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Post by slf on May 13, 2014 21:23:50 GMT -5
For week ending May 10,1980
Well, after months of reading other people's critiques (and being very amusing and entertained by what I've read), I'm going to finally take a stab at my own critique. I'm picking this countdown because of the wealth (IMHO) of terrific songs. (Although I love a lot of '80's music, 1980 was my favorite year of that decade for music.)
40. Should've Never Let You Go/Neil & Dara Sedaka---I can take it or leave it musically, but the lyrics about a lost love do pack an emotional wallop.
39.Headed For A Fall/Firefall--I don't remember this when it was out and I even forgot how it sounded like from when I heard it last Sunday (On B105.7, Indpls,IN BTW)
38.Little Jeannie/Elton John--Merely so-so, although the repeated ending is mildly interesting. 37. Think About Me/Fleetwood Mac--Slightly above average, but the group has had much better songs.
36. Starting Over Again/Dolly Parton--Powerfully sad lyrics. Who knew that Dolly would have a hit with a song written by, of all people, Donna Summer.
35. Gee Whiz/Bernadette Peters--Another that I don't remember when it was out, and it didn't do anything for me the two times I have heard it on AT40.
34.Wondering Where The Lions Are/Bruce Cockburn--Ditto
33.Let Me Be The Clock/Smokey Robinson--I can't really knock this song, since it sounds similar to the brilliant "Cruisin' ", but I find it rather ludicrous to hear one of the most respected singers and composer of all time proclaiming for all the world to hear, "I'm cuckoo".
32.Let's Get Serious/Jermaine Jackson--So So, at best. No offense; but no song of his has really done anything for me.
31.The Seduction/The James Last Band--Don't remember hearing it at the time, but I do like its smooth jazzy feel.
30.She's Out Of My Life/Michael Jackson--Although I usually don't care much for songs this mellow, I admit Michael did a fine, soulful job with the vocals.
29.Working My Way Back To You,Babe/Forgive Me Girl/The Spinners--Here, at last, we have the first great song of the countdown. This song, the way it swings and moves and bounces, appealed to me the first time I heard it 34 yrs ago, and I love it as much as ever. Best example of a cover version outdoing the original.
28.Train In Vain/The Clash--Back-to-Back gems. I actually bought the casette of London Calling,(the LP that this song came from) many years ago after reading a favorable review, and I was very impressed; it had 5 or 6 other tracks just as good as this one. ("Train In Vain" is the last track,but not even listed on the label)
27.Coming Up/Paul McCartney--In short, the live version was fun and energetic; this version was freakish-sounding and rather hideous.
26.Against The Wind/Bob Seger--I can take it or leave it.
25.Heart Hotels/Dan Fogelberg--Another great song, my favorite song of his. The irresisible hook is the instrumental breaks featuring the swirling strings calling and the pounding piano part responding. Very dramatic.
24.Do Right/Paul Davis--A heartwarming, downright Christian message has always made this song stand out to me. I've always wondered if the late Paul Davis was or had become a Christian when he recorded this song.
23.Steal Away/Robbie Dupree--It has just enough energy to make it mildly enjoyable, but far from great.
22.The Rose/Bette Midler--Musically so-so, but it has profound lyrics, particularly in the second verse.
21.Special Lady/Ray, Goodman, and Brown--Masterful example of old school R&B. It sounds like it should have been a hit ten years earlier. That four note guitar riff heard multiple times is one of the greatest in R&B history.
20.Brass In Pocket/The Pretenders--Mildly interesting and fun rocker, but far from exceptional.
19.Funkytown/Lipps, Inc--Great example of a song being silly and stupid, but irresisibly fun.
18.Stomp/The Brothers Johnson--Once again, a song I can take or leave. It pales in comparision to the glorious "Strawberry Letter 23".
17.Breakdown Dead Ahead/Boz Scaggs--Another of my favorites from this countdown. This glorious cruising rocker was the best of Boz's top 40 hits ("Dinah Flo", which didn't chart, was even better, though). Ironically, my second-favorite of his, from later on in the year, was the slow, minor-key gem, "Look What You've Done For Me".
16. I Can't Tell You Why/The Eagles--Mediocre, like most of their hits.
15.Car/Gary Numan--Like "Funkytown",delightfully silly and campy. I especially like the drawn-out spacy ending. 14.I Can't Help It/Olivia Newton-John & Andy Gibb--I don't remember this song when it was a hit. 13.Pilot Of The Airwaves/Charlie Dore--On the other hand, I recall this pleasant, easy-going tune being played a lot, particularly on 50K Watt WOWO, Ft. Wayne. I remember every time the late, great Bob Sievers would finish playing it, he would answer to Ms Dore, "Well, we try to be . Ah, those were the days. (Ha Ha)
12.Hurts So Bad/Linda Ronstadt--It starts out so-so, then descends into being shrill and mildly annoying.
11.Biggest Part Of Me/Ambrosia--Mildly sweet and pleasant, but it did get rather overplayed.
10.Hold On To My Love/Jimmy Ruffin--Powerful and soulful record. I particularly enjoy the staccato strings throughout the chorus. This doesn't deserve to be the lost oldie that it is.
9.Don't Fall In Love With A Dreamer/Kenny Rogers & Kim Carnes--Mildly pleasant, but not great. I never would have guessed then that the unknown (to me) Ms Carnes, one year later, would have a hit more successful than any song Kenny would ever have.
8.Sexy Eyes/Dr. Hook--One of my least favorites this week. The song's not that great, and the singer has a somethat annoying voice.
7.You May Be Right/Billy Joel--It rocks out OK, but the lyrics have your typical, tiresome "C'mon honey, let's jump in the sack tonight" message. I'm not impressed.
6.Fire Lake/Bob Seger--Above-average release that has a certain rolling, rollicking undercurrent to it.
5.Another Brick In The Wall/Pink Floyd--Like most songs by this group, their appeal comes from them sounding pretentious to the point of being campy. In this song, the appeal is augmented in the second verse by students taking over the vocals. And you got to love the "no pudding for you" admonition at the end.
4.With You, I'm Born Again/Billy Preston & Syreeta--Despite its title, not nearly as spiritual as Paul Davis' song. The only noteworthy feature is the background strings, which does give it a rather heavenly feel to it.
3.Lost In Love/Air Supply--One the countdown's best songs, and the only truly great song this group had. Compare this with any other Air Supply song and you'll know what I mean. Their other songs were OK, but were overly strident, dramatic, choppy, and bombastic. This song has a smooth, easy-going flow to it.
2.Ride Like The Wind/Christopher Cross--This pleasantly dramatic song, from its stormy opening, to its sing-a-long "BA-DA-DA-DA" ending, is another favorite of mine. Both Mr. Cross and Air Supply are two of many acts, IMHO, who had killer debut hits, but nothing else afterwords that quite measured up.
1.Call Me/Blondie--Like No. 7, it rocks out OK, but has immoral lyrics, in this case, glorifying the world's oldest profession. (Not exactly farming)
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Post by mga707 on May 13, 2014 21:48:41 GMT -5
7.You May Be Right/Billy Joel--It rocks out OK, but the lyrics have your typical, tiresome "C'mon honey, let's jump in the sack tonight" message. I'm not impressed. 1.Call Me/Blondie--Like No. 7, it rocks out OK, but has immoral lyrics, in this case, glorifying the world's oldest profession. (Not exactly farming) ...which is the entire reason Rock and Roll exists. It's very name is an old R&B slang term for 'doin' the nasty'. All of the greatest R&R records are about, in some way, gettin' it on. Nothing wrong with that, in my book. OTOH, I do agree with you on the Air Supply and CC records. Their firsts were indeed their bests.
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Post by bobbo428 on May 13, 2014 22:52:58 GMT -5
For week ending May 10,1980
Well, after months of reading other people's critiques (and being very amusing and entertained by what I've read), I'm going to finally take a stab at my own critique. I'm picking this countdown because of the wealth (IMHO) of terrific songs. (Although I love a lot of '80's music, 1980 was my favorite year of that decade for music.)
40. Should've Never Let You Go/Neil & Dara Sedaka---I can take it or leave it musically, but the lyrics about a lost love do pack an emotional wallop.
