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Post by dukelightning on Nov 5, 2012 8:02:49 GMT -5
In 1985,"Hangin' on a String" reached #1 on the U.S. Billboard R&B chart, making Loose Ends the first British band ever to top that chart. Loose Ends hit #1 again in 1987. "Another One Bites the Dust" by British band Queen reached #2 R&B. All of these artists appeared in the movie their song came from: AMERICAN TOP 40 - 9/30/78 34: GOT TO GET YOU INTO MY LIFE - EARTH, WIND & FIRE 23: COME TOGETHER - AEROSMITH 16: OH DARLING - ROBIN GIBB 5: SUMMER NIGHTS - JOHN TRAVOLTA & OLIVIA NEWTON-JOHN 3: HOPELESSLY DEVOTED TO YOU - OLIVIA NEWTON-JOHN There is 5 from this week in 1980: AMERICAN TOP 40 - 11/1/80 32: LOVE ON THE ROCKS - NEIL DIAMOND 29: LATE IN THE EVENING - PAUL SIMON 27: XANADU - OLIVIA NEWTON-JOHN 23: OUT HERE ON MY OWN - IRENE CARA 22: ON THE ROAD AGAIN - WILLIE NELSON Thanks for clearing that up. Obviously the 11/1/80 survey takes the cake with 5 different movies represented compared to only 2 that comprised the 5 from 1978. Loose Ends failed to make the top 40 with that song although if Soundscan had been in place, they would have since that methodology was sales-heavy and their song reached #27 sales. Good candidate for an optional extra that has not been played as such?? Edit...make it 6 movies represented adding in Roger Daltrey in McVicar. Might it be the record for all of chart history?
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Post by jmack19 on Nov 6, 2012 2:23:40 GMT -5
If you include the songs from Caddyshack, Roadie(DRIVIN' MY LIFE AWAY - EDDIE RABBITT) & Urban Cowboy, there are 10 songs representing 9 different movies on the 11/01/1980 countdown. In addition, none are in the Top 10 that week.
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Post by Hervard on Nov 7, 2012 12:45:36 GMT -5
OK, recycled commentary time, as I'm not sure whether I'll even bother to listen to either of the two retro AT40 shows this weekend.
American Top 40: The 80s - November 13-14, 2010
This week’s presentation: November 12, 1983
I’m wondering, why 1983 this weekend, since this very show was run just two years back? This would have been an ideal week to run a show from 1985. Right, that was also a repeat show, but from 2007, not 2010. This isn’t the first time that Premiere has run the same show less than three years apart, neither - remember back in 2008, when many shows from the year before were run again (and, in some cases, again in 2009)? After they stopped that practice just a few weeks after the last of those three-peats, there was only one time that they ran the same show two years apart - that would be the December 6, 1986 show, first run in 2008 and then repeated in 2010. Oh well, as I’ve said before, I enjoy listening to the show regardless of what year they choose and how long ago it was run. Here is my commentary on this week’s show:
Droppers (bear with me - this is a long list!) # (SHE’S) SEXY + 17 - THE STRAY CATS (38) - OK song, but my least favorite song by the Cats. AUTOMATIC MAN - MICHAEL SEMBELLO (34) - Great song! I like this one slightly better than the overplayed “Maniac”. DR. HECKYLL & MR. JIVE - MEN AT WORK (33) - Great song, though I prefer the other two Cargo songs. CAN’T SHAKE LOOSE - AGNETHA FALTSKOG (29) - Good song, but I prefer many of the songs of Abba, which of course, Agnetha was a member. FOOLIN’ - DEF LEPPARD (28) - Good song, though I prefer a few others by them. TELL HER ABOUT IT - BILLY JOEL (27) - No big loss there, as I’m not a big fan of this song. THIS TIME - BRYAN ADAMS (25) - Good song - my favorite of his three songs from 1983.
LW#1: ISLANDS IN THE STREAM - KENNY ROGERS & DOLLY PARTON - I’ll comment on this one later on.
