CHART CRITIQUE FOR CASEY KASEM’S AMERICAN TOP 40: THE 80's - October 26, 2013
This week's countdown is for the Billboard chart week ending October 25, 1980
PERSONAL: I was living in Wichita Falls, TX going to Kirby High School in the seventh grade. Though my main radio station I listened to was rock 40 outlet KKQV-FM (QV-103), I heard AT40 on either KTRN-AM (The Mighty 1290) or KSWO-AM (13K) from Lawton, OK.
LW#3: UPSIDE DOWN - DIANA ROSS
LW#2: WOMAN IN LOVE - BARBRA STREISAND
LW#1: ANOTHER ONE BITES THE DUST - QUEEN
DROPPERS:
THE LEGEND OF WOOLEY SWAMP - THE CHARLIE DANIELS BAND (31)
WHO'LL BE THE FOOL TONIGHT - LARSEN/FEITEN BAND (29)
HOW DO I SURVIVE - AMY HOLLAND (22)
40: NEVER BE THE SAME - CHRISTOPHER CROSS (DEBUT) This Texan 3rd single sounds very enjoyable but ordinary.
39: YOU SHOOK ME ALL NIGHT LONG - AC/DC (DEBUT) Australian hard rock outfit overcomes adversity with new lead singer Brian Johnson & gets their first sizable hit with this rocking dance floor slammer.
38: WITHOUT YOUR LOVE - ROGER DALTREY » (DEBUT) Lead singer of the Who scores first solo hit with eerie ballad from his movie
McVicar.
37: TOUCH AND GO - THE CARS (37) Boston new wave band plays tag with heavily synthesized number.
36: WALK AWAY - DONNA SUMMER (36) Boston disco singer reaches the top 40 with midtempo spoiler from her previous label.
35: COULD I HAVE THIS DANCE - ANNE MURRAY » (38) Canadian lass creeps up the chart with
Urban Cowboy waltz number.
34: I'M ALMOST READY - PURE PRAIRIE LEAGUE (34) Country rock group led by Vince Gill holds position with fun shuffler.
Whatever happened to: NAPOLEON XIV aka Jerry Samuels (a true one-hit wonder) Glad he found salvation performing as himself.33: HIT ME WITH YOUR BEST SHOT - PAT BENATAR (40) Long Island native tests the boys with this tough kicking rock belter.
AT40 ARCHIVES: (#1 hits of the 1960's) SOLDIER BOY - THE SHIRELLES (May 1962) Biggest hit for NJ girl group that was far from their signature.
PREMIERE OPTIONAL EXTRA: EVERYTIME YOU GO AWAY - DARYL HALL & JOHN OATES - This original is WAY TOO soulful for pop radio. Gotta thank Paul Young for making a hit out of it later on.
32: SHE'S SO COLD - THE ROLLING STONES (39) Mick & the boys return to their raunchy rock roots for this number about a woman that treats them very bad.
31: LOOKIN' FOR LOVE - JOHNNY LEE » (21) Biggest
Urban Cowboy pop hit from Gilley's performer singing a fun song about something everyone may have done at least once.
30: HOT ROD HEARTS - ROBBIE DUPREE (15) Great followup single just peaking with that Doobie Bros. fusion feel to it.
29: LET ME BE YOUR ANGEL - STACY LATTISAW (32) DC female teen singer with pop breakthrough ballad sounding a lot like a young MJ.
28:
GIVE ME THE NIGHT - GEORGE BENSON (14) Great soul number produced by Quincy Jones that was the biggest hit for 'Superbad' jazz fusion guitarist.
27: THAT GIRL COULD SING - JACKSON BROWNE (33) Thanks to Casey, I listened more closely to this ballad about a girl you can't forget but can't hold onto.
Listener question: What family group has had the most Top 40 hits?26: MORE THAN I CAN SAY - LEO SAYER (35) British singer-songwriter greatly improves upon 1961 Bobby Vee B side & make a sizable chart climb.
Answer: The Beach Boys (includes three Wilson Brothers) with 30 hits.25: OUT HERE ON MY OWN - IRENE CARA » (30) Nice ballad she performs on piano in the movie
Fame that apparently her character thought was a piece of ****.
24: MIDNIGHT ROCKS - AL STEWART (25) Last hit for Scotsman that I believe pop radio gave up on too quickly.
23: YOU'VE LOST THAT LOVIN' FEELING - DARYL HALL & JOHN OATES (27) Philly pop duo suitably tackles 1965 monster chestnut & comes up with a winner here that started a second wind for them.
22: ON THE ROAD AGAIN - WILLIE NELSON » (24) Country mainstay hits a long drive with this live stepper from his movie
Honeysuckle Rose.