39.Headed For A Fall/Firefall--I don't remember this when it was out and I even forgot how it sounded like from when I heard it last Sunday (On B105.7, Indpls,IN BTW)
38.Little Jeannie/Elton John--Merely so-so, although the repeated ending is mildly interesting. 37. Think About Me/Fleetwood Mac--Slightly above average, but the group has had much better songs.
36. Starting Over Again/Dolly Parton--Powerfully sad lyrics. Who knew that Dolly would have a hit with a song written by, of all people, Donna Summer.
35. Gee Whiz/Bernadette Peters--Another that I don't remember when it was out, and it didn't do anything for me the two times I have heard it on AT40.
34.Wondering Where The Lions Are/Bruce Cockburn--Ditto
33.Let Me Be The Clock/Smokey Robinson--I can't really knock this song, since it sounds similar to the brilliant "Cruisin' ", but I find it rather ludicrous to hear one of the most respected singers and composer of all time proclaiming for all the world to hear, "I'm cuckoo".
32.Let's Get Serious/Jermaine Jackson--So So, at best. No offense; but no song of his has really done anything for me.
31.The Seduction/The James Last Band--Don't remember hearing it at the time, but I do like its smooth jazzy feel.
30.She's Out Of My Life/Michael Jackson--Although I usually don't care much for songs this mellow, I admit Michael did a fine, soulful job with the vocals.
29.Working My Way Back To You,Babe/Forgive Me Girl/The Spinners--Here, at last, we have the first great song of the countdown. This song, the way it swings and moves and bounces, appealed to me the first time I heard it 34 yrs ago, and I love it as much as ever. Best example of a cover version outdoing the original.
28.Train In Vain/The Clash--Back-to-Back gems. I actually bought the casette of London Calling,(the LP that this song came from) many years ago after reading a favorable review, and I was very impressed; it had 5 or 6 other tracks just as good as this one. ("Train In Vain" is the last track,but not even listed on the label)
27.Coming Up/Paul McCartney--In short, the live version was fun and energetic; this version was freakish-sounding and rather hideous.
26.Against The Wind/Bob Seger--I can take it or leave it.
25.Heart Hotels/Dan Fogelberg--Another great song, my favorite song of his. The irresisible hook is the instrumental breaks featuring the swirling strings calling and the pounding piano part responding. Very dramatic.
24.Do Right/Paul Davis--A heartwarming, downright Christian message has always made this song stand out to me. I've always wondered if the late Paul Davis was or had become a Christian when he recorded this song.
23.Steal Away/Robbie Dupree--It has just enough energy to make it mildly enjoyable, but far from great.
22.The Rose/Bette Midler--Musically so-so, but it has profound lyrics, particularly in the second verse.
21.Special Lady/Ray, Goodman, and Brown--Masterful example of old school R&B. It sounds like it should have been a hit ten years earlier. That four note guitar riff heard multiple times is one of the greatest in R&B history.
20.Brass In Pocket/The Pretenders--Mildly interesting and fun rocker, but far from exceptional.
19.Funkytown/Lipps, Inc--Great example of a song being silly and stupid, but irresisibly fun.
18.Stomp/The Brothers Johnson--Once again, a song I can take or leave. It pales in comparision to the glorious "Strawberry Letter 23".
17.Breakdown Dead Ahead/Boz Scaggs--Another of my favorites from this countdown. This glorious cruising rocker was the best of Boz's top 40 hits ("Dinah Flo", which didn't chart, was even better, though). Ironically, my second-favorite of his, from later on in the year, was the slow, minor-key gem, "Look What You've Done For Me".
16. I Can't Tell You Why/The Eagles--Mediocre, like most of their hits.
15.Car/Gary Numan--Like "Funkytown",delightfully silly and campy. I especially like the drawn-out spacy ending. 14.I Can't Help It/Olivia Newton-John & Andy Gibb--I don't remember this song when it was a hit. 13.Pilot Of The Airwaves/Charlie Dore--On the other hand, I recall this pleasant, easy-going tune being played a lot, particularly on 50K Watt WOWO, Ft. Wayne. I remember every time the late, great Bob Sievers would finish playing it, he would answer to Ms Dore, "Well, we try to be . Ah, those were the days. (Ha Ha)
12.Hurts So Bad/Linda Ronstadt--It starts out so-so, then descends into being shrill and mildly annoying.
11.Biggest Part Of Me/Ambrosia--Mildly sweet and pleasant, but it did get rather overplayed.
10.Hold On To My Love/Jimmy Ruffin--Powerful and soulful record. I particularly enjoy the staccato strings throughout the chorus. This doesn't deserve to be the lost oldie that it is.
9.Don't Fall In Love With A Dreamer/Kenny Rogers & Kim Carnes--Mildly pleasant, but not great. I never would have guessed then that the unknown (to me) Ms Carnes, one year later, would have a hit more successful than any song Kenny would ever have.
8.Sexy Eyes/Dr. Hook--One of my least favorites this week. The song's not that great, and the singer has a somethat annoying voice.
7.You May Be Right/Billy Joel--It rocks out OK, but the lyrics have your typical, tiresome "C'mon honey, let's jump in the sack tonight" message. I'm not impressed.
6.Fire Lake/Bob Seger--Above-average release that has a certain rolling, rollicking undercurrent to it.
5.Another Brick In The Wall/Pink Floyd--Like most songs by this group, their appeal comes from them sounding pretentious to the point of being campy. In this song, the appeal is augmented in the second verse by students taking over the vocals. And you got to love the "no pudding for you" admonition at the end.
4.With You, I'm Born Again/Billy Preston & Syreeta--Despite its title, not nearly as spiritual as Paul Davis' song. The only noteworthy feature is the background strings, which does give it a rather heavenly feel to it.
3.Lost In Love/Air Supply--One the countdown's best songs, and the only truly great song this group had. Compare this with any other Air Supply song and you'll know what I mean. Their other songs were OK, but were overly strident, dramatic, choppy, and bombastic. This song has a smooth, easy-going flow to it.
2.Ride Like The Wind/Christopher Cross--This pleasantly dramatic song, from its stormy opening, to its sing-a-long "BA-DA-DA-DA" ending, is another favorite of mine. Both Mr. Cross and Air Supply are two of many acts, IMHO, who had killer debut hits, but nothing else afterwords that quite measured up.
1.Call Me/Blondie--Like No. 7, it rocks out OK, but has immoral lyrics, in this case, glorifying the world's oldest profession. (Not exactly farming) I enjoyed reading this critique--the songs reminded me of the waning weeks of 12th grade.
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Post by torcan on May 14, 2014 11:09:55 GMT -5
I’ve never done one of these, but because 1980 was one of my favorite years for music, I thought I’d try it.
Although I listened to the radio and followed the hits during the ‘70s, I really never paid too much attention to it. Something struck me about 1980 – I find the top 40 form this year to be fantastic – only 1983 beats it.
Most of the songs were melodic and had meaningful lyrics, and I started following the charts when “America’s Top 10” debuted on TV in mid-year. Music became almost like a “best friend” starting in 1980. I started really buying 45s and LPs this year (with allowance money) – “Against the Wind” was the first rock album I bought on Labor Day weekend in 1980!