40: SPICE OF LIFE - MANHATTAN TRANSFER (40) - Good song. I remember hearing this song every now and then in the fall of 1983 on AC station WTHQ. It hit the Top 5 on the AC chart but, unfortunately, couldn’t quite get past the bottom rung on AT40. 39: MY TOWN - MICHAEL STANLEY BAND (debut) - This song was pretty good. I’d only heard it once, the only week that it was on Countdown America, coming in at #29. That same week was its one and only week on American Top 40. 38: TWIST OF FATE - OLIVIA NEWTON-JOHN (debut) - Good song, but I prefer a few others by her, such as her other Top 40 hit from Two Of A Kind, which would chart in early 1984. 37: JUST GOT LUCKY - JoBOXERS (39) - Great song! 36: SOULS - RICK SPRINGFIELD (debut) - Great song! This was during the era that his songs sounded a lot alike. At this point in the show, they gave us an update on KC & The Sunshine Band. The front man was nearly killed in a head-on collision in early 1982 and spent all that year recovering. Casey mentioned that “Give It Up” was a #1 hit in England. That song would hit the Top 20 here in the states a few months later. 35: THE SMILE HAS LEFT YOUR EYES - ASIA (debut) - Great song! Possibly my favorite song by them. Too bad it didn’t get much higher than its debut position, though it fared significantly better on the Radio & Records chart - peaked at #17 there. Asia had indeed had their day in the sun, as they never again returned to the Top 40. 34: QUEEN OF THE BROKEN HEARTS - LOVERBOY (34) - Good song, but not my favorite from them. The beginning reminds me of “Vacation” by the Go-Go’s. 33: THE SAFETY DANCE - MEN WITHOUT HATS (23) - As always, they played the single version which IMO is far superior to the album version. 32: MAJOR TOM (COMING HOME) - PETER SCHILLING (debut) - Good song. 31: MIRROR MAN - HUMAN LEAGUE (36) - Great song! One of their best, possibly since it wasn’t overplayed (although, oddly enough, the song of theirs that gets the most recurrent airplay, “Don’t You Want Me” is my favorite song by them). OPTIONAL EXTRA: TALKING IN YOUR SLEEP - THE ROMANTICS 30: IN A BIG COUNTRY - BIG COUNTRY (debut) - Meh, not a big fan of this song. 29: AIN’T NOBODY - RUFUS & CHAKA KHAN (debut) - Good song. Possibly my favorite song by them. 28: WHY ME - IRENE CARA (37) - Good song. Casey mentioned that this was her first Top 40 hit that wasn’t from a movie. 27: HOW MANY TIMES CAN WE SAY GOODBYE - DIONNE WARWICK & LUTHER VANDROSS (32) - Great song! One of my favorites from both artists involved. 26: TENDER IS THE NIGHT - JACKSON BROWNE (31) - It’s okies, but one of my least favorite songs by him. 25: SEND HER MY LOVE - JOURNEY (30) - See my above comment and change the word "him" to "them". 24: BURNING DOWN THE HOUSE - TALKING HEADS (22) - No. Just no. 23: LOVE IS A STRANGER - THE EURYTHMICS (24) - Not a fan of this one. I actually prefer the overplayed “Sweet Dreams (Are Made Of This)”. 22: CHURCH OF THE POISON MIND - CULTURE CLUB (26) - Good song, but not quite my favorite by them. 21: IF ANYONE FALLS - STEVIE NICKS (14) - Great song! She was just as good solo as she was as a member of Fleetwood Mac. LDD: ALL MY LIFE - KENNY ROGERS - Wow, interesting choice for a LDD, but very fitting for the dedication. And it’s a good song, too. OPTIONAL EXTRA: HOLIDAY - MADONNA - Ah, the song that started her immense pop music career! It was an OK song, but I prefer many others by her. 20: KING OF PAIN - THE POLICE (13) - Good song. 19: CRUMBLIN’ DOWN - JOHN COUGAR MELLENCAMP (21) - This was OK, but definitely one of my least favorites by him. 18: P.Y.T. (PRETTY YOUNG THING) - MICHAEL JACKSON (20) - And this is one of my least favorites from Michael as well. 17: SAY IT ISN’T SO - DARYL HALL & JOHN OATES (19) - Good song, though I prefer many others by the duo. 16: TONIGHT I CELEBRATE MY LOVE - ROBERTA FLACK & PEABO BRYSON (16) - Great song, though I prefer others by them, as well as their other duet that made the Hot 100 in early 1984. 