AT40 ARCHIVE: (#1 hits of the 1960s) STRANGER ON THE SHORE - MR. ACKER BILK (May 1962) Hard to appreciate number (has no backbeat) that was the first US charttopper for any British artist (in this case a clarinet player) in the Rock era.
PREMIERE OPTIONAL EXTRA: HOLD ON - KANSAS - Oh goodie, we get to hear this forgettable number again from Topeka band.
21: WHIP IT - DEVO (26) Fantastic danceable new wave number from Akron, OH band that has held up well over the years.
20: DREAMER - SUPERTRAMP (23) Live version of this interestingly weird number from British prog rock band that has a new wave prototype to it.
19: LOVELY ONE - THE JACKSONS (28) Superstar family group returns to form after two years soaring with funky dance floor shuffler that has gone to lost hit status.
18: LATE IN THE EVENING - PAUL SIMON » (10) Great Latin jazz number tumbling down the chart from his movie
One Trick Pony.
17:
XANADU - OLIVIA NEWTON-JOHN/ELECTRIC LIGHT ORCHESTRA » (8) Great collaboration on unusual title track heading downward which closed the ill-fated movie.
LDD: LONGER - DAN FOGELBERG - Letter was rather long but needed to be make a point. Being the sender was in the Navy when he made the dedication, I wonder he managed to hang up his playboy ways.
16: DREAMING - CLIFF RICHARD (20) British megastar scores again in the US with Leo Sayer production.
15:
MASTER BLASTER (JAMMIN') - STEVIE WONDER (19) I had no idea at the time this Motown superstar's single was a Bob Marley tribute. All I knew was this jam was smoking hot.
14: LOOK WHAT YOU'VE DONE TO ME - BOZ SCAGGS » (16) Sad ballad used in
Urban Cowboy from former Steve Miller alumni.
Listener question: Have any married couples made the top 10 together AND apart?13: DRIVIN' MY LIFE AWAY - EDDIE RABBITT » (9) My favorite country singer slows down after scoring first top 10 pop hit from
Roadie.
Answer: Yes, two have. (Sonny & Chér, and James Taylor &...)12: JESSE -
CARLY SIMON (13) This one I'm not crazy about but I do enjoy hearing it every so often.
AT40 ARCHIVE: (#1 hits of the 1960s) I CAN'T STOP LOVING YOU - RAY CHARLES (June 1962) Legendary rendition of Don Gibson country song from landmark album that ran more than four minutes long.
PREMIERE OPTIONAL EXTRA: DE DO DO DO DE DA DA DA - THE POLICE - Great ska leaning number I thought was a new song by the Eagles when I first heard it!
11:
I'M COMING OUT - DIANA ROSS (18) Chic production for Motown entertainer that has since become a gay liberation anthem & the Bad Boy's biggest headache!
10:
NEVER KNEW LOVE LIKE THIS BEFORE - STEPHANIE MILLS (12) Broadway actress (& Mrs. Jeffrey Daniels) lands her biggest pop hit with Mtume production.
9: I'M ALRIGHT - KENNY LOGGINS » (7) Seattle rocker drops this party jam from
Caddyshack & help brand him as the soundtrack king.
8: ALL OUT OF LOVE - AIR SUPPLY (4) Australian soft rock band heads down with number I thought would be a keeper for the decade.
7:
THE WANDERER - DONNA SUMMER (11) Her first Geffen release sounds more robotic than "I Feel Love."
LDD: THE ROSE - BETTE MIDLER - Great song for a very good letter and dedication.
6: LADY - KENNY ROGERS (17) Country superstar continues to roar up pop chart with beautiful Lionel Richie ballad.
5:
REAL LOVE - THE DOOBIE BROTHERS (6) Michael McDonald continues this San Jose band's journey into jazz pop fusion with great results.
4:
UPSIDE DOWN - DIANA ROSS (3) Other Chic production for Ms. Ross coming down from the top that can Cold Rock A Party.
3:
HE'S SO SHY - THE POINTER SISTERS (5) Oakland family group eases in with playful pop/soul number.
PREMIERE OPTIONAL EXTRA:
CELEBRATION - KOOL & THE GANG - The best record this NJ jazz funk band ever did with James JT Taylor on lead whose success was aided by the release of the hostages in Iran.
2: ANOTHER ONE BITES THE DUST - QUEEN (1) British rock band dazzles soul & dance fans with fascinating "Good Times" knockoff filling the floors.
1: WOMAN IN LOVE - BARBRA STREISAND (2) Barry Gibb stays behind the boards and helps NYC superstar temporarily break a four-way tie for second among most chartoppers for ladies with very defiant number.
SYNOPSIS: The period of movie hits featuring the performers was still in full swing. Despite country music making inroads at the pop radio, soul and dance are still a force to be reckoned with. This was also a period where several artists were making breakthroughs or starting major hit streaks. While I felt this was a very enjoyable time for popular music overall, radio has since treated this as a cold period historically.