40: SHOULD’VE NEVER LET YOU GO - NEIL SEDAKA & DARA SEDAKA (debut) – I remember hearing this on the radio at the time, OK but nothing I’d buy. 39: HEADED FOR A FALL - FIREFALL (debut) – didn’t get played in my area 38: LITTLE JEANNIE - ELTON JOHN (debut) – my No. 1 song of 1980; Elton’s best 37: THINK ABOUT ME - FLEETWOOD MAC (20) – Didn’t get played a lot on the station I listened to at the time, but I really like it; it’s much better than “Tusk” 36: STARTING OVER AGAIN - DOLLY PARTON (40) – no opinion 35: GEE WHIZ - BERNADETTE PETERS (debut) – no opinion 34: WONDERING WHERE THE LIONS ARE - BRUCE COCKBURN (38) – Canadian star who hit No. 1 on a couple of local radio charts with this; It’s OK 33: LET ME BE THE CLOCK - SMOKEY ROBINSON (37) – don’t remember this one at all 32: LET’S GET SERIOUS - JERMAINE JACKSON (39) – nothing special 31: THE SEDUCTION - JAMES LAST BAND (35) – I remember hearing this a lot back then; didn’t like it much then, like it a lot better now
30: SHE’S OUT OF MY LIFE - MICHAEL JACKSON (debut) – didn’t get into Michael until “Thriller”, but this one’s probably my least-favorite of the “Off the Wall” singles 29: WORKING MY WAY BACK TO YOU / FORGIVE ME GIRL - THE SPINNERS (16) – Great – this is a fantastic remake; I like their version of “Cupid” a lot too 28: TRAIN IN VAIN (STAND BY ME) - THE CLASH (34) – didn’t get played on the radio in my area during its chart run; first time I heard it was on an AT40 re-broadcast not that long ago 27: COMING UP - PAUL McCARTNEY (debut) – I can’t understand why this song was such a big hit; it’s nothing special; there was a period where anything a Beatle touched would turn to gold; obviously this was still the time 26: AGAINST THE WIND - BOB SEGER (debut) – Great song; one of my top 5 favorites of the year; this was one of the songs that really got me interested in the top 40 that year; my station always played the album version, which I prefer; considering its fast rise, I’m surprised this didn’t get above No. 5 25: HEART HOTELS - DAN FOGELBERG (27) – got it on his “Greatest Hits” album 24: DO RIGHT - PAUL DAVIS (26) – its’ OK; prefer “I Go Crazy” to this 23: STEAL AWAY - ROBBIE DUPREE (33) – a two-hit wonder; although “Brooklyn Girls” also charted 22: THE ROSE - BETTE MIDLER (29) – I like this one, but “Wind Beneath My Wings” is better 21: SPECIAL LADY - RAY, GOODMAN & BROWN (12) – loved it in 1980; reminded me of a girl I kind of liked back then
20: BRASS IN POCKET (I’M SPECIAL) - THE PRETENDERS (22) – didn’t follow them much until “Back on the Chain Gang” in 1983, but it’s a good song 19: FUNKYTOWN - LIPPS INC. (24) – great to dance to; I got the album for $1.99 on special that summer, but I prefer the shorter single version 18: STOMP - BROTHERS JOHNSON (21) – it’s OK; only have it because I collect picture sleeve 45s that charted (have over 7,000); don’t really listen to it 17: BREAKDOWN DEAD AHEAD (19) – didn’t hear this one much when it was on the charts 16: I CAN’T TELL YOU WHY - THE EAGLES (8) – it’s OK; not really a huge fan of this group, but a few of their songs I like 15: CARS - GARY NUMAN (18) – didn’t get into this much when it was on the charts; it’s OK to hear once in a while 14: I CAN’T HELP IT - ANDY GIBB & OLIVIA NEWTON-JOHN (17) – was never really into disco in the ‘70s; got into it later and I really appreciate the late ‘70s period; there’s some good stuff that was released during that time 13: PILOT OF THE AIRWAVES - CHARLIE DORE (13) – really loved this when it was out; another one-hit wonder 12: HURT SO BAD - LINDA RONSTADT (15) – she did a lot of remakes; didn’t really get into any of her songs until “Somewhere Out There” 11: BIGGEST PART OF ME - AMBROSIA (14) – great song; I love long singles, and this ran 5:26 on the 45
10: HOLD ON TO MY LOVE - JIMMY RUFFIN (10) – never heard this when it was on the charts, and it doesn’t get played as an oldie; you can kind of dance jive to this 9: DON’T FALL IN LOVE WITH A DREAMER - KENNY ROGERS & KIM CARNES (11) – Kenny was just about to hit big 8: SEXY EYES - DR. HOOK (9) – they kind of turned into a “dance” band with several of the songs on this album; great pop song 7: YOU MAY BE RIGHT - BILLY JOEL (7) – lots of great rock on the charts in the summer of 1980; this was the first single from a great album 6: FIRE LAKE - BOB SEGER (6) – decent song; I actually prefer the second and third singles from this album; I like this but not as much as the other singles…love the artwork on the picture sleeve 5: ANOTHER BRICK IN THE WALL - PINK FLOYD (5) – never got into this in its original run but I love the 45 with the special label, and the picture sleeve that went with it; this is one of the songs that comes to mind when you think about 1980 4: WITH YOU I’M BORN AGAIN - BILLY PRESTON & SYREETA (4) – it’s OK 3: LOST IN LOVE - AIR SUPPLY (3) – I really prefer some of their other singles, like “All Out of Love” or “Making Love Out of Nothing at All”; this was a good start though 2: RIDE LIKE THE WIND - CHRISTOPHER CROSS (2) – for a while Christopher Cross was my favorite artist; his first album was brilliant and “Arthur’s Theme” the next year continued the brilliance. He waited too long to release a second album…although there were a few really good songs on it, it didn’t measure up to the first and he could never hit the top 40 again after that album ran its course. The first three singles from his debut were all in my personal top 20 for 1980 1: CALL ME - BLONDIE (1) – interestingly, this song was holding at No. 1 without a bullet (or star), which was unusual back then; you almost thought it was going to fall and let Christopher into the top slot, but it was strong enough to hold on anyway. I don’t recall hearing this on my station when it was hit, but I was listening to a more MOR station on AM at this time; later in the year I switched to FM and top 40 (Rock 102, as it was known then) and heard a lot of these songs for the first time. This ended up being the No. 1 song of the year on Billboard
A great chart. Many more to come in 1980!
Thanks for reading!!
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Post by mkarns on May 14, 2014 11:18:27 GMT -5
Most of the songs were melodic and had meaningful lyrics, and I started following the charts when “America’s Top 10” debuted on TV in mid-year. Music became almost like a “best friend” starting in 1980. I started really buying 45s and LPs this year (with allowance money) – “Against the Wind” was the first rock album I bought on Labor Day weekend in 1980! 10: HOLD ON TO MY LOVE - JIMMY RUFFIN (10) – never heard this when it was on the charts, and it doesn’t get played as an oldie; you can kind of dance jive to this 9: DON’T FALL IN LOVE WITH A DREAMER - KENNY ROGERS & KIM CARNES (11) – Kenny was just about to hit big 8: SEXY EYES - DR. HOOK (9) – they kind of turned into a “dance” band with several of the songs on this album; great pop song 7: YOU MAY BE RIGHT - BILLY JOEL (7) – lots of great rock on the charts in the summer of 1980; this was the first single from a great album 6: FIRE LAKE - BOB SEGER (6) – decent song; I actually prefer the second and third singles from this album; I like this but not as much as the other singles…love the artwork on the picture sleeve 5: ANOTHER BRICK IN THE WALL - PINK FLOYD (5) – never got into this in its original run but I love the 45 with the special label, and the picture sleeve that went with it; this is one of the songs that comes to mind when you think about 1980 4: WITH YOU I’M BORN AGAIN - BILLY PRESTON & SYREETA (4) – it’s OK 3: LOST IN LOVE - AIR SUPPLY (3) – I really prefer some of their other singles, like “All Out of Love” or “Making Love Out of Nothing at All”; this was a good start though 2: RIDE LIKE THE WIND - CHRISTOPHER CROSS (2) – for a while Christopher Cross was my favorite artist; his first album was brilliant and “Arthur’s Theme” the next year continued the brilliance. He waited too long to release a second album…although there were a few really good songs on it, it didn’t measure up to the first and he could never hit the top 40 again after that album ran its course. The first three singles from his debut were all in my personal top 20 for 1980 1: CALL ME - BLONDIE (1) – interestingly, this song was holding at No. 1 without a bullet (or star), which was unusual back then; you almost thought it was going to fall and let Christopher into the top slot, but it was strong enough to hold on anyway. I don’t recall hearing this on my station when it was hit, but I was listening to a more MOR station on AM at this time; later in the year I switched to FM and top 40 (Rock 102, as it was known then) and heard a lot of these songs for the first time. This ended up being the No. 1 song of the year on Billboard A great chart. Many more to come in 1980! Thanks for reading!! America's Top 10 debuted May 10, 1980, with the above songs featured.
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Post by artsmusic on May 14, 2014 13:28:04 GMT -5
I always suspected Hold On To My Love to be one of those "paper ads", especially imagining the pressure RSO (notorious as it was) put on people with the LP being produced by Robin Gibb. I never recall really hearing it here in Chicago on the radio. All those other top 10 songs from 1980 have some kind of real history to them.