15: HEART AND SOUL - HUEY LEWIS & THE NEWS (18) - Though I prefer many others by them, this is a pretty good song too. 14: MODERN LOVE - DAVID BOWIE (14) - This song was OK, but as we all know, I’m not a huge fan of his. 13: LOVE IS A BATTLEFIELD - PAT BENATAR (17) - Good song, but she’s had many better. 12: TRUE - SPANDAU BALLET (10) - I slept on and off during this hour and I believe I slept through this one - I just vaguely remember hearing it. It’s a good one, though it was sure overplayed during its chart run. 11: TELEFONE (LONG DISTANCE LOVE AFFAIR) - SHEENA EASTON (9) - Great song! One of my favorites by her, OPTIONAL EXTRA: SEND ME AN ANGEL - REAL LIFE - This was the only optional extra that WUEZ, on which I heard the show, did not play. That’s OK, since I’ve heard the song so many times before, from its chart runs in 1984 and 1989. 10: SUDDENLY LAST SUMMER - THE MOTELS (11) - Great song, like all of their Top 40 hits. 9: MAKING LOVE OUT OF NOTHING AT ALL - AIR SUPPLY (7) - Great song! One of their best! 8: DELIRIOUS - PRINCE (8) - No. Just no. LDD: (YOU’RE HAVING) MY BABY - PAUL ANKA w/ODIA COATES - This song was very appropriate for the dedication. Any other time, this would get a “No. Just no”. 7: CUM ON FEEL THE NOIZE - QUIET RIOT (12) - Great song! One of my favorite heavy metal songs ever! 6: ONE THING LEADS TO ANOTHER - THE FIXX (4) - Meh, not a huge fan of this one, due to overplay. I prefer other songs by them like “Saved By Zero”, “Are We Ourselves” and “Secret Separation”. 5: TOTAL ECLIPSE OF THE HEART - BONNIE TYLER (3) - Great song! One of her best! 4: SAY SAY SAY - PAUL McCARTNEY & MICHAEL JACKSON (6) - Cheesy, but a pretty good song. I loved the video, too. 3: UPTOWN GIRL - BILLY JOEL (5) - Good song! Sounds like something that Frankie Valli & the Four Seasons would do. OPTIONAL EXTRA: LET THE MUSIC PLAY - SHANNON - It’s okies. 2: ISLANDS IN THE STREAM - KENNY ROGERS & DOLLY PARTON (1) - Another somewhat cheesy song like “Say Say Say”, but it’s good to hear every now and again. 1: ALL NIGHT LONG (ALL NIGHT) - LIONEL RICHIE (2) - Yikes! Two weeks in a row with crappy songs at #1 - that is, back in 2010. Fortunately, the #1 song on last week's AT40: The 80s was a good one. However, we could be going for two weeks in a row this time around if they do a 1987 show, since the show they'd likely play is November 14. If they don't do 1987, then it won't be two weeks in a row with a bad song at #1, since there are no other mid-late November #1 songs that I don’t like (although I’m not too crazy about “Wake Me Up Before You Go-Go”, which we’ll definitely hear if they go with 1984).
Speaking of predictions for next week, I'll predict November 17, 1984 for next week (of course, since that's not a repeat, we might not hear a show from that year again until mid-December!). If they're still in repeat mode, I'll go with November 14, 1987.
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Post by Hervard on Nov 7, 2012 12:46:54 GMT -5
American Top 40 - The 70s - November 13, 2010
This week’s presentation: November 12, 1977
Droppers: CHANGES IN LATITUDES, CHANGES IN ATTITUDES - JIMMY BUFFETT (37) - Good song, though I prefer others by him such as “Fins”. SURFIN’ USA - LEIF GARRETT (31) - I actually liked this song - a good remake of the Beach Boys classic. SWAYIN’ TO THE MUSIC - JOHNNY RIVERS & THE CRICKETS (27) - Good song, but not my favorite by him.
