6: LIVING INSIDE MYSELF – GINO VANELLI (6) - A good way to save money on rent! But seriously, I imagine most of his chart success was in his native Canada, but he did have a few hits here in the states, and this was my favorite of all three of his Top 40 songs.
5: A WOMAN NEEDS LOVE (JUST LIKE YOU DO) – RAY PARKER JR & RAYDIO (7) - Their final Top Ten hit before Ray went solo the following year. A great song; the instrumental arrangement sounded a lot like that of their 1979 hit "You Can't Change That".
4: BEING WITH YOU – SMOKEY ROBINSON (2) - This was the biggest of his solo hits, just wrapping up a three-week peak in the runner-up position. This song was, IMO, mediocre at best. I preferred much of his earlier material, including hits with the Miracles.
3: SUKIYAKI – A TASTE OF HONEY (4) - The second incarnation of the song to hit the charts, only this time, they added English lyrics. I liked this song, but preferred the 4PM cover from 1994.
OPTIONAL EXTRA: IN THE AIR TONIGHT - PHIL COLLINS - The second hit from Collins' debut album, following "I Missed Again (which I preferred, BTW). Like that song, this one peaked at #19, but is still heard regularly on oldies stations today. I like the song better than I used to but still, it's not one of my favorites from him.
2: MEDLEY – STARS ON 45 (3) - Ah, the song that kicked off the medley craze that lasted for about a year (but became a little tedious near the end). At least ten different medleys hit the Top 40, or so it seemed (definitely that many, if not more, hit the Hot 100). The song would be strong enough to interrupt the marathon run at #1 of "Bette Davis Eyes". The song was pretty good, but I'd probably get tired of hearing it all the time.
1: BETTE DAVIS EYES – KIM CARNES (1) - This song was in its fifth week on top. And who knew that this song would spend two months on top? It was definitely worthy - one of the best #1 hits of 1981!