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Post by torcan on May 14, 2014 13:39:52 GMT -5
I always suspected Hold On To My Love to be one of those "paper ads", especially imagining the pressure RSO (notorious as it was) put on people with the LP being produced by Robin Gibb. I never recall really hearing it here in Chicago on the radio. All those other top 10 songs from 1980 have some kind of real history to them. Yes, I guess there were more than we know back in those days. It's odd looking at some of the chart movements and songs you don't recognize becoming big hits. I guess today that sort of thing can't really happen because everything's monitored. I always considered Billboard to be more accurate and respected than Cashbox or Record World, but some of the moves on the Billboard charts leave my scratching my head.
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Post by torcan on May 14, 2014 13:42:35 GMT -5
I thought I’d immediately follow-up my first chart critique with my second one. I know this is a couple of weeks old now, so please forgive me, but 1983 was my favorite year for music and I didn't want to wait for the next time it rolls around.
By this time, I had been listening to “American Top 40” for over two years, and buying Billboard every single week (I still have all those back issues). I was following the charts and single releases very closely, and even wrote out and posted each week’s top 10 on the refrigerator in the kitchen (I’m sure my family was thrilled with that!)
40: I LIKE IT - DEBARGE (35) – OK, but I preferred “All This Love” and “Time Will Reveal” from later in the year 39: TWILIGHT ZONE - GOLDEN EARRING (23) – it’s OK, but no real opinion one way or the other 38: I KNOW THERE'S SOMETHING GOING ON - FRIDA (20) – good first single; Phil Collins was on drums. The 45 ran over 5 minutes 37: BACK ON THE CHAIN GANG - THE PRETENDERS (21) – their first top 10 hit; great song 36: WHIRLY GIRL - OXO (28) – one-hit wonder; it’s OK, but nothing special; have it only because I collect picture sleeve 45s that charted (I’ve got over 7,000) 35: DON'T LET IT END - STYX (debut) – high debut on the Hot 100; there were a bunch of songs that entered around this high in 1983; nice melodic balled 34: STRANGER IN MY HOUSE - RONNIE MILSAP (38) – country was starting to fall out of favor on the pop charts by this time 33: ALWAYS SOMETHING THERE TO REMIND ME - NAKED EYES (40) – good uptempo song; reminded me of a girl I had a crush on around this time 32: SO WRONG - PATRICK SIMMONS (36) – it’s OK, but no real opinion one way or the other 31: FAITHFULLY - JOURNEY (debut) – I think this is my favorite Journey song; I like it a bit better than “Open Arms”; should have been top 10
30: TIME (CLOCK OF THE HEART) - CULTURE CLUB (debut) – was never a big fan of this group, this is OK – it’s better than their first single; but I really like their Motown-flavored “Church of the Poison Mind” from later in the year 29: AFFAIR OF THE HEART - RICK SPRINGFIELD (39) – I like the singles from “Working Class Hero” better 28: MORNIN' - JARREAU (37) – nice song; should have been bigger 27: IT MIGHT BE YOU - STEPHEN BISHOP (29) – I love ballads, and this was a good one; in my personal top 100 for 1983 26: SOME KIND OF FRIEND - BARRY MANILOW (30) – it’s OK, but I like his “Read Em and Weep” from later this year MUCH better, always loved Jim Steinman’s writing 25: WE'VE GOT TONIGHT - KENNY ROGERS & SHEENA EASTON (19) – not bad, but I prefer Bob Seger’s original 24: WELCOME TO HEARTLIGHT - KENNY LOGGINS (27) – again, got it because the 45 had a picture sleeve, but nothing I listen to 23: FLASHDANCE...WHAT A FEELING - IRENE CARA (33) – my favorite song of the year; uptempo, melodic; this was one of the songs that brought back the “disco” sound to the charts; Billboad’s “Chartbeat” column even commented on its popularity in May 1983 22: MY LOVE - LIONEL RICHIE (32) – third single from his debut; it’s good, but I prefer the first two singles a bit better 21: STRAIGHT FROM THE HEART - BRYAN ADAMS (34) – Bryan’s first big hit; considering its fast climb it’s surprising it didn’t rise above No. 10; competition was just too tough in 1983!
20: YOU ARE - LIONEL RICHIE (17) – one of my favorites of the year – great song 19: PHOTOGRAPH - DEF LEPPARD (26) – rock n’ roll still had a place among that year’s big dance hits; Def Leppard’s first top 40 hit; I’ve got the greatest hits CD and their picture sleeve 45s; this was released with both versions of the Mercury record label 18: DO YOU REALLY WANT TO HURT ME - CULTURE CLUB (14) – never cared for this 17: RIO - DURAN DURAN (31) – good song, I found it to be quite catchy! 16: HUNGRY LIKE THE WOLF - DURAN DURAN (11) – their first big hit; MTV really helped this one along 15: ONE ON ONE - HALL & OATES (7) – after six weeks at No. 7 it finally drops; great easy-going ballad 14: SOLITAIRE - LAURA BRANIGAN (18) – “Gloria” is her best but this is pretty good; it took me a while to warm up to it but I like it a lot today 13: EVEN NOW - BOB SEGER (13) – this is a really good Seger song that doesn’t get played anymore; it does sound a bit like “Hollywood Nights” and “American Storm”, but this is better than the latter and just as good as the former; unfortunately it would only climb one spot higher before dropping 12: SEPARATE WAYS - JOURNEY (8) – I know this was hugely popular and I like it, but I find this a bit over-rated; I know it was No. 1 on some charts but I think the singles from “Escape” were stronger overall; “Faithfully” placed higher on my own year-end top 100 11: I WON'T HOLD YOU BACK - TOTO (16) – fourth single from the Grammy’s album of the year; the previous “Africa” was one of my top 20 favorite songs of the year and this ballad was a good one too; love the saxophone solo
10: LITTLE RED CORVETTE - PRINCE (12) – never really got into this when it was a hit; I like “1999” and songs like “Let’s Go Crazy” or “Purple Rain” a lot better; finally added it to my collection when I found a promo 45 with a different edit on each side 9: OVERKILL - MEN AT WORK (15) – great song; continued the sound and style of the “Business as Usual” singles; the promo 45 features a different picture sleeve than the commercial 45, which is unusual 8: SHE BLINDED ME WITH SCIENCE - THOMAS DOLBY (10) – it’s OK; not great, not bad 7: BILLIE JEAN - MICHAEL JACKSON (5) – ahhh – “Thriller” was in full force; I bought the album in the summer of 1983 and got “Off the Wall” a few weeks later; by now the album was on its way to setting all kinds of records; this was one of my top 5 singles of the year 6: LET'S DANCE - DAVID BOWIE (9) – not bad; have never been a Bowie fan but I like the singles from this era a fair bit 5: DER KOMMISAR - AFTER THE FIRE (6) – it’s OK; another one-hit wonder 4: MR. ROBOTO - STYX (3) – I knew something was up when I picked up Billboard that week and found this song dropped to No. 4 after having a star (or bullet) at No. 3 the week before; this was the first time since 1977 a song fell from a starred position; maybe the Chart Director was in a good mood that week!(?) I didn’t discover until a few weeks later the Chart Director changed with this issue, that’s why things were loosening up with regards to the star rules; no longer were songs required to “lose their star” first before dropping; it meant more interesting times ahead! 3: JEOPARDY - THE GREG KIHN BAND (4) – good song; I like this and the band’s earlier “The Breakup Song” quite well; the next week this song would jump to No. 2 without a star, and drop the following week; it was he first song to spend only one week peaking at No. 2 since Rita Coolidge in 1977 2: COME ON EILEEN - DEXY'S MIDNIGHT RUNNERS (1) – great song; interrupted Michael Jackson’s reign at the top; very catchy and it had a cool picture sleeve that came with the 45 1: BEAT IT - MICHAEL JACKSON (2) – the first video to be featured on “Friday Night Videos”; it helped “Thriller” become the top-selling album of all-time, a position it still holds to this day (and will likely never be beaten); this was released just five weeks after “Billie Jean” giving Michael two different sounding hit singles simultaneously; Eddie Van Halen played the guitar solo on this. This was the third of seven top 10 singles from the album, another record that will likely never be broken (although it has been tied).
Overall, nothing tops 1983 in my opinion. There were more great songs hitting big all through the year. You look back at the charts and it’s hard to find one bad song. Too bad charts and music of today couldn’t be like they were in 1983.