40: SWINGTOWN - STEVE MILLER BAND (debut) - Great song! Casey mentioned that it was Steve’s sixth Top 40 hit in the past eighteen months. Not bad! 39: SIGNED, SEALED, DELIVERED (I’M YOURS) - PETER FRAMPTON (24) - It’s an OK remake, but I prefer the original. 38: THUNDER IN MY HEART - LEO SAYER (38) - Great song! Definitely one of his most underrated hits (as #38 was all the higher it got). 37: HERE YOU COME AGAIN - DOLLY PARTON (debut) - Great song! Possibly my favorite song by her! 36: CALLING OCCUPANTS OF INTERPLANETARY CRAFT (40) - Not quite as good as some of their earlier songs. 35: (EVERYTIME I TURN AROUND) BACK IN LOVE AGAIN - LTD (debut) - This song’s pretty good, but I prefer most of Jeffrey Osbourne’s solo hits. 34: GONE TOO FAR - ENGLAND DAN & JOHN FORD COLEY (39) - Good song, like all of their songs that made the Top 40. 33: THE KING IS GONE - RONNIE McDOWELL (20) - Great tribute to the late Elvis Presley. 32: YOUR SMILING FACE - JAMES TAYLOR (36) - Great song! One of his best! 31: I GO CRAZY - PAUL DAVIS (34) - Good song. At this point, very few people knew how much mileage this song would get. 30: SLIP SLIDIN’ AWAY - PAUL SIMON (35) - Back-to-back Pauls on this countdown. This song is good, but I prefer many others by him. 29: MY FAIR SHARE - SEALS & CROFTS (33) - Good song - sounded a little like folk music. AT40 EXTRA: MR. BOJANGLES - NITTY GRITTY DIRT BAND - Great song! However, this definitely sounded like a different version than I usually hear. Some of the instruments were clearly missing (the piano seemed to be mixed in a little louder, as well). 28: SHE DID IT - ERIC CARMEN (23) - Good song, though I prefer his two 1976 hits. OPTIONAL EXTRA: JUST THE WAY YOU ARE - BILLY JOEL - Great song, though I didn’t get to hear it, since Radio Mojo doesn’t play the optional extras. 27: KEEP IT COMIN’ LOVE - KC & THE SUNSHINE BAND (15) - Great song! Interesting that it was the band’s first Top Ten hit that missed the #1 spot. It came close, though - peaked at #2 behind the Star Wars theme, then Debby Boone leapfrogged over it. 26: COME SAIL AWAY - STYX (32) - Great song, although the single version seems to be chopped down a little more than is necessary. 25: ISN’T IT TIME - THE BABYS (26) - Great song! Not sure if I prefer this or “Every Time I Think Of You”. 24: DAYBREAK - BARRY MANILOW (28) - Great song! Very interesting departure from his usual slow love songs. This one is very upbeat for him! 23: SEND IN THE CLOWNS - JUDY COLLINS (25) - A few years back, this would have gotten a “No. Just no”, but now I actually kind of like this song. 22: IT’S SO EASY - LINDA RONSTADT (29) - Great song! I slightly prefer her other song in the countdown, though this one isn’t far behind. 21: COLD AS ICE - FOREIGNER (17) - Great song! One of their best 70s songs. 20: WE JUST DISAGREE - DAVE MASON (22) - I used to love this song but for some reason, it just doesn’t do anything for me anymore. 19: DUSIC - BRICK (21) - This song was OK, but nothing special. They sort of remind me of Earth, Wind & Fire. 18: DO YOU WANNA GET FUNKY WITH ME - PETER BROWN (19) - Meh, not a big fan of this one. 17: YOU MAKE LOVIN’ FUN - FLEETWOOD MAC (30) - Wow, this was the biggest move in the countdown for two weeks in a row! One would guess this was on its way to #1, but it didn’t quite make it. It did hit the Top Ten, though. 16: HELP IS ON ITS WAY - LITTLE RIVER BAND (18) - Great song, though I prefer a few others by them. 15: STAR WARS THEME/CANTINA BAND - MECO (12) - Good song, but I preferred the version of the song by the London Symphony Orchestra. There was a noticeable bad edit in this, shortly before going into the Cantina Band part of the song. 14: BRICKHOUSE - THE COMMODORES (5) - Definitely one of my least favorite songs by them. Don’t like this one at all. 13: THAT’S ROCK & ROLL - SHAUN CASSIDY (4) - Great song! Not sure if I prefer this or “Da Doo Ron Ron”. 12: JUST REMEMBER I LOVE YOU - FIREFALL (14) - Great song! I heard this as a LDD on the 80s version of the show a few weeks back. 11: BLUE BAYOU - LINDA RONSTADT (16) - Great song! As stated earlier, it’s my favorite of her two hits on the chart this week. 10: WE’RE ALL ALONE - RITA COOLIDGE (13) - Great song! One of my favorites by her. 9: HOW DEEP IS YOUR LOVE - THE BEE GEES (11) - Hmm, I wonder if anyone doubted this going to #1 with its small chart move? I’m glad that it did, though, because it’s a great one. 8: HEAVEN ON THE 7TH FLOOR - PAUL NICHOLAS (10) - Great song! 7: BABY WHAT A BIG SURPRISE - CHICAGO (9) - This song is good, but I prefer many others by them. 6: I FEEL LOVE - DONNA SUMMER (7) - No. Just no. 5: DON’T IT MAKE MY BROWN EYES BLUE - CRYSTAL GAYLE (8) - Great song, though I prefer several others by her. 4: IT’S ECSTASY WHEN YOU LAY DOWN NEXT TO ME - BARRY WHITE (6) - Not a fan of this one. 3: NOBODY DOES IT BETTER - CARLY SIMON (2) - Great song! One of her best! Interesting that her husband at the time, James Taylor, had the same number of Top 40, Top Ten, and #1 hits as Carly up to this point. 2: BOOGIE NIGHTS - HEATWAVE (3) - Don’t like this one. I prefer “Always And Forever”. 1: YOU LIGHT UP MY LIFE - DEBBY BOONE (1) - Great song! Definitely a guilty pleasure.