Thanks again for reading!
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Post by jamie9012 on May 14, 2014 17:05:58 GMT -5
I have not, for the past two Weeks, created a Critique for the shows because I did not hear a lot of them. I did hear the Episode from May of 1980, and there were many songs that I did not know. Before the Song #23 began (which was "Steal Away" from Robbie Dupree), Casey Kasem said that there had been many Ballads to appear in American Top 40 in the past few months. I thought that this was interesting to hear. For example, most of the Songs from Neil Sedaka and Michael Jackson that I know are upbeat. Their music appeared in this Countdown, however they were Ballads.
In addition, the Critiques from this Episode were nice to read.
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Post by Hervard on May 16, 2014 13:31:27 GMT -5
American Top 40: The 80s - May 17, 2014
This week's presentation - May 21, 1988
Droppers: I WISH I HAD A GIRL - HENRY LEE SUMMER (36) - Good song. We just missed this song this year, as it debuted on the chart the week after the last 1988 show and, of course, it drops off on this chart. I preferred his next hit, "Darlin' Danielle Don't" which, unfortunately, missed the Top 40 altogether. SAY IT AGAIN - JERMAINE STEWART (34) - Great song! This one sure didn't last long but, as I've said before, it might have had a chance had it been released in the early 80s. It sounded somewhat out of place for 1988. GIRLFRIEND - PEBBLES (26) - Good song. I also liked her next hit, "Mercedes Boy", which would debut on AT40 the following week. DEVIL INSIDE - INXS (24) - Though I'm not a huge fan of them, I actually thought this one was pretty good. PAMELA - TOTO (22) - Good song, but definitely not one of their best. Another song that might have done better in the early-80s (especially since Toto was an established chart act back then). 40: PROMISE ME - THE COVER GIRLS (debut) - Great song! This one was definitely underrated, as this was all the further the song got. I liked all of their Top 40 songs, especially the ballads, like this one. 39: POUR SOME SUGAR ON ME - DEF LEPPARD (debut) - Great song! They were in the midst of their most successful album Hysteria and this was the fourth single from it! 38: BEDS ARE BURNING - MIDNIGHT OIL (debut) - Australian acts abounded on this week's show. This one, however, would be a one-hit wonder (Top 40-wise, anyway). Anyway, this was a good song (although, I do remember getting tired of hearing it literally every hour on Chicago's WZZN back in 2001, when it was an all-80s station, with a limited variety). 37: NOTHIN' BUT A GOOD TIME - POISON (debut) - Great song! One of my favorites from them! 36: NIGHTIME - PRETTY POISON (37) - Good song. This one sounded a lot like "Catch Me (I'm Falling)". 35: DA'BUTT (FROM THE "SCHOOL DAZE" SOUNDTRACK) - E.U. (39) - Great song! I remember hearing this one at just about every after-game dance back in high school. 34: GET OUTTA MY DREAMS, GET INTO MY CAR - BILLY OCEAN (19) - Great song! This became the top song of 1988 on the R&R chart. 33: THE FLAME - CHEAP TRICK (debut) - Good song, although, due to overplay, I'm still somewhat burned out on it. 32: NITE AND DAY - AL B. SURE! (38) - Great song! The synths in this song are awesome! 31: I'M STILL SEARCHING - GLASS TIGER (31) - Good song, although I preferred their other hits. OPTIONAL EXTRA: WHEN THE CHILDREN CRY - WHITE LION - Ah, so they're doing extras from late 1988, are they? Anyway, I wasn't a big fan of this song. I much preferred their song on this week's show. 30: KISS ME DEADLY - LITA FORD (35) - Great song! One of the high points of the show, according to our friend JessieLou! 29: DIRTY DIANA - MICHAEL JACKSON (40) - Great song! One of his songs with an album rock beat to it. 28: ONE GOOD REASON - PAUL CARRACK (28) - Great song! My favorite of his two 1988 hits (since the other one was somewhat overplayed). 27: ALPHABET ST. – PRINCE (33) - Good song, and interesting story about the John Lennon album, which featured him and Yoko Ono nude, like the album cover of Prince's Lovesexy. 26: PROVE YOUR LOVE - TAYLOR DAYNE (15) - It's okies, but I preferred "Tell It To My Heart", my favorite song from the album of the same name. 25: THE VALLEY ROAD - BRUCE HORNSBY & THE RANGE (32) - Good song, but I preferred several others by him/them. LDD: I JUST CALLED TO SAY I LOVE YOU – STEVIE WONDER - Great song, and definitely fitting for the dedication. 24: I STILL BELIEVE - BRENDA K. STARR (30) - Great song! My favorite of her two Top 40 hits. 23: WE ALL SLEEP ALONE - CHER (27) - Good song, but I preferred some of her later hits. 22: FOOLISH BEAT - DEBBIE GIBSON (29) - Great song! Possibly my favorite song from her, as well as one of my favorites from 1988! 21: STRANGE BUT TRUE - TIMES TWO (23) - Great song - their only Top 40 hit. OPTIONAL EXTRA: CHAINS OF LOVE - ERASURE - Good song. Whatever happened to them, anyway? 20: MY GIRL - SUAVE (20) - Good remake of the Temptations classic! 19: WHERE DO BROKEN HEARTS GO - WHITNEY HOUSTON (11) - Great song! One of her all-time best! 18: CIRCLE IN THE SAND - BELINDA CARLISLE (21) - I was lying down, resting my eyes and I slept through this song completely, but that's OK; it's not one of my favorites from her by any means. 17: MAKE IT REAL - THE JETS (25) - Good song. I was asleep during this song as well. 16: DREAMING - ORCHESTRAL MANOEUVRES IN THE DARK (18) - I woke up during this song. Good thing, as it's one of my favorites from them. 15: ANGEL - AEROSMITH (7) - Great song! One of their best, and for several years, this was their biggest hit ever. 14: TOGETHER FOREVER - RICK ASTLEY (17) - I might have dozed off again during this song, since I don't remember hearing it. It's a good one, but more or less "Part 2" of his first hit. 13: PINK CADILLAC - NATALIE COLE (5) - Yes, I definitely did fall back to sleep and heard bits and pieces of this one. It's a good one; not sure whether I prefer this or Bruce Springsteen's original. 12: WISHING WELL - TERENCE TRENT D'ARBY (3) - Great song! I did prefer "Sign Your Name", which also hit the Top Ten later that summer. 11: PIANO IN THE DARK - BRENDA RUSSELL FEATURING JOE ESPOSITO (14) - Great song! Possibly my favorite of her two Top 40 hits. 10: TWO OCCASIONS - THE DEELE (13) - Good song. I found it interesting that, although this song was generally higher up on the BB chart than the R&R chart on its way up, that it peaked higher on the latter. OPTIONAL EXTRA: IN YOUR ROOM - THE BANGLES - Good song, though certainly not my favorite song from them. 9: EVERYTHING YOUR HEART DESIRES - DARYL HALL & JOHN OATES (16) - Good song, though far from being their best. 8: WAIT - WHITE LION (12) - Great song! As mentioned earlier, this is by far my favorite of their two Top 40 hits. 7: ELECTRIC BLUE - ICEHOUSE (9) - Another band that had a pair of Top 40 hits. I liked both of them about the same. 6: I DON'T WANT TO LIVE WITHOUT YOU – FOREIGNER (10) - Good song, but of their ballads that hit the Top Five, my favorite would be "I Want To Know What Love Is". LDD: HEAVEN IN YOUR EYES - LOVERBOY - Good song. I actually remember this LDD; I might still have it on one of my tapes, on which I recorded random stuff from AT40. 5: NAUGHTY GIRLS (NEED LOVE TOO) - SAMANTHA FOX (8) - It's okies, but I preferred other songs from her, such as "Touch Me" and the follow-up to that, "Do Ya Do Ya (Wanna Please Me)", as well as her remake of Dusty Springfield's "I Only Want To Be With You". 4: ALWAYS ON MY MIND - THE PET SHOP BOYS (6) - Great song! My favorite version of the four that I've heard. 3: SHATTERED DREAMS - JOHNNY HATES JAZZ (2) - Good song. Casey mentioned the song's backward bullet this week, and was correct about the song getting a second wind the following week (though it did lose its bullet then). OPTIONAL EXTRA: NEVER TEAR US APART - INXS - Meh, this song was mediocre at best. 2: ONE MORE TRY - GEORGE MICHAEL (4) - Great song! Definitely one of my favorites from him! I remember, back around the time "Father Figure" was climbing the chart, I was listening to the George's Faith tape, and when I heard this one, I hoped it would be the next release - and indeed it was! 1: ANYTHING FOR YOU - GLORIA ESTEFAN & MIAMI SOUND MACHINE (1) - Good song, but one of my least favorite of their ballads.