I'll post my predictions as soon as I get a chance.
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Post by pgfromwp on Nov 7, 2012 13:11:38 GMT -5
^25: ISN’T IT TIME - THE BABYS (26) - Great song! Not sure if I prefer this or “Every Time I Think Of You”.
Interesting how The Babys recorded "Every Time I Think of You" and John Waite, former lead singer, used that phrase in the opening lyrics of his 1984 hit "Missing You."
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Post by Hervard on Nov 7, 2012 17:08:52 GMT -5
^25: ISN’T IT TIME - THE BABYS (26) - Great song! Not sure if I prefer this or “Every Time I Think Of You”. Interesting how The Babys recorded "Every Time I Think of You" and John Waite, former lead singer, used that phrase in the opening lyrics of his 1984 hit "Missing You." And even more interesting that John used a line from "Missing You" in the opening lyrics of his first hit from his next solo album.
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Post by torcan on Nov 7, 2012 17:16:30 GMT -5
In 1985,"Hangin' on a String" reached #1 on the U.S. Billboard R&B chart, making Loose Ends the first British band ever to top that chart. Loose Ends hit #1 again in 1987. "Another One Bites the Dust" by British band Queen reached #2 R&B. "Always and Forever" by London-based Heatwave also peaked at #2 on the R&B chart. All of these artists appeared in the movie their song came from: AMERICAN TOP 40 - 9/30/78 34: GOT TO GET YOU INTO MY LIFE - EARTH, WIND & FIRE 23: COME TOGETHER - AEROSMITH 16: OH DARLING - ROBIN GIBB 5: SUMMER NIGHTS - JOHN TRAVOLTA & OLIVIA NEWTON-JOHN 3: HOPELESSLY DEVOTED TO YOU - OLIVIA NEWTON-JOHN There is 5 from this week in 1980: AMERICAN TOP 40 - 11/1/80 32: LOVE ON THE ROCKS - NEIL DIAMOND 29: LATE IN THE EVENING - PAUL SIMON 27: XANADU - OLIVIA NEWTON-JOHN 23: OUT HERE ON MY OWN - IRENE CARA 22: ON THE ROAD AGAIN - WILLIE NELSON I must admit I'm surprised that Neil Diamond's song debuted so high on the Hot 100. Don't get me wrong, I like the song, but I just can't figure out why the big debut. I can understand Lennon's high debut, because that was a much anticipated single - but were that many people really anticipating Diamond's song back then to warrant beating out Lennon for top debut of the week?
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Post by michaelcasselman on Nov 8, 2012 18:06:38 GMT -5
'Jazz Singer' was huge at the time.
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Post by blackbowl68 on Nov 9, 2012 23:34:58 GMT -5
I must admit I'm surprised that Neil Diamond's song debuted so high on the Hot 100. Don't get me wrong, I like the song, but I just can't figure out why the big debut. I can understand Lennon's high debut, because that was a much anticipated single - but were that many people really anticipating Diamond's song back then to warrant beating out Lennon for top debut of the week? It comes down to what more people anticipated: The first single from a superstar performer who just released his first new record in five years, or the first single from a new movie in which its superstar performer was making his acting debut.
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Post by blackbowl68 on Nov 10, 2012 11:02:33 GMT -5
Chart Critique for CASEY KASEM'S AMERICAN TOP 40 – November 3, 2012 This week's countdown show (B) is the week ending November 2, 1974
PERSONAL: I was now living in Fairfield, CA. It’s my first time living in the US, despite my family originally coming from Brooklyn, NY.
DROPPERS: NEVER MY LOVE -BLUE SWEDE (33) BEACH BABY - FIRST CLASS (28) YOU LITTLE TRUSTMAKER - THE TYMES (25) SKIN TIGHT - THE OHIO PLAYERS (23) GIVE IT TO THE PEOPLE - THE RIGHTEOUS BROTHERS (20) I HONESTLY LOVE YOU – OLIVIA NEWTON-JOHN (19) We didn’t hear these, so no need to comment.
40: YOU GOT THE LOVE – RUFUS featuring CHAKA KHAN (DEBUT) 2nd hit for Chi-town soul group that was co-written by a then-unknown Ray Parker Jr. Great but shorten rocker. 39: NOTHING FROM NOTHING - BILLY PRESTON (15) 2nd #1 pop hit from keyboard wizard that took the biggest fall from the top last week. Great circus-like number. 38: AFTER THE GOLD RUSH - PRELUDE (DEBUT) A cappella remake of Neil Young chest by British quartet. Great voices. 37: CAT’S IN THE CRADLE – HARRY CHAPIN (DEBUT) Long Island native with a song that sounds destined for #1 based on its lyric alone. 36: ANGIE BABY – HELEN REDDY (DEBUT) Australian lass with eerie story song from the pen of Alan O’Day. 35: PLAY SOMETHING SWEET (BRICKYARD BLUES) – THREE DOG NIGHT (DEBUT) Lackluster single by LA group that ended their top 20 string. 34: SECOND AVENUE – (ART) GARFUNKEL (34) Fair but interesting number from Queens, NY native. Nice for AC, but boring for pop radio. 33: SHA-LA-LA (MAKES ME HAPPY) – AL GREEN (DEBUT) Soul superstar with a more vintage record here rather than major pop single. 32: PEOPLE GOTTA MOVE – GINO VANNELLI (40) Rather funky number from Canadian who was the first white artist to appear on Soul Train. 31: WISHING YOU WERE HERE - CHICAGO (39) Watery song that features members of the Beach Boys on background. Could easily confuse this as an 80’s Alan Parsons record. 30: ROCKIN’ SOUL – THE HUES CORPORATION (37) I’m really feeling this sound-alike record from LA soul group. 29: SO YOU ARE A STAR – THE HUDSON BROTHERS (35) Family group with a song that was tailor-made for their TV show. 28: DISTANT LOVER – MARVIN GAYE (38) Live version of track from his previous album that is a mainstay at classic soul radio, especially the initial screaming from the girls in the audience. AT40 EXTRA: YOU'RE THE FIRST, THE LAST, MY EVERYTHING - BARRY WHITE – The Maestro takes a mediocre country song and turns it into a disco masterpiece. 27: HONEY HONEY - ABBA (27) One of the weaker numbers. Thank God the guys can sing too. 26: WHEN WILL I SEE YOU AGAIN – THE THREE DEGREES (32) Philly girl group with international smash. Durable classic. 25: I CAN HELP – BILLY SWAN (36) Funky rockabilly number destined for #1. It’s rumored to be recorded with his dog gnawing at his leg. 24: I’VE GOT THE MUSIC IN ME - THE KIKI DEE BAND (30) Very lively number from British belter that puts “Don’t Go Breaking My Heart” to shame. 23: LOVE DON’T LOVE NOBODY (PART 1) – THE SPINNERS (31) 3rd single from Mighty Love that was really way too long for release. Great album cut, though. 22: LONGFELLOW SERENADE – NEIL DIAMOND (29) His first major hit on Columbia is a catchy winner. 21: LOVE ME FOR A REASON – THE OSMONDS (10) One of the better hits from Ogden family group with a rather clear lyric. 20: OVERNIGHT SENSATION (HIT RECORD) – THE RASPBERRIES (24) Cleveland pop band pretentious attempt at over-the-top grandstand production. Was not feeling it. 19: EVERLASTING LOVE – CARL CARLTON (26) Biggest American version of Robert Knight chestnut that still holds up today. 18: THE NEED TO BE – JIM WEATHERLY (22) The muse of Gladys Knight has a hit of his own with an introspective country leaner. 17: MY MELODY OF LOVE – BOBBY VINTON (21) The Polish prince uses his native tongue for a bit and gets a surprise smash. 