Predictions for next week: Well, it's been over two months since they last did a 1986 show, but to avoid doing a repeat, they'd have to hold off on that year until early June, which I somehow doubt that they'll do. I'll predict May 24, 1986 for next week, with my back-up prediction going to May 22, 1982.
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Post by mga707 on May 17, 2014 15:58:11 GMT -5
American Top 40: The 80s - May 17, 2014 This week's presentation - May 21, 1988 Droppers: I WISH I HAD A GIRL - HENRY LEE SUMMER (36) - Good song. We just missed this song this year, as it debuted on the chart the week after the last 1988 show and, of course, it drops off on this chart. I preferred his next hit, "Darlin' Danielle Don't" which, unfortunately, missed the Top 40 altogether. Got to give a plug for Henry's #18 1989 hit, "Hey Baby", which was entering the 40 exactly one year later , 25 years ago this week. Generic title but a great song. This boy from Brazil, Indiana (been there--east of Terre Haute on I-70/US40/historic National Road) had a real talent for putting out good pop records. Possibly my favorite top 40 hit of the entire decade. Never tire of it.
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Post by Deleted on May 17, 2014 19:10:33 GMT -5
American Top 40: The 80s - May 17, 2014 This week's presentation - May 21, 1988 21: STRANGE BUT TRUE - TIMES TWO (23) - Great song - their only Top 40 hit. Interesting that Casey Kasem talked about predictions of the future by Nostradamus right before this song because I remember a famous prediction from him for an 'earthquake in the new city, May of 1988' which meant either San Francisco or Los Angeles on "The Man Who Saw Tomorrow" with Orson Welles circa 1980, sent people into panic mode, but it did not happen until October, 1989 though!
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Post by bobbo428 on May 18, 2014 14:15:13 GMT -5
CHART CRITIQUE—5-12-1973
Even though I was doing well in school, I was stressed out from it because of an ultra-strict teacher and the continual fear of messing up and failing a test.
40 LET’S PRETEND-RASPBERRIES Mellower than their first two hits, this song nonetheless had the yearning feel of a late-spring pop hit. Lead singer Eric Carmen did a good job with the vocals, and the bridge effectively led to a rousing final chorus. I was hoping this song would be a much bigger hit. 39 NO MORE MR. NICE GUY-ALICE COOPER The guitar hook was strong—reminded me a bit of the Buoy’s “Timothy.” The lyrics expressed frustration because of misconceptions regarding Cooper’s stage persona. This should have charted much higher than #25. 38 BLUE SUEDE SHOES-JOHNNY RIVERS A good boogie rock remake of the Carl Perkins classic that Elvis also famously covered—I enjoyed Casey’s story about Rivers’ only #1 pop hit, “Poor Side of Town,” being a tune Rivers had written himself. 37 TEDDY BEAR SONG-BARBARA FAIRCHILD A well-written and sung country crossover hit 36 I CAN UNDERSTAND IT-NEW BIRTH A fun, offbeat R&B tune that is seldom heard today. 35 SUPERFLY MEETS SHAFT-JOHN & ERNEST Dickie Goodman-styled novelty tune was a real hoot and a parody of the blaxpoitation movie craze. 34 RIGHT PLACE, WRONG TIME -DR. JOHN A funky, sizzling rock tune, this song that fascinated me back in ’73; the vocals had a raspy yet soulful feel. 33 AIN’T NO WOMAN (LIKE THE ONE I’VE GOT)-FOUR TOPS A smooth, soulful yet pop-friendly number had a springtime feel and was one of the most romantic songs of the year. 32 ARMED AND EXTREMELY DANGEROUS-FIRST CHOICE R&B tune by a female act was a moderate pop hit; and it was cool hearing this one week after hearing Tavares’ “Whodunit.” This sounds more like a 1975-76 sort of song, as does the Tavares hit. It would have been cool had both songs been hits in May 1975 (halfway between). Both should have made the top 20. 31 CHERRY CHERRY (FROM HOT AUGUST NIGHT)-NEIL DIAMOND A fun live version of the 1966 tune that had been ?diamond’s first top-10 pop hit 30 LEAVING ME-INDEPENDENTS Well-written and sung soul slow jam ballad delivered earnestly; was a moderate pop hit as well. 29 IT SURE TOOK A LONG, LONG TIME-LOBO Melodic, folk-tinged soft rocker was a moderate success. 28 I’M DOING FINE NOW -NEW YORK CITY Enjoyable R&B-pop tune with a Spinners vibe and a Thom Bell sound 27 PLAYGROUND IN MY MIND-CLINT HOLMES Charming, if cheesy, soft rock tune featuring children singing along. I enjoyed Casey’s anecdote about how Holmes’s mother, an opera singer, wanted him to be one too. The music teacher I had at the time was big on opera as well. 26 STEAMROLLER BLUES-ELVIS PRESLEY a fun, bluesy cover of a track from James Taylor’s Sweet Baby James album delivered with a 1953 R&B feel 25 THE MASTERPIECE-TEMPTATIONS An excellent song lyrically and musically, it has a great beat and a message of ghetto life desperation that is enhanced by violins. It sounded like an autumnal song, but strangely enough, it was a springtime hit. 24 I’M GONNA LOVE YOU JUST A LITTLE MORE BABY-BARRY WHITE Rhythmic soul tune had a mesmerizing vibe and a sexy vocal delivery. 23 PEACEFUL-HELEN REDDY Mellow, reflective ballad about the need to get away to nature and regenerate; the song brings to mind a clear, calm, rustic morning in spring or fall. This song was reflective of the transition from the early to the mid-1970s; ironically peaked almost exactly one third of the way through the decade. People were into self-discovery during this era. 22 THINKING OF YOU-LOGGINS & MESSINA Carefree pop rock number was appropriate for late spring. 21 THE RIGHT THING TO DO-CARLY SIMON Reflective piano ballad had a May-ish feel to it. 20 WALK ON THE WILD SIDE/PERFECT DAY-LOU REED Risqué yet soulful tune went completely over my head when I first heard it; I had no idea what the song was about—I thought it was about taking a walk on a day with wild, windy weather. I would become familiar with the B-side (which I enjoy more) when Susan Boyle covered it in 2010. This song was featured in the 1996 movie Trainspotting. The piano bridge was one of the highlights of the song. 19 FUNKY WORM-OHIO PLAYERS A novelty tune I found so humorous I ended up buying the 45 a few weeks later; I find it a bit silly now. 18 OUT OF THE QUESTION-GILBERT O’SULLIVAN Tuneful song about a guy expressing frustrated over an unpredictable, game-playing lover 17 HOCUS POCUS-FOCUS A pummeling guitar hook propelled this progressive-styled rock instrumental into the top 10; also featured an organ interlude with mysterious, yodeling vocals. These vocals reminded me of a gallery with secret passageways. The drum break was killer, and the woodwind break added to the song’s diverse timbre. The song had an early summer feel. 16 SING-CARPENTERS This is the song that started me to sour on the Carpenters; it was saccharine and touchy-feely. I tuned out when the la-la-las kicked in. I missed most of the rest of the countdown, except for part of “Daniel.” 15 DAISY A DAY/ THE SEARCHERS-JUD STRUNK This was a maudlin tune with a country-pop flavor. My father enjoyed this song, however, and bought the 45. 14 PILLOW TALK -SYLVIA Seductive R&B number was the singer’s first hit since 1957’s “Love Is Strange.” 13 MY LOVE-PAUL MCCARTNEY & WINGS A smooth, caressing ballad that soared to #1 in June 1973. The guitar interlude worked especially well; this song helped establish McCartney as a post-Beatle superstar. 12 WILDFLOWER-SKYLARK Sincere, soulful ballad about a woman who had been through hard times—it had a springtime feel to it. 11 REELING IN THE YEARS-STEELY DAN This band’s second hit had excellent guitar work and a springlike chorus that belied the cynical lyrics. 10 THE TWELFTH OF NEVER-DONNY OSMOND Sugary remake of the Johnny Mathis chestnut was my introduction to this love song—I was conveniently tuned out for this one! 9 DANIEL-ELTON JOHN This was an anti-war ballad with a sedate yet mournful melody. It talked of a brother who was departing to fight in a war--a brother who was missed. It was one of those rare songs that told of the bonds between siblings. After this song came a long commercial block, then the station switched to a New York Yankee game. Too bad it wasn’t a rebroadcast of a 1973 game! I don’t mind their cutting out the final part of the show because most of the songs I hear all the time anyway. However, the critique goes on! 8 THE NIGHT THE LIGHTS WENT OUT IN GEORGIA-VICKI LAWRENCE This was a song that caught my attention right from the first time I heard it. It was a story song based in the south, and the alluring melody helped make it a chart topper. The tune was about a miscarriage of justice and the hanging of an innocent man. 7 FRANKENSTEIN-EDGAR WINTER GROUP The A-side was an exhilarating hard rocking instrumental that made me think of riding in a fast car on a rolling highway. The tune had an early summer, outdoors feel to it as well. The tune became a huge classic rock staple. I used to enjoy cranking it on my record player that summer. 6 STUCK IN THE MIDDLE WITH YOU-STEALERS WHEEL Rollicking pop rocker that featured vocalist Gerry Rafferty, who would score several hits in the late-‘70s. 5 DRIFT AWAY-DOBIE GRAY Soulful number with a hand-clapping beat became a pop classic. Gray had reached the top 20 in 1965 with a song called "The In Crowd." However, it would be eight more years before he would have another hit. Gray would have one more top-40 solo hit, a disco-tinged number called "You Can Do It," in 1979. I wasn’t too crazy about the Uncle Kracker remake, probably because it was grossly overplayed on AC radio. 4 THE CISCO KID-WAR This song was a raucous yet uplifting number that soared to #2, becoming their biggest pop hit ever. I can recall hoping that this record would go to #1. "Cisco Kid" was a story song in the great western tradition--the musical hooks were impeccable and displayed the band's excellent musicianship. 3 LITTLE WILLY-SWEET Bubblegum-tinged pop rocker that was a big hit; was produced by the famous Chapman/Chinn team. 2 YOU ARE THE SUNSHINE OF MY LIFE-STEVIE WONDER Jazzy number was a huge pop, soul, and MOR hit. This song took a long time to grow on me--it's one that I've come to enjoy a lot more in recent years--it has a mellow, jazzy feel to it, and it has become a pop standard. It is the quintessential May song--a caressing sort of sound that is an antidote for anxiety. 1 TIE A YELLOW RIBBON ‘ROUND THE OLD OAK TREE-DAWN Ragtime-influenced story song about a guy coming home from prison after a three-year stay; the song would experienced renewed popularity in 1981 (with the release of the hostages in Iran) and 1991 (with the Persian Gulf War). The tune was a bit mawkish, but you couldn’t help but root for the protagonist of the song. The tune had renewed popularity during the 1991 Persian Gulf War.
SHOULD HAVE MADE THE TOP 40: THE FIRST CUT IS THE DEEPEST-KEITH HAMPSHIRE The first time I heard this Cat Stevens-penned song was with this earnest version, which was a minor hit. Rod Stewart would have a bigger hit with the song four years later, and in 2004, Sheryl Crow would have the most successful version of all.
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Post by bobbo428 on May 19, 2014 0:00:43 GMT -5
CHART CRITIQUE—5-21-88
As far as my 1980s countdowns went today, I got to listen to approximately 40 songs—the last 14 songs of the one I missed from last week (5/10/80) and the last 26 songs of May 21, 1988. Several others have critiqued the 1980 show very well, so I'll focus on '88. Of the 1988 songs I missed, I don’t ever recall hearing Cover Girls’ “Promise Me” or Pretty Poison’s “Nighttime.” I’m most sorry I missed “Beds Are Burning” and least sorry I missed “Get Outta My Dreams.”
I was enjoying my job as a housekeeper at the local Catholic Charities—the people were sincere and friendly. I also volunteered occasionally at a local coffeehouse, where I was on May 21, 1988. I first heard part of this countdown on May 22, 1988 on WAAL in Binghamton, NY. My interest in pop radio was waning by this time, but I still tuned in to AT40 now and again. Tonight I tuned in during Taylor Dayne’s “Prove Your Love,” so I’ll start with Leslie Wonderman’s song:
26 PROVE YOUR LOVE-TAYLOR DAYNE Freestyle dance number with a strong hook, though I wasn’t too crazy about the lyrics. 25 THE VALLEY ROAD-BRUCE HORNSBY AND THE RANGE Excellent story song with scintillating piano riffs—I remember buying this record on a very hot day that July. LDD: “I Just Called to Say I Love You-Stevie Wonder: Poignant letter 24 I STILL BELIEVE-BRENDA K. STARR I had to turn the volume down because the commercials preceding this song were so obnoxious—unfortunately, I missed most of this song, which I had enjoyed back in ’88. I recall hoping that it would make the top 10. I liked it a whole lot better than the Mariah remake 11 years later. 23 WE ALL SLEEP ALONE-CHER Haunting pop ballad about the need to rely on oneself when one is lonely 22 FOOLISH BEAT-DEBORAH GIBSON Likable pop ballad—this singer was multitalented and took control of writing and producing her hits. It was too bad that she had no top 40 hits after 1990. 21 STRANGE BUT TRUE-TIMES TWO I hadn’t heard this song in decades, and it was better than I remembered it—the sax break was enjoyable, and the tune combined freestyle and rock. The stretch story on Nostradamus was classic—I could have heard about Nostradamus for an hour and not been bored. 20 MY GIRL-SUAVE I missed this song because I was avoiding the commercials again and was inaccurate in timing the commercial block’s length. As I recall from 1988, I think this remake was in the style of Club Nouveau’s “Lean On Me.” 19 WHERE DO BROKEN HEARTS GO-WHITNEY HOUSTON A well sung pop ballad that makes me miss her—his song is especially poignant, knowing that Whitney left us much too soon. 18 CIRCLE IN THE SAND-BELINDA CARLISLE One of my favorites in the countdown, I enjoyed the haunting, mysterious sound of this. 17 MAKE IT REAL-THE JETS Earnest ballad with the same feel as the 2000 ballad “You Sang to Me” by Mark Anthony ”Make It Real” was popular at the same time of year—prom time—as that Mark Anthony hit. All of the Jets’ six top-40 hits came in a two-year period. 16 DREAMING-ORCHESTRAL MANOEVRES IN THE DARK Enjoyable technopop number had a strong hook. It is too bad that I never hear any of this group’s hits on the radio other than “If You Leave.” 15 ANGEL-AEROSMITH Power ballad I enjoyed at the time—in later years, I would tire of the power ballads. This band would record a lot of them in the next decade. 14 TOGETHER FOREVER-RICK ASTLEY Engaging tune I liked a lot in ’88, but like his previous hit, was overplayed by AC radio. 13 PINK CADILLAC-NATALIE COLE I passed on this slab of pabulum. 12 WISHING WELL-TERENCE TRENT D’ARBY Enjoyable R&B-tinged number—his 1994 bubbling under tune “Let Her Down Easy” has made the Ac chart. I’ll reveal the artist later on. 11 PIANO IN THE DARK-BRENDA RUSSELL WITH JOE ESPOSITO Well-written and sung smooth jazz number by an artist who hadn’t been in the top 40 in 9 years—she should have had more than two hits. Her song “Get Here” would be a hit for Oleta Adams in early 1991. We were treated to the full version of this excellent tune. 10 TWO OCCASIONS-THE DEELE Romantic slow jam was well written. After this song came another commercial block begun with an irritating, shrill voice. Down went the volume. 9 EVERYTHING YOUR HEART DESIRES-DARRYL HALL AND JOHN OATES This was the duo’s final top-10 hit, and it had a strong hook—I was hoping it would reach #1. 8 WAIT-WHITE LION Generic hard rock ballad with mainstream appeal 7 ELECTRIC BLUE-ICEHOUSE Engaging pop rocker 6 I DON’T WANT TO LIVE WITHOUT YOU-FOREIGNER Romantic ballad that was big on AC radio as well—however, I was in the shower for this one. LDD: HEAVEN IN YOUR EYES-LOVERBOY: The letter was heartfelt, but the song was not one of my favorites. 5 NAUGHTY GIRLS (NEED LOVE TOO)-SAMANTHA FOX Fairly catchy but not exactly a favorite—contemporary acts such as Katy Perry may have been influenced by her. 4 ALWAYS ON MY MIND-PET SHOP BOYS Uptempo dance remake of the Willie Nelson country-pop classic—this act made a comeback on my personal song chart in 2013 with the instrumental “Axis.” 3 SHATTERED DREAMS-JOHNNY HATES JAZZ One of my favorites at the time, this was another good example of British blue-eyed soul. 2 ONE MORE TRY-GEORGE MICHAEL Plaintive blue-eyed soul tune—George’s latest single, “Let Her Down Easy,” has made the AC chart. 1 ANYTHING FOR YOU-GLORIA ESTEFAN & THE MIAMI SOUND MACHINE A lilting adult contemporary ballad that sounded like May
SHOULD HAVE MADE THE TOP 40: LIKE THE WEATHER-10,000 MANIACS—I believe that this could have been a bigger hit if it had been released to become a fall hit. The tune had a foreboding feel to it—should have been a hit in October.