16: DO IT BABY – THE MIRACLES (13) First hit for Motown group with Billy Griffin on lead. Decent showing. 15: THEN CAME YOU – DIONNE WARWICKE & THE SPINNERS (1) Last week’s #1 song ties Billy Preston’s drop. Like his hit, it’s a soul classic that didn’t top the soul charts. AT40 EXTRA: KUNG-FU FIGHTING - CARL DOUGLAS – This time capsule killer hit is surprisingly the first American chart topper of the rock era by a Jamaican. 14: DO IT (‘TIL YOUR SATISFIED) – B.T. EXPRESS (18) Former #1 soul hit that’s charging up the pop chart until you’re satisfied. 13: CAREFREE HIGHWAY – GORDON LIGHTFOOT (17) Canadian follows up “Sundown” with a very catchy number that has grown on me. 12: LIFE IS A ROCK (BUT THE RADIO ROLLED ME) - REUNION (16) Group lead by Joey Levine with a very catchy novelty track that actually doesn’t sound silly. Brilliant. 11: BACK HOME AGAIN – JOHN DENVER (14) I’m sorry, this song needs to stay home and never come back out. 10: TIN MAN - AMERICA (11) George Martin produced number is my favorite by this pop trio. 9: STOP AND SMELL THE ROSES – MAC DAVIS (9) Rather catchy number that works well here. Bonafide lost hit. 8: SWEET HOME ALABAMA – LYNYRD SKYNYRD (8) First hit from Jacksonville bar band is an answer to Neil Young’s “Southern Man.” Besides its great groove, why this song is an international classic baffles me. 7: STEPPIN’ OUT (GONNA BOOGIE TONIGHT) – TONY ORLANDO & DAWN (7) Another ragtime inspired track. With the song at #8, they would hold the record for taking the biggest drops out the top 40 from their peak positions. 6: WHATEVER GETS YOU THROUGH THE NIGHT – JOHN LENNON & THE PLASTIC ONO BAND (12) Rather funky jam from the only ex-Beatle at this point without a solo #1. Casey predicted he would finally get there with this song, but Elton John went one step further and made a bet with Lennon. 5: CAN’T GET ENOUGH – BAD COMPANY (6) Single from the week’s #1 album that has the heavy bombastic sound. 4: THE WITCH IS WACK (sic) – ELTON JOHN (5) British superstar with a tough rocker with a killer mule kick. Wish he had more hits like this than his dreary ballads. 3: JAZZMAN – CAROLE KING (4) I actually like this better than her biggest hit because it’s a bit livelier. AT40 EXTRA: LAUGHTER IN THE RAIN - NEIL SEDAKA – I was feeling this song when I was still living in England. Deserved to be #1. 2: YOU AIN’T SEEN NOTHING YET – BACHMAN-TURNER OVERDRIVE (3) Canadian band with a durable classic Randy Bachman thought was too stupid to release. 1: YOU HAVEN’T DONE NOTHING – STEVIE WONDER (2) “Superstition” knockoff that carries its own weight & message with the Jackson 5 on doo-doo-wops.
SYNOPSIS: The overall chart movement for the last few weeks suggests there was a “cleansing” taking place. I also know that many major record companies were about to fold around this time. (Stax, Dunhill, Bell, Sussex)
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Post by reachinforthestars on Nov 11, 2012 0:00:31 GMT -5
32: PEOPLE GOTTA MOVE – GINO VANNELLI (40) Rather funky number from Canadian who was the first white artist to appear on Soul Train. Dennis Coffey appeared on Soul Train in 1972, a few years before Gino Vannelli.
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Post by miracleandwonder on Nov 12, 2012 12:48:29 GMT -5
[quote author=ulij20 board=classic thread=1093 post=56833 time=1352310414 6: I FEEL LOVE - DONNA SUMMER (7) - No. Just no.[/quote]
Out of curiosity, what about this song is so much worse than Debby Boone and Leif Garrett? Have you any idea how important this song is in the world of electronic music? When news of Donna's death hit, this was the song NPR stations here played in homage to her because it still has a hipness factor to it. Because its a song that could've been done in 1977, 1997 or 2007 and still have the same appeal. This song is considered one of the greatest recordings in electronic music ever, up there with Kraftwerk and Gary Numan.
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Post by Hervard on Nov 13, 2012 13:25:09 GMT -5
[quote author=ulij20 board=classic thread=1093 post=56833 time=1352310414 6: I FEEL LOVE - DONNA SUMMER (7) - No. Just no. First of all, welcome to the boards As for my opinion on "I Feel Love", well, if you read some of my past critiques, especially on AT40: The 70s, you can see that I'm not a big fan of disco. And, about a year ago, I explained why. I've actually been raked over the coals by many people on these boards because of how vocal I was about my opinions on some of these songs - songs that they apparently like (nothing wrong with that, BTW), which is why I've sort of toned it down lately (remember - this critique was recycled from 2010, before all that negativity started up, which was around mid-summer of last year. Now, my opinion of the song would be something along the lines of "Meh, not a huge fan of this one". I've become a little more sparing of the "No. Just no" comments, which are now limited to songs that I can't stand - so much that I actually turn down the radio when they come on. The most recent example I can think of is the 1976 hit "Muskrat Love" by the Captain & Tennille. Honestly, I'd rather hear fingernails on the chalkboard than the bridge with the synthesizer making those noises (apparently, supposed to be muskrats getting it on) that sound more like intestinal gas.
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Post by chrislc on Nov 13, 2012 13:51:38 GMT -5
In 1985,"Hangin' on a String" reached #1 on the U.S. Billboard R&B chart, making Loose Ends the first British band ever to top that chart. Loose Ends hit #1 again in 1987. "Another One Bites the Dust" by British band Queen reached #2 R&B. "Always and Forever" by London-based Heatwave also peaked at #2 on the R&B chart. All of these artists appeared in the movie their song came from: AMERICAN TOP 40 - 9/30/78 34: GOT TO GET YOU INTO MY LIFE - EARTH, WIND & FIRE 23: COME TOGETHER - AEROSMITH 16: OH DARLING - ROBIN GIBB 5: SUMMER NIGHTS - JOHN TRAVOLTA & OLIVIA NEWTON-JOHN 3: HOPELESSLY DEVOTED TO YOU - OLIVIA NEWTON-JOHN There is 5 from this week in 1980: AMERICAN TOP 40 - 11/1/80 32: LOVE ON THE ROCKS - NEIL DIAMOND 29: LATE IN THE EVENING - PAUL SIMON 27: XANADU - OLIVIA NEWTON-JOHN 23: OUT HERE ON MY OWN - IRENE CARA 22: ON THE ROAD AGAIN - WILLIE NELSON I must admit I'm surprised that Neil Diamond's song debuted so high on the Hot 100. Don't get me wrong, I like the song, but I just can't figure out why the big debut. I can understand Lennon's high debut, because that was a much anticipated single - but were that many people really anticipating Diamond's song back then to warrant beating out Lennon for top debut of the week? It was his first single on Capitol, who had the rights to the soundtrack LP. I'm sure Capitol made sure all of the reporting PDs and MDs knew about it. The movie The Jazz Singer wasn't even out yet - I remember seeing the movie title on the record label and that was the first I had heard of the movie. If the movie had come out earlier and more people had seen it, the song might not have made it to #2! The movie was nominated for FIVE Golden Raspberry Awards. All of the dozens of songs he recorded over the years for Columbia, and 3 of his last 4 Top Ten hits were on Capitol!
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Post by jdelachjr2002 on Nov 13, 2012 19:37:31 GMT -5
I must admit I'm surprised that Neil Diamond's song debuted so high on the Hot 100. Don't get me wrong, I like the song, but I just can't figure out why the big debut. I can understand Lennon's high debut, because that was a much anticipated single - but were that many people really anticipating Diamond's song back then to warrant beating out Lennon for top debut of the week? It was his first single on Capitol, who had the rights to the soundtrack LP. I'm sure Capitol made sure all of the reporting PDs and MDs knew about it. The movie The Jazz Singer wasn't even out yet - I remember seeing the movie title on the record label and that was the first I had heard of the movie. If the movie had come out earlier and more people had seen it, the song might not have made it to #2! The movie was nominated for FIVE Golden Raspberry Awards. Maybe that also explains a few of the "Xanadu" songs.
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