I heard none of the Optional Extras—in a 1988 show, we have the chance to hear OEs from the opposite time of year (i.e. November in May). A good OE would have been the then-26-year old hit "Do You Love Me," by the Contours, which had a second wind because of "Dirty Dancing." The re-release is itself 26 years old, making the actual song 52 years old!
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Post by slf on May 20, 2014 22:29:45 GMT -5
.For week ending May 12, 1973
I had so much fun creating a critique last week, I just had to do it again. This time, I'm going with the seventies countdown, which is more up my alley, since I enjoy this decade of music more. (I love '60's music most of all but, darn it, there is no AT40, the '60's. Life is just not fair. Oh, well.)
40. Let's Pretend/The Raspberries--I was unfamiliar with this song, but it sounded similar enough to their great prior hits that I liked it.
39. No More Mr. Nice Guy/Alice Cooper--A somewhat enjoyable rocker. I just gotta make sure I stay away from the so-called church referred to in this song. (ha ha) Hey, preacher, WWJD?
38. Blue Suede Shoes/Johnny Rivers--The only version of this song that I find even halfway interesting is the Carl Perkins original.
37. Teddy Bear/Barbara Fairchild--A sappy, but pleasantly soothing country ballad with intriguing lyrics. (It wasn't nearly as sappy as another country song 3 yrs later with that same title.)
36. I can Understand It/New Birth--I forget how it sounded like, but I seem to recall liking it.
35. Superfly Meets Shaft/John & Ernest--I am a sucker for these break-in records. I remember when this song was a hit (I think my older sisters had the 45 single) and even then I thought it was a hoot. This might be the best of all the break-in records because, aside from the comedy factor, the song snippets are from excellent old school soul classics.
34.Right Place, Wrong Time/Dr. John--Slightly above-average, but far from great.
33. Ain't No Woman (Like The One I've Got)/The Four Tops--One of the best songs of the countdown. The lush string background combined with the soulful voices of Levi & Co. create a record almost on par with their body of work at Motown.
32. Armed And Extremely Dangerous/First Choice--This breathtaking dance record sounds like it could have been a hit five years later, alongside the Saturday Night Fever classics. The first great disco record? I think so.
31. Cherry, Cherry (from Hot August Night)/Neil Diamond--Live releases of artists' earlier studio hits are almost always inferior to the originals, and this one is no exception.
30. Leaving Me/The Independents--See my comment for No. 36
29. It Sure Took A Long, Long Time/Lobo--Once again, I have forgotten how a song sounded, but I recall it sounded like a typical mellow, pleasantly relaxing Lobo release.
28. I'm Doin' Fine Now/New York City--Actually it's the strings-and-horns driven R&B sound of another east coast city, Philadelphia, that makes a typical listener respond "I AM doin' fine now".
27. Playground In My Mind/Clint Holmes--So cheesy and cutesy, it's a hoot. And, really, how much candy can you buy for a nickle these days? Answer:NONE
26. Steamroller Blues/Elvis Presley--I've never been a fan of the type of raw blues represented in this song.
25. Masterpiece/The Temptations--Maybe this wasn't the masterpiece (lower-case) that "My Girl" or "Get Ready" were, but it had the same intriguingly dark, menacing sound that "Papa Was A Rolling Stone" had, which is still fine by me.
24. I'm Gonna Love You Just A Little More/Barry White--Although I have previously expressed my disapproval of certain "bedroom" songs, I have to say I love Barry White and his orchestrally lush style of dance music. Besides, he always seems to be singing to someone he truly loves and is committed to, which is OK in my book.
23. Peaceful/Helen Reddy--I wasn't crazy about this song when it was a hit, but I find it nice, sweet, and, yes, peaceful now. It's a well-produced song, too.
22. Thinking Of You/Loggin & Messina--Another smooth, well-produced song, especially represented by the slide guitar at the beginning and end of the song. And the duo's voices blend so impeccably.
21.The Right Thing To Do/Carly Simon--Another song that was so-so at first, but now sounds better as the years go by.
20. Walk On The Wild Side/Lou Reed--I know the lyrics are PG-13 at best, but they are so over-the-top I can't help but be amused, especially by Lou' utterance of "Sugar Plum Fairy". (Apologies to Tchaikovsky) Besides, the song's killer bass line is also irresistible.
19. Funky Worm/The Ohio Players--Cute novelty song that put a smile on my face. I wonder who the voice of the worm was.
18. Out Of The Question/Gilbert O'Sullivan--A fine, underrated song by a fine, underrated singer. It had a sprightly, catchy tune and well-written lyrics.
17. Hocus Pocus/Focus--Its spastic, bombastic nature of this song is enjoyable up to a point, but a bit much.
16. Sing/The Carpenters--The musically correct rock establishment can, as my grandma would say, go to Halifax. The Carpenters were GREAT. I even enjoy the children singing (much more than Michael and Cindy in the above Cline Holmes song.)
15. Daisy A Day/Judd Strunk--Another sweet, pleasant song I remember hearing on WOWO, Ft Wayne, a lot back in the day. It tugs at my heart strings, but I don't mind.
14. Pillow Talk/Sylvia--Oh, gee, I'm trying to write something about this song, but, to paraphrase David Lee Roth, I can barely see the computer screen from all the steam coming off it. Oh, man, this is ridiculous... what's up with ... (cough, cough)..NEXT SONG PLEASE!
13.My Love/Paul McCartney--A dramatic, polished, well-done love song that have aged well.
12.Wildflower/Skylark--Great example of the mellow side of 70's old school soul.
11. Reeling In The Years/Steely Dan--This was typical of Steely Dan's jazzy sound, but far from their best song, though.
10.The Twelfth Of Never/Donny Osmond--Fairly enjoyable ballad; better than Donny's previous hits.
9. Daniel/Elton John--One of Elton's better slow songs; he does a fine job with the vocals.
8.The Night The Lights Went Out In Georgia/Vicki Lawrence--This has always been one of my favorite story songs. Wouldn't it be a hoot if Vicki would re-record this in her "Mama" voice?
7. Frankenstein/The Edgar Winter Group--One of my favorite hard rock songs if for no other reason that there are no potentially controversial lyrics to get in the way like there are in some legendary rock classics.
6. Stuck In The Middle With You/Stealers Wheel--Another fine song that reminds me of May '73.
5. Drift Away/Dobie Gray--OK, but overrated. I like his other hit "The In Crowd" much better.
4. The Cisco Kid/War--Not great, but not bad. It does have an infectiously funky groove.
3. Little Willy/"Willy" sounded silly then, and it doesn't sound much better now.
2. You Are The Sunshine Of My Life/Stevie Wonder--Catchy yet beautiful love song which deserved to be one of Stevie's biggest hits.
1. Tie A Yellow Ribbon Round The Old Oak Tree/Tony Orlando And Dawn--Another irresistibly catchy song that deserved its megahit status. And the harmonica part towards the end is sweet icing on the cake.
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